Paulette followed Devon through the small orchard they had, all the way to the giant and ancient apple tree at the very end. Paulette stopped and a tear ran down her cheek when she saw the gravestone at the base. She swallowed, though her throat suddenly felt hot and dry, and kneeled in front of the gravestone. The marble slab was smooth, and she placed her hand on the slab as she leaned forward, resting her forehead against the cool stone. Devon squatted next to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. The two sat quietly, the cacophony of the nighttime animals soothing to their aching souls. After a few minutes and many deep breaths, Paulette leaned back and sat cross legged in front of the slab. She read the inscription, a sad smile coming to her face. As she read, Devon opened the wine bottle and placed it on the ledge at the base of the slab. The two sat and stared at it. The inscription read:

Here lies the souls whose bravery and determination knew no bounds. 

Though their life was short and they met tragic ends, 

The inspiration they gave to those around them

And the love and hope they fostered 

Will forever remain in our hearts and minds.

Raise a bottle to our fallen heroes.

May we forever celebrate their souls and deeds, and

May their names echo forever across this land.

Paulette grabbed the wine bottle, and poured a glass worth onto the stone and took a swig herself, passing it to Devon afterwards. After he took a drink she curled her knees up to her chin. “Ah really miss him, ye ken?” 

“I miss him too Pawly. Everyday I think about him, and it's like a thorn in my heart that'll never go away.” 

“D'ye reckon he can see this stane, an' us for that matter?” 

“I don't know Pawly. Maybe? I used to pray to the gods everyday when we were traveling, but now my soul’s just too tired.”

“Whan did ye pit this slab here?”

“I started about a week or so after you arrived and I finished about a week ago. Soleia wanted something for all of us to remember Remiel, and something for you to remember him and all the others you've lost.”

“Ah've said it afore an' ah'll say it again. Ye're sweeter than cranachan right efter the harvest”

Devon laughed and Paulette chuckled as well. The two sat next to each other and Devon leaned on Paulette's arm. The two talked for a few more hours before heading back. Soleia was fast asleep when Devon entered their bedroom, but there was a little note on one of the bedside tables. It asked how it had gone. And how Paulette had reacted. Devon chuckled and quickly wrote her a reply before settling into bed. Soleia instinctively turned and cuddled Devon, her breath deep and quiet. Devon fell deep asleep, and a soft smile on his face. Paulette laid in the bed in her room and stared up at the ceiling with a blank look. While she normally held her head high and her heart in good spirits, it was hard at times to mask the deep sadness she felt. 

It was a heavy weight that spread throughout her body and made her feel as though she could sink into the ground. At times her heart felt as though a hand were squeezing it until it almost burst. At other times, there was this empty numbness that spread through her whale body, and the world was just gray and lifeless. She sighed, and as Paulette wallowed in her pit of despair, she remembered Saira, and the promise and hope that the pipsqueak gave her was enough to lift her temporarily out of the pit and into a deep sleep. She smiled before passing out and snoring the night away.

The next day, Saira quickly eyed her father and Paulette with a raised eyebrow before chowing down on her breakfast. Paulette wanted to ensure that Saira was trained to her fullest potential, so she made sure her plate always had ample fruits, veggies, and most importantly - protein. Even though it came out of Paulette's endless pocketbook, she knew all the money that was spent was worth it. After just three months of training, Saira had shot up like a bean sprout, and she now had some muscle mass to match her indomitable strength. Paulette smiled and ruffled Saira’s hair before going outside to help Soleia. Now that fall was approaching, she needed to reorganize training to account for the fall harvest. Paulette thought to herself “Aye, that lassie will bide through it” before humming her way through the laundry.

Gabriel was quite proud of its new bond, who showed great determination and skill. The spirit and Saira spoke often in between training and at sunrise and sunset. Saira had become like a daughter to it, and Gabriel would praise her when she succeeded and coach her when she failed. By the time the fall winds had made themselves known and the air was crisp and cool, Saira had finally gotten the hang of controlling her aura. She could control how much aura she exerted, and she could increase or decrease it on command. She usually only had such control for about five minutes, but the feat in and of itself was something she very much enjoyed. 

Look, Gabriel! Saira took a deep breath and very carefully sent a small amount of aura through the wooden sword she was holding. There was a devilish grin on her face when the sword didn't explode right away, and Saira laughed maniacally. The pure joy and electric feeling she felt when her aura coursed through her body at lighting speed was exhilarating. Saira’s eye lit up, and a mischievous smile spread from cheek to cheek. She carefully started to raise the sword. The effect of channeling aura through a sword, especially when it was heavily controlled, was like trying to lift a thousand pounds in the form of a shortsword. Sweat dripped down her face a little as she concentrated, but just as she got the sword to point at a forty five degree angle, a bunny rustled through the underbrush and she lost her concentration, a burst of energy exploding from the sword and flying towards a nearby tree. The tree shortly became a stump, and Paulette walked around the stump with her hair slightly singed. Paulette had a pitcher of lemonade and a sour expression on her face.

Uh oh. Looks like someone was caught not following their training…

Oh shut up. You know I almost got it. If that dang bunny didn't make so much noise I woulda had it.

Saira’s whining was cut short by a very angry Paulette looming over her. Saira gulped and quickly shut her mouth when she saw the raised eyebrow. She plopped to the ground and sighed, ready for another scolding. Saira glanced at the two other stumps that were rapidly regrowing thanks to her mother’s magic. Paulette leaned down and grabbed the back of Saira’s shirt, and hoisted her up to eye level. She glared deeply into Saira’s eyes, to which Saira looked away guilty. “How many times dae ah need tae say it? When ye're usin' the aura in yer sword, ah need tae be there. Whit if ah was beside or in front o' the tree an' ye didnae notice? Whit if yer ma or da were in the area an' ye missed the tree an' hit them?” Pauletts voice rose with each word and the anger in her voice was apparent. Saira struggled to keep eye contact and the guilt gnawed at her. She knew that Paulette was supposed to be there to put up a magical shield, and she knew it wasn't safe to practice certain kinds of training without her instructor, but she was so excited about her progress and eager. 

“I-i-i-i just wa-wa-wanted to try out what you taught me. I-i-i-i was s-s-s-s-so excited and I di-didn't think about the consequences…” The last few words Saira practically muttered, and Paulette’s eyes flared when she heard them. “Och? So ye didnae consider the consequences, did ye? Ye didnae think aboot the responsibility ye've got. That very responsibility ye're so proud o’. Did ye honestly think ye could just wave your sword aboot willy-nilly? Dae ye hav' any idea o' the power ye hold” Paulette practically shouted at Saira before tossing her down. She huffed and walked over to the tree stump, her arms crossed. Paulette's voice was cold and sharp, and Saira hung her head with shame. Paulette let out a big sigh, and in a softer tone said “A've telt ye ower an ower. Ye need tae get intae the habit o' listenin’. Ah'm sorry if ah'm bein’ a bit harsh, but ye need tae learn tae separate whit’s light an’ whit’s heavy. Tak responsibility fur yer actions and stick tae it. Noo, ah might be a wee bit pissed, but ah'm also a wee bit impressed. Go an’ hae yer lemonade, an’ we kin start trainin’ fur the day."

Saira solemnly nodded and drank a glass, the sour drink burning down her throat. Paulette came over and hugged the girl and gently wiped the tears off her face. Saira sniffled a few times before getting up to start her stretches.

Well that was an outburst for the ages.

I deserved it. 

That's true, but ive also not seen her that angry in a long time. She really cares about you Saira.

Whatever you say, Gabriel.

Learn to take what she says with a grain of salt and focus. You’ll hear praise when she criticizes and care when she seems cold or distant. Paulette has lived a long and very difficult life, my child.

Saira continued warming up and stretching and she and her instructor spent the majority of the sunlit hours training. They skipped the sword skills part, and Saira spent nearly two hours just focusing on controlling her aura. Paulette stood off to the side, her hands on her hips, scrutinizing Saira the whole time. When she was satisfied, she gave a contented grunt and Saira relaxed. “Learn tae keep yer aura under control when ye're relaxed, an' maybe I'll let ye channel it again. Until then, it's back tae square one, an' ye can bet it'll be even tougher gaun forward.” Saira nodded, and the two headed back inside. Paulette looked back at the stump, a small shoot tenderly emerging from the center. She turned back and ushered Saira inside. She was going to need to build a better training area, one that would be as indestructible as possible. And she'll need a mage. The rest of the family retired to bed, but before Paulette tucked in she attached a small rolled up note to the leg of the hawk perched on her windowsill. With the full moon high in the sky, Paulette and Saira fell asleep, determination brewing in their hearts.