Chapter 21
“Little one, listen to me,” Nathaniel said, as they stood just outside the Jurors chambers. It was the same place they had stood when they had accepted her as a Tiro, all those years ago. She was inconsolable, in disbelief. “Listen.” He got down to his knees, holding her wrists. “This is best. This is best for everyone.”
“You promised me—” she cried.
“I promised you that I would always take care of you,” he said. “And I am doing just that. Look at how much fun you had with Devon in the past few days, how many stories he told of his life outside of the Order. That is the life you are meant to have – the life you should have had.”
“But—” she protested.
“Sienna,” Nathaniel said. “You love him, don't you?”
She nodded.
“As I love Eliza, and Desmond loves Mariah. But so long as we are within these walls, in this Order, we cannot openly love them. We cannot hold hands on the street. We cannot live a life that the rest of the universe takes for granted. We cannot follow our hearts. But we can release you, little one, and you can do all those things for us. You can be anything you want, work anywhere you want, and love him if you want. Hold his hand downtown, live your life as you desire.”
She held his gaze, her heart quivering.
“You want to serve Nature, I know,” Nathaniel said. “But this was not the way you were intended to serve, and we went against natural law for so long. There is another way you are intended to serve, and I know you will find it. Will you do that?” he asked, wiping away her tears. “Will you do that for me?”
She didn't move for a long time, her head whirling and her heart nearly exploding out of her chest.
“For us?” Desmond asked her. “We didn't fail, Sienna. None of us failed. We explored so much. We learned so much. We made so many advances. Nature intended the three of us to come together, and now, Nature intends us to separate”
She looked between the two of them, unsure, but her tears had slowed.
“We aren't never going to see each other again,” Nathaniel promised her. “This transition will be smooth and we will remain close.”
“But—”
“Do you love him?” Nathaniel asked her.
“Yes,” she said. “And I've hated being away from him.”
“And you always loved languages, diplomacy, negotiation,” Desmond said. “You are brilliant at those things.”
“I am only good at them because I am trained as a witch. And I don't know where we would go.”
“Ah.” At last, Nathaniel felt confident in telling her something. “It so happens that you'll have a place on Jeffro, because Eliza made you a Baroness.”
“What?” she asked, in shock.
“You are Jeffro royalty, if you want, so that even if Eliza… is no longer on the throne, they have to honour you. You are safe there.”
“Oh,” she said, in shock.
“And you know Jeffro's medical facilities are second to none,” he said. “As well as Jeffro's palace. There is a future for you, and it is bright.”
She remained silent a long time, thinking.
“I don't know if I am strong enough to do this.”
“Sienna, you have been strong enough for everything else that came yout way,” Desmond said. “This is not the toughest hurdle you have faced.”
She bit her lip, thinking of the death, the destruction, and the hurdles they had overcome. In a lot of ways, this was not the hardest day of her life. Being unable to use magic, watching Devon's life fade, and thinking for a horrible second she wouldn't be able to save him, those things were much worse.
“I know that what you are saying is right,” she said, after a long moment. “I know that this is the right way, and I do think I've known it for a long time. I just thought… you promised me.”
“We did,” Nathaniel knew he had broken that promise. “I'm sorry for that. Promises change, little one, as the world makes our purposes more clear.”
“I could be Eliza's translator,” she said. “I could work alongside her.”
“That would make me happy,” Nathaniel replied. “I would know that you would be safe, and it would give me an extra excuse to visit.”
“Nathaniel,” Desmond said. “You're on trial and your status as a witch is up for questioning.”
“I take after my Maestro.” Nathaniel grinned. “Is this decided then? This is what we will do?”
The three of them looked at each other, keeping emotions at bay.
“Yes,” Sienna said. “This is what we will do.”
She had feared this moment for so long. She had expected to feel abandoned, thrown away, angry, sad. Her heart was torn, but she knew this was the right thing to do, to serve Nature.
Her heart also leapt at the possibility of being with Devon without sneaking around.
“All right,” Nathaniel replied. “Let's go, then.”
“The Jurors have taken your recommendation and your defense into consideration,” Thomas said, looking between the two of them. “And have accepted your recommendation to end Sienna's training.”
She felt it hit her like a wave, and leaned against Nathaniel, who slipped a hand around her shoulders.
It was sad, but they were free. Free of pushing, free of trying, free of hoping for something that would never happen.
“You will—”
“Excuse me,” Desmond broke in. “I will move on, as well.”
“What?” Everyone turned to him in shock. Mariah squeaked, betraying her emotions.
“I am past my prime, Maestro, too old to take another Tiro. And we both know that I have walked a grey line for far too long. Every time I walk in here, it's to argue semantics, and I imagine I would continue to do it until my death. Instead, I offer my honorable discharge, my retirement”
Sienna had expected that as well, but it still shocked her. She couldn't help but exchange a smile with Desmond, though. They were both sharing a secret, a life that would bring them happiness
“Desmond.” Thomas shook his head. “Why did I know that was coming? And I am guessing, by the way that you have reacted, Maestro Mariah, that you intend to go with him.”
“Yes!” Mariah was not wasting her chance. She rose, and Desmond gently scuffed his feet, making enough noise for her to hear him, and advance forward. He held out his hand and she took it. No one had any question in their mind as to what was going to happen when they retired.
Witches who retired were supposed to hold themselves to the same standards as when they were working. But those who walked the grey line, like Desmond, clearly had other ideas about how they were supposed to spend their remaining days when they had given most of their life to the service of Nature.
She squeezed his hand, turning to face Thomas.
“I announce my retirement as well,” she said.
It was such a beautiful love story. Sienna's heart soared. She hoped that she and Devon could have a story like that someday, with years behind them and smiles on their faces.
She knew it wasn't likely, but Desmond did inspire her to at least try.
She glanced to Nathaniel and he quirked an eyebrow at her. It would be just like him to also announce he was off to Jeffro, to marry Eliza and be a Prince. Sienna couldn't imagine a happier ending, really. They didn't have to be restricted to this life. They didn't have to deny their hearts.
But the Jurors had other ideas. Before Nathaniel could speak, Thomas cleared his throat. “Then your fate is also known, Nathaniel.”
“Is it?” Nathaniel asked, suddenly feeling a sinking in his stomach.
“The condition for taking Sienna was that we would pick the next Tiro of yours. Your skill and experience will be carefully matched.”
“Oh.” Nathaniel went pale as he remembered that promise, so many years ago. He didn't think that they would actually go through with it, though.
“We do not find you guilty for the death of the King, nor the death of the witch potential. But you will comply with our orders on the assignment of your new Tiro.”
Nathaniel knew that this was his last moment to rebel. He could walk away, he could decide that this life was it for him. He had always thought that he was different from the rest, always thought he was meant for a stronger path. He had two dreams in his life. One was to be with Eliza and the other was to sit on the Jurors.
He had also known that he couldn't have had both.
Desmond glanced to him, saying nothing with his voice.
You can walk away.
Of course, I can, Nathaniel said. But until Eliza says the word, I am here.
Like Maestro, like Tiro, Desmond replied and Nathaniel had to agree.
“I accept,” he said, squeezing Sienna a bit closer. She hadn't expected that, but she knew that one day, Nathaniel would go on to replace her.
“Dismissed,” said Thomas. “And onwards, to your new lives.”
“You will always be my Tiro,” Nathaniel whispered to Sienna, as they left the room. “I promise you. Just on a different path in life.”
“Will you get a warrior now?” she asked, a question she had asked since the start of their training. She had always known her warrior Maestro wanted a Tiro to walk in his footsteps. At the start, she resented it, followed by feeling sad that she could never live up to it.
“I don't know,” he answered. “Maybe not.”
“What do you think?”
“Maybe they'll give you someone who can teach you patience,” Desmond said, from the other side. “Or calm.”
“Doubt it,” Nathaniel answered with a smile.