Funeral Wedding

Lovingly caressing her back, Tia whispered in her ear. "You are tired, so tired. Do you want to rest here, on my bed?"

Ix shivered as Tia whispered into her ear and nodded.

Tia nodded as well, laying Ix down the soft bed. She briefly left, returning with a wet rag that she handed to Ix. "Here, wash yourself with this. Your underwear is right here," the elf woman pointed to the bedside table, where the girl's panties were.

Just like last night, Tia pulled a blanket over Ix's side, looking down at her, with a face that expressed the slightest hint of regret. "Sorry this had to happen..." she mumbled under her breath, just loud enough for Ix to hear. "Rest easy, now."

Ix took the wet rag and proceeded to clean herself the best she could in the state she was before falling deep asleep.

"And that leaves me with..." Tia turned her head towards the kitchen. "You."

---

The door to the Seafields' room opened slowly and in walked Tia, holding a plate of very tiny cookies. She looked around for Pix's usual sleeping spot, pleased to see the little girl there.

"Hmm... I wonder what you dream about when you sleep," she said, placing the plate next to Pix, uncertain if the tiny one had heard her or not.

The tiny girl heard the sound of Tia placing the plate next to her but what woke her up was the elf's perfume and the smell of the cookies, Pix stretched her tiny arms and rubbed her tiny eyes before looking around and finally noticing Tia. At first the tiny girl didn't react but once she realized, Pix jumped really excited and waved at Tia.

Tia crouched to meet the gaze of the little girl. With a little wave of her own, Tia started speaking, unsure what to feel about this. "I woke you up, didn't I? I'm sorry."

The tiny Pix shake her head and started to write. "No problem, Tia came to play?" The smile from the tiny girl's face never fading as she show the notebook to the elf woman.

"Play with you?" Tia smiled as she scratched the back of her head. She thought about the implications and her schedule for the day... She was intrigued that those thoughts popped into her mind at all, was this tiny girl doing something to her?

"Hmm... why not? I can spare an hour or two."

Pix clapped and hopped really excited and happy. "What do you want to play to?"

The elf woman chuckled lightly. "It's been a very long time since I played anything. How about you decide and I'll follow?"

Pix started to think what to play with Tia and then looked at the elf woman. "Hide and seek!" Then she realized. "But can't go out of the room... mommy Ix said to wait for auntie Tix here..." She put down the notebook looking a bit disappointed.

Tia slowly reached out to pet her. "This room is plenty big, maybe too big for me, but you can hide here just fine. Are you up for it?"

Pix smiled and clapped. "Okay! Close your eyes and count!" Putting down her notebook, the tiny girl ran around the room looking for a good hiding spot, being so small made it easy for her as she hid inside one of the cups.

Time flew by so quickly. Eventually Tia found the hiding girl, then they played again, and again, and again. It seemed, even to herself, that she could no longer tell for how long they had been doing this. Maybe it went even past the hour or two she afforded to spare, but it didn't matter to her now.

"Aha, there you are, Pix~" said Tia as she uncovered the latest hiding spot of the tiny girl. It was then when she noticed the sunset outside, filling the room with a pleasant orange hue. "We've been doing this for a while. Look, the sun is setting." she added, giggling.

The time flew for the tiny girl as she played with the elf woman and before she could notice it was almost night time, as Tia remarked, the sun was going down. "Aww, I had a blast!" After showing Tia the note, Pix jumped to give the elf woman a hug.

Tia froze for a moment as the tiny girl openly displayed her affection. She was used to this kind of thing, but when it came from the pure-hearted Pix, it nudged a side of her mind that she did not know existed. The woman placed a hand on her back, or as much of it as she could, pushing the tiny girl against her body.

"I had fun as well, thanks to you~" she said, giving her a little pat. "You're such a good girl, Pix."

Pix smiled at the woman and let out a little yawn as she started to fall asleep on Tia's arms. "Friend Tia really ni-" She didn't finish as she fall asleep, dropping her tiny notebook on the ground and snoring softly.

Well into the night, Meredith walked inside a tavern room, seemingly in a hurry. What she saw there left her speechless, if only for a moment. "What happened here?" she asked in a demanding tone, her eyes set on the blonde elf by the window.

"Shh... the little one is sleeping," answered the dancer as she turned around to show a tiny Pix still asleep in her arms.

Meredith's gaze shifted to the bed, where Ix was sleeping soundly as well. Her expression was both one of irritation and scorn. "What have you done?"

Tia walked over to her and whispered. "Nothing. They are both fine. Just sleeping, as you can see."

"There is little time left. Wake her."

---

The cell was as dark and cramped as she remembered, and her bindings hurt just as much as before. It did not take long for her to be set free the first time around. Her argument was sound, their abilities could be exploited, they had value. And as long as there was value in something, humanity would always exploit it.

The woman clutched her child in her arms, slowly brushing a hand over the little one's amethyst hair. Even the bright silver armor she was staring at was nothing but a shade of gray now. The light of the torch could barely make a stab through this darkness.

"Is she around?" asked the woman, prompting a glare from the armored knight. "Perhaps we could be prison mates."

"You will stay away from her, monster," replied Sir Johann. "And don't even think about doing something now. This cell block is only months old, no more plants for you."

Closing her eyes, the fairy let out a resigned sigh. "I would not wish a repeat of the last time either... But I need to know something, her name."

"Why would you care about that? She is only food for you."

"So I can have her in my thoughts tomorrow."

The man lowered his gaze, clenching his fist as he recalled every last detail of yesterday. "Fine. Her name is Tix... Tix Seafield."

Uttering those last words, the knight turned and left, slamming the door to the prison shut. The elder leaned against the rocky wall, sliding down until she sat on the floor. "Tomorrow, Sola... just a little bit more."

"Yes, Momma..." said the little fairy, drowsy and tired, completely under her mother's will.

---

Meanwhile in another prison, the ashen-haired girl was woken up by the sound of someone entering her cell. She was still as exhausted as yesterday, and right now her eyes could barely make out the stranger that just walked in front of her. It was a woman with dignified posture. From her silhouette alone Tix noticed she had no weapons on her hip, this could only mean one thing...

"Wake up, my lady."

"I am awake..." The ashen-haired girl tried her best to get back on her feet but she had to sit down for a moment before getting up. "What's wrong, time for the ax already?" She wasn't a fool, she knew there wasn't going to be a trial like the knight promised, that bratty princess would rather have her head on a pike before that. "Well? That was a fast 'trial'"

Meredith looked at Tix from top to bottom; this girl was a mess, and she seemed to have accepted her fate.

"No, it is too soon for that. Your trial and subsequent execution will be held tomorrow morning," she said, closing her eyes. "What you have done goes beyond any limit of social behavior. I wanted to know your reason, if you can indulge me."

"Reason? You think too high of me... I don't really have a reason and, in my foolishness, I ended up taking the life of an innocent man..." Tix finally managed to get back on her feet. "Now, if there is nothing else, I'd like for you to tell Ix to get away from this city, is the only thing I'll ask..."

"Did you think I came all this way here, assign you in a prison where most of the patrols are my loyal men, put your warden to sleep, so I can ask you this?" Meredith walked forward, placing a hand on Tix's shoulder. "I am getting you out of here, my lady. Your sister was already taken out of town in a remote settlement. Once you join her, you will head home."

"I'm not going anywhere, I took a life it's only fair that mine is taken." Tix weakly pushed Meredith hand away. "I'll pay for my crimes."

The general stared in disbelief. Tix was willing to die for an accident. "And here I thought your ego was unmatched," she said, putting the hand back on her shoulder, and raising her chin with the other. "What of Lady Ix? You would have her suffer the loss of your life? What of the rest of your family?"

Meredith had to gamble, she did not know how much Tix valued her family, but all of her hunches told her it was a lot. Ix looked like she would completely break down should her sister die, and from their interactions together, she came to the conclusion that this was not an outcome Tix desired.

"A crime is not atoned for in death, but life. Don't squander your chance at life, my lady, not many people get it."