In the event you like music whilst you learn, attempt “The Different Aspect” by Ruelle. It is what I used to be listening to whereas penning this!

*****

ELRETH

“How?” she cried. “What…? I assumed you have been lifeless! I could not think about—”

“Hollhye and I have been touring within the weeks earlier than the earthquake. We have had… some grief of our personal and it was a time simply to relaxation collectively and make some choices. If the messengers got here, they discovered our dwelling abandoned. We did not know. Then proper after we obtained dwelling the earthquake occurred and our tree was broken. We have been working. Simply… Elreth I did not know. This has all occurred and I wasn’t right here, and I did not know. I did not get to say goodbye, I simply…” He dropped his head into his arms and Elreth’s abdomen needed to show.

“Please do not cry, Uncle Behryn,” she whispered.

He shook his head and sucked in a deep breath, pulling himself collectively. “I am so sorry, El. You should not have needed to face this alone. They informed me… they informed me after we arrived what… what Reth and Elia did and I simply… I needed to come see you and…”

Elreth flinched, however nodded, swallowing laborious. “Thanks. Have you ever, um, talked to Gar but?”

“No,” Behryn whispered. “I needed to come right here and be right here as a result of… he is nonetheless right here,” Behryn mentioned hoarsely, wanting across the room. “For me, anyway. He is nonetheless right here. Each of them…”

“I do know, me too.”

They stared at one another for an extended second, grief zipping between them like shared power, however Elreth discovered she may breathe just a bit bit simpler, as a result of Behryn did not wish to inform her it was okay, or she was going to be tremendous, or how properly she was doing. He simply needed to be unhappy together with her and that… helped.

Then he took one other deep breath. “And Aaryn—”

“Please do not,” she breathed, flinching.

Behryn nodded, then reached for her and pulled her into his chest. She coated her face together with her arms as he held her and it was a bit bit like her father—not fairly as broad, his voice not fairly as deep. However to Elreth, Behryn’s scent was mingled together with her household since her youngest years. And despite the fact that they hardly noticed him anymore… there was one thing secure about him being there.

She was glad not one of the others have been there. She could be glad to see Hollhye when the time got here, however she was so fragile simply then. She wanted to be quiet.

And apparently, she wanted to be held.

She did not see it coming. Did not really feel the dam threatening to interrupt. However as she slid her arms round her father’s greatest pal’s chest, one thing inside her broke open and the cry that erupted got here from the underside of her soul.

She clung to him, arms clawed, her face buried in his chest, and he held her, so tightly, curled his arms round her simply as her father had finished, whispering in her ear.

That he beloved her.

That her mother and father beloved her.

That her mate beloved her.

That she would by no means be alone.

He did not attempt to inform her to cease. He did not attempt to paint a greater image. He simply fed her soul with the reality: The individuals who had at all times beloved her most on this planet have been gone. However she wasn’t alone.

She felt Behryn break too, his shoulders shaking in single, shuddering bursts at totally different instances. She cried so laborious she could not even converse, wetting his shirt together with her tears and her snot. However he did not care.

He did not care.

He understood and he held her and he did not care.

And it was precisely what Elreth wanted.

“Thanks…. thanks…” she sobbed as he gently walked her over to the sofa within the Nice Room and so they sank into it collectively.

However he simply shushed her and held her and let her maintain crying.

*****

Elreth did not know the way lengthy they sat there collectively, how lengthy it took for her sobs to grow to be shuddering breaths, for her respiratory to ease. However sooner or later she discovered herself sitting on the sofa, her head leaned in opposition to Behryn’s arm, and their arms clasped.

“El,” he rasped quietly, “I vowed to your father years in the past—earlier than you have been born. Even earlier than your mother and father mated… we have been brothers. And his household is my household. I need you to know that I am right here now. I am not leaving. No matter you want… I am right here.”

Elreth sat again to stare at him. “However… Hollhye… you guys have been—”

Behryn sighed and shook his head. “I learn the winds, Elreth. I have been in a position to really feel the shift on this world for months. I did not know what should be blamed for it, however I knew hazard was coming. That was a part of why we traveled as a result of I knew I used to be wanted right here and I used to be resisting it. I am so sorry. If I would recognized… I simply… I battled with it as a result of we have been as pleased as we could possibly be with out… with out our circle of relatives. However even Hollhye… after we determined to return again, she realized I used to be struggling and she or he informed me that… anyway, we’re right here,” he mentioned, his face dragging for the ground. “And we aren’t leaving.”

Elreth hugged him once more. “Thanks.” Her tears threatened to spill over once more—she was so sick of crying! “Thanks.”

“I am so sorry, El. I miss them, too. I want… I want I would finished so many issues in a different way.”

“Me too,” she mentioned actually. “However we won’t return, proper?”

“Settle for the stuff you can not change,” he whispered, nodding, each of them pondering of her father.

“I am actually glad you are right here, Behryn. And Hollhye, too. We’d like you. Simply to really feel higher, we want you.”

He gave a watery smile and tousled her hair like he used to when she was a toddler. “You say that now…” he mentioned with a wink, although the smile did not attain his eyes.

Elreth snorted.

They sat each staring on the carpet on the ground, and talked. About her mother and father. In regards to the silly issues, Behryn and her father had finished once they have been Elreth’s age. About all of the methods her mom had put her father in his place. About how very similar to them Elreth and Gar have been… And despite the fact that it felt like the outlet her mum or dad’s left on this world was a yawning chasm that might by no means be stuffed, remembering with Behryn felt good. As if a chunk of that gap had someway closed.

As if the remaining could be extra manageable. As a result of they weren’t actually gone once they have been remembered.