Peacebringer

Chapter Forty Three - What Now?

The next thing Asha was fully aware of was that she was sitting at Havi's kitchen table with a steaming mug of tea in front of her that she had not prepared herself. She watched the gentle spirals of steam float up above the mug, letting her eyes slowly go in and out of focus. The world was somehow more comforting when everything was fuzzy and seemed far away.

Even though she had technically slept, she still felt exhausted. She felt both of Havi's hands around her right hand, and he squeezed it gently. He had moved his chair so close to her that his knee was touching hers, still damp from the jump into the moat and the cold night. This would now be the second time she was sitting in front of Havi with soggy boots on. This was starting to become a pattern.

"I sent my father to get your mother and Tana." He spoke softly and carefully, like she was made of glass and his voice might shatter her. "And I made you tea."

Asha smiled weakly. Havi was so kind.

"I hope it's the kind you like," He said, clearly fighting tears himself. Valda had been his friend too. "I know you said your mom makes tea all the time and I thought it might help..."

"I think it does, a little." Asha took a sip. He had made it too bitter. She hid the grimace and turned back to him. It was thoughtful anyway.

"She was a good friend," Havi said solemnly. "And so brave."

"She was more than a friend," Asha started to say, wanting to tell Havi what she had learned.

"You're right, with what she did for the resistance, she was a hero."

"Not just that, Havi." Asha looked down and touched the hilt of the dagger with her hand that wasn't holding Havi's. "She was my sister."

"Yes," Havi laughed. "I know. Your mother actually told me when I went to get her."

Asha bit her lip. So Havi had known before she did.

His expression changed suddenly. "So did you know when Valda..."

"Only for a few seconds." Asha's giggles vanished completely. "I saw a portrait hanging in the library and the queen looked exactly like my mother..."

"I bet it's the same one I saw. Your mother had a miniature of it," Havi said.

Asha sighed. Her mother must have kept it hidden all these years. She wondered how many other castle artifacts were hidden in their tiny house.

"Do you think she knew?" He asked very suddenly. "Valda. Did she know who you are?"

Asha contemplated the question for a moment. "I think she at least had her suspicions. She gave me this..." Asha pulled out the dagger. "She said it belonged to the Queen. At the time I was confused why she would give one of them to me. It was a set of two, and she kept the other one." Asha smiled again. "Despite the fact that we were breaking into the castle, she still wanted me to have something royal."

Havi took the dagger in his hands, running his finger over the rose emblem. "It's like she was passing it on..." He handed it back to her, hilt first, so that she wouldn't cut her hands. She stored it safely back in the sheath. "Did you see Gairadon?" Havi looked into her eyes.

Asha nodded, turning her eyes down. "I saw him."

"Did he know who you were?"

"Well he definitely knows I'm a fire spinner," she said softly. "But he also knows that I'm his daughter."

Havi ran his fingers through his hair and let out a deep breath, processing the information. "So he knows you're his daughter and the prophecy?"

"Yes to the first, probably to the second."