Fireside Chats

"Well my dear sister... You can be dumb," he said with a playful push. "Do you really think that just because you aren't around... I don't think about you? Wondering about you was much more distracting."

"In all serious though... your reaction did surprise me... Menfolk being attracted to you isn't exactly an unusual thing. Datzig and others have made comments to you, and you simply shot them down and moved about your business.

"What makes him different? I don't think you have to avoid him... just tell him to back off and I'm sure he will. He seems... a sensible sort."

"I am not dumb!" Sarala shoved her brother back in protest. At least she attempted to shove him but to no avail. In his full suit of armor he didn't move. Exasperated she kicked dirt on his foot instead.

"You're the dumb one..." she whispered halfheartedly under her breath. Her comeback was weak and untrue and she knew it, but she didn't really care. Thaddeus had brought up the subject that had been the most annoying to her in the past couple of months and like most annoyances she had tried to put it out of her mind. Now he was making her think about something she hadn't fully thought out and it was getting on her nerves.

"I was trying to do what I thought was right, ok? So yeah, maybe I got a little freaked out the last time we were in Restov. Maybe I didn't think this all through...

"Anyway, I don't know why Zaistrun is so different." Though she was still defensive her voice was edged with defeat. "I rarely notice the attention other men give me. I guess I'm just used to it, to being noticed. No big deal, right?

"At least it should be."

Sarala dug the toe of her boot into the soft earth in front of her. She couldn't understand for the life of her why Zaistrun was such a big problem. It didn't make sense.

"I mean it was all well and good when he was just traveling with us for a while. Once we were done with the bandits I really thought we would be rid of him but... he just had to stay on and become your 'adviser'.

"Whatever. He hasn't said anything of consequence to me since Restov. Maybe it'll just fizzle out like one of his fireworks." She looked up at Thaddeus with a hopeful yet very uncertain expression.

"Probably." Thaddeus stated with simple conviction. "Zaistrun is a sensible sort, and I don't see him as the type to carry a torch that doesn't have a future."

The sorcerer was difficult to read. A remarkably stoic man, he seemed to keep any emotions tight to his vest, but to his recollection, Zaistrun had shown no outward signs of lovestruck pining for his sister, and had certainly not spoken to him again on the subject for months before she had even left.

Nor had he spoken to Thaddeus about any other women.

"I don't know," Sarala eyed the sorcerer skeptically. "As 'sensible' as he may be Zaistrun also has a strong will and he always knows exactly what he wants. But I hope your right, 'cause I just want to forget about the whole attraction thing

"Only time will tell, I guess..."

Her sentence broke off with a yawn as Sarala realized just how sleepy she had become. She hadn't been this tired a minute ago. How had it crept up on her so quickly? The thought came to her that maybe if she lay down for just a short while she would get a second wind of energy. Just as long as she didn't close her eyes...

"It's such a nice night..." Sarala whispered as she lay on her back gazing up at the stars. "The sky is so clear, and the stars... so bright....

"You ought to look at 'em Thad....

"So bright..."

Her words came softer and slower as her eyelids grew heavy. Maybe she could afford to close them just for a second.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pharast 6th 4711

Thaddeus settled into his easy chair and picked up an old worn novel. A cheap adventure book with dashing swashbucklers, helpless maidens and impossible odds. It had always been one of his favorites as a young boy, and finding this in there fledgling store had been the highlight of a stressful day.

He poked the fireplace a bit and grinned as he realized he may not need it much longer. Pharast had just started, and Spring was coming soon. Novastasia had survived its first winter.

It took some doing, but Sir Paido had left him in the admittedly bare library... study... At this point he wasn't sure the correct term, but it had a comfy chair and a warm fire. And a good book, so in his mind... Library.

He picked up the adventured and was taken back to when he was young and dreamed of adventure. The young king couldn't help but wonder how different it would read after having lived the real thing.

Sarala was impressed. Everything seemed to be in place exactly as she had specified with the foreman even down to the window size and placement. The floors were solid and the latches on the doors were a dream. She would have to be sure to give the foreman on the castle building crew ample recognition for such a fine specimen of craftsmanship.

Catching a glimpse of the view from one of the windows as she passed Sarala realized that she was nearing the end of inspection. This would also complete her list of things to do for the day. Which meant that for a little while at least, she was free.

Sarala thought about popping down to the bakery stand to see Theora. One of her muffins would be just the thing to chase the very fine layer of sawdust that now coated the inside of her mouth. But then she had already been down there three times today. Anymore visits and the baker might get suspicious. Theora was quite cunning when she wanted to be.

She thought about checking up on Navitka, but she knew he was in the middle of some dealings in the merchant tents and she didn't want to bring any unnecessary interference his way. An unexpected visit from his boss while he was under cover was the last thing he needed from her. Spying on him however was an option, though she had already done earlier that morning. It was probably time to give him a little space. How else was she going to earn his trust? Besides she couldn't watch him all the time. No, she would just wait to meet him when and where they had planned to meet.

Sarala realized as she was thinking about Navitka that she had never really told Thaddeus about him. Sure her brother knew about the man. Despite his absence at the time how could Thaddeus have missed hearing about their first official arrest in Akiros. The "harvest bandits" as they had been dubbed, were the talk of the town in Lamashan and on throughout the winter months. Thaddeus had even judged Navitka's case when he had come back to town. Even so, telling her brother that she now had a former bandit from Mivon currently in her employ had slipped Sarala's mind.

And that wasn't the only thing that she had forgotten to tell her brother. There was also the matter of her heritage and Wynnsaren's enlightening information that she had yet to share with him. Not that she was meaning to keep this from him. Not at all. Everything had just gotten so busy...

With a sudden turn the sylph redirected her steps with renewed purpose. She headed to the spot where she had last seen during her little tour of the castle's new and most valuable asset. She stepped into the library letting the door silently shut behind her. The seem between door and it's frame was barely noticeable, blending in with the wall. The back of Thaddeus' chair was turned toward her. he'she could still see a familiar pair of feet stretched out on the rug in front of the chair. With hushed foot falls she made her way over to the chair. Resting her arms on its back she inclined her head to peer over his shoulder.

"Whatcha doin', big brother?"

"GAHAAA," Thaddeus started suddenly at the sound of her voice. His book went flying and he turned slowly toward her grinning face. He'd like to say he was thoroughly engrossed in his book... but the fact was she was just too quiet.

Every... Single... Time.

He never stood a chance.

"Good... Good evening Sarala," He said as he tried to maintain some dignity. Mostly lost as he stooped to retrieve his fallen book.

"I'm just catching up on some reading myself. How about you? Staying out of trouble I hope," he said with a twinkle in his eye."

Sarala laughed. She loved it when she could surprise Thaddeus like this. His reaction was priceless. The way he scrambled to keep his decorum in tack was humorous and a little cute. She didn't have to sneak up on him. In fact, she was sure he would have appreciated it had she taking a more direct approach. But this way was so much more fun that she couldn't resist.

"Is your book good?" Sarala moved around the chair and pulled up a foot stool to sit upon. Her eyes twinkled as she propped her chin in her hand. "It must be a thriller to keep you so engrossed! I get the feeling that you didn't hear me come in the room.

"You know, as king I thought you might hone in on some of your senses... but not so much, eh? Maybe you should let Paido shadow your every move. You might live longer that way. I mean, I'd watch your back, but I have so much to do. And anyway, I think it would get awkward awfully quick if I did.

"How did you manage to slip away, anyway? I've seen that pile of paperwork, and with all the trips we've been making out of Akiros lately, I'm surprised you got caught up on all of it already..." The sylph raised her eyebrows in question.

Thaddeus eyed her suspiciously. She took entirely too much joy from his discomfort.

"Keep it up little sister, and I may have Paido shadow your every move. Win/win for everyone then. You stay out of trouble and he gets to stay busy."

His mouth twisted up into a smirk before he shrugged. "Ehhhh... Odds are you'd just lead him into trouble instead.

"And that would of course only add to the paperwork...." He grimaced as he thought about the everpresent pile.

"Not quite finished... but had to take a break. Like you said, it's been a crazy couple of weeks. I couldn't concentrate on that, so I figured I'd relax a bit in here for a while.

"How about yourself? What have you been up to?"

"I'd like to see Paido try to keep tabs on me." Sarala laughed at the idea of the halfling body guard trailing her every move. She would lead him on a merry chase around around Akiros before losing him out toward the farm land. "I must admit the thought does amuse me. You should have him try it sometime, then we'll see what'll happen.

"But that's not why I came by. I was finishing up my rounds in the castle when I happened to remember a couple of things I wanted to tell you about. I figured that now was as good a time as ever, since you don't seem to be busy."

Sarala studied her brother's face trying to decide what to tell him first. The fact that she had hired a convicted bandit to help her "keep track" of things in Akiros, all with out her brother's permission. He would either be angry at her for going behind his back, or proud of her for redeeming another misdirected life, or both.

Or she could bring up the revelation about her ancestry that she had neglected to tell him about for months now. At least maybe his excitement at her news might balance out his disappointment over the fact that she had neglected to tell him sooner. Neither option was perfect but she had to start somewhere, so with tempered hope she began with the latter.

"So, do you remember when we were still kids and all those crazy things were happening to me and we couldn't figure out why? Well I think I know the reason now..."

Thad dropped the book again.

He stared at his sister in disbelief, scrutinizing every inch of her mischievious face for deception, and finding none. This wasn't unusual, though this time he though for sure she was telling the truth. She teased about many things... but her origins was rarely one of them.

"Sarala... What exactly did you figure out??"

Sarala picked the worn copy off the floor and dusted it off with her sleeve.

"You know, you really should be more careful with your things. I'm not sure books are supposed to be thrown around like that." Holding it up between forefinger and thumb she looked at it with some scrutiny before setting it carefully down on the seat beside her. "And by the look of it, this one has already taken a beating, maybe several. You'd better keep this thing hidden away. It'll never do to let others see such inconsiderate treatment of the written word."

Sarala knew she was stalling. Her brother knew it, too. She could see it in his face. It was just too easy to draw things out, too entertaining. So with a twinkle in her eye she feigned forgetfulness.

"Oh yes, I was about to tell you something, wasn't I? What was it you asked? What did I 'figure out'? Oh yes, now I remember..." She returned his stare with a disarming smile as if to say, 'I'm done playing games now, I'll get back to business'.

"To be fair, the 'figuring out' wasn't any of my doing. It was Wynnsaren's. She approached me saying that she had noticed something different about me and then proceeded to tell me that I belong to a different race than humans or even fey. A rare race called sylph.

"Sylph come from a human human being 'joined' with an air elemental... or something like that. Funny, huh? It totally explains the winds, doesn't it? And all the other sylph characteristics fit me to a tee as well. Including the ability to resist a certain amount of electrical attacks."

Sarala paused to let the information sink in. It had been a lot for her to wrap her head around when Wynnsaren had told her, so she knew her brother might need a minute or two to gather his thoughts. After a moment Sarala broke the silence.

"It's weird, isn't it? To finally have an explanation, a name, a reason for my differences. I always thought I would feel so excited when I found out, but I just feel strange. And I don't really know what to do with myself."

"Joined... with an air elemental?? How?!?" He tried for the briefest of moments to wrap his head around the logistics of such a union, but quickly shook the images out of his mind. While curious... he really didn't want to think too hard on that!

"A... Sylph?" He tried the unfamiliar word slowly, as he wracked his mind trying to remember anything he may have heard... but nothing. Tiefling, half-elves, Aasimar... those cross breeds he'd heard of in passing. Fey races? those he knew a bit more about, having raided many a library both at home and on the road. Always hoping for some clue to his sister's origin.

Air elementals he'd heard of... but mating with one??? NO! He shook the thoughts from his head again in defiance. He needed to focus now!

"Did she... know anything else? Where in your ancestry this... happened? What the fey were doing with a... sylph? I don't remember anything about air elementals and fey working together..."

He wished Wynnsaren was around, he had some questions himself that he'd ask her now.... His eyes narrowed as he realized it'd been weeks since she left for Brevoy.

"Wait a minute... When did you talk to Wynn?"

"I talked to Wynn the last time that we saw her, a few months ago at Candlemere lake," came the nonchalant reply. "She couldn't really give me details on my specific ancestry, only that the... erm, joining process... could happen but that the traits of the air elemental may not manifest themselves in their immediate children. Somehow these traits will eventually show up in the descendants some generations down the road.

"I'm not really sure why it does that, wait around in the bloodline before it produces a sylph, I was just told that is how it works.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sarala asked as she caught sight of her brother's narrowed eyes. "What have I done now?"

"Eight... months." Thad's voice battled with disbelief, anger, and disappointment. At any moment one emotion could overwhelm the others... but at the moment confusion and chaos ruled.

"We spent years... YEARS trying to find clues, and now you've known for months?!" He closed his eyes tightly as anger started to win out.

He was used to being the confidant... Now it seemed like she didn't tell him anything?!

"Why... didn't you say something?" he asked as calmly as he could.

Disappointment. Sarala could read it all over Thaddeus face, as well as in his words. It was obvious that he was frustrated with her. She could honestly understand why he felt this way. She had never waited this long to talk to him about anything before, and when it came to her mysterious abilities he had always been the first to know. When they were younger they had been co-conspirators, adventure hunters, the dynamic detective duo out to crack the case. They were as thick as thieves. No one could separate them unless Sarala and Thaddeus so wished.

But then they grew up. Things changed. The year Sarala discovered her abilities was the same year that Thaddeus met Sir Tambor. It was also the year that Lady Charlinay had insisted that Sarala's education in etiquette begin in earnest. There had been a whirlwind of months during Sarala's period of self discovery when she and her brother were closer than ever before. They were constantly stealing away for secret meetings and engaging in hushed conversations. Sarala remembered with rueful fondness the first time they had met in secret.

With an arm full of bed clothes she had snuck into his room well after the rest of the household was asleep. She convinced him to help her tie the sheets all together and secure them to his bed by saying it had to do with 'an important new discovery'. He had hemmed and hawed asking why she didn't just tell him what it was but eventually he succumbed to her argument that it was better if she showed it to him.

Once the window was opened and the makeshift rope tossed through it Sarala, wrapping her cloak tightly around her to keep out the cold, stepped on the sill. She had turned to face her brother and before he could say a word, jumped off the ledge out into the winter night. Much to her surprise she landed with a thud in the snowbank below. Thad's head shot out of the window, his voice edged with irritation as he shouted at her in hushed tones.

"What are you trying to do, get yourself killed?" He maneuvered over the window's ledge and using the sheets, quickly repelled down the wall. Once on the ground he held out a hand to help his sister up. "What kind of new discovery was that? I could have told you that you would fall to the ground if you jumped out of a window. It's called gravity and it works on everyone! You'd just better be glad we had a decent fall of snow or you could have done some serious damage."

"I'm fine, thanks," she had replied, trying to quell the embarrassment as she dusted herself off. "I was expecting the result to be a little... different. It worked differently earlier."

And she had proceeded to tell him about how she had been climbing the rafters in the stables that afternoon and had lost her footing. But instead of the usual falling sensation she felt herself float slowly through the air. Surprised, she landed gently on the ground. She had spent the rest of the day trying to figure out if it had really happened or if it was all in her imagination.

"Sarala," Thaddeus gave her the look of loving disapproval. "You don't test whether or not you can float by jumping out of a second story window in the middle of the night! I'm sure what happened earlier was just in your imagination. You have quite a vivid one after all. Are you sure you're ok?"

Embarrassed and disappointed she assured him that she had indeed survived the fall unharmed, and they eventually both went back to bed. It was only a few days later that she revealed her suspicions to him and in response he had promised through a blood pact that no matter what happened he would always be her brother.

Their older brother Gus was married early that spring. Sir Tambor was one of the guests at that wedding. After meeting him Thaddeus could barely hold his excitement at the prospect of become a paladin. A few months later he left with the paladin of Saranrae to begin his training. He didn't return for seven years.

Thaddeus was different when he finally came home. He still got along with Sarala and she could tell that he loved her as much as he always did but things just weren't the same. When they had gone to Restov to sign up for an adventure in the Stolen Lands she thought that maybe their relationship would go back to the way it used to be before the summer of 4702. And though she caught glimpses of the old Thad she could not deny that he was forever changed. Touched by the goddess. Full of ideals and a purpose that she didn't wholly understand.

And now that he was leading a small country, well, that brought a whole new set of changes causing the barrier she felt between them to widen even more. It didn't help matters that she had stopped coming to him, confiding in him right away when she felt troubled like she used to. He had said as much during their last conversation on their way to Restov almost a year ago. How was she supposed to tell him that she felt there was a widening crack in there relationship? How could she say that she didn't understand him like she used to and she didn't know what to do about it? If she just came right out and said it she knew it would hurt his feelings. And there was the possibility that he just wouldn't understand why she felt this way at all. It was obvious that withholding this information about her heritage had hurt him already. How much more could he take before it became permanent damage?

Sarala sighed and looked up at her brother, her brow wrinkled in worry. "I might as well be frank with you, seeing as how you're feeling hurt already. And that's my fault, really. I didn't tell you right away because I wasn't sure what to say. I know it sounds stupid but ever since you claimed rulership over this land... no, it was before that. Ever since you came back from being with Sir Tambor things have been different... between us." She waved her hand to indicate Thaddeus and herself.

"I didn't think you noticed, and I thought that it would go away and we could go back to the way we were... so I didn't say anything to you about it. And then we came here, and things have changed so quickly. I guess, I got scared that it would be too much to tell you. You have so much on your shoulders, so many things to figure out. I see it weighing on your mind and I didn't want to bring another problem to you. I didn't... don't want to weigh you down any further. So I just backed off. I thought it was the right thing to do but now I'm not so sure. I never meant to hurt you, Thad. I really didn't."

The anger drained from the king as she bared more of her soul to him then she had since he'd returned from his training.

"Sara...." he stopped as he tried to consider the right words. Sir Tambor had taught him many ways of negotiation, but the most important was honesty, straight from the heart.

"Sarala... we are different." It was a hard admission to make, but it needed to be said. "We aren't the kids we were back then. We've grown up. There are more responsiblities now then we ever dreamed of as children...

"However, we haven't changed that much. I'm still your brother. I always will be. Getting a new job and taking care of other people doesn't in any way mean I don't have time for you." He smilled weakly as he shook his head.

"You've been so withdrawn lately... You've grown so much... You're old enough to marry and start a family... move away, do pretty much whatever you want. Perhaps not how Cor had in mind... but still, your a woman now. Not the little girl that jumped out the window without a thought. If anything, it looked like you had outgrown the need for a big brother...

"I've seen you fight, and kill... and fend off suitors. I've tried very hard to... not coddle you. At least not as much as my instincts want to... I've tried to see you as an adult, and not pry or push my way into places I don't belong... but it doesn't come easily. The more room I've given you, the more you've taken, but I was NEVER trying to push you away!

"If you EVER want to talk about anything... I'm always here. I'm finding new responsibilities every day, it's true... but I can handle them. I can handle anything you want to add too."

Sarala listened quietly to her brother's honest confession. It surprised her how quickly his anger had dissipated once she revealed what was really going on. She couldn't believe she had been so foolish to let a little change get between her and Thaddeus. He was her brother, and he always would be. She needed to trust him when he said that he would always be there, because he really meant it. How could she have doubted that in the first place? When she was willing to move heaven and earth for him how stupid was it to forget that he was willing to do the very same for her.

"Thanks for understanding, Thad," she gave him a wan smile. "Between the two of us you were always the best at understanding. For all my 'insight' I can really be a block head sometimes. Don't argue with me, 'cause you know it's true.

"I didn't realize how hard it's been on you lately, watching me grow up. Thanks for not 'coddling' me. It most likely would've made me want to run the other way. I've always like things my own way.... However I'm beginning to realize that sometimes it's better to do things your way instead, because you understand some things that I don't understand.

"I really do trust you. I know I didn't act like it for a while, but I really do. So from now on I'll drop all this secretive nonsense and come to you, like I used to, even when I know you'll over react. Because I still do need my big brother.

"As for all that crap about being 'old enough' to move away and start a family..." Sarala looked at her brother with eye brow raised. She tried to lead with a lighter note because she knew that the next bit of news was going to be a bit of a bombshell. "That's the funny thing about sylph's. It takes us a bit longer to mature... because we can live to be over two hundred years old."

Thaddeus nearly laughed aloud at her blockhead comment, and almost interrupted her to agree... but he was glad that he didn't as she continued her apology.

The warm glow he felt in his chest chilled suddenly as she flippantly mentioned tripling his age. His eyes narrowed as he searched her face for deception... and found none.

Normally that meant little. His little sister could lie to him like nobody else... but this time he didn't think she was...

"200 years??" He said staring quizzically. "You're... not teasing me about that are you?"

"No," she replied with a laden sigh, "I'm not teasing you this time. It's true for all I know. Wynn told me that I would live for over two centuries and I have no reason to doubt her."

Sarala went silent, contemplating how to go on. She knew from experience that following the line of thought regarding her extensive lifespan only led to a terrible ache in her chest and occasional perspiration of the eyes. But in light of her promise of full disclosure she decided to go ahead and bare it all. No beating around the bush, she thought, it would be better to get straight to the point.

"So unless I meet an untimely end, I will outlive you... I will... watch you grow old," she swallowed hard as the emotion threatened to overcome her. "I will have to sit back and watch you... and everyone I know and love... watch you all die... and my life will just barely have begun.

"I don't know how I'm going to deal with that!" A single tear managed to make it's escape down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, her voice sounding more frantic than before.

"Every time you go down in a fight... your blood..." Hopeless to find the words she used her hands as substitute, gesturing tensely in circular motions at the ground. "You get so pale... it's unnerving! I panic! If I can't get to you I don't know what to do.... Thank the gods for that wretched wand of healing. Without it..." Defeated by the thought Sarala let her hands hang limp at her sides. It was too hard to hold the tears back now.

"Come here..." he said as pulled her in for a hug. Half in hopes to give comfort, half in buying time as his own thoughts were a whirlwind.

He had never doubted that his sister would outlive him. it's one of the things that Tambor had made certain that he understood. In the fight against Evil, Paladins were on the front line... very few of them lived to see old age.

This however, was different. He didn't know what to say. She was still trembling when he pulled back enough to see her clearly.

"Sara," he said slowly as the words just sort of came tumbling out. "This is a blessing.

"Think about it.. You'll be able to watch our kingdom grow... What I wouldn't give to see these poor foundations we've built... to see them in a century or two. To tell people of those who started it and the trials that we went through... To see all of our dreams realized.

"As for the rest... please, please don't dwell on it. Don't worry yourself about what will happen in thirty years, or Sarenrae willing sixty years... What is, is.

"As you said, anything can happen out here, we knew that when we left Stoneclimb to 'adventure.' We've had some close calls, but we've done well for ourselves. I think I'll have many more years to come."

"That's not likely," Sarala scoffed into her handkerchief. Her tears were far from finished and yet she still felt the need to clean up her face. "The way you live? As if no other kindhearted warrior existed?

"No, you'll die in battle in a couple o' years, leaving your beloved people teetering on the brink... and I'll be the one left to pick up the pieces." A grin played at the corners of her lips as she looked up at him, a telltale sign she was up to some mischief. "I think I would make quite the beneficent queen, don't you?"

As that last statement was spoken with highfalutin accents Sarala straightened up in her chair and tried her best to look both pompous and benevolent. She only succeeded in the ridiculous combination of an overly creased brow and a simpering smile. Unable to maintain the facade she let out a chuckle as her lips spread into a wide grin.

"Seriously, though," she cocked her head to look at him, her voice becoming reflective again. Her heart still felt heavy from the emotion of a few moments before. She hoped the sudden sober turn would give her brother cause to consider her words before dismissing them as he had done before. "You need to be more careful. You have great responsibility now. People need you. If you were to die because of your stubborn inability to walk away when you're getting beaten what would become of Akiros, here? And the farmers? Novastasia may be small but they are growing and they need a good man to lead them. You can't lead from the grave.

"I know I harp on this a lot, but I mean it. I worry about you sometimes, and about these people. I believe your the best man to lead them, you have a heart of gold but would it kill you to ask for help once in a while. And I know this doesn't stand well with your creed of defeating evil but sometimes it is better to lose the fight at hand so you can live to win the war.

"I know I shouldn't think about watching everyone around me die, but I do. Trying to get my mind around the idea of such a long life is so foreign and overwhelming that my head just runs back to the path of thoughts it already knows." The tears were welling up in her eyes again. The pain in her heart was different this time. Lightened, as if in telling Thaddeus her troubles some of them had been lifted away.

"I'll try," her voice spoke in earnest. She smiled at him through the tears that ran softer and more gently down her face than they had before. "I'll try to put it out of my mind. Thoughts like that really don't help any in the long run, do they? And what you say is true, anything really could happen out here."

Maybe her heart wouldn't ache as long this time. What relief that would be.

Thaddeus gently wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I know you will," he said. "What else did Wynn tell you? Any other abilities or.. things that we should know about?"

Off the top of his head, he could think about the gentle breezes that surrounded her, the ability to float to the ground... Once a day seemed her max from their childhood tests... and of course her ability to see in the dark much better then he could. A jealous smirk crossed his face.

"Can you fly? You're going to be able to fly aren't you!"

"No, I can't fly." Sarala rolled her eyes at her brother's childish question. "Nor do I think I'll be able to any time soon. I told you all that Wynn said she knew about my strange heritage.

"Although I might have to look into it. I mean, it makes sense, being able to fly. I am, after all, part wind elemental. I'll have to do some research."

Sarala brushed stray locks of hair away from her face. She hated the feeling of the wispy strands sticking to her damp cheeks. The worst thing about crying was the mess that it made. Though the combination of water, salt, and viscus slim was perhaps the most innocuous of messes. Much easier to clean than blood or manure. Maybe crying was just another of life's necessary evils, despite it's inconvenience.

Her brother's query about the ability to fly brought a smile to her lips. Even though she knew that he was using the question to divert her thoughts from the weightier matters he was still intensely curious about the matter. Flight had often been the subject of many of their childhood conversations. It amused her that it was something still on the forefront of his mind.

"No fair getting jealous if I can fly, Thad," she looked at him with a knowing smile, her accusation written all over her face. "Just remember that you're not the one who has the blood of the wind in their veins. We can't all be born of the elements, brother of mine."

And with that good-natured familial jab the sylph threw her hair over her shoulder and openly winked at her brother.

"My sister... full of hot air." He teased with a smirk. "This really does explain a lot."

It would also change things... what he wasn't sure how much, or in what ways. To actually have an answer, regardless of the difficulties that answer revealed... was better then the questions. Of that, Thaddeus was certain.

Still it would take time to truly process this new information, and for the moment he was just glad to see her smile.