We made multiple trips to gather the bodies of those that had been sacrificed for the greater good and laid them to rest on the land that had at one time held the Levannah Manor. It was a blow to all of our hearts when we returned to find the remains of the Levannah Manor. Shep and I decided we were needed in Neveah, at least, until everything was as it should be. Work to rebuild the manor began almost immediately. We built makeshift homes while the house was resurrected.
We built a stone wall around the resting site that listed the names of the brave Neveahian’s that had given their lives during this battle or any fight against Jax and Kelsha, regardless of where their bodies now rested. The stones were stark white and as smooth as marble. The etching was beautiful and the flowers that hugged the bottom of the wall were blood red and contrasted beautifully with the white. The tribute was beautiful and I was sure the fallen would approve. Among the names etched on the magnificent wall were Lady Eirene Levannah, Lord Adair Levannah, Annika Levannah, James Mender, Eldon Androni, Serephina, Selene Androni, Avery, Josidian, Renny and Lucy.
We held a wonderful memorial for the fallen, one that would honor all of their lives. Neveahian’s from all over the land came to pay respects to those that fought for their lives and freedom. Watching those that came to mourn, cry and give thanks for their lives was humbling. I hated that half of my family was lying in that memorial, but I was comforted that their death had not been in vain. That thought helped ease my heart. I knew they would be content knowing that Neveah had resumed her harmony.
Denali was the oldest living Levannah leaving him the Lord of the land. Levannah Manor was rebuilt to its former beauty and the land that had been ill and wilting was now alive and full of color. Once the Fey were strong enough, they returned to their respective homes. The visitors to the memorial slowed and life returned to some form of normalcy.
I stood beside Vivianna as she and Denali were joined and again for Fionna and Diallo. With Diallo being the manor guard, he and Fionna were given a little house on the Levannah land to live in. Vivianna delivered my daughter, whom we named Annaleah Eirene and when it was time for her to birth my first nephew I was there with her. My paternal grandparents made multiple trips to the manor and I was happy to get to know them. They were wonderful grandparents and relished in the energy and happiness of the children.
Fionna and I became great friends and when she became a mother, she asked Shep and I to be what would be equivalent to godparents on earth, we happily agreed. Things were wonderful for everyone and at times I thought I wanted to stay in Neveah forever, but those times were few. My heart was on earth and our time to go back was approaching quickly.
Shep’s parents had already returned home and I knew Shep was anxious to return as well. Once Neveah was thriving and my family had found happiness, I decided it was time to go. “I think I am ready to go home,” I said to Shep one morning as he dressed and I fed Annaleah.
“Are you sure? You seem so happy here, with your family. I am happy here as well, we can stay if you want,” he replied and though he tried to sound enthusiastic about staying I knew him too well. He missed our life before Neveah. I missed it too.
“I’m sure Shep. I love it here and I will miss my family but my home is not here. Besides we can always come back to visit.”
He smiled his glorious smile at me that spoke a thousand words. He was ready to go home.
“When should we leave?” He asked hopeful.
“I see no reason to wait. We don’t have anything to pack up. We just need to say our goodbyes.”
“Don’t we need to bring the babies things, and James’?”
I didn’t tell him yet that my father had left me enough money to live on for the rest of our lives and the kids’ lives. Things had been so chaotic since our reunion, the subject never came up.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you, my father left me a large amount of money. Anything we need or the kids we can afford. Plus, when it was just James and me I had an art show in Portland. I made a decent amount off of that as well,” I told him offhandedly not thinking it was that big of a deal.
“You had an art show? You didn’t tell me that.” I couldn’t tell if he was upset that I hadn’t told him or proud of me. He sat beside me on the bed and gently touched my face.
“You are amazing, Lilly. I mean a real art show. I am so proud of you, baby. You never cease to amaze me.”
“You’re not upset that I didn’t tell you?”
“No. We have been through so much here. I don’t believe you held out on me on purpose. We haven’t really talked about that time anyway. I have just been happy to have you and James and little Annaleah. I feel sad every time I think about you being alone during that time but knowing you were okay and you made your own way does not upset me, it relieves me. I am proud of you, Lill. I always have been. I always will be. I love you. Now come on, I am more than ready to go home.”
“Okay, let’s go find everyone so we can say goodbye.” I followed Shep through the house. We found our friends and family and announced our plans to go home. It was no surprise to anyone. We hadn’t hid the fact that our time in Neveah was temporary. Nevertheless tears were shed and hearts broke, mine included. I loved my family. They were my only family outside of Shep and the kids. I knew I would miss them tremendously.
Much like the last time I chose to go home, Denali walked me to the portal, only this time I was not going alone.
“Remember the last time I walked you to this room?” He asked, and I giggled a little.
“Yeah, how could I forget?”
“I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for our family, Lilly. I am quite proud to call you my niece. Please come to visit. I have come so used to having you here. I will miss you more than you know.” His eyes were misty. We had both lost so much but we gained so much in return.
“I will miss you too, Denali. We did it together, all of us. You will be a wonderful leader. We will visit but I would love for you to come see us as well. I love you, Uncle Denali.”
“I love you too, Lilly and we will visit. Take care of our girl, Shep,” he said and when Shep nodded in reply and stuck his hand out to Denali he pulled him in close for a hug. “You’re a good man, Denali. I can’t thank you enough for taking care of Lilly when I couldn’t. I am forever in your debt.”
“Yeah, well, let’s hope I don’t have to do it again, ever.” Both men laughed and Annaleah began to whimper.
“We need to go,” I said. Final goodbyes were said before we entered that room, James in Shep’s arms, Annaleah in mine. Just before the door closed I said a quiet goodbye and thank you to Calista, knowing she was watching. She would always be watching. The thought gave me comfort. Seconds later the room began to spin, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, moments later, we were home.
Epilogue
We debated on going back to Keno or staying in the Newberg house. In the end, the decision was simple. We stayed in Newberg where we were close to Neveah. The house was large enough for our family and I was close to the city where I could sell my art. Shep started his own woodworking business and made a decent amount of money selling his work. Leah and Michael visited frequently and occasionally took the kids home with them.
Shep was at my first art show since our return from Neveah. He was so handsome in his tuxedo with James matching his daddy. Much like my first show, when James was the hit of the night, many of the patrons gushed over the kids. They really were beautiful children. James was walking by then and a ladies charmer. Annaleah had a tuff of black hair on her head with emerald green eyes. When she smiled her face lit up and people couldn’t help but be enchanted with her.
As the children grew, we told them of their abilities and of Neveah. We made trips back to visit a few times a year and a few times we would get visitors from Neveah. The kids attended public school and while Annaleah thrived, however, James was not happy. He tried his best, but Shep and I could both see that the ways of our home wer
e not his ways. On his seventeenth birthday, he asked if he could go back to Neveah to live. Though it broke my heart to let my boy go, I knew he would be taken care of and Shep and I said yes.
A few years later Annaleah met a boy that stole her heart. By nineteen, the boy asked Shep for our daughter’s hand in marriage. This time it was Shep whose heart was breaking. Anna had grown to be such a daddy’s girl, always helping her dad with his different wood projects and just hanging out with him. When her relationship first became serious Shep was furious and jealous, but the more we got to know the boy the more Shep learned to love him. He was a good boy with a wonderful future ahead of him. We consented, and a year later held the wedding at our Newberg home.
All of our Neveah family and friends attended and watched as Shep walked his baby girl down the aisle. The wedding was simple and beautiful. As our daughter drove away with her new husband and our son kissed us goodbye on his way back to Neveah, I realized it was just Shep and me. For the first time since Shep proposed to me on the mountain above our homes in Keno, we were alone. It was bittersweet knowing my kids were grown and happy. I knew I would miss them terribly, yet I looked forward to having Shep to myself. I took Shep’s hand in mine. “It’s just you and me now. Are you okay with that?” I asked. He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he squeezed my hand a little tighter and took in a deep breath.
We continued walking to our front door, the house in front of us stood deserted and dark. The night sky was bright with millions of twinkling stars. He stopped just before we got to our front door.
“You know, Lill, I was upset when James made the choice to live in Neveah and I was heartbroken when I had to give my little girl away, but I have not had you to myself since we were kids. I have waited a long time for this. I love our kids and I will miss them like crazy but to be honest,” he let out a sigh before continuing and a smile spread across his glorious face.
I had known this man all my life. I had loved him all my life. Memories flooded my mind and heart. Winters in Keno, summers floating on the river, cliff diving, the proposal, our first lovemaking and our wedding in Antiope, now he stood in front of me, slightly older but still the most beautiful man I had ever seen. He still made my heart flutter when he looked at me the way he was looking at me.
“I am so happy to have you all to myself. I am happy to have it be just me and you, my Strawberry Shortcake.” He wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the ground while I giggled. “I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too, Chocolate Muffin, now take me to bed and take advantage of me.”
“If you insist,” he replied before sweeping me off of my feet and carrying me inside. We didn’t make it past the entryway before our clothes began to fall off. We got as far as the living room where we made love on the couch. We made love many times that night. In the kitchen, in the bathroom. On the stairs, and finally in our bed. I fell asleep in his arms anticipating many nights like this in our future.
He whispered a final “I love you,” before I fell into a blissful sleep.
My mother came to me that night. I had not had a visit from her in a very long time and was happy to see her.
“Hi mom,” I said and felt like a little girl when she took me in her arms.
“Hello, my baby girl.” She held me for a long time before releasing her hold and encouraging me to sit with her.
“Your father and I are so proud of you, Lilly.”
“Did you see Annaleah today? She was a lovely bride wasn’t she?”
“She was beautiful, Lilly. You and Shep have done a wonderful job with the kids. I don’t have long, but I wanted to remind you that I am always near. I love you and I am proud of you for all you have done.”
She kissed me before she began to fade. This was one of the shortest visits and something told me it would be the last as long as I was living. Normally, I was sad when she left me, but not this time. I knew she was always close. Knowing this was our last visit told me that everything was as it should be.
Shep and I were together and happy. We raised two wonderful children who had found their own paths in life. With our struggles left in the past, we looked forward to years of just being together.
Denali’s Story
Denali Levannah was born to loving parents and an over-protective but loving, older sister. From the time he first cried, Annika was by his side. She helped her mother with every part of raising a baby: feeding, changing, teaching. She loved the chubby, white haired boy with her whole heart, and he loved his sister equally.
When he was old enough, he would tag along with this sister and her best friend Jax. He looked up to Jax and was proud to be able to call him his friend. Once he made his own friends he would tell stories about the adventures he'd taken with Annika and Jax. His friends loved listening to his stories. Denali was a gifted storyteller with a magnetic personality. Other children wanted to be his friend, and he tried to be friends with all of them.
By the time he was sixteen, he had outgrown his chubby cheeks and short stature. He now stood nearly 6 feet tall and his time helping around the house had helped him shed the baby fat. His straw colored hair hung just above his shoulders and served as a frame around his strong face and icy blue eyes. He didn't miss a beat when the girls began showing him attention either. It was hard to miss the giggles when he walked by a group of girls. He'd flash them his pearly white smile before saying a simple ‘Hello girls.’ Their giggles turned to nervous laughter, and most of them were rendered speechless.
Beyond his good looks, he was a gentleman with a reputation for being caring and respectful. The few girls who'd actually decided they could form a sentence around him had all confirmed that Denali Levannah was perfection. He never used his gift as a way of impressing girls and never led any of them to believe they were more than friends and he had plenty of friends. Denali was a good boy who already had his sights set on a girl, the only girl that seemed to not care if he existed or not, Vivianna Mender.
He first noticed her when Annika started seeing her brother James. As was usual for Annika to do, she asked Denali if he wanted to go with her while she visited her new friend James. Denali was always eager to go anywhere with his sister, and he found he liked James from the get go. He was a kind and gentle man, and Annika was clearly smitten with him. Although Denali loved hanging out with Jax and Annika, their adventures were endless, he found the times he went with Annika to see James were peaceful, happy. He saw something different in his sister when she was with James. A glow, a contentment that he never saw with Jax. He shrugged it off because like everyone else he knew Jax and Annika were destined to marry.
During one of their visits to James Mender's house, Annika disappeared with James, telling her brother she'd be right back. He normally had a great time at the Mender house but this time he was bored and anxious to get going. Annika and he were supposed to work on their abilities with Jax that afternoon, but Annika insisted on seeing James first. While he really liked James, he knew the time was coming when Jax and Annika would be married, and Denali felt bad for James. He wondered if Annika and James were getting too serious. Too attached. Maybe it was time he talked to his sister. Tell her what he assumed she'd already known but judging by her face when she looked at James, she had no clue that she was supposed to marry Jax.
Denali was lost deep in thought. That was one of his downfalls, he thought too much and being bored didn't help. He knew Jax would want to know where they had been and Denali doubted his sister had told her best friend about her new boyfriend. He was tired of thinking about Annika and her boy problems and almost had enough of waiting when he saw the girl of his dreams out the window. Her blazing red hair hung in waves down to her waist and around her shoulders. She was hunched over an animal of some kind, gently massaging the creature. He stood mesmerized by her until her green eyes met his. They were filled with worry, and he suddenly felt the need to help her. He wanted to erase the look of pain she wore on her lovely face. He ru
shed outside and knelt in front of his dream girl.
“Can I help you?” He asked her, kneeling down beside her. He'd noticed then that it was a baby Pegasus and it was clearly in a lot of pain.
“Yes. Can you just touch her? Rub her softly? It won't actually heal her but it will soothe her so that I can heal her.” Her voice was melodic and strained. Denali wanted to pull her into his arms and will the sadness to go away, but that was a crazy thought. He'd never even laid eyes on her before, and that's not what she was asking of him. “Can you?” She asked, anxiously.
“Uhh, yeah. Of course,” he muttered before laying his hands upon the creature and gently caressing it. He wasn't exactly sure what to do but she said rub softly so that's what he did. He rubbed softly and watched Vivianna.
She rubbed her hands together quickly as though she was trying to warm them. He thought they may catch on fire if she continued much longer. Just as he was about to voice his concern to her, she stopped and laid her hands on the side of the Pegasus just below Denali's hands. She pushed and prodded until the creature wailed loudly then fell silent.
“Is it dead?” Denali asked, backing away. He wasn't too proud to admit that he was more than a little freaked out.
“No, of course not!” She replied, angrily. “Who do you think I am?”
“I don't know honestly. It was wailing then fell silent. What am I supposed to think?” He replied, sounding more irritated than he intended. He came over to her trying to make a good impression, but he felt like he was failing miserably. He thought, for the first time in his life, to use his ability on her but decided it was a bad idea.
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