Zorroku and Peaches

The Truth

Zorroku and Peaches

Part 10

Brielan pulled you to where her grandmother's carriage was as you stared up and what looked like a pure gold carraige, carried between two Mammoths, both of them decked out yet protected by armor and four riders on top of their own special saddles on thier backs. You had never seen something so extraordinary.

"I have Vizsla Belladonna for Dowager Clan Chieftess Jaseeneh." She loudly and proudly announced in Ragesh as you did your best to regain your composure and prepared yourself to finally meet your grandmother, the one who had been writing to you your whole life but who you never got a chance to meet in person before.

"Have them stop so she can climb aboard." You heard an elderly woman order in Ragesh back as the mammoths stopped and stood still. Then a special staircase was put down so that you could ascend to her with Ori in tow.

"I, Vizsla Belladonna, daughter of Oriannaregina of Jaseeneh, mother of Oriannaregina of Medowne- do greet Dowager Clan Chieftess Jaseeneh." You greeted respectfully, also keeping to Ragesh- once you reached the top of the staircause but hesitated in opening the doors that were still shut. Especially since that was the way your mother had instructed you to do. So that when and if you would ever be free of White Rock, that was how you needed to officially and formally greet your grandmother before she would tell you how to greet her in turn because of her station, as everyone in the envoy smiled at your display of deep respect.

"Please come in, my child. For I have waited 18 years to see the face of my Vizsla Belladonna." She answered as you could hear her smile in her tone before you opened the door to her magnificent carriage.

"Finally My Belladonna, please, call me Grandma." Jaseeneh greeted you from her special chair she was tied into to keep her in place as you came forward and knelt at her feet. But she leaned forward and pulled you into a tight hug. You hugged her and just couldn't keep yourself from breaking into sobs to finally meet the woman your mother had told you about all your life as she hugged you with surprising strength yet Orianna was happy to be in this hug too.

"Finally Grandma." You returned through happy tears as you buried your face into the crux of her neck and shoulder. Smelling her scent, and committing it to memory. She smelled of incense and perfume and salt besides her own personal scent.

"I'm so happy you are finally free. What did it finally take?" She asked as you pulled away but she reached up to hold your face in her weathered hands and wiped your tears away with her thumbs.

"Thirty two slaves, their weight in salt, threat of war, and a marraige alliance to one of Crowthu's sons, whichever I choose." You answered.

"Only 32?" She giggled in amusement which got you to smile through your tears.

"I know, after offering a hundred times my body weight. To only go for a third of the weight is practically a bargain." You laughed through your tears.

"And already a mother?" She asked as she looked at Ori and withdrew one of her hands to gently cup Ori's face too as she marvelled at how much Ori had drastically changed and improved since she saw her last.

"I could not help myself. I saw her, and my heart went out to her. I didn't care who her parents were. Only that the mother she had- was not caring for her and loving her the way she needed to be loved and cared for. She was failing to thrive, so I volunteered to help her. Arob magicked a special cup of milk so I could nurse her myself because she has an allergy to onions and garlic and was failing to thrive under Grat's care. But hopefully my restricted diet and milk will cure her and help her to feel better." You answered as you kissed the crown of Ori's head fondly that got Ori to coo happily.