The night had passed all too quickly for Araceli and before she knew it, she was saying her goodbyes to Detra and boarding the ferry set for the Celestial Plain. It seemed to be the hardest thing in her life, to date, to do. She had made so much progress with that man in such little time, it seemed and for once, she was truly happy. Could tell that he was happy too. Now, though, as she watched her home city come into view, Ara felt a pain in her chest. A loneliness that only Detra could fill.
Her fingers clung to her cloak and luggage as she made her way off of the ferry. It was strange being back home, almost foreign. As if the too perfect weather and absence of a sun was something that she’d never experienced before. It was hard to imagine living here anymore. Without the hot Eowyn sun or the sand beneath her feet. Or Detra. Never without Detra. Her parents could offer her anything in the world and she would not give up Detra in return for those things. Despite her past feelings she had fallen deeply and madly in love with an oblivionite man and he was waiting back home, on Eowyn for her.
Ara set off for her childhood home, easily finding her way back through the all too familiar roads. Her trip to the Celestial Plane wasn’t one of fun or one of choice. Her father had grown ill and despite being a healer himself and being married to one of the best, Rhett just wasn’t getting better. At least, though, he didn’t seem to be getting worse. When she arrived at her parents’ house, she raised her hand to knock, hesitating slightly before finally deciding to tap. It was no longer her home and as such, she felt the need to knock. She would not have appreciated her mom taking liberties were she to come visit Araceli on Eowyn.
Only a moment passed before the door was being opened and Ara was being embraced by her mothers. “Oh, Ara! I’m so glad to see you. Come in, come in. Here, let me take that.” Niyol took hold of Ara’s luggage, moving it off to the side for the time being. She took hold of her daughter’s hand and patted. The worry was evident on her mother’s face. Dark circles adorned the space beneath her eyes and her hair was a mess. The older dovaa was showing her age more that day than she had when Ara had last seen her on Eowyn. “Your father is sleeping right now. Abronaxus bless him, he’s been through hell and back it seems. Come, I’ll make us some tea.”
Ara followed her mother into the kitchen, settling down at the table and talking with the woman while she made the tea. When they were both sitting at the table, mugs in hand and the warmth seeping into Ara’s skin, her mother asked. “So, is that oblivionite still staying at your house?”
Ara froze mid sip and forced herself to swallow. “Mother, do you really think this is the right time to talk about something like that?” Her cheeks heated, a dead giveaway to the answer of that question.
“Mmm.” Niyol eyed her daughter carefully, taking a deliberately slow sip of her tea. She closed her eyes as she sat the mug down. “I think it is the best time. When else will you be around for me to talk to and your father is resting.” She opened her eyes, gaze narrowing in on Ara. “Well?”
Ara flushed hotter as she took a sip of her tea, hiding her face behind the mug. Her wings twitched as she sat the now empty glass down. “I...well...he...mmm.” Ara’s lips thinned as she tried to figure out how to word everything carefully. She had not come to the Celestial Plane in hopes to inform her mother about her relationship with Detra. It seemed, though, to be heading in that direction now.
“I see.”
“Mother…I...”
“No, no. It is none of my business,” Niyol said as she held a hand up and shook her head. “You are a grown woman and your choices are your own.” Ara blinked, completely taken aback by her mother’s reaction to Ara’s silent answer. Niyol raised a questioning eyebrow at Ara’s blink. “Is there more?”
“Well…” Ara’s lip disappeared between her teeth as she worried at it, nerves suddenly alive beneath her skin. “I...lo...mmm…” It was not easy to confess her love of an oblivionite to her mother. Whom she’d heard talk negatively about the race before. What would she think? Say? Nothing could have prepared her for what came out of the woman’s mouth next.
“You love him.” It was statement, not a question. One that hung in the air for a couple of minutes, leaving the two females to stare at each other.
“Yes,” Ara stated simply.
“Truly? He has not tricked you?”
“
Mother!” Ara rose, scooping up both the empty mugs and carrying them over to the sink. She hesitated, staring down at her hands before turning around. “I do, I love him truly. So much that it hurts…” She raised her hands up to her chest, resting them over where her heart laid. “...right here...when I am away from him.” She shook her head, cutting Niyol off before she could speak. “I came, though, because I love you and dad and you needed me. You’re my
family and I hope that this changes nothing of that.” Ara closed her eyes, preparing herself for whatever her mother would say.
“Oh Ara.” Niyol was already up and out of her seat, arms wrapping around Araceli. “I do not pretend to understand the appeal of a mixed relationship but I do understand that look. That feeling.”
“Mom…” Ara’s arms snaked around Niyol, embracing her tightly. “What about...dad?”
Niyol scoffed, shaking her head. “This is news best left for later. When he is well and able. Do not fret, I will handle it my love.”
Ara smiled, eyes glistening as she basked in the seemingly easy acceptance of her mother. They sat down to another cup of tea, talking about all the things that had been going on with them all since Niyol’s last visit to Eowyn. All of it, even Detra’s escape to Soudul and subsequent return to Eowyn and Araceil herself.
It wasn’t long before Rhett was awake and Ara was by his side, reliving all the moments with her father, that she had with Niyol, excluding anything that involved Detra. For the time being, as her mom had said, the subject of her oblivionite lover was best left for another time. In the following weeks, Ara helped her mother around the house while she worked with local healers. There were many people in and out of the house. Some Ara knew and some she was not familiar with in the least. She even had a visit from Cici, her best friend from childhood. They had caught up, Ara spilling every single detail to the woman and inviting her back for dinner the next night.
As time went by, Rhett slowly began to recover and by the end of the second week of Ara’s stay, he was strong enough to make it out of bed and down the stairs. Ara was glad to see her father up and about. After being home, around family, she almost wished that she could stay or somehow bring her family with her. She wanted both worlds — her family and Detra — to be close so that she could be part of them both. Sadly, that was not possible and she had eventually leave the Celestial Plane. Two weeks, to the dot, Ara was bidding her family farewell and boarding the ferry back to Eowyn.
Back to her heart.
Word Count: 1,325
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