A Good Thing

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Chapter 42

-travel-

With their long term future so uncertain, Omera had accepted the fact that their home wouldn't be a physical place for some time. She had known this was possible when she had agreed to marry Din. And she had meant it when she'd told him she didn't want to live on Sorgan for the rest of her life. All that being said, she hadn't been prepared for the sudden rush of homesickness when they breached the forest around the village.

It was early evening when they'd arrived so they decided they would stay the night. Hannah and Bojan had met them at the edge of the village and been so happy to see them. Omera hadn't tried to hide the tears at finally seeing her friend again and they had walked arm in arm to the common hall for dinner.

Once the rest of their party was settled in—Cara and Asta staying with Tanda, Migs and Paz with Stokes—Din and Omera had stayed up talking with Hannah and Bojan. They told them about the rescue, about how they'd ended up on Batuu and what they had found there. Din had shared excitedly about Chandrila and his opportunity to see his son again and their friends had been happy for them.

After checking on Winta, asleep soundly in her bed, Omera felt the emotions that had been nagging at her since they'd landed begin to overwhelm her. Frowning she pushed them down and went into the room she had shared with Din, digging a box from their closet. Setting it on the bed and sitting beside it, she threw it open and began sorting through it.

The box held what she had saved of Winta's baby things as well as several items she had been given by Hannah and the other women in the village over the last few months before they had left. Almost all of the little outfits her daughter had worn had been made on Sorgan. These people, these wonderful people had taken her in and given her a home and loved her and her daughter like family. She loved them and the life she had here both before and after Din. Now they were leaving for good for an uncertain and dangerous future.

Sitting there on the bed she had shared with her husband, in the home she'd lived in for a decade, suddenly all she wanted was the peace and ease this life gave them. For the last two months there had been so much to do, so many things to plan and people to get to know that she hadn't had time for the doubts and fears. Here though, this brief moment of peace in what had been their home broke the last of her will.

She was scared.

For her husband, for their children, for the rest of their people and their friends... No matter what happened in Chandrila, there would be war after. Omera had known this was possible and chosen it anyway because Din was worth it but that didn't mean it didn't terrify her. Now they stood at the edge. Tomorrow they were leaving this peaceful life behind them for good.

She didn't realize she was crying until Din was kneeling in front of her, prying the tiny clothes from her clenched hands and murmuring his name for her.

"Ner ka'ra..."

A strangled sob broke free as she slid from the bed and collapsed against him, burying her face in his neck. He didn't speak empty words of comfort as she wept against him, only holding her close, lips pressed to her temple.

Eventually she didn't have any tears left to cry. Sitting between Din's knees, she let him rub a hand soothingly up and down her back as she tried to calm down.

"I'm scared, Din."

His arms tightened around her.

"Me too."

She tipped her head slightly and kissed his neck. "I wish you didn't have to fight. I know you've done it countless times before but... you weren't my husband then."