Foolish
Jennsen sat in the council chamber, scribbling on a bit of parchment. There was ink on her cheek, but the dark smudges under her eyes had more to do with the fact that the sun was rising and Jennsen had yet to seek her bed. Since hearing of the dilemma that plagued Cara, she had been struck with an idea. A wild idea.
She was not sure if it was good, or if anyone would listen to her, but it was better than anything she had overheard Kahlan or Cara say.
"Sparrow," a perturbed voice sounded from the door.
Jennsen jumped, "Haden!" She blinked, then scrubbed at her face, smearing the ink on her cheek, suddenly registering the light pouring through the window. "It's morning."
"Yes," Jennsen's Mord'Sith lover purred, stalking to the table where Jennsen worked. Haden was fiercely beautiful with golden brown skin and her long black hair worn in the braid of all Mord'Sith. Jennsen thought she was like an arrow in flight.
"You left me to sleep alone," Haden said bluntly.
"I'm sorry, Haden, I…" Jennsen trailed off, her train of thought fizzling as Haden ran a gloved hand over her cheek to wipe away the ink. "I wanted to talk to Cara about this," she gestured at the papers scattered across the desk. "But I'm not sure if she'll listen to me."
Haden leaned, her leather covered bosom brushing Jennsen's arm as she examined the papers. The slight upturning of her lips revealed that she knew precisely what she was doing. "It is a… decent proposition," she said at length.
"You think so?" Jennsen smiled eagerly, standing to wrap her arms around Haden's waist.
"Yes," Haden simply replied, pressing her lips to Jennsen's forehead. After a long moment of holding the smaller woman to her chest, of discreetly burying her nose in that soft red hair, Haden cleared her throat. "I have been sent to fetch you. The wizard has not emerged from his work room, and the wards are repelling all who try to enter."
Aghast, Jennsen pulled herself from Haden's arms, dashing for the door. "Why didn't you tell me sooner!" she called over her shoulder as she turned into the hallway.
Face blank, Haden followed after her at a more sedate pace.
-l-
Zedd walked in a garden filled with light. It was familiar, and yet foreign, a strange feeling of both known and unknown.
When he looked down at his own hands, they were unwrinkled, and shone with the han that flowed through his veins.
Zeddicus.
"Hali?" he turned, and there she was, perfect, pristine.
A goddess.
Breath catching in his lungs, Zedd knelt, his eyes streaming.
Her hands were warm on his face, and made his heart beat an odd tattoo.
Rise, Zeddicus. It is not for you to kneel to me.
"Hali," he said again as he rose, just to hear her name, to feel it on his lips. "The last time we spoke like this, I was dead."
She smiled her crooked smile, and Zedd took a moment to wonder at how a god could have a crooked smile. It seemed so human.
Something Hali assuredly was not.
No, Zeddicus. That is merely the last time you remember us speaking. In truth, we speak often of things to come.
"Things to…" Zedd gasped. "The Spell of Knowing? What – "
I have protected you from the worst of the backlash. You were fortunate it was the hour of twilight when the veil is thin. I was able to reach you.
An irritated huff blew back Zedd's hair, trickled over his skin, though Hali's lips did not move.
"Thank you," he said, mind racing.
It is just as well that I am fond of you, my champion. Do not be so foolish again.
With a wry smile, Zedd clasped her hands, bringing them up to his lips to kiss. "I'm afraid promising you such a thing would make a liar of me."
Oh, Zeddicus…
-l-
"Zedd!" Richard called, shaking the old man who lay sprawled on the floor of the magical work room. Jennsen knelt at his other side, glaring at Richard for his rough handling of their grandfather.
"Haden," Jennsen said, an urgent note in her voice as she beckoned her lover forward to perform the breath of life.
"That won't be necessary," Zedd croaked, bringing a long fingered hand to his head.
"Zedd," Richard smiled, helping him to sit up. "What happened?"
The wizard blinked confusedly for a few moments, felt the warmth of a ghostly hand on his cheek. He could not remember his dreams. He performed the spell, then –
"The collars of the Fenrisulfr?" he asked, glancing about the room.
"They are here, wizard," Haden assured him, nudging one of the rune stamped pieces of metal with the toe of her boot.
"No one touch them," Zedd ordered, albeit feebly. "There's something about them. Something…"
"What is it, Grandfather? What about them?"
Looking into Jennsen's blue eyes, Zedd sighed. "I am not sure yet. But I will find out."
His stomach audibly grumbled. "Perhaps," he amended, "I shall have breakfast first."
