"Areana," Annani sniffled into her shoulder. "My sister. My beautiful sister."
"Annani." Areana's voice broke. "I never believed this day would come."
They held each other, swaying and crying without shame or restraint. Five thousand years of separation, and only recently finding out that the other was alive and establishing weekly calls that had been a miracle and yet could never bridge the distance between them.
"I forgot," Areana gasped between sobs. "I forgot how beautiful you are. How small and perfect and radiant."
"And I forgot how tall and gorgeous you are," Annani laughed through her tears. "How striking, how much you look like our father."
"But you have his spirit. His strength. I've never had that. I'm meek like my mother was."
Annani shook her head. "You are brave and strong. Not all acts of bravery are enacted with a sword in hand. Some are done with a smile and a soft word spoken at the right time."
They pulled back just enough to look at each other, hands still clasped, tears still streaming down their faces.
Around them, the others watched with varying expressions of emotion. Jacki and Carol were dabbing at their eyes, not even trying to hide that they were tearing up. Kalugal and Lokan looked moved, and even Kian, who usually didn't get overly emotional, was smiling and had a soft look in his eyes.
Darius, however, started wailing. He was either picking up on the emotion in the room or just misinterpreting all the crying going on around him.
"Oh, no, sweetie," Jacki said, hugging him to her chest. "It's okay. Those are happy tears. See? Areana and Annani are happy to see each other. They're smiling."
But Darius wasn't convinced, his little face scrunched up in distress at seeing the adults cry.
Areana wiped her tears and turned toward him. "My precious boy. Come here."
She took him from Jacki, holding him close and smiling at him with such warmth that even through his tears, Darius could see she wasn't sad.
"See?" Areana said softly. "I'm happy. These are happy tears because I get to meet you, and you're the sweetest boy, so handsome and strong."
Darius studied her face, his crying subsiding to hiccups. Then, apparently satisfied that she was okay, he reached for his mother.
Jacki took him back with an apologetic smile. "Sorry. He's not usually this sensitive."
"Do not apologize." Annani reached out to stroke Darius's soft, dark curls. "He has a good heart. He is empathetic. That is a gift, not a flaw."
"He gets it from his mother," Kalugal said, moving to stand beside Jacki. "Not from me."
Areana looked at them with an expression so tender that it made Annani's heart ache, but in a good way.
Mother and son looked at each other for a long moment, and Annani could see years of complicated emotions passing between them. Pain and love and loss and gratitude all tangled together.
"I have a surprise for you," Annani said, deciding that now was the right moment for the reveal. "It is a very pleasant surprise, but it is so monumental that I suggest you sit for it."
Areana turned to her, wariness creeping into her expression. "What kind of surprise?"
"A happy family surprise." Annani moved to the hallway and called out, "You may come out now."
The twins emerged from the guest bedroom, looking uncomfortable and uncertain.
Areana froze, staring at them with no comprehension. Her brow furrowed. "I don't understand. Do I know you? You look familiar. Why do you look familiar?"
Annani wrapped an arm around Areana's waist, feeling how tense her sister was. "You have never met Morelle and Ell-rom, but they look familiar to you because they look like our father. They are his children as well."
"Our father had more children?" Areana's voice was faint.
"Ell-rom and Morelle are half god, half Kra-ell. Children of Ahn and the Kra-ell princess who fought beside him during the rebellion on Anumati seven thousand years ago."
Areana swayed slightly, and Annani tightened her grip, supporting her.
