By order of Abett, upon request of Nertín, the people of Remalda stayed far from the Kiari reunion. In fact, for the greater portion of that morning and into the afternoon there seemed to only exist Keegan and Amelia – who were inseparable. When the boy asked for his brother, he too joined. They seemed to be soaking in every moment of time with his eyes open, as if years of emptiness could be made up in only a few hours. As if the family knew, but was not willing to admit, that their time may not have been great to begin with.
There was laughter, and there were smiles. The smile that stretched across Amelia's face was something that Feren had not seen in a long time. It was an expression that, for the last several years, existed only in his favorite dreams. Despite the worry that curled deep within him, her smiles touched the corner of his mouth, attempting to lift his, too. Gods, he hoped it wouldn't be stripped away again.
The eldest brother and sister did not eat, but encouraged the youngest to though he claimed to not have the stomach for it. Spirits flew around them, none of them Keegan's, but all from the siblings. Some were even offered to the younger brother when he tired... when his legs no longer wished to move and his head began to bob in lethargy. Then they would sit and watch as their spirits moved, and speak of topics entirely unrelated to the obvious conflicts that were supposed to have been stressing the Kiaris... and all of Constentine.
The day passed slowly for Feren. Everyone edged closer for a glimpse of the boy; the one who rumor claimed had been lost forever already. Mubarak's implication never left Feren's mind after he'd turned. Feren could almost see the Kiari slipping away right before their very eyes, as if he had only come to make his peace and let his siblings gather theirs one last time.
Feren kept further away the later into the day Keegan stayed awake with his siblings. He didn't want to think about the possible outcomes. As night approached, he found himself sitting beside Rosa, who stared at an empty dining table bereft of even the smell of food. She grumbled.
"Did you know about this?"
"About?" His thoughts were clearly not inline with her line of focus.
"Their starving tendencies. It is the dead of winter. This is unreasonable."
Varkner and Teeknan appeared and offered some reprieve from Rosa's annoyance. They sat down on Feren's other side for a drink. When asked as to the contents, they replied with only warm water. They continued to speak in their first language, eyeing slightly the woman with Feren, and speaking with a somber tone... as if they worried for the same fate Feren did... but knew there was nothing that could be done to prevent it. They gave the family space... and that was all they could offer.
Amelia slept with her brother that night, curled around him at the top of his bed, stroking his cheek until he was well asleep, breathing, and warm. Nertín, when done with his work, went in to say goodnight before putting Silva to bed and falling asleep on the pallet with his son, telling him stories of his uncles when they were young, strong, lively.
Feren slept lightly, alone, though most of his time in the bed was spent thinking of anything but sleep. And then, morning came.
Amelia had slept very well, tucked warmly around her brother. The night was cold outside; the winds were stirring, and no one else in Remalda seemed to be moving. It was in the middle of that very night that Amelia turned in the dimly lit firelight, breathing in a very pleasant, homely feeling. In her sleep, and so in her dreams, her chest felt very full and happy, and vivid images of being whole again gave her a new sort of comfort that allowed for better peace and much needed rest. It was easily the best sleep she had ever had.
Then came the first hints of morning.
The fire that Nertín had tended to in the middle of the night was low but still active. Amelia felt the warmth on her cheeks first, and then the softness of the furs that she lie on top of keeping her brother warm below. Her hand closed slightly over the fabric of his shirt... and below her hand, she felt... emptiness.
