CHAPTER 40

Sherri pulled up Quin as the walls of the Fortress of Sorrows appeared through the trees.  She hadn't returned here in the years since she was Chosen.  She knew it was cowardly on her part, but she hadn't been able to bear facing the keep and its ghosts.  Especially her mother.

"Sherri?"

"Hmm?"  Sherri jolted her attention away from the keep.  "Sorry, I was thinking."

"Are you alright?"

"Just fine, trust me."  Sherri assured him.  "I wonder if Uncle Favram is watching for us."

"Knowing your uncle, probably."  Kevyn let her take the lead.  "Along with everyone else in your keep."

Sherri smiled slightly.  For years she kept getting letters from her loyal retainers, questioning every change Favram instigated.  Housekeeper was the most vocal with 'Lady Sherri always…' and 'Lady Sherri never…' and had driven her uncle nuts.  Favram had been tempted to displace her but the fact was she was too good to let go.  Cook was the happiest at the change since she now was in control of the menus with no outside interference.  Favram would just eat whatever was on the table so he never made any last minute requests.

"Sherri!"  Favram shouted as he kicked his horse into a gallop towards her.  He still looked like a soldier, wearing homespun clothing that was better suited to a farmer, his golden hair cut short.  Even his frame had lost none of the over muscled quality it had five years earlier.

:Strong like bull, cunning like fox.:  Quin joked.  :And the most redeemable of all your uncles.:

Sherri chuckled.  :You only say that because Buren tried to convince you to un-Choose me.:

:After five years you would think he would get the hint.:  Quin grumbled.  :They had their chance to boss you around and play grand protector, now your mine.:

Sherri flashed a brilliant smile and waved to her uncle.  :Kevyn might have something to say about that.:

:Very well, you are ours.:  Quin compromised.  :Your 'scoundrel' should hurry up and propose though.:

:Why?:  Sherri asked.

:Because he is going to lose that ring again if he doesn't.:  Quin pointed out.

Sherri chuckled and glanced back at Kevyn.  He was completely unaware she knew about the ring.  After he had lost it the first time she had been the one to find it and grilled Nick as to its origins.  Nick was never at his best just before dawn and she knew all before breakfast.  :Perhaps I should ask him.:

:Go for it, just remember we males have fragile egos.:

Favram didn't wait for his horse to stop to dismount.  "Sherri, we weren't expecting you until tomorrow."

Sherri swung to the ground and gave her uncle a warm hug.  "We made good time.  You are looking well."

"I should look like a barrel with all the food Cook produces."  Favram let her go to greet Kevyn.  "I should have known you would follow her up here."

Kevyn laughed off the teasing and grasped Favram's hand tightly.  "What can I say?  I couldn't let her out of my sight."

Sherri blushed at the comment.  "Did cook prepare a feast?"

"Of course.  She had one yesterday, one planned for today, and more for the next several days.  Just in case you were early or late.  If she could have she would have bankrupted me to pull off these feasts."

"What stopped her?"

"I promised her a new stove if she didn't use the entire monthly budget in a week."  Favram admitted.  "How is Daya?"

"She and Gen are quite content."  Sherri assured him.  "Daya is considering turning over the apothecary to Gen to turn into her shop.  But knowing her it will be years before that will happen."

Favram nodded.  "Potions that taste good are a booming business.  I am glad you finally got around to coming up for a visit."

The closer they got to the keep, the worse Sherri's headache became.  Even the light started to hurt her eyes.  She could feel her mother's presence even from this distance and her gift still blocked.

:Love?:  Kevyn asked, when she rubbed her temple.

:I am going to plead exhaustion as soon as we reach the keep.:  Sherri warned.  :I don't know how long it will be before it spills over again.:

:We can go back to the village.:  Nick pointed out.

:I'll be fine, I just don't want to discover more than I ever wanted to know about my uncle's love life.:  Sherri assured them wryly.

:Are you going to do something about your mother?:  Quin asked so that only she could hear.

:What can I do?:

~ * ~

Sherri's old room was exactly how she remembered it, except for the fragments of all the people who had passed through the room.  Before she even unpacked she used magic to cleanse the room of all traces.  Something she hadn't had to do in years.

Favram hauled Kevyn off, probably for the latest news from the capital, leaving Sherri sometime to herself.

:That is a nice room.:  Quin commented after seeing it through her eyes.

:It is comfortable and it had a view of the forest, that was the most important features of it when I was younger.:  Sherri admitted.

:Send down for some tea for that headache.:  Quin suggested.

Sherri stretched out on her bed and rubbed her temples, trying to relieve the pressure that seemed to be building there.  :It won't help.  I can only wait.:

Quin sent her a wave of love, drawing a smile to her lips.  :I will let you rest.  Come out for a ride if you need to.:

Sherri felt him withdraw from her mind, a sign he was actually in conference with other Companions, probably Nick.

Deciding it was better to force the spill over while she would have time to recover she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and opened her door.  Despite the intervening years she found her way through the shadowed halls to the Family Wing.  Her head was pounding in time with her heart, which was racing.

She only hesitated for a moment at the door she had last seen in the moments before her madness.

She gripped the handle and pushed the door open forcefully.  Emptiness greeted her.  The furniture and disorder remained as it had that night and she could see the furrows in the wood of the door where she had clawed madly to escape.

She barely had time to lean against the wall before she was hit with the disorientation and her Gift flared.

Even through her clothes she could feel centuries of history pounding at her from the wall, the mad scratching of a pen filled her ears, the air felt to heavy to breathe, and she suddenly felt completely drained.

Slowly she straightened and opened her eyes.  Her mother, clear as day, sat at her desk writing, biting her bottom lip, her golden hair tied back with a simple ribbon.

Sherri eyed her coldly.  She could feel the drain on her Power as her mother pulled on the strength of her own daughter.

"You bitch!"  Sheri hissed, putting Power behind her words.

The woman at the desk still for the first time in Sherri's experience.

"You selfish, heartless bitch!"  Sherri continued.  "You don't give a damn for how you affect others, do you?  You don't care if your brothers are left scarred by your cowardice.  Hells, you even continue to plague us."

Slowly the woman turned, her face pale and her hands are trembling.  "Who are you?"

"Who do you think I am?"  Sherri shouted.  "I am your daughter.  The one you left behind because you were to ashamed that you had all the morals of a hound in heat."

"But I…"  Her mother stood and started to back away.  "That is impossible, my daughter is a babe.  She is lying right there."  Her hand shook as she gestured to the bassinet.

"Get over it.  You are dead, long dead."  Sherri said coldly.  She could feel Quin's Presence in her mind again and felt his concern but didn't stop.  All the rage of years of feeling abandoned welled up within her.  "You took a knife and plunged it into your heart leaving your brothers, barely more than boys, to struggle along with out you."

"That isn't what I intended."  Amelie started to cry.  "It is just too much!"

"Too much what?"  Sherri continued to advance, her anger was feeding her Gift, keeping it from receding again.  "Too much responsibility?"

"You don't understand!"

"No, I don't, and I don't want to understand how a woman could coldly kill herself next to a one month old baby who had done nothing more than be born."

Amelie was sobbing as she stared at Sherri.

"Sherri?"  Kevyn called as he ran down the hall.  "Nick said you were…"  His words trailed off at the sight of the pale woman made of mist that was pressed up against the wall, as far from Sherri as she could get.  The temperature of the room was well below freezing despite the warm weather and he could see his breath in the air.  Sherri's hands were in fists at her sides and he could see, with plain sight, the glow of power.  "Sherri?"

:I have never seen her so…angry.:  Quin confessed.  :She can't hear me.  Her anger is blocking me out:

:Maybe she needs to do this.:  Kevyn said as he watched.

Sherri was quivering like a bow pulled too taut.  "Why don't you just go?"

Her mother watched her, her eyes filled with sorrow.

Sherri spun and ran from the room.

:My poor baby.:  The misty form started to sob.  :Oh, Sherria, my poor little girl.:

Kevyn started to follow Sherri but stopped.  "You should leave."

:But…Sherri…:  For the first time the ghost turned her attention on him.

"Your presence hurts her."  Kevyn said calmly.  "You drove her mad once already and she has feared you since she was a little girl and started to see you in this room.  I don't know how ghosts move on or whatever, but you should leave before you do more damage."

:I hurt her?:  Amelie clutched her hands to her breast.  Slowly she vanished and the temperature returned to normal.

Kevyn hurried after Sherri, he knew she would head to the stable, and most likely to the Forest.

He found her waiting for him next to the Companions.  She was still shaking and she had the other worldly look in her eyes that told him that her Gift was still at least partially active.

"Would you join me?"  Sherri asked, almost plaintively.

"Of course."  Kevyn swung on to Nick's back and preceded out into the gathering darkness.