Bliss

It was in a humble home down a cobbled street in the outer city that Aeryn's mother Eila lived. A strong-willed woman with a lot of personality, she had welcomed Elante into her family with open arms when they first met at the wedding. As far as in-laws went, Elante was pretty sure he'd gotten the better end of the deal. Aeryn had to deal with his snooty, albeit kind mother and his patriarchal grunt of a father who'd practically disowned him for running off with an extraplanar being. To his husband's merit, he'd been very polite to the former and wasn't that worried about the latter. After all, he'd said, he'd dealt with worse. And how very true that was.

They'd been here all of a week when the first anomalies began to happen. Aeryn liked to visit his mother for a while once every few months, and Elante was happy to oblige - Lustre was a truly beautiful place, and not only that, but magically fascinating. He couldn't wait to write his thesis on the way the two realms here interacted on each other. He'd probably win awards!

"I've heard from Scarlet, Aeryn," Elante was saying, sat in the little kitchen with Aeryn and Eila. "The events are happening on Terra too. This is something bigger than we thought if it's happening across realms."

Aeryn sighed, "It feels like we only just got done with a massive cross-realm calamity, I hope we don't have another one." He gave Elante a mournful glance, "I know what you're gonna say, but do we have to? Can't we just sit this one out? I've saved two more universes than most people do in a lifetime in the space of two years, can't a guy catch a break?"

Elante was about to reply with his sympathy and understanding, but Eila got in before him. "You certainly aren't talking like a saviour of universes right now, Aeryn!" she tutted, "I didn't raise you to be lazy - and whilst I might have failed in that regard on a lot of things, I certainly won't have a lazy hero."

"But moooooooooooom..." Aeryn whined, managing to sound like a whiny teenager despite being over twenty.

"None of that," Eila said, though she did laugh. "I know you've given the world a lot, Aeryn, and nobody deserves a rest more than you. You're a legend! People are writing books about you! I've told you a thousand times, but I really am the proudest a mother could ever be. But the world needs you again, I think. As much as I hate sending you into potential danger, if you sit around and do nothing, who knows what might happen?"

Aeryn sighed, "I know, I'm not really that blasé about what's happening. It's just tiring. Of course I'll go."

Placing a hand onto Aeryn's, Elante smiled. "It'll be just like old times - we might even meet up with Arrow or one of the others from the old gang."

Grimacing, Aeryn lifted a hand with crossed fingers, "Here's to Whisper being nowhere to be found ..." he muttered.

Elante laughed, before letting out a deep sigh. "We should probably get moving. There's no telling how long we have. It's been wonderful to see you again, Eila. Would it be too much to ask you to tell Corenne to stay in contact with us? If either of us find anything about what's happening to our worlds, we'll need to be able to tell each other."

"Consider it done - now off with the pair of you. You have heroing to do! Just don't get too distracted by each other."

Aeryn blushed, "Mother!" he exclaimed, but Eila just laughed.