As Blanc reached his Mothers and siblings, and as Celine kept talking with her own family, one person remained, stuck in place, not part of any conversation, but still too afraid to join any of them.
Miyanna felt uneasy at the thought of joining Blanc and his Blood in conversation, given their shared history, one that had ended with her expulsion from the Domain of Blood Denegis.
But just as uncomfortable was joining Celine and her own Blood, as she was the second wife of their daughter's husband, thinking that they might judge or hate her for it.
The truth of the matter was that in her own head, she did not really prepare herself for this exact moment.
Celine told her much of the plan and what was about to happen, even before Blanc met with Lady Faye, before they left the Domain of Blood Certa.
Yet, with all that in mind, she still did not prepare herself for this very moment.
She watched as soldiers came, dragging the now-fainted Faye outside the hall, how Celine and her mothers laughed about something, and as Blanc reached to hug his own mothers.
For a moment, feeling lonely, she closed her eyes, thinking of the shining star that appeared in the night sky after her mother's death.
It comforted her, giving her the closest thing to company she felt as having at that moment.
It was soothing, so soothing in fact, that she did not even notice when Celine was calling out her name.
"Miyanna?" Celine asked, walking towards her, leaving her parents behind, waiting, "What are you doing?"
"What?" Miyanna jumped, startled by Celine.
"Are you not coming to say hello to my parents?" Celine wondered, a sad, sarcastic look on her face.
"You haven't seen your Blood in a long time, Celine. I cannot just take off your time with them," Miyanna explained, her eyes to the ground.
"What's gotten into you?" Celine wondered, placing a hand on her cheek, making Miyanna have to look into her eyes, "You are my Blood, sister. You are no stranger to me or Blanc, and that makes you family and Blood."
"I…" Miyanna muttered, losing her words not long after.
It made Celine sigh seeing her like this, so she turned on her heels, grabbed her by the hand, and dragged her back towards her parents so that she could meet them.
"I do understand trying to monopolize our Mothers after so long, Little Ones," Blanc sighed, feigning calmness, "But I have to ask you to at least give me the opportunity to see they are well."
His words made Mera and Auren laugh, as they patted the heads of Kael and Lune.
"You heard Blanc," Mera said to the two, "He wants to be pampered by his mothers, too."
"You should've said so, Brother," Lune moved to the side, grinning, "I would've let you earlier."
"Apologies, Brother Blanc," Kael added, doing the same as his sister, "You are free to proceed. I promise not to tell your wives about it."
A deep frown appeared on Blanc's forehead looking at the theatrics in front of him.
"Nothing but baseless accusations," he said as Mera and Auren got up to their feet.
But just as soon as they did, despite his words, he almost sent them back to the ground as he hugged both of them tightly.
"Thank the Vita," he whispered.
"My handsome boy," Mera placed her hands around his chest as she spoke, "You did so well."
"More than any of us could've asked," Auren added, "You made us all proud, despite carrying a burden that should not have been your own."
"They were never a burden, Mother Auren," Blanc shook his head, "Lune, Kael, Celine, and Miyanna kept me sane when madness seemed easy."
The words stung the hearts of the two women as they heard them.
The grief, shame, and heartbreak they felt since the day they sent them away was beyond anything a mother should feel in her life.
But a thing they have learned these past two months was how to cope with pain.
"This Miyanna you speak of," Merau muttered, changing the subject, "Isn't she…"
"She is," Blanc nodded, "I will explain everything later, but all I ask of you is not to shun her. She is my wife just as much as Celine is, and I love them both."
"Her past is no concern of ours, Blanc," Auren comforted, "If your relationship with your wives is great, then it is no place of ours to meddle into."
"I wish to know her well," Mera agreed, "Since we have heard that Celine isn't the only one pregnant."
"Both of them are, by a difference of two weeks or so," Blanc confirmed.
"Even more reason to make sure all of us are on good terms," Mera replied, placing her hand on his cheek and looking into his eyes.
"Thank you, Mothers," Blanc said to the two, before words left his tongue without his consent. "May I ask a question?"
"Not now," Mera shook her head.
"There will be time to discuss everything, Blanc," Auren agreed, "Allow yourself a few days to rest and breathe, before jumping back into the chaos. You all deserve it."
The words seemed foreign to Blanc's ears as he listened to their lingering echo.
"Do I really?" Blanc muttered, the feeling those words carried making him uncomfortable, unable to believe them.
"You especially, my son," Mera nodded, "You have fought this first fight of yours with magnificence, and came out on top. Now, allow your soul to breathe. Do not be greedy."
Her words were sharp yet kind, as those of a mother are.
They did not ask what sins he had committed, what sacrifices he had made, what Marks they had harvested for themselves.
All Mera and Auren cared about was seeing them alive.
Now, all they cared about was making sure they remained alive, well, and sane.
Even the Vita judged sins, yet they did not.
As a mother always is.