The Search for Terror (ONC 2021)

Epilogue

      "You can open your eyes now," Saqat smiled, letting go of her hand. 

      Amaia cracked one eye open first, the second flying open wide to match as she took in the cottage in front of her that Saqat had had made for her. It was gorgeous, almost like any other cottage she'd read about or seen floating about the new country she resided in. 

      "You always wanted to feel normal," Saqat explained, "You wanted to be just another child running round the streets." His smiled widened as he took a step away from her to push the door open, "Your story will never be a normal one, but it can be beautiful. I don't want you to forget where you came from, but it's time you got to live the life you never could." 

      Walking through the door, Amaia's breath caught. He'd noticed. All those thoughts she thought she'd kept secret; he'd seen them all. 

      The windowsills were decorated in beautiful flowers, blues and purples, pinks and whites. Each doorway had been made larger, without a door, two pedestals closing the gap. On top of each was a potted cactus or succulent. 

      Her eyes fell over each detail in complete awe. 

      And then she noticed the stairs. Simple, wooden, classic. But it was the wall that rose with them that captured her attention and her heart. All the way up, there were framed pictures, the frames wrapped in vine flowers. The pictures were of her family. The first, at the bottom step, showed her parents dancing on their wedding day. The next, her parents were holding her as a new-born, such pride and joy in their faces. Her tenth birthday was next, her, her parents, and Saqat. The fourth photo made her pause a little longer. Her coronation. Saqat standing just behind and to the side of her, one hand on her shoulder. She'd always marvelled at how the photographer had managed to capture the image without the tear stains on their cheeks. Finally, there was a much more recent picture. She'd forgotten all about that day. Her, Issar, Rumpelgeist. She didn't realise she was crying until she tasted the salt on her lips. 

      At the top of the stairs, where it looked to her like there should be one more, was a blank space. She pointed with a shaking hand, and Saqat smiled softly, "I thought you could add a new one. When you find your people here." 

      Her people here. New people. But who could be hers more than Issar had been?

      "Thank you." 

      "You're welcome," he said, knowing how futile it would be to argue she needn't thank him for any of it. She could see in his eyes how he wanted to try, though. 

      As for the photo, there was one person she'd met who may one day appear there. "Do you have time to come with me? It only feels right that they should be a friend of yours if they are to be one of mine." Saqat nodded, though she knew he would have to return to the castle shortly.

      Bending down, she swiped Rumpelgeist's lead as he wandered past, checking out the house as she was. "Come on, Rumpel." 

      As the front door clicked shut behind them, Saqat dropped the keys into her hand. 

      She smiled, really smiled, and let him lead her back the way they'd come until she knew where she was. Then, taking over, she led him to the park she visited daily, at the same time, knowing that he would be there waiting now. 

      "Amaia, Rumpelgeist," he smiled, standing from the bench that had naturally become theirs, crouching immediately to fuss the excited saluki. 

      "This is Saqat," she said, knowing that her ex-protector needed no more introduction—she'd talked about him enough. Then, gesturing the other way, she realised she wouldn't know how to introduce him either. "Saqat, meet Amal."