See Chapter One (A) for Disclaimers

Chapter Six

After Carrin's sudden departure from the Great Hall (and who could blame her), and the BeastMaster's departure behind her, Marinde took a quick look around.  Everyone was in shock.  Gereon was still trying to process what he had learned in the last few hours.

Ari pressed herself against her father's side, looking up at him anxiously.  The poor child looked terrified . . . she had never seen her mother crying before.  Of course she was terrified.  Marinde's eyes fell at last on Tao, who stared after his friend anxiously.

He was the only one who hadn't been surprised by Curupira's announcement, by her memory play.  Marinde didn't know how he had found out, but she would worry about that later.  For the moment, she rose to her feet and faced the mother and daughter goddesses, asking, "Is this finished?" The young warrior knew she was being abrupt, but she had a thousand different things on her mind at the moment.  Marinde saw anger flare in Curupira's bright eyes, but Pelagia put a restraining hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"It is finished.  You have our permission, and our blessing, to depart.  To look after your families," the mother goddess answered.  She looked at Marinde as she spoke, and the warrior understood at once.  She was to see to Gereon and Ari first, then to her friend.

Marinde bowed her head, and when she looked up, both goddesses were gone.  She turned to Gereon, who murmured, "By the gods, when I think of the nights she must have cried herself to sleep.  She must have . . . having to . . . how did she keep from going mad, Marinde?  How did she go on?  And why didn't she let us in?"

"Because it hurt too much.  Giving a name to something gives it power, and Carrin . . . Mira . . . wanted the pain to have no power over her.  Unfortunately, the effort of keeping it locked up gave it more power," Tao said softly, joining them.  Gereon looked at him bleakly.

But it was Marinde who said, "You knew, didn't you?  You knew that Carrin was Mira?" Tao nodded and Marinde went on, "I saw you watching Carrin, as if there was something which seemed familiar to you.  I wasn't sure if I should be alarmed or just accept it.  How long have you known?"

"Since this afternoon.  I was watching Carrin practice, and I noticed her making a movement similar to Dar's.  It's rather unusual set of motions.  I thought it possible that Dar and Carrin had learned their skills from the same person.  Since Carrin and Mira are about the same age . . . " Tao began.

"And then Curupira confirmed it for you," Marinde guessed.  Tao nodded and Marinde silently fumed.  What in the name of the Great One had she been thinking, with her theatrics?  What was wrong with telling them that Carrin was born of the Sula, and the BeastMaster was her brother?

"She wanted to prove a point," Gereon said in a hollow voice.  At first, Marinde thought she had spoken aloud, then Gereon continued, "Pelagia wanted us to see what Carrin survived, all those years ago.  She wanted us to know . . . oh Carrin, you could have told me!  I would have understood!"

"That's why she didn't tell you.  She's too much like her brother . . . they keep things inside," Tao said quietly, and told Gereon, "I know you want to go after her, Gereon, but this reunion has been waiting for almost twenty years."

"I know . . . I know.  She needs to be with her brother right now.  C'mon, Ari . . . it's past your bedtime," Gereon said.  He scooped his silent daughter into his arms, and started to leave.  But he stopped, turned, and looked at Tao, asking, "If Curupira hadn't sworn you to silence, would you have told your friend?"

"In a heartbeat.  I suppose Curupira thought Dar needed to see it.  I don't understand it, but I've learned that Curupira usually has a reason for what she does," Tao explained.  Marinde hid a smile . . . oh, that was true!

Gereon nodded and led his daughter from the Great Hall.  Marinde turned back to Tao, asking, "What about you?  Are you all right?" He looked surprised and Marinde explained, "I've come to know you these last few days, Tao.  I know keeping this from Dar, even for only a few hours, was hard."

"I'm fine . . . just worried for Dar.  All these years, of believing that his sister was dead.  Blaming himself for what happened to her that night.  He and Carrin have a lot to discuss," Tao said softly.  Marinde bobbed her head.  They weren't the only ones . . . but it could wait.

~*~*~*~

"I say we should go after them.  Dar is still hurt, and he was real upset when he ran after her."  The 'voice,' as such, wasn't human.  But Sharak was used to it.  The voice repeated insistently, "We gotta make sure he's all right.  We could have told him, and we didn't."

"Curupira told us not to, Kodo," Sharak replied absently.  He was perched on the window of the old temple, watching Dar and Mira.  He had known whom she was, as soon as he had seen her.  She was a Sula.  Of course he had known.

Kodo snorted, as much as a ferret could snort, and replied, "She only gets mad at Dar, Sharak, when we do something wrong.  And do you really think she would have gotten mad at him this time?"

"Do you really want to take that chance with Dar's life?" Sharak countered.  Ruh grunted his assent.  Kodo fell silent, and Sharak continued, "I don't want to see him hurt again.  What if Mira had become like the Sorceress?"

"She didn't . . . you've known that all along, Sharak," Ruh answered calmly, then told the ferrets, "And I have much to atone.  I almost killed Dar because of that little monster, Ketzwayo.  I didn't just hurt him, I almost killed him.  But Curupira had a reason for doing it like this."

"Kodo is right.  We gotta go after them.  Carrin has always been nice to us, feeding us," Podo piped up.  If he could have, Sharak would have rolled his eyes.  Trust Podo.  After a moment, the ferret added, an all-too familiar whining note appearing in his 'voice,' "Besides.  I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," Kodo fired back, sounding more than a little annoyed, and Sharak tried not to laugh.  The ferret went on, sounding earnest, "And we all want to make it up to Dar.  He's always been our friend, always taken care of us.  I think we should take care of him, this time."

"We can make it up to him by leaving him alone, letting him talk to his sister in peace.  Even though Curupira swore us to silence, Dar doesn't need to know that.  He has other things on his mind right now," Ruh observed.

"Easy for you to say!  You can actually make yourself useful!" Kodo answered.  Sharak started to speak, then decided against it.  Kodo was usually the more easy-going of the pair.  But between Ketzwayo's spell, and keeping this secret from Dar, it seemed Kodo could be silent no more.

"We knew that Mira was a Sula.  And since the other Sula, aside from Kyra and Dar, were killed, that only left one Sula.  Mira, Dar's older sister.  Remember how he used to cry at night, Kodo, after the slaughter?  He had nightmares about the night Mira was taken," Podo put in.

Sharak decided that this was getting them nowhere.  He said, "Enough.  Kodo, if you want to check on Dar, to make sure he's all right, do it.  But Ruh is right.  Dar has believed for almost twenty years that his sister is dead, and that he could have saved her.  Give them this time alone."

Kodo said nothing more.  He left the pouch he shared with Podo and began scurrying toward the entrance to the old temple.  The second ferret followed, with a longing look toward the kitchens.  Ruh sighed and looked at Sharak, observing, "Are they right?"

"Maybe for them," Sharak answered.  Ruh was silent, and Sharak continued, "I will watch over Dar, in my own way.  I saw him grow up, you know.  I watched them both grow up."  And Sharak silently vowed that he would not stand by again when Dar was harmed.  Never again.

~*~*~*~

The brother and sister now sat together, just outside the ancient temple.  They stared up at the stars, as they had when they were children.  Dar held his sister's hand within both of his own, and said very softly, "I dreamed of Mother before I woke up, you know."

Mira looked at him, startled, and Dar continued, "She was sitting outside the hut . . . it wasn't long before I was born, maybe a few days or a few weeks.  You were sitting with her, and she told you to get a blanket . . . she didn't want me to get cold.  And she wanted to see the stars."

Mira smiled, though Dar could see tears in her eyes, and replied, "There were many such nights before you were born, when we would sit outside and stare at the stars.  She would cover us with the blanket, and let me feel you kicking.  She knew you would be a male child.  She told me that I would have a little brother, and his name would be 'Dar.' She told me that it meant 'proud one.' I always wondered if Mother saw into the future."

Dar started to ask what she meant, then he remembered.  In the Sula tongue, 'Mira' meant 'sacrifice.' And he didn't know what to say.  His sister continued, "I dream of her, too.  I wonder, if we can communicate with the dead, why did she never tell you that I was still alive?  And why . . . ?"

"Why did she never tell you that I was alive?" Dar finished and Mira nodded.  Dar sighed, wincing at the pain which lanced through his side, and Mira looked at him, concerned.  But Dar told her, "I'm all right.  Perhaps it was forbidden, at least until we were together."

"Probably," Mira admitted.  She said softly, "Put your head in my lap."  Dar hesitated, then pivoted his body.  He lay back and closed his eyes.  Almost immediately, his sister began combing her fingers through his hair.  She said softly, "I've missed you, baby brother.  You have no idea how much."

Dar smiled and replied, "Oh, I have a better idea than you think."  Mira laughed softly, then Dar added, "There was something I wanted to tell you that night, but I couldn't."  He had been crying too hard to say anything other than to tell his sister that he didn't want to go.

"There were a lot of things I wanted to say to you, as well.  I wanted to tell you how sorry I was . . . wanting you to stay in the hut.  I knew Father was right, that you would feel like I had abandoned you if I went into the woods by myself.  I just . . . needed time to myself," Mira said softly.

Dar opened his eyes and sat up, gasping aloud from the pain.  But he kept himself steady, telling his sister, "You were right.  Father even believed that . . . he told me one night when he drank too much."  It had been the night after they finished his staff.  Dar had been seventeen . . . and for the first time, the BeastMaster had spoken of his daughter.

Dar explained, "Curupira said that Father never forgave himself for losing you, and that's true.  But what she didn't say was, for a long time, I wondered if he blamed me."

"Dar!" Mira blurted out, her dark hazel eyes filling with horror.  The BeastMaster took both of her hands, and she shook her head, saying, "You had no say in what happened that night!  No, I cannot believe Father would hold you responsible for his decision or mine!  I know he was devastated, but he couldn't have blamed you."

"No, Mira, he didn't," Dar told her gently, "he blamed himself.  He told me that he made you take me with you for purely selfish reasons.  He wanted to be alone, so he could mourn the loss of his little girl . . . since she was becoming a woman.  He didn't realize that the loss would be permanent.  And he never forgave himself for his selfishness."

"We have a problem with forgiving ourselves, don't we?  I never forgave myself for abandoning you, Father never forgave himself for sending you with me, and you never forgave yourself for leaving me," Mira observed and Dar nodded.  His sister added after a moment, "And you said there was something which you wanted to tell me.  What?"

Dar smiled and cupped his sister's face in his hands.  Her tears had dried, leaving streaks on her face, and her eyes were puffy and red.  Her nose had swelled up, as it had when she cried as a child . . . rare were the times when Dar had seen her cry in those days, but it did happen.  And then, as now, he wanted to take away her pain.

But to Dar, his sister was the most beautiful woman alive, second only to Kyra.  He told her, "I just wanted to tell you . . . what I didn't tell you that night.  The words were there, but they weren't easy for me to say, even then.  I love you, Mira . . . and thank you for saving my life."

Now the tears started anew, and Mira whispered, "Oh, baby.  Of course . . . I mean . . . you would have done the same thing for me, if it had been in your power."  Dar nodded.  Yes, he would have.  Mira started to speak again, then they heard familiar squeaks and squeals.  Kodo and Podo ran to the brother and sister, chattering excitedly.

Mira burst into laughter, picking up Podo, and said, "What are they saying?" The ferret squirmed excitedly in her grasp, squealing.  Dar bought his laughter, knowing what kind of pain would result.  Mira flashed Dar a grin, asking, "What, is he asking to feed him?"

"Actually, he is.  Kodo says that they came out to check on me.  I already knew that . . . I could hear Sharak, Ruh, and the ferrets talking about it," Dar answered, picking up Kodo.  While both ferrets could be affectionate when they chose, and often were after Dar had survived a particularly harrowing escape, Kodo now snuggled against Dar's chest.

Mira smiled again and observed, "Wanted to make sure I wouldn't harm you."  Dar started to protest, but Mira went on, "I don't blame them.  I wasn't thinking when I left the Great Hall.  All I could . . . I could only get away.  Away from those . . . pictures."  Her voice was thick with grief.

"Away from watching our father die," Dar said quietly and Mira nodded, tears filling her eyes once more.  He was silent for a few moments, then said, "If you had been there, Mira, you would have died.  Or you would have been taken as prisoner.  Despite the last twenty years, I know now.  It was for the best."

"No, it wasn't . . . because even though we're both alive, we still have twenty years to make up for.  Twenty years when we weren't together, laughing and fighting and being brother and sister," Mira answered.  Dar didn't know what to say to that.  His sister was right about at least part of that.  After a moment, Mira sighed deeply, "And I have ignored my responsibilities as a queen and as a mother."

"We both have ignored . . . others, long enough," Dar replied, thinking of Tao.  His sister nodded and shifted into a kneeling position, so she could help him to his feet.  Dar hated having to lean on his smaller, slight sister.  Then Mira smiled, the smile he remembered from his childhood, and suddenly, it wasn't so hard to lean on her after all.

She teased, "You know, if you were still three years old, I could just pick you up and carry you inside.  But I don't think I'd better try."  Dar just rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh as Kodo draped himself around his neck.  Mira shook her head, then continued, "You really are a brat for growing up on me, you know that?"

~*~*~*~

"Does this reunion meet with your approval, Etain?" Pelagia asked the dark-haired woman standing at her side.  Etain, mother of Mira and Dar, just watched her two children.  She reached her hand as if touch the pair, then drew it back.  Her eyes filled with tears, but her smile was brilliant.

Instead, she looked at the goddess and answered, "It does.  I only wish it had happened sooner.  If only those damnable Lothians hadn't attacked the scouting party . . . the reunion would have taken place sooner."  Pelagia nodded sadly, remembering the attack.

Three years earlier, only days before the Terrons had attacked the Sula, Carrin had dispatched a scouting party.  They were to find the Sula, and see if they could make a treaty against the Terrons.  But halfway to the Sula village, the Lothians (who had become the Terron's allies again) had attacked the scouting party, led by Marinde.

Everyone survived the attack, but by the time Marinde and the others arrived at the Sula village, it was too late.  Everyone was dead, captured . . . or had escaped.  To this day, Pelagia believed that if the Lothians had not attacked, the fate of the Sula would have been very different.  Assuming the village elders had heard Marinde's words in their hearts.

But she said now, "Your children are together now.  My brother will be displeased, for Dar is much stronger with Mira than without.  By himself, he is formidable . . . with Tao, he is powerful . . . but with Mira, he is dangerous to my brother.  And I will keep an eye on my brother."

"I thank you for that, Goddess," Etain said simply.  She stared at her children, murmuring, "My babies . . . I always wondered what would have happened to them if I had lived.  If I had the strength to hold on."  Pelagia grimaced, since she had warned Etain that birthing more children would be dangerous.  But the goddess said nothing.

Besides, it had come to her attention recently that as Etain was birthing Dar, the Sorceress had released one of her spells.  One of her experiments, damn that bitch.  Pelagia still wasn't sure what the correlation was, but she knew there was a connection.  Every mother, animal or human, had felt the spell when it was released.

However, she said none of this to Etain.  Instead, she said softly, "The others are coming . . . and I know there is much to be said yet.  Come.  I for one, look forward to what is to come."  Pelagia saw that familiar, brilliant smile cross her companion's face . . . Dar had inherited his mother's smile, yes . . . then nothing more was said.

(continued)

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