where the winters won’t hit quite as hard. We’ll send Blackbloods to him for training, but Seanev is also bringing down an experienced one who works and trains up north to replace Leshaun.”
“Luykas, I’ll go with you to see him today, even if I don’t stick around,” Mave announced, deciding what she wanted to do with her first day back. “When is he moving?”
“In the autumn,” Mat answered. “He’s going to let the mativa set up her new small community without him in the way. The new mativa already agreed to allow him to join her as an elder, someone who will need help and can help with smaller tasks. They know he’s from a place of great respect. It’ll be her honor to have him settle in her community.”
“It will be,” Mave agreed. I’ll make sure she understands it, just in case.
They finished breakfast, and Mave left home with Luykas. It was odd being back in the village after so long, having missed an entire season. The village had changed. She noticed it the day before, but that could have been written off to the excitement of the warriors coming home. Now, it was abundantly clear.
As she and her blood bonded husband walked down the trails, paths, and small roads, she took it all in. There was so much happiness. Everyone was smiling as they talked. Males were joking around as they worked on another new building. The streets were clean. A few children ran around, laughing as they ducked and dove away from their caretakers.
“There’s a war going on,” she whispered.
“Do you think the world paused for the war?” Luykas asked, and she quickly figured out his meaning.
“No, but I don’t even remember the village in Olost being this happy.” She remembered a more somber feeling in Olost, a desperation to hold on to the scraps of Andinna society they could save when they ran from the Empire. This felt rejuvenated.
“Because we weren’t happy in Olost. We’re happy here. And we’re winning. Shadra hasn’t been able to claim a major victory against us yet. If we can stay a step ahead of her, we can win this. Everyone knows it, and it…” he trailed off, looking away from her.
“It’s electrifying,” she said softly. “It’s something in the air that wasn’t as strong when I left on campaign.”
“Yeah,” he agreed softly. “I think it really started after Lothen’s execution. It’s only grown since then with Sen and our other captains coming back with our people in Olost and supplies we needed. Then there’re the victories you brought home yesterday.” He smiled. “This is what we’re fighting for, Mave.”
“It is,” she acknowledged.
They continued their leisurely stroll, Luykas taking her hand as they walked.
Leshaun lived in a very quiet area of the valley in a small wooden house, not a cliffside retreat. A stream ran next to it, made of snowmelt from the mountains rising around them. As they approached, Leshaun came out. He used a cane and leaned on a post that held up the cover for his porch. She took in his wrinkles and pale green eyes, once probably the same vibrant emerald green as Mat’s. His once black hair was now nearly all grey.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite female,” he said with a kind smile. “Mave, how are you, my dear?”
“I’m well,” she said as she went up his steps, Luykas quietly following. “I got back yesterday, but I didn’t see you.”
“The parties of the younger hearts in the village are not for me any longer,” he said, patting her cheek. His hands had more wrinkles than they once did. Since she had met him, time had taken a devastating toll. He was far more aged than she believed he had any right to be. “But I toasted you, Nevyn, Varon, and Kian every night while you were away, with a small glass of wine.”
“You have more grey hair than when I left,” she pointed out softly. He also hunched more and had lost muscle mass. He was no longer a strong, older male, now firmly in the decline that took all old Andinna.
“Stress ages us quickly if we’re not careful, but it’s okay. I’m certain someone has told you I’m retiring fully, and Luykas is taking over my work. I’ll settle into a quiet life and still have at least five hundred years, if not more. Once I’ve handed everything over to others, I’ll have more energy to spend with the family.” He smiled as though