The house was not yet wholly built and so they crowded into the unfinished wing that took in the sweep of the Valley from its main window and sprawled out across the floor as they had in Lowarc. It was not yet cold and so they left the windows open in the night and listened to the animals in the distance. Limberwolves calling to the moon, distant lowing of cattle and oxen. Rustle of leaves. For many of them it was the closest they had ever been to nature and so they huddled close at night in the fearful expectation that something would come through the door to eat them. But Dari hushed them and pulled blankets over the ones that were cold and Lani talked to the younger ones that were still scared and comforted them.
After most were asleep Dari rose up and walked out through the house and Lani followed. They went through places where the foundation showed and through the arches of doorways where no walls yet stood. Out until they stood in the wide terrace where the house was set into the mountain and where it looked out across the Valley under the bright moon, the thin clouds. Lani put a hand up to her mouth and when Dari looked to her she was crying.
Lani shook her head viciously and tried to say something but it came out choked. She took a long breath and tried again but Dari could not make out the words and turned back to the view. It’s a good place, she said.
Lani nodded. Behind them there were more footsteps and Nack drew up beside them and slung his arm across them both and Dari ducked easily out from it and took him in a hold. He laughed and it echoed a ways before dying out. Caught, he said.
Thought I’d follow. See what you were up to.
She released him and made space and he stood between them both looking out. All at once the gravity of it seemed to take hold of him and he leaned forward and put his hands on his knees and looked down. Oh, he said.
Lani had recovered enough to speak and she drew in another shaky breath. It’s beautiful, she said. God, it’s so beautiful.
Dari smiled. I thought you’d like it.
Lani waited a beat and then looked at her and Dari nodded slowly. For us, she said. But mostly for you.
Nack took a breath to say something but Lani made some choked noise and would have sagged to the ground had Dari not taken her in her arms and then there were tears and before she could be surprised Dari was crying too, for the home they had found, the place they had made, the many and myriad trials that had brought them there.