Completed

Lemerion was glad to be getting out of the house. Spring had decided to go out with all the force of a typhoon. The roaring winds were just as endless as the rain. Flood warnings came almost every day. The farmers were beginning to worry that all of their crops would be absolutely ruined. Thankfully, nature's wrath ended when summer began. The black stormy days gave way to bright blue skies with white, wispy clouds. The heat remained at just the right temperature as well. For someone who loved the heat like Lemerion, the change was a most welcome one.

Moving Forward

I thought it was a rather strange thing for me to do. One would think that after watching my home be consumed by flames that I would shun away from fire. I found myself attracted to the warmth of the one Andethon had made in his fireplace though. I wasn't upset or scared at seeing it, but was simply comforted by it warmth.

The past several weeks had not been kind to me. As if I hadn't already been on edge and hesitant enough, I had lost my place of respite. Then I had had no choice but to scatter the family. None of my older children had the space to take in myself and their younger siblings, and I wasn't about to have us living in hotel for Goddess knows how long. Gellrin had gone to stay with Ranna and Marty, Thoronton was watching over Erumaren, Celendel and Celenia were with Aewen, and Isebrilia and I were at Andethon's. It was certainly a massive change to not be in charge of the house. What was strange still was how quiet things were. Andethon and his wife only had one child, and Lyle was a soft-spoken boy. The calm pace my son's family was used to operating at was unnerving to me as I was accustomed to a much more hectic schedule. I was actually glad when Isebrilia would began crying for it shook things up.

Behind the Scenes Special 4

Due to some issues giving me problems, I wasn't able to get enough material ready for a normal update today. So you'll all be getting another Behind the Scenes update today instead! It covers the last of Ellothiel's time in Riverview, her kidnapping arc, and Urelia's side story.

Starting us off is a picture I can't remember for the life of me why I took it, haha. Ellothiel doesn't do a lot of idles, so I must have found this action interesting or something. *shrug*

Nine Left

Nana and I were absolutely dumbfounded. We had both expected with complete certainty that Gellrin would take after her father. We were not prepared in the slightest for her to take so much after nana. Andethon had nana's hair and eyes, but Gellrin had the whole package- the hair, eye, and ears. It was also fairly clear Gellrin inherited more of my facial structure than she did Marty's. I was pleased. Nana was beside herself. Andethon, who had always been her not-so-secret secret favorite grandchild, began to get a bit jealous. Nana could hardly be separated from her new adored grandbaby. I, on the other hand, was more than willing to let them be together so much. Of course I did my fair share, but it was also nice to have more time than I had anticipated to do more of the things I actually wanted to do.

The Choice

It was hard to ignore the pressure I felt. Each day I found myself being pulled more and more towards going against what ada wanted. I tried as best as I could to think of every reason and excuse I could use to throw away what my own heart was telling me, but it was one of those things that would not be gotten rid of. It didn't help that I began to see more and more of Marty. Riverview was such a small place. We had kept running into each other and had ultimately become friends. He came around to the house a few times a week. All the children loved having him play video games with them seeing as I still wasn't interested in those things. I had hoped that our growing friendship would change Marty's mind about doing certain activities with me, but it was all too easy for me to catch those glances of desire he sent my way. They didn't disgust me. I was facing a situation similar to the one I faced in Sunset Valley where I had to wait to have children after we were forced into the small house. Though my intention wasn't to have children, I had gone on and slept with other men just because I missed the presence of that kind of intimacy. I was feeling that same kind of frustration now.

Indecisive

It was a fun few hours I spent at city hall, that's for sure. And by "fun", I mean it wasn't fun at all. I had to explain perhaps a dozen times why I needed to change Abrien's name, and I got stared at whenever I retold the story. The workers there simply couldn't wrap their heads around the fact that my mother and I had both been pregnant at the same time and that we had both gave our daughters the same name. They didn't believe me at first when I said how the names we were thinking about giving our children was something we never discussed. At the very least, they had no reason to deny me changing my daughter's name. Given that I was upset with the workers at city and hall and then with ada and nana for ruining my sentiment, I went right ahead and named my daughter directly after my grandmother. That is how Abrien became Abriel.

I had known the change was necessary the second I read my sister's name. Even calling the two Abriens by nicknames would have been confusing enough. There would have been many issues in the future regarding official paperwork when it would be seen that there were two Abrien Ithienniths born close together in the same house. Changing my Abrien's name would save all of us so much headache. I knew I could have waited until ada and nana returned with their Abrien before making the decision, but if one of our daughter's names had to be altered then I knew it had to be mine. Abrien had been born first, and I felt like ada had more right to her name given that his mother obviously played a greater role in his life than she did mine. I never even met her.

It was hard remembering to call Abriel "Abriel" in the first several days after she was rewarded her new identity, but then I grew so used to it that I began to forgot it had ever been something different. 

Envy

It was slightly awkward between nana and I for a few days. I still wasn't exactly sure how she truly felt about having another child, so I didn't know how to talk to her about it. Things changed when I was able to confirm that I definitely was pregnant as well. I didn't know why, but I somehow got the courage from that to ask questions. Nana often repeated what she had first said. She was rather pleased by the turn of events and now wouldn't change a thing. It was her wish that ada would let her and the child stay with me sometimes. I think nana continued to feel guilty over what she had done to me despite me giving her forgiveness because she kept subtly mentioning how she thought us raising our children together would help us to grow closer. Whether she remained upset with herself or not, the two of us were definitely growing closer because of our similar state. Nana and I talked more than ever. We discussed subjects we never would have brought up before. I was surprised when she was even willing to talk about being with men. It was my experiences and my feelings we mostly went over. Obviously, the only man she had ever been with was ada. The last thing I wanted to hear about was his and nana's moments.

Ironic

We found ada about to leave to jump onto a plane when we returned home to Riverview. In our joy over my memories having returned, Eloril and I might have stupidly decided not to answer ada's phone calls so that we could surprise everyone when we came back instead of telling him them. We weren't really thinking of how much he would worry. He, and nana as well, had known that we had gone to Aurora Skies last. Our sudden silence coupled with the fact that we returned home a day late because of our unplanned detour to Twinbrook to personally tell Elemir the good news must have made the two of them think something terrible had happened after we went to visit Cirabel. He and nana were understandably angry, but that anger was rapidly forgotten when they learned that the plan had worked. Ada picked me up and spun me around until I grew dizzy. Nana was smiling with happiness, and Eloril was laughing his head off at the whole thing. Even more than having my memories back, the four of us being together like that was the final piece that made everything feel right again. It had been many centuries since we had been able to gather together and share true joy. It had been hard to leave Twinbrook a second time now that I could remember it, but the chance to have ada and Eloril visit far more often was too tempting to deny. Besides, there was still a ridiculous amount of reporters left trying to get the final scoop on my kidnapping story. Moving on had been the correct choice indeed.

Riverview

It was three weeks after my return home when ada announced that the family was going to be moving.

Much to everyone's disappointment, including my own, being in the house living as normally as I could was doing nothing to help my memories. I became more familiar and aware of the things around me, but that was only because I was simply growing used to the life I was forced to be in instead of actually remembering anything. It wasn't just the house not being helpful to me that prompted the move though. Elemir had told me of how the humans were interested in my story; how they were hovering about trying to take pictures and talk to us. I was kept far away from them all. However, that made their interest stronger. Maldor still took the children to school, and ada and Eloril were making constant patrols of the yard to scare away the unwelcome visitors. It soon became too much. Ada wanted to take us somewhere quieter where we could live live with being hounded. He also wanted to bring me to a place that was closer to the elven lands.

The children, especially Ranna, weren't pleased with the announcement. They handled their disappointment and sadness with maturity though. I'm sure they were tired of the constant attention as well, and I think they didn't want to upset me since I was pretty much the whole cause for the move. I was...indifferent towards the move myself. I felt sad that my children were sad, but I continued to feel no real connection to the world around me. It really didn't matter whether we stayed or went. I simply kept on playing with Thoronton and Andethon. Taking care of them had become my main job as it was the thing that I had been the most skilled at when my parents and Eloril left me to wander about on my own to see what I could figure out. Taking care of my toddlers felt so natural. It was even better when Thoronton warmed up to me and treated me as if he had known me forever.

Blackout

I sat on my bed wondering what to do. It had been a long time, and Eloril, Maldor, and Michael had not returned. Nana and Thralas didn't show up either. I had no idea where everyone had gone or what was going to happen next. Though my head still hurt terribly and I felt unsteady on my feet, I decided to explore a little. I had grown used to the room I was in, and wanted to see more of the hospital. A quick peek down the corridor showed me that there was little else besides seats and glass doors that led to rooms appearing to be quite similar to my own. No one was in sight, although I could sense that others were about nearby. I started wandering to the right. However, I barely got anywhere. My room was on the corner, and as soon as I reached the intersection a sense of familiarity too strong to be ignored washed over me. My eyes were drawn to the room at the end of the way.

Confusion

Something bad must have happened. That was my first thought when consciousness very slowly returned to me. Everything had been so wonderful, then there was such a long period of darkness, and now there was a massive pain in my head added onto my world of darkness. I could barely make sense of anything. I was lying in a bed. My hair had been braided, but what idiot had done that? Everyone knew how much I hated having my hair tied up completely. The pain, me being in a bed, and my hair not how I liked it truly was all I could make out. I didn't have the strength to open my eyes. I figured whatever had happened to my head must have been making me rather out of sorts. Weird beeping sounds echoed from all directions while I swore I kept hearing a woman's voice in some unfamiliar language project out from the ceiling nearby. It could only be reasoned that I was dreaming. Otherwise, I was afraid to think what being in the strange place I was in meant for me.

Overwhelmed

Silas was not happy with me at all that I hadn't alerted him of my labor. He rushed in when Andethon really began belting, and I thought he was going to throw a tantrum. I also began to fear that he would take Andethon away. While Silas had placed a crib in the room, he had never said just how often our son would be staying with me. I lied to Silas to calm him down. I told him that I had tried to get his attention, but the pain had just been so intense that I hadn't been able to call his name loudly or pound on the door. I had barely managed to make it to the bed.

Pretending to be absolutely exhausted and on the verge of crying did have the effect I wished for. Silas' anger eased dissipated, and he no longer blamed me. He was simply glad Andethon had been born safely. He made me rest while he took care of Andethon for a while. From the little bit of talking that we did, I was able to deduce that he planned on leaving our son with me most of the time. It did make the most sense for it to be that way. I was much more prepared and experienced to be his care-giver, and Andethon was far too young for Silas to begin his brainwashing on him. Silas also mentioned something about becoming very busy. I hoped that meant he was finally starting to be pressured by the police finding out location. I truly did not want Andethon or I to be in this place for much longer.

Passing Time

I was watching television again, desperately hoping one of the channels might make some small sort of mention of me and my disappearance. It had been weeks now since Silas had taken me. There would definitely be a fuss about the situation by now as ada, naneth, and Eloril would have received the news. I bet ada and Eloril rushed over to the human side leaving naneth in charge at home. She probably lucked out. With my kidnapping to distract him, Eloril most likely hadn't though to mention everything that she had done to me to ada. I flipped to another channel, and watched it for a while. Nothing. Another channel. Nothing. I flipped back several channels. I was always paranoid that as soon as I moved on that there would be something broadcasted about me. There was never anything. I must have sat there for another hour continuing my work. When all the hundreds of channels had been gone through, the remote smashed into the floor as I tossed it to the ground again. I had to stop doing that as that was the third one Silas had to buy as I had broken the others, but I couldn't help it.

My frustration was peaking. So badly did I want to scream and wreck half the place! That's when Wesley showed up right on schedule. He leaned over, wrapped his arms around me, and placed his head against mine. He said nothing, but I calmed instantly. Ever since that first day, he has shown up just when I need him the most. I was left to debate if he really only was an image from a dream. I couldn't possibly be half-asleep all the times he has shown up. My more realistic explanation was that I was going crazy. I truly could feel my mind going down chaotic paths, and my behavior was becoming increasingly more sporadic and unpredictable. However, potentially losing my mind was what was actually saving me. Slipping away allowed me to see Wesley. He always pulled me back to safety, just as he was doing then. The two of us remained in that position for a long time. I grasped at his arms and tried to pull him back to me when he began shifting away. I told him he couldn't leave. Wesley chuckled. He wasn't leaving. He simply needed to stretch out his back after being hunched over for so long.