RP:Forever Friends

Summary: Lanara invites Alvina over for brunch and the two women end up confessing pieces of their past to each other. Their bond strengthens and the friends are now bound with each other's secrets.

Part of the Waxing Crescent, Wayward Course Arc

Lanara sits at the kitchen table and looks out the window, admiring the freshly planted flower beds and herb garden. It had taken her most of the weekend but she’s content with the result, as Ostara is just around the corner, and she can’t wait to see the flowers bloom. A steaming mug of tea is brought to her lips, but she pauses to receive a kiss on the cheek from her handsome husband, before he exits their home to run a couple of errands. Clad in a pink sweater with a ruffled neckline, white jeans, and a pair of ballet flats, the witch is the epitome of comfort on this sunny morning. Her long hair is piled atop her head in a messy bun and there isn’t a speck of makeup on her face, but all the same, she seems prepared to entertain. A plate of blueberry and banana nut muffins rests at the center of the table, beside a bowl of fresh fruit salad, and a bottle of vodka and a bottle of orange juice are within reach for mimosas. Lanara smiles at Aspen as he enters the room and goes wide eyed at all the muffins, and she pokes him on his nose, “None for you, Little One! Alvina is coming over for a late breakfast and some girl talk!” The witch lifts the bear into her arms and heads upstairs to the nursery, where she locks him up in a playpen, along with Ranger. “You two keep out of trouble!” The knock at the door causes the dog to bark and alerts Lana that her friend has arrived, so she quickly skips down the stairs to let Alvina inside.

Alvina is also wearing casual weekend clothing, weekend or not. A light yellow sweater with a black thin strapped tank top underneath. Black jean shorts and ankle wrapped sandals. Easy to walk in but still ultra comfy and super cute. She’s growing accustomed to just wearing her hair down but pinned back away from her face. It’s an improvement from the usual lazy braid she used to tie it back in. Nothing makes a brunch more fun than cozy clothes and drinks! So Alvina’s brought champagne and grapefruit juice along with a fine loaf of pumpkin bread with specks of chocolate baked in. This is what she’s juggling when Lanara answers the door. “How cute are you always?” The bard groans, looking her friend over and shaking her head. “Realtor, model, fashion designer. If I wasn’t so proud, I’d be a little jealous.” She winks warmly, letting Lanara lead her into the dining room. “Oh no, you have snacks!” She laughs, because of course they both had done this. Classic them. After laying all of her wares on the table, she embraces the witch tightly. “You’re positively glowing! I’m guessing because you’ve been working outside?”

Lanara laughs when she opens the door and sees that Alvina has brought some goodies of her own to their brunch, as though they share the same sentiment. “You didn’t have to bring anything!” She takes the drinks from her friend so that she’s not stuck there juggling it all, and they head into the kitchen. “You look adorable, as always! I love that we are both rocking the comfy look today and doing brunch! I prefer brunch more than any meal, truly! It’s so underrated!” Lana laughs as Alvina compliments her and she shakes her head, “I was a swimsuit model back in the day, but the other two? Not so much!” She’s flattered and her cheeks are a little pink, as she points to the assortment of teas, flavored coffees, liquor, and of course, all the baked goods and food. “I made enough for an army again, but it’s just us today!” They embrace tightly and Lana inhales the sweet scent of her friends perfume, as though she has missed her during the five days they had spent apart. Alvina means a great deal to her and she’s so happy that she returned to the lands, so they can hang out a whole bunch! “Please, sit, and eat and drink a ton!” The witch pours herself a glass of orange juice and adds a little too much vodka, “Mimosa’s are my favorite!” A muffin is taken from the dish and she spoons some fruit onto her plate, as she lifts her gaze and at the mention of working in the yard, “Yes!” She motions to the window, “Tiber and I have recently gotten into gardening, and so far it’s going well. I’d rather grow my own herbs than have to travel to the market and bring home stuff that’s a few days old and comes from who knows where.” She laughs, “He has more of a green thumb than I do, but it’s nice to spend time outdoors and just focus on the house… Speaking of houses! Have you made an offer on that one we looked at? Did you speak with the construction worker? I think you wanted an addition, right?” All of her attention is on the redhead, as she waits on bated breath for a reply.

“Oh gods, I totally agree. There’s nothing like waking up late, eating a bunch of carbs and drinking and taking a nap!” Alvina thanks Lanara for the help juggling all the things she brought and laughs when she says she made enough for an army again. “Tiber’s going to be pleased to have so many left overs.” Lanara’s sweetness had been moving her heart. Coming back to such a sweet welcome was just what she needed to get back on her feet. How was Lanara real, truly?! The bard sits, grinning still, and immediately pours herself a drink. “Werewolf metabolism for the win!” She cheers, clinking glasses with her friend and examining a muffin for consumption. “Banana Nut is my favorite, how did you know?” Alvina’s eyes widened in surprise. “Tiber’s a gardener? Who would have guessed?” When Lana asks about the house, Alvina almost falls out of her seat. “Oh yes!! I did!” Then, feeling guilty she adds, “Well Hudson did put an offer down. He’ll send me the paperwork once it’s finalized, then I can bring the builder out to look it over.” Guessing Lanara will ask about Hudson’s involvement, Alvina will elaborate. “We’re still separated, but he handles all the financial things the family needs. I just write to him about what we need and he signs the bills.” At least she doesn’t have to worry about finances, for all the things she does have to worry and fret over. Child support or restitution, she doesn’t ask questions. She’s become an expensive nanny, writing reports on how their children are with a factual dryness. “But, uh, let’s see. I did meet with Xiem, the builder, and he’s going to come take a look at the property to make sure he can make the additions or if we need to change anything. I’ll bring the blueprints next time! Or you can just wait and be surprised.” She sticks out her tongue and takes a drink of fizzy alcohol. “How are things with the Pack? They were a lively group! And how’s the broom treating you? You looked so COOL riding it to the tavern, truly, I would have freaked out more if Aira wasn’t there. I don’t know how much she’d have liked all the gushing.” The bard sighs, content with the meal, company and girl gossip. ”She looked good though.”

Lanara laughs and shakes her head, “Tiber does like his sweets, but he prefers meat, like most men. I’m definitely a fruit lover, as I have fruit with pretty much every meal. Back in Kelvar? We weren’t allowed to eat meat or anything luxurious, only on high holidays or if we were sick and needed extra strength.” She rarely speaks of her homeland, especially since she had to seal the borders for an indeterminate amount of time, after killing off all the vampires that had tried to take over. Lana pauses and lowers her muffin, obviously lost in a memory, but as fast as she’s shaken by her thoughts, she manages to mask her pain. The frown turns upside down, as if on cue, and she listens to Alvina speak about how Hudson had put an offer on the house, and how Xiembantointh will soon begin construction. “That all sounds great! It’s a beautiful house and not too far from here! We can do brunch -all- the time!” Lana is ecstatic about this news, and she resumes eating her muffin, “I love banana nut, too, but my all time favorite is cranberry orange! Sadly, cranberries are out of season.” As their conversation turns to the Pack, the witch’s smile turns a shade sneaky, “Well… Bjorn thinks you are a total babe, and he isn’t the only one! Remember the other guy? Super polite, kept calling you ma’am? He -never- checks out girls, but he said that you seem ‘special’ and he said you are very pretty. He also socked Bjorn in the arm a few times when he mentioned you, so it’s safe to say Greyson has a C-R-U-S-H on you!” It’s new territory for the lycan, as he had been through a lot in the past few years, and even though Alvina isn’t entirely on the market just yet, it’s fun to have some girl talk! “Things are good. Everyone is still adjusting to life in Sage and the whole Pack mentality.” They all had really liked having Alvina over to visit and they hope she stops by again in the future! Lana nods, “Aira does look really good. I think that the cabin by the lake is going to be huge for one person, but she loves it, and I think she put in an offer already. She will definitely need help furnishing it, though!” The witch laughs, imagining the vixen hanging animal skins as curtains and using skulls as mugs, “I think you both need to throw big housewarming parties!”

Alvina watches Lanara’s eyes cloud over in thought but doesn’t say anything to break it or bring it up just yet. “All the time.” She echoes with a broad smile. Lanara gushes about how the other member of the pack, whose name she can not remember, was also sweet on her. The bard flushes, caught off guard about this. Bjorn she’d expected. He had a really player vibe about him. “Greyson, right.” She laughs. “Should I thank him? What do people do with crushes? I feel too old to know anymore.” It was flattering, that they found her attractive, but her heart was still tangled with Hudson. She couldn’t find room for anyone else, even if they weren’t together. Maybe one day. For now, it was sweet this Greyson guy had said those things. Men were usually quite sweet to her but she did her best to keep a wall up so no one got their heart broken. She makes a note to be cautious so he doesn’t get his hopes up. “Do you think we could import cranberries? Where would they be in season…?” She thinks about this, as if Lanara hadn’t just spilled the beans on this crush. Though maybe she should contribute somehow? Men were also super sweet on Lanara, because how could they not be, but she had a handsome hubby. That didn’t exclude her from the male gaze but it felt more scandalous. “Should we tell Tiber about that man that ogled you during house hunting?” Hilarious, only because that man was a zero out of ten without a second thought. “Oh, I bet she can find a use for the space.” Alvina hopes. Having that much space, alone. It hurts Alvina’s heart. But what doesn’t these days? “Oh we absolutely should! We have the space for it! Maybe a place in the forest and we can do a little loop between the two. As long as no wild animals get loose from your place.” She winks at the witch, finishing her treat and thinking, maybe, she should ask Lanara about that moment from before when she talked about her homeland. “I’ve been meaning to ask if you’d take me to see it? It sounds lovely and might make a nice little trip?” Maybe Lanara was homesick. She could understand that, she was often homesick but it was a place and time she couldn’t return to. A time before Aubree absorbed so much of her life, sliding through the shadows with her dead dull doll eyes.

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara laughs when Alvina mentions that they should tell Tiber about that creepy guy that was ogling them when they were house hunting. That wouldn’t go over well! “As much as I -love- making my husband jealous, I feel like he’s had enough to deal with lately! You know Nick, the Backstreet Bard? Well. He’s been crushing on me for like a decade now, and it irks Tiber, so bad! Thankfully, he has recently imprinted with that wretch of a woman, Corrine!” She talks about her packmates with distaste, and it’s no wonder that couple had been demoted to the role of Omega! The mention of cranberries has Lana quirking a brow, “Colder climates, but I’ve never seen any growing in Frostmaw. Honestly? I don’t know how -anything- grows up there, but importing them would be awesome!” The two fall into a brief silence as they eat their muffins and enjoy their drinks, but it’s Alvina’s next words that has the witch choking on a walnut, and she goes into a coughing fit. Lifting a napkin, she coughs as tears form in her eyes, but eventually her windpipe is clear and she dabs at her lips. The engineer awaits an answer still, and there’s great hesitation in answering, as Lana’s eyes are as wide as saucers. A deer caught in the headlights. She trusts her friend, but at the same time, she fears this will end their relationship. The truth has a way of twisting even the best of intentions, and so Lana decides to take a leap of faith, as she downs the rest of her mimosa and tells a bit of her tale. “I would love to have taken you to Kelvar years ago, but it’s not the same anymore… Taly and I came to these lands because ours was overrun by the Drow. They burned our forests, destroyed our homes, killed the residents, and they decapitated our mother and put her head on a spike. Taly escaped during the attack… I stumbled upon the wreckage about a week later. The Drow wanted our gold, as Kelvarian gold is the strongest and most expensive in the realm, so they took it all and then left.” She pauses, sadness etched into her features, “The years passed and Kelvar rebuilt itself, as there were still a decent number of elves left. We shrouded our kingdom in a veil of fog, so that only one with true Kelvarian blood could part the veil and enter our land. It kept us safe and the lands thrived and it felt like home again… Until, the last time I visited.” Tears well in Lana’s eyes and she looks everywhere, at the tray of muffins, the bottle of champagne, her fingernails, everywhere except at the woman sitting across the table.

(Post 2 of 2) Several minutes pass before she finds her words, and her voice is thick with emotion, “I don’t want you to ever think ill of me, Alvina. But I have said and done some cruel things to people, most that deserved it and a couple that didn’t deserve my wrath. I am a devout follower of the Goddess, but even I get tired of waiting for Karma to do her job. I have killed people, I have stolen things, and I have used my magic in ways that would be frowned upon. I truly believe that what happened to my daughter, the one that I tried to terminate when I was pregnant but failed, has come full circle. I have more than paid my dues in pain, and I would never harm you, or hurt anyone that I care about. But that’s why I keep my circle so small, because I trust so few, but I feel that I can confide in you about what truly happened when I visited Kelvar a little over a year ago.” A hand lifts to swat at a rogue tear that trickles down her cheek, “I received word that there was an illness that couldn’t be cured, and my people wanted me to help. The day that I arrived there, my Aunt Sharna had passed, and others were deathly sick. That day was the first that I ever set eyes upon my daughter, Natianara. She was beautiful! A perfect blend of Desparrow and I, big blue eyes and long brown hair, with the sweetest smile! We spent a few days getting to know each other, and it was wonderful! But… Nat had a dark side. She was hearing voices, sacrificing animals, bathing in blood, and having these strange seizures. A few others warned me, and I turned a blind eye. What mother wants to think ill of their child?! To make a long story short, Nat was either born evil or she was being whispered to from some entity, I never found out the answer. She vanished from Kelvar, and left me to care for the sick. I learned that they weren’t sick, but they were cursed, and that Nat was the one to place this burden on our people. I performed a ritual that put the curse on my own life, and purged the curse from the lands, but I was too late, because when Nat returned she brought an army of vampires. She deliberately went mad and opened the veil to those that would hurt us! She married this vampire lord of some faraway land, and the two of them trapped us elves and tortured us daily, using us for our blood. Many of my people were murdered, a few had just rotted away, and we saw and smelled so much death! Eventually, I devised a plan for us all to escape and place a magical ward on the lands, so that no one could enter or exit the land, unless I reverse the spell. I figured all the blood would dry up and the vampires would eventually die off, but I honestly have no intentions of undoing the spell.” Hot tears splash on her joined hands, as Lana miserably continues, “However, in order to place such a spell, it required a sacrifice. I had meant to take the life of Belgemine, an albino girl that volunteered, but instead, I-I…” She bites her lower lip as she vividly remembers, “Nat learned what we were doing and she attacked me on the border of Kelvar. We fought for a few moments, and a split second before I cast the spell… I slit her throat with a pair of shears. She died in my arms. I-I don’t remember much after that, just what the refugees on the ship told me. But, I brought them to Enchantment, so they can have a new life and cope with the things that they endured. To break the curse on my lifeline, Tiber turned me into a lycan, and so here we are…” Guilt. Shame. Regret. Defeat. Lana’s cheeks are flooded with color and she’s so caught up in her emotions, but she forces herself to meet Alvina’s gaze, “I’m sorry. I know that was a lot to talk about over breakfast… I can’t even imagine what you must think of me.”

(Post 1 of 2) Alvina nods quickly. “Oh, yes, I remember Nick. He tried to talk to me before his lady interrupted rudely.” Her face sours and she sticks out her tongue. “What a bitter woman.” About the cranberries, Alvina thinks. “I wonder if Winterberries are a decent substitute? There’s a garden very close to your sister’s lovely home. We should try that and see if it’s a good fit?” When Lanara starts choking, Alvina leans forward with panicked eyes. “Oh gods are you okay?” She flushes with concern, trying to remember how to do the heimlich maneuver but then the witch surfaces and she sighs with brief relief. She stays sitting at attention while Lanara starts to weave her tale of her home land and all the grief and death that stained it. Wide emerald eyes stare back at her, unflinching but slowly starting to shine with unshed tears. When Lanara mentions killing her own daughter, Alvina gasps, covering her mouth reflexively. It breaks the damn on her tears and before she knows it, she’s pushed away everything that stands between the two women so she can take Lanara and hold her. Just…hold her. How had her friend been carrying around all this grief and pain? “I’m so sorry I didn’t know.” Is her blubbered response to Lana’s apology. Alvina will pull back enough to see Lanara’s face. Her pale hands wrap lightly on Lanara’s cheeks, her green eyes wavering as she stares at her with all the boundless love in her heart. “I think you’ve had to endure horrible things and make hard decisions and I don’t think anything less of you in any way.” She waits a moment, silent for sincerity. “Lana, I mean it. I’m so sorry this all happened…but how I see you doesn’t change. If anything I love you even more. For sharing this with me.” It was acceptable for everyone else to receive grace for their hardships, even murdering her own children. Alvina tries to let that sink in and her brain continually rejects it. It didn’t change who Lanara was to her. The situation was difficult, she didn’t have a choice. She did what she had to do. She hoped Mrs. Lowell wouldn’t pull away from her.

(Post 2 of 2) And just when Alvina’s afraid she might break apart, so worried about Lanara, she thinks…perhaps…she should say the words out loud she’s been avoiding for over a year. What a brunch activity. Maybe they should go back to talking about boys. Her eyes are still wet with tears when she lets the witch go and takes a slow step back, as if what she’s about to say was a transferable curse. “I snapped a little girl’s neck after pulling her and her mother out of bed in the middle of the night. She was in her night clothes, and she peed herself she was so scared.” It was Hudson’s men who’d done this. Alvina’d just convinced them she was approved to be involved. Hudson had no knowledge Alvina would be there. “She had a sedative but…she was still alive. Looking up at me with her…big, innocent eyes. I should have put her on a boat. I should have smuggled her out of the city but what kind of life is that…What if she came back, like her mother, for revenge?” Alvina’s hand lifts, fingers pressing into her own face while she tries not to cover her eyes. “I think about it all the time. The sharp little snap of her neck as it broke in my hands.” Tears spill down the sides of her face again. “And her dead doll eyes…staring up at me, asking me why she had to die. But her mother…attacked us and I couldn’t, I didn’t…My kids…” Finally, she covers her mouth, swallowing the excuses and accusations she’d thrown at Hudson countless times like daggers, waiting for something to stick. Waiting for something to make it make sense. Lanara had to kill her daughter, had to. She didn’t give the witch any other choice, with the vampires and blood magic. Alvina didn’t have to kill Aubree. “Aubree…” Alvina closes her eyes, two steps from sobbing. “I’m not a monster.” She said, as if trying to convince herself more than Lanara of her worth.

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara isn’t used to showing others her vulnerability, so when Alvina holds her in her arms, she’s unsure how to react. Does she return the hug? Push her away? Brave this on her own or allow herself to be comforted? In the end, she’s too ashamed to show her face, so she burrows it in the woman’s shoulder and tightly embraces her around the middle. She cannot undo the past, it haunts her every waking moment. Lana fully expected Alvina to be in shock and then commit to anger, since she’s a mother of four lovely children, and surely this news would sour their friendship. But… She’s here! After many moments of inconsolable sobbing, Lana leans back and peers into those beautiful emerald eyes, and she offers the smallest of smiles. “Thank you… For listening. And for not judging me…” She pauses to take a sip of her mimosa, “Not many know. A few friends know that Nat died in Kelvar, but they assume that the plague took her, not that she was murdered. I’ve only confided in Tiber, Taly, Meri, and now you…” Only her husband, sister, and two close friends have any knowledge of the truth. For such a popular witch, one would think she would have told more people, but Lana is a private person when it’s matters that concern the heart. Clearly, she doesn’t like talking about this, because she’s quick to move on, “You remember the trial, too?” It was huge! The Woodland Witch versus The Realm, as ‘Lana’ had slaughtered a dozen orphans as they slept in their beds, before she burned down a section of her animal sanctuary with the critters still in their cages! “It truly wasn’t me! A dark shade had entered my body, as I was practicing the art of astral projection, and I couldn’t reclaim my body for many months.” She ended up in a psych ward for six months, before she had stood trial, and even though she was innocent on the murder charges she had been charged with misuse of magic. “I still carry that with me, too. If I hadn’t been so foolish, none of that would have happened.” So many innocents had died either at her hand or from using her magic, and all she had paid was a slap on the wrist and some community service. “I try to do good deeds, to make up for the bad that I’ve done… Because, no one is truly all dark or all light. I think it’s about living in a gray world, and trying to find that balance. That’s what really matters.”

(Post 2 of 2) As Alvina takes a step back from her and tears pour from her eyes, Lana feels horrible, because she thinks that her secrets are too big a burden for the bard to carry. Has it all settled in, now, and she’s rethinking their friendship? No, that’s not it, because they had cried -together- and Alvina held her as she confessed. “What’s wrong? You can tell me anything.” She can, and the witch will carry her secrets to the grave, because she holds her close friends in high regard. Lana has no idea what sort of sins Alvina is about to speak of, but she never in a million years would think she would begin her speech with ‘I snapped a little girl’s neck’ and her big brown eyes widen to twice their size. She’s not judging, she merely cannot believe what she’s hearing, because this particular redhead is the purest person that she knows! The tale continues and she nods in understanding, a hand reaching out to take Alvina’s, as she offers it a consoling caress. Was Aubree the daughter of Hudson!? The woman is in pain and it breaks her heart to see her standing there, feeling like a monster, and claiming that she’s not one. Tears flow from Lana’s eyes, as she speaks with conviction, “You are -not- a monster, that’s right!” Rising, Lana pulls Alvina into her arms and hugs her tightly, as though she can piece back together all the broken bits of her friend. A hand rubs her back gently, as speaks just above a whisper in her ear, those fiery strands tickling her cheek, “You have regret and you’re showing remorse… A good person would feel none of those, Alvina! You did what you had to do to protect your family, because it’s true, that little girl could have grown up and wanted vengeance. Plus, what sort of childhood would she have had, growing up in an orphanage? At the time, you felt that your actions were vindicated, and that’s all that matters.” She pulls back from the embrace and hands Alvina her drink, “This is some brunch… We are crying and consuming alcohol, but it’s five o’clock somewhere, right?” She attempts some humor, as she motions for Alvina to sit, “I don’t think any less of you. I -love- you even more, now. I’m glad you told me your secret, and I’m glad that I told you mine, because trust is the foundation of best friends. Besides… We can do things to make up for parts of our past. I give free dance classes to the orphans in Gualon and I run an animal sanctuary… Maybe you could volunteer at the orphanage? Or adopt a child? Even a nice donation goes a long way!”

(Post 1 of 3) Alvina would hold Lanara for a thousand years if that’s what it took for the witch to know she was safe with her. That she was safe and loved and in no way hated or judged for the horrible things she’d been forced to endure. None of that was Lanara’s fault. It was all just Lana reacting to the circumstances life presented. The same with the body snatching. “In case you haven’t heard it enough, none of that is your fault.” She’ll be quick to remind Lana of that any time, any where.

(Post 2 of 3) When it’s Alvina’s turn to gush about her own bloody secrets, she waits with aching lungs for Lanara’s face to twist into a mask of disgust and for the witch to throw her out. Already she’s crafting a reply of ‘of course, absolutely, I love you, I’m so sorry’. Look at Lana’s eyes, they’re huge. She’s scared of Alvina now! Alvina really is a monster! Two seconds away from emotional implosion, the witch chimes back Alvina’s broken mantra. She’s not a monster. The red head wants to argue that good people also don’t go around murdering in the dead of night but it feels a little too close to Lanara’s own dark secret to say. If only remorse was enough to fix the things she’d broken. Most likely, both women would have rebuilt the world on want alone. “That actress…” Alvina huffs, breathless and exhausted. “She framed Hudson, tried to make it look like they’d had an affair. Her and Sterling had a daughter, she was so beautiful, little Aubree.” This information is a little TOO much but she knows Lanara will keep this deadly secret. If word got out that the Landon’s had killed Candice Snow and her daughter? A literal witch hunt might ensue. People in Cenril already suspected but… She sniffs at Lanara’s suggestion of working at the orphanage. That was a wonderful idea? Why didn’t she think about that before? But what if one of the girls looked like Aubree? Could she be there without breaking down entirely?! The drink appears and Alvina kills it automatically, absorbed in the words her friend is saying instead. I love you. “Oh Lana, I love you too, so much.” And there she goes, hugging again. What a brunch indeed! “I didn’t exactly plan to just gush all my deepest, darkest secrets but I really just wanted to tell you that you aren’t alone. You’re not a bad person, you are still worthy of love and -I- love you so frick everyone else.”

(Post 3 of 3) “You can’t punish yourself for trying to learn something new. You aren’t responsible for what other horrible people try to do.” She hopes secretly that Lanara doesn’t think Alvina’s talking about her daughter. The idea that a daughter of someone like Lanara could twist into such a dark path is unfathomable. “That’s like blaming yourself for forest fires or because it rains. When horrible people do horrible things, it’s not anyone else’s fault but their own.” Like Alvina. Her and her husband are horrible people and it’s their fault Aubree’s dead. Though she’d never in a million years say it, it was Natianara’s fault she was dead too…unless something was controlling her, like the vampires, then it was totally the vampires in every way and Lana shouldn’t carry that guilt with her forever. “You’re one of the brightest lights in my life Lana.” No one was all black or all white, but it’s okay. Well, it’s okay for everyone else, Alvina has different impossible standards for herself naturally. “You should go with me, to the orphanage in Cenril. Maybe it would help both of us heal a little more.”

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara smiles through her tears as Alvina reassures her that none of the actions concerning Natianara are her fault, and she nods, because she’s been assured by her sister and husband countless times. It never seems so sink in thought, because it’s a burden that she intends to carry until she dies. Lana is far from innocent and she’s taken dozens of lives, most out of self-defense, but a few because she had been ‘caught’ doing something she shouldn’t have been doing, or because her temper flared a little too strongly and she had lost control. No one is purely light, just as no one is purely dark. It’s a difficult concept to grasp, and every person is their own worst critic. Still, she feels that it’s important to come clean about everything, so that Alvina knows she can be trusted, and so their friendship can continue to blossom. A clean napkin is taken from the table and offered to the engineer, so that she can dry her tears.

(Post 2 of 2) All of the information about Candice and her demise are acknowledged, but Lana doesn’t know who she is, nor does she care that she’s gone from this realm. She had lied about Hudson’s fidelity and she hurt Alvina and her beautiful children, all signs that she had to be ended. “You definitely did the right thing.” Aubree, sadly, had been collateral damage, but she doesn’t further comment on this as she doesn’t want to upset her friend. “Everything is just between us, I promise. These are your secrets to tell, if you choose, and no one else’s.” Lanara is excellent at keeping secrets, and she still keeps the confidence of those that have betrayed her still, because at the time she was told, she had given her promise to keep her lips sealed. Alvina need not worry about Lana spilling any beans, but she -does- need to worry about her friend getting her drunk over brunch! The witch is reaching for the bottle of champagne and filling two flutes to the brim, one of which is offered to the redhead, “Let’s make a toast! To a brighter future and to friendship!” She’s touched that Alvina asks her to go along to the orphanage, so she clinks their glasses and nods, “You don’t even have to ask! Of course I will be there for you!”

Alvina feels the weight of her horrible secret ease the smallest bit. As if Lanara’s scooting her over to help the bard hold it up. It didn’t erase the bitter despair that eroded Alvina’s conscience daily but it helped, knowing someone else had survived such horrible circumstances but found a way forward with their lives. Look at Lanara now. Married and glowing and thriving. Alvina looks down at the table briefly, remembering the fight that solidified her and Hudson’s separation with painful clarity. She wanted to protect their family. She wanted to prove to him that she could get her hands dirty, to support him in his business, to be his equal. She’d failed them all. Hudson, Aubree, and herself. She closes her eyes, fanning the memory away with wet lashes before Lanara promises to keep her secret. “Absolutely, I’ll take it to my grave and beyond.” The witch must be reading her mind because she fills their glasses and hands Alvina one eagerly. “Cheers!” She chimes, hopeful that the rest of their visit will be gossip and laughter and pulling a rug over the nasty stains on their lives. After a quick drink, Alvina slings one of her arms over Lanara’s shoulders and squeezes. “And I’ll be there for you.” She pecks her friend’s check lightly, smiling so wide her eyes close. “Forever.”