#odyssey

The trio continue planning. Omario continues plotting. The sunset over the hidden seawater lake is stunning.

Saoirse approaches Thistle after an informal meal - reluctantly she was asked to give up the baby, who needed feeding and changing, and sleep.

"Are you prepared for what tomorrow will bring? You, and your champions?"

She shrugs. "I can't be sure what to expect. But I have to do this, ready or not."

Her eyebrows scrunch down, returning to a problem that has been percolating around in her head. "Seems to me there's a way the baby can still be raised to love the sea, and make a choice when she's old enough. As I understand, chrysalizing between five or six is rare for all kiths."

"Even a wee babe can become a Selkie. It has happened in the past, in times of emergency - to save a child when lost at sea." Saoirse answers. "A pup can swim almost from birth. By two days old, they can hold their breath long enough for dives."

"Of course, that is not the tradition."

"But selkie or not, for one to be Redfin, they must live on our islands, and follow our ways."

"To save a life is pretty extenuating circumstances."

"And... listen, I'm sympathetic, because I get that what's happened here is pretty furkin' dire."

Saoirse gives a small sigh. "This is the hand that Fate has dealt us, it is our way. Your sister's path will be decided in the next few days. I suggest that you rest."

"Do you want to see Frankie?"

A pause, and she says, quietly, "I would. Very much."

She nods, and fishes out her phone... blooping past some pictures of an elaborate nursery until she gets to a selfie of herself and a paint-smeared little boy with a grin as bright as the August sun.

The older woman's stern face softens. "He is a joyful child? He wants for nothing?" Asked to Thistle.

Gwen smiles at that

She nods. "He's a happy kid. Janice is a good mom. Dad's... comfortable, with money, so they have a nice house. Big yard. They just got a dog..." Bloop - Frankie and a "puppy" that is as big as he is.

"Frankie's a sweet bundle of cheerful energy, lights up the room as he charges in." A nod . And if Omario goes after him, that dog will tear Omario's throat out

"And... his mother?"

"Janice..." She considers. Bloop - Janice and Frankie, the latter's ear pressed against the former's Very Pregnant belly.

"For a long time, I didn't like Janice."

"She felt like an interloper, with my dad. I resented them being together."

"I blamed her for my parents splitting up. I was nine."

"It is easy to assign blame. You were but a child."

She nods.

"Things have changed a lot in the last year. I changed a lot."

"And yet, here you are, fighting for her, for her daughter."

"Janice had always tried with me. I was a hostile little asshole towards her. I hurt her a lot, because i was mad at her."

"It is easy to resent one who has hurt you. She resents me still - I cannot blame her."

"And yeah, I am. She's a good person. She's a good mom."

Gently. "Are you sure she resents you?"

"How could she not? My own daughter, and banished by my hand."

"She sent you letters" A cough

"She grieves her loss. There's a sadness to her that doesn't go away. But not... resentment? hatred? I don't see that, she see what she did as her choice."

At that, Saoirse looks confused, then shakes her head. "Would that she had. There was no word,"

Thistle frowns.

"She did... we know..." Gwen says "While investigating WHY everyone's memories were wiped, we went through Janices things. I saw a stack of letters to the caribiean, they were all returned to sender. Once a year at lest looked like"

"She did too. There was a whole stack of rejected letters."

She taps her nose and points to Thistle "See?"

"Rejected?" A confused look, and then a frown. "Excuse me. I must go." She hands back the phone to Thistle, and her soft warmth has turned to a cold look.

"Of course, Chieftess" A bow, and she realizes it was not the Chieftess who rejected them

"Uh..." Blink.

As she steps out of the small but comfortable tent that has been set up for them - they can hear her giving a quiet, sharp command to someone. "Send Omario to me."

And she walks off.

"That son of a...." She catches herself "That jerk rejected the letters on behalf of Janice's mother. Oh hell...no. The reasons to resent that guy just keep on growing" She says to Thistle

Art blinks, looking up from where he has been scribbling notes on a borrowed pad of paper. "What? What did I miss?"

Typical Artie! (laugh track)

"Omario crossed a line with his mom and his mom just found out" She says to Artie, "Janice had been sending her letters once a year, or so I suspect, but Omario caught them first and returned them to sender. Win or lose tomorrow, he's got to explain to her that. He'll probably say we're lying"

"That guy is the rankest compound of villainous smell that ever offended nostril. He's the berry that clings to an elephant's ass-hair."

"Yeah okay that's.. a wee bit more creative than jerk. I'll give it to you there" Impressed

“Ohhhh. I’m sorry… I was thinking about the challenges.”

"God, I hope I don't fuck this up..." A flicker of nervous yellow in her spirals.

"I have to do it."

“You? I was certain it was going to be me!”