Ahuru closes the door after Brianna enters. He watches her intently noticing the concern on her face. "You wished to speak to me..."
Brianna nods and speaks, eager to unburden her concerns. "I am worried...that Cliodhna might hesitate or even turn to Markova for fear of her mother's safety."
"Yes...that is a concern. What must happen is for her to see the millions of lives this will affect if she decides to no longer fight him.." Ahuru says looking out the cabin window. "You spoke with her at length..what do you feel?"
Brianna thinks carefully before responding. "Cliodhna is a creature ruled by her emotions. I fear that under stress, her first reaction will be to follow her heart and not her head. She wants to do the right thing, but she idolizes her mother. I believe she would do anything to ensure her safety." Brianna sighs sadly.
"She is also searching for the Father she never knew. I believe that now that she knows who her father is, she will try to see him in the best light possible. This could be the worst thing for everyone if she is blinded by her desires for what she wishes Markova to be to her." Brianna paces to another window and stares out at the Tempest.
Ahuru nods, "I understand your concern. She is trying to find the light within him...good." He says with a bit of a smile.
"Good? Do you mean that there is a chance that he will change?" Brianna queries, still unable to think of Markova without a shiver of revulsion.
"Perhaps...perhaps she will find it or force him to reveal it within himself. Anyone can be redeemed, Brianna....anyone." He says putting his arm around her as the two look out into the tempest.
Brianna rests her head against Ahuru and sighs contentedly, then a thought occurs to her. "Ahuru... Cliodhna was spoken of in the Prophecy, she was the Daughter -- does that mean that Markova knows of her as well? Knows who she is?"
"No...he knows her as the DAUGHTER, but not that she is his. He will find out sooner or lter however..." he says squeezing her shoulders a little.
"What do you think he will do when he finds out?" Brianna muses. "Does he have any care for family ties? Will it matter to him?"
"I do not know. He is not easily read. I believe he has a goodness in him...but he is so wrapped up in his vision," he says thinking a moment.
"What causes this vision? Is it of his own making, or is something else behind it?" Brianna asks quietly.
Ahuru thinks a moment, "It was born during his life, I do not know of where it comes or how it came to be. It is..." he says.
"Not to change the subject... but what do you think of Memnon?" Brianna looks up at Ahuru. "For Cliodhna, I mean. Have you known him long?"
"In all his lives have I known...my grandson,' he says with a smile.
Brianna's eyes widen. "Your grandson??"
"Yes...he was once Amon and Issa's son..." he says smiling.
"Oh!" Brianna puts her hand over her mouth in surprise, eyes sparkling. "Does he know? Does Cliodhna know?"
"No one knows except for his grandparents," he says squeezing her to him.
Brianna smiles and leans up to kiss Ahuru, holding him tightly. "Then Amon doesn't even know? That might bring him comfort.." Brianna's eyes widen slightly. "Oh no...Cliodhna is Markova's daughter.....!! What will he do when he finds out about those two!!"
Ahuru returns the kiss, "Do not worry, he will not care when the truth comes."
Brianna nestles comfortably in Ahuru's arms. "I hope they're happy...as happy as we are," she says, smiling to herself.
"They will be...they will have a hard road to walk, but when it is through...." he says as he smiles.
Brianna muses on Ahuru's last statement, wondering again what will happen, when everything is over...
Ahuru turns to Brianna, "You spoke with Cliodhna, what did she say to you in the Swarian cantina?"
Brianna colors slightly. "Oh. Well.. she just wanted to ask me some questions. She's interested in Memnon you see, and well.. she's had a bad experience and she's afraid."
Ahuru raises an eyebrow, "Good...tell me more..."
'Good?' Brianna wonders, looking up at Ahuru and puzzled at his response to her revelation that Cliodhna is afraid of Memnon because of previous mistreatment.
"Hmmm.. well she wanted to know if all men were beasts. I assured her that they are not." She grins impishly at Ahuru. "Though judging from his treatment of her back in Swar I wonder if I gave her the right advice.. he seems a bit...rough." Brianna frowns. "Do you think you could talk to him about that? I really don't think that threatening to hit her and humiliate her is quite the way to treat her."
"We do not know the whole story of that..." he says thinking. "I believe they will be a good match."
"Oh, I'm glad you think so.. she really needs someone right now, especially after finding out about her parents." Brianna stifles a yawn, wondering how Ahuru can look so alert after not sleeping for 48 hours.
"So.. are you going to tell" *yawn* "Memnon who he really is?" Brianna asks.
"No, for what he must do, it will only be more dificult." Ahuru leads Brianna to the bed, "It is time to sleep.."
Wraith Side-Story 9: "The Guardian"