The story so far:

---- Aija and the others are on the South-Land. They are waiting for the Leadership to attack. Aija finds out that The Gale was attacked on the Main Lands, and she worries for her brother - Rei/Goldstar. Goldstar is alive. They lost the Premiere, Leigh, Tailyn, Arah Lin. His leg is broken and his finger missing. Ze is getting better in his training. Ze and Ruyanir aren't married yet. Avery gets copies of the Leadership's experiments from Tailyn And feels bad for doubting Goldstar. Zuri thinks of the first time she met Aija. The Leadership attacks them and Zuri goes to protect the people of the South. Xan tries going after the others to help but soon realizes that he can't. He hates it. Zuri manages to get the shield up at the Zayr Settlement but a soldier fires at her. Luka goes with Var-Inu to fight and when seeking an Iernei shielder, an explosive hurtles to the ground towards him. Goldstar is weak thanks to his broken leg. he struggles in the battle. When a bomb comes hurtling towards them, Luka protects him. Thieron is with Aija and Ayr'i. They try and bring several jets down. When the Iernei spaceships arrive, the jets plunge into water, creating large waves that drag them all into the ocean. Aija and Ayr'i survive the ocean. The war comes to an end when Iernei spaceships arrive. Aija finds her brother Rei and Vincent alive. Nala finds Zuri in the Zayr Settlement. They go to the Core and find Luka, Aija, and Thieron.

----Aija and Thieron tell Goldstar all that has happened with them. Aija and Thieorn want to go to Ierne to give Aa'di Irih'va the Avo. Aija convinces Zuri to meet her family once before they leave. Luka didn't expect to survive this long. He now feels at home with Thieron and Nala. Zuri goes home. She asks her parents to go to the South-land with her. They refuse. Xan gets to the Core on the South back to the Aija and the others. He accepts Var-Inu's offer to get an Iernei body. Aija agrees to help and it works. Xan is now Iernei. Thieron goes to the Open to collect his family photo; Ieas confronts him. Aija saves Thieron. Thieron talks to Aija; she says she's confused and needs time. They all go to Ierne, Aa'di Irih'va welcomes them and takes Aija away.

----Zuri roams the Palace. She meets Ze, who tells her he doesn't like Nala and makes Zuri doubt her relationship with Nala.

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****13 IRIH"VA****

He beheld her, enamoured, mood salubrious, bones light, soul exuberant.

Irih'va watched Aija as she gazed at the snow-covered Valley, feeling more buoyant than he had in weeks. The blood-flowers neared their end for the winter, and the sorrow that had harboured in him had started to fade. He still adjudged its claws digging into him, loathing to let go, his pain giving it vigour. But he couldn't care lesser about its torment now. Aija was real; she was with him. That was enough, even if the Gods punished him for wanting her. Even the most pious had to have their moments of apostasy. And the Gods had left them.

Irih'va gazed her fingers with his, drawing her attention to him. Aija let him trace his fingers over hers. He slid his hand over her arm, higher and higher, and rested it behind her ear. She leaned into his touch, eyes landing on his. Irih'va wanted to ask Aija to stay, but she'd just arrived, and he didn't want to impose on her. He wanted to tell her that she could stay, they could get married, they could live together all their lives. Instead, he vanquished his desire for a future with her with his present need to soak up her presence, her touch, her gaze.

"I missed you," Aija whispered.

"I thought of you every day,"

Aija put her arms around him, not even reaching his chest. Irih'va lifted her, putting her on the balustrade of the balcony; she held onto him tightly, looking into his eyes in her patented, intense manner. He placed a kiss on her forehead, and when he went to kiss her on her lips, she put her head down.

"I'm sorry," she studied her feet. "I'm confused."

Irih'va didn't need to ask her why. He knew Ah'n confused her. Irih'va had known this would happen, and yet... "It's okay," he told her.

Aija lifted her head, observing him. "I did miss you; it's the truth."

"I know," Irih'va brushed her hair away from her face. The white hair, now multiplied, rioted against the black, making her hair two-toned.

Irih'va knew she missed him. Caught between two destinies, Aija had to be drawn to him. And Ah'n. Irih'va yearned to tell her to choose him, but that would go against his oath to not meddle in people's lives. He could only pray she chose him. Irih'va was seized in a never-ending loop of loving people and losing them, and being punished for having hope, the hope to love, still.

"You knew about Rei, that he's Goldstar,"

"I saw him four years ago," Irih'va told Aija. "It was his first time on the South, and I saw his future."

"Did you see me in it?"

Irih'va smiled. He cupped her face in his arms; she kept her hands around his waist. "Yes,"

"You also knew about him, that he did it because he was caught with Alton."

"I did,"

"Then why didn't you tell me?" the betrayal in her voice whipped his heart.

"Would you have believed me?"

"You, yes. I have a hard time believing him. But, you? I believe you. Maybe not on the South, the first time we met. But on Ierne, for sure. I trust you, Aa'di Hi'er."

Aija took in a sharp breath, lips parted, revealing her front teeth and the tiny gap separating them. "No one apologised,"

"It would've made you feel better," he noted.

Aija nodded.

"Then, on behalf of everyone else – I'm sorry."

Aija smiled; Irih'va wanted to taste it.

"You're too honourable,"

"There's no such thing,"

"You are proof enough,"

Irih'va didn't understand what she meant; perhaps, an Earthen saying. He knew CommLang along with numerous other languages enough to communicate well. But regional adages, cultural contexts were often lost on him.

Aija brought out the Àvo from her coat-pocket. "He kept saying he meant to give this to you."

Irih'va noticed how she didn't take Ah'n's name.

"Someone else from the Ithi'hra will collect it," he told her. "Keep it till then."

"This?" she pointed to the ist'we stone.

"Hold on to it as well," he saw his golden-hair tied to the chain, along with a strand of red hair. Irih'va had felt a tide of magic through him one day; he'd felt nauseous and cold the whole day. He knew now he'd protected Aija. "You may need it if you go back to Earth."

"I have no life on Earth," she lamented. "I can't go back to living like I did."

Irih'va kissed Aija on her head and lifted her down. He led her into his suite and set her up at the old vanity, bringing back old memories of her in a crown. She seemed nervous as he went to bring out what he'd planned on giving her.

Irih'va knelt in front of Aija and handed the ock blade, with two hands, that he'd had made for her. Aija's fingers hovered over the blade before she took it by the hilt and unsheathed it. The black blade ensnared the last of the day's light, shimmering.

"For your birthday," he explained.

Aija inspected the blade and ran a finger over the black-metal. "It's beautiful,"

Irih'va pointed at the hilt to the gold-inlaid carvings. "This is your name in Iernei. Under it are lines from the Prayer."

"Which lines?" her grey eyes locked onto his.

"The hilt is soft, the edge sharpened. May your heart be fierce but kind," he recited and added, "You're a blood-flower, Aija; born from war for peace."

Irih'va didn't mention that more lines were carved on the other face of the hilt. If he did, she wouldn't accept the blade.

Aija kissed him, a soft brush of her lips on his. But that was enough. It lit his lips on fire and soul with desire for more.

"You could stay. Stay. I'll teach you how to fight with this blade; it's runed to be a sword. You can join the Ithi'hra if you want. Stay."

Aija studied him, and each second that passed drove Irih'va closer to insanity.

"That sounds good," Aija whispered. "Let me think it over."

Irih'va's heart surged with hope.

"How does this blade become a sword?"

Irih'va grinned. He helped Aija bind the blade to her commands. He carved a slit into Aija's hand and held the edge to her skin. Blood flowed from the tip to the hilt. The moment the blood touched the runed hilt, it glowed golden like Ierne's suns. He taught her the command, and she repeated after him.

"An, Aija Niyarah Rao-Oshiro, griavn iyè ock,"

The blade erupted in a brighter glow and slowly faded.

"Say 'erwè',"

"Erwè," Aija said, and the lade glowed, transforming into a sword, drawing a yelp from her. She giggled.

"The blade is only yours to command,"

"Thank you," Aija hugged him.

Irih'va held her close, feeling her warmth.

She pulled out of his embrace, kneeling in front of him. "I have a favour to ask,"

"For you anything," he placed a kiss on her nose.

Aija held the gold-chain around her neck, untwined the red strand of hair, and placed it in Irih'va's palm. She lifted the sleeve of her right arm, showing the Uil'dran and beside it the mark of the Ro'ein. Irih'va drew a sharp breath, tracing the Ro'ein's glimmering mark.

"You removed Ze's bond with Nala. Please remove mine."

"For you, anything,"

****

Ru'n Ve'dir entered the suite, Thieron's blade.

"What?" Irih'va asked, taking the blade from him.

"Ah'n is furious," Ru'n Ve'dir admitted, looking flustered. "Ru'n Lwr'vyn stayed back to keep him from coming."

"What did Ah'n say?" Irih'va asked, glancing once at Aija seated in front of the vanity, looking at his reflection in the mirror. She smiled when she caught him watching her.

"He wants to be here while you remove the bond. He gave the blade willingly but got angry when we said he couldn't come."

"Right, wait outside."

"Uh'n, Aa'di," Ru'n Ve'dir bowed and left.

"Is something wrong?" asked Aija when he went to stand by her.

"No, trun nyer'h,"

The thing was, Irih'va didn't mind having Thieron in the suite. It would aid in easy removal of the bond. But Aija had made it clear she didn't want him there, and Irih'va respected her wishes.

The door opened again, and Xlo'qua Ne'vei sailed in, Ri'l Lir in tow, who smiled at Aija. Aija returned the gesture, making the boy blush.

"Aija!" Ne'vei put her arms wide open.

Aija hugged the Head Healer, "I missed you, Ne'vei."

The four of them settled on Irih'va's bed; Ne'vei by him, Lir by Aija. Irih'va sat in front of Aija and took her hand in his. He tied Thieron's hair around Aija's wrist and held Thieron's blade.

"This will hurt more than when he put it," he warned Aija.

"Do it," she assured, faith in her eyes, faith in Irih'va.

Irih'va gave Ne'vei the go-ahead. She placed both her hands on Aija's wrist, ready to heal. Lir sat behind Aija, prepared to hold her down if needed. Irih'va touched the tip of the blade to Aija's skin above the Uil'dran. He glanced at her once before tracing the blade over the rune of the Uil'dran. Aija whimpered, flinching. When Irih'va finished outlining the rune, it glowed. Aija hissed. He held her hand in his, chanting in Ytèan for the spell was put in Ytèan. Aija coiled in pain, writhing. Irih'va nodded to Lir to hold her down. The boy held Aija firmly in place as she squirmed in pain. The radiance from the rune burst into brightness, enveloping the entire suite in its golden hues.

Irih'va continued to chant. Aija cried and tried to pull her hand away, but he held it firmly. Irih'va's heart pounded, but he couldn't stop now. He'd removed Ze's bond only with Ne'vei's help, and it hadn't taken this long. Aija and Thieron had been bound for so long, each drawing on the other, and Aija had taken Thieron's powers making them her own. They were deeply connected, and removing the bond proved complex.

Aija cried, and Irih'va finally saw the Uil'dran start to fade. He chanted faster, feeling the spell drain him. At last, the rune faded and with it the black-line around her wrist. Irih'va let her go; the light around them dimmed and vanished.

Aija panted, calming. Lir let her go, as did Ne'vei. Irih'va felt dizzy, but he'd done it. Damn, Thieron was powerful.

"Aija?" Ne'vei put her hand on Aija's lap.

Aija, dazed, hyperventilated. She stood, "I...," she trailed off.

"Aija?" Irih'va wheezed.

Aija fainted; Ne'vei caught her before she hit the ground. The Healer put Aija into bed, Lir helping her. Irih'va pulled the thick blanket over her, panting.

Ne'vei placed two glass containers on the table beside the bed. "For your strength, Aa'di. You must rest too."

Irih'va nodded, stroking Aija's hair.

"That was powerful," commented Ne'vei. "Ah'n's grown stronger."

"He has," Irih'va agreed.

"That boy could win wars for you," Ne'vei added.

Irih'va smiled and faced the Healer. "Let's hope such a war doesn't befall Ierne."

"Stars above! I hope not," Ne'vei half-bowed and Lir followed. "May the Spirits keep an eye on you," Ne'vei and Lir left.

Irih'va turned back to Aija, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest, hoping Thieron felt alright.

Irih'va's cousin, Thr'vir, had jokingly said that the Hi'er's were born from adversity and made for tragedy. Watching Aija, Irih'va liked to believe he could be the exception.

But facts were true whether one believed in them or not.

And, Irih'va was forged from Hi'er blood.

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