Upon entry into his chambers his mind fills with thoughts of flight.
Being in this situation is becoming extremely difficult. Before him in
the bed ,a new part of his life
that has filled a void he did not even know existed, yet opened another
that he can not ignore for long. His duties will soon call him into a situation
that will force him
to choose between affairs of the heart, or affairs of state. ...
He finds Tanara sitting back up in the bed after what looked like her
putting something on the floor beside the bed. She looks up as he nears
the bed. Her hair almost
glowing in the rays of morning filtering in through the window.
"Good Morning, If you can call it that." she says as she stiffles a yawn
"Good Morning, I think not. The only good thing I have encountered this day is soon to be a source of more grief than I care not to consider right now."
"And what is that supposed to mean? What good thing will cause you so much grief?"
"Never you mind that right now. Just know this, I will never knowingly raise a hand aginst you but things here are becoming difficult."
Tanara looks at him quizically.
" Since you came to me ,I have experienced and learned things that have
changed my life for ever. Things I don't know how to decide between. The
day will come;
sooner that I'd like for it to I fear, when I will HAVE to decide.
Would that we could just drop off the face of the earth and enjoy�
our new walk in life without responsibility to King, crown, church, or
state. If we could live as do
the animals in the forest needing only to eat,sleep and enjoy our ...wishes
all. Wishes of a tired and rambling idiot."
Tired...ok. Rambling...getting close. An idiot...very rarely. Come sit by me and tell me what can I do to help you with this decision your babbling about."
" Since I've come to Daharahn I've felt better than I have ever felt
in my life. I am stronger, faster, and have..." He kisses her on the neck,
she nibbles back on his
..."appetites that make my adolescent appetites look like nothing.
Also since you've come into my life it seems as thought the world has
been comming apart at the seams around me. You know more about my GIFT
than you let on
and as much as I want to believe you've told me everything, I
can't help but wonder why you've come into my life now."
"You are not alone in the feeling of the world coming apart at the seams.
I left a place I knew. I knew where I fit, what was and was not expected
of me. Where I
had friends. But here I am a stranger even to people who once
knew me. I was given a task. I came here to complete that task and
leave hopefully knowing that you would be alright without the direct support
of the pack that I
had. How was I to know all hell and them some was going to
break loose."
Tanara nussles Sean's neck resting her head on his shoulder.
"You have been my balance. You have given me a reason to stay when so many have given me more reasons to go. I will have to go eventually, you know."
"When you, do a piece of me will go with you, but right now there are
things I must know. You and YOUR MASTER came to me as if I had some kind
of
importance in a scheme that I, as of yet am unaware of. What could
that have been? I often wonder why I was given this GIFT as you call it.
One thing that even
gives me more cause to wonder is WHEN and HOW I became GIFTED. The
first time you came to me I had already changed once at least
that I know of. That tells me the kiss we exchanged on that first evening
could not have done this to me. Of all the things you have helped me to
learn and experience,
this is one piece of information that eludes me."
"I could not tell you before, because you were not ready to hear. When
you were searching for me when I had been kidnapped, you reported to have
found an arm
belonging to a female."
Sean nobbed.
"You picked up the arm and examined it to determine who or what it belonged
to." With a puzzled look on his face, Sean started to say something.Tanara
held a
hand up to stop him, "Yes or No?"
He nobbed again.
"To test and see if it was real and to see how fresh it was you tested
the blood at the point where it was severed." Sean began to see where this
was going.
"One of the ways you tested it was by tasting it. That was all it took.
Your infection was not planned or even plotted for. The site where you
found the arm was being
watched as every part of those woods are. Your action was reported
and someone was assigned to watch you to see if you did indeed become infected.
When you
began showing full blown signs, my creator and I were sent to instruct
you. After we learned of the King's plan to arrive at your compound and
the report from my
um... spy, it was determined that I needed to come in person and help
guide you."
She ran her fingers through his hair and massaged the back of his neck
as she continued, "As for the "scheme" you speak of, everyone is part of
the Grand Scheme.
You, me, everyone and everything that breaths, even your King. Everyone
has a part to play and our parts are dictated by our responses to the choices
we are
given."
"I can't help but think it had been to serve some more ominous purpose than even you are aware of."
Tanara began to wonder how much she had not been told by both Sean, and her "creator" (even though he prefered to be called 'Master'.)
" Well, My love, The time has come for me to succum to the spell cast
upon me by the sandman. The events of this night have been very taxing.
Would that I could
let the dreams I've had for us become reality. It would be much preferred
to the reality that plauges me now."
Tanara helped Sean into bed and kissed him on the forehead, "If you
dreams are like mine, then may they be. If sleep is what you need, sleep
is what you shall
have."
As Sean closed his eyes and fell quickly into sleeps embrace, Tanara
reached under the bed and grabbed the white, cloth golum by his tail and
hauling him out of the
room.
"Hey..." in is gruff little voice was all he got say before Tanara
clamped two fingers down on his mouth.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ice strolled throught the city streets,, listening to the conversations
of� the masses. His hearing was fine tuned to weed out the mundane.He
was intent on picking up
the words of those who spoke of the new king. Rumors and
threats were flying like leaves in the autumn wind. Picking up a cheap
sword at a booth along his route, he overheard a patron and a breadmaker
. They talked low
so that the Crown Guard would not haul them away for dissention. "I
think the king is getting away with murder. He taxes and bullies his peoples
with his demands
and expects us to follow like sheep."
"No way, he only taxes to improve the kindom that has been neglected
by so many before him.Why he even passsed a law allowing CK to return so
that trade might
improve."
"Thats another thing, CK , what does their pathetic lot have that we
can't do better? We build better weapons.."
Ice grimiced at the comment while putting the junk of a sword back
to its place,,,"we fight better..." another grimice as Ice saw a large
woman smack a peasant with
a live chicken,,,," and our kingdom is in better shape than any other!"
With the last coment , Ice walked away, seeing the children play in
the muck of the streets was one thing, watching them starve was another.
While he could kill
without remorse, children were one of his few weaknesses. A
childs smile was all that was needed to open his heart up and stumble
his resolve. He had heard enough to know that the people in general were
ready to fight . A
few would side with the crown, but a few were not the whole.
More comments were heard as he crossed back over the bridge . With
a tip of his hawk feathered hat, the Guard allowed him to pass out of the
city proper and
back to the open lands that surrounded the kings city. He loved
this land, not home , but close enough for shits and giggles.
The woods were a brisk walk away, and anyone approaching could be seen
for a good amount of time. THis would be the dangerous part of the task.
Mud people
of the plains would have trouble staying out of site in this grassy
land. Tactics were going to be a new lesson for him, but no challenge
worth while , was easy.
" McFaddens own people grow weary and restless under his rule. A good
king on the Throne of a bad kingdom is not a proper balance. Word comes
from the
Outter Rim that MId World is due for a vistit from the Keepers
themselves."
" THat would be fatal for the King if so. Any word from the Corsairs?"
" No, but when would they give a notice to anyone.? I do believe that
they would fight against the crown . Word has spread that they too deem
the king lacking. I
think the KIng is a worthy opponent , yet the crown weighs his heart
down."
"And the other companies?"
" All will fight with the Rebels...even if we have to buy their loyalties."
" With all the plunder that the Fae have provided, that should not
be a porblem."
"The castle structure is weakened by the clone and the rat assult.
I have not heard from my dove as too the effect on the King, but He seems
to think his position is
untouchable. "
"My brother , you are doing well for your first attempt at weaving
the webs. Keep up the good work."
"Thanks, now buy the next round of drinks. I'll have some Try Me..."
"Ice, that crap is bad for you,,, have some varnish instead, "
" NO, I hunt Black Wolf in the dreams ,,, Try Me boils the blood to
a frenzy.."
" Is it worth it? A duce is a duce in any game"
" The duce must be buried to start the next hand, Toh will be paid,
no strings left. To be bonded to my charge completely , I must leave nothing
behind."
�