Author Games Magi: Eriswen Faervel

Task Seven: Epilogue

Darkness enveloped me when I woke, comforting and familiar. Zeydaan's warmth washed over me and I snuggled closer to his side to enjoy it for a few moments before getting up. He stirred and lifted his wing, letting the bright morning sun shine down on me. A cool breeze washed over my face, blowing my hair out behind me.

Zeydaan stood and stretched his wings. "We should go back, Eris. I know you wanted time to yourself, but it's been two days and Mordzar is probably worried. The twins need you," he said.

"Okay." I agreed.

The twins did need me. They were only two and they didn't need their mother disappearing constantly on them. They needed a loving, caring mother, and I wanted to be that for them, but sometimes it was all too much. Mordzar would be worried sick by now too, since I hadn't even left a note when I disappeared. He would probably be both angry and relieved when I got back, so the sooner I arrived, the sooner he would be able to get it out of his system.

Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I climbed onto Zeydaan's back and he took off, heading back toward the elven village we lived it.

***

It was dark when we finally arrived home again. Zeydaan dropped me off in the clearing and then left to join the nearby dragon colony. For a moment, I hesitated at the door for a moment before I made up my mind.

Pushing open the door to our cottage, I scanned the kitchen. Mordzar was sitting at the table, his head in his hands. He looked exhausted, which sent a pang of guilt through me, because I knew that it was because of me.

"Hey, Mordzar," I whispered, stepping inside and closing the door.

He looked up and stood when he saw me, coming over and enveloping me in a tight hug. "Why did you leave?" he asked quietly. "Where did you go?"

"I'm sorry. I just needed a few days to myself. I swear it wasn't because of anything you or the twins did. I'm just... It's becoming harder and harder to deal with things lately."

He pulled away and we went to the living room, sitting down on the couch to talk "What's going on with you, Eris?" Mordzar asked gently. "You've seemed okay when we first left Castre, but you're getting more and more distracted. Even the twins are noticing it lately. They missed you when you were gone."

"I know. I just... I can't get Ionean out of my head lately. It's been seven years, but I still can't stop thinking about him. It's like he's still there, in my head. Ever since we left Castre, the feeling that he's gone has gotten stronger and stronger as time went on. Having you and the twins and Zeydaan has helped a lot, but I still can't escape the feeling that he's not gone yet. That he's just missing."

Mordzar leaned back, letting out a sigh. "Why didn't you bring this up sooner? I've been worried about you."

"I know. I should have, but I was... I didn't want to ruin everything we have here with my own problems."

"You're problems are supposed to be mine too, Eris. We're married! We're supposed to share with each other."

Leaning my head on his shoulder, I closed my eyes and tried to shut Ionean's strange presence out of my mind for a little while. "I was trying to figure it out on my own. Dumping it on you seemed... wrong somehow and I didn't want you to worry about me."

"I was already worried," he said gently. "You don't have to hide things from me because you think it might worry me or hurt me in some way. I'm here for you, I promise."

"Thank you," I said softly.

He hugged me again and then leaned down and kissed me gently. "We'll figure this out, okay? But we need to sleep first."