TCO: Chapter Thirty-Eight

A sense of peace had settled over Gyan since he received the message from his mother. A couple of days after Syam's announcement, he and the rest of the warriors excitedly strapped themselves into the seats of the Tritumfor the trip to Yevani. Gyan was relieved to have a reason to think of something else besides the Damsé, philosophy, civilizations, magic, and Mordán.

Malik asked Gyan to pass his best along to his family, claiming he could not attend the engagement due to urgent matters that called his presence back to Gawl Forest. Shamira had agreed to assist Malik, so a pilot had been scheduled to fly them both to the forest after the warriors left for Yevani. Gyan briefly wondered what the old star wizard was up to in the forest but did not probe for more information.

As the warriors arrived midafternoon in Yevani, Gyan barely waited for the doorway of the Tritum to lower completely before darting off across the chinálei in the direction of his home.

"See you, Gyan," Valora called after him.

Gyan answered with a small wave of his hand and increased his stride.

The floral smell of the air from the early spring blooms greeted him like an old friend as he ran through neighboring fields. Other than the warmer temperature, Yevani wasn't much different from Solara, but, at that moment, it seemed as if everything about Yevani was ten times as beautiful.

Gyan crossed the pograpaña grove next to his home and stopped for several moments to take a full view of the house he grew up in, feeling as if it had been years rather than months since he left. His old home looked smaller somehow.

Smells of the evening meal wafted through the window, causing Gyan's stomach to growl as he approached the house from the side. He sat down his bag softly on the deck next to the side door leading into the kitchen.

"Nán, do you want me to go ahead and cut these vegetables?" Miliani called over her shoulder as she stood at the kitchen counter.

"Yes, please," responded Sahdika from another room.

Gyan turned the handle slowly and quietly opened the door. Miliani continued humming along with the music coming from the stereo. He watched her for a minute, grinning, and leaned casually against the kitchen wall near the door.

"So…how did you get him to marry you then?" Gyan said. "Was it a love potion? Because no one in their right mind would ever—"

Miliani turned around so quickly that half of the vegetables flew off the counter. "Gyan Jense Mesengic, I am going to kill you!" His sister dropped the knife and began hitting Gyan with a dish towel.

Gyan laughed heartily.

Gyan's mother flew into the kitchen so fast that she almost ran straight into Miliani. Sahdika briefly grabbed Miliani's arm to steady herself and then pushed her daughter out of the way. She grabbed Gyan to her and began kissing his face, crying as if he had been away fifteen years.

He wrapped his arms around his mother. "Hi nán."

His mother held on tight to him for several more moments before letting him up for air. She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes.

Gyan looked up to find his father leaning against the kitchen door frame. Eamonn crossed the kitchen in two strides and grabbed him into a bear hug.

Gyan looked up at Miliani from over his father's shoulder. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"So…as I was asking before…what did you do to Haji to ever get him to agree to marriage? Did you threaten to haunt him the rest of his life?"

Miliani threw a carrot from across the kitchen at him, causing their parents to duck out of the way. Gyan caught the carrot easily without flinching or looking at it.

"So, the masters havetaught you something," Miliani smirked. "It's a miracle."

"Honestly, you two," said Sahdika, her reprimand contrasting the smile on her face. She turned to Gyan and took his face between her hands. "You must tell us all you can about what's been going on in Solara. Your father and I have to go to the market to pick up some things before our meal, but I want to know everything when we return."

As their parents left the house, Miliani turned to Gyan. "For your information, it was my wit and charm that won him over, which I might add, you did not seem to inherit."

"Well, at least someone wants you."

Miliani replied by throwing more items from the counter at Gyan. He laughed at the surprised expression on her face after he caught each one, eyes closed.