A Prophecy’s Aftermath

Dolion found herself sitting at Selina’s bedside.

The woman was exhausted. She was ghostly pale and bags lay heavy under her eyes. Each breath was heavy, a wheeze heard under each one.

Dolion didn’t like seeing her like this. It always left her with a sick feeling in her stomach. Ever since she was little, the only memories she ever truly had of her old friend were ones like this. Sitting at her bedside while she recovered from a prophecy, no matter if it was one caused by her father’s pushing or one truly sent to her by the gods.

“You’re thinking too much.”

Dolion is snapped out of her thoughts by the soft, scratchy voice. Looking over, she meets Selina’s tired blue gaze. Despite the exhaustion there, it's still filled with that calm warmth that Dolion had grown to associate with her.

“I don’t think I am.” Dolion says softly, letting Selina take her hand when she reaches for it.

Selina just chuckles, still breathy and wheezy. “You are, you have that crinkle riiiiiiight, here.” She then pokes Dolion right between her eyebrows which she had unknowingly furrowed. “You can’t hide it from me hun. What’s on your mind?”

Dolion sighs deeply, “Am I not allowed to be worried about you?”

Selina smiles, “You have a big heart, Dolion.”

Dolion just sends her a confused look. One that causes Selina to chuckle as she squeezes Dolion’s hand a bit as she leans back with a soft sigh.

“…are you okay Selina?” Dolion doesn’t like how small her voice feels at that moment. So weak and scared.

Selina sends her a tired smile. “Why wouldn’t I be? I always bounce back. No matter the prophecy. You should know that better than anyone.”

Dolion’s worry only gets worse. “Yes…but…”

Selina gently squeezes her hand. “I’ll be fine, Dolion. I was fine when you were a little girl, I was fine before you were born. The gods will have to try harder than that if they wanna get rid of me. You and I both know it.”

That last bit does pull a laughing breath from Dolion as she shakes her head. “I suppose.”

Selina smiles as she leans back again with a soft, relaxed sigh. They sit in the comfortable silence together for a bit before Selina speaks again.

“How’s that Tandora boy doing?”

“Which one?”

“Ya know, the noisy one.”

“Hannibal?”

“Yeah, him.”

“Selina, you’ve known them for nearly as long as I have. You should know their names by now.”

“Excuse you missy, who said you get to take that tone with me?”

Dolion just laughs softly, “Hannibal is doing okay Selina.”

“Still causing issues?”

Dolion barked out a sharp laugh. “Is the sky blue?”

Selina hums softly, her gaze thoughtful. She goes silent for a bit as she looks at Dolion. Dolion finds herself looking back at her old caretaker curiously, waiting for her response.

“Even with how I worry about how much stress he causes you, even I have to admit that he brings out a good side of you.” She says softly after a bit. Dolion doesn’t even need to ask what she means as she gently reaches over to pull Dolion down so she can kiss her forehead. “I haven’t seen you smile like that since you were little.”

The kiss causes Dolion to pause before she reaches over to hug Selina. Moments like these always hit her hard…she can pretend that she just has a normal mortal mom and not some goddess dicking around wherever she might be…

She can hear Selina hum before she gently wraps her arms around Dolion as well. Her hand rubs her back gently as she speaks. “I will never understand how people can call you heartless. You’re such a softie…”

Despite herself Dolion laughs, “…this is supposed to be a bonding moment…stop teasing me…”

“Me? Stop teasing you? Never. It's my job at this point.”

Dolion pulls back to look at Selina. There’s that warm smile that Dolion knew so well, filling a part of her heart that she knew was empty since she saw Oberon with his mom. A mortal woman. Emperor Consort Rumani. She was a kind woman, Dolion had nothing against her, but it still made her painfully aware of what she didn’t have.

That smile had never changed in all the years she knew Selina. Dolion doesn’t even remember a time when Selina wasn’t part of her life. She had even heard rumors that Selina had been the first to carry and hold her as a baby, even before her own father…she wasn’t sure about their validity but Dolion certainly wouldn’t be surprised if they were true.

She’s snapped out of her thoughts by a poke between her brows again.

“You’re thinking too hard again.”

“Am I not allowed to think?”

“You are, but you were even giving me a headache by how hard you were thinking.”

“…that is not how that works Selina.”

“Well now it is.”

Dolion just laughs softly. “You should get some more rest, Selina. Knowing Vidya, when he hears that you’re up, he won’t let you rest until he has all the answers he wants.”

Selina just huffs a bit. “I swear that boy, you kids nowadays have no respect for your elders!”

Dolion just smiles awkwardly at her. “Well you don’t exactly look like an elder Selina.”

Selina does seem to be quite happy with that as she gives Dolion a self satisfied look. “I know right? Being an oracle definitely has its downsides but at least I can look good for the entirety of my existence!”

Dolion just laughs and pats her on the shoulder. “Rest Selina. You need it.”

Selina huffs softly but she does lay back down. “Since when were you allowed to tell me to go to bed?”

“Since you fainted from a prophecy. Now get some rest. I don’t want you feeling worse later.”

Selina huffs, now laughing too. “Fine, fine, but not because you told me too.” She gets comfortable as she lays down, turning to lay on her side with the blankets pulled up tightly around her.

Dolion had gone to look at the desk with all their current notes on the prophecy when she heard Selina speak up again.

“Dolion?”

“Yes.”

“I’m proud of you.”

That warmth fills Dolion once more, keeping that normally void spot nice and full of happiness and love. She has to hide her gaze to keep Selina from seeing her tears but like any good parent, she knows.

“Come here.”

And Dolion does as such, heading over and letting Selina pull her down and into her arms. She simply holds Dolion, rubbing her back gently as she lets Dolion cry softly.

“You make me so proud everyday. Everything you do and say makes me wonder how I managed to help raise such a beautiful and amazing girl.”

Dolion just clings to her tighter. How does Selina always know just what she needs to hear?

As she cries, she feels exhaustion catch up to her. Likely a mix from the stressful day and her own quiet crying. She ends up being the one to fall asleep instead of Selina, something the older woman seems to find both very amusing but also heartbreaking.

Selina’s voice is soft when she speaks again.

“You’re the daughter I wish I could have.”

~

Vidya found himself in a shocking situation when he entered the room.

You see, he had gone looking for Dolion to check on the current situation with Selina. After all! They had plenty of work to get done and not a lot of time! They had to make the most of what they had!

Yet when he entered the room he found the two of them completely passed out. They’re both out cold on the bed but Selina’s arms are wrapped protectively around Dolion, dully reminding him of how his nanny would hold Cato if he went crying to them about a nightmare. Meanwhile Dolion slept peacefully. Yes her face was a bit blotchy from seemingly crying, her makeup running too, but her face was the most relaxed he had EVER seen the other woman in all the years he’s worked with her.

He looks at the two of them for a moment before sighing softly and fondly. He doesn’t have it in him to wake them up.

He supposes that the prophecy can wait a bit longer.