It was an insult to logic that the palace still stood. After six days of chaos, infection and relentless slaughter, the palace remained upright.
When we entered her chamber, the air felt dense. Elyonari was seated on the edge of the bed. Her head was lowered. Her hands rested in her lap with fingers loosely intertwined as if they had forgotten what purpose they once served. It was nearing nightfall, though the sky had already been swallowed by storm clouds and ash. The first drop of rain struck the window with a sharp tap.
Within moments, rain lashed against the glass in violent sheets. Thunder boomed across the fallen city. Lightning split the sky into white fractures, illuminating the broken towers beyond the palace walls. She lifted her head slightly.
"You're back."
She did not need to look at him to know.
Veneri closed the door quietly behind him. I remained where I always was. Lightning flashed again and for a second, the chamber was drenched in stark white light.
She looked dead.
Elyonari never possessed pupils. None of the High Elves did. Their eyes were luminous emerald. It had always been otherworldly. Tonight, it was unsettling. Her skin, which was usually radiant, appeared dulled. Her posture remained straight but it was rigid in the way statues were rigid.
She looked tired.
"I was thinking."
"About what?"
"During the Dynasty meeting today, the Nine Elven Elders proposed forming a search party."
Celadille's name did not need to be spoken. It hung between them regardless.
"They want to assemble a specialized Divine unit," Elyonari continued. "They believe we may still intercept before she's consumed by whatever pet Edarea was talking about."
Rain hammered harder against the windows.
"Veylonar wants to go but he can't. If he leaves now and another wave comes… we will not have enough strength to defend the capital."
Lightning tore across the sky again.
"And tomorrow, I must perform the funerary rites. The bodies have been gathered. The ritual grounds are prepared. I must stand before them and speak."
Veneri said nothing. She lifted her head fully this time.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"What do you want me to say?"
She blinked in surprise.
"Nothing I say will change what happened. I can't tell you that things will be fine. They will not. This is only the beginning."
The storm growled above them.
"I will not lie to you, Ely. As much as this is painful to hear, this is the beginning. And it will not end anytime soon."
She exhaled slowly.
"Right. I forgot you're always the calm and logical—"
He stepped forward then and drew her into his arms without further preamble. Her body stiffened. It was as though she had momentarily forgotten that she was allowed to be held.
"I cannot promise safety. I can't promise Celadille will return. I can't even promise that the Second Epoch Cycle will not demand more lives than this."
The rain battered the palace roof relentlessly.
"But I can be here for you."
His arms tightened around her.
"I'm not an Elf. I can't sit in your councils. I can't vote in your meetings. I also can't influence the decisions of the Nine Elders but I can stand beside you."
Her hands slowly gripped the fabric at his back.
"When you are carrying all of it, I can at least carry you through it."
Silence filled the chamber, broken only by thunder.
"It is alright to cry you know."
She shook her head immediately.
"No. I promised myself I would not cry again after you came back."
Ah. That vow.
The night he returned after five years, she had sworn she would never allow grief to dismantle her like that again. But unfortunately, grief is not moved by promises.
Her composure shattered.
The first sob tore out of her throat like something forcibly extracted. Her body folded into him as though the strength had drained from her bones all at once. Her hands clutched at him desperately.
She kept sobbing and Veneri did not speak again. He didn't offer reassurances he could not guarantee. He simply held her and I watched.
Of all the Beloveds, Elyonari felt the most.
Narisva is the second most caring. Those two care too much.
°°°°°°
She did not stop crying all at once.
It came in waves that left the body trembling long after the worst of it had passed. Veneri guided her gently toward the bed, never loosening his hold and when they lay down, she did not let go of him. Her fingers remained twisted in the fabric of his shirt as though if she relaxed her grip, something else in her life would slip through her hands too.
The storm outside softened into a steady rainfall. Her breathing evened out. The sobs faded into quiet inhales against his chest. After a long stretch of silence, she spoke.
"I'm a little scared."
Veneri brushed his fingers through her hair, untangling strands that had fallen loose.
"Of tomorrow?"
She nodded.
"The last time I performed a mass funeral… my mother destroyed an entire city because the Ancient Temple of Mintherenia had insisted on keeping me confined within its sanctum due to the World Tree's decree. The city had burned because of her stubbornness. It's also the day I ascended formally as High Priestess. I stood before mountains of bodies back then, too."
He tilted his head slightly so he could see her face.
"Will you be fine there?"
She shook her head without hesitation.
"No."
The honesty was immediate. A faint, tired smile touched her lips.
"I won't be. It's ironic. I remember wishing you could see what a High Priestess actually does when you came here. I thought it would impress you and now… you'll see one of the most important roles I have. I'll be sending souls back to the World Tree and burning bodies."
A humorless breath left her.
"Huh. Life really humbles you at times, doesn't it?"
He lifted his hand and gently cupped her cheek.
"Ely."
She looked up at him, those pupil-less emerald eyes reflecting the dim light of the chamber.
"You're never going to be the sweet, serene Ely again, are you?"
Her eyes widened slightly in shock. There was no accusation in his tone by the way. He brushed his thumb lightly along her cheekbone.
"You've always been serene to your people. I'm not supportive by saying this but right now… that's what they need."
The rain tapped rhythmically against the windows.
"You're not just a priestess. You're a religious figure. The second most important presence after the World Tree itself. You're the High Priestess of Mintherenia. If they see you in despair, they won't just think their leader is shaken. They'll think the World Tree abandoned them. I've been healing them and it's not great out there. You have to be the High Priestess they see, even if it feels like acting."
His thumb brushed away a lingering tear she had not noticed.
"And when you're exhausted from pretending, you come back to me."
He leaned his forehead gently against hers.
"I can't sit in your councils. I can't fight your political battles. I can't even command your Divines but I can listen. I can hold you. I can remind you you're still you when everyone else insists you're all powerful."
His lips curved faintly.
"You're my beloved. You can be whatever Mintheris needs out there. But in here, you don't have to be anything but Ely."
Her fingers clenched his shirt tighter.
"What did I do to deserve someone like you?"
"I'm just being a good beloved."
"You're thinking like a husband but calling yourself a beloved."
That earned the smallest smile from him. She studied his face for a long moment.
"I'm really glad I chose you. At least following my mother's advice once in my life secured me a future."
He blinked.
"What does that mean?"
She shook her head lightly. I sensed mischief flickering through the exhaustion. Instead she pressed her face back against his chest.
"No reason. And thank you. I feel… better."
The words sounded almost unfamiliar on her tongue. She lay there quietly for a moment longer, as though testing the sensation.
"So this is what it feels like to rely on someone."