See Chapter One (A) for Disclaimers
"And you are Mira of the Sula. You never stopped being Mira . . . but you took on another name when you were adopted by the Varoni. Mira and Carrin do not have to conflict with each other. And if you feel disloyal to Rudianus for missing your Sula heritage, then don't. He always felt guilty for taking you away from your family," Pelagia replied.
Carrin turned to face the goddess, startled, and Pelagia continued, "It's true . . . and he didn't know, until he joined your mother Etain, about your attempt to return to the Sula. If he had known . . . he would have made sure that you had succeeded. Instead of being caught and beaten. He never believed you, Mira, about the source of those bruises."
"I never could hide things like that from him," Carrin sighed. "When it came to things of a physical nature, I could never fool him. But the part of me which is Sula frightened him, I think. Is that why Curupira began draping the hides over the trees were he could find them?"
"That was part of it, yes . . . Curi realized that Rudianus would never listen, as long as he didn't have tangible proof. My daughter decided to give him that proof," Pelagia explained. Carrin nodded . . . she had thought it was something like that.
The goddess continued, looking at Carrin in concern, "And if you're afraid that Ril and Etain feel betrayed by your love for Rudianus, for Gereon and Arduinna, you're wrong. They love you very much . . . and they're very proud of you. It took great strength and courage to persevere. You could have given up, but you never did."
Carrin only smiled, and the goddess went on, "Your brother is also very proud of you. Dar is much like . . . well, he is much like any man. He finds it difficult to speak what's in his heart, even to the sister whom he has missed so much. But I know he is proud of you. Proud to be your brother, to be the brother of the Varoni queen Carrin."
"That's equally true of me. Father wasn't the BeastMaster when I was with the Sula, but I knew how important it was. I look at Dar sometimes, Pelagia, and think, 'that's my little brother!' Except, he isn't a little boy anymore. I'm reminded of that every time he crosses the path of a young girl," Carrin observed and Pelagia chuckled.
"Yes, well, young girls do tend to swoon over handsome young men, especially when they don't wear much clothing," the goddess observed dryly. Carrin laughed. Yes, that was something she was still . . . adjusting to. When she was a child, the BeastMaster was always fully clothed. Pelagia added, "Has Marinde ended her pursuit of him yet, or has she not accepted Kyra's hold on his heart yet?"
"Oh, she finally accepted it, though I think she may try to flirt with him a while longer. Even if Marinde would never say so, I don't believe she's entirely comfortable with Dar. He is my younger brother, after all . . . and Marinde isn't comfortable with that," Carrin explained.
"He's the brother of her queen, and the brother of her best friend. Not unlike Tao's reasoning where you're concerned," Pelagia observed. Carrin frowned, not understand, and the mother goddess continued, "Tao is attracted to both you and Marinde . . . but you both frighten him. You're no hands, because you're married, and you're Dar's sister. Marinde, on the other hand . . . "
Carrin could see where Pelagia was going with this, and bobbed her head. She grinned and said, "It's rather funny that you said that . . . Marinde started noticing Tao just before he and Dar left. I know he's smart, and has a good soul, but do you think Tao could handle Marinde?"
"Oh, I think he would be better at it than you would think. Tao loves to talk and debate, and Marinde is equally fond of such things. But she would . . . it would be necessary for her to make the first move. Tao is too . . . after travelling with Dar for so many months, he is often eclipsed by your brother," Pelagia observed.
"I know," Carrin admitted, "but what can Dar do? Start wearing a tunic? He has to move freely as a BeastMaster, and a tunic would only hamper his ability to move. Besides, you know my brother. He's vaguely aware that women find him attractive, but it's not exactly his top priority."
He was much like her husband in that respect . . . neither of them really paid much attention to their appearance. Carrin laughed silently to herself . . . she would have to bring that to Gereon's attention. Maybe that would help to build a bridge between her brother and her husband. A bridge between two worlds.
"Ohh, after his encounter with the Amazons, I think Dar realizes that some women find him extremely attractive. And truly, if not for Kyra, I think the young Amazon Hypolita would have been an excellent match for your brother. The sparks were flying between them quite . . . rapidly," Pelagia answered and Carrin turned to look at her companion.
"Amazons? Now here is a story I have not yet heard from my brother or Tao . . . so please, enlighten me. And then, you can tell me about my brother and Tao, and what kind of trouble they've gotten themselves into this time," the young queen replied. The goddess just laughed. This promised to be a *very* interesting story. Then again, Carrin thought ruefully, that's true of most stories about Dar and Tao!
"You have heard of fire lilies, yes?" Pelagia asked and Carrin nodded. Yes, she was familiar with it . . . it was reputed to have healing properties. Her mother had taught her about it when she was teaching Carrin about herbs, in the months before her death.
Pelagia continued, "Well, your brother found it necessary to retrieve a fire lily, in order to save the life of a young girl. As you know yourself, most fire lilies bloom in the land of the Amazons . . ."
~*~*~*~
Dar and Tao eventually stopped for the night just outside of town. They hadn't encountered any trouble since leaving Atalla and her brothers, and Dar didn't really expect any. Still, it never hurt to be safe, and he told Tao, "Get some sleep . . . I'll take the first watch."
Tao didn't argue, immediately unraveling his bedroll and lying down. Dar sat down nearby, his back against a tree, and cuddled the sleeping Aveta in his arms. He studied the features of the little one, perhaps seeking a resemblance to his niece, though they weren't related. Perhaps . . . and perhaps he was just seeking answers. Dar hadn't been prepared for the wash of memories today.
It had been so long since he allowed himself to think of Aunt Aveta. And yet, when he was searching for a name for the little one, his mind had kept returning to his aunt. Was it because of his recent reunion with Mira? In telling her of the intervening years, Dar had found himself remembering long-hidden incidents.
He didn't know. Perhaps that was part of it, because every time he looked at Aveta, he wondered if Ari had looked like her when she was a baby. When she was a newborn. And Dar's heart hurt when he thought of what he had missed of his sister's life. What he had missed of his niece's. Time which he could never truly make up.
And he knew there were some things which his sister had not told him yet. She was still unable to discuss her lost son, his namesake. It had been twelve years since . . . whatever happened, but the wound remained fresh in his sister's heart. Perhaps she would tell him one day. Until she did, he would respect her wishes and not ask her about it. It was her story to tell, not his. Dar held Aveta, murmuring, "I shall find a good home for you, little one. That much I can promise you, if nothing else. I can promise that you will be loved and fed and clothed. My sister and I will see to that." He kissed her forehead lightly, then leaned his head back.
~*~*~*~
Dar fell asleep not long after Tao, the baby still cradled in his arms. Ruh had parked himself beside the sleeping BeastMaster, guarding his young friend. Whilst Ruh kept watch, no harm would come to the BeastMaster, to the scholar, or to the babe. And high overhead, Sharak kept watch over them all. Like a prince surveying his kingdom, the prince Sharak was once.
Or . . . just a lonely immortal eagle, striving to protect the lives of those he loved most. Sharak was pleased that they were returning to the Varoni village. He didn't think Dar even realized how much he needed his sister. And how much his sister needed him.
The siblings had begun to make up for lost time in the weeks before Dar and Tao's departure from the Varoni lands, but they still had much to tell each other. If Sharak could have, he would have told Carrin about the nights Dar had quietly cried himself to sleep after she was taken from him.
But no. No, she would just feel guilty, and it hadn't been her fault. There was nothing she could have done. Nothing Ril could have done, something which he had never fully accepted. Sharak had often tried to console his friend the BeastMaster, once Ril had learned of Sharak's curse. Once he realized that Sharak had once been a man.
Which was a secret which Sharak wasn't ready to share with Dar. By the time Ril had become a BeastMaster, he had been a widower for three years, with two small children. Even if one was lost. Dar, on the other hand, was still very young. There were times when Sharak feared he was too young, but the boy kept learning.
Now, gazing at the sleeping BeastMaster and the precious bundle in his arms, Sharak thought of the child Dar had been. He thought of the little girl who had been mother and sister to her baby brother, who took care of him and her father. And, he thought of the woman who had given them both life, at the high cost of her own. Beautiful, beautiful Etain. Sharak closed his eyes briefly, seeing in his mind's eye a pair of children . . . a girl of nine and her two year old brother. The nine year old, much stronger than her small body would suggest, held her brother under his arms and spun him around. The little boy had giggled, extending his arms and legs out, and exclaimed, "I fly, Mira, I fly!"
That image was replaced with another. The same boy, and the same girl. The boy, as usual, perched on his sister's hip. But he was much younger, no more than six months old. And he had been reaching for Sharak, as if to touch him. Mira's voice, "No, no, Dar. No touch. No touch, Dar."
She had captured one tiny fist in her small hand, and kissed it, drawing giggles of delight from the child in her arms. She kissed his forehead and continued, "We should go inside . . . Father will be most displeased if there's no food when he comes back from his travels."
Of course, Ril was never truly displeased with his serious little daughter. She worked too hard to take care of both him and Dar. But after the loss of Etain, Ril had found it difficult to show his love for his daughter . . . the daughter who had his wife's eyes and warmth.
And ironically, it was the loss of that serious little girl which had once more unlocked Ril's heart and soul. Which had allowed him to show his affection to his remaining child. Sharak gave the sigh of an eagle, and settled in to watch over his flock.
~*~*~*~
There was another looking after the weary travelers. As always unable to stay away from her BeastMaster, Curupira had found him easily. He slept with the babe nestled against his chest, his arms enfolding her. She gave a soft sigh, smiling at the sight. It seemed like the most natural sight in the world, Dar with a baby in his arms. The most natural and beautiful sight Curupira could imagine. Not that she would ever acknowledged this to anyone, even her mother.
She knew that if Dar had known she was watching him while he slept, it would have given him another nightmare. That was why Curupira didn't allow herself to touch him, for fear of waking him. Damn the man, anyhow, she thought, falling back easily on the defense which came most easily to her, that of anger. Damn humans. Curupira's father had been human like Dar. He had been human, and he had abandoned her before she was even born. He had been killed, and he abandoned her. There were times when Curupira found herself lashing out at Dar because of that abandonment.
It wasn't fair, she knew . . . it wasn't fair to him. And her mother always reacted the same way. A sad, almost disappointed look in her eyes. As if she had hoped for more from Curupira. And really, Curupira did try. She did try to be kind to Dar . . . but it was so hard. Especially when she found her breath catching in her throat at the sight of him.
In all her millennia of life, Curupira had never reacted in such a way to any man, and it frightened her. Although, most of the males she knew were of her kind. Her uncles and brothers, mostly . . . and that little monster Ketzwayo. Curupira scowled as she once more thought of him. She didn't know what made her angrier . . . that he had harmed her animals, or that he had harmed her animals to get to her.
At least with the humans, they were stupid and some were selfish. But none of them had ever tried to destroy her animals trying to take revenge on someone else. That was what Curupira found intolerable. Those animals had done nothing to Ketzwayo, damn him. Nothing at all.
Curupira returned her attention to Dar, and her heart got the better of her. She leaned over and gently stroked the sandy hair from his forehead, then lightly kissed his right temple. The baby awakened as Dar sighed in his sleep, and Curupira gently raised her finger to her lips. Shhhh. Don't wake him, little one!
And the baby understood, giving a little giggle. Curupira said softly, lightly caressing the petal-soft cheek of the baby with the back of her hand, "This will be our secret, little Aveta. He mustn't know. It's better if he thinks I do hate him, and that I would kill him. Which I would, but only if he betrayed me."
The baby gurgled and Curupira stared at the little girl longingly. It got so tiresome . . . pretending to hate everything except her animals, but it was the only way Curupira could protect herself. What if she allowed herself to lay with Dar, assuming she could tempt him away from Kyra, and a child came of that coupling?
What if Dar was killed in battle, protecting one of her animals, and Curupira's child was left with the same nightmare which she had? That was something she couldn't face. Neither goddess nor human, a demon in between. Viewed with hatred by her human family, and with amusement by her brethren among the gods. "Little ones, such as yourself and the princess Arduinna, are not meant for me," Curupira murmured. She frowned, thinking of Ari's mother . . . it was time to visit Mira. The young queen was one of the few humans with whom Curupira could be totally honest, and Curupira missed talking with her. They had little opportunity in the last few weeks.
The guardian spirit understood, of course. The queen had other duties and responsibilities. She had to smooth things over with her mate and consort, take care of her daughter, see to her people. But Curupira missed her friend. Missed . . . she just missed her.
While her mother was with Mira now . . . Curupira was finding it more and more difficult to think of the queen as 'Carrin,' now that the girl had been reunited with her brother . . . the guardian spirit doubted if the queen would object to a second divine visitation.
So she touched the babe's cheek one last time, then stroked Dar's hair, and whispered, "Take good care of him, Aveta. I will have need of him . . . always." The baby gurgled, as if understanding what Curupira had said, and the guardian spirit disappeared into the night. The only sign of her departure was the wind which blew through camp.
~*~*~*~
The Sorceress frowned in confusion. Now what did this mean? She had been watching Curupira's visit to the BeastMaster, and heard the little demon's words to the babe. But, she had talked almost as if . . . why, almost as if she was in love with the BeastMaster. How could this be?
She shook her head, growing more puzzled by the moment. She had observed the patron of the BeastMaster in the past, and the Sorceress could have sworn that the little demon hated Dar. Which was what had her so confused now. Then something occurred to her. Was it possible that Curupira pretended to hate Dar? But why would she do that?
The Sorceress shook her head once again. Love was turning into something that confused her, even as it fascinated. It had so many different facets, like the sides of a crystal. And it seemed to be as deep as the oceans themselves. Would she never understand?
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