:::A note arrives at Lord Brutin's office in the SA compound, the handwriting is feminine but firm, the ink dark and clear, but there are a few suspicious splotch marks that could be hastily blotted tears:::

My Lord Brutin Vitellus,

Owing to the recent events and certain disclosures made to me by one Nadine, slave in your possession, I humbly request that my father's comatose form be moved from the physical location in which it now resides to the safety of the newly constructed Rhydin Hospital that has arisen just off the Marketplace. Due to Nadine's confession that she desires the death of my adopted father, I am taking these steps, not out of disrespect to you, but out of duty and love for my father. If he ever served you well in his duties to you, I respectfully ask that you aid me in this my duty to him. As his eldest daughter I do have the right to ask this, and since my nominal stepmother Alae is not yet his legal wife, as I understand it, she lacks the ability to do so. I make this request not to question your authority over Nadine, or your ability to protect and care for your faithful retainers, but rather to ease the fear in my soul that I am not doing all that a dutiful daughter should do. I await your response.

With Respects and Honors,

Mokksha, Daughter of Gunther

Mokksha had nearly fainted when the creature known as Hex approached her in the tavern. She had hoped she did show that on her face, but she held onto her beloved's hand the entire time the metal golem...the machine... was questioning her. It was the strength of Arak's presence that had kept her from breaking down in tears and running off into the night. But getting through that conversation had at least brought about one small resolution of a tiny part of the events going on. Her da would be moved to the new hospital, where he would be safe and maybe get well! She was able to look towards the new day with a modicum of hope, and so she did.

"Hello Da." "It's me mokk......i hope you are feeling better now, your color looks better anyway. The healers here at this hops, sop....hos pi tal, have you poked full of needles and such that they said are feeding you fluids and medicine and such like, and they are keeping you clean and dry and warm, and no one can hurt you here and i will be here as much as i can."

The girl sighed and pushed some of her hair off of her face before leaning over to kiss her da's cheek. She smoothed some of his hair back from his forehead then took up one of his limp hands in her own and squeezed gently.

"I am here, da, holding your hand, can you feel me, can you squeeze my hand back." Mokk paused to wipe a glimmer of tears away from her eyes. "When you adopted me, i never expected it would come to this...i am sorry if i added any pain or difficulty to your life, but i am so very grateful and happy for the love and support and wisdom you have shared with me." "I think you would be proud of me, I wrote to Lord Brutin to get you transferred here and i spoke with Hex his adjutant about some of the details.....did you know he is a metal golem....a machine they said...but he seems just like a people in a magical suit of armor is all, to me anyway. Another strange thing is that i have been so busy i haven't had time to see much of summer, but i promise i will keep looking after her. And Arak is back, he was trapped by the Nexus between worlds, that is why he was gone so long, but he came back and he helped me not be scared when i had to talk to Hex. And ma is well and the baby too... um, babies...um.. how do you tell how many are in there anyway? But i am soo confused about something, I have a friend Gilly, you met her, and well, i was sad and lonely and missing Arak and we kissed by accident....well, it wasn't a complete accident, i was complaining i hadn't been kissed in a week, i meant by Arak, not by her or anyone else, but i didn't set out with a plan to do it and now, well i don't know what to do, because it was nice, but it wasn't like kissing Arak , and now i think i have hurt her feelings by not picking her as my sweetheart over Arak, and i don't know what to do. And i have been trying so hard to do what you said and make ma happy and keep peace with nadine, but everytime i see them together i feel so sad inside and nadine and ma a little too, keeps trying to make me change my mind about you and think you are a bad person, when you aren't. I know you, and you may have done some bad things in the past, but you have tried to make up for them now, and besides,,,,we are not defined by our actions, they are just things that we have to do to get through situations sometimes. Who we are is in our hearts, our souls, our minds, and yours shines as brightly as any star da, and that is why i love you so."

The girl paused to take a deep breath and sighed deeply, the relief at unburdening herself palpable. Then she pulled her chair closer to the bed so she could wrap her arms round her da's shoulders and rest her head on his shoulder, just for a moment of peace, and she smiled.