It was the night of the Masquerade, Sha'uri dressed in her best dwarven attire and Tina was delightfully pretty with her tiara.. Bernie looked like Bernie as he walked in nearly the same time as the dwarf, though it was painfully obvious he was avoiding her. His jaws clenched that annoying twitch ever time he came near her. Oh yes, she noticed but that was not the icing on the cake. That came later, after his dance with Tina. It was a highlight followed by that odd darklight.. when The girlfriend showed up... Sakura. Yes, Sha'uri finally had a face to go with a name that was his girlfriend.

It was then Sha'uri took her attention away and became aware of a familiar face near the bar. Elation at seeing her Aunt Aph soon turned into a frozen shock that filled her with sadness. It was all still sinking in slowly, the death of Aphrodyte. Before her was one of the twins, Anneliese the daughter of Aph. The news of Aph's death was disheartening, but this was a party and Sha'uri would hold it in, be considerate and welcome her cousin. She honestly was very glad to see her. The girl had grown up so much.


The icing on the cake that night was the outright ignore Bernie gave as she tried to introduce family to him. His attention was too taken by Sakura to be polite. Indeed, he was not polite, pawing all over the frail looking china doll ... Sha'uri wondered if he told her everything. It was likely he had not. It didn't matter anymore. She saw him now for what he was and it didn't hurt. It just didn't matter any more, just like Jayden, those feelings were gone for Bernie. It scared her a little, to think she was actually agreeing with Bri.

She was proud of Tina, though. That girl was going to have a lot of men after her when she was older. She hoped she could help her be better then she was, to have a life free of failures. Tina was so polite to Anne, it warmed her heart.

As it was, the three of them had had enough for one night. Tina was yawning in Sha'uri's arms, who was now back to her six foot normal self, Ahh... and it felt good. Anne had been traveling all day. The three walked out of the Great Hall and headed for Ravensheart School.

Disappointed she hadn't seen Bri there at the party all night, she hoped he was up when they got back to the school, wanting him to meet Anne. She was excited to see another Woodshadow. There was so much they could talk about and Sha wondered if Anne had even been back to Secak at all. All those things that had been going on since the last time she saw Anne. So much time had gone by.

Yet, she remained somewhat quiet with Tina yawning in her arms. It made her yawn too as they walked along the path towards the school. It was a good night, though. The skies were partially clear, the air was only slightly cool and no rain to speak of. A nice night for a walk... the school wasn't too far down the road.

"So, anyway, Anne.. " Sha'uri's voice was gently softened in tones, "I'm sorry about Bernzie buns back there. He's got some ... problems to deal with. Long story, not a good time now. So, what have you been up to again? How long has it been since you've seen Secak? "


There would be time later to deal with the subject of a burial shrine for Aph on Secak. Though, she knew that subject would most difinitely arise the moment Anne set foot back on Secak. The people would want one. They would also seek answers on the how's and why's of her death. They would want to know if she knew where the Castle had disappeared to. All those questions. Yes, time was needed... time would always tell the story.

"It was years ago, Sha'uri. It happened when Alissa and I were abed. Suddenly, there was such *pain*, and we both felt it. Like our souls were being ripped apart. Cuz .. Did something happen on Secak?"

She held Tina securely in her arms, thankful for this little one in her life. Thankful even more for the cousin walking beside her. Family. She had family alive from the Woodshadow side and that is what she'd concentrate on, putting aside those feelings of grief for now.

The mention of their leaving to live at Blueflame seemed to jog some of her memories. It was before the Change and after their Grandfather Woodshadow had disappeared. It was when things were getting weird, going awry...

"I remember it was after Grandpa came up missing. I don't know if you were aware of it or not, but that was one thing that led to things going awry. Seck was behind it, I'm sure, but I've never been able to prove it. I've never found anything of Grandpa either. There's a lot that's changed, Anne. I'm not sure where to begin, other than to say that it is not like it used to be."

Where to begin? How could she tell her? She wasn't prepared and there was so much to tell her. She knew she needed to.

She also took a moment to rub Tina's back gently and tried to peer down to see if she were asleep. It would not have surprised her. She could only see a glimpse of the girl's cheek, but by all indication, the slow shallow breathing, Tina was asleep or very close to it.

"Anne ... did your mother ever tell you the history of Secak? How it was an endless place of existence with much magic in the general make up of the place? Like ... the lights, the facsimile of stars and a sun. It was all created in theory by two mass bodies of chaos colliding into one..."

She let that thought trail a bit and then just let it out, slow at first. The intensity of her words seemed to fully express the emotion, yet it was all so very controlled compared to the true full extent of it.

"It's no longer like that. Something happened and I can only theorize that Nature undid what chaos had undone. I mean... it changed completely, Anne. I've never seen or heard of anything like it. It changed, slowly at first. It was all that we could do to save a handful of people compared to what I felt was really there. My father, Pyriathin... my mother... Rick Nightstar... I think Crystal was there and ... others... I can't even begin to name them all but forces of light and dark, chaos and law ... we all pulled together and tried to save as many souls as we could. We had no choice to go for that ride while it was all rearranged like someone was creating a jigsaw puzzle, each of us clinging to a piece, drawing them together to form that universe."

She realized how crazy it sounded, but it was true.

"Anne, the dimensional plane of existence known as Secak was ripped back apart and formed an entire Universe. Seriously, Anne, it did. It was a universe ... stars and planets, solar systems and galaxies ... worm holes and ... and everything one could find in such places. We all thought for a while that it was done. But it wasn't done, something happened ... I don't know who or what except that some dark forces did something. All I know is that my mother threw me out of there ... me and my horse ended up on Toril. I'm sure she threw others out of there. I finally made my way back to RhyDin but it was some time before I found a clue of what happened to Secak. It was like it was wiped out of existence. The old portals in RhyDin didn't work any more. Oddly, I found a piece of the castle, a cornerstone to a door that had the family symbol etched in it... I found it on an island off the coast of Dar Oma and it's all that I have of the place. Long story, but it helped me to find Secak again, or what is left of it. I found just one solar system, Anne.... Exodii city, Magril, Zyphon they are all there on the fourth planet, but it's like the lands are all rearranged. There are some cities there I have no clue about except that they like all the others have been busy adjusting and adapting their lives where they are now. Much, much ... so much has changed, Anne. I think I know why your feet brought you here. Perhaps it is for you to find the Castle..."

It was a lot she knew and paused with a deep breath taken, tears misting her sapphire eyes, so much emotion held within. She realized they had stopped walking and were in sight of the Administration building to the School. Her gaze fell on her cousin, mindful of her reaction.

Her free hand came to rest on Anne's shoulder. A gentle squeeze was given showing understanding and reassurance.

"It's all right. I know, I know it's a lot. But know this... You two are not the last of them. I feel this keenly though I know not where or who is left, save one. Let's just leave that for another time, though. You're tired, I know. Let's get you a room, some food if you need, a bath and bed."

So on they went with Sha'uri leading them past the administration building and straight to the living quarters. She took them up to the second floor and down to the room on the other side of Tina's from her own. This one she gave to Anne. It had it's own private bath and everything.

The Headmaster looked down at the women as they entered the school grounds from his office in his quarters.

"It seems that Mistress Sha'uri has found another friend."

He spoke to Melody, who was dozing off.

"Mistress Melody, I think we have worked long enough this evening. Please...get some sleep."

The aide stood and waited as if for something more, but resigned herself that something wasn't coming and walked back to her quarters.

Sha'uri moved down the hall and stepped through the doorway of the next room. An odd mix of emotions she was having tonight. Jaded faded into elation then shifted to loss and then of a fond reunion. Emotionally drained, she knew she wasn't going to sleep any time soon. She'd just lay there excited by the family come home.

Home?

The word echoed in her thoughts while she carried Tina to her bed and laid her down gently, slipping the tiara off her head and put it on the table next to the bed. The warm blanket was pulled up over the child's shoulders and Sha'uri leaned down to deliver a gentle kiss to the girl's forehead. Tonight's events had her thinking hard. Was she ready to call her daughter?

She was afraid to ... afraid of losing her, which was about as ridiculous as Bri thinking the Gods had him marked unfavored. Yet, she couldn't get the comment about a Ward out of her mind either. She'd raised two boys, why was she so afraid to raise a girl on her own? Silly ... she was just thinking silly. Though she wondered if Bri had ever decided after their last conversation, those revelations and considerations on their future.

With Tina tucked away in bed, Sha'uri initially went to her room, but after only ten minutes found, as she had suspected, that she couldn't sleep. A thick warm fuzzy red robe was put on over her thin light blue nightgown and she slipped on her pink bunny slippers and made her way down to the kitchen. Tea is what she needed ......

The kettle was put on to the stove and a quick spell was cast, delivering a whispered message to Bri that he could respond to and she would hear him ...

~Come join me for tea? I need to talk.~

She sat down opposite him with her tea, eyeing his abruptness. He seemed... agitated? Tired? it was hard to say.

"I've.. um.. met up with some family... and are you all right?"

The cup was brought to her lips as she sipped it carefully.

"She just got here and in a room. She'll be going to Secak with us when we leave. Are you sure you're meditating right? You don't look like you've gotten much rest. You really need to relax. I think I know something that might help."

She set her cup down and moved her chair over by his, setting it to face him as she sat down again, with one foot resting on the seat of her chair and an elbow plopped atop that knee. She held out her hand to him, long digits wiggling beckoning for his to come.

"Let me have your hand .... please? Come on, I won't bite it... well, not too hard."

Grin.

"It's just something Corellon showed me once."

Her hand waited patently for his.

Her grin flashed with devilish mirth then eased into a warm smile as she took his hand, drawing it closer to her and leaned forward just slightly to gain a better view while turning his hand over and then back again, cuping it with her own two.

"You do a lot of writing, almost like a scribe ... the callouse on your middle finger indicates this. I don't know about you, but writing gives me cramps in my hands sometimes. Anyway, Corellon told me that there are pressure points in the hand and when massaged correctily... will work the tension up along fingers, past the wrists, up the arm and then out, leaving it completely refreshed."

She rolled his finger between her thumb and index finger, pinching it firmly, but not sorely, to give that messaged sensation, working up to the knuckles one at a time. Her voice took on a soothing tone, coaxing that sense of tranquility.

"I remember it took me a few times to learn to meditate and sometimes I prefere it over sleep. But, like you, I like to sleep, too. The key is to relax....."


Repeating this with every finger she then took her thumbs and messaged the palm of his hand and up along his wrist, forcing the tension out of his hand, ending by stroking his hand ever so lightly from fingertips all the way past his hand and part way up his arm, leaving the hand feeling lightened as if somewhat disconnected from the heaviness of the rest of himself.

"That sensation, that build of tension and then the release is the same idea of the meditation ... it's like letting the tension of the day, the frustrations and problems unsolved build to a point and then you just release them, let them pass ... like water under a bridge.... disconnect yourself from them and the burdens. Close your eyes and try to remember that sensation and then enhance it tenfold."

A gentle sigh escaped her. Hands still holding his, she seemed hesitant, and was not wanting to push him, yet she needed to ask.

"No... no it isn't. I just.. couldn't sleep, thinking about family and things. I wanted to know if you'd come to any decisions yet, Bri. That is, about Tina? I don't want to push you, I know I dumped a load of things in your lap the last time we talked, but what we talked about before... all of it, it's been heavy on my mind and Tina's at the top of my list. I just wanted to know how you felt about it all."

She couldn't help but grin wryly at Bri's last comment.

"I'm Shara's daughter, Bri.... would you really expect it to be anything but unusual?"

Mirth twinkled in her eyes again. She hoped Bri could see the humor of it. But just in case, she squeezed his hand gently, as if in a light hug. Then her expression eased into something more serious.

"Bri, if there's anything I've learned, it's that love heals all wounds. It's the glue that keeps things together, the magic that floats on the air...."

She let the thought trail, not wanting to divulge the numbness she felt having been hurt by lovers, potential ones or otherwise, all too often. She wasn't looking any more and would even refuse it now. She had no design on anyone in that capacity.

"Bri... I... I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I do love you. You're my friend, my mentor, and in the deepest part of my heart you are family. I wouldn't think of our situation much different than a divorced couple with a child between them, except that you and I probably won't have the fights and jealousy thrown between as many divorce couples do. I think it would be a better environment."