Chapter 15 – Family Meeting

Chapter 15 – Family Meeting

 

Liria reached behind the carved back of her chair, feeling along the polished living wood in search of the small body tucked behind it.

The solar was bright with morning light. Fresh gold spilled through the latticework walls in long, slanting beams, catching on drifting pollen and tiny motes of dust that turned lazily in the air. The room itself had been grown rather than built, its walls and ceiling curved from the pale white wood of the World Tree, smooth as polished bone and faintly luminous from within. Outside, high beyond sight, the endless canopy whispered in the early breeze. Golden leaves rustled like soft chimes.

There was a slight rustling of fabric behind her chair, followed by the sound of someone pressing themselves flatter against the wood.

Her hand met empty air.

“Seris,” Liria called patiently, keeping her tone light, “are you ready now? Haven’t you been hiding for long enough? I would like to introduce you to my siblings.”

From somewhere behind her came a small, aggrieved voice: “Do I have to?”

Liria bit back a smile. “Yes.”

At that, a few expressions shifted around the room.

Her eldest brother Aethon sat in severe stillness, his silver-gold hair falling over one shoulder. Beside him, Seralyth reclined with elegant ease, long fingers idly tracing the rim of her teacup. Thalanor sat upright and silent as carved stone, while Vaelir sprawled with lazy insouciance. Ilyrien had a book open on her lap that she had not turned a page of in the last ten minutes, and Kaerthis, perched near the windows where the fresh morning light touched her hair, looked far too delighted by the entire situation.

No one said anything.

“Please,” Liria said more softly. “I want you to get along. Bear with it for my sake.”

There was a long pause.

Then, with all the grim resignation of a condemned man marching toward the execution block, Seris finally emerged from behind her chair.

His little face was set in a frown so tragic that Kaerthis made a strangled noise that sounded suspiciously like she was trying not to laugh.

Liria held out her arms. “Come here.”

Seris took one wary step forward, then another. But when she reached to lift him into her lap, he flinched back so quickly his heel caught on the leg of the chair.

Liria blinked. “Seris?”

Her younger brother looked deeply conflicted. His gaze flicked from Liria to her older siblings, then back again. His fingers curled into the hem of his tunic.

Finally, in a small voice, he muttered, “I don’t want to hurt you, big sister.”

The room went still.

Seris stole another quick glance at her siblings, as if bracing for judgment, but apart from Ilyrien raising one elegant eyebrow, none of them reacted.

He sagged with relief.

Liria sighed and opened her arms again. “I already told you it’s fine for now, didn’t I? Come here.”

Seris eyed her suspiciously. “Really?”

“Yes, really. Have I ever lied to you?”

“You never told me my touch hurts you,” he accused, a wounded little frown settling onto his face. “That’s lying.”

“No, it isn’t,” Liria said at once, perhaps a touch too quickly. “And I was always going to tell you later, after everything was over. I’ve never lied.”

Seris set his jaws stubbornly, digging his heels in.

“A lie of…” he trailed off, his brows furrowing as he tried to remember the right word.

“… of commission?” he said uncertainly, and Ilyrien immediately corrected him.

“Of omission, child.” Her older sister’s voice was uncharacteristically gentle. “The correct term is: a lie of omission.”

“Thank you, nice lady!” Seris gave Ilyrien a quick bow, then whirled on Liria again, expression fierce: “A lie of omission is still lying! You should have told me!”

“Kid’s right, Liria,” Vaelir chuckled. Then his eyes sharpened: “You should have told all of us.”

“Hn,” said Thalanor.

“We agree,” Seralyth said pleasantly.

Kaerthis nodded at once. “Very much.”

Aethon said nothing, which somehow made his disapproval worse.

“See?” Seris’s expression was triumphant. “Your family agrees with me!”

Seven pairs of eyes focused on her with unnerving intensity, and Liria wilted before the combined pressure.

“But…” Liria hated how childish her voice sounded. “I have a right to my own privacy…”

“No.” Aethon curtly cut her off. “We’re family. You do not get to keep your pain private.”

He levelly held her gaze: “The next time you’re hurt or troubled, we want to know immediately. Not after everything’s over. Not whenever you feel like it. Immediately.”

The room felt warmer all of a sudden. Too warm.

“Please, big sister.” Seris looked up at her with enormous, damp eyes that should have been illegal. “Promise me?”

He looked around the room, taking in her siblings one by one, then amended with solemn importance:

“Promise us?”

Vaelir snorted. “You’re not so bad, kid.”

“Cute,” Kaerthis whispered, pressing a hand to her mouth.

Liria felt her stress climbing. It was good that Seris was getting along with her siblings, but did they have to do it at her expense?

“I do not make promises I’m not certain I can keep,” she hedged. “My promises are not that cheap.”

“Good.” Aethon sternly said. “That’s how it should be. Now promise you’ll confide in us more Liria.”

A brief staring contest followed.

“Fine.” Liria sighed. “I promise I’ll confide in you more.”

She hoped they’d just let it go with this. “More” was vague enough to give her plenty of wiggle room.

Ilyrien gave Liria a thoroughly unimpressed look: “Promise you’ll confide in us immediately whenever you get hurt or get into trouble.”

No such luck.

She tried to at least meet her siblings halfway: “I promise that if I ever get into trouble, I’ll wait no more than three days before confiding in you, barring extenuating circumstances.”

Silence settled between them.

Outside, a breeze moved through the World Tree’s golden canopy with a long sighing hush. Somewhere beyond the walls, a flock of bright-feathered birds cried out and scattered into the light.

Inside, her family looked deeply unimpressed.

Liria folded her arms and lifted her chin. “Take it or leave it.”

The silence stretched.

Then Seralyth, mercifully, set down her teacup with a quiet click.

“We should give Liria some space.”

Liria nearly slumped in relief.

Seralyth offered her a small, amused smile. “You’ve all seen that she can take care of herself.”

Vaelir snorted. “That is not the same thing as being trustworthy with her own wellbeing.”

“It is enough for today,” Seralyth said lightly, though the finality beneath the softness was unmistakable.

Aethon did not look pleased, but after a moment he gave a single curt nod.

Before anyone could reopen the argument, Liria reached for Seris, placed her hands carefully on his shoulders, and turned him to face her siblings.

The child’s spine went rigid under her palms.

“Brothers, sisters,” she said, forcefully dragging the derailed discussion back on-topic. “I’d like to introduce you to my ward, Seris.”

She paused, observing their reactions. It seemed her brothers and sisters were content to let her direct the conversation for now.

“Seris, meet my siblings.” She continued, pointing them out in order, from the eldest to the youngest. “This is Aethon, Seralyth, Thalanor, Vaelir, Ilyrien, and Kaerthis. Say hello.”

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Seris hesitantly bowed. He was still a little shy, but at least the skittish nervousness was gone. Ganging up on her together with her older siblings had been a great bonding experience. Liria wasn’t certain how she should feel about this.

Aethon studied the child in silence.

The morning light from the windows struck the planes of his face and caught in the pale gold of his hair, turning him into something austere and almost statue-like. His gaze, when it rested on Seris, was not unkind. Merely searching.

“So this is the child,” he said at last. “I find it difficult to believe he is the same Lich King from your memories.”

“Because he’s not,” Liria said immediately, sharper than she intended.

Every eye in the room turned to her. She steadied her tone and spoke again, slower this time, each word deliberate.

“Seris is a victim whose body and soul were consumed by the dead god to resurrect itself. He is innocent.”

The room went very quiet.

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Seris twisted in her lap and looked up at her.

“Big sis?” There was no accusation in his voice at first. Only confusion. Then his expression slowly shifted as pieces clicked into place behind those far-too-perceptive eyes. “What haven’t you told me?”

Liria froze.

“You haven’t told the child yet?” Ilyrien clicked her tongue. “That’s irresponsible, Liria.”

“You’re Seris’s guardian now.” Vaelir agreed, for once not smiling. “Do better.”

Liria felt a little resentful. It was good to see them getting along, but why were they all ganging up on her? Did they have any idea how hard it had been for Liria to accept Seris? She knew she was being childish, but…

“Do not be mean to my big sis!” Seris whirled back to face them, his voice so fiercely protective that Liria felt heat rise to her ears.

“Big sis…” the child sounded conflicted for half a beat before rallying: “Big sis must have her reasons!”

Seralyth gave a delighted laugh, soft as wind through silk.

“What beautiful sibling love.” She leaned forward, smiling at him. “But she’s our sibling too, you know that, right Seris?”