Despite it being cryptic, he seemed to understand her meaning. "Not really, but I don't have much choice," he sighed. "Now that I've experienced a little domestic tranquility, it's going to kill me to leave Jesmind and Jasana behind."
"I wouldn't call a day in the Kael house very tranquil," the Goddess laughed.
"Well, tranquil for us," he said with a sheepish smile. "If we didn't fight every day, I'd think that Jesmind didn't love me anymore."
"They'll be here waiting for you when you come home, kitten," the Goddess assured him. "Think of it as motivation to come back soon."
"I'll have enough of that," he grunted. "Did we do well, Mother?" he asked quietly.
"Kitten, I haven't been this proud of my children since the Blood War," she said emphatically. "You were wonderful. All of you were."
Tarrin flushed slightly at the praise, then she stood up. "It's getting late, and Jesmind is waiting for you," she told him. "She's still nervous about what happened, and Jasana hasn't quite recovered yet. They need you right now, kitten."
"Alright, Mother," he said, standing himself. They stepped over to the fountain, and he dutifully helped her step up to again stand on the water's surface like it was solid ground. She leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and the touch of her lips against his skin sent a shockwave through him, scouring away his exhaustion and leaving him feeling refreshed and well. "That was for being my savior today," she smiled down at him, then she kissed him on the other cheek. It too sent a shockwave through him, but didn't change his physical state as the first had. "And that is for being so loyal. And this is for being my friend," she added, then she leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. He bowed his head humbly, feeling beyond blessed, feeling like he was the luckiest Were-cat alive. She put a finger under his chin and lifted his face up so she could look into his eyes. "And this is because I love you," she said with a gentle voice, putting her hands on his shoulders, leaning down, and then kissing him ever-so-lightly on the lips. It was a chaste kiss, but the power within her struck him when her lips touched his, and he felt his knees wobble from it. She looked down at him, then laughed lightly. "Even a goddess likes to see that a kiss from her makes a man's knees weak," she teased, then she actually winked at him. "You get yourself home, young man, and think about what I've said. I'll talk to you later, alright?"
"Y-Yes, Mother," he stammered slightly, putting two fingers to his lips involuntarily. "I'll go now. I love you."
"I love you too, kitten," she smiled, and then the slightly discombobulated Were-cat managed to turn around and meander in the general direction of the entrance to the courtyard. He vanished into the brush without making too much noise, and the physical form of the Goddess looked on for a moment, then smiled knowingly. She too put her fingers to her lips, but for an entirely different reason than he had.
Her kiss had been for more than love. Or, more to the point, it would serve him well in the trials to come. It was a kiss granted in love, but its effect wouldn't be obvious to him for a long time yet. When that time came, she hoped it would be all he needed to succeed.
With that same light smile, the flesh and blood figure stepped back up onto the raised dais at the center of the fountain, and then shimmered. The star-cloth garment disappeared in that flash, and as it faded, it left behind nothing but cold, white stone. A statue of a breathtakingly beautiful woman, her arms held out in welcome and a gentle, loving expression on her face.
Waiting.
Tarrin could have gone to Kerri's apartment, where most of his friends were waiting, but instead he went back to his own. It was empty and dark, except for a light coming from the room in which Jasana slept, and inside sat Camara Tal on a plush chair near the fireplace, reading from a book. Jula lay on Jasana's bed, covers pulled up and resting comfortably. Tarrin felt a little sorry for Jula, that everyone had forgotten about her in all the craziness following the battle. With Triana exhausted and Keritanima in a similar state, everyone had flocked to their bedsides, had checked on them. But nobody had come to see Jula, or to check on Jula. That seemed a bit unfair to him, but he knew that some of his friends still didn't trust her, still wouldn't accept her because of the history between him and her. Jula was truly alone in the Tower, since most of the Sorcerers wouldn't even talk to her. All she'd had was Triana, and then Kimmie. But Kimmie was with the other Were-cats, not sitting by the bed of her friend.
The Amazon nodded to him as he came in, and he sat down by the edge of the bed and brushed the hair back from Jula's face in concern. She didn't looked out of sorts, like she was sleeping naturally. Tarrin looked down at her and searched his feelings for his bond-child. He didn't completely like her, mainly because of what had happened between them. But she was his daughter, and he still felt duty-bound to watch over her and protect her, nurture her and make sure she was going to be a well-adjusted Were-cat before turning her loose. After she was on her own, even he wasn't sure how he'd feel towards her. But for now, she was still a child, still his child, and he'd care for her just as carefully and tenderly as he cared for Jasana.
"Has she moved at all yet?" Tarrin asked softly to the Amazon.
"A bit," she replied. "I checked her condition. She's just sleeping, Tarrin. If you shook her, she'd wake up."
"I don't think I'll do that," he replied. "She's had a very trying day."
"What happened to her? Jesmind's answer was pretty vague."
"The Goddess took command of us directly," he told her. "Used us to strike at Val when he tried to break the Weave. It was too much for Jula."
"She feels different to my magic," Camara Tal said, putting the book on the chair she just vacated and coming over to them.
"That's normal. Jula became a Weavespinner today," he said with not a little pride. "That causes some physical changes."
"She did, did she?" Camara Tal mused. "I thought that Weavespinners were special."
Tarrin sensed the veiled insult there, but he ignored it. "There are two types of Weavespinners, Camara. Ones like me and Jenna and my daughter, and then there are da'shar. Any Sorcerer can become a da'shar, but ones like me are born with it."
"I'm glad someone finally explained that to me," she announced.
"All you had to do was ask."
"The only one with the answers is Jenna, and she's been too busy with that book to talk to anyone," she grunted.
"I'm surprised you're here," he told her. "I thought everyone forgot about Jula."
"Miranda asked me to watch her," Camara Tal told him. "Given that whatever happened between you happened before I joined you, I think Miranda felt I was a safe choice."
"Probably," he sighed.
Jula stirred, groaning softly, then she opened her eyes. Tarrin smiled down at her gently, taking hold of her paw as her eyes slowly came into focus, then she bent her head a little to regard him. "Tarrin," she said weakly, "what happened? When did I get inside?"
"It's a long story, cub," he said gently, patting her paw. "The short of it is that the battle's over."
"We won?"
"We won," he assured her.
"What happened to me? I, I don't remember anything."
Tarrin calmy and slowly explained what had happened to her, and Camara Tal listened intently behind him. Jula's eyes widened when he explained that she'd crossed over, become a Weavespinner, and that it had been the circling with Tarrin and Jasana that was the main reason it happened. "I guess we won't have to worry about pushing you over the edge again, daughter," he told her. "In a few months, you'll be right as rain and learning how your powers have changed."
"I, I was used by the Goddess?" she asked in disbelief. "She trusted me enough to use her power through me?"
"Of course she did," Tarrin told her. "I'm sure she was a little angry with you at first, but you've proved yourself in my eyes, cub, and I think in the Goddess' eyes too. I don't think she's holding a grudge. Not that I'd presume to know the mind of the Goddess, but that's my opinion," he said quickly.
"That's enough, cub," he cut her off gently, putting his other paw over her mouth. "If you didn't prove yourself to her today, then you never will."
She sniffled a few more times, Tarrin wiping away a tear from her eyes with infinite tenderness, and then she looked up at him. "Maybe the Goddess does care about me," she offered in a small voice. "She had you find me. You've been so good to me, Tarrin, when nobody else believed in me. I can't ever tell you what that means to me."
"I won't lie to you, cub," he said with a rueful smile. "I wasn't very happy about taking you at first. But now, after I have a chance to look back on it, I'm glad I did. You've been a good daughter, even if I haven't been here to teach you what you need to know. Triana told me that you've done very well, and that makes me proud of you."
Jula smiled up at him foolishly. "You mean it?"
"Would I say it if I didn't mean it?" he asked flintily.
Jula looked at him sideways, then she laughed. "I guess not, but I'm not used to hearing people praise me. All I ever hear are nasty insults, when I hear anything at all."
"Silence from Triana is a good thing, cub," he said with a wink. "If she's not berating you, then you must be doing things right."
"I kinda figured that out," she agreed with a sheepish smile. Then she yawned widely, showing off her impressive fangs. "I'm still sleepy," she complained.
"Then you need more rest," he told her. "We'll get out of here and give you some time to sleep it off, cub. When you wake up, come and find me. We have alot to talk about."
"Alright," she said with a little nod. "Tarrin?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you," she said with great sincerity. "For everything."
"No thanks are needed, cub," he smiled. "You'll always be my daughter, even after I let you go, and I'll always be there for you when you need me."
She gave him a glorious smile, and then reached up and touched his cheek. Then she closed her eyes and settled into the bed, and was asleep almost immediately.
Tarrin stood up, and then the two of them crept quietly out of the room. Tarrin closed the door slowly, and then he turned to find Camara Tal staring at him. "Quite a change from the Tarrin I remember," she told him.
"I guess so. I've mellowed a bit since then."
"I noticed. I have to admit, I was one of the ones that was on Allia's side, that we should get rid of Jula. But I'm woman enough to admit when I was wrong. I was wrong about her. Now I feel like an ass for treating her so coldly."
"I appreciate that."
"She almost does seem like a little girl," she mused as they left his apartments. "A scared little girl, trying to cling to those around her."
"That sums up how it feels to be turned very well, Camara," he told her. "It's nothing I'd wish on my worst enemy."
"Speaking of old enemies, did you hear about Jegojah?"
"No, he was here?"
"Here? Tarrin, he turned the battle in our favor!" she laughed. "I'm surprised nobody told you!"
"No, not yet," he replied. "I didn't hear anyone talking about him, either. Where is he?"
"Gone," she replied. "He killed Kravon, and got him right before he was going to use that artifact to raise more undead. Kang told me about it. He caught Kravon and cut him with a sword, then watched him bleed to death. Then he told the men watching to tell you that he got your man, and then dropped dead on the spot."
That made Tarrin feel a little warm. Jegojah had finally caught up with Kravon. Tarrin was glad he didn't kill the man.
"Oh, and Kang said that Jegojah said that he cut Kravon for you," she added. "I think that means something."
"It does indeed," Tarrin laughed. "Jegojah came through in the end, and I'm happy for him. He's finally free of this world, and can go on to his final reward. I wish him well."
"They gave him quite a funeral," Camara Tal chuckled. "He's a hero now. If anything, Tarrin, Jegojah's memory won't be for what he did to us, but what he did for Suld. He went out in style."
"Then that's for the best," Tarrin said soberly. "Jegojah was a man of great honor. It's only fitting that the world remembers him as a hero. In my eyes, he was one."
"How so?"
"He was trapped by the ki'zadun five hundred years ago and forced to serve them," he explained. "His soul was imprisoned in a magical device that sought to twist him and make him evil, but he somehow managed to fight it. For five hundred years, he fought it, and though it did influence his actions, it never broke him. That, my friend, is courage."
Camara Tal was quiet a moment, then she nodded. "I see what you mean. And you're right."
"I'm just glad he can rest now," Tarrin sighed.
"Uh, where are we going?"
Tarrin stopped, blinking. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "Where do you want to go?"
She looked at him, then she laughed helplessly. "I think you'd better go see your family before they come looking for you," she told him. "Jesmind came by the room at least ten times to see if you'd been there, and to check on Jula."
"Jesmind checked on her?" he asked in surprise.
"Something like that. She just asked if Jula was dead or not."
"For Jesmind, that is checking on someone," Tarrin chuckled.
They went to Triana's apartments, and found out that it was quite crowded inside. Triana sat at a chair facing the fireplace, in a room and apartment identical to his own except for the furniture, and there were quite a few Were-cats attending her, so many that some had to stand or sit on the floor. Thean stood by her chair, and Sarraya hovered in the air on the other side of her. Jesmind and Jasana sat on the couch closest to her. Kimmie sat beside them, and Rahnee was beside Kimmie. Shayle and Singer sat on the other couch with Sathon, and Jeri stood behind the couch, leaning against the back. Nikki stood beside him; being the two youngest Were-cats, they'd lost their bids for the available seats. They greeted Tarrin loudly as he came in, standing up and taking his paw in turns, clapping him on the back. Tarrin greeted his Were-cat friends in turn, seeing that they were all well and whole, and still worked up over the battle. He finished with them and knelt by Triana's chair, taking her paws in his and smiling up at her. "Mother," he smiled. "I'm glad you're recovering."
"I'll be up and around by tomorrow, causing everyone trouble," Triana told him with a slight smile.
"At least I'll welcome it," he told her.
"How is Jula?"
"She's sleeping, mother," he replied with a nod. "She'll be just fine after she gets some rest. Just like you."
"Why don't you and Camara take a seat?" Triana offered. "We were listening to Jeri brag about how many Trolls he killed."
"I can't stay too long, mother," he told her regretfully. "I haven't seen Kerri yet, and I'd like to go see her."
"If it's all the same to you, Triana, I have another patient to check on," Camara Tal told her. "I want to go check on the Wikuni. Neme only knows what kind of barbaric medicine they use around here."
"If that's what you want, Camara," Triana told her with a nod. Camara Tal and Triana were old friends, and the tone she used with the Amazon showed it.
Camara said her goodbyes to Tarrin and Triana and left the room, and the Were-cats sat back down. Tarrin sat closest to Triana, with Jasana in his lap and Jesmind beside him. Kimmie got displaced by Rahnee, and was forced to stand behind the couch upon which they sat. Jeri went back to his story, about how him and a Were-bear named Yvan single-handedly beat back a pack of at least twenty Trolls. Jeri described it in lurid blow-by-blow detail, and Tarrin suffered throught it rather well. When he was done, Triana looked to Tarrin. "So, cub, did things go the way you expected? The stories I heard have been fragmented."
"Pretty much, they did, mother,
" he replied. "The Tower was all that mattered. It's still standing, so we did our job."
"I heard some impossible things about you, Tarrin," Nikki said. "I saw you at the wall, but yet they also say you defended the Tower from Demons. How did you get back and forth so fast?"
Tarrin chuckled. "I can be in two places at once, Nikki," he told her. "Literally. What you saw over the wall was a projection of me. It's complicated, so I won't go into details. But think of what you saw as a shadow of myself, capable of using my powers. The real me was here in the Tower the whole time."
"Oh. I don't understand, but I'll take your word for it," she admitted.
"That must be confusing," Jeri laughed.
"That's one of the old powers, one of the ones the books talk about," Thean said. "And that sister of yours is almost like a folk hero now," he chuckled. "They're singing songs about her already."
"She did do a good job," he said proudly.
"A good job? Tarrin, that little girl almost single-handedly pushed back the ki'zadun. If she hadn't been there, we would have been slaughtered."
"That's my sister," he said grandly. "I need to go see her," he added to himself.
"That can wait until after you tell us your side of the story," Singer told him. "We heard some of it from Jesmind, but she didn't see everything. So tell us!"
"Yes, tell us!" Jeri agreed.
"Later," he said dismissively. "Actually, I just came to see mother and gather up my family. I have to go see Kerri, my mate," he told Jesmind. "Do you want to go with me?"
She looked to her mother, then she nodded. "We'll go with you," she agreed. "Then we go home."
"Alright. I'm sorry to cut things short, but I have a few more people to see tonight, and we don't have much time."
"We have all the time in the world. We won!" Jeri objected.
"Tarrin has something else to do, Jeri," Triana told him. "I felt it, and I know what it means. I'm surprised you're not herding everyone on a ship and leaving right now, Tarrin."
"I have two days," he told her. "We have to leave by then, but I'm going to aim for tomorrow afternoon."
Tarrin Kael Firestaff Collection Book 3 - Honor and Blood by Fel © Page 156