Tass and I had walked into the night hand in hand, and began our walk toward Gold Dragon Way, and the irony of my home address was not lost upon me as we moved through the ornate mithril gates, with their great dragons and Celtic knotwork. I glanced at Tass, ?ye dae ken tha? Ah?ve been speakin? wi? th? Elder ?t th? Inn??

He looked over at me, ?yeah, I know hun,? and he gave my hand a squeeze.

We had by-passed the House and gone into the back lawns to walk in the moonlight. I paused near a growth of night blooming Jasmine, ??e didst say tha' he ist a danger tae all save one, an' tha' 'e cannae coome tae Matlal righ' nae.... tha' th' Silvers wouldst be in danger froom 'im, an' tha' as th' one ye designated as th' leader o' th' silvers, Ah shouldst haff ken such a risk. ?e didst make me realize tha' Ah dinnae ken th' societal d'mands o' yer people Tass.?

He gave me a small smile, ?you know the societal ideals more than you know hun,? He turned then, and drew his hand slowly up and down my arms in a soothing gesture.

I was needing that friendship and the comfort he offered, and as I studied the fragrant vines, I told Tass I was not so certain. ?Ah 'ad nae thought aboot his welcome by yer people.... an' whence Ah suggested tha' Garl was th' key tae convincin' 'em, 'e told me tha' there 're nae leaders, 'n tha' 'f they didst d'sire tae gae, they wouldst'?

Tass? voice was soft in the darkness, ?think on your daughter, why is she so angry??

I shivered then, but it had nothing to do with the night air, ?she didst feel abandoned. bu' ye dinnae b'lieve 'e abandoned ye, dae ye??

Tass? presence was soothing, ?it's much the same with our kin... I know my brother... and, yes, even I feel he abandoned us.?

That admission surprised me, and I shook my head, ?ye whom dae ken 'im th' best, 'n are th' one 'e wouldst nae be a danger tae cannae b'lieve 'e abandoned ye.? If Tass believed this, it would be very difficult to convince the others.

Tass looked into my eyes then, ?I am not the one who he cannot touch and yes, I do feel he abandoned us? but as I said, I know my brother so I do not hold a grudge against him for such the others do not know him.?

I remembered Khirsah?s words vividly, ?'e told me 't wouldst nae haff 'elped th' war.?

Tass smiled, ?I see that now, but did I then? Would the others believe that now??

I shook my head as I had no answer, ?'f nae thee, thence whom? Dae ye nae thin' perhaps convincin' th' most influential wouldst be th' way tae gae??

He smiled in the darkness, ?oh, there will be more, I can feel it already.?

I followed the path of a shooting star, ?Ah'm nae ascertes th' Elder d'sires tha' Ah learn. 'e didst tell Xeno tha' there was doubt aboot mine r'turn tae th' Isles. Th' land wilst r'cover.? I did not doubt that the land would heal, that was one thing I could be certain about.

Tass? voice was nearly as soft as an elven one, ?love, is there not some doubt that resides in your heart about leaving what you are behind? Leaving who you are leaving behind??

I lifted my eyes to his once more, and the sliver of moon above was reflected in his eyes, ?doubts? Nay. Pain? ?urt? Sorrow? Aye.? There was more emotion in this decision than I had felt in a very long time. He nodded almost imperceptibly. ?Ah thin' Uly didst open th' auld wounds all o'er an' whence Ah r'turned from th' war, Ah didst ken tha' Ah cannae giff Sy wha' 'e doth d'sire 'n need. there ist sorrow fer 'urtin' 'im, there ist pain 't Uly leavin' again.? There was a great deal of pain between Ulysses return and subsequent return to Jacynth, as well as the pain I had delivered to Sylus. The man had bonded to me as a lifemate should, and yet, I could not give him that commitment.

?and the Elder??

I slid my gaze up to his again, ?th' question ist wi' th' Elder Tass. We're bound through this,: and I laid open my hand, ?bu' dids't Ah create th' tie tae 'n unwillin' soul? 'e coomes an' talks wi' me whence Ah'm 't th' Inn, bu' doth nae coome 'ere, 'n doth nae r'main 'pon Matlal..... Ah dinnae ken where 'e doth stand. soome times Ah thin' 'e ist jus' waitin' fer me tae make th' first commitment, 'n oother times, Ah'm nae ascertes 'e e'en wants tae talk wi' me, 'e ist an enigma.? An enigma is putting it mildly. I have never been able to read the Elder, and since his change to this pale creature with the ebon jem, I have been even less able to understand his actions.

Tass chuckled merrily, ?he is that, but not really. You?ll learn that, as far as your creating, I cannot say it was to an unwilling soul. Much like me, he would not have saved you had he not wanted.?

I pondered his words a moment, he was telling me Khirsah cared enough to save me from unwitting destruction, and I gave him a wry smile, ?Ah thin' Ah surprised 'im whence I told 'im 'e 'ad r'jected me.?

Tass winked at me, ?I don't think that it was so much that you told him he did? it was perhaps more that you believed he did.?

I told Tass that at the time, I was certain Khirsah had rejected me because I did not know then that my very soul might have been lost, and then change the subject, ?Bu', whilst we dae work tha' oot, Ah'm closin' I' Taurn, an' takin' up residence 'pon Matlal. There ist nae reason fer me tae coome 'ere, 'n Xeno didst convince me nae tae giff th' 'ouse tae Telemachus jus' yet.? I would close the house and leave my ties to RhyDin behind.

I was very curious about why I had not seen Khirsah ever eat or drink, "Ah've seen ye enjoy scotch tae excess, 'n Ah've seen ye eat... bu' th' Elder doth neither tha' Ah haff seen."

Tass laughed merrily, "love? you have yet to see me drink to excess.. it is merely an act to help ease those around me."

I quirked a sable brow at him, "Ye 'n Collie certainla seem tae dae a good job."

Tass chuckled, "that is an advantage of being able to control your own metabolism, and Collie is Irish, its in her blood to drink."

I laughed softly, "bu' why doth 'e nae effer accept th' offer? Ah've neffer seen 'im ingest annathin', Ah'm b'ginnin' tae wonder 'f 'e doth need tae eat 'r drink."

Tass smiled, "truth to tell love, I don't need to, but I do enjoy it."

I lifted a sable brow at him, for the only creatures I knew of that did not require sustenance were the dead, "bu'?." And I could not give voice to that query.

He gave me a toying smile then, "where did the Elder and I come from?"

"Pr'mordial Darkness," was my answer as dawning understanding came.

"And what would one eat there?"

I shook my head, "Ah cannae imagine." He winked at me and told me not to try.

"Tass? Wouldst 't be appropriate tae dae a monument o' sorts tae those who didst pass 'n th' fightin'?" I was not sure whether such things would be accepted by the Dragons. Nor did I know how they mourned the loss of their own.

Tass smiled and we resumed our walk slowly deeper into the grounds, "I don't see why not, love."

I had something I wanted to show him, and we moved in the direction of the plants I had been working with during my stay in RhyDin, "Ah've soomethin' tae show ye thence, dae ye mind walkin' a wee bit further?"

There came a mischievous gleam to his eyes, "depends, we headed to your bedroom?"

I gave him a soft laugh, "nay." He was not serious, and we both knew it.

He laughed, "oh well, yeah, ok then."

I winked at him, "Ah dae thin' Kyndra migh' object."

He chuckled warmly as we approached the orchid patch, "I don't know."

I nearly fell off the hearth stone, ?souls? Tha? was Daemonbane?s search Tass!? He nodded, and I asked him what he was going to do about it. When he told me nothing, I was clearly shocked. He had felt Daemonbane?s terrible hunger first hand, and now he would do nothing about the soul hungering blade Khirsah carried?

?what can I do? the relics which I hold do not compare to that one..?

I knew a moment of regret for losing Daemonbane in that moment, ?find a way tae d?story ?t Tass.? There had to be a way, but Tass? admission that he had no relic its equal was frightening.

He gave me a reassuring look, ?as long as the Elder holds it, there is no need for me to worry on it.?

?Tass, ?ow mayst ye say such wi? th? knowledge o? Daemonbane??

?Because Daemonbane was not controlled this one.. is,? came his confident answer.

I know the look I gave him must have been incredulous, ?:: Daemonbane was controlled by each King, Morrin' bein' th' last, bu' it was evil Tass.... anna blade tha' doth seek souls cannae be trusted.?

Tass nodded, ?did not Daemonbane destroy its holder??

The great blade had eventually destroyed each King that wielded it, until Morrin broke that loop, the blade had never mastered Morrin, ?all ?ntil Morrin, aye.?

Tass then told me that the Elder controlled this blade, and that it was made by him, but I couldn?t help but wonder for how long Khirsah would be able to control the blade, when would it take over it?s maker as Daemonbane had done. Tass just smiled, ?let us say it won?t.?

I walked toward him, ?Ah dae ?ope yer righ?.?

Tass seemed certain, and said, ?I was, I felt, I am.?

I paused before him then, regarding him closely, ?Ah?ll ?aff tae trust yer righ? Tass.?

He nodded then and wrapped his arms around me, and I leaned against his strength, ?wha? dae Ah dae next Tass?? as I returned his hug, my future seemed hidden behind a curtain I could not penetrate.

He just held me there in the Great Hall, ?what do you want to do??

I looked up at him, ?th? righ? thin?.?

He smiled down at me, ?I have a feeling you will do that.?

?Ah'm tryin' Tass, an' Ah'll jus' haff tae see wha' th' Elder d'sires. 'n th' mean time, Ah'm r'turnin' tae Matlal.? Things in RhyDin would carry on without me. Matlal needed me, and I needed Matlal.

?In that case.. might I suggest you come by more and quit worrying about worrying me?? He then let me go, and as I promised him that I would, he vanished and I was left alone in the Great Hall with the shadow of Daemonbane.

I had left Tass upon Twilight Isle. His promise to find me upon the islands was welcome, as it would be a very busy day. I planned to leave in the darkness tonight, closing I' Taurn for the time being. When I arrived, there was a sense of sadness about the house, as though it knew I was departing yet again. I reached out to touch the white stone, feeling the sadness in the matrix. Perhaps I should give it to Telemachus, and hope that he will bring light and life back to the house. Perhaps.

Upstairs, I discovered that there were three things Sylus had left that I had missed eariler, and I sat down to read the note he had left beneath my pillows. As I read his words, his voice filled my thoughts. There was bitterness in him that would not be soothed in the near future, and he had seen me laughing in public, but had never looked into my eyes, or he would have known that true merriment eluded me and would for some time.

And so, he would travel. As would I.

I glanced then at the ring and the green orb. The ring belonged to his family. It was not something I had any claim to, and I would have it delivered to Artemus. No matter how much I dislike the younger brother, it is the only way to return the signet ring to the rightful heirs.

The green orb was one that would allow Sylus to come to me, but I know that Matlal would be well enough protected that such magics would not work. I laid the green orb gently into a velvet pouch atop my dresser. It would be there.

Then I looked up at the night sky, and the moon that shown silvery over RhyDin. Cloaked above this realm was Jacynth. Whether Ulysses was still there, or whether he had moved on to another place and time I would likely never know. This overlay that had come back from the suns of Harmony did not need me. And, it would seem, did not want me.

I gave a wry smile at the moon above. Matters of the heart are fickle things.

Rising, I wrapped the signet ring into cloth of silver, and tied it with a midnight blue grosgrain ribbon before attaching a message for the druid.

"Artemus,
.............This ring belongs to your brother Sylus, but he is gone, and I cannot find him. I will be leaving this night for Matlal, with no plans to return to RhyDin. It belongs to the Kurgen legacy, not to the Nitesong legacy. Please do not give the messenger a difficult time, accept it and keep it where it belongs.
..............Respectfully,

.......................Alais 'd Arma Graham 'd Nitesong"

I left the package for the staff with instructions for its delivery, and taking up my staff, I stepped upon the sigil and left RhyDin for my new home.

When the sun began its inexorable climb into the sky for the day, the area around the stone was alive with green and growing things. The night blooming jasmine had twined around the stone and grass had sent out runners in all directions. The down hill slope that ran between the perch for my home and the black sand beach below was alive with green just bursting from the ground, as a sudden warm spring changes a snowy landscape into one just faintly tinged in shades of new green.

I had focused on the land between the beach and the bluff for a reason. This would provide encouragement for the dragons while they worked, and a place for them to rest or frollic as the mood struck them. It was only a start. It would take a very long time to accomplish this on the whole of the island, and I was already exhausted from trying to shape the power that ran through the land.

The sun was warm on my skin, and I remained unmoving atop the foundation stone, letting the heat sink into my bones as the sky gave way from black to grey to brilliant cobalt blue. There was not a cloud in the sky as the dragons began to stir. The dragonet curled up beside me atop the foundation stone, and dozed in the warming rays of the day.