The Fire and The Storm - The Nexus of Kellaran #2 novel Chapter 136

Part 20

“Sure!” Mark laughed. “It’s fine with me. To be honest, I’m surprised your mother’s still with us. Is your father?”

“No, he fell in a war with the Sylvan, long ago now.” Alilia related. “Bless his soul. But my mother is only a bit less than three centuries older than me, and she’s still very healthy. Her name is Caria.”

And with that, an elven woman who was the spitting image of Alilia with the exception of having forest brown hair and eyes appeared not a meter away and jumped into a hug with Alilia with a whoop of joy, her invitation still clutched in her hand.

“Shh, listen.” Povon suddenly said.

All around them could be heard the distant sounds of joy and celebration as word of the upcoming nuptials spread throughout the city like a wildfire.

“You are truly reaching wondrous greatness now, my girl!” Caria laughed as she hugged her daughter and rocked from side to side a bit. “May your union bring you an eternity of joy! I’m certain it will solidify your place at the center of world affairs!”

“Thank you Mother.” Alilia smiled as the two separated and stepped back, still holding both of each other’s hands. “We hope that you can arrange our decorations and catering on such short notice. That is, if you wish it?”

“Do I ever, though I’ll certainly have to hurry!” Caria declared with a laugh, then turned to glance around at the others present. “But first, you must introduce me to the rest of my new family!”

She greeted each of them with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek as Alilia introduced her, lingering in the hug a moment longer with Val, her new granddaughter. Then she greeted the dragons as they were introduced with a friendly smile and a respectful bow.

“Oh, you’re not getting away that easy!” Karz laughed as he assumed his cute and fuzzy Simulacrum and soundly hugged the elven woman, an example which his parents chose to follow, and she laughed at the novelty of it as she returned their embraces whole-heartedly.

Alilia cleared the dinner dishes with a glance and Summoned a cart laden with a tea service and other hot beverages, and they sat to chat for a while.

Caria explained that she was a Horticulturist specializing in fruit and nut bearing trees. In her lifetime she had grown and tended the largest and most productive such trees that the world had ever seen. She had never remarried, and Alilia was her only child.

Mark, Talia, and Alilia shared stories and Readings with her, mostly dealing with significant or amusing events in their relationship and the raising of their children.