With a wave of her other hand, Kay then indicates herself, the owl and the two small shapes still concealed in the nearby shadows. "In order to walk the other path, each must be totally willing to put their full trust in the other, and in the Goddess. What one shall feel, so shall the other, and only death has the power to dissolve such a sacred bond". A single tear rolls from each of her eyes as a still-painful memory surfaces. In echo of Kay's remembered-grief, the owl cries out in response, his voice hauntingly like the screams of some tormented creature in mortal agony.
"I myself have had such a bond once before", Kay admitted. Several more tears follow the trail of the first two. Soon it became almost a flood as she continues. "Less than a year ago, the spirit of my bondmate departed his worn-out body while I comforted him on his death-bed. It was a sudden illness related to his old age that left me little time to prepare for the shock ... ".
Her small voice trails off for a moment before picking up again. "I believe that, someday in this lifetime, another will love me as he loved me. And I believe that he and I shall someday find each other again, even if I must wait until another lifetime for it. Yet, for many months afterwards, I walked around feeling as though half my soul had been ripped away to accompany him when the Goddess gathered his soul into her loving arms and carried him to the far reaches of the Otherworld to await rebirth".
Pausing again, this time to wipe away her tears, Kay added "Even now, there are many times when I still feel achingly-incomplete. But, despite the pain it continues to cost me, I've never regretted my choice, and I know in my heart that I would choose the same way again. But neither I, nor any other have the right to make this choice for you -- not even any of the gods or goddesses of this universe. Only you yourself have that power.".
"By the sacred names of Evanda and Avarra, Mary and Brighid, and every other holy name by which SHE is known (and beloved) throughout the universe, how dost thou choose, Ceroill Merrick of Thendara, beloved son of the Goddess ? Either take my hand once more, or take your leave of us. If it is your unhesitant wish to join your soul with that of this bird, then I will gladly serve to the best of my ability as your guide, before presenting myself to the two small daughters of the Goddess who watch us from the shadows", she finished.
Silently, Kay hoped she'd said it all correctly and that nothing would go wrong. She knew of this ritual only from the perspective of being one half of the bonding pair. And much of that incomplete knowledge was no more than a mixture of theory, instinct and her own experience. *What if that isn't enough ?*, she wondered, before sharply chopping off that line of thought. Being distracted by what might go wrong, could too easily lead to disaster.
In all fairness, there was one more point she needed to make. It was not actually part of the ritual words, but rather an acknowledgement and warning of her ability and physical condition. The power had never flowed so strongly through her before. It sparked and sang within her, urging Kay to raise her voice in harmony with it. But while she still retained the strength to hold it within her, she must either use it or ground it back into the earth. Goddess be praised, at least tommorrow was her day off. After this large an energy-expenditure, she would almost certainly need to spend it asleep.
"But I have not the strength to wait long", Kay admitted," ... no more than perhaps a quarter of a candle-mark at best. That which lies empty within the little brother here, calls to a similar emptiness within me. Its siren song grows increasingly difficult for me to beseech his patience".
With that, Kay fell silent. She pulled out the uneaten half of a Terran meal-replacement bar from her cloak pocket, popped the entire piece in her mouth and began chewing. It didn't taste pleasant, but she was certain she'd need the extra calories regardless of what Ceroill chose.
One of her hands remained extended in welcome, the other pointed again to the way he'd come in. Ceroill had to make the next move, and Kay knew she would NOT allow herself to interefere in any way with his choice. Yet her eyes remained unblinkingly fixed upon him, as did those of the owl -- watching and waiting ...