The Search for Lexxie: Epilogue
----- Promise -----
The door to the room in which Nalla was sleeping slowly creaked open. In the crack Paige's hazel eyes reflected the candlelight from within. Lexxie had just been permitted entrance, and while she respected their privacy, Paige was extremely worried about her friend. "I know what you're going to say, Sebastian," she kept her voice low to her servant. "But, it's been a few days and I haven't gotten to speak with her yet. The healers said she can have visitors now, and visit I shall. Now, please stay out here for a moment longer to receive Lexxie, then please allow Nalla and I some time."
Sebastian slightly sighed in a nod, directed the rest of the staff to leave, then patiently waited for the Asura to finish their conversation.
Nalla took in a deep labored breath. "Lexxie do you have any idea what you were doing there? What you were helping them to make?" she said, tinged with desperation.
"Helping," Lexxie said with a childlike innocent expression that instantly told Nalla everything. Her sister was, in a word, brilliant. She could repair, fix, create anything using magitech or mechanical gizmos. With only a few tweaks, the girl had been able to stabilize Paige's teleportation crystal. Her skills were amazing, and they came innately to her. She had always been this way, ever since they were younger. But, after the accident, Nalla's younger sister had difficulties with both expressing herself, and understanding situational dangers. She really was innocent. Balthazar's minions had used her brilliance for ill-begotten ways, and Lexxie had no clue as to her own involvement.
Nalla sighed, reached up to take her sister's hand, and smiled wearily. "Oh, Lexx, I am so very glad you are okay. I'm sorry I couldn't find you sooner. I promise to look after you from now on. No more Pact; no more Peacemaker responsibilities. You are more important that all that." Tears came to Nalla's eyes.
Lexxie simply smiled. "Important," she said, echoing Nalla's words.
Paige waited a few minutes outside, allowing the tender moment to play out. When she was quite certain they were finished, she entered the room. Lexxie looked up and smiled at her, then trotted to the doorway, where Sebastian was.
"Would you like something to eat?" Sebastian said to the little Asura.
"Eat!" Lexxie said, enthusiastically.
Paige giggled as she watched Lexxie and Sebastian disappear into the hall, then turned her attention to her friend. Nalla was laying on a couch, looking up expectantly at her poobah. And, while Paige tried not to look at it, her eyes went to Nalla's ear, less than half of what it used to be. She immediately choked up, sniffling back the tears. "I'm… I'm so sorry Nalla!" the words flowed out like a rushing wave. "I should have been faster; I should have done more!" The woman fell to her knees. "Please forgive me, Nalla!"
Nalla sat up and instantly threw her arms around Paige, both women holding each other tight and sobbing. "Forgive you for what, Poobah? You found my sister! You rescued her! You are no less amazing to me now than you were before!"
"I know… I know… Just… I'm so sorry for not being your protector. Your… your ear," Paige whimpered.
"Shhh… My sister's safe; that's all that matters!"
Paige pulled away, wiping her tears. "She's suffering from (what I believe is) Claypool's syndrome. It's a condition I read about. When a kidnapping victim sympathizes with their captor and wants to stay… Lexxie didn't want to come with us; she wanted to stay. I think I can get her the help she needs. I know of a few psychologists that…"
Nalla sympathetically smiled. "Oh, dear, sweet Paige: Lexxie has been that way since the accident." Realizing her informality made the Asura blush, but she didn't correct herself.
Paige's eyes were wide. She blinked a few times, raising a hand to her lips. "What?"
"Lexxie… Well, she's special. She's the most brilliant engineer I've ever seen, but… She's not really in her right mind." Nalla exhaled softly. "Since the accident, she's been a bit… well, 'off' (to put it succinctly). But, don't get me wrong, she's as sweet as a pie." The Asura giggled a moment, licking her lips at the thought of pie. Then, she absently reached up to tug on her ears, to find only one available. Her smile quickly vanished as tears streamed down her face.
"You're still very, very beautiful, Nalla. To me you always will be," Paige flushed as the words left her lips. She politely offered the Asura a napkin.
Nalla took the rag, wiped her eyes, then honked her nose ungracefully with it. "I… I didn't even protect you…"
"Oh no! You did! The ritual was a success because you bought me enough time! I'm just… well, we can both be a little sorry, can't we? But, we saved you and we saved Lexxie!"
"You're," Nalla sniffled. "You're amazing, Poobah!"
Paige smiled warmly. "I've learned to take the best with the worst, and I think we can both use this as a learning opportunity, and grow… together!"
Nalla tugged at the woman, inviting her to the couch beside her. "I want that very much, Lad- Paige. If it were truly up to me, I would want to stay," Nalla moved to stare directly at Paige. "And, grow… together; perhaps see where it leads…" A disheartened sigh came from the woman.
"But… It's not up to you, is it?" Paige said, holding her hands.
Nalla looked at their intertwined hands. "My ear is not the only thing broken; the idea of not being with you," she averted her eyes, staring at the door where Lexxie had exited. "My sister though; Lexxie needs me, and I think she needs our people if she has any chance to recover…"
Paige pinched the Asura's chin, pulling her back to stare into Nalla's large liquid blue eyes. "I understand," she whispered.
Without warning, Nalla pulled the woman into a kiss, pressing her small Asuran lips to the human's soft ones. Tears came to both women in the exchange, a soft smile spreading on Paige's face as she gave into the moment.
Finally, Nalla broke the kiss, her large eyes looking longingly into the humans. "I'm… I'm sorry; I shouldn't have," she whispered.
"Shush with that. I would have done it, if you hadn't beat me to it," Paige slightly giggled flirtatiously.
"I've wanted to do that… since I first met you, actually," Nalla flushed a bright pink, then wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, nuzzling her face innocently into her breasts.
Paige's cheeks darkened, but she didn't move the Asura, instead, embracing her in a long hug. "Take all the time you need in Rata Sum. Get Lexxie the help she needs. The door is always open here and your room will always be here waiting, as will I. And, I will always be your poobah."
Nalla again sobbed. "Promise?"
"Promise," Paige whispered.
[The End]
