Peeking into the smithy, I tried to be quiet as I searched for Lilly.

Nebl and Vim were inside. Nebl was sitting at one of his workbenches, and Vim was in front of one of the forges. He had something inside the fire, and was standing there while watching it with a lazy look on his face.

I smiled at him, and wondered what he was making. Maybe he was helping Nebl with the armor and sword that Lilly had requested for her son?

No matter. Lilly wasn't here. And as much as I'd love to go in and watch the two work, and talk with them, I decided against it as I stepped away.

Staying quiet, I frowned as I tried to smell the air. It was a little difficult to make out any specific smell, thanks to the furnaces, but I could smell her. I just couldn't smell where she was.

If not in the house… and not in the smithy with Vim and Nebl…

Stepping away from the smithy, I made my way around towards where there were large warehouses. Ones filled with ores, lumber and such. I didn't go into them, since I figured there was no need to, and instead rounded them and stepped a little into the forest that lay just behind them.

It didn't take long for me to notice Lilly's smell becoming a little stronger, and I smiled as I eventually found her. She was sitting on a small wooden chair, one that looked old, while scrubbing a boot with a thick cloth.

"Lilly," I greeted the owl as I approached, who paused in her scrubbing of her shoe and looked up at me.

She smiled at the sight of me. "Renn. What is it? Isn't it dinner time?" she asked.

I nodded. It was. Lellip and her family were making food as we spoke. Lilly of course would be invited, and she'd eat with us as she had the last few times, so I knew she wasn't asking why I was here and not eating dinner. She was asking why I wasn't helping them make said dinner, since she knew I liked to do so. "They're making it now. I figured I'd come tug your ear for a moment, if I can."

"Just don't tug hard," she said as she went back to scrubbing her shoe.

Smiling gently, I walked closer and paused a few steps from where I'd intended to.

Whatever she was cleaning her boot with stunk. Enough so that I didn't want to get any closer.

"Lellip's told me of her plans to meet your son," I said.

She nodded. "I'll be honest I'm not… really sure what to think of it yet. But I've decided to hope for the best. I've been worried lately that he'd fall for a human, like his sister, so this might be a blessing in disguise," she said as she focused on the heel of her boot. She scrubbed hard at it, which I wasn't really sure why she was doing so. I didn't even see any stains or anything on it… so maybe whatever she was cleaning it with wasn't for stains, but something else?

"Lellip is a wonderful girl, Lilly. She'd make a great daughter for you, and wife for him," I said.

Lilly sighed. "I know, Renn. I do. She's better than most too, thicker in the blood and not as spineless… but I still worry. I always do. How could I not?" she asked.

Well… I suppose that was true. "Is he a good man? Your son?" I asked.

"Branches is my pride and joy. He is stronger than his siblings… or well, the other ones. Leaf was stronger, and I expect Root to be as well. Plus he's not tainted like the others are," she said.

"Tainted?" Did she mean he wasn't thin in the blood or something…?

"By the humans and their ideals. As you know, once our children come of age we send them out of the nest. To find their own way in the world. Part of our growing process. Branches chose to become a mercenary. And he did a damned good job of it. Plus he did it, and proved himself, to not be foolhardy too. He removed himself when he started drawing too much attention, and since then has been living properly without causing a scene. He's not just strong; he has a good head on his shoulders. Though I think he's grown a little odd lately, Lellip will hopefully set him right."

"Odd?" I asked as I stepped away a few steps, as to look at one of the nearby trees. It too looked really old, and had moss on it that was odd for some reason to me. Was it sick?

"He's lonely. I don't know if he's realized it yet or not, but he is. That's his father's side in him. But oh well."

I smiled at that, finding it cute. She didn't like that he was lonely… yet at the same time, she still worried and loved him so deeply she was trying to help him fix it. Was that why she was okay with Lellip…? Because she was hoping that her son would find happiness with her?

"You're a better mother than you think, Lilly. What of your other children…? I know Crown recently lost the human she loved, but what of the others?" I asked as I reached out to touch the moss that looked funny. I picked a tiny piece of it off the tree, to see it closer and smell it.

It smelled normal. Maybe it just looked odd because it was something I'd never seen before?

"Well…"

For a moment I studied the moss in my fingers, but after a few heartbeats without an answer I turned around to glance at Lilly.

Her shoulders had slumped, and she was looking down at her shoe with an odd look of defeat. She wasn't scrubbing it anymore either.

"Lilly?" I asked. Was she okay?

She sighed and nodded. "I've failed my other children, I think."

Dropping the moss, since it was now not important on any level, I stepped over to her as she shook her head.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Lilly shifted her boot in her hands, then glanced up and smiled at me. "What would you do Renn, if your children voted against Vim?" she asked.

Oh.

My ears fluttered a little stronger as I tried to comprehend what she just asked.

Did… did she mean that her children planned to vote against Vim in the upcoming vote?

And I had to consider what I'd do if my own children did such a thing…?

"Right…? I've not told anyone yet, I mean… how could I? It's so embarrassing…!" Lilly dropped her shoe, it landed rather harshly near her feet… telling me how heavy it was. I ignored it though since I watched Lilly reach up to cover her face. She cupped her face with her hands, groaning as if in pain.

Stepping forward, I wanted to whine alongside her, as if I felt the same pain she did. I placed my hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Lilly…" I whispered her name, since I wasn't really sure what else to say.

She had told me before that several of her children didn't get along with her and Windle. She hadn't ever really gone into much detail, but this was why. She felt shame over such a thing, even though I wasn't sure if she should or not.

Yes it was horrible that she and her children didn't… really get along… but…

Lilly took a deep breath, letting it out sharply. I hoped she didn't start crying, because I had no idea how to handle her if she started. Lilly, crying? Over this? It was hard to believe.

"Vim would say it's their right to choose their own paths…" I whispered.

"Don't you dare start talking like him, Renn!" Lilly said as she looked up from her hands, as to glare at me. I startled, but not because she had shouted at me. Instead it was because she was indeed crying. Her eyes, her larger than usual eyes, were red and gleaming with tears.

Oh boy.

"I… I'm sorry. You're right. If Vim had said that to me in this situation, I'd have bit his ear off," I said with a nod.

Her glare turned into an odd smile. "Right? They're my children, damn it! How are they so different than me?"

"What's Windle say about it?" I asked. He was more like them, wasn't he?

"The fool is upset over it too, but is too scared to confront them over it. They all promised to keep the peace until I got back… but something tells me when I go home they'll all be gone. What will I do then…? Go see them? To do what? Argue with them? Gods…" Lilly groaned as she took another deep breath. She held it in for a moment, before letting it out with a hiss through her teeth.

I nodded slowly, since I understood where she was coming from. If I had been in her position… and several of my children were planning on going against their father, and thus me too, in such a way…

Though… no? Right? Vim wasn't their father.

I shifted a little, my tail squirming wildly as I tried to better understand. She was upset, obviously, but something told me this was just… something a long time coming. She and Vim have both told me that some of their children were… well… Not like her. Or me. They were like Windle, or those at Lumen and the Bell Church. They were the types to distance themselves from those like us, because they found us to be dangerous.

"Did… did you see Sap? Before you got home?" I asked.

"No. Thank you by the way, for getting her for me. Vim's able to track her down easily but it's a pain for me, without my wings," she said gently.

My heart squirmed in my chest. "From what I had gathered while talking to her… you need not fear losing her, Lilly," I said.

Lilly blinked at me a few times, and then gave me a lovely smile. "I hope you're right, Renn."

I nodded. I was sure I was.

"And I suppose I'll have Branches. And Root, for now at least."

I smiled at that. "Why for now? She seems to take after you quite a bit," I said.

"Leaf had too. Didn't make a difference," Lilly stated.

The heart which had been squirming broke, and my eyes became blurry.

Grabbing my shirt, I did everything I could to not start crying. Lilly was already getting herself under control, if you could even claim she had started crying in the first place. By the looks of it she had simply gotten a few moments of watery eyes, not much else. So I shouldn't be worse than her, who was experiencing such grief here and now.

I didn't want to hear that one's child, even one who so heavily inherited your traits, chose to go against you. To either abandon you, or flee from your guidance.

What if that happened to me too…? I'd not be able to endure that.

Plus…

Unlike Lilly, whose husband had her side no matter what, would mine…?

Vim's belief. His ethos. His loyalty to free-will… would that not be used against me in such a scenario? Would he not choose to support the child, even if they wanted to run away and denounce us?

Just as he had for the Society, for those who had left us before and went to the other continent.

Windle, even with his timid traits, still stood by Lilly through everything. She had just said he agreed with her, and was upset with their kids growing distant from them... Would Vim do the same for me?

No. He'd support them. And because of that I'd likely feel betrayed. By not just my children, but the man who was supposed to be on my side no matter what.

"Renn…? Oh, don't cry. Please. Vim will hear it and he'll come over here, then I'll have to tell him why and…" Lilly actually stood, reaching out to pat me on the shoulder as I had just done for her in support.

I sniffed and shook my head. "Sorry. I'm… I don't know what to say, Lilly. I have no idea how to help you, or…" I tried to explain, and felt like I was doing a good job of keeping myself under control. Tears leaked from my eyes, but I didn't start weeping or anything like I wanted to.

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Lilly sighed at me, grabbed me with both hands and squeezed. I smiled at her as she hesitated, and then found enough confidence to lean forward and wrap me in a hug. A proper one.

Returning the hug, I had to shift my hands a little since I had felt the little wing nubs under her shirt. I dedicated their place to memory, so I didn't accidentally touch them again in the future. I didn't know if they hurt her or not.

"It's okay Renn. It will be. I'll figure it out."

"Mhm. I'll help. Anyway I can," I promised.

"Was one of the reasons I was hoping you'd be there when the parliament was summoned," she said with a small chuckle.

"Hm? To help you?" I asked.

"To meet them. You're… like me. Yet you don't scare them. They don't walk on eggshells around you… I was hoping to either learn how, or use you as a way to talk with them," she said.

Oh…?

Did… Does that mean her children were scared of her…? Like how some of our weaker members were her and I…?

Poor, poor Lilly.

I squeezed her a little tighter. "We'll figure it out, I'll make sure Vim doesn't keep us in Lumen long," I said.

"Mhm…" Lilly nodded, and I smiled at the feeling of her hair brushing against my own and my head. She had feathers in her hair, though they were hard to make out sometimes. They were tiny little things, and smooth and thin. They made her hair feel like she had ribbons of silk in her hair.

We hugged each other for a long moment, as my tears in my eyes dried up, and she finally released me. I held onto her a few moments longer than she did, which made her sigh at me as I released her.

"Even if they're disagreeing with you… they still went home, right?" I said.

She nodded. "Yes. I suppose there is some consolation in that," she admitted.

I nodded back.

She was strong. And in more ways than just one.

How many mothers could have such… familial discord, and not want to rush home? She likely wanted to fly home as fast as she could right now. Yet she wasn't. She was here. Waiting to be of use to Vim.

I wonder what he had done to deserve such loyalty from her.

He's told me of a few things… but…

"Are you pregnant, Renn?" Lilly then asked.

I blinked and sniffed, and shook my head. "No? Why?" Did she think that was why I had cried just now…?

Lilly glanced me up and down, and I too looked down alongside her. Was… was I gaining weight or something…? Before leaving Telmik I had studied myself rather closely in the mirror, both dressed and naked, and hadn't seen anything that hinted such a thing!

"Light. She had a prophecy about you," Lilly then said.

My ears went still as I hurriedly looked up into her eyes. "Oh…?"

She nodded and sighed at me. "Vim said I could tell you. So I'm going to. Since I know he probably won't," she said.

"Okay…?"

Lilly gestured lightly at me as she went to sit back down on the rickety looking chair. She picked up her boot as she did, and the cloth she'd been using, and went to wipe it again. "Light saw a prophecy that you'd have a daughter. One that would be a saint," she said.

My heart felt like it missed a beat, but I ignored it as my mind went numb. A daughter…?

Grabbing my shirt again, I did my best to not start crying once more.

I knew now that the prophecies saint's had could be wrong. That they could be… misinterpreted.

But usually they came true, even if only in part.

I was going to have a daughter…?

"Well that's the exact opposite of Vim's reaction."

Startling, I took a small breath and tried to stop the huge grin on my face from making me seem any weirder than it likely already did. "When'd you tell Vim this?" I asked. Then I gestured at her. "Actually, when'd you find out? Who told you?" I asked further.

Was this why she was so emotional over her own children? Or just happenstance?

"Nebl was told it. I overheard it too, though. While in Telmik. It's not the only prophecy concerning you, Renn, but it's the only one I know of," Lilly said as she went to wiping her shoe with a little more focus. She now looked as she had when I first walked up. As if she hadn't just nearly cried.

"Why'd they tell Nebl such a thing…?" I asked.

"To get him on their side. They were basically telling him that you, and thus Vim, will be on their side too in the future. Thanks to your child. So he should join up with them now, before it's too late," Lilly explained.

Frowning at that, I shook my head. "That makes no sense. If such a thing was destined, and inevitable, why even tell anyone? Why make such a big deal of it?" I asked.

"Exactly. It means there's something they're not telling. Something that is forcing their hand. That was Vim's assessment… after of course breaking the chair he had been sitting in," she chuckled.

Oh! Right! "So when'd you tell him? And he actually let you tell him? And he's not angry at you?" I asked.

"He asked us to. I think he… realized he needed to know. That if he didn't put aside his own rules for a moment he might lose either you or us and so he did what a man should do. I'm rather proud of him, you should be too," Lilly said with a smile.

I noted in that smile was genuine pride and love. Although I was happy that someone could love and cherish Vim so strongly, other than me, it also forced me to realize… once again, that if Vim had been a somewhat slightly different man this would all be quite different.

I'd be but one wife of many, had Vim been the type to allow such a thing.

Would I have though? Since I don't know if I would have been okay with that myself.

"I'm not sure the exact prophecy Renn, Nebl just explained it like that. That you are going to have a daughter, who will be a saint, and thus you will join them through her. Which will make Vim join them too. At least, that's what their letter implied," Lilly said.

I nodded slowly, since I was still trying to wrap my tail around it.

A daughter. But…

"Vim didn't look disturbed. Or angry. Just now," I said gently, as I thought of his expression from earlier. I had thought he had looked lazy, or bored. Not the kind of expression he should have after hearing something as momentous as this.

"It's been a day Renn," Lilly said.

A day…? "He learned a day ago? And didn't say anything to me? None of you did?" I asked.

"You were distracted, Renn. You've not left that baby's side, or Lellip's, since showing up. What do you expect him to do?"

Tell me!? I guess? "I don't know…" I grumbled.

Gosh… I needed to sit. But I didn't want to. I wanted to pace. Back and forth.

I started doing so.

"Even if… even if I had a saint, or well a daughter that was a saint, why would that mean I'd take their side? I'm upset with them. I mean, I'm upset with Vim too, but I'm more angry at them than I am him," I reasoned.

"Who's to know, Renn? They're saints. I uh… I'm sorry about that by the way. Not sure what to say concerning that…" Lilly said, sounding rather serious as she did.

I nodded gently, and decided not to tell her I'd not be bothered by it at all.

I mean a daughter…? By Vim's parents that would be just wonderful. Beyond wonderful. So what if she was a little special…? If anything that was wonderful too. That meant she'd be able to help people, and…

Taking a deep breath, I forcefully calmed down. I had been about to start crying again.

"Vim should have come and told me," I said.

"He should have. But don't get too upset with him, Renn. He asked us to tell you. That alone is pretty special, I think."

I nodded at that. It was. Vim's normal self, his typical self, would have been to avoid such a thing. To neither ask of it, hear it, or share it. He hated prophecies that much.

The fact he had been willing to hear it, and then thusly okay them telling me it too…

That explained why I hadn't heard until now, though. Nebl likely had decided to let Lilly tell me it, and she had obviously waited until we were alone. She'd not share such a secret around others, it wasn't like her to do so.

"He had been willing to let me talk to The Chronicler. Although it really disturbed him, and he panicked over it, he had allowed it," I said as I remembered his look back in Telmik. While he had searched for the cause of that little monarch's death, I had spent time with her. He had not liked it, at all, but he had not stopped it. Even though I would have been more than willing to abide him if he had simply asked me not to.

Lilly shrugged at that. "He's Vim, Renn. That's the kind of man he is."

Yes. He was.

"Should I… be happy, Lilly?" I asked.

"About having a daughter? Of course. Now the saint thing…? And you joining them in the future…? That I don't know. Hopefully you and Vim can find a way to stop all that, whatever it is."

I nodded. "Right."

"Still… Vim say's you're not pregnant, it's funny watching him squirm in denial," Lilly said with a smirk.

Smirking back, I was about to tell her why I found that funny… but then stopped myself.

"Wait…" I hesitated, as Lilly tilted her head at me while she waited for me to continue. But I didn't. Not right away.

Looking down, I quickly heard our conversation again in my mind. The things she's said. Then I went farther back and remembered the stuff The Chronicler had said, and Vim too. While in the under catacombs near the tombs, after confronting The Chronicler when we got there.

"What is it? You okay?" Lilly asked.

I slowly nodded. "Yeah… um… I'm going to go talk to Vim," I said as I turned.

"Okay. Can I watch?" she asked.

Hesitating a moment, I nodded. "Just… give me a moment alone with him. Then you can come watch and listen," I said.

She giggled at that and waved me off. "Go on then, I'll join you soon."

Nodding, I hurried back to the smithy. My mind whirled, making me feel a little lightheaded, as I entered the smithy and got Vim's attention.

He had been hammering something on an anvil. He frowned at me as I waved him to come join me.

Vim's frown deepened, then he glanced down at what he'd been working on. "Nebl," he then said.

Nebl turned from his workbench, from some metal and leather piece he'd been working on, realized what was wrong and then nodded. He got up and went over to Vim, and the two didn't say a word as Nebl took over for Vim, and went to hammering the thing Vim had been working on.

A little humbled by the silent understanding they shared, I stepped back outside and waited for Vim. He stepped out of the smithy calmly, smiled at me and glanced around. "What's wrong Renn? You look like you need a kiss."

I blinked, and my cloudy mind instantly became clear as I smiled at him. "I do?" He nodded, but didn't give one to me. I sighed a little and gesture for him to step away with me. "Can we talk, Vim?"

"Of course."

He followed me away from the smithy, and the house. We stepped a bit into the trees, away from everyone and everything, and I glanced around to see if Lilly had followed us yet or not. I had asked her for a few moments alone, and I knew she'd give it, but I wasn't sure how many moments I'd get.

"This about the prophecy?" Vim asked.

I nodded quickly. "Yes."

Vim took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay," he said, as if consigning himself to his fate.

"I'll not beat you up over it, Vim. but I want to know something. Their prophecy, Light's… they think I'm pregnant," I said.

"They do," he confirmed.

"You noticed it. Back at the Cathedral," I said. I had found it odd, but had not realized how serious he had been. How serious they had been.

"I had. It's kind of telling when you think about it, and notice how they say certain things," Vim said simply.

I gulped and nodded, and was kind of glad he was talking so seriously to me. He didn't even look annoyed or bothered, he still had that slight smile from before when he had mentioned I looked like I needed a kiss.

"But I'm not," I said simply.

"I'd hope not. I'll be honest Renn, I'm all for free-will, but you cheating on me will break my heart," he said.

I grinned at that and waved his comment aside. "I'd never cheat on you, Vim. I'd tease you about it, but never do so. No… I uh…" I hesitated, even though didn't need to. Vim seemed more than fine and willing to talk about this… so…

"You might have been though," Vim then said.

"Hm?"

He nodded and gestured very stiffly at me. Or rather, at my belly. "Although I really only attempted it once, the thought and desire had… has been there, for some time. If fate had been different, if certain circumstances had gone differently… you may very well be pregnant as we speak, here and now," he said.

My eyes narrowed at him. "Don't look so happy over that!" I shouted.

His smile didn't die, but it did flinch. "I didn't mean it that way. I'm just saying… their prophecy is wrong. But it could have been right. I'm glad we were able to throw them for a loop, is all."

Wanting to growl at him, I decided not to as I took a deep breath and nodded.

Yes. I understood what he was saying.

Had things… played out a little differently, there was in fact a good chance I'd be pregnant. After all we'd been together for years now. In reality the fact it wasn't a sure thing was a strange miracle. As if…

"Do you not want kids, Vim?" I asked.

"Of course I do. Rather, I want your kids. I'd like to see your children, and see how you raise them," he said.

My face got hot over that. How lovely.

"Lilly said they said she'll be a saint," I said softly.

"Mhm… so they say. It's not… an impossibility, to be honest. In a way," he said.

"Why? Because I'm not a human?" I asked.

"And because of who… and what I am, too," he said simply.

Right…

Shifting, I glanced around us at the trees we were half-hidden in. Lilly still wasn't around, as far as I could tell. Maybe she was being nice and giving me more than the few moments I had asked for.

While I looked around, I noted the odd moss again. I pointed at it, both to distract my wildly beating heart and to give me time to ponder my next few questions. "Vim, why's that moss look funny?" I asked.

"Because it does. It's a type of fungi. The moss itself isn't hurting the trees, but it means the trees here are diseased. That moss grows on trees that are sick, basically this forest is dying," Vim said.

My heart sunk at that. How terrible…! This was their home! Plus it was a pretty forest, it really was!

Vim reached out, gently tapping my cheek. He did so to get my attention back on him, so I glared at him.

"I'm not sure yet Renn, if their schemes are really centered on you. But… I'm going to plan as if they are," he said softly.

"Why does my having a saint for a daughter… make all this happen? If anything they should be happy over it, right? Why then risk your ire? Why make this vote happen? Why do any of this, and get those like Randle banished and stuff?" I asked.

"I don't know Renn. Not yet. But we're going to find out."

I sighed and nodded… and then Lilly appeared from above.

Startling, I yelped as I glanced up at the owl who was hanging upside down from a branch. She had wrapped her legs around a thick branch, and was a few feet above Vim's head.

"Lilly!" I shouted at her, and wondered how the heck she had got there without me noticing!

Had she been there this whole time…? Maybe I hadn't noticed because of how fast my heart was beating, and how wild my mind was. It felt like it was going every-which way!

She giggled at me. "Kiss her already, you idiot," she said, reaching out and slapping Vim in the head as she did.

Vim glared at her, then turned to look at me.

I stood up straight and smiled, and accepted the kiss.

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