Aphrael smiled down at Talen from her window.
Sitting upon his mighty horse, he was galloping back into the palace grounds, and his cloak
wiped out behind him like shadows riding at his broad shoulders.
Although her smile was there, her dark eyes watered, and she closed her eyes, and a single
tear slid out and rolled down her marble white cheek. Her hair was in one braid, and a black
cloak hid her dark brown dress. With one hand she drew the hood up, and glanced at her bed.
Laying upon the bed was Danae.
She was paler then normal, and her bow-like lips were pursed, and had no blood in them.
Sephrenia stood looking at Aphrael, her eyes wide. "Must you leave?" She whispered.
"I have to go and see what Sync is doing. If I don't, he'll come here. I can't allow that, you
know that, Sephrenia." Aphrael took a deep breath.
"What about Danae?" Sephrenia, "You'll just leave her sick in bed?"
"Yes. I've done it before, don't worry. Ehlana will take the throne-- just for a few weeks. I
need all my attention on Sync. He IS a God, just like me." Again, she sighed. Then, she said,
"Sephrenia, I really like Talen, can you see to it that he falls in love with someone good, or
someone who will care for him, and wont lie to him like me." She corrected herself.
Frowning, the Styric woman sat down on the bed softly, and gently stroked Danae's forehead
full of perspiration. "Vanion will be back from the Holy City soon. When he is here, I will come
after you."
Aphrael tore her eyes away from hers. "Right." She softly murmured.
"What is it, Aphrael?" Sephrenia asked suddenly.
But the Goddess's eyes were on the dismounting Talen, and shrugged. "I'm doing something
that will leave me nothing. I am going to meet the other Younger Gods, and we'll see from
there. We have to stop Sync, and there will be sacrifices. I'm not even sure that I will be
coming back Sephrenia." Turning to the sorceress, Aphrael said, "That's why I want Talen to
love someone that'll treat him right. You will do that, wont you, sister?"
"O-of course Aphrael."
Nodding, the Child-Goddess looked up at the sky, and said, "I better get going now. Good-
bye."
Not giving the sorceress anytime to say it back, Aphrael vanished.
***************************************************************************
Sephrenia gazed past Sparhawk, and saw Talen.
He stood pale and looked like a frightened child as he looked down at his beloved Danae.
Ehlana was crying at Sparhawk's shoulder, but neither Sparhawk, nor Sephrenia cried, or
showed any emotion to the Queen, laying like a corpse on the bed. Walking past Sparhawk
and his wife, the Styric woman went to Talen, and gazed into his vacant eyes. "Go to the
chapterhouse, Talen. Stay with your brother, okay? Now hurry, there's nothing anyone can do
here. We need doctors, and they're on their way."
Without a word, Talen turned on his heels, and calmly walked out of the room. A few moments
later, Sephrenia followed, to leave the crying Ehlana and Sparhawk alone.
When she stepped out, she saw Berit looking after Talen who was way down the hall; his long
legs carrying him away fast. Turning his brown eyes to Sephrenia, Berit asked, "How's
Danae?"
"Not well," She replied, "but don't let the word spread yet, Ehlana will do that."
Gravely, Berit nodded.
Thoughtfully, Sephrenia looked after Talen, then sighed silently, then turned, and went the
opposite way of Talen, lost in her thoughts. She went to the chapterhouse later that day and
talked to Khalad.
Then she went to the knights' practice fields, and there she saw Talen, fighting fiercely with
another trained knight. There was no expression on his face, but his blows were hard and fast
to release the hidden fear for his Queen, and the anger of not knowing what was wrong with
her.
***************************************************************************
Soft music of nature surrounded the Child-Goddess as she walked calmly in her realm,
wearing a strapless flowing gown that left her arms bare. Her dark hair hung open and
cascaded down her shoulder-blades like ribbons of shining silk, and little white flowers clung to
her hair strands, with the same flowers twisted into a ring which sat upon her head. Her
womanly body made her realm--home--sings in awe. As a child, she was beautiful, but now,
as a growing woman at the age of seventeen, she was gorgeous.
As her bare feet hit the soft grass under her feet, and her long gown dragged, there sprouted
flowers of all colors, leaving a trail of where she went.
As she walked in her immortal world, her large eyes never left the other Gods that looked at
her in surprise and awe. "A woman?" They murmured in surprise, "She's no longer a child....
and she's beautiful as well, even after living in the mortal world!"
They greeted her, then, the oldest of the Younger Gods, Lauranath, stepped out of the group
of immortals, and approached the Goddess, the youngest of them all. "Aphrael," She
murmured her greeting, and smiled, "you've grown."
Aphrael nodded, smiling.
The Younger Gods behind Lauranath sighed at their youngest comrade, but Lauranath's pale
gray eyes hardened, "You left us," She said quietly, "for MORTALS?"
Aphrael straightened her back, her own eyes hardening.
"You've disgraced us, Aphrael."
"I'm not the only one who's done a thing like this, Lauranath." Aphrael replied, "As I recall,
you did it."
Lauranath's eyes blazed.
She was like an Elder God now, and wanted power for herself.
"It's true." Came a musical voice from behind their eldest.
Aphrael's eyes flashed over Lauranath's shoulder, and saw Alasarthial, a fellow Goddess.
"We've all tried it, Lauranath." Alasarthial, like her name, was surely the Beauty of Life. Her
natural tanned skin (from a mortal woman who had given birth to her, and had passed her
skin color to the Goddess) shined under the eternal sun of the immortals, and her long black
hair swayed at her hips like a black river that glittered like diamonds when the sun hit it, and
her sapphire eyes looked into Aphrael's warmly, and her rose-bud-like lips curved into a slight
smile. "Forgive Aphrael, we all have already." Alasarthial spread her arms to indicate every
other God.
"She left us for thirty mortal year's, Alasarthial, not to mention she's been born twice in that
time."
Lauranath tossed her dark brown hair away from her face, and her eyebrow rose,
"Remember?"
Alasarthial shook her head, "Who cares?"
"I DO!" Lauranath spun to meet Alasarthial's eyes, "She missed El'Thinor! The day we ALL
came to live!
If she were still a Goddess at heart, she would've come, but what was she doing that day? She
was combing her mortal mother's hair!"
Alasarthial couldn't say anything after that.
"If she wants my forgiveness, she will not return to the mortal world after Sync is settled by
our power." Then, at her words, everyone turned to the Child-Goddess, "Well?" Lauranath
said, "What'll it be? Will you go back to the mortal world? Or will you be forever alone after
your mortal friends are dead, and be forever forsaken by us?"
Aphrael's heart thumped in her chest, and her mind drifted to Talen, as she answered softly.
***************************************************************************
Danae looked into Talen's eyes, tears in her eyes as she embraced him tightly
"Are you okay?" He asked, "I was so afraid for you. Please don't do that to me again." He
kissed her on the neck and buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes tightly, and took in
her scent.
Her shoulders shook as she wept into his arms, "Oh Talen," she murmured, "I love you. I've
never loved anyone like I have loved you. No one has kissed me until you have, and I will
keep it that way, I promise you.... I promise."
Talen pulled away from his beloved and looked in her eyes, "No Danae," He whispered, "you're
not leaving me are you?"
She just looked into his eyes in sorrow.
The pain and loss in his chest burned him, but he wiped her tears away, and softly kissed her
lips and closed his eyes. Danae's wept silently as she softly returned the kiss. The wind blew in
sorrow in her realm, where they both stood, and the earth trembled at her pain.
"Will you stay with me for a while Talen?" She asked him against his lips.
He embraced her tightly and sank his head down to the curve of her neck and shoulder, and
replied, "Yes, anything for you Aphrael."
He knew it now.
Aphrael was Danae, it made so much sense.
Somehow, he had expected it for as long as he could remember.
She pulled away from him, and he saw that the earth had shaped a bed of soft flowers and
grass, and that was were Aphrael sat, and reached out to him. As he took her hand, she pulled
him down to her, and when he sat next to her, she kissed him and in his mind he told her, "In
the on coming lonely hours, remember me, and I will remember you forever. When my time
has come, I will come to you, so this isn't our last meeting, I will see you again." As she heard
his silent comfort, she cried, and to that, he said to her, "Years devour you, Beloved One;
don't cry." He smiled when she opened her eyes and softly lay her down, caught in her
embrace, "I love you Aphrael, and no one will stop me of that.
You are the only one I will love and keep in my heart."
Lovingly, she ran her fingers through his wavy hair and smiled. "You are the only man to have
kissed me, and you will be the only one." This time, his eyes watered, and he lay his head on
her breasts, listening to her heart beat.
"Talen," She whispered, and when he looked up at her, she kissed him deeply and said, "This
is the last time we'll ever meet, for a while, and....and I want to remember this day in your
arms forever."
His heart clenched as he remembered that he will die one day, but she will live on forever, in
immortal sorrow, and forever alone. Taking her in his embrace, he kissed her and realized
somehow her cloths were gone, and her ripe seventeen year old body lay under his, and he
softly took her, breaking through her, and realizing that he surely was the first man to take
her, and was going to be the only one. He swallowed her moans and later, he cried in her
arms, took her again and again, then lay there, wishing he didn't have to leave her realm and
could stay with her forever.
***************************************************************************
Sephrenia stayed at the chapterhouse late night, talking to Khalad, then left, sitting upon her
white mare, and returned to the palace.
When she entered Danae's room, Ehlana fell into her arms, and wept.
Sparhawk then explained, "The doctor's are saying they have no idea what is wrong with her,
but Danae's condition is critical, they say. She.... she's dying, Sephrenia."
Suddenly worried, and surprised, Sephrenia searched his eyes, but saw the same worry and
fear there.
"Take her to bed, Sparhawk." Sephrenia said, handing Ehlana to her husband.
He merely nodded, and led Ehlana out of the room quietly.
The doctor's had left, and as she gazed down at Danae, she murmured, "Good- bye Aphrael."
She didn't know it, but in the chapterhouse, as Talen opened his eyes from sleep, he
whispered the same, his heart burning in sorrow.
Sitting upon his mighty horse, he was galloping back into the palace grounds, and his cloak
wiped out behind him like shadows riding at his broad shoulders.
Although her smile was there, her dark eyes watered, and she closed her eyes, and a single
tear slid out and rolled down her marble white cheek. Her hair was in one braid, and a black
cloak hid her dark brown dress. With one hand she drew the hood up, and glanced at her bed.
Laying upon the bed was Danae.
She was paler then normal, and her bow-like lips were pursed, and had no blood in them.
Sephrenia stood looking at Aphrael, her eyes wide. "Must you leave?" She whispered.
"I have to go and see what Sync is doing. If I don't, he'll come here. I can't allow that, you
know that, Sephrenia." Aphrael took a deep breath.
"What about Danae?" Sephrenia, "You'll just leave her sick in bed?"
"Yes. I've done it before, don't worry. Ehlana will take the throne-- just for a few weeks. I
need all my attention on Sync. He IS a God, just like me." Again, she sighed. Then, she said,
"Sephrenia, I really like Talen, can you see to it that he falls in love with someone good, or
someone who will care for him, and wont lie to him like me." She corrected herself.
Frowning, the Styric woman sat down on the bed softly, and gently stroked Danae's forehead
full of perspiration. "Vanion will be back from the Holy City soon. When he is here, I will come
after you."
Aphrael tore her eyes away from hers. "Right." She softly murmured.
"What is it, Aphrael?" Sephrenia asked suddenly.
But the Goddess's eyes were on the dismounting Talen, and shrugged. "I'm doing something
that will leave me nothing. I am going to meet the other Younger Gods, and we'll see from
there. We have to stop Sync, and there will be sacrifices. I'm not even sure that I will be
coming back Sephrenia." Turning to the sorceress, Aphrael said, "That's why I want Talen to
love someone that'll treat him right. You will do that, wont you, sister?"
"O-of course Aphrael."
Nodding, the Child-Goddess looked up at the sky, and said, "I better get going now. Good-
bye."
Not giving the sorceress anytime to say it back, Aphrael vanished.
***************************************************************************
Sephrenia gazed past Sparhawk, and saw Talen.
He stood pale and looked like a frightened child as he looked down at his beloved Danae.
Ehlana was crying at Sparhawk's shoulder, but neither Sparhawk, nor Sephrenia cried, or
showed any emotion to the Queen, laying like a corpse on the bed. Walking past Sparhawk
and his wife, the Styric woman went to Talen, and gazed into his vacant eyes. "Go to the
chapterhouse, Talen. Stay with your brother, okay? Now hurry, there's nothing anyone can do
here. We need doctors, and they're on their way."
Without a word, Talen turned on his heels, and calmly walked out of the room. A few moments
later, Sephrenia followed, to leave the crying Ehlana and Sparhawk alone.
When she stepped out, she saw Berit looking after Talen who was way down the hall; his long
legs carrying him away fast. Turning his brown eyes to Sephrenia, Berit asked, "How's
Danae?"
"Not well," She replied, "but don't let the word spread yet, Ehlana will do that."
Gravely, Berit nodded.
Thoughtfully, Sephrenia looked after Talen, then sighed silently, then turned, and went the
opposite way of Talen, lost in her thoughts. She went to the chapterhouse later that day and
talked to Khalad.
Then she went to the knights' practice fields, and there she saw Talen, fighting fiercely with
another trained knight. There was no expression on his face, but his blows were hard and fast
to release the hidden fear for his Queen, and the anger of not knowing what was wrong with
her.
***************************************************************************
Soft music of nature surrounded the Child-Goddess as she walked calmly in her realm,
wearing a strapless flowing gown that left her arms bare. Her dark hair hung open and
cascaded down her shoulder-blades like ribbons of shining silk, and little white flowers clung to
her hair strands, with the same flowers twisted into a ring which sat upon her head. Her
womanly body made her realm--home--sings in awe. As a child, she was beautiful, but now,
as a growing woman at the age of seventeen, she was gorgeous.
As her bare feet hit the soft grass under her feet, and her long gown dragged, there sprouted
flowers of all colors, leaving a trail of where she went.
As she walked in her immortal world, her large eyes never left the other Gods that looked at
her in surprise and awe. "A woman?" They murmured in surprise, "She's no longer a child....
and she's beautiful as well, even after living in the mortal world!"
They greeted her, then, the oldest of the Younger Gods, Lauranath, stepped out of the group
of immortals, and approached the Goddess, the youngest of them all. "Aphrael," She
murmured her greeting, and smiled, "you've grown."
Aphrael nodded, smiling.
The Younger Gods behind Lauranath sighed at their youngest comrade, but Lauranath's pale
gray eyes hardened, "You left us," She said quietly, "for MORTALS?"
Aphrael straightened her back, her own eyes hardening.
"You've disgraced us, Aphrael."
"I'm not the only one who's done a thing like this, Lauranath." Aphrael replied, "As I recall,
you did it."
Lauranath's eyes blazed.
She was like an Elder God now, and wanted power for herself.
"It's true." Came a musical voice from behind their eldest.
Aphrael's eyes flashed over Lauranath's shoulder, and saw Alasarthial, a fellow Goddess.
"We've all tried it, Lauranath." Alasarthial, like her name, was surely the Beauty of Life. Her
natural tanned skin (from a mortal woman who had given birth to her, and had passed her
skin color to the Goddess) shined under the eternal sun of the immortals, and her long black
hair swayed at her hips like a black river that glittered like diamonds when the sun hit it, and
her sapphire eyes looked into Aphrael's warmly, and her rose-bud-like lips curved into a slight
smile. "Forgive Aphrael, we all have already." Alasarthial spread her arms to indicate every
other God.
"She left us for thirty mortal year's, Alasarthial, not to mention she's been born twice in that
time."
Lauranath tossed her dark brown hair away from her face, and her eyebrow rose,
"Remember?"
Alasarthial shook her head, "Who cares?"
"I DO!" Lauranath spun to meet Alasarthial's eyes, "She missed El'Thinor! The day we ALL
came to live!
If she were still a Goddess at heart, she would've come, but what was she doing that day? She
was combing her mortal mother's hair!"
Alasarthial couldn't say anything after that.
"If she wants my forgiveness, she will not return to the mortal world after Sync is settled by
our power." Then, at her words, everyone turned to the Child-Goddess, "Well?" Lauranath
said, "What'll it be? Will you go back to the mortal world? Or will you be forever alone after
your mortal friends are dead, and be forever forsaken by us?"
Aphrael's heart thumped in her chest, and her mind drifted to Talen, as she answered softly.
***************************************************************************
Danae looked into Talen's eyes, tears in her eyes as she embraced him tightly
"Are you okay?" He asked, "I was so afraid for you. Please don't do that to me again." He
kissed her on the neck and buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes tightly, and took in
her scent.
Her shoulders shook as she wept into his arms, "Oh Talen," she murmured, "I love you. I've
never loved anyone like I have loved you. No one has kissed me until you have, and I will
keep it that way, I promise you.... I promise."
Talen pulled away from his beloved and looked in her eyes, "No Danae," He whispered, "you're
not leaving me are you?"
She just looked into his eyes in sorrow.
The pain and loss in his chest burned him, but he wiped her tears away, and softly kissed her
lips and closed his eyes. Danae's wept silently as she softly returned the kiss. The wind blew in
sorrow in her realm, where they both stood, and the earth trembled at her pain.
"Will you stay with me for a while Talen?" She asked him against his lips.
He embraced her tightly and sank his head down to the curve of her neck and shoulder, and
replied, "Yes, anything for you Aphrael."
He knew it now.
Aphrael was Danae, it made so much sense.
Somehow, he had expected it for as long as he could remember.
She pulled away from him, and he saw that the earth had shaped a bed of soft flowers and
grass, and that was were Aphrael sat, and reached out to him. As he took her hand, she pulled
him down to her, and when he sat next to her, she kissed him and in his mind he told her, "In
the on coming lonely hours, remember me, and I will remember you forever. When my time
has come, I will come to you, so this isn't our last meeting, I will see you again." As she heard
his silent comfort, she cried, and to that, he said to her, "Years devour you, Beloved One;
don't cry." He smiled when she opened her eyes and softly lay her down, caught in her
embrace, "I love you Aphrael, and no one will stop me of that.
You are the only one I will love and keep in my heart."
Lovingly, she ran her fingers through his wavy hair and smiled. "You are the only man to have
kissed me, and you will be the only one." This time, his eyes watered, and he lay his head on
her breasts, listening to her heart beat.
"Talen," She whispered, and when he looked up at her, she kissed him deeply and said, "This
is the last time we'll ever meet, for a while, and....and I want to remember this day in your
arms forever."
His heart clenched as he remembered that he will die one day, but she will live on forever, in
immortal sorrow, and forever alone. Taking her in his embrace, he kissed her and realized
somehow her cloths were gone, and her ripe seventeen year old body lay under his, and he
softly took her, breaking through her, and realizing that he surely was the first man to take
her, and was going to be the only one. He swallowed her moans and later, he cried in her
arms, took her again and again, then lay there, wishing he didn't have to leave her realm and
could stay with her forever.
***************************************************************************
Sephrenia stayed at the chapterhouse late night, talking to Khalad, then left, sitting upon her
white mare, and returned to the palace.
When she entered Danae's room, Ehlana fell into her arms, and wept.
Sparhawk then explained, "The doctor's are saying they have no idea what is wrong with her,
but Danae's condition is critical, they say. She.... she's dying, Sephrenia."
Suddenly worried, and surprised, Sephrenia searched his eyes, but saw the same worry and
fear there.
"Take her to bed, Sparhawk." Sephrenia said, handing Ehlana to her husband.
He merely nodded, and led Ehlana out of the room quietly.
The doctor's had left, and as she gazed down at Danae, she murmured, "Good- bye Aphrael."
She didn't know it, but in the chapterhouse, as Talen opened his eyes from sleep, he
whispered the same, his heart burning in sorrow.