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GrandChildren |
Ce'Leste D'Riel
Va'Lan D'Riel
An'Lin D'Riel
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Ghet giggled, and leaned down to help Helena up. "The floor is wet. Also the walls, and I believe the ceiling. Hang on. Rhagi! Is the ceiling wet? And the ceiling. Not your fault. Foxx is just getting me my drink at the bar and I'm going to be horribly rude and dodge off for a quiet word with his Highness's father." That didn't narrow it down very much in this room, but she'd tossed her head in Rhagi's direction.
She hated to do this at a party. But this was the only time she ever saw Ro while she was on her 'not going to S'Hea' kick. "I'm sorry, Silverthorn, I need to talk to Ro."
Ro blinked, and then slowly disengaged himself from Silverthorn… in a manner of speaking. Well, it is her birthday, he said to his wife, consider this her birthday gift?
Grinning he kissed Thorn lightly, then gestured for Ghet to join him somewhere on the other side of the buffet table.
Ghet grimaced. She wouldn't really have minded talking in front of Thorn, but she hadn't been able to find a way of saying so that didn't sound offensive. She was more comfortable this way anyway, though she knew he'd tell Thorn what she said.
She dropped her voice low so it would be lost in the general hubbub of the Hall. "You're going to think this is weird. But it'll have to be dealt with one day, and it might as well be now." She looked up at him, hoping he'd be able to follow her train of thought with the minimum of words. It had been that way once. Gods, how to start? Eliptically, apparently. "Galain and I are bound. We can, if we try hard enough, find out anything the other knows or has known, anything they've seen or experienced. With a great deal of effort, I can keep something from him, but I can't conceal that I'm keeping something from him. I do have a point, trust me. My point is that An'Thaya knows about Rhagi. And An'Thaya is bonded to Callan."
She held up a hand to momentarily forestall argument. "You're going to tell me they have a lot of other stuff on their minds right now and it's not an issue, and I realise that. But I'd rather do this in a controlled fashion than have Callan just fall over it one day at what we all know would be the worst possible time." She dropped her eyes. This hurt. It took a massive effort of will to do what she knew was sensible. "We've never asked anyone to keep this secret from a bondmate before. I don't want to start now."
“Oooh… bugger,” Y’Roden sighed. “I hadn’t even considered that… at all.” The half-elf pinched the bridge of his nose, then rubbed his eyebrows. Letting his head fall back he stared up at his son for a few moments, then returned darkened emerald greens to Ghet.
Aware of the many Elven ears in the room, he dropped to a channel on Ghetsuhm’s particular thread on the web.
Ghettie… he must already know. The bond between An’Thaya and Callan is a little different from the one you share with Galain. They haven’t given one another half a soul, they have completely… fused. The only separate pieces left are the threads in the core of their souls, only a sliver remains where anything could possibly be hidden. The thing is… every memory of her past is engrained within ‘their’ soul. There is a massive amount of memory in there considering their ages, but you are right, sooner or later he is going to stumble across the circumstances of Rhagi’s birth.
The King of S’Hea swallowed hard and raked a hand through his short, dark hair. Asking wouldn’t do any good, its already too late. We can hope he doesn’t find it, but we both know better. I’ll talk to Tay… I know what you think of Callan, but Ghet, he is an honourable man, and my blood ally. He can be trusted. He winced… and sighed again…You must hate this, I’m sorry.
Ghet nodded. "That's pretty much what I guessed." She shrugged. It's okay, Ro, I'd never ask her to keep it from him even if it were possible. I just want it to come out in a controlled fashion, not when some stresser brings it to the fore. I have no choice but to trust him. Gods, the only people I really actually trust with this are you and me, I wouldn't choose to share it more than I had to, but I didn't get the choice.
She smiled, aware of how odd these silent coversations were to watch. I don't think you do know what I think of Callan, Ro. I have my own mind, you know. I've always liked Callan, and I've seen no reason to start disliking him. What I fear most is seeing him look at me, at our boy, with pity. Under other circumstances I would ask to be the one to tell him myself, but as that's not really possible... I would like you to do it. It's one thing to pick up the knowledge, another to have it explained.
Ro’s lip quirked just at the edge, a little surprised, but then… not. Good. That makes things a little easier. It would be much more difficult if you hated him. He considered things for a moment, his expression growing serious. Do you know how Callan was conceived? You’ve obviously seen his Father. Callan’s mother was a Silver by the name of Dawn. Nargus took on the form of her mate and seduced her, then murdered her when she tried to defend the clutch from him. He chose Araxmarr because he was Black, an accident of colour saved Callan’s life at birth. Knowing all this… can you really see him looking at you or our child with pity? Empathy perhaps, but never pity.
The smile returned, I'll talk to him. It won’t be easy, but Callan is one of the few people I could tell without… well, you know what I mean.
Ghet nodded, asimilating, lining up what Ro told her with what Mira had. She rather empathised with Callan herself. I do know. Yes. I wanted to tell Sum, but... She rubbed a hand over her eyes, remembering. She looked after me when I had Aarien, and I was so scared and I couldn't really tell her why. It all came back at me. She took a deep breath, and reached out to stroke his arm, what would once have been a full embrace. I know how hard it's going to be for you. But it should always come from one of us, if it ever has to be done. And that's what's held us together, isn't it? She glanced towards the rafters, where their son hung upside-down. "We'd both of us do anything for him."
Ro went a little pale. For five hundred years he had kept the dark side of himself completely away from Summerlin. For some reason, he just couldn’t stand the thought of her knowing. I’m sorry almost fell from his lips again, but he had said it so many times that someday… it would stop having any meaning. There was no going back, no changing it -- no taking way the pain or fear. The light touch eased his discomfort and he followed Ghet’s denim-blue gaze to the rafters.
“Yes… we would.”
His expression went blank as he considered the sheer agony all of this had brought to his wife. There could never truly be peace again in his life; someone was always going to be torn by his actions. The last person he could protect from pain was Rhagi… and he wondered quietly if he would be able to manage that forever.
Secrets… even those best kept, had a way of creeping out, of festering and infecting.
“He is a wonderful little boy,” the half-elf said softly, “he is growing up so fast…”
Ghet watched Ro while he watched Rhagi. It didn't surprise her at all, though it saddened her, to see the same fear there she felt herself. They were trying to keep the tide back. One day, surely, it would all go wrong. Rhagi's past would suddenly become his future. She was just hoping he would grow up first.
And speaking of that... She smiled softly. "Yes, he is. He's so tall, and so... old. He won't be a boy much longer. He'll be trying to find his path, and he has so many choices. It's quite awe-inspiring to watch. He was so little and helpless, and now..." She shrugged. "He makes me feel helpless." She smiled at Ro, her eyes a little bright. "Whatever happens, after everything we've been through, we'll survive it."
It was her birthday present. Right. For an odd moment the only emotion Silverthorn could feel was raw fury at the heart of which was a dull leaden pain. Deliberately she dampened it down, blocking as much of at it from Ro as she could as she took a deep breath and turned away from the couple talking at the buffet table. She shouldn't have come. But then not to come seemed... wrong, somehow.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid" she muttered under her breath, telling herself to get a grip.
“Helpless,” Ro murmured, “that’s a very good description for it.” Dropping his gaze he smiled back, though it was rather forced. He could feel Silverthorn’s… well; it was hard to describe what his wife was feeling. He had messed up … again… no big surprise really. “Yes, we will all survive it he agreed. I should… well; I should go back over there now. I’ll talk to Callan; try not to worry. Happy Birthday Ghettie. Oh look… Adarin brought the kids.”
Ghet winced. She knew what every moment spent with her did to Silverthorn, and therefore to Ro: that was why she only did this when it was absolutely necessary. And she would have to get used to it because there was more down the track as their son grew older and became more powerful. Powers that had never been combined before. For a heady and dreadful moment she remembered standing in Y'Roden's kitchen and realising what they could do between them. She pushed the memory away. "Go, Ro, it's okay, I understand. I'd appreciate hearing what happens if that's possible. I don't leave Alcarinque much these days. Princessing, y'know."
She turned her eyes to her husband and grinned. It did her heart so much good to see him so happy. She caught his eye and winked, grinning broadly.
Rhagi licked jelly off his cheek appreciatively and waved at Galen. He was hoping he wouldn't have to go down there and kick his cousin's butt. It was nice up here and people got all cross when you fought where they could see you.
He'd been watching his parents, too. Watching them stand together, and gesture, and look at him. Therefore, they were talking about him, and doing it so no-one else could hear. That made him nervous. That would be more than just discussing where he would stay for the next few months. It might mean unpleasant surprises in the near future. He knew there was something wrong. It was probably just a dumb adult thing, but... he did like to be prepared for life biting him on the arse.
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