Note: I do noy own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!

Well, its a long chapter and it was a long time in getting here. I couldn't think of a good title for this chapter so it doesn't have one. Maybe one will come to me later and I'll add it.

Enjoy!

Chapter 37

I checked myself in the mirror one last time before stepping out of my room. Voices drifted up to tickle my predatory hearing; Iann and Ayala were laughing and talking quietly in the parlor downstairs. My faint smile broadened as I listened to them carrying on. It had been my great privilege over the past few months, to watch their budding attraction grow. Ayala now happily spent as much time with Iann as she did with me. In time, I suspected, their relationship would become something more profound. While I doubted very seriously that either of them was aware of it yet, the symptoms were all too easy for me to read . . . Iann and Ayala were destined to become mates.

With the realization that this relationship between my sister and Iann would eventually become something irrevocably eternal, my feelings about Iann were becoming more concrete. As my ambivalence faded, I began to look upon him as more of a brother than I had before. A sense of contentment suffused me as I thought about my growing family. I had never before known this level of happiness, not even when I was still human.

I descended the stairs with the broad smile still plastered to my lips. In the parlor I found Ayala and Iann engaged in a game of chess. While Iann was clearly winning, my sister was making a respectable showing. As she busily studied the board to determine her next move, I took note of the fact the Iann was busily studying her. Young love, even among vampires, was fascinating to watch.

"Who's up for a run?" I asked brightly. "We've all recently hunted, so I doubt anyone is especially thirsty, but there is a beautiful full moon out tonight."

"I'll go," Iann offered as he stood to his feet. "I could use a good run to stretch the kinks out of my legs."

I turned expectantly to Ayala and waited for her answer. Though she was unaware of it, this excursion was for her benefit; I was about to begin phase two of her control building exercises.

She turned in her seat and looked out the window briefly. "The night is lovely," she sighed. "I too will go. Will my brother take us to the meadow with the beaver pond?"

I recalled telling her once about how enchanting the meadow was on moon lit nights. "Not tonight," I replied sadly, "Perhaps another time."

Tonight's run had a purpose, but I wouldn't revile that fact just yet . . . if I were to do so, Ayala would likely change her mind and stay home. Ever since her fateful encounter with the runaway slave, she had been quite adamant in her utter avoidance of humans. If her control was to be bolstered however, her practice of avoidance had to be dispensed with; she needed to be exposed to humans in a well supervised and methodical way.

0o0o0o0o

We raced along on eternally silent feet through the moon dappled forest; I was leading my little family eastward, towards the most remote farm in the St. John's area. I was acutely aware of the fact that I was putting the poor family that lived there in mortal danger. The elder gentleman and his wife lived on the small farmstead alone; I knew both of them to be righteous and amiable, as I had treated the husband for a fever some months earlier.

It troubled me greatly to put these two precious souls in harm's way, but Ayala needed training and I would rather risk two lives as opposed to hundreds. Besides, if I didn't have every confidence in my sister's ability to exercise control and in mine and Iann's ability to restrain her in the event of calamity, I would consider this exercise shear frivolity.

When the first faint trace of human scent tickled my nose I pulled to a stop; my sister and Iann skittered to a halt beside me. I tried to appear casual, as if I was unaware of the jeopardy we might be in with humans so close by. Unfortunately, this tactic didn't work.

"Perhaps we shouldn't terry long here, Carlisle," Iann suggested as he sniffed the night air. "There are human nearby."

"Thank you Iann, I am well aware of that fact," I replied casually. I turned my gaze then to Little Deer; an expression of horror illuminated her features and she was holding her breath.

I crossed the short distance between us and took her gently by the shoulders. "Breathe child," I cooed, "This excursion is quite deliberate . . . I intended it as part of your training. You handle the scent on the gory bandages that I bring home daily from hospital very well; for the most part you're unaffected by them now." I paused and offered her my best reassuring smile. "Take a breath, Little Deer . . . just one deep breath; you must become accustomed to fresh human scent."

She shook her head adamantly and would not take a breath. I sighed as I prepared to try another logical appeal. Unfortunately, before I could launch into it, Iann interrupted me.

"I think we should go Carlisle," his insistent in a tone that held more than a hint of irritation. "Obviously, Ayala isn't ready for this step yet . . . you shouldn't push her."

Iann was being protective of his future mate, I understood this and I was sympathetic to it. At the same time, I couldn't allow my authority to be called into question; my sister was ready for this challenge and I, as the leader of our family, made the decision to peruse this.

"She'll do just fine, Iann." I dismissed him before turning my attention to Little Deer. "Trust me child," I soothed warmly as I tipped her chin up so that I could look into her wide golden eyes, "Take a breath. If anything goes amiss, Iann and I will keep you and the humans in the farmstead from harm."

Little Deer continued to stare at me with fear written in her features. From the corner of my eye, I noticed that Iann had begun to pace nervously. He was muttering angrily to himself and I thought it best for my opinion of him not to try and decipher what he was saying. Instead of worrying about my brother's growing rage, I focused all my attention on my sister's insecurity.

"My dearest, never once have I asked anything of you that was beyond your ability to achieve." I cupped her face gently in the palm of my right hand and smiled affectionately at her as I spoke. "If I did not truly believe you were ready for this step, we would not be here. I know your fear; the tragic death of the slave weighs heavy upon you, but you must put that horror behind you. Learn from your mistakes, my child, but do not let them paralyze you." I sighed as I allowed the pad of my thumb to caress her stony cheek, "Your future is eternity itself, Little Deer . . . it is a wide open path spread before you. Now is the hour in which you must choose to set your foot upon that path and move into your future . . . and that first harrowing steps of your journey involve building your control." I said a silent prayer and then added, "Breathe . . . accept your future, embrace your journey . . . breathe."

It was the most impassioned plea I could muster; only the glistening dew drops of the tears that I felt but could never shed would have made my words more compelling. Silence filled the clearing as I held my own breath waiting for Ayala to make her choice. The wind stirred lightly in the trees, night bugs chirped there ageless songs, and the glowing silver orb that hung in the inky heavens continued to creep towards its morning repose . . . and still we waited.

Finally I broke the silence with an exhausted sigh; I had failed. The trauma of murdering an innocent left its everlasting mark on my sister's soul.

Very well; the words formed in my mind, but they never made the journey past my lips. There was a great ruckus in the trees and then suddenly the most magnificent snow white buck burst from the undergrowth. White Stag, in all his otherworldly glory, had come to pay a visit.

My sister let out a sound that seemed to embody both agony and ecstasy. She bolted from my hold, dashed towards White Stag, and then dropped to her knees before her celestial guardian. Iann's low growl drew my attention and I looked in his direction just in time to see him tense; if I didn't act to stop him, my brother would lunge for White Stag's throat. In less than the blinking of an eye, I had Iann wrapped in my iron embrace.

"Ayala is in danger, let me go," Iann growled loudly as he thrashed against my hold, "have you gone mad?"

"Be quiet and listen," I replied sternly; Iann went still in my arms. "The creature before you means Little Deer no harm . . . he is White Stag; her guardian spirit."

"Her what?" he muttered.

I sighed as I considered how best to explain thing. Given their growing relationship, it would be of the upmost importance for Iann to understand Little Deer's unusual connection to her guardian.

"I assume you have a solid foundation in the Holy Scripture?" When he nodded, I continued, "Remember the accounts from the Old Testament where Angels visited mortal men to reveal the will and the word of God?" Again Iann nodded. "White Stag can be likened unto those celestial beings; he visits Little Deer in times of need to offer guidance and impart wisdom."

"Then why does she weep?" Iann inquired gruffly.

Little Deer knelt before her guardian, her body was doubled over and her forehead touched the ground. True to Iann's observation, her entire body quaked with the force of her tearless sobs.

"The shear physicality of the divine presence is a very emotional thing," I whispered as I slowly loosened my grip. I remembered all too well my own encounter with the power of White Stag. While most of the details of the vision he shared with me continued to elude my mental grasp, I would never forget the feeling of unbridled cosmic power surging through every fiber of my body.

Before I could continue my scholarly dissertation on divine power made manifest, White Stag lifted his head towards the starry sky and let out a long bellowing trumpet. Searing pain accosted my sensitive predatory ears. I instantly released Iann and dropped to the ground clutching the sides of my head in agony.

When the sound died away and the ringing in my ears ceased, I sat up and surveyed the clearing. Little Deer was still on her knees sobbing and Iann lay coiled in a fetal ball less than an arm's length away from me. Since he was closer and he seemed to be in more distress that my sister, I went to Iann first.

"Come on now," I encouraged as I hauled him up to his knees. "It's over and done with; time to pull yourself together." He was trembling and when he looked up to meet my gaze I saw a mix of wonder and fear in his eyes. I instantly knew by his expression that his encounter with White Stag left a lasting impression on him; I didn't press him as I knew he would tell me about it in his own time.

"Little Deer needs us," I insisted gently.

Those four simple words were enough to snap him from his dumbfounded state and we rushed to Little Deer's side. She was still huddled on her knees with her forehead against the ground; her long mahogany tresses formed a silken cloak about her trembling shoulders and a shroud that covered her face from view.

"Ayala," Iann whispered as his hand came to rest in the space between Little Deer's shoulder blades. "Are you alright m'darlin?" The more emotionally overwrought Iann became, the thicker his Irish accent got.

For several long moments Little Deer didn't move and I was now quite concerned. Finally, she slowly lifted her head and gazed at the place where her guardian had once stood.

"I thought White Stag had abandoned me," she muttered absently, "He did not come to me after Thunderman made me a Sky Being . . . I thought I had angered him . . . I thought . . ."

Before she could say more, Iann snatched her into his embrace. "Hush your silly yammering, girl; you've done nothing to anger anyone." He planted a tender kiss in her hair before adding in an irritated grunt, "By Saint Patrick's staff, I swear; if that great beasty comes back and makes you cry again, I'll . . ."

"Iann, that's quite enough," I interrupted him and when he looked my way I shook my head disapprovingly. My brother fell into a reluctant silence and I turned my attention now to my sister. "What did White Stag show you?" I asked as I took her hand lovingly in mine.

She looked at me then, and her sobbing began anew.

"God in heaven, child," I whispered as I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, "It can't be as bad as all that . . . won't you tell us about it?"

"He said," she stammered when she was calm enough to speak, "he said . . . the paths of our journeys must soon part . . ." she began sobbing again and my dead heart ached for her grief. "He showed me a vision, Iann and I were together in a cozy little lodge, but my brother was not there . . ." she broke off and let out a mournful wail that sent ghost chills up my spine. The power of her turbulent emotions slammed into me and it was all I could do to maintain control.

"Let's get her home," I insisted. It took nothing more from me than that; Iann scooped Little Deer into his massive arms and we set off towards the sanctuary of our little farm house.

0o0o0o0o

She sat by the fireplace in the parlor staring blankly into the crackling flames. Not a word had passed from her lips since Iann deposited her there in the small hours of the morning. The sun was well up now, and my concern was growing. The trauma of whatever news Ayala had received from her guardian had her in a near catatonic state.

The words of her brief revelation in the clearing had been the focus of my troubled thoughts: The paths of our journeys must soon part. I could not conceive any good or logical reason that Little Deer would no longer be a fixture in my life . . . none, save one; my destruction. If White Stag revealed my demise to her, there was little to wonder about with regards to her current level of distress.

"How long do you suppose she be like this?" Iann asked in a low whisper as he came into the parlor.

I shook my head as I set aside the book I was reading, "I have no idea . . . she's never been like this before." I glanced nervously at Little Deer before getting up from my seat; entranced as she was, she wouldn't miss me if I stepped out for a few moments. "Would you join me on the front porch?" I asked as I started for the door. Wordlessly he followed me.

As I stepped across the threshold I inhaled deeply, allowing the morning air to sooth my nerves. This wasn't a conversation that I really wanted to have, but I had no way of knowing how much time was yet allotted to me. I would rest easier if I was assured of the fact that my sister would be cared for.

"The message Little Deer received from her guardian has me very troubled." I confessed as I stared across the open field beyond the barn. I feared that if I looked Iann in the eyes as I spoke, I would lose my concentration.

"Would you really up and leave us?" he asked quietly. I could feel his piercing gaze at the back of my neck. "Ayala isn't the only one who would be upset by that, you have a place in my heart as well and I would miss you too."

"Thank you for that Iann, it is comforting to know," I admitted with a sigh. "I can think of only one reason that would explain Little Deer's revelation . . . my destruction." An uncomfortable silence settled between us.

"No wonder she's so overwrought," he growled, "If I ever get my hands on that beasty, I'll . . ."

"Iann, White Stag is an immortal being . . . did you not notice that he lacked both a scent and a heartbeat," I corrected him gently. "I suspect there is precious little you could do to harm him."

"We are immortal and we can be harmed," he reminded me with a sneer. "He upset my Ayala and made her cry . . . I don't take kindly to that."

"Indeed," I dismissed before attempting to return our conversation to the topic at hand. "In any event, if my destruction is eminent, then there are a few things that must be settled. Firstly, I am not a man who lacks wealth . . . while I do not brag about such matters; I do own a number of properties and have a modest fortune to my name. Later today I will pen the appropriate documents and send them off to my solicitor naming you and Little Deer as my sole heirs, thus insuring the two of you a legacy.

"Secondly, I have a personal favor to ask of you." I turned to face him then before continuing, "I would be eternal grateful if you would look after my sister. She has a naive nature and an innocent heart. God granted me the honor of being her keeper . . . the shepherd to look out for her and care for her . . . in my absence, would you be willing to take up that mantel, Iann?"

I watched my brother's gaze drop to the floor boards and he began to fidget. My stony heart sank to my shoes; I was afraid of this . . . he was about to say no.

"Carlisle," he began hesitantly as he scuffed the toe of his boot against the head of a protruding nail, "There something I've been meaning to talk to you about . . . well, for a while now. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm smitten with Ayala and I think she's the one . . . and . . . well, you're her brother and . . . I, uhm . . . I'd like your permission to formally court her." Only when he finished speaking did he look up to meet my gaze.

My expression remained blank for a moment and then ever so slowly, like the sun rising over the horizon, the corners of my mouth turned up into a warm smile. "I was wondering when we would get around to having this conversation. If the attraction between you and Little Deer were any more obvious, blind beggars all the way back in Boston could see it."

Iann chuckled and I watched as the pent-up tension drained from his body. "Then you approve?"

"Whole heartedly," I insisted warmly as I gave his shoulder a hearty pat. "You have my approval and my blessing."

"Thank you," he replied in a relieved sigh. "And even if our courtship doesn't bear fruit . . . I give you my word; I will look after Ayala until either she, or I, meets our ending."