At present day, it was impossible to follow a mber of the Gernoff family when he took a safe route. The security protocols were flawless and unpredictable. The Gernoffs never followed the sa pattern for long and took too many detours before moving towards their real destination.
That, however, hadn't always been the case.
Back in the day, when Oghrom Gernoff was still looking for the perfect balance between acquired skills and survival rate for the training program of his children, the security protocols were laxer and sotis ignored.
Arrogant youths and incompetent servants didn't bother hiding their traces. Oghrom killed them and those who had followed to his safe houses, but only if he could find them.
Tezka had recognized the talent of the so-called founding pillar of the Kingdom and knew Oghrom might grow to be a threat to him in the future. So the Suneater had exploited Oghrom's foolish children and associates to locate the Gernoff's strongholds back when they were still being built.
Even after Oghrom's death, Tezka kept an eye on Oghrom's descendants and a record of the secret bases he discovered by following them. Useless to say, he hadn't uncovered the location of all the safe houses but he had found many.
"I was right." Tezka cackled. "The perfect Gernoffs do have a flaw. They are so obsessed with Oghrom that they have turned the old safe houses he personally built into their main strongholds. The others are not as well developed or protected.
"I don't plan on ssing with the Gernoffs but if they touch one of my children, I'll make their dream co true and bury them beside their beloved ancestor."
***
Verhen Mansion, a few days later.
Zinya's sudden visit during Jirni's labor and Tezka's intervention had foiled the Gernoffs' plan, but they still had managed to slip past the guards and walls of the Ernas Household.
If not for the Suneater's presence, the alarm wouldn't have sounded and the Gernoffs' intrusion might have gone unnoticed. Jirni had no idea what their goal was but she was certain the intrusion was supposed to be the opening act of the Gernoffs' offensive.
'Maybe they just wanted to probe my defences or maybe the Gernoffs would have tried to settle our score right away, if given the opportunity. I need ti to rest and strategize.' Following this reasoning, Jirni had asked Lith for hospitality for a few days.
She and Orion wanted to rejoice and celebrate the arrival of the newest mber of their family without constantly looking over their shoulders. Orion was already in perfect fighting condition, but missing his daughter's first days of life would have been sothing he would have regretted forever.
As for Jirni, she was off her ga due to the fatigue from childbirth and her rampaging maternal instincts. The Verhen Mansion offered the Ernas temporary respite from their current predicant and a safe haven.
With Kamila pregnant, Elysia in her crib, and Shargein playing in the garden with Lucky, it was unlikely for the Gernoffs to make a move against Jirni. The existence of Lith's son was still a secret, but Kamila's relationship with Lith was deterrent enough.
"It's so good to have you with us, Jirni." Elina said. "I would have loved to have you as our guest in Lutia, but there's not enough space for everyone there."
Quylla, Friya, Tulion, and Gunyin followed Jirni and Dripha everywhere, each accompanied by their spouse.
"Believe , the pleasure is all mine, Elina." For the first ti in months, Jirni felt at peace and lowered her guard. "I had no idea how much I needed a break until I got it."
She could finally relax and enjoy the emotions that the sight of her newborn daughter stirred in her heart.
"How are you feeling, Elina?" Jirni asked. "Are you sleeping well at night?"
"Most of the ti." Elina sighed. "I still have nightmares from ti to ti, but nothing that the sight of my babies can't dispel in a second. By the way, can I ask you a question?"
"As long as it's not about the Gernoffs." Jirni massaged her own temples. "Those scumbags gave a good scare and just the thought of them makes my blood boil."
"It's about the baby." Elina pointed at the infant sleeping soundly in a crib right next to Jirni's sun lounger. "Why did you call her Dripha? When I heard you expected a baby girl, I thought you would na her after Phloria."
"So did I." Jirni nodded. "Until Orion pointed out to how cruel and unfair it would have been to our baby girl. Now she's little and one na is as good as any other to her, but when she grows up, Dripha will hear about her late sister.
"I don't want Dripha to think she is supposed to fill the void left by my Little Flower's loss or feel in competition with the achievents of her late sister. I just want Dripha to be herself.
"That's why we chose for her a na that doesn't share anyone's initial. We wanted to give Dripha a fresh start and be her own person."
"Then you think Lith shouldn't have nad Elysia after ?" Elina agreed with Jirni's reasoning but, at the sa ti, she felt a special bond with the baby girl due to the naming tradition.
"That's completely different." Jirni snorted. "You are alive and well. Elysia will grow up knowing you and you'll be one of her role models. Dripha, instead, will never know her big sister if not through our stories.
"It will take her years to understand how much of it is real and how much is just the rose-tinted glass of our mories."
"Jirni is right, Elina." Brinja said. "I didn't na Milla after my mother for the sa reason."
The official reason for the Ernas moving to the Verhen Mansion was to spend ti with their friends and introduce Dripha to her future playdates.
Valeron the Second, Elysia, Shargein, Solkar, Surin, Milla, and Dhiral had been invited along with their parents.
"And the reason I nad two of my children after Lith." Selia chid in. "I want him to be their role model. I don't expect them to go on reckless adventures like he does. Being good hunters and genius magicians is more than enough for ."
"That's a low bar you're setting for your children." Ryssa the Dryad, Marth's wife, chuckled.
"I know." Selia replied with pride. "I just want Lilia and Leran to grow into fine, responsible Mages who'll beco filthy rich and maybe spoil their mother a little. I think I deserve it after everything they put through. Speaking of geniuses…"
Shargein was carving a small figurine of Jirni from a piece of oak's heartwood. Not only did it take him but a few minutes while using solely his claws, but the figurine also bore a stunning resemblance to the original.
The only difference was that miniature looked youthful and relaxed, not like soone who would gladly sleep for a week straight and had a death threat pending over her head for months.
"Do I really look this good?" Jirni asked while admiring her own features in the figurine.
"No." Shargein shook his head enthusiastically while wagging his tail.
User Comments
0 comments from readers