Hope in Deep Waters (an AtE story) Ch. 10

“Oh Janner, you came back! When Artham brought me to Anniera and I- I saw…what had happened…. I thought I'd never see you again!” Sara's eyes glistened at the memory. Then she suddenly hugged him around the neck, completely catching him off-guard.

Janner just stood there stunned for a minute with such a surprised expression on his face that Sara couldn't help but laugh.

“What? You are dear to my heart and you have no idea how much I missed you. You gave me hope to keep going in the Fork! Factory!, and then you sent help! You are full of surprises, Janner Wingfeather.”

“Hopefully they are all good ones,” replied Janner weakly, finally regaining his ability to speak. “You're- you're dear to my heart too.”

“I know,” said Sara softly. “I knew that it pained you to leave me in Dugtown, but the Maker used it for good. He helped me be a light for the other kids there, and entrusted me with the job of caring for them until their parents were found and Armulyn came.”

Janner noticed that Sara's smile faltered for a moment and her eyes flicked away from his at the mention of the other children's parents.

“I'm so sorry…” said Janner, “it's not fair.”

Sara rubbed her forearm across her nose. “It was really, really hard watching everyone else's reunions as my hope for my own parents slowly wilted…” she was silent for a moment, and Janner awkwardly placed his hand on her shoulder in a way he hoped was comforting. Sara gave him a weak smile of gratitude before regaining her composure. “But your family has been so good to me. On the evening Artham brought me back to Anniera with him, your mama promised to take me in and raise me as if I was her own daughter.”

For the second time that day, Janner wore a stunned expression.

“... is that all right with you?” said Sara when she noticed.

Janner's face broke into a wide grin. “All right? That is wonderful news! We'll get to see each other all the time now!”

“We won't have to wait for Dragon Day or until we're done with chores!”

“We'll have so many opportunities to explore the fields and forests and oceans and find strange and wonderful creatures!”

“And read books!”

Their stream of ideas was halted by the sound of Oskar, who had just finally snapped out of his shocked state, clearing his throat. “Ahem. Janner my boy, in the words of the great adventurer Bimothy Slogbogger, ‘I am most overjoyed at your return!’”