The Matriarch's Daughter

Chapter Fourteen: Look at Yourself

In the weeks that followed, things changed for Thepa. From the moment she hobbled away into the night, to having the sinner's mark placed on Lily, to their return to the overrun outpost, every member of the team obeyed her orders, whether they wanted to or not.

At first, everything was awkward. They treaded around her, like a youngling carrying an egg. She caught their glances, saw the hesitation in their steps, but it didn't matter. As long as they followed her lead, she was content. If she had to bring out the fire inside her to put them back in line, she would do it, not that she knew how she did it in the first place.

But over time, the tension eased. Camaraderie improved. They laughed more, argued less. She saw it in small things: how Will shared a joke during a long night's watch, how Bidant loosened his rigid posture. In a strange, unexpected way, she even began to think of them as friends. Not close friends, but something more than mere acquaintances.

That shift in her mood stayed with her as she stepped through the winding streets of Level Two, where spices and fried noodles mixed in the air. Lanterns flickered overhead, a sign of an upcoming festival. With the outpost mission behind them and only a minor kerfuffle outside of Selmarah, she welcomed the chance to simply exist. No urgent orders to give. No battles to prepare for. Just a moment to breathe, to let the tension in her horns ease as she moved through the evening crowd to her final destination.

Thepa exhaled as she stepped into a brightly lit tavern, scanning the room for a familiar face. Spotting Vivian seated in a corner, Thepa went over, her hoofs scuffing against the worn wooden floor.

"Thanks," she said, eyeing the drink already waiting for her. She lifted it to her lips, tasting a smooth honeyed sweetness with herbs and spices she couldn't quite place. It was warmer than she preferred, but she drank it anyway.

"My pleasure, Sister Thepa. Your leadership is improving. You do your people proud."

"Hardly." Thepa dismissed the compliment with a wave of her hand. "I think the team hates the silence more than they hate me."

"You weigh your worth with uneven scales, Sister Thepa. Selmarah might not have been a noteworthy step on your path to greatness, but without your leadership—"

"Bidant's idea. Without his plan to convince the elves to flank for us, we might have been overwhelmed."

Vivian tapped a finger against her tankard, considering Thepa's words before responding, "Sister Thepa, I don't know what they taught you in your time in Wildehaven, but a leader does not do everything by herself. A good leader surrounds herself with people she can rely on for advice. She isn't expected to have all the answers. Even the Matriarch has the Council of Sisters."

"Still, I should have been more assertive in the beginning. Maybe Lily—"

"Made her choice. Actions have consequences. Perhaps the experience and the mark will teach her there is more to life than gold and hatred."

Thepa sighed, taking a deep drink of her mead. The honeyed warmth settled in her throat before she set the cup down with a quiet thud. Her fingers traced the rim idly, unsure of what to say.

"Sister Vivian, I know what you're trying to do," she said, her voice softer than she intended. "I'm flattered. Truly, I am. And as much as I would love to know more about who I am and where I come from..." She inhaled, her eyes flickering to the overhead chandelier. "I'm not what you're looking for."

Vivian leaned forward, her broad frame hovering across the table. "But it's in your blood. Does the fire inside not convince you? My own biologic spoke stories of your grandmother when she was the Matriarch. Said she could wield the fire like a whip. My sister and I used to reenact her exploits as younglings."