"Such a scene makes me feel like crying," Lilly said softly as we stared out the window together.

"In a way it does, doesn't it?" I agreed, though maybe not entirely.

Off in the distance, near the large tree this whole forest grew around, was everyone else.

Fly and Renn were sitting on the ground in front of Windle. He sat upon a stump, and was playing his favorite flute. I could faintly hear the musical notes from here, but they were mixed in with Root's happy giggles and laughs as she watched her father from Fly's lap.

Although the scene was wondrous… to the point I wanted to bottle it up and store it forever, I still found my eyes sliding away from it. I turned just enough to look at the stubborn owl next to me, who was smiling warmly at the scene… looking as much a fool as she ever has or likely will.

"You've grown sentimental in your old age, Lilly. But I like it. It suits you," I said, teasing her a little… but meaning every word all the same.

"Shush Vim. You're the one who needs to learn how to be sentimental," she grumbled as she looked away from the scene.

"Impossible. I'm always sentimental," I said.

Lilly sighed at me and stepped away, to go sit down in one of the chairs or couches.

"She's lovely. Your wife has her own issues, like we all do, but she's a good person. A lovely person. I don't like at all how much she cares for humans, or can care for them I guess, but I understand the reason behind it. It's not the humans in general she likes; it's the people she cares for. She loves and cherishes those she deems important, family basically, and that is something I can fully respect," Lilly said, continuing her conversation about her assessment of my wife.

I nodded as I too turned away from the window, but I didn't sit. Not right away at least. Instead I simply stood there; hand on the backrest of one of the couches as I stared at the owl.

"I remember a young owl getting hurt often. For trying to be friends, and help, people she had instantly trusted and liked without waiting to see if they were worth such devotion too," I said.

Lilly groaned at me. "I was young back then," she defended herself.

"Indeed."

"Your wife is older than you think, by the way. I don't know if she told you or not, but thanks to those humans she was able to figure out how old she might be… or at least, for sure is," Lilly then said.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I finally decided to sit down. This type of topic was worth sitting for.

Lilly shrugged. "The humans. They went through their lineage. They kept good records, what with the saints and all. Your cat is well over four hundred years old. At minimum. That's how long ago her saint friend had died… and from what Renn's explained to me, it could have been centuries before she even ever met that woman," Lilly said.

Sitting back a little, I felt oddly shocked.

Renn…? Four hundred years old…?

I mean… it wasn't impossible. I believed it. Renn sometimes acted, or said certain things, that made her seem… well… archaic. Though lately she'd not seemed so, in the beginning she definitely had. Back then I had attributed it to her thicker predator blood, and possible lack of education, but now I knew the truth.

Renn was old. Older than I thought.

"Is it that surprising?" she asked, likely noting my sudden dumbfounded self.

I nodded slowly. "I don't know…? Yes? I guess? A part of me is happy, because it means she's closer to my own age, but a few hundred years doesn't make that much a difference really… while another part of me is sad over it," I said.

"How so? Because now she might grow old and die faster?" Lilly asked seriously.

I shook my head. "She's never had children. And as far as she tells me, has never been in a real relationship either. It's sad to think she's gone so long alone. It was bad enough I had thought she had spent a century alone, genuinely alone, but now that number could be twice that? Thrice? It's sad," I said.

Lilly was quiet for a moment, but eventually nodded. "I guess I get what you mean."

Taking a small breath I sighed. "Explains a lot about her actually," I said.

"It does. Yes."

Scratching the back of my head, I decided to ponder it more later. "Since we're talking about that saint again… Anything you'd want to say about her? While we're alone?" I asked.

She had mentioned already that she had believed the saint. Or at least, believed the saint to be saying stuff she had believed in, but had said those things in front of Renn. Or Windle. Or while knowing they were nearby, and could possibly hear her.

I wanted to verify her true feelings before I assumed my own.

Lilly though nodded. "Yeah. She's odd. I don't like some of the stuff she said… but, and this hurts me to admit it, she's probably not our enemy. She foresaw Renn showing up, amongst other things, but that's typical for a saint. They see the future of the ones they are close to, like always… and although she'd not met Renn until now, her ancestors have. So that makes sense. It's believable. I don't think I'd ever see her as an ally, but I didn't feel like killing her after meeting her at least," Lilly said.

An honest, and likely the best type of assessment I could get from Lilly and maybe even the only kind I should I have wanted to hear.

Though it was a little regretful I'd not be getting permission to slaughter the saint before I even met her.

"And of this monarch? That supposedly she had foreseen and sent a bunch of meek humans to face?" I asked.

"Oh she not only believes that fully, she fears it's just the start. I'll let you speak to her about all that. I know how you feel about talking about their dreams," Lilly said.

I nodded, though almost didn't want to.

That meant Lilly had heard the prophecies… and, like Renn, was keeping them secret because they knew what I'd say and do upon hearing them.

Great. That meant they were bad. Nothing simple, such as foreseeing a meeting with Renn.

That meant if they were telling me that, there was more. More concerning Renn.

Just great indeed.

"I will say this though… if you do plan to kill that saint, maybe speak about it with her first. Don't lose the first woman you've ever tried to court over a saint, Vim. no matter how much we hate them, they're not worth that price," Lilly said.

I laughed at her. "Wise words! But no. If she really didn't have anything to do with those fires, the supposed monarch, or anything… I won't harm her. Especially not if she's Renn's friend. And as much as I hate to admit it, having a saint as a friend is a powerful tool. It could keep Renn safe down the road, if we nurture such a thing," I said.

Lilly nodded. "My thoughts exactly. She seems kind of stupid, to be honest… this Elaine. Renn could probably easily get her on her side, our side, if you tried," Lilly said.

That was the plan. For now, at least.

"Either way, I'll be seeing her soon. If I don't like what she has to say then… Renn's wrath or no, I'll deal with her there and then," I said.

Lilly smirked at me. "I'm glad to know your kindhearted wife hasn't softened you that much just yet."

I scoffed. "Regrettably I fear she'll be doing the opposite real soon. Something tells me this vote may force my hand," I said.

"Because of her, you mean?" Lilly asked with a frown.

I shrugged, not sure yet how I wanted to phrase it. "For her, may be a better way to say it," I decided to say.

"You'd… break your own rules for her? I mean… it makes sense, Vim. I'd break mine for Windle and the kids. Love is a powerful thing… but…" Lilly seemed a little shocked. She had even leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, as to talk more seriously. With a lower voice.

"Rather than break my own rules, I fear the actions of others will break the rules I've long set," I said.

"What rules Vim?" she asked.

"The laws of this world."

Lilly went quiet, and remained so for a long moment. During the silence, I heard the sound of the flute grow in strength. Windle had started a more upbeat song, with higher notes.

I turned a little, to look over the couch I sat upon and out the window. From this angle I could only make out Fly and Windle, but I found Fly was now standing. She was swaying a little, slowly spinning. She was likely dancing, and holding Root in her arms as she did.

Lovely.

"Beware Lilly," I said as I watched Fly dance.

"Hm…?" Lilly made a noise as I heard her half stand up. She had misunderstood my warning, thinking something was wrong right now.

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"Beware Celine's daughter," I said as I looked back at her. Lilly blinked and slowly sat back down, nodding as she did. "The church. Of anyone, everyone, in the Society. Don't trust them. Doubt them. Even more than you've been doing all this time," I warned her further.

She shifted a little, as if suddenly itchy. "Are we alone this time, Vim?" she asked softly.

"No. I don't think we are. I don't believe we are… I hope we aren't," I said.

"That wasn't very convincing," she said with a soft smile.

I know.

"Would you send a letter to Merit for me? You'll likely reach Telmik before I will, since I'll be heading along the coastline. Plus I need to find Meriah too, she's looking for me, so who knows what she wants," I said as I remembered.

"Meriah…? That's not good."

No. It wasn't.

She only sought me out when she needed me.

And Meriah only needed the protector when all else had failed.

"I plan to head to Telmik once I have my children home… or at least have heard back from them, that they're on their way. I don't want to go start a war before they're safe under my wings," Lilly said.

I nodded, agreeing. "I wouldn't ask you to do anything else, Lilly."

She smiled gently and shrugged. "Plus…I got more kids now you know? Two new daughters."

I smiled back at her and nodded. Yes. She and Windle had agreed to adopt Fly.

It was kind of them. Verily so. And… in fact… it was something I had not expected.

They had spoken of it, but I had not expected the two to actually do it.

They had never done it before, after all. Even with those who had needed them. Those I had bought here, hoping they'd take, all those years ago. There had been more than a few that we've lost over the years... that I firmly believe would still be around today had Lilly and Windle been willing to adopt them. But I could not force such a thing. Particularly not the emotion of familial love.

Though I suppose one could argue I was as much at fault for such a thing. How many more would be alive today if I simply would have just kept them nearby? It was a sickening thought, so I tried not to let it live.

Either way, I was very pleased with Lilly and Windle. I wasn't going to ask what had changed, since I knew it was likely just age. They were older now. Softer. Kinder.

And who was I to complain about a good thing?

"Still… Merit? What do you plan to have that fishbrain do?" Lilly asked.

"I'm going to ask her, amongst others, for help. So that if what you and I seem to think is going to happen, whether we try to stop it or not, then… well…" I shrugged softly.

"At least we'll have allies while it happens," she nodded, finishing my own statement.

"Yeah. Please make sure you use Oplar. She herself, none of her human messengers," I asked.

"Can I read it?" she asked.

"Not only do I want you to read it, I'll want you to add to it. To send your own with it," I said.

"Sure. I do still need to respond to the last one anyway. Last one had been about some pirates or something Renn had sent to Lumen. Merit was annoyed she kept sending her such annoying headaches to take care of," Lilly said.

Oh. Right. I'd forgotten to mention to Renn that Merit had been the one to take care of not just those eastern girls, like Lamp, but the pirates too.

"Forgot about them…" I mentioned as I wondered what to do with that.

If I summoned Merit here… to Telmik, to stand by Lilly's and my side… then that meant those people would lose their support. Their attachment to the Society. The only one who probably cared anything about them.

Maybe I should include in the letter, that if Merit thinks it best, she should bring the humans she trusted with her. Those who had earned that level of trust and loyalty, at least.

But then I'd just be summoning humans to war. A war they'd likely not survive, or endure.

It'd be cruel to do such a thing.

"So… just Merit, Vim? I'll be honest if this is actually going to happen I'd like a few more. Is Landi still up to task?" Lilly asked.

I sighed and leaned forward too, to mimic Lilly. I rested my elbows on my knees, and then my face in my hands.

"What…? It's true Vim. You may not care, or notice, how dangerous some of those church idiots are but there's more than a few who'd put me to test," Lilly said honestly.

"You're not wrong, Lilly, I just hate that it's come to this. Where I need to even think about it," I said.

She scoffed at me. "It's long past thinking about it Vim. It's time to act, not think."

Possibly. A part of me still hoped this was all just… far too much preparation for a slim possibility, not a surety.

"I'll write more letters then," I said, accepting the fact of life.

"Hmph."

Leaning back again, I shook my head at myself as I wondered what to do. Or say.

Lilly wasn't wrong of course. I myself had been thinking this conversation had needed to happen. That action was needed, not words.

But…

Now it felt as if I was scheming. As if I was doing the same thing they were.

Me.

Scheming.

It was one thing to scheme against real enemies. Real threats. I'd scheme any day to avoid a real disaster.

But this…?

I was scheming against the very people I had sworn to protect.

Sickening.

And the worst part is even as I was here conniving with Lilly... making plans and schemes…

I'd not once told her the biggest step of it. I hadn't told her what I was going to do. What I planned to do, as to try and stop any and all bloodshed or chaos from occurring.

I knew it was rude. It was cruel. To not reveal to her something that might endanger her down the line.

But it wasn't time yet. I wasn't ready yet.

Because I knew the moment I did it… the moment I said it aloud…

Everything would change.

Everything.

"Do you think Leaf is amongst them Vim?" Lilly asked quietly, startling me.

Her question hung in the air for a moment, and I felt a strange sense of unease as I realized what she'd just asked me.

She had… just asked me if Leaf was alive? Her firstborn daughter?

Not just alive, but… with Light and the rest?

For a tiny moment I wondered if this was some kind of joke… but Lilly's face was serious. She was serious.

"I… I don't know Lilly," I said carefully. "I only saw a few of them before leaving Telmik. I tried not to encounter them, directly, on purpose. As to not start anything I didn't wish to end," I said. I tried my best to speak carefully. Gently. As if I was tiptoeing not just on broken glass, but also souls. A misstep could do far more than hurt.

"Even if she is… does it matter? If she's still alive after all this time, then…" Lilly though didn't notice my uneasy self as she sighed and shook her head, as if disgusted.

"Then she may as well be dead to you. Yes. Though… there would be some joy, and hope, to be had at the thought at least. I'll find out for you, if I somehow make it back there before you," I said.

She nodded, but with a sad smile. "Even if I get there before you I may not be able to figure it out. It's not like I actually will go into those hallowed halls," she said, a little sarcastically.

"Banished. If it makes you feel better about it I always wished I had been too, funnily enough," I said.

She laughed at me. "Hard way to get your wish, Vim!"

I nodded, and was glad she had not lingered too long on her daughter.

Really. Hoping she was still alive.

Poor Lilly was broken in her own way too, wasn't she?

"Oplar's mailroom. One of the humans who works for her, a human named Bless, lives outside of the Cathedral. I'll give you directions to find her house. She'll be able to get you in touch with Oplar and Randle, depending on whose there and who isn't," I said.

"A human…? You sure?" Lilly asked.

I nodded. "She knows of the Society. Is a part of it, her whole family is. She's completely and utterly at Oplar's disposal. Oplar has earned their whole families loyalty. The type that makes humans scary. She can be trusted to be discrete, since they see Randle and the rest as enemies. Since Oplar does too. Though they'll tell Oplar about anything you tell them, or ask them to do, so only inform them of anything you want Oplar to know about," I warned.

"Great. That's almost not worth the risk," Lilly said with a grin.

I smiled and nodded. "Oplar's a headache, sometimes, but she's okay. For now. And who knows? Maybe she'll end up being one of the few allies we have in this situation."

Lilly sighed but nodded, agreeing and accepting it… even if she too didn't like to think we were that desperate.

Oplar really wasn't that bad… she was just weak-willed.

She was useless in a fight. Any real one, at least. Which was why Lilly found her useless.

But Oplar wasn't useless. Far from it.

After a few moments of us listening to the distant flute noises… Lilly smirked and scoffed. At random.

"We're really doing this, aren't we?" she asked, as if in disbelief.

"You can always say no, Lilly," I said gently.

"And miss out on possibly getting to see you destroy those ugly towers of faith? No chance."

I sighed at the woman who had been far too serious in her joke. Too serious indeed.

Though…

She wasn't wrong, was she…?

That was what I was doing, wasn't I?

Planning for something like that.

What else would I be doing, otherwise? Talking about all this. Making these plans…

For a moment I pondered my decisions, and didn't like how I regretted each one of them.

I hated doing that. That was what had made me run away last time. I had fled to the sea.

This time where would I run…? Where would I go…?

And would Renn come with me if I asked?

A part of me wanted to say she would, but…

Renn loved the Society. For good reason. But that love was not the concept, but the people within it. The members.

Those like Lilly. Fly. And so many more.

She'd not be happy at all with me if I abandoned them. Even if they had been the ones to ask me to do so.

Would her love last me breaking her heart? Somehow I doubted it. Just as I could not endure my partner breaking my cardinal rules, so too could I not expect them to do the same for me.

Standing, I turned and stepped over to the window. I found Renn now holding Root, as Fly stood upon the stump with Windle's flute. She was being taught how to use it, with Windle gently showing her where to place her fingers.

It was the type of scene that should be everywhere right now. In every corner of the Society.

Yet… because of my failures, my lack of action and even more so my lack of oversight…

It was now a rarity. Even at places with large numbers, where there should be many children, such sights were rare. Hard to come by.

All because I'd allowed discord and doubt to not just plant seeds, but sprout. Everywhere.

"Renn's wanted me to act since we met. To be better. To do more. So have you, all this time. So many of you have complained about me," I said as I watched Renn clap, which made Root clap too from her lap.

Lilly stepped over to me, and I heard her gulp… but she said nothing.

Taking a small breath I nodded. "Maybe it's time I did so. Better late than never, I guess. Or as my father would say, better late thy neighbor," I said.

"That makes no sense Vim," Lilly whispered.

I smirked and shrugged.

"Never did to me either."

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