Chapter 3934: Fears and Guilt (Part 1)

"Wait, are you saying we’ll get to live in a real Dragon’s lair?" Lilax asked, her eyes wide with wonder. "With treasures, books, and... things?"

"Yes to all. There are also many interesting places you can explore. I call them biomes." Leegaain nodded. "Say goodbye to everyone and prepare to get used to the Empire again."

"What’s to get used to?" Aryk gave deep bows to the Verhens before crossing the Warp Gate. "Home is... cold! It’s freezing in here!"

"My point exactly." Leegaain swapped the light desert robes for warm mountain clothes. "Also, it’s still night here. Follow me. I’ll show you to your rooms."

The dimensional gate closed, and Aran sighed in relief.

"Finally! I thought we’d never get rid of them."

"Aran..." Elina had given him no middle name, so she felt that using her son’s full name wasn’t enough for a good scolding. "Demon Verhen, how can you say something so insensitive?"

"I’m sorry they have no parents and no one taught them anything, but that’s not a good reason to steal my mom!" Aran hugged her with a mix of anger and fear. "I missed you so much."

He was still angry at the usurpers and afraid his mother loved him less. Elina recognized his feelings and was appalled when she realized how little time she had spent with him over the past week.

She had given Aryk and Lilax as much care as Surin, leaving almost no time for her other children.

"Gods, I’m so sorry, Aran." Elina lifted him in her arms. "I didn’t mean to neglect you. I missed you too. What do you say if we spend the rest of the day together? I’ll cook you your favorite food."

"It’s okay, Mom." Aran sniffled. "I don’t want to bother you."

"You think that taking care of you is a chore?" That phrase was a stab to Elina’s heart. "Nonsense! Bring us back to Lutia, dear. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Sure, Mom." Lith nodded. "Wait, who’s ’we’?"

"I’m so sorry." Elina burst into tears. "You worked so hard all this time, and I ignored my babies!"

"It’s okay. I love you, Mom." Aran sobbed as Elina embraced both her sons.

Lith looked around the room, as confused as a crab challenged at a game of rock-paper-scissors.

’I didn’t do or say anything. Why am I being dragged into this?’ He thought.

’Because you are the one who received the least attention from our parents while growing up.’ Tista said via a mind link. ’Mom always feels guilty about that and tries to make up for the lost time.’

’But-’

’No buts.’ Trion cut him short in shame. ’Put yourself in Mom’s shoes. She lost two sons, and no matter what I say, she’ll always blame herself for my stupid choices that led to my death. Deep in her heart, Mom is afraid that all the mean things Meln and I told her are true.

’Giving too much attention to those two kids may be a minor lapse in judgment to you, but they are an unforgivable crime to her. She hurt Aran just like she thinks she hurt you in the past.’

’Trion is right, Lil Bro.’ Rena said, joining the mind link thanks to Tista. ’Mom did her best not to repeat with Aran the mistakes she made with you, but that didn’t ease her fears or guilt one bit.

’Please, humor her and spend a bit of time with her.’

’Fine.’ Lith had other projects for the day, but had to postpone them.

Once they arrived in Lutia, the arrays had kept the house clean, but they had to open all the windows to freshen the air.

"I’m sorry to disappoint you guys. I’m still alive." Raaz greeted his farmhands with his usual joke. What did I miss?"

"Nothing much." Bromann replied. "Harvest and threshing are done. All that’s left to do is put the final touches on the fields before the soil freezes. I can’t believe that for the first time in my life I’m excited about the cold season."

In the past, Lutia’s farmers spent the winter in the isolation of their homes, afraid of snowstorms and running out of food before the weather broke long enough to make a trip to the village.

Getting ill was equally dangerous since reaching the Healer became difficult during cold snaps.

Now, instead, the Tablets allowed the farmers to keep in touch with their neighbors and call for help if necessary. The Tablets also provided plenty of entertainment, especially for the little ones.

Food provisions were no longer a problem either. Raaz owned vast cultivated fields and paid his workers well. Bromann and the other farmhands always asked part of their salary to be paid in enough salted meat and flour to last them until spring.

Moreover, the farmhands had renovated their houses, replacing the old wooden walls with solid stone bricks. Now the farms required much less maintenance, offered better protection against bad weather, and were draft-free.

"I hear you." Raaz nodded. "As long as nothing bad happens, though."

"Don’t jinx it, you old goat." Bromann grunted.

Meanwhile, Elina dragged Lith and Aran to Lutia to buy fresh groceries for lunch.

"DoLorean, Steps, or walk, Mom?" Lith asked.

"I’d like to take a walk, sweetie." Elina replied. "We’ve been at the Mansion for so long that I almost forgot how beautiful our home is."

She waved at the countryside filled with cozy cottages and open fields as far as the eye could see.

"Besides, if I get tired, I have the DoLorean in my amulet and you by my side." Elina clung to Lith’s arm and held Aran’s hand.

"We also have Onyx!" Aran said while patting the head of the Utgard in her Shyf form. "She can carry us all."

"Not really." She gestured with her paw at Lith. "But he can."

On their way to the village, Lith tried his best to avoid being noticed, but the temple of the All-Father was built right beside Zekell’s home, and there was no way to visit the blacksmith without one of the worshippers recognizing Lith.

By the time Rena opened the door, he was already surrounded by a small crowd begging for his blessings.

"Good luck to you all and bye!" Lith slammed the door close, cutting the noise off.

"Look what the literal cat dragged in." Zekell offered his hand, which Lith promptly shook. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I wanted to thank you for what you did for Zoreth and the kids, Zekell." Lith said. "It was generous of you to make Orichalcum lockets for everyone."

"Not everyone." The triplets grumbled. "We got squat!"

"Not this again!" Rena rolled her eyes. "Grandpa Zekell can make more pendants for you, but they would still be empty. Is that okay with you?"

"No!" The triplets snorted.

"Then the conversation is over." Rena clicked her tongue. "One more word about this and no dessert."

"That’s cruel and unusual punishment!" Falco said.

"One more complaint and no dessert for a week." Rena replied, making the triplets gasp in horror.

"Don’t mention it. Zoreth is part of your weird extended family, which makes her part of my family as well." Zekell ignored the eternal quarrel. "While you are already here, do you mind showing me your new form?

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