Chapter 12:

Chapter 12: A loved home is a well defended one.


The Empire of Ten Million Suns has lived for Fifty Million years. During that time it has waxed and waned, our people either spreading to multiple galaxies where even now some live and it had contracted until all of the Wheel but certain passages of the Webway were empty of Eldar life.

We always rebuilt and grew stronger for it, this time would be no different. If I repeated it to myself perhaps I would start to believe it.

Never in our history have our own people been our greatest foe. Wars come and go between princes, planets burned and were restored and the mad and the foolish allowed to live and leave only to be killed off by some threat or another or brought back into the fold generations later. We've never had to contend with our civilization devouring itself.

A clearer example could not be found than when looking at the four souls I once again managed to convince my husband to assist. He loves to pretend I impose on him when all he would have to do was deny me once and I would cease forever.

He used to be like them, a broken soul of a broken home, son of a broken house of a broken empire. I love him still for he brings me joy. When I am forced to see an empire eat itself alive and beg for more, the one thing that allows me to continue watching its inheritors for one more day is the knowledge that a warm home awaits me when I return and that he is there to wait for me in it for my home is warm and lovely and safe because my husband stands in it.

My home is full of joy, the songs of my children echo through it and those echoes grow stronger as I cajole and trick them into returning every few decades to visit their tired old mother and passionate father.

I have lived for 28.346 years, my parents had died of old age, the bones of my grandparents are now dust if they had not turned to rock, my husband is less than a tenth my age and yet he still managed to give me a home worth living in and thus turned a spectre into a woman and a guardian into a mother and blushing wife.

I am all of that still and more for I love my husband, I love my children and their children and I love my princess and my world that have given me such treasures. It is why I do what I do, why I grant broken things my favor and do so while defending what I love.

I did so once and was made a mother and a wife. I am now greedy for more, for I have tasted the sweetest of fruits kindness can provide and like all my kin I now crave more, for I could any day give up my duty and spend the rest of my life patrolling the Webway or the Void between the Stars but as my empire craves for more as it dies so do I crave for more of that which my husband gave me.

Now the two of us help the broken things that come to my home, so that perhaps one day they may give back more. Three of those I helped have given me grandchildren. Some of the children of the others are set to give me great grandchildren if my husband and I can trick their children and grandchildren into falling in love with our descendants.

I considered the four souls and two minds before me as my husband proceeded to work that which I can only describe as magic for with a few kind words and a stew we forged together he turns four broken things less so.

I miss my children, it's been five years since the last of them left, and two before that when they had come to visit. That will change, and perhaps I can convince young Bessar to marry my fourth child? They are of similar age and the poor girl needs her mother to speak with any who had not earned her trust.

I focused back on them, my husband had just managed to earn their name as they complimented our dwelling and my husband's work.

'That's it, the boy is marrying one of my children or their children.'

It's so rare to find polite young men that appreciated the power of love, it would not do to have him be taken by some crone that would suck all joy from his soul or his loins.

I sang kisses to my husband as their conversation continued and he pried all their juicy secrets for me to know. I would do my part in time, but for now my husband must set his poor wife's stage for her.

"Would you mind telling me the name of the world you have been born from?" He asked kindly as I refilled our bowls.

I made enough for ten sittings for each and I am secretly making more to keep them here.

They owe us plenty of words for their food and I will make sure they get further into debt so we learn more!

"We have not heard its name spoken in the language of the prince so we cannot say it properly and translate from soul-song into speech but it translates in the common tongue to 'World of shimmering lakes and Third most Beautiful Sunrise'." The oldest of the two said.

"I know that world, I have helped a young man from that world 283 years ago." I replied.

My husband was annoyed as I showered him in kisses again.

'They won't work for much longer if you keep abusing.'

Silly man, heartfelt kisses always work.

This seemed to make the young ones think.

"Was he a short man with blue hair that liked to color his teeth pink?" Asked the older of three bodies.

"Hmm, let me recall, I remember the blue hair but he was tall when I last saw him, taller than your older brother still who is a tall young man."
I tried to recall something else about the man in question, it was obvious they did not trust me, but the man did exist… well technically it was a woman last I saw her but he was a man when we met.

"Yes, he had this interesting phrase, One sword one word, he would say before he became as woman and gave birth. She stopped afterwards but never told me what it meant before she died on her trip to her mother in law."

"We know of him, our father spoke of him as our older brother but he left home long before he found us." The older sibling said.

He did not chastise his sibling or stop him from speaking but it was quite obvious that of the two minds, his was geared towards speech more and the other seemed to realize it as well as it realized it lost ground it did not have to.

A strange quirk for a thrice blessed of Khaine to possess, even if he wasn't one of his faithful or priests.

"Do you know what it meant? He never did tell me, despite me being the one that set him up with one of my friends' cousins." A small step back as I repositioned for a better shot.

Soon my prey will reposition itself into my home, his own blushing wife giving me the news that I will have more grandchildren.

"No I'm sorry, all we know of him is his appearance and the fact that father sensed that he died in some Webway war. Would you be willing to introduce us to her family to pay our respects and bring gifts?" The boy continued as he lost even more ground to humor his sibling.

"Yes I do keep in contact with her son, he works as a Webway Guardian, but you have not met him as he works in another city to be closer to his home and family."

I offered joyfully. They even had family, no matter how distant on this world. The day just keeps getting better!

"We will naturally help you get in touch, family is important but before of that we do need to discuss your sleeping arrangements." My husband offered, saving my prey from my embrace.

I did not pout, despite my husband's amusement singing back at me.

My vengeance will be swift, it will be merciless… sweet kisses were sang to me as I was embraced deep within my soul and I swooned in love like the blushing maiden I was.

Where were we? Yes finding the broken things a home. The older brother can't marry my daughter without a home! I would be a laughing stock if I gave my daughter's hand in marriage to a vagrant!

"We are not familiar with the means of procuring a home. We had lived all our lives in an Orphanage and spent some months trying to sneak through the city and occupied empty dwellings as our own on our way to the Webway, where we had our encounter with the Mask that Sings."

Yes, lose more ground, ask for more so that I can give you more until you are family and grant me a bigger family. Fail, stumble and accept the hand of my daughter to lift you up!

"Do not worry about that young man, this is how it mostly works here as well, we have some small dwellings for travelers and residents seeking refuge until they build their own homes to raise families in, I'll show you today so you can celebrate your younger siblings birthday."

"I thank you Gua Bis, we are in your debt." He said and I celebrated in glee.

A gathering of power, a dark thought, scream of dark and pink.

My guests were spooked, my son awaked from his nightmare.

' They've been getting more common, and the dream catchers keeps on failing.' I sent to my husband.

Our youngest had Lileath's gift of prophecy and a strong variant at that. No dream catcher I could bargain for seemed to help. Even the latest one only lasted three nights before falling. I doubt it could be salvaged.

"I am sorry for that, our son has a rather strong blessing and the dreamcatchers keep on falling." I said as my husband went to calm our youngest.

He always wept blood when he saw me after a nightmare.

"It is no issue, I have had bad dreams myself, if you want we can weave a Murder Dream Charm on his room as it might help." the older body offered.

I stood and considered it. To waste a favor on a solution unlikely to grant more than a day of peaceful rest to my son?

I didn't need to think long, I'd give a thousand if it helped my boy and he stopped weeping blood when I tried to hug him.

"I would consider myself in your debt if it gave him but a day of peaceful rest. It has been a year since he had more than five consecutive ones and he is only 30."

The four siblings looked at each other.

"We will need some blood to attune the enchant to yourself so that you may refill it when it runs dry." The very kind older brother asked.

Hmm, how do I rip out my heart and not leave a mess? It has plenty.

"A few drops will do." The youngest triplet said.

"Oh, I will take you to his room and introduce you. Please follow me."

I went as we went from the ground floor to the first, his room exactly in the middle of it so that the rest of us might catch some of his visions before the dream catcher was overwhelmed.

I knocked at the door and sang to my love.
"May I come in? Our guests wish to try and provide some help to our son. They offer a favor if it can give him a night's rest."

I will give far more if their option lasts longer than the dream catchers.

I waited for twenty heartbeats.

"He will not weep as he sees you now."

I took that as invitation to come in. The door opened and I rushed to hug my boy.

He did not resist me as he trembled. He wept in water and not dark blood. I sent him sweet kisses and gave him hugs as I tried to ease his suffering.

"What is your solution exactly? And why does it requite my blood?" I asked the two minds as my son relaxed.

His red eyes turned towards our guests.

"Son, meet our guests, Bessar, Guraith, Marsa and Aesan. Guests this is our son Lestean Bairu."

"Greetings honored guests, mother please I'm fine now I need to greet our guests properly, especially if they offer help." My little ruby said.

I acquiesced but not before giving him a few kisses.

"Well met young man, but it is not necessary to rise, we know how bad sleep can affect one, my brother Guraith had gone through quite a lot of it himself which led me to develop my enchantment to help him sleep. Please rest while we work, we will need the walls to be empty." The older brother said and my son stood back down in my embrace.

All furniture, posters, broken dream catchers and prayers did not have the time to burn under my wrath, the failed things died with prejudice as I gave my guests the chance to help.

The three bodies started working preparing the walls, making measurements and singing Wraithbone into string.

"The solution, if you could call it such is that which I traded my birthright for, which is the swing of a blade. The Murder Dream Charm does the same. It swings a blade that kills dreams as opposed to catching them. It does not work with the essence of those who sleep for the sleeping cannot protect themselves, so it needs the energy of someone other than those who defend it even if they sleep as well."

"How does it work?" My husband asked as my son looked hopefully at them.

"Simply, the dreams come to haunt one, they try to sneak through your nets and overwhelm them with the doom that approaches. The Murder Dream Charm does not bother with captives it just cuts anything that dares approach."

"Will it prevent communications and song?"

"If they are inside the room as they do so no. From outside only the protectors song can be heard for as long as the charm swings."

"Limitations?"

"The blessings of Khaine are needed to make repairs and those that do them need to know how to make it from scratch as well and if it loses all energy it will need them. Normally a single small tablet of wraithbone would do, but we will fill the walls and ceiling to ensure it lasts for at least a few days so you have time to recharge it."

"Could you do so for the entire house?" I asked.

They stopped and thought an unseen conversation going between siblings. Eventually the older brother spoke its result.

"Technically yes, practically no. We need the blood of both the protected and the protector to do so" "Not a problem." "It will only protect the one it is meant to do so to." "Not an issue, he is the only one to have these issues." "And if any but the protected and protector sleep in the area covered by the charm the sword will swing for them."

We stopped. We were willing to take the risk for ourselves, we are old and can defend ourselves even in sleep. Our children can't, nor can we make repairs if the sword continues to swing until exhaustion.

"We can make it for two rooms, each separate, energy will only be depleted if he sleeps in the room. We can key each to you so you have a backup in case one of you is not available to refill it and the charm is on its last legs, we don't know how to allow for multiple protectors."

"Please do so." I asked as I continued to send kisses and well wished to my baby.

"Also, I have a nephew with the blessing of Khaine, would you be willing to take him as an apprentice to learn how to make it if it proves successful?" I asked

The four siblings exchanged songs again as I gave favors like they were air.

That's what they are for after all.

"Yes, it should take them two years to learn or perhaps a year if they are more talented. This should also be enough for my injuries to fully heal and to prepare for our departure." The older brother said and I felt my heart crack a little.

No matter it will heal and they have given me enough.

I nodded at that, if it worked I will help them pack and find whatever they need.

The four continued the work. Two hours later the walls and ceiling were filled with Wraithbone string in complex forms I did not understand that spoke in a language I had no point of reference for.

"Done young Lestean, please provide a few drops of blood where I show you. Which one of you wishes to protect this room?" The oldest sibling asked.

My son rose and did so, then came back to me.

"I will." I offered.

"Please put a few drops at the glowing lines on the ceiling."

I did so.

"Good, everything looks horrible, but it would allow my brother enough energy to sleep for a year based on how much we put on it."

They gave a small tablet with the same runes on it.

"This is the energy control mechanism. You can check the energy consumption and adjust it like this. We have placed it at my brothers' nightmare mode, this should give your son a month of good sleep before you need to recharge it, just pour energy incredibly slowly into this tablet and it will do so. If it requires more for a good night's sleep then we have offered please let us know, we will disassemble it immediately and make it larger to fit multiple rooms, if that is not enough I'm sorry to say but it is beyond us unless you wish to cover the entire floor."

We nodded at that, they were not the only ones we have gone to for help that promised much and delivered little. At least they had the decency to not demand favors for fixing subpar work.

"Please show us the other room so that we may work there as well."

I lifted my son in my arms and showered him in love and hope as we showed our guests the room my husband and I chose. Its walls were just as empty as those of my sons' room courtesy of my husband.

I sent him kisses as we waited and he received his own tablet.

I put my son on his second bed as he fell asleep. I thanked them and offered to find them a home right away so that they may celebrate.

As we left I sang to my husband to ask him its results.

'Five days of sleep.' he sent back.

'Better than the dreamcatchers.' I sang back.

Lets hope my nephew will listen to his new masters and learn well.


AN: Lestean Bairu= rúbaí léirsteanach- insightful ruby.