"Ties Renewed"

[Laehval tTemarr 0]

"There has never been a child so brilliant. When au were born and I first set eyes on au, I knew that au were different. The maenak that placed au in my arms told me how special au were. He said he had never seen a Rihan child adapt so well and so quickly to birth. Au rarely cried, na even when au were hungry. We were worried, but the maenak said that au were simply patient and would need extra care. Au were trusting and loving and were content to gaze at the holo images above your crib, reaching for them as though au knew already what they were. Au seemed to always like the ships best and could spend hours tracking them as they flew over your bed."

 

"When au grew a little older, au lost none of your curiosity. Au exasperated your mother ever day with your mischievous nature and your propensity to destroy things in your attempts to make them work better. I suppose it started then. She did na care for au as she should have. She was hurt by the loss of Jalen and did na have the capacity to jol au like she should. I saw her unwillingness to care for au and thought it would slowly fade as her grief also faded. But it did na, and I did na intervene for the sake of her feelings. Au were so unlike either of us that I did na know what to do with au. It was easier for your mother when Mornot was born and she could focus on him, using him to replace Jalen."

 

Trilus lifted his daughter's hand to his lips and kissed the lifeless digits softly, gazing across the bed at her motionless face. He was oblivious to all of the machines and sensors surrounding her that monitored her biosigns for any changes. Rather, he only saw his daughter, pale and small, lying still and helpless on the bed. He pressed the back of her hand to his cheek as he bowed his head in grief. Tears of shame fell unhindered onto the bed.

 

"I am sorry I failed au, Laehval," he whispered. "I … I should have done something."

 

He lifted his head to gaze at her again, voice thick with emotion as he spoke. "Au were so content to be alone and play with your trinkets and machines. I thought that was how au wanted it. I should have asked au, talked to au more. I should have spent more time with au. I know that now. I can na help but think that if I had… things would have turned out differently."

 

"I pray to the Elements that au will wake. I pray that the Fire you hold within au will burn away the doubt and the pain au have suffered. I pray that it will cleanse au with its healing flames. I pray that your Fire does na flicker and die."

 

Holding her hand in both of his, he bent forward, closing his eyes to pray silently. He said every prayer he knew and sent them to all of the Elements, then repeated his prayers for the Fire that Laehval so willingly embraced. He prayed for what seemed like hours, stopping only when he was too weary to remember the words.

 

Rising from his seat, he leaned over her and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Do na let the Fire die, Ullho." He gave her hand a squeeze as he straightened.

 

Though he could not be certain, he almost swore he felt her fingers curl around his hand.

[KhreRiovtRex 0]

Awesome log as usual! Enjoyed it very much, hann'yyo!