Chapter 108 - Changes

Recognising the caller, Elenie answered "Hi Evie, what is it?"  She listened intently for a while, then said "Well, if you think it's important, I'll meet you at the Facility for Myth Legend Lore and Fact." 

As she arrived at the Facility, Elenie wondered what it was that Evenfall wanted to discuss and why it needed to be here rather than at either of their homes.   

As she entered the Facility, Evenfall was waiting inside.  "Elenie, I'm glad you made it, I have a glimmer of hope for you, I've been able to persuade the researchers here to allow us to attempt to use the Pair Dadeni, the ancient cauldron of rebirth, to try and bring back your Ieaun.  I must caution you though, this is not without dangers and there is no guarantee of success.  In most cases the dead are not brought back whole and it is only because both of you have magic that this even stands a chance of working."

Elenie pondered this for a while, but eventually the hope of seeing Ieaun again overcame the fear of what might go wrong and she decided that this was something she had to try.

In the event, it proved that their combined magic was not sufficient to bring Ieaun back fully, but, with Evie's aid, it did return him to some form of life.  Ieaun emerged from the Pair Dadeni caught somewhere between life and death, able to interact with the world but also still partially within the spirit realm. 

As they left the Facility, Elenie reached out to him and, reassured by the fact she could touch him, leaned in to kiss him lightly on the cheek.

"I hope we did the right thing bringing you back my love, and I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to bring you all the way back." 

Ieaun pulled her into his arms and hugged her "Don't fret about it cariad,  it is enough that I can touch you again and be part of the living world, even if I am not fully restored to life.  Let us take this chance we have been given and make the most of it."

From there the two of them mounted their unicorns (who had appeared outside as if they knew they were needed) and rode through the sunshine to the alchemy store nearby.   

Elenie had a brief chat with the shop assistant about the elixir recipes she had discovered so far and exchanged various tips about the best way to brew elixirs, before handing over her latest batch to be sold.

Business completed, Ieaun suggested that they ride over to the Faire and enjoy the summer fair which  had set up there.

When they arrived, Elenie phoned Rhiannon and gave her the good news, inviting her and the rest of the family to join them for the afternoon.  As they waited for them to arrive, she found Evie was already at the grounds and went over to have a chat with her. 

"Thank you so much for helping bring Ieaun back!  I know it wasn't fully successful, but a living spirit is better than him being gone for good!"

"Don't mention it Elenie, you are family and family help each other.  I hope you'll come round to visit soon, Seren has been asking after you." 

"I'll try, it would be good to see her again, she must be growing up so fast now?"

"She's certainly grown since you last saw her, but she's not growing too fast thankfully!  Changing the subject, how are you getting along with your mother now?  It must be hard for you both to adjust to things."

"It is hard, I feel like she's a stranger most of the time, and then sometimes I want to scream at her for everything I endured in my childhood, but I don't because I know it wasn't truly her fault, she was under a spell.  We tiptoe around each other, both afraid to talk about anything." 

"It will be difficult, you've missed on so much of the natural bonding process and I'm afraid you may never get that part of your relationship with her back, if you even want it.  As for her, I suspect her memories are badly mixed up; the unseelie fae don't tend to be very careful about messing with people's minds and I shudder to think what state Nicodur left her mind in.  You need to give each other space and time, but also, you need to decide whether you want to forgive her for her part in your childhood - witting or not."

Whilst Evie and Elenie were having their discussion, Ieaun picked himself up some food, being resurrected took a lot of energy and it felt good to be able to eat something anyway! 

As the afternoon wore on, Rhiannon and the rest of Ieaun's family arrived.  Rhiannon made a beeline for Elenie, her younger son trailing behind her.

"Thank you so much for bringing Ieaun back child, may the two of you have a long and happy life together now.  And keep up your research, you may yet be able to restore him to full life once more, even if I don't live to see it."

Elenie smiled, "I'm just glad to have him back in some form, I know it's not really been long but it's felt like a lifetime without him already!" 

Just then Ieaun floated up to his mother and they had a long conversation.  Rhiannon scolded him at first for putting them all through so much, but then hugged him tight and said "I'm so glad you're back son"  

They all crowded into the photo tent to have a picture taken together and then scattered to enjoy the delights of the fair, although by this time it was getting late. 

Eventually Elenie and Ieaun made it back home and headed straight up to their bedroom.  Not much had changed in the room since they had left on their quest and Elenie felt suddenly shy as she looked at Ieaun. 

He took hold of her hand and spun her around for a brief dance, delighting in his reborn ability to touch and feel properly. 

When he let go, Elenie wrapped her arms around him silently, wishing she would never have to let him go again. 

Of course, they couldn't keep holding each other all night, and when at last she relaxed her hold, Ieaun conjured up a bunch of yellow roses for her. 

They kissed passionately, happy to be together again. 

Before adjourning to the bed, where they both took great delight in showing each other how they felt...