Northstar Vale Thánatos

There were selfish fears that blossomed inside him.

Would Towhee take her family away from the place that her daughter had died? Could he blame her if she did? Arsenio knew that he could not. He also could not fathom the idea of leaving one of his children’s bodies behind in a place he might never see again. The Arche did not envy their family. These were not choices that he would ever want to make.

Sometimes it is hard to be in a place where tragedy has struck, he said quietly.

When Maxim spoke of Leona, his first daughter, Arsenio was reverent. He listened, staying close to the other man. Zulema and Zosime swam into his mind and he felt his heart swell with the love that he felt for his daughters – his beautiful, bright, glowing daughters.

Tamar and I, we rely on you and Towhee and your presence in Epoch. You are part of our family, in many ways. I do not think I have ever thanked you for this. I wish…

A sigh fell from his nose.

I wish that I could do more for you. He felt so tired.