Amneris convinced herself to go down to dinner. It had nothing to do with Colt's attempt to get her to, in all honestly. Nope. It was because Nikki was the one cooking. Amneris loved the Shifter's food. She always used some sort of exotic spice in her meals - usually more than one - which made them unique. 

And delicious. 

And usually left the rest of the Court begging for more, much to Nikki's delight.

Amneris was the last person at the table. They were eating outside today, the weather having finally cleared up enough for them to sit out the large outside table. The only remaining seat was between Nikki and Colt. She sat. The latter took her hand under the table. He squeezed it and, for some reason, she felt herself relax.

She found herself look around the table as food was passed around. A few things had changed in the two years she was gone. They were becoming more obvious each day.

Leo and Nikki were sitting side-by-side, chatting in hushed whispers. Nikki would occasionally have a giggling fit. And were they holding hands?

Jay and Kayla were also beside each other but, for some reason, Kayla refused to make eye contact with her boyfriend. Clearly something had happened. Perhaps it had something to do with that other Fae woman.

Still, that wasn't what bothered Amneris the most.

What really caught her attention was how Zoe and Hathor were sitting at opposite ends of the table. They would catch each other's gaze every now and then, but would look away quickly. Amneris couldn't help but watch in, well, amazement.

"It's been like this for months now," Colt murmured as she passed her a plate of sweet-smelling meat. "They all refused to talk about it, but I've seen Jay and Dan talking. Carmin and Hathy talk alone at times, as well. Hathy and Jay have also become rather close."

"I see," she said, placing slices from the plate onto her own. "I would like to know more."

"Ask them."

"Later." Amneris passed the plate to Nikki as a bowl filled to the brim with golden-coloured rice came alone. "I don't want to ruin this meal."

"I'm glad you came to eat with us tonight, Tali," he said. "I know that must have been hard."

She shrugged slightly.

Colt kissed her cheek. "I'm proud of you."

Her face burned as she mutely passed the bowl to him.

* * * * * * * * 

The meal had been awkward, to say the last. Amneris couldn't help but blame herself for that. Colt, Leo, and Carmin had insisted while cleaning up after dinner that the rifts between Jay and Kayla and Zoe and Hathor had nothing to do with her. It didn't help. Amneris still felt responsible.

From what she'd heard, so much had gone wrong over the last two years. Even more so since her awakening a few months back. It sounded like the only good thing which had taken place was the sort-of peace treaty between Lyriumia and Terpola. Now that had been a shock.

While she was very concerned about the four of them - even Jay, much to her surprise - Amneris found herself most worried about Hathor. This was one of the few times she'd seen her daughter around the house. According to Carmin, Hathor spent the majority of the last two years at the Academy. According to the calendar on the wall, she was on break. If there was any time to talk to the girl, now was the time to do it.

She knocked on her daughter's bedroom door, only three doors down from her own.

"Come in," said a voice from inside.

Amneris stepped inside. "Hey, baby."

"Hey, mum."

She closed the door with a foot, hands full from the tray she was carrying. "I bring offerings of Nikki's pastries and sahlab."

Hathor didn't bother looking up from her sketchbook as she gave her a small smile.

Amneris sat on the heavy silver cover, placing the tray beside her. She looked over her daughter's shoulder. "Whatcha drawing?"

"Nothing," she answered.

Said nothing looked an awful lot like one of those boys Amneris had seen her hanging out with in Lapide a few days ago. "Is that your future husband?"

"Mum!" Hathor pushed the sketchbook, charcoal, and pencils aside so she could grab a pillow and hit her mother with it. "He's just a friend!" she laughed.

Amneris felt a fiendish grin cross her features as she said, "Just a friend, huh?"

Hathor held up the pillow with a playful glare. 

This time, Amneris found herself laughing. "Okay! Okay! I'm stopping."

Her daughter waited a moment longer before tossing her weapon of choice back onto its pile. She took one of the two mugs off the tray, taking a long drink before sighing a satisfactory sigh. "Why are you in my room anyway?" 

"Curiosity and concern for my only daughter."

"Hilarious. Care to elaborate."

Amneris bit her lip. She wasn't good at these talks. "You and Zoe," she started.

"Oh," Hathor said, putting the mug down. "We broke up."

Amneris moved the tray aside as she gave her daughter a questioning look.

Her daughter took another pillow, hugging it against her chest. "Zo got really into her work. It was small things at first. Like not helping me with our jobs around the house," she explained. "Then she just stopped making time for me all together."

Amneris crawled over to the pile of pillows. She lay back, pulling Hathor close so she could wrap her arms around her. She begun stroking her daughter's hair as Hathor dropped the pillow and hugged her tight, a few small sobs escaping her. 

"Why didn't you tell me, baby?"

"You were so . . . distant," Hathor managed to say. "I didn't want to bother you with my own problems when you were - are - going through your own."

Amneris pulled back slightly and lifted Hathor's chin. "You can bother me with your problems whenever you want." She brushed her daughter's tears away. "I don't care if it's because you had a bad day at the Academy or if you're just feeling down. You tell me." She gave her a soft smile. "Even if it's the middle of the night or I'm in a mood, okay?"

Hathor pressed her head against her mother's shoulder, closing her eyes again. "Okay."

"Good girl."

She sniffled before laughing suddenly. "I hope you're not mad about me and Kayla switching partners."

"Ah," Amneris said. "Yes, why you willingly chose to be Jay's partner is beyond me."

"You haven't told me and Zo to switch again, or to change with anyone else."

She shrugged. "I trust you. And I trust that Fae, no matter how much he pissed me off." She leaned down to kiss her daughter's head. "Doesn't mean I don't question your decision to with someone that annoying."

Hathor sat up, wiping the last of her tears away. "He's actually very sweet."

Amneris feigned a shocked gasp, clasping her hands over her chest. "My own daughter!" 

Said daughter burst into laughter. 

Amneris ruffled her hair. "Okay, just for that, it's bedtime for you."

"Mum," she whined. "I'm over two hundred years old! I think I can determine when it's time to sleep for myself, thank you very much." She crossed her arms and looked away, pouting.

"You want me to sleep with you tonight?"

"Yes please."

Mother and daughter pushed the excess pillows off the bed and slipped under the covers, holding each other close. Amneris adjusted the sheets until she was sure her daughter was comfortable, then clicked her fingers. The lights went out.

"Mum?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks. I feel a lot better now."

"Anything for you, baby."