Kes held her and spoke soft comforts to her in her mind. ”…Anara, why though? What… what aren’t you saying?” She asked after a time.

”…I believe… I believe Tulk… that he was responsible… that he killed Ralka, and my husband…” Anara spoke what she had never dared voice before aloud for the first time.

It was then Kes sensed it – Tresit was awake, he’d heard every word… Kes only sensed it because at Anara’s confession, a wave of intense anger and hatred welled up inside the small boy, so strong that Kes couldn’t help but feel it. ”W… But why though?” Kes asked softly, almost meekly. ”His own brothers? …His family? Surely…”

”He is capable of it.” Anara replied. ”Believe me, he is…” Kes saw a flash of bitter memory across her wife’s thoughts of a time when she was much younger and Tulk had… Kes shivered a little at seeing it. ”And he had profited by it. He inherited, and would probably have gained my husband’s position as well, had he not made the mistake of offending the maj once too often. He always hated Ralka, and me as well for always taking his side, nor were he and my husband at all friends…”

Kes was revolted. How could such a man come from the same family as someone so wonderful as Anara? Be her brother? It sickened her to think about him. ”Oh, Anara…” Kes spoke. –Please, let me in? Let me offer you comfort?– She asked telepathically.

–…Yes, please yes…– Anara replied. And Kes closed her eyes and opened the bond between them as fully as she could, let her feelings and her love for her wife wrap around Anara and sooth her, comfort her… They ended up kissing a few times, but no more than that. And Kes felt Tresit’s thoughts still in turmoil. She considered trying to talk with him about it, but she could easily tell her adoptive son wouldn’t want it. It saddened her, but she felt she couldn’t go against his wishes, not for something so deeply personal as this must be for him. Besides, she had shielded Anara from sensing her son’s anger through their bond, because she didn’t want Anara to have to carry that at a time like this too, and she knew that neither Anara nor Tresit would want Lanam to find out. In any case, Tresit seemed to be dealing with it, quelling his anger and holding his sister closer for comfort. She decided she would talk to him later when they were alone and he’d had some time to let it settle. So, instead, she settled in together with her wife and Kes could tell, Anara was feeling much better by the time sleep claimed them both.

The story did not end there though, for in their dreams, Kes found herself sitting on a cliff outside of the Ocampan city where she’d grown up. It was an isolated place where she’d rarely taken anyone else. Only Lona once or twice, because she knew Lona was like her in that way – that she liked to have time to just… not talk, not think, and simply be.

She wasn’t alone this time either. But when she looked over next to her, it wasn’t Lona she saw, but Anara…

–It’s beautiful…– Anara spoke in wonder. –I’ve never seen so much water so close before…– Kes got the impression of a time when Anara had seen oceans of water once, but… from high above.

–Soon, we can come here together if you want…? and not just in my memories…– Kes offered.

Anara moved closer and rested her head on Kes’s shoulder and Kes wrapped her arm around her and they just sat there together for how long Kes didn’t know. But, at some point, Anara moved to kiss her and Kes responded… It felt like magic.

——–

to be continued