Chapter Text
Sounds of cheer floated up on the warm coastal breezes to my study. Finishing the last of my grading, I stepped onto the veranda to watch as the final exams let out, disgorging their students to begin their journeys home for the summer holidays. I felt a swelling of pride and sadness as I watched my students going off to make their mark on the world, knowing that I would not see many of them again. My musings were interrupted by the door opening and the pitter-patter of little feet. Turning towards the noise, I was greeted by my daughter Annette, making her way across the room before coming to a halt in front of me. It seemed not so long ago that I cradled her in my arms; now, she stood on the cusp of adolescence. Looking at her beaming face, it struck me how alike we were when I was thirteen. Like I had been, she was gangly and thin, her wide eyes and mouth slightly too big for her face. She had also inherited my curly, raven hair and, like me, two slender horns twisted up from where her hairline began. She had also inherited much from her father. Unlike my azure skin tone, she was a dark copper, her ears elfin like her father.
"Mom, look what Grammy taught me." She said, pulling me back to the present. From her outstretched hands came a rainbow of aetherial butterflies that proceeded to dance about us.
"That's wonderful, darling," taking her into my arms, "faerie fire is an excellent spell to learn, and so many with one casting." Releasing her from my embrace, I barely tried to contain my pride in my girl. "Did Grammy tell you what that spell is useful for?"
"It's used to break invisibility and other illusions."
"Excellent," I said, tousling her hair. "I can only assume this means your grandmother is visiting."
"Uh huh, she says she has something important to discuss with you but that we should wait for you to finish grading."
"I see." My mother was a stickler for etiquette; that she would drop in unannounced meant that she had something genuinely pressing to discuss. "And where did you leave her?"
"She's with Daddy in the sitting room."
"Let's not keep them waiting then."
Together, we made our way to the sitting where my husband, Olorin Ossian, and mother, Merida Derzza, were chatting quietly over tea. Like myself, my mother was an academic. A full-blooded tiefling mother had taught at the University of Altus for nearly six centuries, climbing the ranks until she was dean of the College of Magic. She was tall and elegant, her lilac-hued skin complemented by mossy green robes. Even after all this time, it still amazed me how alike she was to my mother on Earth Bet, and again how alike in appearance I was to my mothers. If my mother was tall, then my husband was mountain. Where we were all lithe, he was broad, his body exuding strength. His sharp chin and high cheekbones gave him a regal appearance softened by the straight black hair that framed his face.
"Mother! What brings you by?" I said, embracing her.
"A woman cannot simply drop to check how her family is doing." Her tone was strict, but her eyes twinkled in amusement.
"In all the years I've known you, rarely have you done away with protocol." Came my husband's rumbling response.
Silence hung for a moment, but we could not contain our gayety for long, and soon, the three of us were laughing at our familial joke.
"Grown-ups are weird."
"Only the best ones are, dear girl," Mother said, inviting her granddaughter to join her on the sofa, "you'll find life more enjoyable once you embrace your weirdness; it helps to weed out the stick-in-the-muds."
Pouring myself a cup, I took my seat next to my husband.
"Is this a family discussion, or a you and me talk?" I said, looking at Mother
"Best everyone is here, save having to explain everything twice." Mother paused, taking a sip. "Do you recall what you asked me once you settled properly?"
"I asked if there was a way to send my home."
"Just so. And I am sure you likely remember the result of that conversation."
"It was my introduction to Spatial Magic and Planar Travel. You told me that no one could locate my home plane."
"Well, we found it."
That was surprising. It had been over a century since I had thought about my old home, but in passing, let alone going back. When I first arrived on Mera, battered and broken, the first response was to get me stable enough for transport to the medical wing. In all the confusion, no one present had thought to ascertain where I had come from, and by the time someone thought to check my home's planar signature, it had faded to nothing but scant traces. I had held out hope for so long that they would find it eventually, but as the years passed, my hope waned. At the celebration of my first century, I realized that almost everyone I cared about in Brockton Bay was likely dead.
"There's more." Mother's voice cut through my malaise. "We encountered an unusual level of interference. We know it's there, and the environment is safe, but we have no way of knowing if our two planes are temporally synced."
"If that's true, then there's a slim chance Dad may still be alive."
That changed so much. If there was even the slimmest chance that he could still live, I had to go back, but more than that were the consequences of my travel. Sensing my thoughts, my husband took hold of my hand with his massive one in comfort.
"With that timeline, the more dire consequences of emergent magic would only be just occurring." His words firmed my resolve.
"How soon before we can plane shift? Has the First Consul been informed?"
"I figured that would be your decision." Mother paused, peering at me knowingly. "I have a planar gate ready and waiting. There is also this," she said, handing me a letter with the First Consul's seal.
Opening the letter, I found a missive from the First Consul.
"What does it say, mom?" Annette's curiosity makes itself known.
"I'm rather curious myself, dear. Though I have an inkling."
"Very well. You too," I turned to Olorin, who nodded, "from the Office of the First Consul,
'To Professor Taylor Ossian and Professor Olorin Ossian,
Pursuant to Article Six, Paragraph Three, my office and the Senate have been made aware of the discovery of a new plane, hereafter referred to as Earth Bet. In acknowledgment of their long service to the Republic of Settis, it is requested that Professor Taylor Ossian and Professor Olorin Ossian act as emissaries to Earth Bet and its governments. Should the aforementioned individuals be amenable to this posting, they need only sign below affirming their oath of service.'
I paused, allowing my audience the chance to digest what I read.
"I'm guessing my going to Brockton is contingent on accepting the posting?"
"Most likely," said my husband, "or they may select someone to accompany us." His face wrinkled at the idea.
Nodding in agreement with my husband, I pulled a pen from my pocket, signed where directed, and handed the letter to Olorin, who did likewise.
"The next decision that needs making is what you're doing about Annette."
"I'm going to, right?"
That was the question. I was confident in Olorin's capabilities and my own, but even then, I hesitated to expose my daughter to Brockton Bay. She was also physically and magically at a precarious point in her development. There were few we trusted our daughter to, and those we did currently had other business or lacked the ability.
"She is safest with us," Olorin echoed my thoughts in his booming rumble.
"Then you'll have much to prepare," Mother rose to her feet, "I shall go prepare while you pack. We should be ready by two."
While Olorin took Annette to start packing, I walked Mother to the entryway. With Annette no longer there to see, I allowed some of my vulnerability through and wept quietly.
Mother took me into her arms and spoke softly, "There will be many times you will have to hide away your true feelings, but for now, simply let it out."
So there I wept, held in the arms of my mother like I was still that scrawny fifteen-year-old girl newly come to an alien world, and all she had known now lost to her. I wept in joy and sorrow for hopes I thought long buried and regrets I had forgotten.
"Thanks, Mom," I pulled back, wiping my eyes.
"Think nothing of it, my dear girl. Now go. There is much for you to do."
With that, she was out the door, off to uphold a promise a century and a half overdue.
I went to the main bedroom, where my husband methodically packed for the long-awaited journey to Brockton Bay. He paused when I entered, allowing me to wrap my arms around him before separating.
"Enough wallowing," I said, "you've got Annette packed and ready?"
"She will be ready when we are."
He gestured to the bed where our weapons and armor were carefully laid out.
"I'm not sure appearing in the middle of a school armed for war is the best first impression we could make."
He gave a low grunt of assent and waved his hand, sending our arms and armor to our respective packs. We decided on a set of travel clothes that offered a degree of protection while appearing as nonthreatening as possible. I had picked a padded mustard-yellow dress, dark green robes, and a pair of brown leather mid-calf boots. My husband wore jade robes over a cream tunic, dark brown trousers, and black leather boots. Now fully dressed and packed, we met our daughter by the entryway. She had opted for a purple blouse, gray trousers, a light blue cloak, and light brown boots.
After double-checking we had everything we needed, we made our way to the university's portal platforms. Bypassing the usual gateways, we went to the gateway set aside for the Spatial Magics Department. Mother and Professor Woric Hagglun, the gnomish department chair, and his two apprentices, another gnome and a halfling, were waiting for us.
"Everyone here," said the diminutive department head, "go stand by the gateway, and we can get you underway."
Walking to the gate, we were joined by Mother, who handed me a trunk.
"This contains everything you'll need to make first contact, including the parts to prepare a temporary gateway."
After saying our goodbyes, Mother rejoined the group in the control room.
"Prepare for activation of the gateway," the professor's voice echoed around the chamber. "Activation in three...two...one. Gateway is now active, and the portal has been established."
There was nothing overt about the activation, no yawning void or glowing disk, but simply a slight distortion of space held within a ring of silver. We stood a moment, and then, I took my daughter's hand, gave her my most confident smile, and strode through with Olorin's comforting bulk close behind.