She had been outside by Ysanne's lake when Jaelle and Sharra found her, after Darien had left, bearing Lisen's Light and the dagger Lokdal. There had been a very great deal to tell them, after that.
It had been Sharra who had seen through to the heart, though, who had realized the loneliness in Darien's actions-- How should I go to my father without a gift?, he had cried-- and as soon as she had said it, Kim realized that she was right. And so she had called aloud into the quiet air, telling Darien where his mother was, telling him to go to her--
--and then had begun the race to reach the Anor Lisen themselves, to warn Jennifer. They had gone with Jaelle to the temple, where the red-haired priestess had linked to the circle of the Mormae in Gwen Ystrat and tapped the earthroot, the avarlith, for the power needed to send herself, Kim, and Sharra across the land, to the rocky shore of the ocean by Lisen's Tower.
It hadn't taken very long at all, by any measure of such things, but they had been too late in any case. * * * * * From the edge of Pendaran Wood, white hair blown wild by the gathering storm, Kim watches in horror as Jennifer Lowell stands, tall and proud and golden, and confronts her son, offering nothing of warmth or welcome. As Darien lashes out at her and then flees into the forest, Kim confronts her oldest friend.
"What have you done!" she screams, her words barely heard above the wind's howl and lashing rain. "I sent him to you to keep him from Starkadh, and you drove him away! All he wanted was comfort, Jen!"
"Comfort? Have I comfort to give? Have you?" Kim shuts her mouth as Jennifer-- as Guinevere-- speaks, stern and unyielding. "You had no right to send him here, and you know it! I meant him to be random, to be free, and I will not back away from that-- if we bind him, or try, he is lost to us!"
Oh, Jen. There is no more anger in her, Kim finds, no more fear. Only love and sorrow and now, finally, understanding. Oh, Jen. Oh, love. I hope you're right.
She opens her mouth to say something else, but for the rest of her life, she will never know what it would have been, for--
"Excuse me." Kim looks down at the gnomelike man-- one of the andain, she recognizes through her inner knowledge, even as he gives his name. Flidais. "I take it you are the Seer of Brennin?" At her nod, he continues. "I should tell you that Galadan is very close to this place-- minutes away, at most."
There is a sudden roaring in her ears, even as she sees a shudder run through Jennifer, who has gone bone-white beside her. On Jen's other side, Kim notices, Brendel of the lios alfar takes a step closer, as if to guard. Kim knows why. He won't let her be taken again. Neither will I-- I can't, we can't, there has to be something--
Flidais is still speaking to her, and although they have so little time, still it takes a moment for her to make sense of his words. "I can be of aid, I believe. I can divert him from this place, if I go fast enough. Or I could do nothing, as the andain usually do. Or, if I choose, I could go to Galadan, and tell him exactly who just left the glade, and who is here."
As Brendel explodes in fury, as the others react all around her, Kim stands very still, and her disconcertingly clear gaze locks with Flidais's. Something is happening here, she feels it, something almost beyond fathoming-- she can almost see the shape of it, can almost--
"What do you want?"
The wizened andain smiles, tenderly. "Only one thing. A small thing, the last. It is the only riddle left-- I know all the other answers, save this. Save only the name. The summoning name of the Warrior."
"No," Kim says, and as Flidais's jaw drops, "No. I swore him an oath when he came, that I would keep it secret, and I will not break it."
It had been Sharra who had seen through to the heart, though, who had realized the loneliness in Darien's actions-- How should I go to my father without a gift?, he had cried-- and as soon as she had said it, Kim realized that she was right. And so she had called aloud into the quiet air, telling Darien where his mother was, telling him to go to her--
--and then had begun the race to reach the Anor Lisen themselves, to warn Jennifer. They had gone with Jaelle to the temple, where the red-haired priestess had linked to the circle of the Mormae in Gwen Ystrat and tapped the earthroot, the avarlith, for the power needed to send herself, Kim, and Sharra across the land, to the rocky shore of the ocean by Lisen's Tower.
It hadn't taken very long at all, by any measure of such things, but they had been too late in any case.
* * * * *
From the edge of Pendaran Wood, white hair blown wild by the gathering storm, Kim watches in horror as Jennifer Lowell stands, tall and proud and golden, and confronts her son, offering nothing of warmth or welcome. As Darien lashes out at her and then flees into the forest, Kim confronts her oldest friend.
"What have you done!" she screams, her words barely heard above the wind's howl and lashing rain. "I sent him to you to keep him from Starkadh, and you drove him away! All he wanted was comfort, Jen!"
"Comfort? Have I comfort to give? Have you?" Kim shuts her mouth as Jennifer-- as Guinevere-- speaks, stern and unyielding. "You had no right to send him here, and you know it! I meant him to be random, to be free, and I will not back away from that-- if we bind him, or try, he is lost to us!"
Oh, Jen. There is no more anger in her, Kim finds, no more fear. Only love and sorrow and now, finally, understanding. Oh, Jen. Oh, love. I hope you're right.
She opens her mouth to say something else, but for the rest of her life, she will never know what it would have been, for--
"Excuse me." Kim looks down at the gnomelike man-- one of the andain, she recognizes through her inner knowledge, even as he gives his name. Flidais. "I take it you are the Seer of Brennin?" At her nod, he continues. "I should tell you that Galadan is very close to this place-- minutes away, at most."
There is a sudden roaring in her ears, even as she sees a shudder run through Jennifer, who has gone bone-white beside her. On Jen's other side, Kim notices, Brendel of the lios alfar takes a step closer, as if to guard. Kim knows why. He won't let her be taken again. Neither will I-- I can't, we can't, there has to be something--
Flidais is still speaking to her, and although they have so little time, still it takes a moment for her to make sense of his words. "I can be of aid, I believe. I can divert him from this place, if I go fast enough. Or I could do nothing, as the andain usually do. Or, if I choose, I could go to Galadan, and tell him exactly who just left the glade, and who is here."
As Brendel explodes in fury, as the others react all around her, Kim stands very still, and her disconcertingly clear gaze locks with Flidais's. Something is happening here, she feels it, something almost beyond fathoming-- she can almost see the shape of it, can almost--
"What do you want?"
The wizened andain smiles, tenderly. "Only one thing. A small thing, the last. It is the only riddle left-- I know all the other answers, save this. Save only the name. The summoning name of the Warrior."
"No," Kim says, and as Flidais's jaw drops, "No. I swore him an oath when he came, that I would keep it secret, and I will not break it."
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