The Reunion

Victorious opened the door slowly so she could surprise her children of her presence but as she shut the door and entered the vardo a few steps her children toppled her to the ground.  All she could hear was "Mommma!!!  She hugged them tight with tears in her eyes.  "Hello little ones, have you been good for Tara?"  Erma and Jacob both replied at the same time, "Yes Momma we missed ya."  She kissed their cheek as she looked over at the girls smiling wide with tears running down their cheeks.

She got to her feet and hurried over to both of them, "You want to give your stepmom a hug, girls."  They hugged her tight like they had never before.  "Oh I've missed you two.  Are you okay?"  They both replied, "Yes mommy we just missed you and was afraid you would never return."  A frown formed on her face and she knelt down to their level, "Girls, I promised you I would return.  Not even a bear could keep me away from you.  I may not be your real mom but I love you like your are my own girls."  She paused a moment, "Now I know this is hard to hear but I don't think your mom is returning but it's not because of you.  You're mom is not herself or she would return to you so I need you to consider me your real mom.  Katara and I will take care of you like if you were our own so if you ever need to talk about this please come to me no matter the time."

Delillah listened to her mother and the tears just flowed and hung onto Victorious for dear life.  All her hope was now gone.  She finally realized her mother was never to return again.  She sobbed like she had never before.  Lelani just listened and showed no emotion.  She looked at Lelani with a bit of concern but let it go for another time.  She held on to Delillah and rubbed her back.  "It's going to be alright little one.  I will never leave you."

Relaxation

After Katara finished bathing she climbed out of the hot spring and pulled her fresh clothes on. She ran her fingers through her wet hair and exited the cave. She made her way back towards the caravan and arrived at her destination a few minutes later. Katara walked through the gates and smiled as she walked to her tent. She stepped inside and sat her ruined clothes in a pile by the mouth of the tent. She checked on her lycan children once more and then exited the tent. Katara began walking towards Vicci's vardo and giggled when she felt her stomach growl. She shook her head and continued towards her destination. She soon reached her destination and opened the door. When Katara saw that Vicci's vardo was empty she walked to the children's Vardo. She silently opened the door and smiled when she saw Vicci checking on the little ones.

The Panic

As the note fell from her hands and onto the floor, she woke up slowly after having a wonderful dream about her beloved.  She reached her hand over to Katara and felt an empty void.  She sat straight up in a panic.  Where is she?  she thought.  She screamed at the Eagle, "Didn't my healing work?  What did you do with her."  The symbol of the Eagle on her forehead glowed brightly and pulsated upon her forehead.  She paced the room as the anger took control of her.  Suddenly she heard his voice in her head making her stop in her tracks.  "Victorious Cromwell!!! Stop it right now.  Katara is healed.  Go to the bed and look on the floor."  She followed his instruction looking on the floor and found a note.  She read it quickly and smiled.  She sighed in relief.  The glowing faded slowly. "She's alright."

The fear of losing her was so great.  She couldn't lose another one she loved.  Not now, she wasn't ready to lose Katara, not ever.  She sat back on the bed and tried to relax her body.  She got up and went to her children's vardo to check on them.

Hot Spring

A warm sensation began to spread through out Katara's body and she sighed softly as the pain her body began to ease. Before long the pain had completely faded away leaving her feeling whole once again. When she finally woke up she saw that she had been completely healed. Katara looked over at Vicci and smiled when she saw that she had fallen asleep. She moved a lock of hair out of Vicci's face and kissed her on the forehead before easing herself out of the bed. She grabbed a sheet of parchment out of the compartment on the desk and smiled as she began writing a note to her beloved.

My Dearest Vicci:
           You were asleep when I woke up and I didn't want to disturb you...I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to head back to my tent to check on Natalia and Jasper before going to the hot spring so that I can bathe...I love you so much and I long for the day when I can finally show the world that I am yours and yours alone.

Love always,
Your Tara

Katara smiled and gently placed the note beneath Vicci's hand before climbing out of the Vardo. She made her way through the caravan and soon arrived at her tent. She stepped inside and smiled when she saw that both Natalia and Jasper were sleeping in their wolf forms by the entrance. Katara walked past them and went over to her chest of clothes. She pulled out a fresh change of clothes and silently exited the tent. She then walked through the gates of the caravan and trekked through the trees until she reached the cave that housed the hot spring. Katara entered the cave and sat her fresh clothes down before stripping her bloody outfit off. She lowered herself into the water and closed her eyes as the muscles in her back began to ease. 

Healing her Beloved

As she saw and felt Katara pass out, she moved her slightly onto the bed more and laid next to her.  She began to glow brightly and the healing glow enveloped them as if they were one.  She closed her eyes and concentrated on her center where the deepest healing energy was located.  She put her arm around her chest and let the healing take over.

She prayed to the Mages that her beloved would heal and be alright.  She loved her more than anything in this realm and couldn't stand to lose her to a duel.  She cursed, "What was she thinking?  What was Scarlet thinking?"  She trusted Scarlet with her life and had to trust she knew what she was doing.  As the glowing was fading, she got her composure as the anger was prohibiting the healing so she closed her eyes trying to relax and the glow began to increase again.  "Please be alright Katara."

Falling More IN Love

Katara smiled as she looked into her beloveds eyes. She could tell that Vicci was worried and was trying to hide it. She moved a lock of hair out of Vicci's eyes and tenderly caressed her cheek with her thumb. "Yes this is it and I would love it if you could heal me darling" she whispered weakly as she ran her thumb across Vicci's bottom lip. "I love you more than anything in this world Victorious Cromwell" she whispered as a wave of dizziness swept over her. Her vision darkened and she smiled as the darkness overwhelmed her.

Realization

A total look of surprise formed on her face as she listened to her.  "You what?  You finished the last trial.  Oh goodness...." A million thoughts ran through her mind.  "So....this is it."  She looked at her uncomfortably.  She began to glow lightly and looked down, "Oh do you need healing love?"

She placed a kiss on her forehead lovingly.  "I love you Katara Delakoi."  She tried to conceal her worry as she needed to heal her first.