Esladra’s Log

Well, I’m out in the ‘boring ghost forest’, as mother calls it. I haven’t seen any ghosts, even with Sanimir’s insistence that there are ghosts in his house. I’m staying with him. He’s still insisting on being called Hethurin too. I’m staying in one of the guest rooms that he claims is only slightly haunted. I haven’t seen anything. The room is actually very nice. The food is great too.

I arrived yesterday, after stopping in town to check on Lani. She was fine last night, and I went to get settled in. This morning a message arrived for me early. Her labor had started! I’m at her place now. Contractions started early in the morning, before light, so she’s trying to rest a little in between this afternoon. She and the baby are both doing great so far. I’ve given her some safe herbs to help with the pain a little, as well as to help her rest. I also gave some calming tea to her husband. Their adopted son, Vaildor, has been fairly helpful in running errands and fetching things.

I’m very excited about having a new nephew or niece. I still can’t tell which! There are ways to guess, but half of them say it’s a boy, and the other half say it’s a girl, so it really could be either one. He or she has a good strong heartbeat. I can’t wait to meet the new baby.

I think everyone else is excited too. Hethurin has stopped by three times already. He’s been busy informing everyone by teleporting all over. He’s going to tire himself out if he’s not careful! He brought our father with him the last time, but as I said, Lani is doing well, and the baby’s heartbeat is good and strong. His or her head is down, and it’s just a matter of waiting now. He’s waiting out in the other room just in case there’s an emergency and we need a million healers. Really, there’s about that many here already. We shouldn’t need that many.

Lani’s worried about the pain getting much worse. I told her it might, but it generally doesn’t last long. I’m certain that she’ll do fine.

The Silvermoon Market

Lanthiriel Lightmist walked along the streets of the market with her sister, Esladra. She hadn’t needed to have someone go with her, but Esladra had offered. She thought the company would be nice so she had agreed.

“How is mother doing?” She asked mostly out of politeness. Esladra was staying with her for the time being, and was sure to have many details that Lanthiriel preferred not to know.

“She’s well. She and Bailas are going to Quel’danas for the holiday.”

“You’re staying here in Silvermoon?”

“Well, I’m not going with them. That’s for sure. It’ll be quiet for a change, and I’ll be able to get some studying done. I hope anyway. Our aunt will still be home and she can be just as demanding as mother sometimes. I’ll be glad when my apprenticeship is over, so I can move out on my own.”

Lanthiriel nodded. Mother was paying the woman who was teaching Esladra, and Esladra’s studies were almost finished. She was becoming a priestess too, but rather than being a healer like Lanthiriel and their father, Esladra had decided to specialize in pregnancy and childbirth. She was Lanthiriel’s first choice to follow her own pregnancy, whether her studies were done or not, and so she had been seeing her on a regular basis now. Lanthiriel also had Isandri, but Isandri was supposed to fill in for her at the office. She couldn’t tend to her patients, if she was busy having a baby. Esladra seemed more than happy to make the trip to the Ghostlands to see her sister every few weeks.

They passed by a stand with little figurines. “I still think you should have gone with father.”

“Mother paid me to go with her. Besides, you’ve seen the place he moved to. There’s only enough room for his office and a tiny living space.”

“He bought that after he knew you were going with mother.”

“He knew she was paying me. I think he wanted to live alone. He advised me to take the money. He even told me to try to negotiate for more.”

Lanthiriel rolled her eyes, “You’re both horrible.” She started looking at some of the figurines on one of the outer tables when someone at the next stand over caught her eye. She was flipping through some robes hanging on a one of the racks.

Esladra saw her at the same time. “Vallindra!” She hurried over to the next stand, and threw her arms around their oldest sister.

Vallindra looked up just in time to be hugged. She stiffly reciprocated. “Esladra, hello.” She twitched an ear and eyed Lanthiriel, looking at down at her stomach before looking back up at her face. “Lani.”

“Hi, Vallindra. Are you shopping for the holiday too?” Lani asked.

Vallindra twitched an ear again, and breathed in sharply. She held her breath a few seconds before replying. “I’m getting something for Xanaroth.”

“I need to get something for the Confessor too. I’m not sure what to get yet.”

“Didn’t you ask him?” Vallindra asked as she returned to looking at the robes hanging on the rack in front of her.

“I did. He said he wanted a baby.”

Vallindra raised a brow, glancing at her sister before turning her attention back to the robes once more. “Good luck having that ready on time.”

“I’m due in spring. I need to find something for the holiday though.”

Esladra tried to peek in Vallindra’s bag. “You’ve already bought some things. Are they for your husband?”

“Yes. I got him some books, slippers and now I’m looking for a robe. They’re all things he wants.”

“Did he just tell you what he wants? Just like that?” Lani asked.

“Of course. We’re very open with each other.” Vallindra’s ear flicked as she grinned and pulled one of the robes out from the others.

“Oh, that’s a nice robe!” Esladra commented as Vallindra checked over the seams and hems.

“And well-made. I think he’ll like it. It matches the slippers too.” Vallindra smiled. She looked at Esladra and added, “I was about to go get something to eat. Maybe we could all go to that one restaurant near the Exchange.”

Esladra looked at Lanthiriel, “Lani, are you hungry? We can take a break and go eat.”

Lani frowned, glancing back at the market before nodding to her sisters. She’d have to find something later.

Lanthiriel’s Diary

Dear Diary,

We’re back from our trip and working on settling into the new place.  Everything is moved here, but a few things are still packed.  Luckily, we didn’t have too many things to move.  Vaildor had more art supplies than anything else.  The Confessor didn’t have much either, mostly just a lot of files.  Luckily, there’s room for them all.  It seems like there’s so much space here compared to the small house by the stables.

Vaildor has been adjusting well to the new place.  He told me before we moved that he was worried because he hadn’t ever lived in another building before.  I reminded him that he had, but he was too young to remember it.  If the story he and Hethurin are telling really is true, then he’s always lived in the same building since he was about six months old, just different timelines or something.  It’s confusing.  My father believes it, so I guess I have to accept it.  I’ve adopted him anyway, even if he is my brother.  He needs someone to take care of him.  Father agreed that Silvermoon wouldn’t be best for him, and he should probably be kept away from Mother.  After hearing what she said to him at the wedding, I’m going to make sure he doesn’t have to be around her much.

The office is open now and we’ve started receiving patients, so that’s slowed down the unpacking a little.  There’s been nothing major so far, which is good.  Most people are coming in to my side for check ups, or just minor injuries.  One of them was even in for a paper cut.  The Confessor thinks they just want to meet me, and I don’t mind.

One thing I’ve noticed is that most people out here don’t have much gold.  My husband suggested getting rid of my consultation fee for those who couldn’t afford it, and setting up a donation system instead.  It would be nice, but I’ll still need supplies, and I don’t know where he thinks we’re going to get food to eat.  I can’t go to the school to get food every night, and Vaildor eats a lot.  Vaildor also asks for a lot.  We’ll have to have enough to take care of his schooling too, if he gets accepted.  Though father and Hethurin have both offered to help with the tuition, he’ll still need money for his lunches and supplies.

I guess I’m a bit thankful he can’t fill out his application form yet.  He’ll get a lot more expensive when he does.  I thought I’d have enough, but I underestimated how little people have out here.

I have been busy with patients though, even if they can’t pay.  The first week, I tried to keep Vaildor here, but back in the house so that he could work on his lessons.  He’s very easily distracted by the people coming in.  We’ve been leaving the front office doors open, then open the back door which is in the home part, and then open up the door between the two sections for a nice breeze through the waiting room.  Unfortunately, Vaildor’s study area is just on the other side of the door in the middle.  He likes to peek into the waiting room a lot.  I’ve asked him to stop, but he’s quite curious.  I spoke with Hethurin and he agreed to have some of the students work with him, so now he’s going to the school every morning.  I think it’s working so far.

My father warned me that kids like to test their limits, but I wasn’t having any trouble with Vaildor at the time.  I thought maybe he had passed that stage already, though father said they never grow out of it.  I guess he was right.  First, Vaildor starts sneaking out to talk to patients while he should be doing his lessons, and now he doesn’t want to go to bed.  Then this morning, I opened the bedroom door, and there was a painting of some monster sitting on the easel we just got for him.  He had set it up there on purpose.  I didn’t mean to scream, but I wasn’t expecting to see a monster when I opened the door.  I talked to him, and told him it wasn’t very nice.  He apologized, and said he wouldn’t do it again.

Nessna was by late yesterday afternoon.  She wanted to talk to me about one of the new rangers.  He had come to see me a few days before.  He’s missing a foot and has pain in both legs, and his shoulder.  I’m sure the good leg would get better just with more exercise, but the bad leg keeps him from doing more.  I think the biggest problem is that his prosthetic foot doesn’t fit quite right.  He needs a new one, and his current one is made out of wood.  Some metal ones are shaped with the arch in the foot that bends as weight is put on it, much like a normal foot.  I think it would feel more natural for him, and if he can get one that fits better, I think his leg pain would go away on its own eventually.  I cannot make prosthetics, but I referred him to someone in Silvermoon who can.  His shoulder needs surgery to repair some poorly healed old injuries.  I lowered the cost of it to the lowest I could go, but he has no money at all.  I can’t do surgery for free.  First of all, it’s going to take a greater part of the day to do.  Second, supplies aren’t free.  Third, he’ll have to stay here a couple of days after.  I’ll have to wake up in the middle of the night to check on him.  We’ll have to make sure he doesn’t get infection.  We’ll have to feed him during that time too.  It’s not free!  Nessna insists he’ll pay for it after, but what if he just decides to disappear after that?  My husband says the same thing though.  I should set up a payment plan for him because he’s going to be paid with the rangers.  I guess I will, but if he runs off, I hope they’re ready to hear I told them so!

Nessna also showed me her ring.  She’s getting married again.  I think it’s a bit soon, but she says she’s okay, and she thinks Vessen would approve.  I guess if he knew he was dead and knew she was with Sath’alor, or something.  He certainly wouldn’t approve if he was alive!  I told her she better tell the Amberlights because I don’t think it would be right for them to hear it from anyone else.  She said she would.

I didn’t tell her that the Confessor and I are trying to conceive.  So far nothing has happened, but it’s fun trying.  Maybe we could send Vaildor to spend a weekend with Hethurin sometime this month.  I don’t know if being alone with him will help really, but we’ll get to try more!  I’m sure Nessna would love if Rylad had a cousin close in age to play with in the area, so hopefully it’ll happen soon!

 

Lanthiriel’s Diary

Dear Diary,

It’s done.  I’m a wife now.  Everything went almost perfect.  There were a few problems, but nothing terrible.  We had all fallen asleep in the ballroom the night before.  Tik woke us up with breakfast.  Hethurin showed up shortly after, and went with me by portal to Silvermoon to get the dresses.  That was when we found out about the biggest problem of the day.  There were supposed to be four dresses, but they only had two.  Mine was finished and the one for Desdeyliri was done, but they had messed up the order for the other two.  There were supposed to be three identical dresses for the girls!  We had to make sure the one that was done was Des’s first, then I picked similar dresses for the other two.  I had to go with what the shop already had made, and in their sizes so there wasn’t a lot of choice.  Luckily, I found two that would work and went back to the school with Hethurin.  He went back upstairs to get ready.  I left the dresses there in the library while I went down to the house to get my father and Vaildor.  My father said things went well the night before and that Nessna had come to get Rylad already.  He needed to get ready yet, so I brought Vaildor back up to the school with me.  I left him to wait in the library while the girls and I went to get ready.  We used the second classroom as that one has a door on it, unlike the main classroom, and we didn’t want anyone to walk in on us.  We were all helping each other with our buttons and zippers.  Then there was a knock at the door.  Xarola said it was Hethurin, and that he said he’d be with Vaildor, which was a relief.  I know he wasn’t happy about it, but there was no way I was leaving him to meet the rest of the family on his own.  I’m glad Hethurin volunteered to stay with him for me.

The girls did my hair after that.  We could see a little into the garden, though there were a few bushes and trees between where all the guests were and the room we were using to get ready.  Xarola was trying to count how many people were there.  I was a bit worried that the Confessor would get cold feet and not show up, so I was relieved he did.

Finally, it was time for the ceremony.  I’ve never been so nervous and excited at the same time.  My father performed the ceremony, and I think the Confessor was just as nervous as I was.  Thankfully, neither of us passed out!  I think my father cried a little at the end.

It was time to eat after.  Tik made all sorts of food.  The spinach rolls were a big hit, just like they were at the ball, so I went inside to help him make more.  He kept saying I shouldn’t be inside, but I wanted to make sure there were enough spinach rolls.  I did leave him to finish on his own when the Confessor came inside too.  I had a glass of wine with him, and we danced for a bit after eating.  I threw my flowers.  I tried to aim them towards Nessna, but Xarola caught them.  I don’t think the flower thing is very accurate anyway.  If she’s the next one to get married, I think the others are all going to be waiting a long time because she’s still pretty young!

I slipped away to help make more spinach rolls as we were running out, again.  I took the tray back out to the table, but then I couldn’t find the Confessor.  I also couldn’t find my father.  Or Hethurin and Vaildor.  My mother was also missing, though I had seen her earlier with her boyfriend.  I spoke with Aranae for a bit.  She was looking for Hethurin too so she could get her portal home.  She brought a pandaren with her.  I think the bear ate all the spinach rolls.

It rained a bit, but it didn’t last long, and after, I finally found the Confessor.  I guess he was inside talking to some of the others.  We decided to leave then, before it started raining again, which we didn’t want because we were traveling by dragonhawk.  It was quite a distance to travel that late in the evening especially after having wine, but I felt safe with his arms around me.

After we got to the inn we’re staying at, I put on the red dress.  I was a bit nervous, but it was really nice.  I think he was worried about hurting me.  It did hurt a little, but it passed quickly into feeling really good.  It was a little weird waking up in the morning next to him.  Not a bad weird, but a good weird.  It was like I forgot for half a second, then remembered I’m married.  It was good, but it’ll take some time to get used to!

I’m really enjoying the time alone with him, though I am still drinking my tea.  He thinks it’s better to wait to get settled in.  I don’t see why.  It’s not like I won’t be able to do anything while pregnant.  Many women work right up until the time they go into labor!  I don’t think it’s going to take nine months to move in, but I don’t want to argue either.  I’ll bring it up again once we’re home.

The beach is really nice, and we’ve been going there a lot.  I think I have a tan.  I am a bit worried about how things are at home.  I didn’t see Vaildor or my father before leaving, so I hope everything’s going well.  I hope Hethurin’s okay too.  I know it was hard for him to have so many people there at once.  I also hope Nessna isn’t mad at me for not throwing the flowers better!

The Wedding (Part 1)

“Magister, you asked me to inform you when your mother arrived.  I just led her to the garden only moments ago.”

Hethurin frowned.  He wasn’t even done getting dressed yet.  He had bought a complicated robe for today, and needed help with the buttons and ties in the back.  “Is Vaildor here yet?” he asked, glancing towards the windows overlooking the garden.  He’d go to look for himself if Terellion wasn’t working on buttoning the back of one of the pieces of his robe.

“He arrived with Lani not long ago.  They’re using the second classroom as the room to get ready in.”

“So he’s not out in the garden yet.”

“No, Magister.  He was still with Lani inside, the last I knew.”

Hethurin nodded, “Thank you, Tik.  Let Lani know that I’ll be down shortly.”

“Of course, Magister.”  Tik replied with a short bow before turning to leave the room.

Hethurin waited until the door latched shut before speaking again.  “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Terellion was working on finishing the last of the buttons.  “You don’t have to go downstairs if you don’t want to.  You could watch the wedding from the balcony here, and I would bring up food and cake from the party after.”  He stood after fastening the last button, and took the next piece of the robe which had been laid out on the bed.

Hethurin held his arm up a bit as Terellion started fastening on the pieces that fit over his shoulders.  “I can’t do that.  I have to go downstairs.  It’s my sister’s wedding.  She’ll want me down there, plus someone has to watch Vaildor so that she doesn’t have to worry about him as much.”

Terellion finished fastening on the second piece of shoulder armor.  “You know I’ll be watching to make sure everything’s okay, right?”

Hethurin smiled, and turned to kiss him.  “I know.  I love you.”  He paused, then kissed him again.  “I should go downstairs.”  He kissed him once more before he cast his teleport.

He appeared in the hallway outside of the second classroom.  He knocked on the door.  One of his students, Xarola, answered, opening the door just a crack and peeking out. “Oh, hello Magister Fairsong.  You can’t come in.  We’re changing.  There was a mix up with the dresses, and we have to improvise a little.”

“Oh.  I’m sorry.  I just came to find Vaildor.  He’s not in there now.”

“No! Not right now. Lani sent him to the library.”

“Okay. If you would, please let Lani know I’ll be with him.  Thank you.” he said, while turning to go back down the hallway.  The library was close.  There was no need to teleport.  He breathed a small sigh of relief upon seeing Vaildor sitting alone at one of the desks with his drawing paper.  The young elf looked up from his artwork as Hethurin sat down in a nearby chair.

“Oh, hi.” Vaildor said as he looked back down and resumed drawing.

“Hi.  It’s an exciting day, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Vaildor replied without looking up.

“What are you drawing?”

“It’s going to be Lani, but I don’t know what the dress looks like on her yet.  I’m just getting some sketches started ahead of time so that I can add more later.  I’ll eventually turn them into paintings based on the sketches.”  He looked up again, “Is it time to go to the garden yet?”

Hethurin looked up in the direction of the garden.  He wasn’t eager to go there, but he understood that Vaildor was.  He hadn’t met half of his own family yet, and Hethurin knew most, if not all, of them would be there today.  “Lani asked me to make sure you’re inside until the ceremony starts.”  He noted Vaildor’s frown as he stated Lani’s one and only rule.  “Maybe we could go to the sitting room and look out the window.  That way you can learn who everyone is before meeting them after the ceremony.”

Vaildor seemed a little more receptive to that idea.  He nodded in agreement and packed up his pencils.  Hethurin walked with him to the sitting room and peered out one of the large windows looking out into the garden.  A quick glance told him that all of his sisters were there.  He saw his mother holding his nephew as she spoke to Nessna.  Nessna looked eager to take the baby back.  He pointed her out to Vaildor.  “Our mother is the one holding Rylad over there next to Nessna.”

“Who’s that guy with the muscles standing on the other side of her?”

Hethurin scrunched up his nose.  “That’s her boyfriend.”  He glanced at the man who seemed to be posing, ignoring the baby, and looking off in another direction.

“He doesn’t look very old.” Vaildor commented.

“He’s not.”  Hethurin scanned the crowd and spotted another one of his sisters sitting off to the side.  He raised a brow upon seeing who she was talking to.  It was a pandaren woman.  It could be the same one he saw when he visited her in Pandaria, but he wasn’t sure.  They all looked the same to him.  He pointed at his sister.  “You haven’t met her yet, the one next to the bear, right?”

“No.”  Vaildor looked at the pandaren with a puzzled look on his face, but said nothing more.

“That’s Aranae.  She lives in Pandaria, and doesn’t like anyone.  I’d avoid her if I was you.”

“I want to meet her.”

Hethurin looked at Vaildor sympathetically.  The boy had no idea what he was getting into today.  He sighed lightly, and looked back out the window, scanning the crowd outside for another sister.  He found two of them, talking to each other.  He pointed them out to Vaildor.  “There, just on the other side.  Vallindra has her hair up, and is standing next to a blond guy.  His name is Xanaroth.  He’s her husband.  The woman they’re talking to is Esladra.  Vallindra and Esladra are our sisters.  You haven’t met either of them yet, have you?”

Vaildor shook his head.

“You’ll get to later, after the ceremony.”

“Do you think they’ll like me?”

Hethurin hesitated, unsure what to say. At last, he said, “Some of them are very difficult.  As far as they know, you’re Lani’s adopted son.  You probably won’t see them very often, so it doesn’t matter that much if they like you or not.”

Vaildor frowned.

“Let’s go see if Lani and the others are ready yet.”

They both headed back towards the room where Lani and the other girls were getting ready.

Sim’dorei Screenshots – Moving into the New Home

Sim Lani and Sim Morty have moved into their new home, along with Sim Vaildor.

This is totally how they kiss when they’re somewhere they could be seen.

Vaildor loves ice cream almost as much as his brother loves cake.

Lani and Vaildor learn to roller-skate at the summer festival.  Vaildor insisted on going.

Morthorn took Vaildor on a rollercoaster. Morthorn looks likes he’s having fun, but I’m not so sure about Vaildor.  Way to scare the kid, Morty!

Of course, he took Lani too.

Aww!

She’s just so happy. He is too, just making a funny face in this picture!

Sim’dorei Screenshots – A New Building in Town

Lani is working on a new building, so I figured I would put it into my game as well.  It includes both her office and Morthorn’s, as well as their own living area in back.

View from outside, and sorry the guides were on so there’s little squares all over.

Overhead view with the roof off. The front of the building is towards the bottom.

 

Some other overhead views.

 

 

And some in-room views:

The waiting room.

Lani’s office.

Lani’s examination room.

The surgery/treatment room.

Overnight patient room.

The Confessor’s office.  I should note that this was before I put in a lot of the decor, it’s not quite that plain.

The Confessor’s patient meeting room.

And in the home part:

The sitting room.

Dining/kitchen/hallway

And the bedroom, complete with the Confessor’s trunk.

 

Lanthiriel’s Diary

Dear Diary,

A lot has happened lately, again.  The biggest news is that the Confessor has been talking about marriage.  He spoke with my father already!  I’m thrilled, of course, but at the same time it’s hard to believe it’s really happening.  He asked if I’d like to go to the jewelers with him, but I think I’d rather have him pick it out.  I’ll love it as long as it’s something he chooses.

I haven’t told anyone yet.  I want to.  I feel like I’m about to burst with happiness.  I think Vaildor might have noticed.  He did remark that I seemed cheery and jovial.  The Confessor wishes to talk to him about it so I’m trying to refrain from telling him why I’m so happy.  I want to tell everyone, but I’d rather that it’s official first.

That made visiting my father a bit difficult.  He knows a bit already because the Confessor was by to talk to him, so I did tell him that we had talked, and that while nothing was official yet, it is something we’ve agreed to make official.

Of course, the real reason for my visit was Vaildor, so we didn’t speak as long about my upcoming engagement as I would have liked.  We had limited time, so we had to make good use of it.  He said that he had been warned about Vaildor.  I didn’t like the way he said ‘been warned’, as if he was a threat or something.  I thought perhaps Hethurin had been by and told him another tall tale about Vaildor’s parentage.  Anyway, I introduced them.  I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

My father walked behind Vaildor and held his hair away from his neck.  He just kind of stood there and looked for a moment, which seemed a bit odd.  I think both Vaildor and I were both a bit stunned and perplexed.  Vaildor was the first to ask what was happening.  That’s when my father said, and I quote, “It’s really him.”

I walked around to see what made him think that.  There, along Vaildor’s hairline on the back of his neck, was a port-wine stain birthmark.  It was small, almost oval-shaped, but rough around the edges.  I don’t remember Vaildor having one, but I was only four at the time.  I don’t remember much at all about him.  Father was convinced though.  He asked to speak to Vaildor alone.

I went for a walk.  I guess it could be possible that Hethurin is telling the truth.  I was worried about what it would mean if he’s really my brother and not my nephew.  When I got back, Father was even more convinced, but he asked me not to tell mother.  He said he would be visiting this weekend to talk to Hethurin.

So now I’m not sure what to think about that, but I’m still really happy about the other news.  Nessna didn’t ask what happened when I met with her, but she did say that Master Amberlight had agreed to make some furniture for the ranger building.  Maybe I’ll buy furniture from him for the clinic.

Tranquillien

Hethurin Fairsong decided to try at the inn first.  He had overheard the workers talking about a boy who was going with them to town and being left at the inn in the morning, so it made sense to look there first for Vaildor.  Lanthiriel had been doing a lot for the boy since he had come into her care, and Hethurin didn’t think it was so odd that she would take him with her.  He secretly wished she wouldn’t yet.  No doubt the other students had at least heard something by now, and there was likely a lot of talk about where he came from amongst people who had no business discussing it.

Hethurin knew the truth about that, but it was a truth he felt few others would accept.  Vaildor wasn’t supposed to be alive, and if he was, he was supposed to be much older.  It was hardly Hethurin’s fault that he had been taken just before his accidental death, switched with another Vaildor who hadn’t lived, and raised in an alternate future.  Hethurin still didn’t know why his alternate self had done that, but hopefully they were getting closer to finding out where he had went.  Perhaps after they found him, they would get some answers.

That wouldn’t solve the problems the boy had created though.  Hethurin cast his teleport, arriving just outside the inn.  He glanced down the road, and seeing no sign of his sister, he went inside.  The boy was there, with some papers in front of him.  He was writing, or trying to.  Hethurin sat down at the table across from him.

Vaildor looked up, startled, “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to see you.  We need to talk.”

Vaildor looked back down at his papers.  “I have work to do.  Aunt Lani won’t let me have my sketch book until I’m finished.”

Hethurin glanced at the paper that Vaildor had been writing on.  The edges were covered with doodles.  “I’m not trying to get you in trouble with Lani.  I just wanted to let you know that I found out who your real father is.”

Vaildor looked back up again.  “Who?”

“You know I’m not your father.  You know the one who was raising you also wasn’t your father.  I’ve went to some of the places that the one who was raising you went.  I found out where he took you from.”

“Took me?  I was stolen?  Kidnapped?”

Hethurin frowned, “Sort of, yes.  Actually, you weren’t supposed to live.  You wound up with a blanket wrapped over your face in your crib at night.  You were already dead in the first reality he visited.  He took the that version of you and left him here in this reality, where he kidnapped you before you could die from it.  You’re my brother.  You’re from this reality.  This is where you belong, sort of.  You’re in the wrong time, but there’s not much to do about that.  If I take you back, and our parents accept that you really are the son they buried, then I won’t be born.  If I’m not born, then I can’t take you back.  That would create a time anomaly, and that’s a really bad thing.  Or I could take you back and they would reject you, then you would have no one to take care of you and send you to school.  It’s best if you stay in this time.”

Vaildor frowned, “But no one will believe that.  No one believes me now.  Even Aunt Lani thinks–” he paused, “She’s my sister.”

Hethurin nodded.

“Can I meet everyone?”

“Yes, eventually, but as you said, no one will believe it.  I’ve decided to go along with what Lani already thinks.”

“She thinks you’re my father, but you won’t say it.”

Hethurin scrunched up his nose.  He hated that people would think that he’d actually do something like that, but he did feel partially responsible for what happened to Vaildor, even if it wasn’t actually him.  He saw it happen.  He did nothing to stop it, though Renner would have had a fit if he had tried.  Still, there was that guilt of seeing something happen and not stopping it.  “You’re my brother, and I want you to be part of the family.  I think telling everyone the truth will be the difficult way of going about that, and may never work.  Our parents buried a baby that looked just like you because he was you, just from another reality.  It’ll be easier if they think I had some experience with a girl, and you’re the product of that.”

Vaildor frowned, but nodded.

“I need you to be able to play along with it.  Let Lani continue to think you hit your head and don’t remember your mother.”

“Can I meet my real mother?”

Hethurin twitched an ear.  “You don’t really want to, trust me, but we can arrange it.  For now, do your work on your writing.  I’ll go find Lani and tell her that I’m your father.”

Vaildor frowned, but nodded again.

Hethurin stood and teleported.  He appeared near the work site where they were building the new clinic in town.  Lani had taken an active role in helping to build it.  He found her with the others, building one of the frames with a hammer in her hand.

She looked up as he approached, “Hethurin, hi!  I didn’t expect to see you here.  Don’t you have classes to teach?”

“Not on weekends.  I’m usually around to help if they need it for practice, but I wanted to talk to you.  Do you have some time now?”

Lani put the hammer down, and started walking away from the others with Hethurin, “I do.  What is it?”

Hethurin hesitated.  Once he said what he was about to say, he’d have to tell everyone else the same thing.  There wasn’t going to be any way to go back on it.  He took a deep breath, then said, “I’m Vaildor’s father.”

“You are?  And where was he born?”

“Silvermoon.”

“Who is his mother?”

“A girl I met at the library.”

“Did you know she got pregnant?”

“No, I just met her that once.”

Lani looked at him, her brow raised, “Then how is his name Vaildor Lightmist?”

“I lied and told her my name was Vaildor.  She must have wanted to name him after me because he looks like me, or something.”

“Where is his mother now?”

“She’s gone.”

“Gone how?”

“Oh, umm, she said she was dying, so she’s probably gone.”

“What was her name?”

Hethurin shrugged, “She didn’t say.”

Lanthiriel frowned, “So his name is Vaildor Lightmist, and he was born in Silvermoon city, but you don’t remember his mother’s name, nor does he.”

“That’s right.” Hethurin nodded.

“You’re lying.”

“No.  I’m not.”

She glared at him.  “Sanimir Lightmist, if you know the truth about him, light help me, you better tell me.  He’s a sweet boy and he doesn’t deserve to be tossed around from home to home like this.  I want to officially adopt him, but I can’t until I can prove his parents are gone or he’s abandoned.  I wrote to the spire.  There is only one record of a Vaildor Lightmist ever living in Silvermoon, and that was 127 years ago.  Who is he really?”

Hethurin was jarred from the use of his real name, and her tone.  She was angry, and perhaps, rightfully so.  “He’s really Vaildor Lightmist.”

“But what is the name that I should be looking for in the records?”

Hethurin paused before mumbling, “Vaildor Lightmist.  He’s our brother.”

She blinked at him.  “I’m serious.”

“So am I.” Hethurin frowned.  This hadn’t gone the way he had planned.  “I should get back to the school.”  He quickly teleported before Lani could say anything more.

Lanthiriel’s Diary

Dear Diary,

A lot has happened again.  First of all, I went into town today, as I have been recently, to oversee the construction of the building.  I picked up my mail and there was a letter from the spire.  I wasn’t expecting a reply so soon.  I opened it right then, not thinking that maybe I should get Vaildor settled somewhere first to work on his lessons.  So of course he asked what it was, then he asked what it said.  I wound up having to tell him that there was no record of him in Silvermoon.  The only Vaildor Lightmist they have on record died 127 years ago when he was only a couple of months old.  So we’re still no closer to finding out who his mother is, or I guess, who he even is.  He still swears he’s from another reality and maybe they have a record of him there.  Well, even if that’s true, I don’t know how to get to it.  I can’t formally adopt him if there’s a possibility that his parents are still around somewhere and want him back.  I need to be able to prove that he’s an orphan or has been abandoned.  I still think Hethurin might be his father, but he still refuses to acknowledge that.  They look so much alike though.  It can’t be coincidence.

Anyway, finding out that he officially didn’t exist upset Vaildor.  I suppose I can understand that.  I’d be upset as well if I found out there was no record of me, and it did upset me that there was no record of him.  I was really hoping it would be that simple.  I suppose it’s time to talk to Hethurin again and see if he’s more willing to talk about where Vaildor really came from.

It was raining lightly this morning so I set Vaildor up with his books to study from at the inn.  They wanted me to pay for the spot he was using at the table!  I would have argued, but I hadn’t spoke with the builders yet, and I needed to do that.  I made sure the price came with glasses of water and told Vaildor I’d be back around noon.  Thankfully, he was able to finish his work today.

The building is coming along well.  Today, I spoke with Ethirdir about adding more rooms, and he said it could be done.  It was good that I asked now.  He’s going to meet with the builder who made the blueprint about adding more rooms in the back.  It’ll be like the house in Silvermoon, though, I think, a bit smaller, but bigger than where I live now.  I think the Confessor intends to ask to marry me.  We spoke a bit about it last night.  Apparently, Vaildor told him some things while they were shopping in Silvermoon, and to be fair, I didn’t tell him not to repeat, so he knows I’m interested now.

Anyway, I think he would prefer to live in town, and honestly, it would be good for both of us to be where our patients can find us easily if we’re needed.  It still seems a little strange to talk about.  I think I love him.  I don’t really know because I’ve never been in love like that before.  I was really sad to think he might not feel the same, but now I’m really excited to think he might be talking to my father about marrying me.

He did seem concerned that I wouldn’t want to do anything after we got married.  I don’t know where he got that idea.  I do want to, but only with my husband.  If we’re married, then he’ll be my husband and we’ll be able to do things like that.  I’ve been reading the book again, and it’s really difficult to wait sometimes.  I watch other people moving in together without marriage first, and it makes me doubt whether I’m right or not.  If everyone learns we should be pure until marriage, then why does no one actually wait?

I told him that he’s attractive.  I think he thought I meant only physically, which he is, but he’s attractive in other ways too.