Chapter Text
"He is the only one she will listen to anymore. If even Yelan cannot reach her or convince her to forgive us, then we will have to wait for Karae to make the decision by herself, if she ever does."
"Why can't she see that Anne and I had no choice? We had to protect her. I trusted you when you said that you had placed her with a loving family."
"I did not lie to you, your majesty. They loved Karae very deeply. Not even I could have foreseen that Laras would develop such an all-consuming desire for a male child to carry his lineage that he would resort to trading Karae for that right."
"I would give anything to know how he learned of Murell."
"I have wondered that myself. The simplest answer is probably the correct one. He did not find Murell. Murell arranged for Laras to find him. Once dragged into the spider's web, Laras was offered the assurance that his wife would bear a son and was unable to resist. I cannot say that I understand his choice, but then it was his, not mine. Never having been in the situation, I cannot say what I might do."
"I can."
"Yes. I seem to remember that as quite a difficult period for the two of you."
"That, my friend, is the understatement of the century. I still feel the guilt once in a great while. We both knew what it would mean if Anne were to give birth to a girl so I spent all my nights praying for a boy. When that sweet child was born I couldn't even look at her. After I'd spent all those months rejecting her and denying her to God, I was deathly afraid that he'd punished me by.... afflicting the baby in some way. Damn those scrolls. Why couldn't all this trouble been destined for a male? Then Karae could have grown up where she belonged."
"Then your wish would have been for a girl. Nothing would have changed. You have already punished yourself far more harshly than God ever could have, my lord."
"Yes. I suppose I have. Karae is doing a good job of adding to that harshness."
"Not intentionally, your majesty. At the moment she is confused and disoriented, but I believe it will pass. In the past few months her life has been altered beyond her wildest imaginings. She merely needs time to sort through all the changes and.... catch her breath, so to speak."
"I have a terrible feeling that she might decide to do that elsewhere."
This comment caused Tano to start. He quickly looked at the king to be sure he hadn't seen and returned to the work he had been engaged in during their discussion.
To prevent his sudden nervousness from coloring the tone of his next question, Tano breathed deeply before attempting to speak.
" What could possibly cause you to conclude that, your majesty?"
"It's partly intuition but Yelan mentioned something at dinner last night that made me wonder just what Karae is planning."
"Oh? What was that? Lady Anne and I fell into a most interesting discussion and my attention was on her for the better part of the meal."
"Apparently Karae told him yesterday that she has a lot of questions and that none of us have the answers. When he asked her who did, she refused to respond. He made the mistake of pushing the issue and was quickly accused of spying and banished from her room. That means she isn't talking to any of us anymore."
"Not good news, lord. If she suddenly decides to act on... one of her foolish impulses, we will have no way of knowing about it."
The pause in Tano's words caught Roland's attention.
"Tano. What was that all about?"
"Your majesty?"
"You started to say something. Why did you change your mind?"
Tano struggled mightily on the horns of his dilemma for several moments before finding an escape route.
"I cannot, my lord. It would be improper."
"Improper? I don't understand."
"Improper. Not correct. I have made one slip already. I would ask you not to put me in a position where I might make another."
"If this has to do with Karae, I not only order you to slip, I order you to fall!"
"I have... too much at stake, your majesty."
"You've talked to her recently haven't you?"
Finding himself becoming more and more entangled and pressured, Tano tried one last time to avoid divulging anything he shouldn't.
"Please..."
"Now, Tano."
"Yes. I spoke to her two days ago. She indicated that she planned to... leave."
"Leave? No. She wouldn't... You must have misunderstood."
"We all foretold the results of Yelan's revelation to Karae, your majesty. It was his decision not to believe us when we predicted her reaction. She maintained that learning how she was kept ignorant of her true parentage had caused her to lose trust in all of us but Yelan, because he saw fit to tell her the truth. Now it seems even he has been excluded. She said that she could not stay with people she did not trust."
"Did she mention where she was going?"
"I have already revealed far too much."
An idea occurred to Roland, causing a small grin to curl his lip briefly.
"She must have come up with one hell of a threat to get you to defend the content of that conversation this strongly."
After a moment, Tano turned to face the king, a mixture of chagrin and shame in his gaze.
"She made mention of certain... potentially painful kitchen implements in connection with parts of my anatomy of which I am very fond."
Despite the seriousness of what he had learned about Karae's plans, Roland burst into guffaws of laughter when he finally understood which of Tano's body parts she had threatened and why he was so utterly cowed. "Knowing the power that is now flowing, untamed, through that girl, I cannot allow myself the luxury of seeing the humor in the situation. One incorrect word from my lips and she might see fit to change me into a green and purple spotted tree toad!"
"I understand that Tano, believe me I do, but she's bound to forgive us all in time. How can she do that if she runs off alone and ends up... I can't think it never mind say it. Karae will need someone to help her learn to use her power. I can't think of anyone better qualified for the task than you, but she needs to be here for that to happen. You won't be betraying her. If you know anything, please don't hesitate to say it. Even something insignificant could help."
"I wish I could help further, my lord. The truth is that Karae said very little about her destination. She spat a few expletives about her father that I assure you I never taught her and one or two I was not even acquainted with. When she finished she mumbled something about the truth and stomped out. I attempted to interject at several points, without success. If she had only allowed me to finish what I was trying to tell her."
Sensing something worse than anything Tano had yet revealed, Roland steeled himself.
"Can it be as bad as your expression seems to say it is?"
"As Karae has yet to learn of it, that remains to be seen. I recently received a message from Laras Siann. I nearly ripped the thing to pieces before I noticed the seal."
Roland blanched as he took the envelope Tano held out to him.
"A black wreath. Dear God, no..."
"Apparently Lady Siann fell into a catatonic, non-responsive state several days after Karae left their home. She never recovered and passed away only a day or so ago."
Stunned, Roland groped for a chair and dropped into it. In the ensuing silence, he began to reconstruct the puzzle of where Karae planned to go. When the last piece slid into position, Roland sat up abruptly, alarm clouding his expression.
"I know where she's going, Tano. No wonder she threw Yelan out of her room. She doesn't want us to know where she plans to get the answers to her questions. She's heading home, Tano."
"Home? Your majesty, she is... Oh. Good lord, you cannot mean.... "
"Look at her recent behavior. She tells Yelan that we can't answer her questions, then walks in here spitting venom about her father. I have to believe that mumbled message was about extracting the truth from Laras. The depth of Karae's hatred alone would be enough to destroy him. Please tell me that I'm wrong, Tano. She isn't powerful enough to kill with thought, is she?"
"For our sakes and for Laras' I thank God that it is not that simple. At present I do not believe she has conscious control over her new... abilities. The number of things she might be able to accomplish, with instruction and training of course, is, theoretically, unlimited. Untrained, she is a tremendous danger to herself and to anyone that may happen to frighten or upset her. In such a situation, her mind will react instinctively and the power will respond whether she desires it to or not."
Head in hands, elbows on his knees, Roland replied without looking up.
"So. What you're saying is that her fear is more likely to kill than her hostility. That isn't a great comfort, Tano."
"That is not exactly correct, your majesty. I said she could not kill with thought alone. It is when the emotion behind the thought grows beyond her control that the damage could be done. Of course, she would not be held responsible for anything that might occur."
"The point..."
"I comprehend the point, your majesty. No matter where the blame rests, in the end the result is the same. We must stop her before she can leave."
At last, Roland glanced up at his friend, stood and paced toward the opposite side of the room.
"How do we do that? She is still a free subject of this kingdom. I can't restrict her that way. If it got back to the people..."
"You would be protecting the people, my lord. It is within your jurisdiction to confine any of your subjects who is a potential danger to the populace."
Tano's broad description of Karae caused the king to throw him a fierce glare.
"Karae is not merely one of my subjects. She is my daughter. Locking her up would be... inhuman. She didn't ask to be born into this family or that damnable power. If Karae needs time alone to sort out her feelings, she has a right to it."
"Have you forgotten the one flaw in the equation, my lord?"
"Which is what?"
"Yelan. If she leaves he will follow her and both of them will likely end up lost, injured or perhaps worse. I am very much afraid that Karae has poisoned my dependable assistant with her impulsive traits!"
At the sound of someone else entering the room, Tano and Roland both turned to greet the visitor.
- I wish the two of you would stop treating me like a child. You gaze at my face and act as if my mental and emotional development halted in its tracks when I stopped aging. Well it didn't! You're worried that I can't care for *myself* in the outside world, never mind Karae. Tell the truth. You do think that, don't you? -
Tano turned to the younger man with an expression of slight exasperation.
"I think no such thing, but can you deny that you would indeed follow if Karae were to leave the castle?"
- What else would you expect me to do? And what is this about Karae leaving? She never mentioned anything like that to me. -
Returning to his seat, Roland gestured Yelan to a chair of his own while filling him in on what he had learned from Tano. - How have we allowed this to happen? We should have stopped it before it ever got this far. -
"You know as well as any of us that if Karae had been told about the power beforehand she would have died. Would you have preferred that?"
- I'm not speaking about the responsibility that's been laid on Karae's shoulders. I mean we should have told her who she was. If we had, everything might be different now. It's certain that she wouldn't be considering leaving us and we might never have lost her trust. I'm going to try to talk her again. -
Tano, having resumed his writing, turned slightly as he spoke.
"I can think of nothing you might say that the rest of us have not."
Halfway out of the room, Yelan returned a step or two before answering and then strode back through the door.
- There is one thing none of us have tried, Tano. A sincere
apology. -
Just beyond Tano's chambers, Yelan, lost in his thoughts, was nearly trampled by a frightened servant, running full speed toward the door through which Yelan had just exited.
- Slow down, Daniel! Whatever is the matter? -
"Have you seen either the king or queen, sir? I must find one of them immediately. Oh, dear, it's just terrible!"
- Lord Roland is in with Tano at the moment. I will take you to see them both if you will tell me what has happened. -
"It's mistress Karae, sir. She's disappeared again!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I won't stand for it, Tess! You promised you would never do that when I was around and you did it!
"Aruk..."
"No! Not this time! You can talk pretty all you want. It won't change my mind. Watching you... do that has nearly driven me mad! I must leave before the journey is complete."
"How can you expect me to alter what I am, Aruk? If I had known you'd returned from hunting, I would have waited to gather the water until you went to bed. Why did you come looking for me if you knew what I was about?"
"I didn't know. I asked Ryun and he said..."
Aruk's voice trailed off and his cheeks flamed as he realized how easily the youngest member of their trio had duped him. "That little...Out of my way, witch." Aruk rumbled as he shoved Tess aside on his way out of the tent where he had been throwing his few possessions into his saddlebags.
"I am a naiad, not a witch, you ignorant buffoon! Aruk! Don't you dare do what you're thinking. Ryun is only trying to help."
Regaining her balance, Tess rushed after Aruk, tendrils of flame colored hair slipping from her braid as she ran.
"Good. Then he won't mind when I "help" his arms out of their sockets and beat him to a bloody pulp with them!"
Realizing she would never be able to keep up with Aruk's long legged stride, Tess stopped, doubled over, recovering her breath while she worked out a plan for saving Ryun's life. Even though she knew it was useless, she threw a last threat at Aruk's retreating back.
"Damn you, Aruk! If you hurt Ryun I'll bring such a hail storm down on your head you'll have a roaring headache for a month!"
"You do and this world will see no more of either of you!
That ugly, cretinous excuse for a warthog needs to be taught a lesson once and for all!"
Lungs burning, Tess finally arrived at Ryun's tent to find Aruk chasing the object of his current rage around and through a large copse of fir trees. Tess tried to yell a warning to Ryun, but found she had barely enough breath to croak. After a moments rest, she made another attempt, with more success.
"Ryun. Here. Come stand by me."
Ryun declined to respond, being far too busy, at that moment, trying to stay ahead of a furious Aruk.
"I'm sorry, Aruk! I was only trying to get you to understand Tess a little better. If you'd only make an effort, her powers wouldn't upset you half as much as they do!"
"If I catch you, you stunted salamander, I'll show you what real power is! Stand still!"
"Not at the moment, thank you!"
Tess, now fully recovered, had had enough of Aruk's terrorizing Ryun and decided to intervene before the youngster could meet an early and violent demise. Quickly, she dropped her chin to her chest and began to focus her thoughts on what she wanted to occur. Within moments black clouds began to gather over the campsite and, more specifically, over Ryun and Aruk. Before either one could speak, ice-cold rainwater began to pour over the two men.
"Tess! Hey! He was the one doing the chasing!" Ryun spluttered as he flipped his drenched hair away from his eyes.
"You deserve it as much as he does. Let's just hope this will cool off his little flare up and teach you to leave him alone. You don't help matters any, you know. If he's going to understand, he will. If not, I can handle that. You stay out of it. Aruk. I hope you won't leave. You know I'm trying to respect your wishes. I promise to do a better job of keeping the comedian over there under control."
As she turned to walk back into camp, Tess said a silent prayer for life to quickly return to what passed for normal among the three of them. At the last moment, she added a request for help in opening Aruk's eyes so that he might finally see beyond her naiad heritage and truly accept her as part of the group.
While still several yards from her tent, Tess was solidly struck in the back and almost knocked onto her face. Suspecting Aruk, she whirled and glared behind her but found noone. Another blow came before she had had time to recover from the first, driving her backwards several steps. Now thoroughly confused, and with fear beginning to subvert her attempts to reorient herself, Tess had no more than opened her mouth to yell for the men when they came jogging up to her, still dripping. Breathing shallowly, Tess tried to put what she was experiencing into words.
"Ryun. Something's going on. I..."
"How did you know? We only heard the screams a few minutes ago."
"Screams?"
"Yeah. Just after you left, someone just over the west ridge started screaming like a banshee. Aruk and I are going to check it out."
"I'll be right behind you."
Aruk's sudden scowl told Tess she might be in for a battle.
"No. We don't know what we're walking into."
"I don't think we have the time to debate the issue, my friend. Trust me. I need to be there."
Aruk tried deepening his frown, but when Tess' expression didn't change, he simply grunted, turned and strode off toward the west ridge. Ryun grinned and wrapped an arm around Tess' shoulder as they ran after Aruk's rapidly disappearing form.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hello? Where are you? Damn it, you were vocalizing quite well a few moments ago. Start it up again. Help us find you!"
"Relax, Aruk. She's frightened. For all she knows we might want to draw and quarter her. Besides. I have a pretty good idea where she is. We'll find the child soon."
"We'd better. She sounded much too young to be out here alone."
Aruk's statement having done nothing to bolster Tess' confidence, she increased the speed at which she was pushing aside and trampling down the bushes and scrub plants that blocked their path.
Only moments later, Ryun, who had been scouting ahead of the others, called loudly from somewhere on their left.
"Tess! Aruk! Hurry! I may need some help with our screamer's little problem."
Aruk bolted through the underbrush in the direction of his companion's voice, with Tess close on his heels. They soon arrived at a small clearing. Once they were able to spot him, they discovered that Ryun had managed to pull himself a foot or two up a small sapling, at the bottom of which was a pair of young mountain cats, neither of which seemed to be very pleased with him. Above him, balanced precariously in an unstable looking fork of the same tree, was the young lady who, they assumed, had been doing all the screaming. Almost immediately, Tess' previous sensation of being shoved backward by an incredibly heavy weight redoubled its intensity and began to strike her in waves.
"Good to see you guys. Tess. Could you possibly do something before these teenage delinquents decide to have me for dinner and the young lady above me for dessert?"
Tess didn't answer, scrambling to find a plausible solution that wouldn't involve the use of her power, when there really wasn't one.
"Aruk. Why don't you start back to camp? The three of us will join you there as soon as we can."
"Fine with me. I have packing to finish anyway."
Knowing she couldn't risk taking her attention from Ryun and the girl for even a moment, Tess responded to Aruk's threat without turning.
"Wait until I get there. You owe me that, Aruk. Don't leave before we have a chance to talk."
"We'll see." Aruk mumbled as he stomped off through the trees.
Ryun, beginning to slip, quickly brought her attention back to his plight.
"Tess? Could you hurry? Our two feline friends are debating whether to oven-roast me or stick me on a spit over the campfire."
"Give me a chance, Ryun. Hold on a little longer and I'll see what I can do."
Again Tess dropped her chin low, focusing on the precise material form she wanted her thoughts to take while fighting the ever increasing pressure waves. Moments later, snow and hail began to pelt the mountain cat's faces and legs, forcing them back and away from the tree.
"Get over here, you two! My little blizzard won't last much longer!" Tess shouted.
Deciding any protests could wait for later, Ryun shimmied up to where the girl sat, gathered her into his arms and leapt down on the opposite side of the tree from where the storm was now winding down.
Not daring to turn and see if the cats were following, he rounded the trunk and bolted after a fleeing Tess, making the best speed he could manage with their newest acquaintance curled securely into his chest.
Once she felt they had gained enough distance and a relative margin of safety, Tess slowed to a walk. Ryun soon followed suit, setting their guest on her feet at last.
"You're safe now little one. Can you tell us your name or where home is? Perhaps we could point you back there." Tess offered.
"First of all, I am not little; second, I have no home to be pointed at and third... knowing my name would only gain you more problems than anyone deserves. I really appreciate the rescue, but I should be on my way. I won't forget the service you've done me. If we ever meet again, know that you have a friend."
As the stranger walked away, Tess suddenly realized that the pressure waves that had been assaulting her had ceased.
"Please wait. That pressure I was feeling. That was you, wasn't it? Your fear, I mean. I've never felt anything like that."
The girl stopped only for a moment, as if considering Tess' words, then continued on. "If you'd consent to travel with us, we could protect you. I promise we'd get you where you're going safely. If you're just learning to deal with your power, I could help. I understand."
The stranger halted her motion a second time and seemed to be listening intently, as though she were deciding whether to turn and face her new friends. When she did speak, Tess was astonished at the weariness and age that seemed to weigh down the young woman's voice.
"Noone could possibly understand what I've been through. Noone. I don't give a damn how powerful I am or might be. I didn't want it in the first place and I refuse to use it. As for protection, if I'd had my eyes open I would never have ended up in that situation. I won't make the mistake again. I'm sorry to have dragged you all out here this way, but I do thank you again for saving my life. I have to go. Farewell."
Tess was unwilling to give up just yet.
"Are you saying you couldn't use a good meal? I was just about to make lunch. Aruk's hunting has been excellent lately. I'd be happy to refill your water bags as well."
Finally, the newcomer turned back with a small smile.
"I don't know. I have a history of alienating people I accept meals from."
Tess took a chance and strode forward to grasp the hand of their new companion.
"That's Ryun and my name's Tess."
"I seem to recall hearing those names used once or twice, when I wasn't listening for my knight in shining armor there to be torn in half."
"Will you come back and eat with us? Trust me. We won't let anything happen to you."
"A meal sounds good right now. I think I used up what was left of my energy back there. If you'll wait here, I'll go get my things. I left them under that twig masquerading as a tree."
"Ryun's gone to pick them up for you. What do you say we go find that water I promised?"
Glancing quickly around, the young woman realized that she hadn't even heard her rescuer leave.
"If you're sure your friend will be alright."
"He'll be fine. He'd better be, at any rate. He knows I can't rescue him again today."
When she received a confused glance, Tess demurred.
"I'll explain over lunch."
"I'll be looking forward to it. By the way, my name is Karae. Karae Siann."
Tess hesitated, briefly comparing the strange rumors and implausible stories she had been hearing for months with the reality before her. After a long moment, she grasped Karae's hand firmly.
"Good to know you. Welcome to our little band. You can stay as long as you like. As I said, none of us have anything pressing to do in the near future, so if you reconsider the offer of protection..."
"I won't. I don't mean any offense, but I'd rather not have company where I'm headed. If I pay attention and don't allow myself to get as tired as I did today, I should be fine."
As they walked, Tess observed that there were fine lines around the young woman's eyes and a deep curve to her shoulders that seemed to convey an increasingly heavy burden she hadn't yet been able to share or release.
"I'm sure you're right. The remark about not wanting company piques my curiosity. Do you mind if I ask where you're going?"
Karae's expression darkened abruptly and the bitterness in her response only increased Tess' interest.
"When I said I didn't have a home, that wasn't precisely true. That's where I'm going. Home."