Story: Advice
Year: 992 FY
Characters: Nida, Nolani
Notes: This takes place in the Incest AU



Nida sat down at the edge of the pool, took her shoes off, and trailed her feet in the water. She could feel her future daughter-in-law hovering behind her awkwardly, but let the silence hang for a moment before she broke it. Part of the delay was because, while she'd been planning to bring the young lady here for some time, she wasn't quite sure exactly how to say what she needed to say. The visit, after Andrell had been nearly killed, had brought this conversation--this visit--up far sooner than Nida had ever thought possible.

"This place...it was very special, for my husband and I." She stopped, briefly touched the pearl necklace she always wore--the first birthday gift he'd ever given her. "I was...I loved him, but I was never able to be completely honest with him. You will...from what I know, and I apologize if I'm reading this wrong, but...you will have the opposite problem." She closed her eyes, focusing on the smooth pearls in her finger, the cold water on her feet. "It doesn't matter. As long as you have one thing that is special--no matter how simple--and special for you. For Andrell and Nolani, not for the King and Queen...if you manage that, you'll be all right."

Princess Nolani didn't respond out loud, but after an awkward silence, sat down next to her, and Nida watched as a series of sparks trailed across the pool, mingling with the spray from the falls. A union, of where they'd been and where they would be in the future.

Despite herself, she smiled a little. Princess Nolani was making it abundantly clear that she was willing to do whatever she needed to make this work.

Nida could almost believe that things would be all right in time.