The Six

Chapter Forty Three- Grief

"You did so well, I am so proud of you for being able to do that." Eboni said, pride surging to her numb heart.

"Coming out of the room was the hardest part though. Looking over the battle field and seeing the carnage. The blood, the bodies. Not knowing who had lived or died. I felt as though, if I had been there, I could have saved someone. I could have blocked the sword that killed Orlan."

"But you did save someone, you saved us all!" Eboni exclaimed. "We would have been sitting blind, waiting to be cut down if it wasn't for you."

"Iasa and Atu have told me the same thing, and yet, there will always be that guilt. Always that feeling that I could have done more." Bren sighed sadly.

She sat, looking at her brother for a silent moment. "I understand." She whispered.

Bren nodded, before standing from her bed and smiling. "Everyone is downstairs, perhaps, if you feel up to it, we can join them?"

Eboni nodded, joining him, her hand reaching for their discarded breakfast, her appetite only just slowly returning to her.

The notion that it was indeed all over hit Eboni as she descended the final steps into the open room on solid ground. Everyone was sat on up turned crates and boxes, talking amongst themselves.

There was no reason for everyone not to return to their home lands now. It had been a few weeks, she had no doubt that given the word, everything would be quickly packed and the ships would set sail for home.

"What happens now?" She asked, making her presence known, and wanting to know how long her friends would remain by her side.

"Eboni, it is good to see you up and about, looking so well." The Commander said, standing from his seat so she could take him place.

"I am better, thank you." She replied, sharing a sad smile with Iasa, who stood to let Bren sit down before taking a seat on his lap.

"My father wishes to return home as soon as possible, my Uncle is still in charge, something that does not bode well for long term arrangements." Iasa said glumly. Bren shifting uncomfortably in his seat, holding her closer to him.

Eboni knew that she would have to talk to him at some point, soon if Iasa was planning on leaving. She had known as soon as they had set foot on Rolezal that Bren was never going to return to God's Land again. Whether he wanted to admit it or not.

"Atu cannot travel for a while, so my men and I will be staying for a little while longer." Kas said, smiling softly at her from across the room, reassuring her that he was not going to be going anywhere for a little while. He walked to her, caressing her cheek as though no one in the room was watching them.

"I go where you go, remember?" He said, leaning forwards and whispering in her ear so the others wouldn't hear. She held his hand in hers, clutching it tightly.

"I must return to Admari as soon as possible. There will be a lot to sort and figure out. I cannot wait for long." The Commander said, resting a hand on Kimi's shoulder.

"I will be returning with the Commander, as a spokesperson for Cerina. We have an opportunity to create peace between the two nations, we intend to take it." Kimi said, looking between them all.

"Now you are awake and well, and we know for certain that the Darkness has been defeated, we leave once the second sun has risen tomorrow." The Commander said.

"This will not be goodbye, I will not hear of it! You will be visiting me, you all will." Kimi said, sternly as everyone's mood dropped once more into sadness as they talked of parting ways.

Darien appeared in the door way, smiling kindly as he saw she was awake and up. He nodded hello to everyone before walking to the middle of the room.

"My apologies for the intrusion. King Gregor wishes to be updated." He said.

"I will go and tell him myself. I am so relieved to see that you're ok Eboni. And Kimi is right, this is not goodbye." Iasa said, standing and after a fleeting look to Bren, who was avoiding eye contact, left the room.

"We should go and do the same." Kimi said, standing and giving Eboni another hug, before her and the Commander left.

"Go to her Bren." She said, sending him a pointed look. "Talk to her."

Bren stood, eyeing the two-people left in the room.

"If you are telling me that, then I am telling you to do the same." He said, looking from her to Kas, whose hand was still clutched in hers.

Kas took the seat opposite her as Bren walked out, leaving them alone.

"How is Atu?" She asked.

"He is better, healing well." Kas replied. "It has been hard, not being able to grow the herbs that we would usually have to heal him, but I can feel my gifts returning slowly. It shouldn't be too long until we can all use them again."

"I am glad he is doing well, ask him if he is ok with me seeing this fact for myself?" She asked, smiling.

Kas chuckled. "I will."

They lapsed into silence, each of them contemplating the other.

"How are you?" Eboni asked, breaking the silence.

He nodded in reply. "I am fortunate, my injuries have turned to scars and I will be fine."

They fell into silence again, her fingers nervously curling around each other as she wondered what to say next.

Kas sighed. "I do not want us to sit in silence, Eboni."

"Nor I." She replied,

"Then I will say what I want to say." He said, standing up before walking over to kneel in front of her.

"I am in love with you, and I hope that when you said it back, it was not just from the adrenaline of battle or fear of loss. I intend to keep my promise to you. I will go with you, wherever it is you choose to go. My brother has insisted that he will be fine without me in Sherwood, and frankly I don't want to be there if you aren't there too."

He took a deep breath, stopping to hear what her answer would be.

She smiled, caressing his cheek like he did her moments ago. "I love you too, my admission was my true feelings. But I cannot tell you where I am going, because I do not know where I want to be. Gods Land will always be my home, but without Bren there, I do not wish to return to live, we both know he is going to Rolezal to court the Princess." She smiled ruefully, happy for her brother. "The role of High Priestess was never meant for me, not truly. If you are willing to travel with me, until we find out where it is we belong, I would love nothing more than that."

Kas beamed, his hands shooting to her hair as their lips collided in a frenzy. "I will travel the world with you, my lily, and we shall find our home together." He said, breaking their kiss before his radiant smile had her reaching for him once more.