Title: Family Reunion

Author: Janeal

Date: 10th May 2005

Notes: From Claidi's POV


They've been married now, for almost as long as Argul and I have been. Now they have children! Their eldest is Yllar, after his father, but Dengwi calls him Skipper. (When I heard that, I laughed. Princess Jizania Tiger named one of the lions that years ago, before she died.)

Venn.

I haven't seen him since his wedding. That was nearly twenty years ago. And the time we spent together at the Rise was even before that. Every time I see him or think of him, I think—

I mustn't think of that anymore.

Argul has no idea that I fell for him. I suppose I should have told him, but the only thing that matters now is that Argul is my only love, and he always will be.

But I still think of that day that I left the Rise, when Venn told me to Break the rules! and gave me a kiss, then was off down the cliff. I thought it was forever, that I would never see him again, but . . . There we were, on our quest for Ustareth, and he we are now. Like old friends. (Which we are. I think.)

It seems that the Rise slowly broke down until the water was disgusting, the rooms froze in-place (which was a bad thing because most of them were inaccessible with where they stopped), the kitchens didn't work, the waterfall completely ceased to flow, and even Jotto got creaky. Venn and Dengwi thought it would be best if they didn't starve to death, although Venn wanted to stay at the rise.

(And I hear I was, twenty years later, still thinking he couldn't bear to leave the rise. Well, now you see I was wrong. Or maybe I was right. And he was wrong.)

They brought their two children: Yllar (Skipper) and—

Claidis.

Ugh, they named their child that horrible, awful name that the real Claidi (Winter Raven) gave to me, which caused Venn to call me that for the first days of our acquaintanceship? Lord, how many children are going to be named some form of Claidi?

Claidis is fourteen, just like my Tealin. (Skipper is nearly seventeen.) Dengwi explained: "I admired you so, Claidi, that I had to keep you close to me somehow, but Venn wanted to name her Claidis---"at this she stroked the poor child's head "—It seems he liked that better."

Venn smiled at me, and I gave him a weak smile back.

Claidis looks very much like her father, which means she looks somewhat like Argul. She has the nose to look down at people with, and she has the eyes. But her hair is her mother's—light brown. In fact, Claidis and Tealin look very much alike. Though they don't like each other at all.