The Wish of a Broken Heart

Last Day in Cadíagor

Dagdh’a’vaní 11th
TajE’atala
07:43


~Tavi~

Cara is still in a deep sleep and isn’t waking. I will let her rest and plan to bring her a morning meal in bed. Tira pops out of her bag home when I come to check on them. Sólaeira and Ben are still resting.

“How are they, my sweet vaní?” I kiss the top of her head and give her a hug.

“Healthy and happy. I had to block the doorway. Two pups wiggled out. I put a little veranda on their room so they can go out safely. The rail is solid and safe.” She looks happy and smells like puppy milk.

“Good. How was sleeping with Sólaeira and Ben last night?” She looks at them with a bitter-sweet smile.

“They hugged me all night. I know she will be the best mum for him.”

“Mmm? Tira, are you alright?” Sólaeira stretches and rubs her eyes.

“I am well. Come, it’s time for our morning meal.”

“I’ll get Ben ready.” Tira nods and pulls me towards the kitchen. We help make the morning meal and set it out under warming covers. Soon, everyone except Cara has woken, and they’re chatting excitedly.

“Amanda, we forgot to get the test results for these two yesterday. Any chance you have those?” I ask curiously.

“I do. We should wait for Cara, though. I hate repeating myself.” She tears a biscuit apart and dips it in her egg yolk. She looks frustrated.

“She has not finished her java, makan.” Ijt nudges me to look at her cup. I should know better.

“I will be right back. I am going to check on Cara.”

“We will come with you, Inkosi.” Kaenaék gestures for Ana to follow. I make sure to take her a cup of java. I set it beside her as they checked her over. Her coffee is cooled by the time they are finished. “She is faring better. Her bones are fully healed, no more internal bleeds, and the metal in her blood has increased. I believe Amanda calls it ‘iron.’ The damage to her organs is almost completely healed as well.”

“Before you get too excited, Saho, the portal damage will continue to damage her body until absolutely every major race has joined in the healing. It will take some time to be noticeable. Still, we should take every chance to heal her that appears.” I nod solemnly. “We are going back. Wake her and bring her out.”

“Alright. See you in a bit.” I watch them leave before stroking Cara’s cheek and whispering in her ear. “Ti’kúe, it’s time to eat. Amanda has test results to share.” She moans and rolls over, covering her head with a pillow. “I have java.” An eye pops open, and she looks at me warily.

“Prove it.” I hold the cup up. “You have passed the test. Help me sit up?” She pouts. I laugh and help her lean against the head of the bed. After drinking the entire cup quickly, she hums and nods. “I’m ready for food now.” I dress her in a warm robe before carrying her out.

“I planned on feeding you in bed, but know you want to know the results.”

“I do. How many races do we have to test their blood against?”

“Almost all from my alliance, all of Bellis’s alliance, those who were at Gurík Kímare, and half the zadýrint.” She nods.

“That’s most people. Too bad we didn’t have all of them to help with my healing.” I feel her sadness and frustration. She cheers up when she catches sight of everyone.

“Good morning!” They call out.

“Good morning, everyone!” She grins. Being greeted by so many smiling faces this early could make anyone smile.

“While you eat, I’ll talk.” I sit a plate of food and a bowl of fruit in front of her. Amanda looks excited. “Let’s start with Sólaeira. She is ¾ human, edlíduin. Sorry, it’s hard to remember. The ¼ is even parts gnome, gah! Níssë, Álfrám, and Loúcui.”

“Loúcui? Isn’t that what you are?” She points to David.

“Yes, but she has to have at least 1/8 blood to shift. She’s just below that level. As it stands, she has better healing, a higher immune system, and if she decides to have a family of her own, the survival rate of her babies is almost guaranteed. Chances of her having a loúcui mate are high as well. There’s a bunch in the capital. They’re one of the few zadýrint humans accept.” David seems educated on them.

“How do I know if I have one and who they are?” Sólaeira asks.

“You can go around to their territories, clubs, or find a druid to guide you in the right direction.”

“They host a dance in the capital every month. People come to seek their mates. I can have a soldier guide you. 2nd Sergeant, would you be kind enough to send a message to your family on her behalf, please?”

“With honor, Majesty. Lady Sólaeira will be cared for. I will have my Mom and sisters help her in case she goes into heat. It’s a slight chance it’ll happen. We want you protected. I know this because I am half. Both my parents are half loúcui.”

“I appreciate that.” She blushes.

“Moving on to little Ben,” Amanda says to refocus us. “He is edlíduin, Álfrám, and Nephilim. I couldn’t identify the other in his blood. I didn’t test taníyn, so that’s probably it.”

“I will contact my people.” Kaenaék says while tickling Ben’s cheeks. “He will need training very soon. I know a few who can teach him and would gladly live with you to assist as a caretaker. I will send them for you to interview at your leisure.”

“I appreciate that.” She curtsies to him.

“Please, spend the next few hours with Tira before you have to leave.” Cara squeezes Tira and Sólaeira’s hands.

“Others will be assisting escorting you to the capital. My family will greet you, and you will stay at the palace for the time being. They have a list of properties for you. I hope it all works well for you.” Bellis smiles and pats her head.

We quickly finish eating, and I put Cara back to bed. She is asleep before making our way down the hall. I wake her again when everyone has to leave. She hugged every person and shared her appreciation for their presence before they left. Miwt and Ijt were reluctant to leave but had to get back to our people. They took the creatures with them, promising to set a large habitat up for them.

“Miss Tira, may I speak with you?” Bellis’s 1st Lieutenant asks.

“Of course.” We sit.

“I’d like to start off by telling you how sorry I am all of this has happened to you.”

“I appreciate it.” She says quietly, staring at her hands in her lap.

“I toured the properties your family owned. We recovered their remains and would like to hold a service for them.”

“What?” Many of us gasp.

“It seems they were left where they were. The VárSvík claimed they cared for their last resting. No one questioned it. Tira, what would you like done?” She’s silently crying. Cara and I hug and rock her gently.

“They… *hic*… they have to… *hic*… go to Isil… *hic*… Isilmëmírë.” I pick her up and pat her back as I rock her.

“We will escort them home.” Cara is fighting tears back.

“I suspected that would be what would happen. The house is only a shell. There are protections on it preventing cleaning. Once they are removed, an elderly couple would like to live there. They wish to assist their kids with the farm.” Tira turns, slightly calmer.

“My parents wanted to build a big house and have people stay when the inn was too full.”

“We could build a big house. Maybe some of the soldiers could stay there too.” She smiles a little and nods.

“Any dhana from it goes to Ben. He needs to go to school.” She plays with her fingers.

“Agreed. The garden and Sip A Spell remain yours.” The 1st Lieutenant surprises her. “The family also has a niece in town named Avea. She just moved back here a few weeks ago from Isilmëmírë. She is a Yátu wanting to reopen the shop and run it for you. It used to be a popular place for couples and visitors. Her classes end at the end of the season.” Tira smiles, and tears slip from her eyes.

“I’d like that. I’ll clear Mommy and Daddy’s things out tonight. Uncle Dez, can the… heka?” He nods, confirming she said it right. “Can it go to Ben’s property? If the whole family wants to help, they should be protected.” Dez smiles.

“I think we can work something out. I think you two should rest a few hours. You’ve been dealing with a lot and been through harsh healing. We can start cleaning and get some help identifying things so you can go through things faster.”

“I appreciate it, Dez. I'll get them laid…”

“Go rest with them. They need you as much as you need them. We’ll handle this. The little Indrea will only have to sit and order us around when she’s ready.” He tweaks her nose, making her laugh.

“I appreciate it, Dez.” I pick Cara and Tira up and carry them to bed. They’re asleep before I can crawl in next to them. Watching them sleep, I can’t believe they’re mine. My family. I fall asleep, smiling with my hand on Cara’s belly, and Tira tucked safely between us.

18:00

~Tira~


Mama is still tired and weak when I wake up. I ask Papa to stay in bed with her. Uncle Dez helps me write a note in case they forget. I leave it on Papa’s bed table, and we leave quietly. Daid Kucoatl carries me on his sesmetí to Sip A Spell.

“Hieee, I’m Avea!” A bubbly dark-haired girl Sólaeira's age waves from in front of the shop. People turn to see what’s going on. A few wave and greet us. When we get closer, I’m surprised how pretty her eyes are. They look like a squash Mama calls pumpkin. Her skin is a deep tan with freckles. She’s slim with average curves, but she’s really tall.
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you allowing me to help. My parents met here when your Mom’s parents ran it. I worked here for a few years before leaving for exams in Isilmëmírë and again for your parents when I came back. I’m almost done with birthing classes, and I’ll be finished with the checklist your Mom gave me.”

“Checklist?” I’m confused.

“Yes. She said I needed to learn things to help the town stay healthy, like she did. This shop served everyone with everything from food to potions and charms to scrolls. No dark or forbidden craft allowed.”

“I… I didn’t realize…” Avea suddenly hugs me. Her smell. I know that smell.

“I helped watch you. The VárSvík refused to let me see you.” She hugs me a little longer before stepping back. “Now, tell me what to do. You’re the boss now.” I smile, and we quickly get to work.

She shows me the forbidden areas and safes. I take things not related to the business while Dez and the others sort out any bad inventory. A lot of it has gotten stronger with age and has to be diluted or re-labeled. A list of needed supplies is handled by Auntie Ana. Most of it is in the Kalí garden. I’m able to pull fresh supplies from my bag.

Lía uses her skills to copy all the books. One for Avea, one for the shop, and the originals come with us. She produces two copies of books from Mama’s world. Avea is surprised we gave her copies of them. She says they’re rare and expensive. The otherworlder books are priceless.

Merchant Gus pops in to speak with Avea and Uncle Dez. He is able to get the rest of the supplies. Mágoi David says he wants to trade with them and asked Lía to copy his books for the shop, Avea   Gus, Mama, and Auntie Ana. They work out trade agreements between all of them. I hope all this knowledge and the shop will help people.

We leave Avea to clean, and I give her a year’s wages to start. She will still get paid, but I found out she would be homeless if it wasn’t for the soldiers coming to town. She was living in the wilds! Now she has the apartment above the shop and money to take care of herself until it’s running.

When we arrive at what remains of my home, I see Lereía Lady Marlow presiding over two beautiful caskets. I try not to cry. Daid helps me down before scooping me into a hug.

“You don’t have to. I can take care of this if you want.” I shake my head and dry my eyes.

“No, they can go in here for now. There’s a hidden spot only I can get to. Would you?” I look at their caskets. They’re made of a wood the color of the clouds. The decorations and fixtures are made of precious metals and stones.

“Of course. I know just the place in the gardens.” He goes into the bag with the caskets. There’s a small building I was told to stay out of. There’s candles and a prayer area outside of it. I was told my family is buried there. I do know a ceremony has to be performed on Isilmëmírë for them because they were a Lereía and Sagjal.

I head off to the crawl space. The stairs are gone. The floor is too. Thankfully, someone brought ladders. They help me down. I try to remember where it is. It all looks different. Bits of burned wood are broken all around. I keep the stairs behind me and try to remember the directions. I find it easier than I thought and start clearing the debris Sólaeira stacked in front of it.

“I’m right here.” I here Daid Kucoatl say from behind me.

“We are too.” I hear Mum Niledōtu, Lía, and many others behind me. I turn and see their smiling faces. They’ve formed a line to help clear debris. Everyone is dirty from the work they’ve been doing.

“Sit and rest. Tell us where to clear, and we’ll get it done.” Mum pulls a stool over and has me rest. I begin instructing them. The work is done quickly. I crawl into the small opening and turn the ward off. It’s a series of seven stones. I put them in the bag and begin gathering the little statues, jewelry, and things that were crammed in here. It looks like Sólaeira used a shovel and broom to put things in. Smart.

When the entry is clear, I make my way to Mommy and Daddy’s trunks. I should have gone through them before Ben left. I can always send things with Prince Captain Bellis. When all the trunks are stored away, I start to head back. A sparkle stops me.

It's a small box for a woman’s dressing table. It’s pretty! The strange metal looks like it has a pink tint. Two taníyn are laying together. Their heads are resting on the other, and their wings are spread. One is red and the other is rasa. It’s the same metal as our dhana, gall. Mama calls it gold.

They have pretty scales. I caress the dragons and hear a click. It opened! The picture of the couple with the baby is on the inside of the lid. Soft, shiny pink material lines the inside. It holds pretty jewelry. I freeze when I see a necklace with my name on it. Why?

“Tira, are you alright? You have been in there a long while. Do you need help?” Daid calls. I slip the little box in my bag, focusing on my bedside table’s drawer.

“I’m just looking to see if I missed anything.” I call out.

“Once you’re out, I can scan the area for you. It only works in small spaces.” Auntie Ana calls out. I look around again and see a bag on top of the rafters. I grab it and crawl out. Daid lifts me out and helps me dust off. “It’s all clear. Looks like you found the last thing on the way out.” I nod and hand it to her.

“Do you want to look? I have a lot to go through in my bag.”

“Sure.” She opens the bag and gasps. “Mêtch!” I try to remember what it means. “Apologies, it means beautiful. Nefer is what we call a living being. Mêtch is for things. Sometimes, people mix them.” She closes the bag. “I’ve scanned the rest of the area. Nothing is left.
“We found a tube with blueprints. I believe it’s what your parents planned on. We can leave the rest for the cleaning crew and builders. I had Lía copy the plans and gave them to the builders. The original is in the wagon with the other things we found. Let’s get back and clean up before I show you this. I don’t want to chance it getting dirty.”

“Okay.”

“Come.” Daid puts me on his back and climbs out of the basement. We wave goodbye to the people remaining and go back to the inn. We all have to bathe before our evening meal. I wonder what’s in the bag?


23:00


~Cara~


The kids should be in bed. They’re all wide awake still, but they should sleep well tonight. They came back filthy and exhausted. Tavi cooked a nice stew, and I made biscuits. I was worried their ingredients wouldn’t react well, and I’d cook hockey pucks.

Thankfully, they came out better than I could have dreamed! They’re purely made from plant materials and some of the wild honey we found. No sugar or butter was needed with it. The biscuits are super fluffy and flaky. They came out twice as big as I planned and taste more like croissants.

Tavi’s stew has a meat similar to high-quality  steak and another like brisket, but it tastes like scallops. The root vegetables look like potatoes, but are like a savory carrot, and the other looks like ginger but tastes like a peppery potato. The celery looking plant tastes like sweet celery. We’re good there, at least.

The tomatoes are purple and green. They’re incredibly sweet with a slight basil flavor. The beans are a little spicy and bright red when cooked. He put some yellow shredded flowers in. They look like dandelions. He even used the greens in the salad and set the roots aside for tea. It helps with upset stomach, headaches, and acts as a laxative if you drink too much.

I wonder, can I put a house in my bag like the kids did?

“OW!” I try not to mumble curses.

“Cara!” Tavi quickly puts my arm under water. “What happened?”

“I was wondering if I could put a house in my bag like the kids have and wasn’t paying attention.” My forearm is blistered.

“Mama, are you okay?” Tira has tears in her eyes.

“She will be fine. Watch.” Tavi sits me down and places Gumdrop on the burn. We watch Gumdrop glow. My arm heals and the pain goes away. Five minutes later, no scar is left behind. “I hurt myself while you were sleeping. Gumdrop came over on her own and healed me.”

“Yes, it worked! Good job, Gumdrop!” I pet my dėmė. “I kept feeding her healing potions, the bath water, and help clean injuries and medical supplies on top of having you all cast healing spells, hoping she would become a healer.”

“I think the final piece was finding her in the healing well. All that heka absorbed into her.”

“Why are you two calling Gumdrop a vaní?” Jorg raises an eyebrow at us. We look at each other and smirk.

“Ijt.” We say in unison before laughing.

“He says Gumdrop is a vaní and Mokü is a dehí. We just picked it up.” I shrug. Everyone laughs, and a few agree. They start assigning their dėmė genders.

“Let’s eat!” Jorg calls and helps serve out bowls with Tavi. “It’s nice to eat a meal I didn’t have to cook.” He chuckles.

“It smells amazing!”

“We need to leave them in charge of cooking more often.”

“So fluffy!”

“These biscuits are amazing.” We smile and listen to everyone enjoy the meal. A dėmė cleans the dishes after Kucoatl puts the leftovers away. It seems everyone’s dėmė is evolving into a specialty. They’re incredible.

“Before we go to sleep, Tira, come sit.” Ana calls out. I wonder what’s going on. “Nadi, Fraí, I need a form.” They bring out an adjustable sewing form. Ana moves it around before reaching in a burlap-looking bag. She pulls out a huge pile of exquisite, delicate-looking material and carefully arranges it over the form. She slowly raises the stand, revealing a stunning gown.

The lace could be made of spider’s thread! It sparkles with movement like stars. Accessories like the belt look like white gold scales. The top is an off-shoulder corseted style. It’s embroidered with stunning swirls and flowers . The waistline is a hip-hugging Basque. The skirt looks fantasy/medieval style. An over skirt splits, and the under layers are strips that create a stunning high-low layered effect.

“That’s a taníyn wedding dress.” Kucoatl whispers in awe. “Tira, you must put this away and show it to no one until you are older. These dresses mean things, and it puts you in danger. Do you understand, dearest?” He cups her cheek and stares intensely into her eyes. She nods.

“Is this the same?” Ana pulls a stunning baby blanket out.

“Yes. It’s probably why they had it hidden so well.”

“The gift shelves in the basement of her house. Can they be kept in there?” I ask.

“They could, but she probably wants to see them. They will be fine in her closet. If anyone tries getting into her bag without her permission, it will end badly for them.” Kucoatl points out.

“Okay. I can put them away from here. I think I figured it out. I’ll need help going through everything. Some of it should go to Ben. I put everything in an empty room.”

“You learn fast. It’s your taníyn blood. I think we all need to go to bed after feeding and checking on the cui.”

We decided a while back that the kids and heavily pregnant women would stay in Tira’s house when we sleep. It’s safer, and there’s less… noise. We learned last night that the rooms are NOT soundproofed like we thought. The rooms in her house are though. We get all the littles tucked in and sing them to sleep.

“Hey Mommas. How’s our little family?” I ask and sit on the nursery floor. Nimuë’s tail thumps happily. She leaves the pups sleeping for cuddles while Tavi puts food out for the girls. Duchess and Bella eat happily while he scratches their backs. Nimuë always eats by me.

The pups look healthy. We don’t mess with them. They’re piled together, making the sweetest noises. The tiny ones snuggle against the huge pup and are surrounded by the bigger pups every time we come in. It’s sweet.

“Come, time to rest Ti’kúe.” He picks me up and carries me to bed.

“First, strip and lay on your stomach.” I order. He hesitates only a second before following my orders. I pull my peppermint massage lotion out and warm it in my hands while he gets comfortable.

“Mmm, that smells good.” He hums. I straddle his back and start massaging his shoulders his skin absorbs the lotion quickly. It’s a good thing I have a lot of peppermint oil. “What is this?” I giggle at him. He’s melting under my hands.

“Peppermint massage lotion. The oil is a natural muscle relaxer. We can’t use it around babies, and it has an intense sensation when it’s wet, so we should be careful for a few hours after using it. I figured you needed to relax and wanted to spoil my man.” I lean over and kiss his neck before working lower.

I delight in his moans and groans of pleasure. Half an hour later, his soft breathing alerts me to the fact that he’s fallen asleep. I finish his massage and wipe my hands before stripping and pulling the covers over us. I smile as I curl beside him and drift off. As silly as it sounds, that little bit of activity wore me out.


Dagdh’a’vaní 12th
Inqwé’gaelaō
05:30


~Tavi~


Cara is curled up on my chest. It happens almost every night. I love it. I run my fingers along her soft skin and brush the hair from her face. My body feels amazing after her tender care. I’ve never had a massage, and that lotion made the tension evaporate.

“That tickles.” She giggles as my fingers gently caress her side. She kisses my chest and moves her way up to my lips. She’s too cute. “Good morning.” She mumbles against my lips.

“Mmm, good morning.” Morning kisses quickly turn passionate. My Inkássa is very demanding. I grin and touch every sweet part of her as she takes pleasure on me. We’ve gone a full day without. I lose myself when she holds still and manipulates her muscles around me. We both find our release, and she collapses on my chest, giggling.

“These baby hormones are something else. It was painful to go that long without you.”

“That is no good. I will have to make sure to take advantage of you when you’re weakened from now on.” I growl and roll her under me.

“Oh no, whatever will I do? A big, strong monster has me captive. What are his devilish plans for me?” She giggles.

“Oh, my sweet little captive, I intend to show you what the abhvo from edlíduin bedtime stories were truly about.” I grin as I lick down her body and growl into her lower lips before putting her legs over my tusks. “A perfect fit for my meal.”

“Oh my, I’m trapped. Whatever will I… Holy Shịt! Yes!” I thrust my tongue into her and suck her little nub. I love the little noises she makes and her sweet, tangy taste. She’s my favorite meal.

Three times I make her shatter. Each time is stronger and lasts longer than the one before. I love the feel of her gripping me as I enter her. Her nails dig into my skin, and her little legs grip my hips. She’s so tight!

I feel myself swelling inside of her, and she cries out. She likes the painful pleasure. It isn’t long before we’re locked together. She shatters around me four more times before my knot releases, and she’s able to release herself. We found her muscle lock around me after coming three times. I couldn’t pull out if I tried.

We relax for a minute and enjoy the moment before showering and soaking in a bath. She falls asleep on my chest in the bath. A knock at the door startles her awake. I chuckle as I get us out of the bath. I set her in a chair and cover her in a blanket after wrapping a bath robe around her. I tighten my own robe before answering the door.

“Morning big brother! Sorry to interrupt, but breakfast is ready. We need to hit the road soon.” Amanda must have had her morning java. I notice her and Cara only drink a small cup now. “For sissy.” She hands me java and leaves.

“It’s time.” I tell her while carefully kneeling and handing her the java. She nods and sighs before drinking.

"I guess we better get ready then." She carefully stands. "Shall we?" She reaches her tiny hand out to me. I take it and stand.

"We shall."