Babies cry, alot. When they aren't crying they're sleeping or eating. But even if they sleep you never know when they'll wake. So you learn to sleep lightly or not at all, lest you won't hear them.
This was the little knowledge I had accumulated over two days. I had help of course, the moms came around to assist, reluctantly though. They didn't seem to trust me just as yet, which was fully expected. I learned as much as I could from them. But I felt just as ready as I did when Mr Jara took me to that tournament with only a night's practice.
Tsiho refused to sleep. And only wanted to cry and keep crying. She had eaten her florial nutrient baby juice and her nappies had been changed but that didn't stop her from belting her little lungs out.
"Tsiho," I cooed. Yawned. Brushed the sleep from my eyes. "Tsiho, are you hungry?" I was loosing it, I realized, babies couldn't talk.
She responded with another wail. Migraines sparked across my head. I cradled her in my arms and walked from end of the room to the other, rocking her as I sang her lullabies. It didn't work.
A knock at the door was the last thing I needed. Was what I thought, but it turned out to be exactly what I needed.
Philip was at the door, carrying a crate of milk jars. He grinned and stepped through without so much as an invitation. He darted to the kitchen, filled one of Tsiho's bottle with milk and took her out of my arms. As soon as the rubber teat touched her lips, her crying ceased. And I finally felt free to breathe.
"Milk," I heaved. "She wanted milk."
Philip smirked, holding Tsiho in one hand and the bottle in the other. "She's a baby. Babies love milk." His gaze fell to my chest and my cheeks flamed.
"Philip!"
His gaze snapped to mine, as a goofy grin stretched across his face. "Just checking." He went to seat himself on the couch.
I regarded him as I sat opposite of them. "You seem to be good at this...?"
"I had cousins, who had children, which made me an uncle early. Babysitting was my first job."
"I used to babysit for mom when she was busy, but I only ever watched Ray sleep." I cringed.
"Well now you have this little one to take care of."
A yawn left me. "Sorry."
"Go get some sleep, I'll watch over her till she falls asleep."
"No it's alright, I'll wait for her to sleep."
"You aren't exactly useful right now. How can you take care of another if you're sleep deprived and exhausted. Go."
I agreed but I was stubborn. And hesitant. So I swore I'd only sleep for half an hour. But what was only so many minutes turned into hours and the sun was setting by the time I woke.
I jolted out of bed and barreled into the living room. Tsiho was fast asleep in her cot. And Philip rested beside her on the couch. I couldn't remember why I was so scared. Perhaps its normal to worry for a baby. And perhaps that feeling never really goes away.
"Your dinners on the table."
I jumped out of my skin. Philip had sat up and was watching me, had been watching me for some time now. He chuckled and patted the seat beside him.
I took the seat, but with great hesitation. "Thank you," I said all too stiffly.
"Don't mention it."
"You should've woke me though."
"Mo." He laced his fingers through mine and turned to face me. "You can always rely on me."
I cursed myself for feeling alone even when I had Philip, who'd been by me through it all. "Thank you."
He pulled me towards him and kissed me slow and deep. Fell back onto the couch, pulling me down with him. For awhile we just lay in each other's warmth.
"Sometimes," Philip said, "I wished we'd met earlier."
I chuckled. "How early?"
"I don't know, one, five, ten years earlier. Heck, I wish we'd met when we were babies. I wish I'd loved you earlier. Then maybe I'd be a better person. Maybe I'd be someone who deserved you more."
"Maybe I'd deserve you more as well."
~~~
That night I dreamt of Tsiho. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, and I had aged as well. But as old as she looked, she only ever reminded me of the baby in Uta's arms that morning. She grew to love me as her mother and I loved her, as I had loved her since the day I met her.
But in the next moment she was holding a dagger over my chest, crying out, "you killed her! You killed my mother!" And then she drove the dagger through my heart and took my life.
I jolted from slumber to a pounding on the front door. My heart echoed in my ears and my breaths raced after the other. Tsiho was in her cot, by my bed. Still a baby and yet to hate me.
Jingles filled the dead silence of night. Another pounding on the front door. I felt my heart drop.
"Mo! Brise!" Philip shouted. Relief rushed through me.
I threw my scarf over my shoulders and met him at the door. His pacing halted when his eyes landed on me.
"It's time to leave," he said.
As many people as possible filled the elevators at a time. Brise, Philip, Tsiho and I stood in line waiting for our turn. The night air was thick with tension and the unspoken desire to leave the place they once upon a wonderful time called home.
"What about Lucius and Rowan?" I asked Philip. Lucius and Rowan didn't have to, but they fought alongside the rebels, injuring themselves and making themselves an enemy of the king. For Rowan I imagined it must've been harder to do, when all his siblings relied on him. He gave it all up, something I struggled to do.
"Lucius is back on his feet. I can't say the same for Rowan though. The injured were sent down first." An unease wove it's way into Philip's countenance.
"Where exactly are we leaving for?"
"A great gathering place, Cyr says. Somewhere new. Where no one will find us."
I looked back at tree houses one last time. My attention lingered on the detention center, now empty and abandoned. All the general's had escaped that day. And I knew I shouldn't have, but I was glad to know that Lance wasn't chained up there any longer. Picking a side didn't immediately make those on the other side my enemy. At least that's what I made myself believe.
The route we'd take to this gathering place was through the tunnels that led into the earth and the unknown. Tobias and Mars usherd files of people one after the other into two different tunnels.
Tobias beckoned for me, pulling all four of us out of the line. Lucius split from his line and met us as well.
"I have a task for you both." Tobias laid his hands on Lucius and I. "I need reliable sources of light and I was hoping you'd both be willing to lead the way with your lights."
"Of course," I said immediately.
Lucius nodded.
I peered at Lucius, searching for the hidden ache. "Lucius you've only just healed, are you sure?"
He joined his thumbs above his chin. A smile.
"Alright then it's settled. Lucius and Mo will lead the last group." Tobias clapped.
Philip held Tsiho and stood behind me. I blew gusts of flames onto my palms so that two blazing balls lit the dark tunnel. Brise followed Lucius' group who left first into their tunnel, nodding a silent see you.
And then we descended into the earthen corridors. Mildew tainted the air beneath. Yet cool was the earth. Murmurs echoed against the walls and turned to ghostly lingerings.
Time was lost to the earth and we walked for as long as the tunnel went on. Day arrived just as we did. And we'd only known because morning rays rained down from the glass ceiling that stretched across this underground settlement.
One would think they'd wondered upon a strange town with buildings taller than the usual that ended with earth rather than sky. But this was a whole other world. A secret one at that.
"Bandits!" Someone shrieked. It was Brise. A crowd formed around her and the accused, just as I caught a glimpse of the dagger in her hand.
I broke from the line and pushed my way to the center of the crowd. Brise was standing up against three oddly familiar men. Murder alight in her eyes.
"Brise," I cautioned. "No one here is our enemy."
"I agreed to join Cyr not filthy bandits," she spat.
I looked back at the three men who seemed to be caught off guard by our arrival. And the longer I gazed, the more familiar they became. They had attacked the capital that day. Brise had taken down all three of these men. And now she seemed to want to do it again.
"Bandits?" Arrived another familiar voice from beyond the crowd. The crowd gave way to her entrance. Neritha strutted forward. "I do hope you don't mean my men. If they've ever stolen it was to feed the mouths of the hungry from those who stole from them first."
"Who are you?" Brise's eyes narrowed on Neritha.
Neritha smiled. The people spoke in hushed tones eyeing Brise and I and everyone else who had just arrived. "My name is Neritha and this is my humble abode. Do make yourself comfortable, Kreatier's fall nears."
A/n: 😭😭 the end is near. Scales and Swords' end that is. But anywhoo, just wanna advertise my newest story which is futuristic, dystopian-ish, has waring tribes, fire and water bending with a blind girl and underground civilization. Yep its called, Thy Brilliance. But anyway hope you liked this chapter, I know I didn't but onwards to the next.