If you jump, I’ll follow

When her howl faded and the silence found them again, the pale woman let herself settle onto her haunches to wait. She could feel her son shifting nervously at her side and she had to admit she was anxious as well. She was nervous over how she was going to be received after all this time and while they waited she began trying to piece together what she could say to explain herself. None of it felt right and in the end she knew all she could do was tell the truth.

Baine had half expected to see her brother’s large, red form come into view, but instead came a beautiful, softly glowing woman that Baine hardly recognized as her niece. If it hadn’t been for her addressing her as “aintín” and how similar her scent was to Regulus’, Baine may not have guessed it on her own. She blinked with surprise, but a soft smile still pulled at her lips. ”Aurielle. D’fhás tú an oiread sin,” (Aurielle. You've grown up so much,) she replied in greeting even though the language didn’t fall from her lips nearly as beautifully as it did from her niece’s. It was a skill she hadn’t kept up with over the last few years, but it came back fairly easily all the same.

The questions over her return and disappearance began far quicker than she had been prepared for, but she understood the purpose. She knew that redemption was earned, not just given. ”Níl ach maireachtáil ach tá eagla orm. Tháinig mé chun leithscéal a ghabháil le Regulus sula rithim as am. Chomh maith leis sin ...” (Only just living I'm afraid. I've come to apologize to Regulus before I run out of time. Also...) Baine paused, knowing that Nolan would not be able to understand most of what she was saying and knowing this might be the only time she could tell Aurielle one of the main reasons why she had come without him knowing. “Níl mé ag iarraidh go mbeadh a fhios aige faoi seo, ach theastaigh uaim cuidiú leis teach a fháil sula n-éireoidh liom. Ní raibh mé ag iarraidh go mbeadh sé ina aonar.” (I don’t want him to know this, but I wanted to help him find a home before I pass. I didn’t want him to be alone.) It wasn’t that she minded him knowing that she worried about him - she was his mother, she was supposed to worry for him. She just didn’t want him to think that she believed he wouldn’t be able to live on his own. He could do that perfectly well. He was a strong, smart young man. She just wanted better for him than she had done for herself.

Letting the old language rest for a moment so she could bring Nolan into the conversation, she added, “Aurielle, this is my son Nolan.” She glanced up at him with a smile. He was and would always be her only son and the pride she had in him radiated from her in a way that surely embarrassed him, but she couldn’t care less. “Nolan, this is Regulus’ daughter, your cousin.” She looked to the shimmering, regal young woman both curious and hopeful as she asked, ”Is Regulus here?”