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Alihi nodded, a small but shaky smile appearing on her face. She didn't need to be told to take care of Abel. "Be careful." She told Victoria and Aran as they left.

After they left, she began to move again. She headed up the stairs to place Abel in the room that she had been staying when she felt someone cling to her leg. She looked down to see a small girl with red hair and a cloak that was many sizes too big. "Mommy..." Amara murmured, clinging tighter.

"Amara... Mommy's tired right now. And so is her friend. Are you tired, too?" Alihi asked her daughter sweetly. The young girl nodded slowly. "Then let's all get some rest. Come on." Followed closely by Amara, she made her way to the room and laid Abel gently on the bed. "Abel..." She whispered softly, brushing some of his hair out of his face. She pulled the blankets up to his chin, tucking him in nice and comfortably.

Satisfied, she sat down and leaned her back against the wall, keeping the door open partway so people could find her if needed to. Amara snuggled close to Alihi, immediately falling asleep. Moments later, exhaustion claimed the tactician, and she drifted off into a light sleep.

Siegell coughed a bit. Now that he had actually seen the terrible frostbite, it was much harder to ignore the pain around the diminishing fringe, and even after Renault's power had completely restored the ice-burnt flesh, he really seemed to need a good lie down. "Ehm," he murmured to Ninian, "It wasn't your fault. He was out of control, no one could have done anything..." He reached up gently to wipe her tears away with his fingers. "I... think perhaps I should rest, yes... do you mind accompanying me?" he added, starting to walk toward the stairs with her assistance.


Tibarn sighed, fawning over his little girl, and then looked up slowly at Lyre. "Lyre... thank you so much. I... I don't know how to thank you, really, for taking care of her." He smiled down at his daughter tiredly and shifted her in his arms, murmuring, "Can you say thank-you to Aunty Lyre, Vah?"

Pff, that's not mommy. D:< Why are you pointing me at the kitty? Little Vah turned her head, trying to crane it around her father to see Ayra, then she squeaked softly as her father swayed and stumbled.

"Ah," he said softly. "I need to go lie down." Slowly, carefully, he offered Vah back to Lyre. "Can you hold her while Ayra gets me up to our room?" Without waiting for confirmation from the newly dubbed Aunty Lyre, Tibarn placed the little Branded in the Gallian's arms and rested against his mate before they made their way upstairs.

... Lyre had remembered to burp Vah after feeding her, of course.

Right?

... Right?

"Hp-spthhh..." Right into her cleavage. Faaaaaan-tastic.

The sleeping nomad had to stir. She thought she heard a voice that was ever so familiar, but before she had only heard tainted by darkness. Was this a dream? Sue didn't care.

Her messenger was alive, even if only in her dreams. She imagined getting out of her resting place, hearing news of Father... waking up, going to the middle of nowhere... and finding out that wherever Abel told her he was... even if this was a dream.. that Father would be there.

"Abel?" She said. "Are you here?"

The manor was quiet, even when he walked through the door. No surprise, everyone was probably exhausted trying to retrieve their comrades from Asami and now that that was a success, everyone can rest peacefully.

Ephraim barely made a move for the stairs and he already stumbled. Shows how tired he was after all that. Being quite picky by the fact that he was covered in blood and dirt decided to clean himself before he went up to his room.

By the time Ephraim was had cleaned up the blood and dirt that were on him, he headed back in his room. He had already gotten himself a clean shirt from his bag. The clothes from earlier were now rags sitting in the corner next to his stuff. Looking around, the noble kicked the door closed half-way and collapsed on the bed. No later then a minute, the exhaustion Ephraim ignored the entire time took over and the noble was out.

She knew Siegell was right, but she still couldn't help blaming herself. She was the older sister; she was supposed to take care of her little brother. That's what big sisters do. And hadn't someone told her to look after Nils before?

. . .If Daddy's not back by then, take your brother and go to the other side. You're a clever girl. You know the way right?

Daddy . . . Don't go. . . .

Daddy. . . .

She placed a hand on her forehead. What was this memory?

A hand reached up, wiping away her tears. "I... think perhaps I should rest, yes... do you mind accompanying me?" Siegell asked.

"N-no, of course not," she stammered, forcing herself back into the present. Minding his wounds, she helped him upstairs, needing a rest of her own.

"He... went to the plains? The plains of a land that calls us... judgmental." Sue muttered, taking it in. What did it mean, though? Everyone they fought until now... were they truly 'enemies?' She remembered Leander, and how he said they attacked without asking questions. "If he didn't leave... then why is he helping them? Does he believe the same thing, that we're a bunch of tyrants?!"

Sue became enraged, especially at the last part. To think he'd stoop so low to call his own members judgmental like the others. She didn't even know there were other nomads in the world of Learania!

"Oh, I see." Sue muttered, slightly more calm, but still angry. Yes, tribes were uniting. That was a good thing... but how would they see her? As a traitor? Her father spoke highly of her, but... what kind of looks did he receive from the other plainsman when they found out she was proud to be a citizen of Eyris? "He'd return from that freedom... that place he considers a homeland in the plains... for my sake? I feel almost bad taking it from him. I'm so selfish, aren't I? Truly... Father Sky shouldn't have blessed me so. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if what you said before was true."

And also, a stinging reminder hung in her mind. She wasn't like the other armor-wearing, weapon-toting knights and cavaliers. Her beliefs and ways of fighting were different. "Everyone here... I wonder what they really think."

Sue was starting to question it now. Questioning what everyone's true thoughts were.