Iris looked at the Sylus and Maya " I will see you soon!" she softly added while the two bowed their heads " Be safe!" Maya wished them while she moved and started packing their own things to go to the hut, that for now they will call home.
While Iris, Ian and Rom made their way to the edge of the forest.
Tyla was making her way deeper within the forest searching for the long lost castle. She had tried to use the magic of the forest to find it, like Iris suggested but every time she tried to reach out to it, she just hit a wall every time.
Sighing in annoyance, she decided to move deeper within the forest but found that whenever she took a step forward, something was blocking her.
Frustrated at her failure to find the castle, she clenched her hands and hit whatever was blocking her way " Ahhhhhh!" she screamed in pain while rubbing her hand and crouching on the ground, trying to ease her pain.
Glaring at the invisible walk for the pain inflicted on her, she tried one last time to reach the magic in the forest but to her dissapointment it had failed again.
Seeing no other option she turned on her heels to make her way back to the cave to speak with Athan and Rhya about it, maybe the could help explain what was happening.
******
On the other end of the forest Ian, Iris and Rom where standing at the edge of the forest finalising the last details of their plan on how to bring down the witch and end her reign of terror over her own people and the citizens of the Hessian Kingdom.
" You should go now!" Iris encouraged Rom who bowed his head and with a flick of her finger the veil cracked open allowing Rom to pass through.
Iris sighed while she watched his retreating back and all she could do now is hope that he will succeed to get the information that they need to break the life bond between the witch and the people she had enslaved.
Her mind slowly drifted to the fact that now she was carrying a child in her belly and she couldn't help but feel happy that soon they will have another member added to their family and worry at the same time what will happen, if they fail to defeat the witch.
" It won't happen! Whatever bad thing you're imagining right now, I will make sure that it won't happen!" she heard Ian soothing voice echoing in her ear breaking her train of thoughts bringing her attention back to him.
Iris smiled " I hope you're right!" she hopefully said while turning to look at him and take his hand in hers.
" Time to go back!" Ian encouraged lightly tugging on her hand to follow him.
" I'm happy that soon we will have a little Ian or a little Iris in our arms!" Ian beamed making Iris frown at his atitude, she could swear that if she hadn't known any better, she would have thought that someone had replaced her husband with this ever happy version.
" I'm happy too, Ian but I'm also worried! If we fail, we are all lost !" she voiced out her thoughts while looking at Ian who grinned making Iris frown.
" I told you! I will not let that happen! So stop worrying for nothing and let's enjoy this wonderful moment!" he stated in a serious tone of voice while gently pulling Iris closer placing a kiss on her temple.
Iris closed her eyes and nodded " I can't wait to meet him or her!" she replied in a loving voice while placing her hand on her belly, Ian placed his hand on top of hers and placed a kiss on her forehead.
" Are you hungry or tired? Do you want anything to eat? I know that women crave weird things while they are with child!" he began like a mother hen making Iris giggle and look at him lovingly.
" I'm alright! I think it's not that far along and I'm sure that will come too, soon!" she placidly reassured him while taking a deep breath in, taking in the earthy scent of the forest who seemed stronger now than before.
" How does it feel to have merged with your kethar?" he curiously asked wanting to know how she felt, since his experience hasn't been pleasant at all, since Seth seemed to butt in whenever he liked.
" Bastos is there still as lazy as before, not wanting to do much!" she calmly explained while looking at Ian that frowned at what she said.
" I wonder if we can switch?!" he muttered under his breath while scratching his head how to make that happen.
Iris chuckled " Bastos and I have been together for a very long time. I'm sure Seth will come around and learn how to sit quiet and wait for his turn!" she tried to apease him as best as she could, thinking back when she had become aware of Bastos's presence, he was wild and untamed.
" How long?" he curiously asked while looking at Iris from the corner of his eye, he didn't have a lot of time on his hands to deal with Seth's anger issues.
" I'm older than you, much older!" she commented in an amused tone of voice while looking at Ian who smirked.
" How old?" he asked in a serious tone of voice, looking at Iris from the corner of his eye.
" I think, we are talking a few thousands!" she replied with a pensive look on her face.
" How long does our kind live?' he asked again wanting to know more about himself and her, already making plans for eternity with her and how many children they could have.
" Not that long, just a little longer that the humans do! I think it's a little over a couple of hundred years!" she finally answered while looking at Ian who's face suddenly lit up.
Iris chuckled, having a vague idea why he was so happy all of the sudden " Why are you so happy!" she asked in an amused tone of voice while tilting her head to look at him
" Because I will get to spend it with you and our children!" he happily stated while puffing his chest looking at the sky, taking a deep breath and letting out in content.
Soon the clearing where they have left Sylus and Maya came into their view, that now was empty and that was left where the traces of their time there.
Walking past it Iris's eyes settled on the hut, that now had smoke coming from it and she could only sigh in regret that it wasn't them the ones living in there.
Ian looked at Iris and by now he could read almost every expression on her face and he knew she was sad and the only thing that he could is offer her words of encouragement.
" We will get there!" he encouraged again knowing what she needed to hear from him.