Quiet Corner of the Park, Sunday Afternoon

[kestrelswolf]

As good as it was to see Sapphire and Edlin again, all these large gatherings in short succession were beginning to fray Firekeeper's nerves somewhat. So she'd escaped to a quiet corner of the park to be alone with her thoughts- truly alone, as it turned out, since the massive quantities of food this morning had made Blind Seer hungry, and so off

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[meddlersgod]

"So, Firekeeper," the Meddler commented as he stepped out from behind a tree. "This is the first time since I helped you cross the Nexus Islands that I have been able to speak with you alone. I have come for my favor."

[kestrelswolf]

Firekeeper started, reaching for her Fang, although she was not at all certain the blade could touch whatever the Meddler was. She'd done her best to keep the bargain she'd made with the Meddler from her mind in the moonspan or so since she'd returned to Fandom, but it had always been there, lurking beneath the surface. In a sense, she was glad he'd brought the matter up. To live any more moonspans, or possibly even years, waiting for this "favor" to be called in would be unbearable.

In the language of the wolves, she said what she was thinking: "Good. This is a relief. What do you want?"

[meddlersgod]

"I want you to kiss me."

[kestrelswolf]

"...What?" Whatever she'd been expecting, it hadn't been that.

[meddlersgod]

"Kiss me," the Meddler repeated. "Mouth to mouth, as a woman kisses a man."

[kestrelswolf]

"But," Firekeeper frowned at him. "How can I do that? You aren't there, not really. You told me you lack a body."

[meddlersgod]

The Meddler smiled. "I have been freed from my prison for several moonspans now. That is time enough even for someone insubstantial like myself to gather some power. Although I have spent some of that power- even on your behalf- still, I have enough to assure that we will close the gap between body and spirit long enough for you to touch your mouth to mine."

[kestrelswolf]

Firekeeper took an involuntary step back. "But why? Why do you wish this thing?"

[meddlersgod]

The Meddler grinned at her. "I wish I could say that I want you to learn what you're missing in refusing your love to any but wolves." The grin faded and his expression grew sad. "But the truth is easier. I told you that I cannot cross into the Nexus Islands because it is guarded from any but those who cross by conventional means."

[kestrelswolf]

"And now we are guarding from those too," Firekeeper said, thinking with smug satisfaction of the iron bars that had begun to go up around the gates before she'd returned to Fandom.

[meddlersgod]

"All too true," the Meddler acknowledged. "However, I would like to go there, Firekeeper. I was born in the Old World. When I was made captive, I was no isolated individual. Like you I had friends, family. I realize that hundreds of years has passed and that doubtless all I loved are now dead, perhaps of the very Plague that my imprisonment rather ironically protected me from. But I would like to know for sure. I could make the journey in this spirit state, but the distance would not be shortened, and it would be a very long walk. Please, Firekeeper, give me the means to start my journey home."

[kestrelswolf]

Firekeeper stared at him. She knew from tales she'd been told that the Meddler was known for well-intentioned actions that often went awry. She wondered what she would be letting into the Old World if she helped the Meddler. But at least if he were in the Old World, he would be removed from the New...

"So I can help you go through this gate," she said slowly, "by kissing you?"

[meddlersgod]

"That is correct," the Meddler smiled rakishly at her. "Kiss me and I believe I will have what I need to cross through the gate. You won't even know I am there."

[kestrelswolf]

Firekeeper frowned at him. "A favor you ask then, between you and me. I suppose this is such."

[meddlersgod]

"That is right. I'm not going to steal your body or your soul, just in case you've heard stories of that sort. I'm simply going to create a link between us, a link that will let me follow you."

[kestrelswolf]

Still she frowned. "But wouldn't following me mean you'd end up here, not the Old World?" she asked.