The TwiceBorn

Coming Full Circle

"You're the hidden cost and the thing that's lost in everything I do"--Jackson Browne

Rogue's Refuge was nothing but smoldering ashes. Alora sat on Alderon, with Islinn behind her, and watched as the dead Sentinels methodically deconstructed every building. Every shed. Every shop. She managed to burn the Juxun fields by setting some of the dead on fire and allowing them to wander off or to nestle against buildings until the wood began to smoke.

Islinn had remained silent during all of this and Alora realized she missed the silent disapproval the girl always wore whenever The Twiceborn stepped outside the lines Brede drew. Islinn was quiet in different ways now, something Alora had noticed when she'd pulled her up behind her. The girl had moved as closely as she could to Alora's back and the arms around her waist were tight with panic.

But glimpses of the girl Alora knew had already come forward, in bits and pieces. Like when she had led Lucan out of the Keep like a shepherdess leading a lost lamb. Alora's eyes flicked over Lucan's kneeling position as he fervently prayed among all the death, smoke,and ashes. Alora wondered if he would simply remain where he was until he toppled over from hunger or thirst or would be ripped apart by the wolves coming down out of Furnough Gap, drawn by the smell of burning flesh. 

"No,Alora. He'll walk by night and sleep by day. Nothing will harm him."

Islinn's soft breath played along Alora's neck as the girl propped her chin on Alora's shoulder. Alora made note of the fact Islinn had caught the tail-end of her thoughts and absently filed it away. 

It had been a day of unexplained things, what was one more?

'It would probably be kinder to let me kill him, you know. He's probably half-mad now as it is."

Now that Alora had a passing acquaintance with what was good...she honestly felt killing him would be the right thing to do.

Islinn heaved a sigh so deep Alora felt it all the way through her armor.

"No. He's the messenger. It's what he's meant to do." Islinn said.

"There were others that escaped. I saw them, they got horses out of the Livery and not even the shadow traders could keep up with them. They can spread whatever word needs to be spread. Probably a lot more accurately and with less religious bullshit attached." Alora said, her eyes steady on Lucan. Her hand fairly itched to reach over and grab the hilt of her sword.

It would be...kinder...to run him through. Not to mention satisfying.

She felt Islinn slide down off of Alderon's back. She glanced down as the girl paused at her stirrup and looked up at her.

"I can't explain it, Alora...it's just what he's meant to do. What he's done...not just to me but to so many others...that is what has chosen him to be the messenger. The sum and substance of it all,I guess you'd say. It's not my decision that he lives, any more than it's your decision for him to die."

Alora wasn't so sure about that. But she still remembered how she couldn't kill him earlier, try as she might, how she couldn't swing her sword. She watched Islinn, troubled,as the girl walked around to the front of Alderon and stroked the soft pink velvet between his nostrils. The big horse lowered his head and closed his eyes. Islinn smiled at the gesture and the simplicity of it all touched Alora in a place within herself she hadn't known existed. Islinn glanced up and gave her a small,sad smile.