Chapter 359: Encouragement

Words : 1782 Updated : Oct 13th, 2025

Chapter 359: Encouragement “Hey, are you alright?” Aila startled, her blank expression dropping for a moment as she seemed to realize she wasn’t alone in just that moment. Glancing up at Jay, she gave a thin smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yes, I’m fine. Do you think we have time to stop by the market before we return to the temple? I was checking our travel supplies and there are a few items we are running low on. Might as well replenish our stocks while we’re out.” Jay frowned as she ignored the obvious subject change. An open street in Eldingholt wasn’t the best place for a private conversation, especially when her unwanted guards were so close by, but from what she could see it didn’t look like it could wait. Using her Dys and Syd selves to put a little distance between the guards and Aila, Jay stepped closer to Aila so she could talk quietly as they walked. “You aren’t fine, Blue. What happened? What did your mother talk to you about while you two were alone?” Aila’s expression remained cool, though she didn’t answer right away. Jadis gave her time to think, not pushing for an immediate response, but not letting it go, either. When Aila did speak, she did so in calm, measured tones. “She wasn’t happy,” she spoke quietly. “She was upset that I hadn’t communicated all the details of our... exploits. Actually, she was more than upset. She was furious.” “I can understand her concern,” Jay murmured, the frown still on her face. “She’s your mother. I’m sure she doesn’t like the idea of you being in any kind of danger.” “She really doesn’t,” Aila almost laughed. “It was such a fight just to get her to agree to let me go with my uncles. Now... now she’s even less willing to accept things.” Aila looked up at Jay, her cool expression falling away completely as she frowned mournfully. Her voice spiked with emotion, barely contained as throat tightened with emotion. “She wants me to leave you. She wants me to leave everything and come back to Red Tree where its safe.” The idea of Aila leaving caused a red-hot spike of anger to surge inside of Jadis, so sudden and so fierce that it nearly made her gasp. She quickly released that anger, letting it slide away and off her mind as it had no place in the situation. Getting upset wasn’t going to help Aila. She needed to think clearly, especially if her cool and logical mistress of magic was having trouble doing so. If Aila was having trouble keeping calm, then Jadis would be the calm one for her. “You’re an adult,” Jay pointed out, speaking in the slow, precise way Aila normally did. “She can’t force you to go back with her if you don’t want to.” “No, she can’t,” Aila agreed as she shook her head. “I don’t have to go back. But it’s hard. It’s hard to hear her beg me to return and not... And not listen...” “She loves you,” Jay spoke as Aila fell silently. “She wants what’s best for you. But she can’t take the choice away from you. That’s never best for anyone. You have to have a choice. You’re a grown woman with your own life, your own ambitions and desires and dreams. She can’t decide what’s best for you. She raised you, she taught you, she gave you the best advice she could have given. But now you’re an adult. You have to decide what you want. And if she can’t accept that, well, that’s just the way it’s going to be.” Aila was silent for a long time as they continued walking. Slowly, she leaned in close so that her side was pressed up against Jay. Pulling her in a little closer, Jay put her hand around Aila’s shoulder, supporting her. “It’s easy to say all that,” Aila finally said, the cold air turning her breath to mist. “It’s a lot harder to act on.” “Always is,” Jay agreed. “Just like with anything.” “If mother won’t listen, she can’t stop me from doing anything,” Aila spoke quietly enough that Jay almost couldn’t hear her. “But I don’t want her to not be in my life.” “She’ll come around,” Jay did her best to try and reassure her. “Hopefully she’ll see what a great family you’re a part of and that’ll wipe away all her doubts about your safety.” Aila shuddered, a pained bark of laughter proceeding her words. “Gods, she’s going to meet Kerr. And she’ll meet Alex, too. She might throw me over her shoulder and carry me back to Red Tree on foot.” “She could try,” Jay mused lightly. “I don’t think she’d get very far. Not unless she has a lot of points put into Strength. You probably weigh twice as much as she does, considering the height difference—hey!” Aila shook her hand after having given Jay a hard smack, the blow probably having hurt her more than Jay. “You have no idea what class my mother has,” she pointed out with false crossness. “She might have one perfectly suited for kidnapping daughters.” “What happened under what table?” Bridget asked, unfamiliar with the scandalous event Aila was referencing. “Never you mind,” Aila said as her face reddened. “It’s not important because there will not be a repeat. Understand?” “Sure, sure,” Kerr agreed without sounding particularly sincere. “I promise my hands and my mouth will stay firmly above the table.” That wasn’t the most reassuring of promises coming from Kerr, but Aila didn’t seem willing to press the matter. They didn’t have the time for any further debate, anyway. They all needed to get moving if they were going to make it to the restaurant on time. Jadis took a moment to look over her three selves, needing no mirror to do so. Her bodies wore even fancier tunics than the ones she’d been given by the temple so far, these ones a rich blue color with silver trimming. Her selves also wore dress coats in a fashion that reminded Jadis of the military suits that Vraekae favored, though these weren’t quite so severe. The outfit was a test run for what she’d be wearing to the ball Eir’s parents had arranged, and so far Jadis liked the feel. Sweeping her gazes across her girls, Jadis was happy to say that everyone looked gorgeous. Aila and Kerr had both gone with dress suits in a similar style to Jadis, though Aila’s was red and Kerr’s was green. Eir had gone with a dress that hugged her curves in ways that stirred Jadis’ interest, but the gown was far from inappropriate. Eir simply wore the outfit well, giving her a naturally regal look. Thea had gone with an actual military suit that bore the white and blue colors of the empire, one that denoted her previous employee in the army. Sabina and Bridget had both worn dresses, though to Jadis’ surprise they were of a different style from the ones she had seen most other women in the empire wear. Sabina had on a dress that almost looked like a toga, leaving one shoulder bear, and with lots of folds in the fabric. Bridget’s dress looked more like something Jadis had seen in medieval picture books; dark blue in color, the dress had a square neckline and a belt that hung one long end down her front. No massive sleeves though, at least. Sorcha’s dress was a cross between Eir’s and Bridget’s, the main difference being that while she had a tight skirt like Eir, her bodice was a lace-up design that pushed up her breasts to enhance her cleavage. As for Alex... “Alex, promise me, you will keep these clothes on until we get back, alright?” Dys pleaded with the disgruntled Demon. “It’s polite to keep your clothes on when in public.” Alex squirmed, the backless dress she’d been given a mix of blacks and blues that matched her coloring. It was the most fabric Jadis had ever managed to get the Demon to wear at once and Alex was not happy about it. “Pointless...” Alex complained as her fingers picked at the material. “I promise you, it isn’t pointless,” Dys sighed. “It’s about making a good impression. We want Aila’s parents to like you. They won’t like it if you sit down at the table in the nude.” “Well, Aila’s father might like it, but that’ll just cause more problems,” Sabina joked nervously, then quickly shut her mouth when she saw the look Aila gave her. “Promise me, okay?” Dys insisted as she took Alex’s smaller hands in hers. Alex frowned, a purposefully action on her part since facial expressions took effort for her, but she slowly nodded her head. “I Promise...” “Okay, are we ready to go?” Aila called out after hearing Alex make her promise. “Everyone have their coats?” A chorus of affirmatives echoed in the room, though Jadis had to voice a negative as she realized she’d forgotten one part of her outfit. “Almost forgot about these,” Jay said as she opened up the jewelry box to reveal the necklaces she’d been given by the jewelers Nedrick and Olga. “I think this occasion is special enough to justify a little sparkle.” As Jadis slipped the necklaces on, Aila frowned and asked a question. “Did you get them checked yet? By a high priest?” “Jadis did arrange for all of the items she had been given during the temple greeting event to be checked. I did so myself with High Priest Aimery’s assistance,” Eir chimed in. “We found nothing amiss with them or any of the other items that Jadis brought back.” “Good,” Aila nodded in appreciation. “I can be responsible,” Jay grinned at Aila. “Sometimes.” “And if we want to keep being responsible,” Dys said, “then we need to get our coats on and go! We have a curfew to contend with so we definitely don’t want to be late for dinner.” “My lady?” Syd asked as she offered Aila an arm. The height difference made it somewhat awkward, but Aila made it work as she placed her hand on Syd’s arm. With a deep sigh, Aila nodded her head. “Let’s go and make our second round of introductions.”

Chapter 359: Encouragement

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