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The creature was looking at her, the green hair...
Posted on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 5:08 AM
The creature was looking at her, the green hair lifted by the breeze and blown back from her small white faceThe eyes were darker now, cloudy, and she no longer looked like a childShe looked like a power of the natural world, or an emissary of such a power, and not one with any warmth for mortal man or womanNo kindness or shelter thereBut Dianora, fighting a rising fear, reminded herself that she had not come here for shelter, but for a signing of her road, and she saw then that the riselka held a small white stone in her hand, and she saw her throw that stone into the poolThe stone sank without a trace of its passageBut the surface of the water changed soon after, and darkened, and then the reflections were goneNo morning circle of sky overheadNo bare trees framing the slant of gullsThe water had grown too dark, it cast nothing backBut black and white chanel purses Dianora felt the riselka take her hand and draw her gently but inexorably back to the edge of the pool, and she looked down, having come out from the saishan to find this truth, this signingAnd in the dark waters she saw a reflection
Not herself or the riselka, nor anything at all of the King's Garden on this first of the Ember DaysInstead, an image of another season, late spring or summer, another place, bright with color, a great many people gathered, and, somehow, she could even hear the sound of them in the image, and beneath that sound, constantly, was the surge and sigh of waves
And in the depths of the pool Dianora saw an image of herself, clad in a robe green as the riselka's hair, moving alone between those gathered peopleAnd then she saw, in the pool, where her steps were leading her
Fear touched her in that moment with an icy hand for new cartier watches one second and then was goneShe felt her racing heartbeat slow, and then grow slower yetA deep calm came over herAnd a moment later, not without its burden of sorrow, came acceptanceFor years her nights had known dreams of such an endingThis morning she had come out of the saishan looking for this certaintyAnd now, above this pool, her path came clear to her at last and Dianora saw that it led to the sea
The sounds of gathered people faded away, and then all the images, the bright sun of summerThe pool was dark again giving nothing back at all
Some time later, it might have been moments or hours, Dianora looked up againThe riselka was still beside herDianora looked into the pale eyes, so much lighter than the enchanted waters but seemingly as deep, and she saw herself as a child again, so many years agoYet not so many, a blink of an eye or cartier watches the moment it took an autumn leaf to fall, as this creature would measure time
"Thank you," she whispered
And she stood very still, not flinching at all, as the riselka rose up on tiptoe and kissed her, soft as the wing of a butterfly, upon the lipsThere was no hint of desire this time, in the giving or receivingThis was the aftermath, the consummation had come and goneThe riselka's mouth tasted of saltThe salt, Dianora knew, of her own tearsShe no longer felt any fear at all; only a quiet sadness like a smooth stone in the heart
She heard a ripple of sound and turned back to the poolThe cypresses were reflected again, their images ruffled and broken now by the movement of the water in the wind
When she looked away again, pushing her hair back from her face, she saw that she was alone
When she came back out to the open space before the palace omega constellation doors d'Eymon was waiting for her, dressed formally in grey, his Seal of Office about his neckHe was sitting on one of the stone benches, his staff resting beside himScelto hovered by the doors, and Dianora saw the flash of relief he could not hide when she came out from among the trees
She stopped and looked at the Chancellor allowing a slight smile to show on her faceIt was artifice of course, but an act she could do unconsciously by nowIn d'Eymon's normally inscrutable expression she read edginess and anger, and other signs of what had happened yesterdayHe would probably be spoiling for a fight, she guessedIt was difficult, amazingly difficult, to switch back to the manners and affairs of stateIt was also something that had to be done
"You were late," she said mildly, walking towards himHe had risen, with perfect courtesy, as she chanel backpack approached
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