Ever Hope

Epilogue

I
looked into grey eyes, saw familiar flecks of blue and violet in
them, and searched for any sign that the soul behind them was tainted.
It was something I did everyday, every hour.

They
lit up with enthusiasm when he noticed my hesitation, my distracted
searching. Steel hissed against steel, my wrist twisted, bringing
Vellamo up to hook his own blade, neatly flicking it out of his
hand.

His
mouth pulled down into a slight pout as steel clanged dully against
the hard packed sand. “I thought I had you that time,” he said.

Laughing,
I retrieved the sword and handed it back to him. “You think that
at twelve you can best me?” I asked, grinning as his pout deepened.
“You are good for your age, Toivo, but I am better for mine.”

The
boy sighed, a lightly tanned hand pushing white-blond hair out of
his eyes. He insisted on wearing it unfashionably long, so that
it fell rakishly across his forehead, curled just around the tops
of his ears. I watched as he ran a soft cloth over his sword before
sheathing it.

“Would
you like me to stay and help you clean up?” Toivo asked, and I saw
a hopeful spark in his eyes.

“Don't
act innocent, my heart,” I growled at him, playfully. “I know that
you are just trying to get out of your lessons with Sakari.” A
heart-achingly familiar grin appeared slowly, lazily, at the corners
of the boy's mouth. The flat of Vellamo snapped out before he realized
it, smacking him lightly on the leg. “Go, little imp!” The smile
flashed white teeth briefly before he turned and ran out of the
room. “And I don't want to hear from Sakari that you got 'lost'
again!” I called out after him.

Boyish
laughter trailed behind him and I grinned, despite myself.

“He's
a handful, isn't he?”

I
turned to see Jalo walking into the room. “He is indeed.” My expression
grew wistful, a little sad, as I looked in the direction that the
boy had disappeared. Toivo. Hope. “But I'm so very glad that
he is mine.”

Jalo
wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly for a brief moment
before pulling away and grinning down at me. “Would you like to
Dance? For old time's sake?” He found a practice blade, tested
its balance and then looked at me. “I have gotten better, you know.
Perhaps this time I can beat you.”

I
laughed, suddenly completely content for the first time in a very
long time. I realized that I had become the person that my mother
would have wanted me to be, realized that instead of being a half-breed,
a servant who played with a sword, I had become so much more. I
had seen great and terrible things, had done great and terrible
things, had loved great and terrible people.

Had
been and was loved in return.

Now,
I was no longer alone. It was more than I had ever dreamed of.
Or, perhaps, I had dreamt it. Bringing Vellamo up before
me, I felt a lazy grin tug at my lips as Jalo and I circled each
other.

“Perhaps.”