Chapter 38

"Could you help me up?" came Layla's words, and Zyair was there in a flash.

His wife had finally gotten used to asking for help at seven months pregnant, and he was so very grateful. However, he was still a little worried about her choice of honeymoon destination.

The forests of Earth weren't exactly the safest place for a heavily pregnant woman, but Layla had insisted. As concerned as Zyair was, he understood why she'd chosen this location.

As he helped Layla up the steps to the forest retreat, he couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the place. Lorr's forests were stunning too, of course, but he'd never seen plants like these. Every tree, every shrub, and every vine was a miracle to him.

Layla must have seen the look on his face because she sat down on the bench at the top of the stairs and bade him to join her. They sat together in silence for a moment, just soaking in the beauty of the forest.

The towering trees, their branches swaying gently in the breeze, whispered secrets his own Lorr forests had never spoken to him. Birdsong filled the air, and Zyair felt a wave of contentment pass over him. The moment stirred something deep within his soul, something that resonated with the life he wanted to build with Layla—a life of peace and tranquility. He put his arm around her, squeezing her shoulders.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" came Layla's voice, blending in with the trilling of the birds.

Zyair sighed. "It is."

He wished he had better words to describe what he was experiencing in that moment, but there were none. He was just so grateful to be able to share Layla's own planet with her, even if it was still a place that held difficult memories for her. Zyair hoped that by being there with her, they might be able to form new memories together.

"I missed it a lot," she told him, as if reading his mind.

"Earth?" he asked.

"Parts of it, yeah," she said, still nestled beneath his arm. He knew what she meant.

"I'm glad you're getting to see those parts of it again."

Layla laughed, batting at his chest softly.

"You can't say you don't love this," she retorted.

Zyair just smiled and held her tighter. He knew they'd be doing a lot of this on their honeymoon—just sitting, talking, and enjoying the beauty of the forest. He wouldn't have had it any other way.

They'd booked ten days in the retreat and, as expected, much of it was filled with just enjoying each other. Each morning they'd wake up to birdsong, each evening they'd fall asleep to crickets, and in between they'd enjoy the beautiful retreat, the peaceful forest, and each other's company.

One day when Layla was feeling especially energetic, she insisted they go on a forest hike.

"Are you sure about this?" Zyair asked, but Layla was already making her way down the stairs. Zyair's only option was to help her down or else get left behind.

He walked hand in hand with Layla and saw the joy and wonder in her eyes as they made their way along the marked path at the edge of the retreat. Zyair knew his eyes must have been filled with the same look. It wasn't just the forest that brought him that joy, though. It was his wife, his beloved, the mother of his child. As he watched her make her way along the path beside him, he saw how her glow mirrored the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

As they strolled along the winding path, Zyair couldn't help but notice the curious animals that darted among the foliage. Small brown creatures scampered playfully, their bushy tails flicking back and forth as they foraged for nuts while birds sang melodiously overhead with songs that were entirely foreign to him.

Soon, though, he stopped short.

"What is that?" he asked incredulously, pointing to a soft green carpet that seemed to cover much of the forest floor. Somehow, he hadn't noticed it before, but now that he saw it, he realized it was everywhere—snaking across the ground, brushing the sides of trees, hugging the rocks. He'd never seen anything like it.

Layla followed his finger and a strange look crossed her face.

"You mean the moss?" she asked.

Zyair didn't know if that was the name of it, but whatever it was, he loved it.

"Is it safe to touch?" he asked, and Layla laughed melodically.

"Absolutely," she told him.

With a curiosity he hadn't felt since he was a child, Zyair bent forward to touch the green carpet. It was so much softer than he could have imagined, and he decided he definitely liked Earth. As they continued, he could hardly stop himself from brushing his hand along moss-covered trees and rocks, much to Layla's delight.

On another day, they made use of the hot springs that the retreat centered around, slipping into the warm water together, although Layla could only indulge for a short time.

Layla let out a deep groan, and Zyair could only imagine the relief it must have brought her. The warmth of the water made her skin flush in a way that made her glow. He'd heard her talk colloquially about Mother Nature, and decided that if such a woman actually existed, she would look exactly like Layla looked at that moment.

He sidled up to her, watching her soak in the soothing warmth of the water. Her eyes were closed, and the dappled light of the forest danced on her skin. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Zyair closed his eyes, too, letting the symphony of nature envelop him. He could feel the energy of the forest seeping into his being, revitalizing him in ways he hadn't experienced before.

In that serene moment, Zyair allowed himself to fully embrace the beauty of Earth—a place that, until then, had mainly held the negative stories of Layla's family and tales of a defiled natural world. Here, though, he saw there was so much more.

It was a world so different from his own in some ways, yet he found solace and wonder in its simplicity. The forest, with its rich hues and tranquil aura, offered respite from the battles he had fought and the trials he had endured. It was the perfect place to reset and wash away any last remaining tension from what was happening with the Jorvlen. They were there together, and they had a whole new life to build.

Zyair opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of Layla. When he did, he saw she was looking at him, too, with a loving smile.

He leaned over and kissed her, letting his hand rest gently on her belly.

"Thank you for choosing Earth for our honeymoon," he told her as he pulled away. "I'm glad I know more of you now."

Layla smiled, bringing her hand up to rest on his cheek.

"I want to share all of myself with you," she said. The words reminded him how much Layla had opened his eyes to the boundless possibilities of love. In her presence, he found a sanctuary and safe haven. He vowed to always offer her, and their child, the same.