Ennalyssa had begged her teacher for a moment to return to the training room. She wao get the book she had been reading, the magic primer, that she had borrowed from their tutor. She had a couple of questions she had found in the reading material that she wanted crification on. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” the tutor, Mae, expined. “It’s how you learn, after all.”A nice se, Ennalyssa admitted to herself, but ohat was hard for her to follow up on sidering her past… but, for Peytr, she would swallow her worry of admonishment and do as her tutor bid.

  She was about to speak up, apologizing for the ‘intrusion’ on their quick, private chat but the words stopped up ihroat as she heard the two adults talking.

  ? ? ? ? ?

  “Fine. I am a Godchild. I had been keeping it a secret because if anyone from the Church Luminous found out who—” “Wait. If you were that worried…”She heard the priest of Teoh'ir'aen give his warm, deep, hearty ugh. “You’re Na’at’s child?!” “I am.”Peter’s reply was firm, even, and actually made her wi the tone even though she knew she wasn’t in trouble. “Oh, no no. I believe you, Peytr. Oh. By the fertile soil… I see why, now, you were so hesitant. d’Zaier would have hated you knowing that.” “Hated me more maybe. We werely the best of friends, after all.” “Regardless. You are Na’at’s child, then…” “Not something I’d lie about, to be sure.”

  ? ? ? ? ?

  Po— Peytr’s a Godchild?The thought raced through her mind like lightning from one of Yral’ere’nos’ storms, sending her reeling at the revetion. And he’s her Godchild, too?!She didn’t know how to feel about that. Na’at, goddess of Chaos, patron of demons. She had seehers at the temple receive gres and sharp words of chastisement from d’Zaier and those directly beh him whenever someone even whispered her o the point of denying her existen the family altogether whenever he could. He could not, however, deny her existence when she was, teically, staring him down ‘face-to-face’ like at the ‘trial’ of Peytr from the other day.She had grown up fearing her, denying her existe…Yet when she spoke at the trial she did not fear the voice. It was sharp, angry, certainly, but no more than a scolding mother. I don’t…I don’t know what to think. Oh, Goddess of Light, please guide me. What do I do, knowir is her godchild? Why did he not tell me? Doesn’t he trust me? He said he made a promise… to protect me. Was… was she the ‘someone important’?

  Silence was her answer. Obeat… two… three.As the sinking feeling started to fill her chest and belly there was a whisper in her ‘ear’. 「Child, you don’t o fear. The one you call Peytr is a good soul and has not lied to you…」Ennalyssa gasped. My Goddess… But why didn’t he tell me? 「He couldn’t tell you, for your safety. It may hurt but he meant you no ill will.」 Yes, Ilin'mam'kana.「I sehat you feel I am telling you not to be upset. Those feelings are uandable, child, and I would ell you to bury those feelings. Feel those emotions, dear child, but do not hide them from yourself, nor him.」 I won’t… I mean I will do as you say. I won’t hide my feelings from him… Goddess? 「Yes, Ennalyssa?」The fact her goddess spoke her name, a rarity, made her jolt in surprise. I… well… are you alright? You sound… you sound different…A cough and clearing of the throat. 「I am, thank you, child, for your . We gods and goddesses have to make sure eak to you mortals without hurting you. So if I sound different…」 I uand, Thank you, Goddess. And thank you for speaking to me. 「Of course, Ennalyssa. Stay safe, child…」

  Silence, again, but a calm ale ohan the one moments before that was leading to squirming anxiousness.She exhaled, unsure of how to move on from this — while it wasn’t a and or order, the Goddess did say to not hide her feelings; from herself or Peytr. The question, then, was… how did she feel about not being told? It was to protect her, the Goddess of Light said so! Ar had made a promise, to Na’at, and… she was unsure how she felt about that. She had known demons, including one of the healers! Em’emoa. She was a little scary but it was funny seeireat the guards like how they treated her. But all her life she had been told to ignore and fet Na’at… yet here Peytr was, her Godchild. It fused her, holy. She wao talk to someo she had a very short list of who she trusted with Peytr’s p that list now in a tenuous position. That left one person, really.Inhaling, she decided enough time had passed and she should return to her lesson so no more time was wasted — it would have to be without her book though. She could say she did not want to interrupt Peytr, which is true. Hopefully— She told herself as she turned on her heel and started to walk, — I find…She almost walked into someone, looking up and starting to apologize, those wot immediately repced by a name. “Broseff!” She hissed in surprise, “What are you doing here?!” “It’s my day off, Enna.” He smiled, hugging her and feeling her her arms around him, “Everything okay?” “I… I don’t know.” She said holy, “I o talk to you about something.” “Sure.” He smiled, motioning to one of the benches, lifting up a paper bag, “How about something sweet.” “I… well, I’m in the middle of training. Magic, Broseff, I’m actually learning magic!” She offered excitedly, “So I don’t want to upset the tutor. She’s from Di’si’thy herself, after all.” “Well, That’s amazing.” He said holy, “Then we won’t take long… but I find sweet treats help deal with heavy thoughts.” He smiled as he pulled out a small fry-cake, Enna could see a small iion hold filled with a yellowish cream. “Oh… A winalli-filled fry-cake? Thank you!” She took the sugar-sprinkled dough treat and bit into it with a happy sigh. “I’ll also go with you to your tutor and expin I’m the reason you’re te.” He said, “You shouldn’t get in trouble that way.”Swallowing her bite she nodded, “Thank you, Broseff.” “Of course, Enna.”

  Sitting there, nibbling oreat, Ennalyssa tried tanize her thoughts about what she had overheard, as well as trying her best to follow the words of advice her goddess had given her. “Has… someone ever lied to you?” She asked softly. “Often, I’m afraid.” He expined, “For a variety of reasons.”She nodded, nibbling on some of the fried dough of her treat. Notig something, or rather someo her other side, she tore off a little bit, dipped it into the winalli cream, and offered it to the pixie who had apparently followed her.Quietly, with a smile and grateful nod, she took it, sitting cross-legged and nibbling on it while the young teen spoke to the uard. “Has someone lied to you?” Broseff asked.She nodded, “Yes.” She whispered, “To protect me, or so he says…” “You don’t think that’s so, then?” He asked. “I… actally overheard something private.” She expined, “Really actally.” She gave Broseff a ‘look’ to emphasize, and he raised his hands in calming/surrender, “… I also heard the reason why they didn’t tell me.” “To protect you.” “Right.” She nodded.Broseff scratched at his , “And you do believe it was for your prote.” Again a nod ‘yes’. “So the problem is…” He lead. “I… I guess it’s that he didn’t tell me? That he kept it from me… so, maybe not lying…” She thought out her process, biting at her treat again, “But it makes me wonder what else he’s keepi, and why. I want to trust him but… I now?” she whispered, wing at the words. I know what I was told, by the Goddess, that I could trust him, and if I ’t trust the Goddess of Light then who I trust?A fair question to ask oneself, she had to admit. “You said that this is someone you want to trust?” Broseff asked, gently putting a hand on her shoulder, causio look up at him from her p, and the treat in her hands that rest on her knees. Seeing an opportunity, the pixie licked her lips of the cream and stood to her hooves, making her way over quietly. “Yeah.” She agreed, “He’s been nice, ale and I want to trust him but… it’s hard to trust ahat ent made Broseff twitch — he kly why she would say that, harbor those feelings and he could not, in any way, bme her for those emotions. “Well. It may not make you feel better, but I want to be ho with you.” Broseff said gently, “Trusting is hard at the best of times.” He gave her a gentle squeeze, “And with what you’ve been through? It’s incredibly hard to trust. I ’t even imagine…” “’t you?” She asked, “You’re an orphan too, after all. People don’t like us…” “That… is fair.” He said, “But look at us, Enna. I’m a guard in the Church Luminous, I protect people. And you…”She nodded, “… I’m the ‘Divinely Chosen Heroine’.” She went t up her fry-cake and blinked as she noticed the pixie hanging on, winalli cream smeared over her lips, “Hey!” “Uh… Hi?” The pixie grinned widely, feeling a little sweat drip down the side of her hair.Broseff snorted, smiling. “You could have asked you know.” Ennalyssa pouted. “…I coulda, yeah.” She agreed, wings buzzing, “So… I?”The pre-teen groaned, rolling her eyes, “I mean, I guess? You already have cream across half your face…” “Ye!” The pixie tore off another bite of the dough, using it to wipe the cream off her face before mung on it, “So… this is about what’s-his-name?” She motioo the other room, back at Peter and Jhe’fuh. “… Yes…” She sighed, pouting more; she hadn’t wao make it obvious it was about Peytr, after all. Not to Broseff anyway. “Peytr?” Broseff picked up.Ennalyssa sighed, “Yes.” “He has been… fairly straight-forward with things… but also tight-lipped on others.” Broseff mused.Ennalyssa nodded in agreement, “And… I don’t want to say what I overheard. It’s not… I mean… if he wants to share it…”Broseff made a thoughtful noise in his throat, “Ah, I see. I uand.” He scratched at his again, “Still. If it’s something dangerous… to himself, or you, or just in general.” “I don’t think it is.” She admitted, also not wanting to share what the Goddess of Light had told her, feeling those words for her alone as they came from a divine source, “But it’s kinda a big secret.” She sighed. “No wonder you don’t know how to feel.” Broseff shook his head.In reply she took a big bite of her cream-filled fry-cake, sighing through her nose, “Mrh.” “Don’t grump with your mouth full.” He teased.She rolled her eyes, swallowing and wiping away a smear of the cream, “You said it was your day off… but you’re here. Don’t you get enough training on your not-off days?” She asked. “Actually, I’m here to visit you and Traya, ar too.” “You are?” She asked, the surprise in her voice at so simple a gesture made Broseff’s stomach twist.He nodded, smiling, “I know you three haven’t beehat long but I wao see how you all are doing, plus I wao talk to Peytr about something he was w about.” “He was w about something?” She asked, again surprised, Peytr had always seemed thoughtful and careful… to find out he worried about something seemed shog to her. “He was.” Broseff said, not wanting to worry her but wanting to be ho and hoping that finding out that he had been w about something didn’t worsen his current image of him. “ you tell me what?” She asked gently. “He just wants to make sure he take care of you, like he promised, without too much help from others.” “Well… that’s silly. If someone wants to help…” “Yes, but like you, he’s having trouble trusting people.” Broseff reminded her, “sidering how his first week on our world went for him? And I have no idea how his life was before that…” “Oh, yeah, good point.”The pixie spoke up, “You don’t have to worry. He’s super strong! I tell.” “You ?” Ennalyssa looked down at the pixie, who was once again sitting cross-legged, this time on her p instead of o her. “Yup!” She tapped her nose, “His mana is super strong!” “That’s… not surprising.” Broseff ughed, nodding in agreement, “I ’t imagine someoh a weak mana reserve surviving what he went through.”Ennalyssa nodded as well, but the pixie only cocked her head to the side.

  “Oh!”Traya had e into the room, with the magic tutor in tow, both looking for Ennalyssa. “Broseff, What are you doing here?” She asked, her cheeks a light pink. “Is everything alright, Enna?” The bird-woman asked, her crest raising just a little, “I got a little worried when you hadn’t e back yet.” “That’d be my doing.” Broseff stood up, bowing, “Broseff. Sheildbearer of the Church Luminous.” “Mae, Ennalyssa, ar’s athyrik manipution tutor.” The bird-woman bowed babsp; “I had wao say hi to Enna, as well as Peytr and Traya.” He motioo the womao the tutor, “And Enna had a question she o ask me. We got to talking about advid the like.”Mae nodded, “Alright.” She smiled, “Did you find the book you wao show me?” “Well… yes and no.” She admitted, “It’s iher room and I didn’t want to interrupt Peytr and Priest Jhe’fuh. Then Broseff showed up… and it’s like he said, I promise.” “Yup yup!” The pixie added in, hoping to vouch for the two of them. “Fair enough.” Mae smiled, not looking mad at all, “If you’re ready, though, we get back to your athyrcraft study. You were doing quite well at Mana densation. “I was?” She went wide-eyed, unsure how to take the pliment.Mae nodded, “You were. Despite not having much training beforehand you were taking to the theory-crafting and application very well!” “T-thank you, Miss Mae.” She asked with a little bit of shock.

  Traya stepped up to Broseff with a smile, “So… just saying Hi?”Broseff nodded, “That was the pn. Well, admittedly I wao talk to Peytr about an opportunity that he may like.” “Oh.” Traya frowned a little, “I had hoped…” “I alsht this…” He blushed and offered her a small bag, “I stopped by your favorite bakery and got you some treats.” “Winalli cream filled fry-cakes!” Ennalyssa held up the st bit of hers, before popping it into her mouth (with the pixie giving a small pout at not getting o little bite). “Oh…” She smiled, taking the bag with a smile, “ I ask what this opportunity is? Or is it a ‘boy’s only’ secret?” “I… well…”Traya, Mae, Ennalyssa, and the pixie all giggled at the stammering Guard. “Broseff!” Peter called out happily as he and Jhe’fuh came out, with the book under his arm, “Hey Enna, you fot this book… Oh, Hello Mae, Traya. Is everything alright?” “Oh, yes. I was just worried about Enna.” Mae admitted, “She had been taking a while to get back to the lesson… which you are ‘te’ for.” “Aheh…”Jhe’fuh ughed, “That would be my fault, Miss Mae. I had an important question to ask him.” “And if I might also beg your fiveness…” Broseff spoke up, “I was hoping to speak to Peytr myself now and, perhaps, take him somewhere, depending on his answer.”

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