The Vampire & Her Witch

"There's something else Samira did as well," Ashlynn said, shifting the topic as she listened to Nyrielle's steady heartbeat through the fabric of the other woman's dress. "Owain captured a pregnant woman from the Heartwood Clan and kept her prisoner in the dungeon of the Summer Villa so he could take her infant son and raise it as a pet," Ashlynne explained.

"Her name is Noomi," Ashlynn said, shaking her head slightly in wonder at the strength of the woman who had given birth alone in a prison cell and continued to survive just to take care of her son in the days she had before Owain could return to snatch him away. As much as Ashlynn had been impressed by Samira's growth and changes, she was equally impressed by the friend Samira had made in that dark place.

"Samira became Noomi's close friend in that dungeon," Ashlynn continued. "She brought her food, blankets, even wood to carve. I, I intended to bring Samira back here to the castle so I could talk to her more about her time with Jocey, but… Noomi couldn't bear to be separated from Samira and vice versa."

Their insistence on staying close had been clear from the very beginning of their journey when they paused by a stream so Noomi could wash herself and her son before they continued on.

Despite the strain of walking down the bank in order to stay by Noomi's side, Samira looked at Virve with pleading eyes until the strong witch agreed to make an extra trip to carry her to the stream. And when Noomi needed to hand off the freshly washed Saku in order to wash herself, she handed her child directly to Samira, as if no one else could be trusted with her infant son.

It was a bond forged by their mutual chains that trapped them in the Summer Villa, both the iron ones that bound Noomi and the softer ones that trapped Samira in a gilded cage. It wasn't a bond that Ashlynn could completely relate to, but it was one that she could clearly recognize.

"So you sent them both to Ollie's village," Nyirelle said as she stroked Ashlynn's hair. "Because you wouldn't keep Samira for yourself if it meant keeping Noomi away from Old Nan and the other villagers who came from her old village."

"I agree with what you did, darling," Nyrielle said as she bent down to place a gentle kiss on the crown of Ashlynn's head. "You need to focus on confronting Owain right now. Poring back over things related to your sister will only cloud your mind. Face one problem at a time and then solve it. It isn't time to face this problem yet."

"No, I know that," Ashlynn said as she soaked in the fire's warmth with Nyrielle. "But talking to Samira about the things she did for Noomi and the way she spent time with Jocey, it made me consider doing something special for her when her child is born."

"Even though the child is Owain Lothian's?" Nyrielle asked gently, raising her brow at her young lover.

"The child will never know their father," Ashlynn said firmly. "Owain will be dead and gone before the child is even born, or not long after. And Samira won't teach her child that they should emulate the man their father was. So it doesn't matter if the child grew from Owain's seed, because Samira and Noomi will be the ones to nurture it. Seeds, by themselves, are nothing until they're nurtured to grow."

"But the seed of an oak tree will always be an oak tree," Nyrielle countered. "Are you certain that you want to help nurture that seed?"

"Not all oak trees are the same," Ashlynn said as she thought of the Ancient Oak that stood watch over the Vale of Mists and the way it had subtly influenced Virve ever since she had taken its seed to form the root of her power. "But I think that Samira and Noomi are both good seeds, and they could be something greater if we nurture them… and so could their children if they grow up well."

"I see," Nyrielle said softly. "In that case, leave their care to me while you focus on your war against the Lothians," she offered. "I'll make sure they know that it's you who feel they've earned the attention, but you can trust in me to make them comfortable."

"Thank you," Ashlynn said as she reluctantly pulled away from Nyrielle. The night was long, but she had summoned the captured human noblemen for dinner tonight, and there were things that must be done.

"But, there's one more thing," Ashlynn said as she stood. "I don't know if it will be possible, but when the time comes to confront Owain, I'd like Samira to be there."

"I'll ask her if she wants to witness his fall with her own eyes," Nyrielle promised, only for Ashlynn to hold up a hand and interrupt her.

"You misunderstand, my love," Ashlynn said. "I want Samira to be there to help me expose Owain's true nature to the rest of the rulers of the march. I need to conquer their hearts and minds in order to conquer their lands with the least bloodshed, and the fact that Owain used Samira to sire a child after 'murdering' me is a weapon I can't afford to ignore."

"That's the other reason I want to do something nice for Samira," Ashlynn said as her voice grew firm. "She's earned the right to raise her child in peace, but before she can, I need to make use of her, just like Owain made use of her… I just hope she won't resent me too much for it because doing so will tarnish her reputation in front of all the assembled lords and ladies of the march."

"Perhaps," Nyrielle said with a dark smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Or perhaps she cares less about her 'reputation' than she cares about the opportunity to watch the man who used her fall to your blade. I will offer her the choice," Nyrielle said. "Because I believe she will accept it. If she doesn't, then it will fall to you to convince her. Is that reasonable, my darling?"

"More than," Ashlynn said as she pulled Nyrielle into a brief embrace. "Thank you, Nyri, for knowing me better than I know myself."

"Only in matters of vengeance, my heart," Nyrielle whispered. "In so many other ways, I'm still learning how much more of you there is for me to fall in love with. So don't ever stop revealing yourself to me," she said with a faint tug on the laces of Ashlynn's corset. "And return to me when you're done with the human lords tonight," she whispered into her lover's ear.