Two days after the clash, normality returns to Jubert Island once more. Glyn awakens in his room, stretching as he makes his way to his door. Before he can open it, the doors fly open with Eliana standing in the doorway with a proud grin on her face. Glyn shakes his head as she enters happily, sitting down at his desk.
“How are you still this energetic?”
“No idea!” She yells out. “But I’m super happy right now. I cast an impossible spell and beat an enormous monster. Mother’s going to be so jealous!”
“Yeah, she would’ve loved to be here for that fight.”
Eliana pauses and stares at Glyn and smiles. “My Brother is the coolest.”
He laughs. “Come on, Eli.”
“I’m going to be waiting for you to come back home.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“That means you have to come back home! If you get hurt, then you’ll come back home. You better not get hurt. You also better make sure that you try your hardest. And you better lose properly, but don’t go down like a loser.”
“That last one’s a tall order.”
She smiles. “I’m the soon-to-be Lord of House Mattox. I have to be a little demanding of my most trusted vassal.”
“I wouldn’t say soon to be just yet. That would mean something might happen to Father.”
She pauses. “No! I didn’t mean that! I don’t want to be the Lord too soon. I can not be the Lord for my entire life!”
Glyn laughs. “Come on. The boat should be ready soon.”
“Okay. But I’m going to miss you.”
“I will too.”
Tisha stands at the doorway, looking at the pair. “Are you two done yet?”
“I wanted to spend some more time with my brother!” Eliana yells out.
“You’re acting mighty bratty right now.”
Mila enters. “Um… your mother is calling you.”
“Right. Time to go home, Eli.”
She grabs Glyn’s hand and nods. “Please make sure you come home safe. Understood? That’s an order.”
“I know okay. Calm down.”
“I won’t. I won’t calm down until you come home safely.”
“And I won’t calm down until I know you and everyone else will be taken care of. Okay?”
She smiles. “That’s my brother!”
A while later, Glyn escorts Eliana to the docks, where Aoife stands on a boat looking over the supplies. The pair walk up to the boat with Aoife leaping off and rushing up to the two. She hugs them tightly before kissing both as everyone watches. A few seconds pass and she lets go, looking at Glyn and smiling.
“I’m going to worry.” She says.
“Mom. I know you; Eli, Mother, and Father will be worried sick. I don’t need you to drill that into my head, too.”
“Glyn. I know you don’t want to take the crown for yourself. But why choose to stay in this game?”
Glyn pauses. “I want to see it end. It’s only been a month, but I owe the people who’ve supported me this far a lot. And I guess I won’t feel comfortable until I close the book on this stupid game.”
“You’re like your father that way.”
Glyn pauses. “Mom.”
“I don’t care what little ideas you have in your head. But I know, Alfried, the man who lovingly raised you. He is your father. Believe in that.” She grabs his head and stares into his eyes.
Glyn nods. “Okay, Mom.”
“Now then, you two!”
Mila and Tisha come from behind a tree. She waves them down and then turns to Eliana. “Eli, show Glyn the ship.”
“Mom?”
“Oh right. Come on let’s go see. I can show you the ship we took to come here.”
“Alright fine.”
Eliana takes Glyn aside as Aoife looks at the girls.
“Um…”
“Mila right. Sorry, we had little time to talk or get to know each other. I was busy either getting kidnapped or recovering.”
Mila bows. “No, it’s not your fault. I….”
“I hear you helped Glyn after we were kidnapped. I know he was, but you helped him focus. I can’t thank you enough.”
She pauses. “I… I….”
“And I hear you’re in the running for my boy’s affections.”
“Yes, I love Glyn dearly and….” Mila stops herself and blushes, putting her head in her hands.
Aoife laughs. “Come now. You don’t have to be so embarrassed.”
“Please, just ignore me. Ignore what I just said, too.”
“It honestly makes me happy to see someone care for him so much. I was worried about that boy his whole life.”
Tisha sighs. “So, what you’re telling us to take care of him or whatever?”
“In a sense. I honestly just wanted to get a good sense of my potential daughters-in-law.”
Mila blushes brightly and turns away as Tisha blushes, turning her head away. “Stop talking like that. You’re going to give people ideas!”
“Why shouldn’t I? Besides, it's funny to see you two squirm like this.”
“That twisted personality must be genetic.” Tisha shakes her head. “I’m doubting my feelings.”
“Come now.” She laughs. “But seriously. Thank you for watching after my boy. And if either or both of you were to become my daughters, I’d feel honored.”
The pair blush.
“I….”
“I can’t speak for Mila, but I have no such intention.”
“Whatever you say. But don’t take too long whatever you plan. That boy gets distracted after a while.”
“Alright, we’re done with the ship Mom!” Eli yells, rushing to her side.
Glyn follows behind her, pouting. “Mom. What did you say to them?”
“Nothing for you to worry about, dear.”
“Whatever. Just cast off. If you leave, no, you might make it back to shore before sundown. I don’t want you two out on the water at night.”
Aoife laughs. “We’ll be fine. And don’t worry about things back home. We’re keeping the fief safe.”
“That’s good. Father’s probably stressed out because of me. Be sure to apologize for me.”
“I will. We’re both in all sorts of trouble now, aren’t we?”
“Yes, we are.”
Eliana laughs. “Because we’re family!”
“Yeah. Because we’re family.” The two say in unison.
Aoife and Eliana return to the boat and cast off, putting up their sails as the boat drifts away from the island. Catching a magical breeze, the ship sails away from the island at a rapid speed. The last Glyn sees of it is his mother and sister waving at him from the deck. And soon the boat disappears with the memory of it lasting in his mind.
Glyn takes a breath and then clenches his fist, turning back to the island. “Alright, we’ve got work to do!”
“Right!”
“We’ve got to see Jenna’s entire crew shipped off soon.”
“Bother’s already working on that. Soon, the Shadows will come to scoop them up.”
Glyn nods. “And then we have to get to scouting out. Pepper said some of her people are coming here soon, so maybe we can have some decent smithy work done on the manor and around the village.”
“Don’t worry, we’ve already got them places to stay and repairs on the manor are going well,” Tisha says.
Glyn laughs. “Is it me, or are we always making repairs on the manor?”
“Yeah. But hopefully, this will be the last time.” Mila says.
Tisha rolls her eyes. “With our luck, I doubt it.”
“It’s thinking like that that’ll cause us another repair job.”
Glyn laughs again. “We’ll worry about that when it comes. For now, let’s get ready. The fights already started and we’ve been on the sidelines for long enough.”
“Right!” The two yell in unison.
“I don’t want to be king. But we’ll see an end to this stupid game no matter what!”
“I’ll defend my home and keep everyone safe!” Mila yells.
Tisha nods. “I’ll get my revenge for my comrades and find the others that were lost!”
“One way or another, we’re ending this fight for the crown!” The three yell in unison as they walk up the trail leading to their manor on a hill.
Elsewhere out at sea, Aoife and Eliana sail along with Eliana, staring at the ocean. She turns back to sit next to her mother, who leans back and takes a breath.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“Those two were nice, but they make me miss her more.”
“I know. We all miss her. I’m sure Glyn misses her more than all of us.”
Eliana looks up at her. “If they become my big sisters, I’d be fine with it. But they can’t replace Juli.”
“And no one can. We’ve talked about this.”
Eliana pauses. “I just miss her.”
“I know you do. And so does Glyn. I’m sure part of the reason he’s done this is for her to wherever she is. Julia, my first daughter-to-be.”
