After an hour or more, Nita finally stopped g and fell asleep. If my mind was already in chaos because of Ameli's situation and the memories that overwhelmed me, the problem with my little girl had left me pletely bnk.

  Children don't behave like that. Children don't show those emotions that are so... so... adult.

  I held my little girl against my chest the eime she cried, and I hadn't let go of her at any poie my misgivings about her as. I stroked her hair gently as I listeo her soft breathing. Her face, though streaked with tears, looked much more rexed than before. I looked over to Ameli who was sleeping peacefully, and then to Nita and decided it was best to y her dowo the girl. For some reason, I felt it was the right thing to do.

  More time passed as the two slept side by side. Looking out the window, I could tell that dusk roag.

  I spent all that time trying to untie every single knot that had formed in my head due to the inexplicable day I was having, but it was like trying to cut steel with a wooden sword.

  Soon, I began to feel frustrated and exhausted, finally deg that I should just wait for things to calm down so I could work on it.

  "Hmmm."

  Just when I thought calm had set in again, Ameli began to stir, finally waking up.

  "Where...?" she asked into the emptiness. As she regained sciousness and got her bearings, I tried to say something, but... What should I say? I remained silent, deeply sidering what I should do.

  Should I scold her for her stupidity? sole her?

  "I... I see. I failed even to decide my own end." She said with her voice crag. I could see tears f and beginning to fall.

  "Maybe, it was because this wasn't supposed to be your end," I told her, causio startle and find me beside her. Her eyes opened and I could see the fear reflected in them.

  I held her gaze but tried to give her a reassuring smile, though I could tell I had failed, as her expression did not ge, but became darker.

  I sat on the edge of the bed careful not thten her and began to speak to her.

  "You don't have to be so scared; I'm not going to scold yht now, all I want is for you to rest and if you want to talk, about anything, I'll be here, by your side." I assured her. Fortunately, my words mao calm her down a bit. But I had to add. "Just be careful, Nita is sleepio you."

  Ameli was surprised by my words and looked across the bed, finding the baby lying down, sleeping so peacefully that her previous stubbornness seemed like an illusion. Although the tear stains on her face were still visible, and I'm sure she noticed it.

  She didn't know how to respond and just stared at the girl silently. I could hear her swallow audibly.

  "Madam Fiana, I..."

  "It's okay." I interrupted her, pg my hand on her cheek. "You don't have to say anything for now. You o rest. Albeit, I'd like to ask you a favor."

  Ameli nodded.

  "Please, don't ever do something like that again. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but of wisdom. I promise I will always be someone you trust. So e talk to me whenever you o."

  My words caused a river to break out. With big tears running down her face, she returned her gaze to my daughter as she nodded again and again.

  "Then that's it," I said, getting up and heading for the door. "Are you thirsty, hungry?" I asked, hoping having something iomach would help her rex a little.

  "Th-thirsty." She replied between sobs.

  "Okay. I'll have them bring you some fresh water, and a bowl of pe, is that okay with you?"

  Ameli nodded and I used that as a cue to leave.

  Outside the door, there was now one of the maids standing guard, possibly she was sent by Tina, or maybe Lana. I instructed her to keep a for anything that might happen a into the kit. I o keep strict, but pleasant, trol of the diet this girl should have from now on. One of the biggest problems she may face from now on is ck of appetite, or ht refusal to eat. And I must prevent that from happening by any means possible.

  Over the few days, and at every opportunity I was at Ameli's side, the girl gradually released fragments of her mind. Things that she had buried very deeply and that, thanks to the Pilrs, she felt fident enough io share. Something I decided to keep to myself despite the stant questions from both Tina and Lana. Yes, it could perhaps be a mistake on my part to do that, especially when they were both great supporters, along with Hal, during my fall into that abyss.

  But it is precisely because I know, that I wao be aware that she trust me by not revealing things that she was not fortable having known about. It had already been too much of an effort for her to tell me, even if it had been in that fragmented way.

  The m after hearing that st piece of information, I found myself refleg ohinking and the decisions that brought her to this point.

  Ameli is a Valven. They, being an all-female tribe, have a very different social structure than most races.

  They build a small family unity usually posed of 6 to 12 members with a "Matriarch" who leads them. These groups are known as "Maternates" in which they are all part of the Matriarch's "harem", where they all take care of each other, including the daughters of their Sororias, or sister wives.

  The Matriarch is the oldest Valven, and her harem is posed of "Nymphs" or young Valveween the ages of 20 and 50.

  Siheir tribe is posed entirely of females, they depend on males from other tribes to procreate; which makes them quite sought after, both for pleasure and reprodu, where it is the Valven who offers the deal when she finds a male that meets her requirements.

  It is the duty of both the Daughterless Nymphs and the Matriarch herself to care for these little ones, and, surprisingly (or not), they are incredibly good mothers, and quite attentive. Even the older daughters, who are still in their infant stages or close to their nymphing age, are incredibly good at g for the younger ones.

  This is where Ameli es in. Not because she was as I have described, on the trary, she was quite bad in that field. Clumsy and clueless, always causing acts in which she had to apologize in tears because she felt she had done unfivable things even though her Maternate sidered it something small or unimportant.

  Fortunately for Ameli, despite her clumsiness, she was very good at avoiding serious things, limiting herself to only breaking things without much value or losing easily repceable items.

  However, that ended up refleg her low self-esteem.

  She felt very inferior, and it didn't help that she was by far the smallest of her geion, making her daily tasks even more difficult.

  Her Maternate was very patient with her, supp her in every way, but her mind was the ohat pyed against her the most.

  When her darkest feelings would get too crowded in her head, Ameli had a secret hiding pce. One where she would hide and cry her eyes out knowing that no one would find her, and where she could unburden herself so she could survive the day.

  About 3 years ago, on one of those days when those feelings had built up too much, she made her way to her special pce. Along the way, she ran into a... problem.

  There was a violent frontatioween 2 groups. Some rather calm males had been accosted by some unfriendly females, who thought that with their hey could overwhelm the males who were weaker thahere was a story behind it, but Ameli, scared and worried, didn't care too much about that, giving priority to wanting to get as far away from there as she could and being even sadder to be denied her only moment of relief.

  It was then that a person appeared. With a stature a little smaller than her own, pale violet skin, dressed in clothes a little skimpy but that called attention, more for the striking and not for the revealing. Abundant red hair that flowed like va down her back, tied in a perfectly done braid, and goldehat seemed to stare fiercely at those present.

  The predatory smile of that woman burned into her eyes, making Ameli sigh, not knowing if it was from a crush or a feeling simir to a child's upoing their hero.

  Anven Baelian had appeared by that pd had stopped, too easily and too quickly, that fight that was blog her way.

  Ameli admired that incredible female and a feeling arose within her. She wao be like that. But the feeling quickly died. She knew she could never do it. She felt that people like that woman were s-willed and looked at the world with such a smile that she was sure they had never gohrough any kind of obstacle like the one she was going through.

  There was no way that she, who in her eyes was an almost perfect being, had ever shed a tear ohrough a situation that she could not easily overe.

  So, when everyone dispersed, including Anven, Ameli wandered lost in thought until she finally reached her hiding pever imagining the se before her eyes.

  There was a sobbing, a clear sign that there was an invader in her little personal space. Someone else was there, doing the same thing she had e to do.

  How great was her surprise to see that, who had usurped her pce was her than Anven.

  Ameli hid at the sight of her, stopped her breathing, and remained as quiet as a windless night. Only the sound of Anven's soft sobs filled the pce.

  It was in that instant that Ameli saw, for the first time, that even those who looked perfect, powerful, and unbreakable were, in fact, fragile and... normal.

  That made Ameli feel a e with Anven. If she, looking s and uable, so proud and fident, could cry like that, didn't that mean that, even as fragile as she was, she could overe everything and bee this amazing?

  Ameli felt she could try.

  From my point of view, it was hard to imagihat it was Anven she found that day. I 't imagine her being that vulnerable in a random alley, let alone g in solitude. Perhaps that could expin the ge I noticed when she visited us retly, though.

  My only question is, what must have happened for her if she really was Ao end up in that state? She was off our radar for about 4 years, and it was not until she visited us that we knew about her.

  It was worrisome before we khis, and now it is much more so.

  As soon as Ameli was old enough, she started looking for work as a maid. She learned of Anven's name and family, so she did her best to work in our house, hoping one day to see her, to share her feelings and thoughts of what she saw that day, and perhaps that Anven herself would reize her and maybe be able to serve her. A simple wish, but a very strong feeling behind it.

  And that's what brings us to what happened.

  Ameli was... very fragile, indeed.

  She improved in many ways, yes, but her clumsiness pyed tricks on her all the time, and, although she was reprimanded by her superiors, it was always in a gentle way, sihere were never any real acts due to her as. It almost felt endearing at times. A repy of her days in her Maternate. And that frustrated and fused her.

  It was weighing on her more and more, something she could bear up to a point, but it was slowly reag a breaking point.

  In the Baelian mansion, she had pce to go and unburden all those feelings that pressed on her chest and demao be released. She cried, yes, but silently and in her bed, but not with the iy she needed.

  And then Anven came home.

  Excited, Ameli, who had been ordered t the you girl in the family to meet her aunt, rushed over knowing she could meet the one she admired so mud finally talk to her and tell her about her life. Perhaps she could empathize and they would bee close.

  But unfortunately, she was ignored.

  She did in Anven's eyes, she only saw Nita. That fact had beeating for Ameli.

  And things got worse. Anven had unleashed enormous pressure on us in a moment of carelessness, and Ameli was not able to withstand that level.

  Helped by one of her partners, she was carried back to her room where she had to ge her wet clothes and calm the chaos in her mind a.

  Ameli had finally seey. The illusion she had fed in her head of what she thought it could be. It shattered as easily as the ptes she clumsily dropped almost every day. Her typical cheerfulness and positivity that she always let show, that mask she wore to get through her days, had finally shattered arue personality came to light.

  Curiously her acts decreased, ironically being praised for that. But there was no joy or relief in her. Everything she had thought and worked for so far had been a sand castle that had been washed away by a sudden wave in a calm sea. Emotions she had kept bottled up until now were surging up, driving her deeper and deeper into the abyss of self-loathing for thinking she could pare herself to someone of the elite, to the perfect being who could overe everything effortlessly.

  Finally, Ameli made the one decisiohought would finally pull her out of that abyss.

  For better or worse, Tina and I arrived on time. Even more fortunate was that the knot she had tied around her neck was so badly dohat it was a miracle it had been able to support her weight for so long. Besides the fact that the pressure exerted by the rope was barely enough to suffocate her, and only because it was taut. By the time she lost sciousness and her body rexed, she mao breathe again, albeit barely enough to miss her ultimate goal.

  Remembering that moment made me shudder, as did my own memories. The feeling in my owhreateo return, so I decided to drown it, almost literally.

  In one of my desk drawers, I kept a special bottle. I highly doubted anyone else knew about it sino one usually es here, much less goes through my things.

  It was a bottle of guardian's brew, a rather strong type of whiskey that I used to take a swig of when I wao clear my thoughts. o the bottle, I pulled out a low, wide gss tumbler. I poured the tents to a little more than half the capacity of the gss before putting the bottle ba the drawer.

  I picked up the gss, appreciating the amber color of the liquid, then brought it to my nose and, closing my eyes, inhaled deeply. I could feel a deep smell of wood and spices flooding my sehat a alone helped me rex a little. My senses were better than most Asherians, though normal among Teriants, that was enough to appreciate the wonderful aroma of good whiskey.

  I didn't usually do it, but a drink now and then couldn't hurt...although Lana would be upset with me if she found me drinking.

  I smiled at the thought and took it as the ideal time to take a big gulp. The taste was sweet at first, before turning into a burn that I could only describe as "wild". It left a slight aftertaste of charred wood bined with a trace of cassia1 Cassia is a spice prized throughout the empire, known for its warm, sweet fvor and enveloping aroma. Uhe amon of our world, Cassia es from the golden fiments of the roots of a magical shrub known as the Oxpa Bush. This shrub flourishes in the deepest recesses of ented forests and is jealously guarded by the creatures of the forest because of its unique properties. In addition to its use in cooking for aroma and fvor in various dishes and beverages, Cassia is known for its magical properties. It is said that a tea made with Cassia strehe spirit and provide a sense of calm and well-being. In alchemy, it is an essential ingredient for prote and healing potions. It is also used in magical rituals because of its ability to el and enhahe flow of ambient mana. and dried fruit. I swallowed the liquid fire a it go down my throat, burning all the way to my stomach.

  Happiness and calm began to take over, clearing my mind and releasing the tension in my body.

  "So... drinking?"

  I was startled to hear a voice so close to me. I opened my eyes immediately, realizing that I had kept them closed throughout.

  Lana was right in front of my face, watg me with a smile that wasn't a smile at all. I searched for the words to respond, to expin myself for... I didn't even know what for.

  "L-Lana...I..." I stammered as I felt her gaze redug me to nothing more than a girl who was caught with her hands in the cookie jar.

  "Pff" Suddenly Lana started ughing out loud, leaviunned and lost. "What, you thought something like this was going to make me mad?" she said as she snatched the gss from me and brought it to her lips, taking a drink aurning it to the desk.

  "You were so lost in thought that you didn't hear me when I came in." She said as she walked over and sat on my p. "Tell me, what had you so caught up?"

  I pondered for a moment befiving her an answer. When all was said and done, I hadn't cluded what happened with Ameli. But there was something on my mind since I started learning about her.

  "About a lot of things actually. You know about the Burmont girl, don't you?" I asked her, remembering that our versation about that topic was still pending.

  She nodded, urgio tinue.

  "Well, that's part of it, but did you know that Lara showed her vah?"

  "Did she?" replied Lana, her eyes widening in genuine surprise.

  We both knew how nervous Lara got about that subject. Hardly anyone knew about it, except for us her parents, Zenya, her maid, and... well, now her lovely little girlfriend. Surely, she would show it to Nita whe older.

  "It was a plete surprise for me too. A joyful one, of course. But it got me thinking about a few things." I left my words there to pick up my gss again and send anulp of sweet burn down my throat, breathing tentedly.

  Lana smiled at me again, this time real, with no teasing behind it. She came up to me and kissed me on the lips, slow and tender. I could taste the lingering drink, plementing the taste of her sweet lips. The kiss was somewhat demure, different from how she usually acts in our aloime.

  Slowly she pulls away from me and, to my surprise, picks up the gss and takes an gulp.

  She gnces sideways at me with a bit of a smirk and a snort.

  "What, I drink too."

  "I didn't say anything."

  "Hm."

  Her childish attitude made me ugh softly, feeling that, perhaps, she was ag that way to lighten the mood and help me rex more.

  I decided to reciprocate that by telling her a little more of what was on my mind.

  "The st few weeks I've started to notice that... well, maybe it's just me feeling paranoid, but, things around us have reminded me a lot of my past," I said, pulling her closer to me in a gentle embrace. I buried my fa her chest and inhaled her st. Aing st of spring, like flowers beginning to bloom and weling the season of rebirth. That st that brings me pead security floods my nostrils and brings me joy.

  "First with Genieve, making me remember that chapter of my life. Then, looking at Lara and the Burmont girl. Those two reminded me of hoere at the beginning, you and me. But also how I've been, hiding from the looks of others." I said, pointing to my body, c it up with a magical seal, made so that the others wouldn't know I was a Vulpan, a Teriante race that hid among Asherians.

  Lana gave me a disapproving look. It bothered her that I despised myself. I shook my head and with a quick kiss sealed her lips before she could se for my words. "Patie me finish," I told her with a genuine smile. She responded by pouting slightly but finally nodded.

  "With Ameli's current situation, reminding me of what erhaps one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in my life...I'm thinking that, perhaps, it's time for me to ge too. I think I should finally accept who I am and who I was, and, like Lara, let others see me and trust" I told her, letting out a sigh at the end.

  Ameli made the mistake of hiding, keeping quiet, and waiting for others to notice her without taking the first step. Lara, even with all her fears and insecurities, decided to trust that girl who openly approached her and showed her who she was. Me? I have been hiding in this appearance for so many years because I was afraid of being seen as what I was, a sve. Something I am no longer and that I stubbornly had to remind myself every day to feel "normal" fooling myself into believing I was over it.

  Lana was silent for a long time, analyzing my face seriously, looking for something in my expression.

  "If you stay quiet, I'll feel more anxious," I said, giving in to the pressure, and almost beggio tell me something.

  I was always the more patient of the two of us, but also the more emotional, and sometimes that ended up guiding my as.

  Lana gave me a reassuring smile, ing her arms around my head and pnting a kiss on my forehead. "You've always been like that. You try to find meaning in things and end up overthinking it." She answered at st. She spoke in a tohat was both motherly and amused as if she were teag one of our daughters a lesson. "Sometimes you should just do it without thinking so much my love."

  I looked at her, both surprised and nervous. "If I could afford to do that, then I..."

  "Shh," I was silenced by a finger resting on my lips. "You're overthinking it. In this house, it's to anyone what and who you are. Only you keep thinking that's a problem. Do you wao remove the seal? If you ask me to do it, then I'll remove it right now. But!" she said, quieting down for a sed to give some suspense. My heart began to pound with anticipation and ay. "You must promise me that you will use this t final closure to everything. Fiana, no more nonsense, no more putting yourself down for the life you lived. No more looking for excuses not to face yourself. If you promise me that then I will do it."

  I ducked my head to think. I o seriously sider her words. I knew Lana would not five me if I gave her an immediate yes, despite her insistehat I should do it without thinking. This decision had to be made with my heart rather than my head.

  The sequences of it being revealed that the Maki of the Duchess Irna Baelian is a Teriante? If I thought about it, they are actually low.

  Of course, there are very strong fris with the Obreund kingdom, posed entirely of Teriante races, but there are citizens in the empire who are Teriants or desdants of Teriants, holding important positions in both high and low nobility. By the Pilrs, the Nazzik family are Kibis and are not despised for it, they are even hugely respected.

  So why should I be scared or nervous about what the aristocracy or the people themselves might think? The emperor is aware of what I am. Part of the obligations we had when Irhed Halfred. And the rest of the court should not be able to say anything just for that reason.

  Why was I hiding? Why, despite all my knowledge about the ws of the empire and its political structure, did I still think it was safer to keep my rad appearance hidden?

  Fear, or pt? No, it was her. It was... a deep reje of myself.

  I sighed as that thought popped into my mind and a weight fell from my shoulders. It ure reje of who I was. What I was always afraid of others doing to me, I was doing to myself. An act that made me finally open my eyes.

  I smiled to myself, feeling a relief that... well I had never felt before. It was... liberating.

  "Do it, please," I said to Lana, keeping my smile.

  Wasting no time, Lana gave me a quick kiss and pced her hand on the seal. She ted a single short intation, as I felt the mana ing in my body. A slight burniion was the sign that the seal was gone food.

  My ears twitched and I felt my tail wagging to the side. Still, with my eyes closed I inhaled and rexed, enjoying the smells in the pce.

  "You look so much better," Lana ented bringing one of her hands to my head and stroking one of my ears. I leaned into her, allowing her better access aing myself be pampered by her geouch.

  What will the others think when they see that I have left my disguise behind?

  I found the thought amusing.

  "I'm better," I assured her. I hugged her tightly, pulled her even closer to me, and began to give her a few pyful bites on her neck, elig giggles from her. "Maybe, we should celebrate?"

  Lana purred happily and began kissing me. Unlike before, her kisses quickly went from soft to deep. Our tongues battled each other for trol, but this time I decided to give up the fight a her take me pletely.

  I could afford to act submissive just this once. After all, I had plenty of time to enjoy myself today.

  Atenosia:SpoilerHuman in appearance, but have an above average amount of mana for Asherians. They usually have dark hair and eye colors between red and dark purple.

  They have a tail (Vah), which starts to grow from the time they are 6 months old, and stops growing until around the age of 7, which is when it adapts to the growth of the rest of the body.

  Their Vah has 2 specifis. It is a magical an, which fulfills the fun uting and helping the body of the Atenosia to manipute the mana of both their body and the surrounding enviro. An Atenosia will not be greatly affected by its ability, even if it loses its Vah, but it will take a lot of its energy to make it grow again.

  The sed fun is to serve as a "sexual an" which gives the females the ability to ceive among themselves.

  After several years of having arrived in this world, the Atenosia, whose male popution had beely depleted, began to experiment with the magic of their vah. It took them 40 years of plicated and, to a certaient, reprehensible experiments, but they mao find a way to save their tribe. Through a ritual when they reached the age when their vah adapted to the body, they mao modify their purpose.

  Ma'kil halnas, now known as "Makis" have been the "mothers" and "fathers" saviors of the race. A title that, during its first turies, was, in a way, revered. Nowadays, Makis have bee naeachers, guides, females or males who, in the family, take the most administrative role, carrying their partners and children on their shoulders to give stability to their homes.

  Traditionally, the Makis were exclusively Atenosia, given their inal fun of procreating and rec their popution. But over the turies, this tradition was ging due to the establishment of alliances with other tribes or the tastes of youth, who saw females and males of other races and yielded to their attras.

  Unfortunately, these unions ended up being exclusively tractual or only seal, given that, although among Atenosias they had retively high fertility when uniting with other races and tribes, reprodu was basically impossible.

  With some exceptions.

  There have been only 2 records of this event, but both have been discarded and attributed either to the male partner of the Atenosian couple (Her maki or main husband), or to an iy, of which there was no way to prove that it had occurred, but her that it had not occurred, leading to cracks growing in these families.

  Some schors theorize that, as geions pass and the Atenosia mix with the other races, sooner or ter reprodu will be possible, but they see this far iure, in times that they will not be able to see.

  They usually live an average of 180 to 200 years.

  [colpse]

  FivesZeta