Mother

He was thankful for many things, really. Being alive, out of stasis, and being able to spend time with his friends and his lover were just a few of them. It was all good, to him, even if things weren’t always the best. Drell was content and had little desire to take more than he’d been allotted—for the most part.
It was depressing, he thought, that the one thing that couldn’t truly be replicated was missing. Of course Alice always did her best to fill that missing hole for him. He appreciated it more than he could probably ever really express to just about anyone. The only one who would understand how he felt was Hana, but only because she understood everything within their world. Unfortunately, even though she did understand everything, she could never truly be a comfort to him. It was just her nature.
Mother’s Day was special, but it hurt every year. Because his sleep lasted the vast number of years that it did, he had no real or direct family. His parents and siblings were long since dead and reincarnated, or perhaps ascended, and his blood in any of their descendants was so thinned by time that it didn’t matter, anyway. So, in truth, any day to celebrate a family member hurt. His friends acting as family regardless, it hurt. And painfully enough for him, it was Mother’s Day again.
On this day, he really didn’t like having to work at the service desk. So many people were buying cards or gifts for their mothers, and the best he could do was find something for Alice, who wasn’t really related to him except by their ties to Acceana. There was Carl’s own mother, of course, but he never felt any true connection to her, and she was simply there as his in-law. And although it wasn’t at all like him, he felt so jealous of everyone else who had their mothers. There was nothing of material value he wouldn’t give to see his own mother again, even if only he recognized her and she didn’t remember anything beyond her present life.
The fact that he was only working until lunch that day was a blessing for him, and when it came time to clock out, he was even more grateful. He also wanted to simply be away from the pitying glances shoppers sent him throughout his workday. It was terrible—even the ancient twins Yadelle and Sybelle didn’t quite understand his pain. Because of their original roles in Acceana, they hadn’t even known their mother or even their father. Ever since their birth, they were raised solely to serve priestesses. Such children never knew their parents.
Drell wasn’t going home yet—it wasn’t even all that pleasant there for him, because he lived with a pair of mothers. As such, he took pains in staying out of the house as long as possible. He didn’t really like doing that to his friends, but his missing his own mother would only create an oppressive atmosphere around him. And the last thing he wanted to do was dampen everyone’s moods. This, in fact, kept him away from most of the people he knew.
Certainly, he would visit the local orphanage later, but that was only after he expunged most of his depressive mood.
Once he’d changed from his uniform, he walked himself along the streets to nowhere in particular. It was always like that—he’d basically wander the town aimlessly in hopes of finding a peaceful place he could just be as depressive as he needed to. Usually, this led him somewhere along the Potomac River and away from most buildings except perhaps a warehouse. At least any workers there would simply ignore him, and the fish were ignorant of his plight.
He sat down on the grass with a sigh—part of him wished at times he could just sleep right through the day. It would certainly be so much better than being forced to endure one of the most painful days of the year. Father’s Day was marginally better for him, if only because he’d never been terribly close with his own father in the first place. At least that day didn’t require him to avoid all others like the plague. He could mill through that day and be done with the entire thing come time for bed.
At some point, he was roused from his thoughts at the presence of someone with him. He gave a grim smile—one of the few times he smiled and the emotion never reached his eyes. “If you’ve come for the view, it is terribly plain,” he said.
There was a wistful sigh. “That’s perfectly fine,” his new companion gave in response. “It’s more peaceful than at home.”
Drell didn’t entirely recognize the woman’s accent—it was nothing like Marta or Diana’s muddled German and Irish respectively, or Sora and his family’s own Japanese that remained. Clearly, this woman had come from somewhere other than where they had. Perhaps she was from Canada, like Rachel and Mira were? Still, as curious as he might have been of her origins, it wasn’t important enough to warrant asking, and especially not at the moment.
“Yes, I suppose there is that,” Drell admitted. “It helps to get away from all the bustle.”
For a moment, the woman simply sat in silence. “This is the first chance I’ve really gotten to sit and think,” she admitted. “I really needed the vacation, and always wanted to visit a different country.”
“This is not always a quiet little city,” Drell commented idly. “Although it is quieter than some.”
The woman gave a small laugh. “I was drawn here by something, though I don’t really know what.” She turned to Drell and smiled. “Let me introduce myself before I forget—my name is Ximena.”
“My name is Drell,” he offered in return, although he didn’t meet her gaze as he probably should have.
Ximena sat in silence for another moment, and her expression became pensive briefly. She shook the daze she suddenly found herself in away quickly, though. “Is something the matter?” she questioned carefully. As his gaze finally shifted to her some, she blushed a little. “I’m sorry. You just look… upset over something.” She looked back to the river, where a leaf had suddenly caught on twig sticking out into the water. “I suppose it’s not my place to ask, though…”
Drell debated telling her anything at all. If she knew he didn’t have a mother and the reasons for it, would she give him the same pitying look too many people did? Of course he couldn’t entirely blame them for it—that was the most natural reaction at the beginning of hearing the news. And it wasn’t the kind of thing he liked advertising in the first place, because it only led to questions about his age more than anything else.
Still, he had the odd need to tell her, anyway.
“I suppose you could say I am an orphan,” he admitted. “Any blood relatives I had in the past are all living new lives.”
For a moment, Ximena could only give a bemused expression. “Did they… leave you…?” She had a very difficult time vocalizing the question. What kind of family would abandon their child?
The young fairy gave a heavy sigh. “I have slept for several millennia, and so they have each died.” He paused. “And now it is Mother’s Day. I… no longer have…” He couldn’t find it in him to finish his statement.
In that moment, part of Ximena regretted asking—how was she supposed to respond to that? As it was, there was a fog encroaching upon her mind. “You were in stasis?” she asked cautiously.
“I was, yes,” he said. “The last thing I recall before waking to this new time several years ago was being attacked with my friend by a demon and what she summoned with her. I still see my friend’s horrified expression as I fell. And then I woke in a strange, empty room to several people around me.” He paused briefly  before continuing. “I reawakened with the help of a young elf. Emyira told me she was told the story of a man placed in stasis in Acceana by her grandfather. It would seem she is the descendant of the elves who placed me in that stasis.”
“Acceana?” the woman questioned. “That name… seems familiar, but I can’t say where I’ve heard it.”
“You’ve likely heard it in reference to a woman named Caelienn,” Drell offered. “Although legends of her are quite misconstrued, and she was not the saint everyone has believed her to be.” The grim smile reformed. “She still has quite the temper, and I don’t care to see it incited.”
Ximena let her mind wander for a moment. “Yes, I do remember some legend of her fighting her empire’s tyranny from within.”
At that, Drell gave a sudden laugh. “Mother was no tyrant, I can assure you of that. It was the Council of Elders and other nobles. They are the ones who had a now illegal seal placed on Caelienn’s power.”
The color suddenly drained from Ximena’s face. “A seal that more than halved her magic… It has been undone, correct?” she suddenly demanded.
“Yes, although she is now split into two people majority of the time,” Drell reassured some. Although it wasn’t entirely reassuring, it was certainly still better than being forced to speak of his family.
Something told him the subject would still, inevitably, go back to that of his blood relatives.
Ximena let her hazel eyes close and sighed. “That seal should not have been permitted use, given what we know now of it.”
“I was only told of it,” Drell explained. “Much of what happened came after I was placed in stasis.”
“It… doesn’t appear you were very old when it happened…” Ximena said reluctantly.
Drell tensed automatically, but forced himself to relax with a sigh. “No, I was not,” he admitted. “Caelienn and I were both young, and quite foolish at the time. We hadn’t thought anything would endanger us, and had agreed to slip past the guards.”
Ximena’s body moved on its own, and she turned to face Drell more fully than before. There was a disapproving look in her eyes. “The guards were there for a reason, and you should not have slipped past them.”
“I am aware of now,” he sighed. “We… Caelienn has paid a long and harsh price for it all, especially given that she called upon the god of vengeance. She also used some of her own life energy to keep me alive. I… I’m grateful, but she… I suppose I have mixed feelings.”
Before she knew what she was doing, Ximena moved slightly and placed her hands on each of his shoulders. When he looked up in surprise, she stared into his bright blue eyes. A part of her felt like it was melting into something else that was also inside her. She wasn’t entirely certain what was going on, but she knew sometimes it was best to go with the flow. Whatever came next, she would simply have to accept regardless of what it was. What that was, she didn’t know, either, but a part of her repeated that it was good.
“You’ve always been kind,” she started. “You’re the person who would much rather give.” She ran a hand carefully through his easily mussed up hair and gave a fond smile. “But people like that still receive amazing gifts, and it’s clear she cared enough to spend that kind of energy to save you.”
The entire speech caught Drell off guard, and his eyes widened some in surprise. Something was clearly going on, and he hadn’t even been aware of it until just now. This woman—Ximena—what ties did she have to his life during such faraway times? Had she lived there, with everyone else, and known him to any extent? Regardless of who she was, though, he could see it as plainly as the sky. This was fate.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he quickly searched her aura for something familiar to him—anything at all. The word was out before his mind had even a second to spare.
“Mother…”
Ximena pulled the young man close and stroked his hair, careful not to mess it up too badly. “Yes, so it seems.”
Drell let himself be pulled in, and found himself latching onto her the way he had as a very young child. The tears that had gathered fell quickly and the process repeated. “I… I’ve missed you more than you possibly could imagine…”
There was a moment of silence between the two, and she just held him in the hug until he was ready to let go. Though, admittedly, it did take him quite some time to let her go. She smiled and attempted to straighten out his hair as he pulled back. There was no way she was going to be able to go back to Mexico without plotting her return, somehow.
“So have you behaved yourself since waking up?” she questioned fondly.
He felt his cheeks heat up some at the inquiry. “I’ve certainly not made any enemies of any sort,” he offered in response. “Nor have I caused others any unnecessary trouble, or so I should think.”
Ximena chuckled. “I hope you realize I’m just teasing you.”
The blush grew darker—how often was this going to start happening? He was used to Alice doting on him a bit, but his reincarnated mother was only going to dote on him even more, he could simply tell. “I am aware of this.” He paused, and then gave a wide smile. There was something that needed said. “Happy Mother’s Day.”
At first, she just laughed. “Yes, I suppose I’ll always be your mother.”
Suddenly, Drell pulled himself up and offered a hand to help Ximena up, as well. “Oh, would you like to see everyone again?” he asked.
“I don’t see why I shouldn’t.” Ximena took the hand offered and stood up. “Though there must be more than just those of us from the empire.”
Drell nodded once. “Yes, there are several more people here.”
She gave the young man before her a good onceover. Although the times had changed greatly as had the fashions, this was most definitely still her son from millennia ago. She supposed the only real difference between then and now was that he looked so much happier. He wasn’t the crown prince anymore, and perhaps that was perfectly fine with him. Life as a member of the royal family—of any royal family—was a difficult one. He was probably happy that he also wasn’t forced to marry someone he had no romantic or sexual interest in. And she’d known for a fact that he had really been much more interest in one of his various servants than another of his own social status at the time.

The End