A/N: I have finally finished the second part of this story. My apologies for the delay! I had some difficulties with motivation. I'm glad it's finally off my to-do list, and I hope you like it!

Just a quick reminder, this chapter is a one-shot that delves into the Isi's second betrayal in Enna Burning - when she takes Enna to Yasid for months without telling Geric.

Geric sat in the small council chamber, drumming his fingers on his armrest as an advisor droned on about reconstruction efforts. He wished that Isi was there. Her chair at his right sat empty, yet another reminder that she had been gone for over a week. He pursed his lips. Enna was dying. It was the least he could do, letting Isi make Enna comfortable in her Forest home as she passed on. He only wished Isi had not insisted on solitude.

But she was right. The king needed to be in the capital, rebuilding Bayern. He smiled a little at the thought that he had already sent a dozen king's guard to check on them, even though Isi had specified not to for at least two weeks. He had done so almost as soon as their escort returned.

There was a knock on the door and a page came in. The advisor stopped droning. "Your highness," said the page to Geric, handing him a missive. "An urgent message."

"I thank you," said Geric, and with some apprehension he opened the seal and read,

Your Royal Highness, it is with great dread that I write to inform you that Her Royal Highness Queen Anidori is no longer at the Forest house of Queen's Maiden Enna. Both ladies were gone when we arrived. A neighbor Forest woman by the name of Doda informed us that they have departed of their own volition for the south, but she will not say where or why to anyone other than Your Royal Highness. I remain in the Forest and will await your orders, Sire.

Sincerely, Rehan, Captain of King's Guard

It was as though all the air had been sucked out of the room. Feeling dizzy, Geric slowly rose from his chair, eyes blank and staring. The advisors gazed back at him uncomprehendingly.

"Dismissed," Geric whispered. When they did not move, he found his lungs and bellowed, "Dismissed!"

The advisors leapt to their feet, gathering documents, and fled the chamber. A few, forgotten papers wafted down gently to the floor. The room was eerily quiet, but Geric could hear his heart pounding. For a few moments, he remained frozen. As thought and movement began to return to him, Geric shook his head frantically, eyes tightly closed, and was startled when he heard a tremendous crash. With some amazement, he realized that he had overturned the heavy council table. The crash seemed to have awaken his senses, and he stormed from the chamber, rubbing at the sudden soreness in his arms.

Thoughts alternating between anger, terror, and heartbreak, Geric and a detachment of the king's hundred-band, Bayern's Own, rode hard for the Forest. The green leaves, budding flowers, and crunch of pine needles in the Forest did nothing to alleviate Geric's distress. The brigade galloped through the trees and dappled shafts of light, and past the occasional agape Forest person. Arriving winded and saddlesore at Enna's cottage, they convened there with the dozen king's guard, who directed him to Doda.

A Forest woman dressed in simple, homespun clothing, Doda timidly met Geric in her cottage nearby.

"She said you would come, Sire."

"Where is she?" Geric demanded.

"She has gone to Yasid, Sire, to search for…fire-worshippers." Here Doda paused. "The Yellow Lady said it would be the only way to save Enna. She said that they would be gone many months, but return before harvest."

Geric's horrified mind felt oddly blank with shock. A question – Yasid? – drifted slowly across his mind, followed by the thought, many months… His heart resumed pounding. This could not be happening.

"Nothing else?" he pressed.

Doda shook her head. "I'm sorry, Sire."

Geric jerked his head into a nod, then abruptly left the cottage.

Isi had planned this. She had not brought Enna here to die peacefully. She had gone to the Forest with Enna knowing that they would go to Yasid. She had deceived him again. Suddenly he was furious, and then just as suddenly, he was heartbroken. She had put Enna ahead of him. Again.

The pain in his heart was palpable.

Without ado, he ordered the king's guard to search for Isi and Enna along the Suneast River as far south as the Unclaimed Lands. With any luck, they might intercept Isi and Enna before they could reach Yasid. If not - Geric's heart dropped into his stomach - if not… he knew he could not send the guards further. Anything more and the women could be recognized and targeted. There would not be enough king's guard to protect them, and a Bayern army entering foreign lands would be a provocation of war.

Geric put his head in his hands, lost in thought. Anger overwhelmed and extinguished the heartbreak he felt at her betrayal. She had put Enna ahead of him again, ahead of Bayern. But why? he thought, bitterly. Is there more at stake than Enna's life?

Back at the capital, Geric was depressed with helplessness and inaction. It had been three months since the king's guard had returned, exhausted and empty-handed. Three months since Geric had resumed his duties in the capital, resumed rebuilding after the war's destruction. Geric mechanically fulfilled his role as king without feeling or expression. Behind his impassive face was the terrible thought that Isi might never come home and that he might never know what befell her. There was no word, no message yet to give him hope.

He had discovered, though, that Finn was likely with them. Finn had asked to be discharged from the Forest hundred-band just after Isi and Enna had left for the Forest, and there was no sign of him anywhere.

Anger had faded, replaced by a desperate need to see her safe return. Isi's absence hung in the air, and throughout the court were whispered rumors about her disappearance. Geric had refused to reveal Isi's quest, instead insisting that she had gone to visit family in Kildenree after Enna had passed away. In an attempt to uphold this story, Geric had a contingent of king's guard and trusted servants encamped at Enna's house in the Forest. Away from the prying eyes of the capital, the soldiers' and servants' absence could maintain the pretext of their accompanying the queen to Kildenree. Their other purpose was to await Isi's return. Geric felt fairly sure that Isi would stop at Enna's house before continuing to the capital. If she would return at all.

Six months without Isi, and Geric's haggard presence was beginning to worry his advisors. He had become thin, and white and grey hairs now flecked the beard he no longer shaved. He served as Bayern king with an emptiness, a lack of passion, that strained the court.

An urgent missive arrived one day, and Geric shuffled blearily to his locked bedchamber door to answer his squire's pleading voice behind it.

"Yes?" Geric asked, cracking the door enough to take in Willem. The accusing look on Willem's face vaguely annoyed him. Shame quickly replaced the annoyance, and Geric pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger to keep himself from heading straight back to bed. Isi would despise me now, he thought. It was a frequent thought.

"An urgent message," said Willem, holding out a folded slip of parchment.

"Yes, I heard that," Geric said drily, managing to keep the annoyance out of his voice. "What's it say?"

"My lord?" Willem's eyes widened with confusion.

"Read it please," said Geric, this time unable to mask his irritation. His conscience pricked him at his pettiness, and he could hardly wait to escape.

"Um, uh... yes, my lord," stammered the squire. He hesitantly broke the seal of the missive and read: "Five days south, the Silver Hart, I hope you get at least one of these, because you are soon to be a father whether you are here or not… " His voice trailed off, and his eyes flitted up to Geric. Geric blinked slowly, not sure what he was hearing. He shook his head as if to clear it, but no clarity came to him. The squire protested as Geric tried to close the door.

"My lord! Will you not - "

"No, Willem," Geric snapped. "It's not for me. I'm tired. Goodbye."

"My lord," urged the squire, jamming his foot against the door to hold it open. Geric was shocked at his forwardness enough to cease for a moment. "Please. It says it's from Enna and Isi."

"What?"

He froze momentarily, then realization made its way through his consciousness. Finding some sense of movement, Geric yanked the door open the rest of the way and snatched the missive from the stunned squire. He rapidly read the message, noting Enna's recognizable handwriting and the signature - Enna, on behalf of Isi. This missive was real. It was from Enna. They were alive and in Bayern. They had returned.

The parchment slipped from his trembling hands and wafted to the floor as Geric began to undergo a profound and painfully shocking experience. Wordless thoughts and emotions swirled through his mind. After months of overwhelming fear and sadness, new sensations of relief and joy struggled to surface through a smothering, lingering haze of depression. And… and… I'm going to be a father?! Geric could barely even process that there was also a baby involved. After years of trying to conceive an heir, there was a baby - about to be born - and this was the first he had heard...

Geric's eyes rolled back, his knees gave way, and he keeled over.

Within the hour, the king's guard, the king's hundred-band, a contingent of court physicians and midwives, as well as kitchen staff and servants were all hastily leaving the capital for the Silver Hart five days hence. Geric led the royal caravan with a newfound energy that only somewhat tempered his shock over the entire situation.

The convoy traveled rapidly at a rough pace, but Geric was displeased with the progress when they were eventually obliged to set up camp for the night.

My queen is somewhere about to give birth, for gods' sakes! he thought furiously, glaring at the campfire his squire had built and the tents that had cropped up around him. And I'm about to be a father, he thought, disbelief once again taking over his frustration. He stared at the campfire in front of him, overwhelmed… and afraid. Childbirth was hazardous. What if I cannot get the physicians and midwives to Isi soon enough? How is Isi? How has she managed pregnancy on such a journey?... Had she known when she left?

Geric anxiously rubbed his chin and felt the thick, coarse beard he had grown. His hair was long and tangled, no longer neatly trimmed and bound back. Abruptly, he rose, found a brush and razor and did a passable job of shaving and braiding his hair. He had brought Isi's hand mirror, and he held it up to see his handiwork. His reflection gazed back at him, and it was as though he recognized some semblance of himself for the first time in months.

The royal caravan rose at dawn to resume riding. For hours, they barrelled down the Forest road, scattering Forest folk and travelers alike. Fatigue had set in by the afternoon, and the speed of the convoy had dwindled to a weary plodding. Frustrated with the pace, Geric was about to form a smaller group to ride ahead, when he yanked his horse to a halt. The caravan stuttered to a stop behind him.

A simple Forest farm with a few grazing horses was visible through the trees. Everyone looked about confused and curious. All except Geric, who stared at a black horse restlessly standing near the door of the farmhouse as if it held the answer to world peace.

"Avocado," he muttered.

A shriek rang out from the cottage. Geric spurred his horse into a gallop to the cottage door, spooking Avlado and the other horses. Dismounting, Geric burst through the unlocked door and followed the cries until he saw Isi lying in bed, clearly in the throes of childbirth. Heart in his throat, Geric rushed to her side and dropped to his knees.

"Isi, I'm here, I'm here," he assured her repeatedly.

She clasped his hand as he pressed kisses to her face and hair.

"I've missed you," she said to Geric, as tears trickled down her cheeks. "Oh, how I've longed for you."

Geric found his voice, husky with emotion. "And I've missed you, my yellow lady."

The sky was just beginning to be illuminated by the vivid pastels of sunset when their son was born. The baby's wail and Isi's beaming face were all the assurances Geric needed to know that both were unscathed by the childbirth. Joy filled Geric, and his relief was so profound that he wept with happiness. He was finally reunited with his love, she was safe and sound, and they had a child. He wrapped his arms around them both, tears streaming down his face, unable to stop smiling. The newborn filled the cottage with the sound of his healthy lungs. Geric clumsily dried his eyes, alternating between laughter and weeping. The baby eventually quieted, mesmerized by his new world, and Isi sighed in contentment. Geric chuckled through his tears and gently stroked the baby's velvety soft cheek. He took the baby into his arms, saying to Isi with a grin, "You seem to have brought me a gift, goose girl, and I'm afraid I have nothing in return."

Isi did not return the banter. Eyes downcast, she said, "I didn't know I was with child when I left. Otherwise I would not have gone."

Geric nodded slowly, somewhat relieved, a puzzle piece falling into place.

"Geric," Isi said softly. "I'm better now, better than I've been in years. The wind no longer overwhelms me."

"How?" asked Geric, incredulous.

Isi glanced up at him with troubled eyes.

"I learned fire speech," she answered slowly, her eyes hesitating to meet his.

A rush of disbelief and horror surged through Geric.

"It's not what you think!" Isi exclaimed. "My knowledge of fire is tempered by my knowledge of wind. Each one kept at bay by the other. What I lacked before was balance. But I have that now. And so does Enna."

"Tell me about Yasid," Geric demanded quietly. He felt suddenly empty, detached from himself. The baby squirmed in the crook of his arm.

"I took Enna to Yasid against her will," Isi began slowly.

Geric felt a flicker of surprise.

"I had heard of the tata-rook, the fire worshippers in Yasid. I thought it could be a last chance to save her from burning, but we saved both of us. I know now that I would have eventually succumbed to the wind as well, suffocating and dying. It would just have taken longer than fast-burning fire."

Geric's heart squeezed tight, and Isi grasped his arm.

"But now there's no concern for that," she urged. "The tata-rook temper their fire knowledge with water-speech, but wind works just as well."

"But fire, Isi," he said, accusation heavy in his voice. He glanced down at their baby, blinking sleepily in his arms. "Fire. How could you possibly risk… You've seen what destruction fire-speech causes."

"Not with balance," Isi assured him. "I have that now. And so does Enna. That's how she recovered. Don't you see?"

Geric stared at her, his eyebrows drawn together. He did see. Isi was more calm and focused than he could ever remember, even having just given birth. No internal whirlwinds, no breezes batting about her face.

Geric felt his anger fade, relief once again taking its place. He thought of the months of sadness and desperation without her. He thought of the jealousy and frustration for Isi's devotion to Enna. He breathed in deep and closed his eyes. He could feel the soft weight of the baby he held, the gentle touch of his wife's hand on his arm. With a sigh, he let go of all the pain he felt.

"I see, my love," he said, opening his eyes. "And I am grateful."

Isi smiled at him tearfully. The baby began to fuss.

"I think our son needs a name," said Geric with a smile.

"Indeed," Isi murmured.

"How does Tusken sound?" asked Geric. "For your father."

Isi's eyes were shining. "Truly?"

"Tusken it is."

"Tusken Sinath Geric…"

The baby began to cry in earnest.

"The baby seems to object to my name," said Geric. "Let's leave it at Sinath."

Isi reached for their son and cuddled him close. "He'll honor both his grandfathers."

The baby shrieked.

"Not at the moment he wouldn't," Geric chuckled. He kneeled down by the bed and beckoned the nurse to come and help Isi with feeding the baby. The crying ceased, the quiet of the cottage broken only by the restless court assembled outside.

"Did you bring a whole hundred-band? Bayern's Own" asked Isi.

Geric nodded, and Isi swatted him on the arm. "You did not!"

"Did, too," he assured her. "Of course I would."

"Of course you would."

They ceased talking to gaze at the nursing newborn. Geric's heart swelled with happiness, thrilled that he was at last a father. So dearly had he wished for a child, and now his son was here. If only, if only this baby would be the first of many. But perhaps that would be too much to hope for.

"Geric," Isi began hesitantly. "I would like to make Enna a member of your hundred band."

Geric froze for a moment, thoughts racing. Could I do that for Enna? After everything? His eyes slid to Isi's face, watching his reaction. He reminded himself that he had let go of that pain surrounding Enna and nodded. Seeing Isi's face light up at his decision heartened him. Taking a deep breath, Geric smiled, relieved he had passed his own test.

Talone was summoned and informed of Enna's new role as one of Bayern's Own. He nodded, smiling as he observed the new crown prince. Isi pressed the baby into Talone's arms, and he gently swayed back and forth, humming under his breath, thinking of how he had once carried a crown princess back in Kildenree.

Isi's eyes slid shut after Talone left them, and Geric let her sleep as he acquainted himself with his son. He touched the tiny fingers and toes, the wisps of dark hair so like his own. The happiness was almost too much to bear. A clatter from outside wakened Isi, and she called for Enna and Finn to be fetched. Geric braced himself for a moment, but then relaxed. All was well. There would be no more fiery destruction.

Enna and Finn appeared in the doorway, and Isi beckoned them closer.

"A boy," Geric said, hesitating for a moment before placing the newborn in Enna's arms. "Named after Isi's father - Tusken."

"Tusken," Enna repeated softly.

"If it had been a girl, we would have called the baby Enna-Isilee," said Isi.

"Oh, there'll be others," said Enna confidently, and Geric felt his heart swell, as a broad smile spread across his face. Perhaps there will be others, he thought joyfully. He drew close to Isi, dropping to his knees beside the bed. Taking her hands in his, he pressed kisses to her fingers.

After Enna and Finn left, Geric laid next to his goose girl, their baby between them, and they talked quietly, sharing all that had happened when they had been apart. The baby slept, each of his tiny hands grasping a forefinger from each of his parents. Geric felt his heart swell with joy, and a sense of serenity, for the first time in years, settled over him. The last vestiges of betrayal washed away. Reunited with his wife, their son nestled between them, Geric was home.

A/N: Thank you for reading! You may have noticed that I switched the timing a little at the end. Enna was awarded Bayern's Own just prior to Tusken being born, but that worked less well for my story. I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for your patience!