I continue to look for Sue all by myself until dusk. After that, the boys noticed something was wrong and joined me in the search. I was not too pleased that it took them so long to come and help me but it was not the time for scolding. It was the time for searching.
When Mikey came running back inside after dark with Sue slung over his shoulder, I was relieved that she came back alive. I had no reason to think that she would've died, but I was not thinking quite rationally at that time.
We took care of Sue, thinking she would wake up by the morning, but she still hadn't come too by the time that Theo is back from the Empire.
After Theo had greeted the boys and seen Sue, he and I went into our bedroom.
"What the hell happened to Sue?! You know, she's the most likely candidate to bear the legacy. Why did you let her end up like that?"
"The day you left, she ran off down the mountain and into the forest. The boys and I didn't find her until after sundown and when she did, she was already a passed out."
"Damn this is terrible! I guess we'll just have to hope that I was wrong and she's not chosen to bear the legacy because if she is and I die, why she's unconscious I don't think she'll be able to bear it."
"What are the odds of that being the case, that she isn't the one?"
"It's hard to say. I would be more sure if I was stronger and had a better connection to the legacy, but I don't so really this is mainly just my intuition talking and not anything more substantial. So there's still a chance that I'm wrong. I guess that's the one upside of me being weak."
"Now is not the time for self loathing you need to get yourself up the mountain."
"Yes, you're right love I've already told the boys that I had to leave today. They think I'm off to work on medicine for the soldiers. They believed my story well enough."
Theo then took in a deep shaky breath and closed his eyes. "I've already said my goodbyes. They know I'll be gone in the morning. I just wish I could've said a proper goodbye to Sue."
" I'm sorry, Theo."
"Don't be it's not really your fault."
He said that, but I could still tell he's somewhat blamed me.
"You are connected to the legacy through our union, so when a successor is chosen, you'll feel it. When that happens, meet me at our strawberry garden in the caves. I will tell you who was chosen, and then we will have to say our goodbyes."
I grabbed his hand and said, "I love you nothing will ever change that."
"You say that now, but once I die, and the madness sets in you will feel differently."
When an outsider marries into the Lighten family, it is more than just a promise to stand by their spouses side. It is also a promise to the mountain in the spirits that reside within. From that day forward, the spouse is in viewed with the same power as a non-chosen offspring of a legacy holder. This is the only way that the legacy holder can produce offspring capable of inheriting the legacy themselves. Any Offspring to not be chosen, can then go down the mountain and out the forest and marry whoever they want. Their children will not have any connection to the Legacy.
That is unless the legacy holder dies. in case of that, an offspring that was not chosen, will have to return to the mountain. There they will commune with the spirits and their spouse and them will be blessed with offspring, capable of holding the legacy. Wild the children produced from this union can still hold the legacy. They are much weaker than that of children born out of the union between someone and the legacy holder.
When the spouse of a member of the Lighten family is introduced. They go through an induction period. This process is how they gain a connection with the spirits and the legacy, but in doing so they are forever bound to their spouse. The day their spouse dies, the madness slowly starts to take hold of them.
It starts with being more frail often times visibly paler and more aloof. It's slowly progress, often taking a year or two before others around them start to notice. The more the spell leaves the mountain in forest, the quicker it progresses. In every such case, the spouse ends up dieing in one way or another, but it is always connected to the madness.
Due to all of this, when Theo dies, I must carry out his final wish and ensuring a strong future for the legacy all while battling off the madness. That is what was worrying him.
"Don't worry, Theo, you chose me as your bride because you believed I would be capable of ensuring the future of your legacy, no matter what happened. I will prove to you that your belief in me was not in vain."
"That's not at all what I'm worried about Meagan. Nor is it what I'm sad about. I don't want to leave you all. I don't wanna die," his voice cracked as he said that last part and tears started flowing down his cheeks in a stream. " I never asked to bear this legacy. I never wanted to be chosen. I don't want my children to have to bear it either but there's nothing I can do about it all. I've condemned you a life of madness after my death. I'm worried that once I'm gone and you're consumed by it, you'll come to hate me."
His words broke my heart I wanted to tell him he was wrong, but I could not guarantee that he wouldn't be correct. So instead, I told him this, "Theo, my love, even if the time comes to pass where I go mad and end up, hating you, know it is only for a short moment in my life. Once I pass myself, and join you in the heavens, I will love you once more just as strong as I do now."
He started sobbing harder, and I stood on my tippy toes and kissed away his tears. "I would not have married you if all of this wasn't worth it to me."
He embraced me, and I started to cry as well. We stood like that in our room for quite some time.
Eventually, I pulled us apart, "You have to go." He nodded to me in agreement. I followed him to the front door, gave him a parting kiss, then sent him on his way.