A/N:

I wanted to do this chapter first and then have more of Bianca and Chris to show the relationship as well as her fighting capabilities.

Chapter 36

Echoes of Memories

Piper stood at the edge of the village looking down over the Valley. She had no idea where to go if they had to leave as according to the generals, they were not ready for war. She has forgotten how they have been there as one day ran into another, always conflict always struggling to just breathe. Leo has kept his distance from her as he did not know what to say. Piper could hear arguing in the background but it became normal place and she was to tired to break it up.

"Where the hell have you been?" Chris asks Bianca.

"I was helping Melinda," she replied.

"Would it have killed you to say where you were?"

"Chris there was a reason, she told me not to say anything," she replied as was not about to back down.

"Well you missed the fight and we lost Astra," he said as he too was not about to back down.

"I know Chris, we got back when it happened," she said while clenching her fists.

"Enough you too, we all need to calm down and figure out where we go from here," Patty said.

"We go and fight this dam war," Chris said.

"Chris we are not ready, we still don't know what Cole is up to or Max, not to mention the whole in the wall needs to be closed. We can't just leave these people with that to deal with," Patty said.

"And how long is that going to take?" Bianca ask.

"I don't know but right now we are on thin ice with this clan and fighting with each other will not help," Patty replied as she saw Piper and a women walk up to her. "Who is that?"

"Shuarth, leader of the deadly Edith clan," Chris replied.

Piper stood motionless as for once she really had no idea what to do. Prue was talking to Lila and maybe she could find a way for them to stay, but all she could think about was the loss in Lila's eyes.

"You seem to be pondering whether to jump or fly," Shuarth said but Piper said nothing. "You don't seem like the jumping kind."

"I'm sorry but I'm not in the mood for pleasantries," Piper said and turned her head to look at her.

"No one is the mood for pleasantries but there is something I can show you, something that may brighten the darkness," she said and Piper turned the rest of her body to face her.

"How?"

"One of our talents is to show the past or in your case the other future," she replied.

"So you want to show me the dark future I'm not sure how that's going to cheer me up," Piper said.

"It wasn't always that way, there was a time when our two worlds lived in harmony," she said and waved her hand. The scenery around Piper changed and she was now in a town with people walking about buying goods, talking and seemed to be happy.

"Where are we?" Piper asks.

"A memory of Melinda's, she is over there," Shuarth replied and pointed near a wagon where a seven-year-old little girl was jumping up and down in the back while singing. A man approached and Piper immediately tightened. "Don't worry this is a good memory," she said.

"Well you are full of energy," the man said wearing a silk robe with colors of red and gold running through it.

"He looks familiar," Piper said.

"Just watch Piper and learn," Shuarth said.

The man had his hands in his sleeves and looked quite regal as he smiled at her. Mel tilted her head as she saw his tongue.

"Why is your tongue silver?" she asks.

"Because I am a silver tongue," he replied as she walked over to him.

"Did you eat a lot of argentum?" she asks.

"No and you know the Latin name for silver?" he asks.

"I know a lot of things," she replied.

"Except how to tie your shoes," he said and looked down at her feet. Her shoestrings were loose and dangling.

"Nope, I know how but they just come untied so it's pointless," she said.

"A smart girl like you would figure out a way to keep them from doing so," he said.

"I did but mommy did not like me gluing them. I wanted the Velcro kind but she said it made me lazy," Mel said while she looked down at her feet. Piper put her hand to her mouth as she somewhat laughed and cried at the same time.

"I see," he said.

"So why are you called a silver tongue, I mean I know its because your tongue is that color but there must be another reason?" she asks.

"There is, when I was born I was chosen to be a advisor to kings and leaders, to help them speak to the public," he replied.

"People are easy to charm," Mel said.

"And how is that?"

"Just a few pretty words people miss the meaning," she replied.

"Read between the lines so to speak," he said as she sat down and started tying her shoes.

"Wait I can show a knew way," he said and began to tie her shoes, running loops into each other in a way she has never seen. "There now they will not untie. Can you do the other?" he asks and Mel nodded as she duplicated exactly what he did.

"I have mimicked capabilities, I can see something done once no matter how complicated and repeat it," she said and was done.

"You are a clever little girl but didn't your mother tell you never to speak to strangers," he said.

"Yes but I a with Roland so no one would dare hurt me," she replied and smiled as she pointed into the small store where Roland waved at her from the counter.

"Roland yes no one would dare," he said and sat down on the wagon.

"What is your name?" she asks.

"Yerran and yours?" he asks.

"Melinda," she replied.

"Now we are no longer strangers," he said.

"I like Shakespeare, do you know Shakespeare?" she asks as she sat on the edge of the wagon and swung her feet back and forth.

"Yes but isn't he too advanced for you?"

"No is he for you?"

"No but I think there's something you don't know," he said.

"What?"

"What are the three types of silver tongue's?" Yerran asks and Melinda pressed her lips together while thinking of the question.

"I don't know," she said.

"The soother, the realist and the oblivion," he said.

"How can you tell?"

"Imagine if you fell off the wagon and scraped your arm. You would look for someone to help you and there are three standing and waiting. You go to the first, he tells you it's not your fault he then places a Band-Aid on the cut and sends you on your way, that is a soother. If you go to the second, he will put alcohol on it and tell you to look before you leap, that is the realist. But the last one will put his hand on your cut and plant a virus and then point to someone else and say it is their fault, that one is oblivion. Do you understand?" he asks.

"Yes, the soother removes human responsibility, the realist makes you take responsibility, and the oblivion makes you hate others for your own mistakes," Mel said and Yerran smiled wide.

"Yes so which one do you think I am?" he asks.

"Well you told me to tie my shoes, which means you were concern for my well-being and then showed me how to do it better so I would not fall, you are the realist," she replied and Yerran nodded.

"You are a smart one and wise, be careful of silver tongs Melinda not all will be realist," he said and Mel pulled out a sucker from her pocket still in its wrapper," Would you like it?" she asks.

"Thank you," he said as Roland came out of the store carrying a few bags.

"Yerran are you enticing a child?" Roland asks.

"More like enticing me," Yerran replied.

"I gave it to him," Mel said as Roland picked her up.

"That was nice of you," he said and smiled at Yerran.

"Roland it's good to see you again," he said.

"You too and thank you for keeping an eye on her," Roland said.

"It was my pleasure," Yerran said and waved good by to Mel as Roland put her on the front of the wagon as he got on.

"By Yerran," she said as they drive off.

The scene changed and again another village but it looked like a celebration was going on as the streets were filled with laughing and jubilant people. there were carts on the side of the streets with an assortment of food and other goods.

"Boys slow down," a familiar voice said as two children ran past Piper. She turned around and saw herself holding Melinda in her arms. Wyatt orbed the toy out of Chris hands. "Wyatt give it back," she said before a argument would break out between the two siblings. Mel looked like she was peacefully sleeping as her head rested on Piper's shoulder.

"She is about seven I think," Shuarth said.

"Mom I am just playing," Wyatt said and gave back the toy to his younger brother who was about nine.

"I know honey its just he loves that toy," Piper said as she came up to a fruit stand and Melinda began to stir while she looked at some of the assortment of goods. Mel rubbed her eyes to clear out the sleep as she saw the beautiful fruit. "Hay baby you awake now?" Piper asks softly while moving some hair out of her face and Mel nodded.

"How old is she?" the woman asked behind the stand.

"Seven," Piper replied.

"She has your cheekbones," the woman said and cut a piece of fruit that was red in the center. "Would you like to try it?" she asks while handing one slice to Mel.

"It looks good," Piper said.

Mel took the small piece and ate it, she then ate the rest." I like it," she said and the woman smiled as Piper tried some herself.

"What is this called?" Piper asks.

"Heart of the Valley," she replied.

"Why do you have markings on your body?" Mel asks noticing the circular tattoos.

"Mel," Piper said as her daughter was sometimes a little too curious.

"No its fine that's how we were born and shows our clan. They light up when our powers kick in," the woman replied.

"What clan are you from?" Piper asks.

"The vultures and my name is Lila," she replied.

"My name is Mel and this is my mom and that is Chris and Wyatt my brothers," Mel said.

"Piper, my name is Piper."

"Mommy can I go on the ride?" A little girl ask that ran up to Lila.

"Sure Astra but go with your father," Lila replied and Piper who was watching this all play out felt her heart sink.

"Oh god, we met them," Piper said as she continued the viewing.

"Mom can I go too?" Mel asks as she could see the ride in the distance. It was a Ferris wheel and Piper hesitated.

"Its ok Rigar will take care of them," Lila said as he walked up.

"I want to go too," Chris said along with Wyatt.

"Ok but be careful and keep an eye on your sister," Piper said and felt better knowing her brothers were going with her. Rigar held hands with his daughter and Mel as they walked towards the Ferris wheel.

"Us mothers we never stopand worrying," Lila said.

"Never," Piper said while she picked up some more fruit. "How much?" she asks.

"On the house, may I ask you something?" Lila asks.

"Sure considering you're giving me this for free," Piper replied as Lila put the fruit in the bag.

"Your daughter has a lot of presence about her, what kind of powers does she have?"

"None, she is mortal," Piper replied.

"Odd not exactly a place for a mortal, but something tells me she will blend in just fine," Lila said and Piper nodded.

The memory would change and they were now in a new place. "I know this place its the whirlwinds." Piper said while looking around.

"Ouch," a young woman's voice said.

"You're not concentrating," Awray said as she slapped her again with a long thin stick on the arm.

"Mel is about 12 I think," Shuarth said.

"I am concentrating and would be able to do a much better job, if you did not hit me every 5 seconds," Mel said as she was sitting down with her legs folded inward.

"Meditation is very important to your well-being," Awray said as she walked around her.

"So is not having bruises on my arms," Mel said and Awry was about to strike her again but Mel put her hand up. "Ok I will try harder," she said and closed her eyes.

"Let the world fade away to the point you can hear your own heartbeat," Awray said and stopped walking around to see if she was following instructions. She rolled her eyes and hit her again.

"Come on, your not even given me a moment," Mel said while rubbing her arm.

"It should not take a moment," Awray said while leaning down," you think too much, let your mind stop," she said and backed away. Mel closed her eyes again and this time could actually hear her heartbeat as Piper could hear it as well. Awray smiled as the memory faded and Piper was now back near the ledge.

"Melinda has been a part of this world for a long time," Shuarth said as Piper put her hand to her heart. It was more than she could ever ask for, seeing her daughter happy and healthy.

"Thank you," Piper said and felt a new purpose.

"She may have learned a lot from our world, but we learned a lot from her. Yes most of the clans blame you along with Wyatt, but Mel was the only one willing to stand against him, even though quite a bit of her died in the process. It is that connection with her that unites them. She has proven herself, now you must do the same," Shuarth said and disappeared. Piper took in a deep breath and walked over to her mother.

"We need to help them close the whole, there's enough magic if we stand together," Piper said and Patty smiled.

"I will get the others," Patty said and kissed her daughter on the cheek before leaving.

To be continued...