The Taleweaver

Intermezzo

A hole in reality. A very cute hole in reality, just fluffy enough to tickle the observer a bit, and make her laugh. What other reason could there be for a hole in reality?

One such possible reason crawled out of the hole and made her giggle. Such a sweet little darling! A truly miraculous darling.

She sensed the one who unknowingly had dared to make jest at her so very long ago. A man he had been at that time, but not any longer. Now he was one of them, as were all she had any clear memories of.

"Come closer, my dear," she urged.

"I am humbled in your presence, most glorious of mothers," he answered instead of doing her bidding.

"Oh, you flatter me," she smiled. "You were always good with words, more so now than earlier."

He had chosen human form, maybe to honor her, maybe as a prank. It didn't matter.

"I am obliged to. How else would my jokes come as the surprise you deserve?"

"How else," she admitted laughing.

"I am here at your calling."

"So you are."

"I am here to make you know there are new strands in the Weave."

"There will always be new threads added. They make our future."

"The Weave is spreading as well. New futures from Outside are intermingling with our own."

"I know. It is a change, just like any other change." She grinned happily. He was so innocent, so beautifully ignorant.

"This change spreads like a disease. It infects everyone coming in contact with it."

"Change does. That is part of the nature of change."

"The sanctuary is violated."

"I know, my dear. It had to happen, but our gift has still not been used there. Maybe, at least, that will not happen."

"They allow weapons from Outside to be used there."

"They have a right to do that. My wonderful darling, we cannot live their lives, nor can we decide how they live them."

"But those weapons are as ghastly as the misuse of the gift."

"We are not to interfere," she laughed, deliberately adding a chilly sharpness to her mirth.

"They are killing our small ones," he protested.

"We are not to interfere."

"They have brought our gifts into their self imposed haven."

"We are not to interfere."

"They allow those from Outside to spread like Grabbed ones."

"Yet we are not to interfere."

"One Weaves what has not been."

"And still we shall not interfere."

"One who is not from here."

"We know, yet we do not act."

"We could talk to the one."

"To act directly would be to interfere."

"We know one who may interfere on our behalf."

"Him you may visit, but remember, we are not to interfere."

"I will do so, great mother."

"You will do so, loved son."

"We will meet again, great mother."

"We will."