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Maybe she was mishearing it all, but it was blissful to remain in such a delusional bubble.

“Neera?” Penelope dared to remove the royal honorifics and call her best friend by name to be sure. Worse comes to worst, it was a night in the dungeon.

“It’s me, Pen. I am back,” Neera sniffled, and quaked out a shaky laugh. “I should be ashamed to ask this, but I so want a hug from you, please... can I hug you?”

Penelope tore out a scream and practically pounced on her best friend, who had to stable herself so they won’t both fall. Penelope cried Neera’s name over and over again, and they both stood there in each other’s arms, tears flowing, apologies pouring from Neera, and both didn’t want to let go of each other.

“I missed you so terribly,” Penelope cried.

“I missed you even more.” Neera bawled.

“No, I did, Neera. I missed you the most. I thought you were gone from me for good.”

“Thank you for not giving up on me, Pen. Thank you so much.” Neera squeezed her arms around her friend, fresh tears pouring down her face. “I missed you more than the entire worlds combined.”

.....

“Okay, that’s enough, it’s not a competition,” Penelope managed a laugh. With a great deal of reluctance, she let go of Neera and wiped her wet face. “I think I got snot all over your back, I’m sorry.”

Neera reached below her shoulder and patted the wet patch. “No snot, just tears.”

Penelope mimicked her actions. “Same here.”

They both took a moment to stare at each other. Neera loved how healthy and good-looking Penelope had become, and Pen was mostly grateful that Neera’s hair was growing back. The silver locks that she had cut off pained her more than she could admit.

“You look beautiful,” they both said at the exact same time, and then broke out in a laugh. It filled their lungs, hurt their chest, and soon, their laughs turned into cries and they were hugging once again.

“Did the General Commander know about this?” Penelope asked after a long hug session again.

“Yes, I had him not tell you. And you still came despite not knowing.” Neera said.

“Well, the Queen called, I obeyed, don’t want to be prosecuted...”

Penelope stopped when she saw the crestfallen look that replaced Neera’s wistful smile.

“It was a joke,” she quickly said, holding onto Neera like she would break like a fragile dam any second. “I am so sorry, I only meant it as a joke.”

“I know... I just... I hurt a lot of people, Pen.”

“And it wasn’t your fault,” Penelope said with a firm resolve. She looked around the library, and there, at a lone corner by the window, two banquette chairs beckoned them to sit.

Penelope dragged Neera’s hand to the corner, and they both sat. Neera’s eyes misted over with a fresh set of tears, and Penelope’s hand never left hers, squeezing in doses of comfort and repeating different variations of how faultless Neera truly was.

“It doesn’t change the fact that I did it,” Neera said. Penelope was about to launch into another comforting speech, but Neera held Pen’s other hand and shook her head before she could speak. “I am not trying to self-sabotage myself, but I have to correct what I did.”

Penelope nodded in understanding. “If it makes you feel better, my Queen.”

“Don’t my Queen me, it sounds awful coming from you,” Neera said, to which Penelope laughed. She sobered up when she saw Neera’s expression turn serious. “And there is more that I have to tell you.”

So she told Penelope of her true identity, of how she had always been Lilah as she had always been Neera, and how the two had merged into the person she was now after she died and came back to life. Penelope listened with rapt attention, the only movement from her the blinking of her eyes. She was transfixed with every detail coming out of Neera’s mouth, and as Neera unwrapped story after story, contrasting two histories with one another, Penelope’s eyes began to grow as wide as an owl’s.

When Neera felt she had said enough for Penelope to know Lilah and Neera weren’t too different, as they were the same, she waited for her friend to speak. But Penelope could only stare.

“Please say something,” Neera urged.

Penelope managed a blink, and just like that, she seemed to come awake.

“You are... you are...,” she stuttered. “Well, you have a very interesting life.”

“Does it bother you?” Neera asked.

“No!” Penelope’s reply was sharpened by incredulity at that question. “No, not at all, Lilah, Neera...I mean Lilah...”

“Please, call me Neera,” Neera said. “It really makes no difference.”

“I feel like the room is moving. Is the room moving?” Penelope asked.

“No, Pen. Zavian also had a hard time absorbing everything.” Neera said. “It will take some time.”

“And is he fine with it?” Penelope asked. “Seeing as... you know, your supposed death caused him so much pain.”

“I know, I am surprised to be back here too,” Neera said. “But I had this tiredness that wore me down since yesterday and we only talked once, but he is okay, for now, I think. He’s a lot worried about his sister’s condition.”

Penelope did empathize with them all in regard to Freya’s condition, but a dark thought crossed her mind to hope that the injuries Freya had sustained would never cause her to raise her hand on Neera ever again. The soft, sweet Neera had returned, and no one was going to hurt her.

But when she looked at Neera, she had a far-off look in her eyes, and she saw the watery gleam of tears shine in them.