A Court of Heritance and Destiny

Epilogue: Beginning

Has she ever been scared in this way before? She had survived death staring in her eyes. Stayed in a room with Rhys losing control. Stood against Elain, faced the darkest parts of her past. She had done so much, but this moment scared the living hell out of her.

The whole situation was strange, almost like she was making it up in her head. But the signs were there, her aching breasts, the nausea that made itself known. That weird curve on her stomach. She was just around the time where she could expect her bleedings, or... She had missed them. They should have started two weeks ago. And now Etera sat paralyzed on the sofa, scared to move, scared to know. Scared to not know. Her powers were acting up, or maybe it was her mind. She had no idea what to do, what was real and what was made up.

Ikarad was away in the mountains, and she had hid her growing panic from the bond. She could just stand up, go to the bathroom, take a test and get the answer she needed. One line, and her mind playing a cruel trick on her. But if...

She stayed there until Ikarad opened the door around midnight, his tired form entering her anxiety filled space. She could not look at him, scared that if she moved something could happen.

"Love?" Ikarad came to her side, Etera still didn't move. "Etera?" He sat down in front of her. "What is it?"

"I need to take a test." The words made her heart speed up, this was the first time she ever took one outside of the need for a mission, the first time it wasn't a routine or needed for her safety. "And I am scared..."

"Do you need to leave? Where?" Ikarad took her hands in his, "Did dad ask that of you now?" a flash of anger. She had returned to missions, it took a year, and she still made sure to take it at a slower pace than she did before.

"No..." A single tear fell from her eyes. "I think... I think I might be pregnant." Silence. Her tears refused to stop, what if this hurt it? What if her actions now caused her to lose this one too?

"Alright." Ikarad nodded, his body stiff. "I will change, and we will go back up." Etera dared to move her eyes, seeing the steep stairs she needed to climb. Steep, narrow... "I will carry you up." He did just that, taking command over her actions, just like he needed to when she lost all control like this. Etera held on to him as he sat her down in the bathroom. "Shall I do it?" She nodded, lifting her hand towards him. The stick from the sharp needle didn't hurt at all, his hands moved her finger over the paper. And then they waited.

"Now, if it is a false alarm, we will talk to your healer, something must be up if you believe this." Ikarad started, giving her a plan to follow. Directions to do. "If not..." Etera drew a breath, her mind slowly calmed down, even if her heart still hammered in her chest with no end in sight. "If not, we will still talk to your healer, and inform the others that you will be on bedrest until we know for certain." Etera moved again, taking his hands in hers.

The fear paralyzed her, holding her in an iron grip that refused to ease. Not even a calming touch from Ikarad made it lighten its grip on her. Every action felt like a risk, was she breathing too much? Too little? How long had she been feeling like this? Truly? Her mind spun out of control again, going through everyday, every thing she had done, asking if it had been safe. Then she landed back to that night, the pain, the water, the sorrow that never truly left her.

"I don't think I can do this again." She whispered. "I can't stand this fear..." If this was a false alarm, she might stop dreaming. It hurts too much. Almost fifty years after that night, eighty years of trying. She had nothing left in her. No hope, no dreams.

"That is fine." Ikarad sat there in front of her, "That is fine." Time was up, but no one of them moved. For when they did all the ifs and buts were over.

"You can look."

"Together." It hit her then, she always did this on her own before a mission. Standing there in the bathroom alone, over and over. Discarding the pieces of paper over and over. Her own way of torturing herself over the years. That small voice hoping that this time was different, only to be hit with disappointment over and over again. But it was still there, still hoping.

That only positive one had been with him, but none of them even knew a test had been taken. It had been a shock, a surprise. Now... If it was positive, two lines showing, it was so different from anything else.

"Together." He lifted down the paper, turning it upside down.

"I love you no matter what. And I will forever be your mate, whatever this paper tells us." He assured her, holding the paper between them. "I am here for you, like I always am." Etera took one edge of the paper. Smiling up at her mate. It would be fine, no matter what. Ikarad would not leave her, he would not even dream about it.

"No matter what." They turned the paper.

Her mind stopped, her heart slowed down, everything faded out of focus. Leaving only the paper before her and what it told her. Two lines. Crossed over by the smeared blood drop. Two lines. Meaning so much to the mates. Two lines. Ending all fears, all doubts.

Etera let out a cry, her hand covered her mouth as more tears fell. She knew it, she knew it...

"I love you." Ikarads arms came around her. "Fucking hell I love you."

"We need a new home." the words got broken with laughter and a cry.

"Give me a day and we will start to look into that." Ikarad held her close. "Things will go differently this time. I know it." Etera didn't doubt his words. She believed them with all of her heart. Dreaming of a future that now once again started to appear.

The ghost touch of a hand brushed her shoulder. Telling her that everything would be alright. A protector and angel guarding over them. 

____

The true end to Etera and Ikarads story. 

These two have been with me for years, in diffrent incarnations. And giving them a ending, or rather a new begining, felt right as an end to this story. 

Next part will not be as wholesome, just as a heads up. 

Vote and comment! 

/Mymymoon