Lyrianne of the Song, Part 3

"I can't believe I missed it!" Nai'a waved her arms for emphasis, her loose silken sleeves cascading to her shoulders to reveal the colorful swirled markings of a portal traveler against the green scales of her arms. She sat down suddenly, leaning towards Lyrianne and A'drol with rapt attention. "Tell me everything. Don't leave anything out!"   Lyrianne rolled her eyes at her sister's display of excitement. Just like Nai to completely miss the point. "You're pretty excited about all of this. Don't you care that Mama is a prophet now? That she's going to forget us?"   "Of course I care." Nai'a frowned, struggling to contain her excitement. "It's just... This is why she was chosen. And you were there for her first prophecy! And I had to cover for Tou'pan at the forge... And I missed it."   "To tell the truth, it was unnerving." A'drol's brow was furrowed at the memory.   Lyrianne nodded agreement at her brother's assessment, a shiver running down her back at the memory. "It was like... She was there, but she wasn't. She was talking, but it wasn't her."   Nai'a waved her arm dismissively. "Not that part. What did she say? What words of wisdom did the Goddesses impart through her?"   "She..." A'drol paused sheepishly. "She told me I was a good dad."   "What?" Nai'a sat back, surprised. She caught herself, spluttering, "I mean, you are, I don't disagree, but really? You got a personal prophesy to tell you that?"   Lyrianne watched A'drol hesitate, self-doubt washing over his face and turning his cheek scales a deeper shade of red. He always did this, undermining his own capabilities, but from what she'd seen he had every reason to be proud. Looking after family just came natural to him, first with his wife Tianna, then each of his three kids, and even taking Lyrianne under his wing when Mama first started showing signs of Dementia. "You are a great father," she reassured him.   "I wasn't saying he wasn't--" Nai'a began defensively, but Lyrianne cut her off.   "I think it's nice the Goddesses validated our brother. Everyone feels doubt sometimes about whether or not they are doing what they should be doing, especially with a new baby." She smiled reassuringly at A'drol. He was an amazing big brother and validating that was the least she could do. "And besides, I remember the actual message saying that A'drol is a good father and a good husband and they are proud of him."   A'drol blushed even more, hastily turning to Lyrianne. "It was nice to hear that and all, but I think the actual message was meant for you. I just happened to be standing in front of you at the time."   Nai'a perked up, turning her gaze towards Lyrianne. She could feel her older sister's stare as if it was boring a hole into her soul. "What did she say?"   "It didn't make any sense." Lyrianne shook her head, struggling to remember. She had been more concerned with the unnerving sensation of having a conversation with something masquerading as her mother. "Something about family, and roots, and I think she wanted me to change something maybe? But she didn't say what."   Nai'a lept from the chair and began pacing around the room. "Now that sounds like a prophecy. I always heard they were cryptic. Part of the test is to see if you can interpret them." She stopped pacing and turned towards Lyrianne. "You have to tell me exactly what she said. Don't leave anything out."   Lyrianne snorted. Of all the things they could be talking about right now, that's what caught Nai'a's interest? "It's just some dumb ramblings, like the whole birthday thing earlier. She called me a 'beautiful child of empathy' and then started going on about Sagewood. It was all nonsense."   "That's how prophecy works," Nai'a explained patiently. "It never makes sense the first time. You have to analyze it, pull it apart and analyze the pieces."   "Isn't that just another way to find meaning where there isn't any? Like trying to explain away why Mama was chosen."   "Actually..." A'drol stared past his sisters as he recalled the words of their mother that evening. "I think I know why Mama was picked by the Goddesses."   Nai'a nodded. "Agreed, Brother." She turned to Lyrianne. "It's you."   "Oh, no. No, no, no!" Lyrianne backed away from her siblings. There was no way she was letting this implication stand. "You are not blaming this on me. This is not my fault!"   "We're not blaming you." Nai'a held her hands out, palms extended. "We're just pointing out that if the Goddesses wanted to send you a message, something you didn't want to hear, who is the only person who could talk you into anything?"   "You and Mama have always been the closest, out of everyone I know." Great. Now A'drol was joining in. Why did she stick up for him earlier, again? "That has to mean something."   "I love Mama." Lyrianne emphatically jabbed her finger at them. "Now you're trying to tell me that my love is why she got sick? That we're losing her because I loved her too much?"   Her siblings exchanged glances. "No, no, that's not what we're saying!" Nai'a shook her head at Lyrianne. "I just think there's something important you were meant to do."   A'drol stepped forward to comfort her. "Remember that part about causing change for other people? Why would she say that unless she meant for you to act on it? To change something?"   Lyrianne clenched her fists. She wouldn't have accepted Nai'a's invitation if she had known it was going to be all about blaming her for everything. She just wanted the comfort of her siblings, the knowledge everything was going to be okay, and yet here they were insisting they were losing their mother because of her. She felt her heart beginning to beat quicker and louder in her chest, drowning out their continued attempts to appease her or convince her to take the blame. She wasn't sure which and she didn't much care.   "Stop! Just... Stop. Please. Please." She heard herself sobbing the words before realizing she said them. "I shouldn't have come here. I want to go home."   "Lyrianne..." She watched the hesitation cross Nai'a face, her sister's uncertainty on how best to proceed written in her eyes.   "Don't." Lyrianne clenched her fists tighter and exhaled, slowly. This was enough for one day. She needed some space. "I'm going home."   Nai'a tried to protest but Lyrianne successfully silenced her with a glance. A'drol wordlessly escorted her to the door. Lyrianne felt a faint smugness. He knew when he had crossed a line, let him stew on that for a while. A quick glance at his worried face, though, filled her with guilt.   "I still love you, big brother." She gave him a quick hug. "I just don't want to talk to you right now."   "I'm here for you, Lyrica. When you're ready, and whether you need me or not." He had unconsciously slipped into her childhood nickname, after hearing their mother use it so frequently in recent days. It felt comforting, a friendly reminder of brighter days. She wondered why she had insisted on being addressed by her full name, likely the hubris of youth wishing for a grown up life. Not much good to her now.   But there were more important things to mull over right now. She gave her brother a half-hearted smile. "I know." She paused, stewing over Nai'a's commentary that evening, but relented. "Tell her I still love her? I just... I need to be left alone for a while."   A'drol nodded, and Lyrianne stepped out into the dark, tropical air of the evening.