One Final Goodbye

Author: Kayaara

Lyra walked down the path towards her small home. In the front garden, a pandaren with long, ginger hair pulled into a plait dotted with pink and blue flowers, knelt down in front of an arrangement of flowers. Grinning to herself, the young warrior gently placed her sword down on the path and tip-toed towards the other, until she was directly behind her and put her paws over her eyes.

“Tashya, come on. I need to finish watering the flowers!” A rather grumpy Akande moaned, leaning back into Lyra to get away from her paws.

Lyra laughed, removing her paws and looking down at her older sister. In return, Akande gasped and her eyes widened. She turned herself around and stood up, embracing her sister in a tight hug. “Lyra! I was wondering when I’d see you again. It’s been what, a week since I last saw you?”

“Well if you’d have come home from training too you would have seen me. And stop acting like it’s been ages!”

“I can’t help it, Ly. I’m just so happy to see my little sister! Now let’s go inside, mama is finishing dinner up so you can tell us about your day over some rice buns.”

-

The table was already made, the young twins Malia and Nali fidgeting in their seats while the father Hana attempted to calm the overexcited twins down. Upon seeing Lyra and Akande enter, he smiled warmly. “Lyra! I see training is doing you well. Are you eating enough?”

“Yes, papa! Yan won’t let us go ten minutes without eating something.” She grumbled, but held no ill intent behind her words.

“Well, you look hungry now – Tyrin dear, is food ready?”

Walking in through the kitchen door with a steaming plate of rice buns in her arms was a black furred pandaren, hair tied up into a messy bun, strands falling in front of her face. When her eyes fell upon Lyra, she excitedly set the food down in the middle of the table. “You’re home! Wonderful, wonderful; I was wondering what time you’d be coming today. Let me get the noodles and the pork and you can tell us all about today!”

Lyra sat down beside Akande, who took her seat opposite Malia. Once the rest of the food was brought in, Tyrin joined her family at the head of the table. She dished out the twins’ meals, both of which were quick to dive in to their buns. Lyra allowed Akande to dish both of their meals, while Hana served his own.

“So, Lyra, what did you three get up to today then?” Tyrin asked, taking a bite into her rice buns.

Lyra finished her mouthful of food before speaking up, “oh, so much happened today. Actually, I have something I need to tell you.” She paused for a moment, clicking her tongue and looking down at her food. “We want to leave the Isle.”

“Oh.” Tyrin said.

And then silence filled the table, the only sound being the munching of food and the clinking of chopsticks against the bowls. Until one of the twins, Nali, banged her fists against the table. “You’re leaving us? But you can’t!”

Malia joined in, “yeah! Aka’s already leaving us! You can’t as well!”

“Okay, Malia, Nali.” Hana rested a paw gently on the table in hopes of calming the twins down. “It’s her decision and if she really wants to leave, we cannot stop her.”

“As long as she promises to come and visit when she can.” And there was Tyrin-fu’s motherly stare, directed right at Lyra. It made her fold in on herself, averting her gaze.

“Yeah, yeah. Hey, where’s Tashya?” She asked, looking around the table to realise that they were in fact missing someone (it was a good distraction to the glare she was receiving at least).

“She was staying with Fyshen for dinner today, she’ll be home later. When are you leaving?”

“Tonight..?”

Tyrin sighed, but put on a smile. “Ah. Well, how is Chin Su doing? Are you two still okay?”

Lyra mentally sighed there, thankful for her to change the subject. “Yeah, she’s doing great. We’ve barely spent any time away from each other, Yan too. Oh – you should have seen us today! We met these weird creatures that called themselves… Tarren, I think? And they could control the trees! I was so jealous. And these pink-skinned creatures. Um, humans? Humans. They had this white light they’re able to just manipulate! Like the priests of the temple; they were really cool. And the armour, oh! It was amazing. And then! Then we had to save Shen-zin Su, we even got to talk to him! He had this um… Thorn in his side and we helped fix it!” Lyra had a sparkle in her eye as she spoke, completely forgetting about her food as she fondly remembered the earlier events.

“Wow, that’s amazing, Ly! Venufii and I only spent our practice time today at the Singing Pools. Fii was soooo distracted by the flowers on the way. She reminds me of you, actually.” Akande nudged Lyra with her elbow, a kind smile making Lyra somehow feel less guilty about leaving.

The rest of the dinner was eaten in a comfortable silence, even the twins were quiet. It was when the bowls were beginning to empty when Akande cleared her throat, ready to speak. “I’ll walk you out.”

-

“Yes mama, yes papa I have everything. I’ll be fine, I’ll take care of myself. Yes yes, I’ll try and visit when I can! Now I really need to go before they decide to go without me.” Lyra stood at the door, backpack hanging just on one arm and sword sheathed against her back. She let her mother bring her into another bone crushing hug, her father joining in along with her younger sisters clinging to her legs.

“Okay, flower. We won’t hold you back any longer. But please, take care and stay with Chin Su and Yan; you seem much happier upon meeting them.”

Lyra nodded. “I am. I love you guys, okay? I need to go, I’ll be find, I promise!”

The family waved her and Akande off as they walked down the path, following it towards the Temple. They walked slowly, as if they were holding off the inevitable, their footsteps matching each other’s. The temple grounds appeared in front of them before long, and Akande stopped at the steps. She took out of her hair a small, pink flower and tucked it behind Lyra’s ear.

“Until next we meet, my sister.”

Lyra smiled, sadly. “Until next time.”

(It took everything in both sisters not to cry.)