Andlátkyn; Vandr Sanses unin Alagaësia

Mending Broken Bonds

"Islanzadí Dröttning." Arya replied indifferently. The queen jerked back as though slapped. She repeated her words in the Ancient Language, her hands at her face as she continued.
"Ever since you disappeared, I've barely slept or eaten. I was haunted by your fate, and feared I would never see you again. Banning you from my presence was the greatest mistake I have ever made.... Can you forgive me?"
The elves shifted in place, shocked. Arya was silent awhile.

"For seventy years, I have lived and loved, fought and killed, without ever speaking to you, my mother. Our lives are long, but even so, that is no small span."
Islanzadí straightened, raising her chin as she shivered. "I cannot undo the past, Arya, no matter how much I might desire to."
"And I cannot forget what I endured."
She wrapped her hands around Arya's. "Nor should you. You are my only family. Go if you must, but unless you wish to renounce me, I would be reconciled with you."
Arya seemed close to saying no when she paused to gaze at the audience. Then she looked to the floor. "No, Mother. I could not leave." Islanzadí smiled, a glint of uncertainty in her eyes as she hugged Arya once again. Her daughter returned the hug, the gathered elves grinning.

The albino raven cawed and spoke. "And on the door was graven evermore, what now became the family lore, Let us never do but to adore!"
"Hush, Blagden." Islanzadí addressed the raven. "Keep your doggerel to yourself." She faced Nightmare, Eragon and Saphira.
"You must excuse me for being discourteous and ignoring you, our most important guests."
Eragon pressed his fingers to his lips and twisted his right over his sternum. "Islanzadí Dröttning. Atra esterní ono thelduin." Her eyes widened and she responded. "Atra du evarínya ono varda."
"Un atra mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr."
Surprise radiated from the elves. Nightmare chuckled softly. The queen turned to Saphira as they went through the greeting, before a voice called out.

"Islanzadí, you must excuse me for this, but" Dream started nervously. Draco and Bird's eyelights flickered over, tense as they expected danger, before realizing he looked different. "In front of you is Nightmare, he's technically a king but-" He broke off, hesitating before a huge grin spread over his face. He charged at them.
"BROTHER!" He shouted as they collided, Nightmare forced to lean back on his tentacles as he grabbed his other half, who embraced him tightly.
"Thank you for forgiving me." He sniffed. His new wings were spread out behind him, not unlike an angel.

His tentacles flicked, tense at first before slowly settling down, a few tendrils winding around Dream's arms. Then he pulled out of the embrace, a few loose vines dragging at him. "I apologise." He spoke to Islanzadí, before smirking. "But now we are even, having both been discourteous due to family conflicts." Dream rubbed one of his viney arms awkwardly. "I do apologise too, we had been at war with each other for a very long time and recently reconciled ourselves; this is the first time we've been able to meet without one attacking the other."

Islanzadí paused. "Oh? If that is the case, today is a day to cherish indeed. I am glad you have moved on, I only hope it was not so long as me and my daughter's. Such things between families end in regret." She became forlorn momentarily. Nightmare gazed at her with pity.
"Indeed, it was not as long as your feud. It was far, far longer, and extreme. Seventy years, you say? I regret to inform you that our feud was old before Alagaësia was even formed."
A few gasps rang out among the elves, he had revealed that they were older than time itself as they knew it.

Dream chuckled nervously. "A little presumptuous, Brother?" He whispered shyly. "Nonsense, they deserve to know just as any other race. Best get it out of the way immediately."
Islanzadí suddenly initiated the greeting to both of them, causing the pair to blink in surprise before Dream stuttered the response in shock, Nightmare stating his slowly.
"Un atra mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr." She finished.