Noble felt the wave of terror hit her as she struggled not to let it overtake her. She tilted forward, taking the handle and the hot pan with her as she nearly tumbled to the ground.
"Mom!" Both boys ran toward her to keep her from touching the floor. "Ah!" Noble brought her fists to her forehead and pressed her eyes shut.
"I'll get Dad!" Knowing he was the faster twin, Brock leapt to his feet and prepared to run.
Noble gritted her teeth. "No…there is no need to worry your father. I…wasn't prepared, that's all."
A few more seconds passed, and Noble's expression relaxed.
"I'm fine, boys. Really. It just caught me off guard, that's all."
'I got lulled into a false sense of security with how peaceful the morning was. I have to be more careful.'
Noble had known it would come sooner or later. It happened every day and most nights when Noble was in the Dream Realm.
Noble took a deep breath and managed her own feelings as she made a silent wish.
'Please be alright!'
The feeling did not subside, but the effect on Noble receded.
"Rain?" Blaze asked, fear clearly present in his eyes.
"She's back in the heat of battle. The struggle is later today than usual, and I wasn't expecting it. Everything is fine." Noble smiled at her boys.
"You sure?" Brock released the hold on his jacket, which he had scooped up from the couch.
"I'm positive. It's the usual struggle. Nothing new and no reason to worry your father." Noble gave her sons a meaningful look.
Fort worried about both his wife and daughter, and with good reason. If he knew how much the emotions of Rain were still affecting his wife, his concern would only deepen.
The sudden emotional assaults were something Noble could conceivably remedy. In theory, she could cut her connection with Rain or at least limit how deep it was. However, Noble couldn't stomach the thought of doing that.
Child of Promise firmly believed that changing the connection would also limit how much her Kingdom Crafter attribute could help Rain in times of trouble.
Noble could sense vaguely that Tamar was alive if she tried, but she could get no emotional read on the woman. The essence required to find Ray of Fleur was greater and yielded even less reliable results.
Only the deep love Noble had for her dear Rainy seemed to keep their connection almost unchanged no matter the distance. The mother was not about to put that in jeopardy for her own comfort.
That wasn't to say that Noble did nothing. She had found a way to protect herself with a little bit of ingenuity and some patience.
Things were already better than when Rain first entered the war. It was only the first pulse that got Noble these days, but this one had been a doozy. Thankfully, the protection was in place, and she could resume normalcy.
Looking at the two handsome faces full of worry, Noble shook her head. "You boys are very sweet to worry so much."
Noble reached up and patted both her boys' cheeks, only to realize the warped piece of metal in her hand. She frowned.
'How did I...Oh, yeah...'
Looking at the mangled metal handle, Brock scratched the tip of his nose. "If you are fine, then can I have that to add to my desk? It will go nicely with that knife you gave me before."
"Absolutely not. That was my best pan! I will take it to be repaired after we eat. Speaking of which…"
Turning her head, Noble viewed the pan that the handle had once been attached to. It was hovering absentmindedly above the floor. Noble used the handle to point.
"At least the meat is still good. Who's hungry?"
The pan floated to the table along with a cloth to protect the table from the heat. The boys sat down and enjoyed the food and the already prepared tea. It wasn't exactly a full meal, but none of them complained.
"I want to say again that I am very proud of both of you for finishing your studies," Noble smiled at her boys.
"I couldn't have done it without Blaze's help. I even got the extra credit correct on the math portion. Big sis taught me a trick for that one while she was making rope. That was a few days before she left. I wish I could tell her how she helped." Brock shrugged.
"You will get to tell her when she returns. You know we will have a second celebration then, because you can bet she won't let us get away with having a party without her." Noble nodded firmly, causing both young men to smile.
Rain's emotions were anything but celebratory just now. The angst and anguish of each moment pained Noble when she focused on them, but she dared not interfere. In the heat of battle, Rain needed to trust her instincts, not be distracted by her mother's offer of outside emotions. Noble could only wish her safety and health.
'It's more than the other fighters get.' She reminded herself.
It was hard not to constantly worry about the young woman when, day after day, Rain was feeling pain and hardship. However, Noble's worry would do little good, and focusing solely on it would distract her from her other two children.
Brock and Blaze were right in front of her and needed her love and attention as well. So Noble forced herself to trust that Rain and Sunny would survive rather than succumbing to the fear that gnawed at the edge of her consciousness.
She was needed here.
"We will plan an even bigger party when Rain comes back to welcome her home. We will invite the whole city block. The whole city of Ravenheart!" Brock's vision of grandeur grew by the second. "You think Leslie would come, Blaze?"
The younger twin flushed. "We are just friends! Wait, did she say something? No, don't tell me. I need to focus on something other than her pretty face. I've got goals, mind you…"
Noble was always astonished by her youngest child's infatuations. They changed almost weekly, and Noble rarely met the girl before they were just friends again. If he ever actually introduced one to her and Fort while they were still dating, Noble would know it was serious.
For now, all he was serious about was scientific discovery and his studies. Now that he was done with school, his studies would be fully focused on combat and survival.
'I'll have to make sure they get the best tutors who are still in Ravenheart.'
There were not many warriors left, but there were still a few!
That was a problem for later. Right now she would enjoy the playful banter of boys who had accomplished something.
All too soon, the twins headed out to other commitments and bid their mother goodbye. They would be back for dinner and the promised cake, so the absence would be short.
After seeing them leave, Noble lifted the broken handle from beside her plate. It was mangled beyond recognition. She sighed.
'I guess it's time to visit the tinker…'