He sighed deeply, disturbed by her answer, yet it felt true. “You will outlive me,” he said, feeling the absurdity that she would live for another thousand years. She would see the next cycles come and go. Perhaps she already had. It defied his understanding how she existed in a different manner of time than he did. “If there was a way to prevent the book from being used, could you tell me?”
Phae smiled. “No, Father. The events that occur in the mortal world are caused by the decisions of mortals. You cannot see all things from the beginning, as the Seneschal can. You must make your choices as you deem wise. It is never improper to seek counsel from those wiser than yourself. But you must accept the counsel given, knowing that suffering often accompanies choices. And sometimes that suffering is what we need the most to make us stronger. Try not to predict the future.” She paused, stopping, her head cocking. “Let’s go back to my tree.”
They continued to walk arm in arm until they reached the ancient oak once again. Standing at the base was Shion. He stood tall and at ease, his clothes no longer the garb of the Kishion. A single tarnished key was fastened to a hoop on his belt.
“Hello,” Tyrus bid him, bowing his head deferentially.
“Greetings, Tyrus,” Shion said, his voice rich and full. Tyrus had heard him sing and had wept with the power of his ability. Then he noticed the woman in his shadow and his heart leapt with amazement. It was Tyrus’s wife, the Dryad from the Paracelsus Towers. It was she!
Phae smiled cheerfully. “Hello, Mother. Are you ready?” She leaned her head against her father’s shoulder. “She’s going to care for my tree for a little while. Shion and I have a journey to make together with the Tay al-Ard. Would you keep her company while we are gone?”
Tyrus stared at his wife, felt tears sting his eyes. She smiled at him with unspoken love, her eyes burning. Phae broke away and hugged her mother, kissing her on the cheek. Then she looked at Shion adoringly, their faces still expressive of their tenderness with each other. Their hands snaked together.
“I will,” Tyrus said and then watched as the magic of the Tay al-Ard made them vanish.
The magic unsettled Phae only a little. She did not know where Shion was taking her, only that he had said he wanted her to accompany him on a journey. As soon as the magic ended, she blinked with surprise and then felt her heart throb with warmth. She saw trellises and green vines thick with purple fruit, the slope of a roof that covered a high attic where little children slept. A barn stood to the side in the dusky light. It was the Winemiller vineyard!
Her grip on his hand increased. “What is this?” she demanded, tugging on his arm and forcing him to face her. He had a pleased smile seeing her reaction.
“Do you mean when is this?” he asked, his eyes twinkling.
The air was rich with smells and memories, memories that they both shared and savored. She wanted to squeal with delight, but she dared not, knowing that sometimes they visited places unobserved, blending into a crowd with his magic.
“Yes, I’d like to know when this is, please.” Her heart was giddy with excitement.
“The grapes are nearly harvested,” he answered. “It’s autumn, a year after you disappeared. They’re going to crush the grapes tonight. I thought you’d want to join them.”
She turned and stared at his face, awash with kindness and gratitude. “Shion,” she whispered tenderly.
“It will do them much good, knowing you are safe. Knowing you still care about them. Trasen is still here. Will that . . . be painful for you?”
Phae shook her head no. “I cared for him. I still do. I cannot give him back his memories, they are gone forever. But I do not resent the feelings I had for him. Not when I have you.” She squeezed his hand, stroking his arm. “So . . . we can see them? It will not harm the future?”
He put his arm around her shoulder. “I am a Seneschal now, Phae. I don’t do anything that will not bless the mortal world. I wanted to share this memory with you. Come. Introduce me to your adoptive family. There’s a little girl here who has a twin in Mirrowen. You need to tell her not to be afraid.”
“You remembered little Brielle? Of course you would. You remember everything I’ve ever said or done.”
Shion smiled and nodded.
“Who do I tell them you are?” Phae asked as they walked up the road. Her stomach bubbled with excitement. Just to see them all again, to hug and hold and kiss each of them. Master Winemiller with his stern looks and work ethic. Dame Winemiller with her stories and chatter. She wondered how many more children they had adopted since she’d been gone.
Phae smiled. “No, Father. The events that occur in the mortal world are caused by the decisions of mortals. You cannot see all things from the beginning, as the Seneschal can. You must make your choices as you deem wise. It is never improper to seek counsel from those wiser than yourself. But you must accept the counsel given, knowing that suffering often accompanies choices. And sometimes that suffering is what we need the most to make us stronger. Try not to predict the future.” She paused, stopping, her head cocking. “Let’s go back to my tree.”
They continued to walk arm in arm until they reached the ancient oak once again. Standing at the base was Shion. He stood tall and at ease, his clothes no longer the garb of the Kishion. A single tarnished key was fastened to a hoop on his belt.
“Hello,” Tyrus bid him, bowing his head deferentially.
“Greetings, Tyrus,” Shion said, his voice rich and full. Tyrus had heard him sing and had wept with the power of his ability. Then he noticed the woman in his shadow and his heart leapt with amazement. It was Tyrus’s wife, the Dryad from the Paracelsus Towers. It was she!
Phae smiled cheerfully. “Hello, Mother. Are you ready?” She leaned her head against her father’s shoulder. “She’s going to care for my tree for a little while. Shion and I have a journey to make together with the Tay al-Ard. Would you keep her company while we are gone?”
Tyrus stared at his wife, felt tears sting his eyes. She smiled at him with unspoken love, her eyes burning. Phae broke away and hugged her mother, kissing her on the cheek. Then she looked at Shion adoringly, their faces still expressive of their tenderness with each other. Their hands snaked together.
“I will,” Tyrus said and then watched as the magic of the Tay al-Ard made them vanish.
The magic unsettled Phae only a little. She did not know where Shion was taking her, only that he had said he wanted her to accompany him on a journey. As soon as the magic ended, she blinked with surprise and then felt her heart throb with warmth. She saw trellises and green vines thick with purple fruit, the slope of a roof that covered a high attic where little children slept. A barn stood to the side in the dusky light. It was the Winemiller vineyard!
Her grip on his hand increased. “What is this?” she demanded, tugging on his arm and forcing him to face her. He had a pleased smile seeing her reaction.
“Do you mean when is this?” he asked, his eyes twinkling.
The air was rich with smells and memories, memories that they both shared and savored. She wanted to squeal with delight, but she dared not, knowing that sometimes they visited places unobserved, blending into a crowd with his magic.
“Yes, I’d like to know when this is, please.” Her heart was giddy with excitement.
“The grapes are nearly harvested,” he answered. “It’s autumn, a year after you disappeared. They’re going to crush the grapes tonight. I thought you’d want to join them.”
She turned and stared at his face, awash with kindness and gratitude. “Shion,” she whispered tenderly.
“It will do them much good, knowing you are safe. Knowing you still care about them. Trasen is still here. Will that . . . be painful for you?”
Phae shook her head no. “I cared for him. I still do. I cannot give him back his memories, they are gone forever. But I do not resent the feelings I had for him. Not when I have you.” She squeezed his hand, stroking his arm. “So . . . we can see them? It will not harm the future?”
He put his arm around her shoulder. “I am a Seneschal now, Phae. I don’t do anything that will not bless the mortal world. I wanted to share this memory with you. Come. Introduce me to your adoptive family. There’s a little girl here who has a twin in Mirrowen. You need to tell her not to be afraid.”
“You remembered little Brielle? Of course you would. You remember everything I’ve ever said or done.”
Shion smiled and nodded.
“Who do I tell them you are?” Phae asked as they walked up the road. Her stomach bubbled with excitement. Just to see them all again, to hug and hold and kiss each of them. Master Winemiller with his stern looks and work ethic. Dame Winemiller with her stories and chatter. She wondered how many more children they had adopted since she’d been gone.
