Rahallow, Tortall
End of summer, 458 H.E.
Andera was just getting out of her bath when she was suddenly no longer alone in the room. With a startled shriek, she dropped back into the water. The Mother Goddess, as beautiful and powerful looking as Andera remembered, stood at the foot of the tub. She looked at Andera and smiled. She held out a hand that was holding a beautiful, lavender robe where none had been before. Hesitantly, Andera took the robe and climbed out of the bath, wrapping it quickly around her body. It was soft, smooth, and warm, like no material Andera had ever felt before. The Goddess gestured to the armchair in the corner of the room, and Andera sat.
"I wish you hadn't done that, you know?" The Goddess said, her voice still all beauty and terror. Andera resisted the urge to clamp her hands over her ears.
"Done what?"
"Entered the race. It could cause problems I hadn't foreseen," her expression changed from disapproving to thoughtful, "though the rumors might work to our advantage after all." The Goddess seemed to be talking more to herself than to Andera, so Andera said nothing. Kaji climbed up onto her lap to steady her while she waited. Finally the Goddess turned her attention back to Andera. "I have a job for you, Kitten." She said.
"Alright." Andera replied shakily.
"Humans, it seems, are even more unpredictable and undependable than I'd originally thought. First I have to chase you all over the kingdom and now this." Again the Goddess seemed to be talking to herself.
"I don't understand."
Regaining her composure, the Goddess fixed deep, green eyes on Andera. "Prince Roald of Conté is alive and important to my plans." She explained flatly. "However, he is straying from the path my brother and I have laid out for him. I need you, Kitten, to find him and stay with him. You must help him find his destiny."
A thousand questions burst into Andera's mind. Where was she to find him? How had he stayed alive all these years? How was she supposed to help him? But the Goddess didn't give her time to ask even a single one. "Kaji will guide you, Kitten, and you must go," was all the Goddess said before disappearing.
Feeling alone and unsure, Andera pulled the robe more tightly around her and hugged Kaji to her chest. As she sat there, the implications of the Goddess' order struck her. Iness was not going to agree with her on this. She could tell him the Goddess had ordered it, but something about that course of action seemed wrong. She would tell no one about the Goddess, at least for now, but she did need Iness to let her not return back with them. She doubted the prince was sitting conveniently around at Mindelan.
Still without a clear plan of action, Andera dressed and headed over to the tavern. Iness, Kel, and Daecon were already seated, and Andera joined them without speaking. Dinner was a silent affair. Andera noticed a slight tension between Kel and Iness, and Daecon was still absorbed in his own thoughts. She often caught him watching her from below lowered lashes. Andera herself was thinking about her most recent meeting with the Goddess. Kel and Daecon excused themselves as soon as they finished dessert, Kel offering Andera a weak congratulations as she stood.
"Iness," Andera started as soon as Kel and Daecon were gone, "I'm sorry but I want to stay—"
"No!" Iness interrupted, his hazel eyes dark with anger.
"But you don't understand." Andera said, letting the smallest bit of pleading enter her voice. She'd always been able to talk him around before. "There is just something I need to do. I'll be home as soon as I can. I promise. And I'll be good."
"No." If anything, Iness seemed to be getting angrier with her. Andera stared at him. "I won't permit it."
"Iness," Andera was really begging now. She'd never seen him this angry before. "I have to. I want to go home, really. And I'll be fine, trust me."
"Trust you!" Iness jumped to his feet, knocking his chair over and slamming his fist on the table, making Andera jump. "You give me no reason to trust you. I'll permit Kel to remain and learn to fight, but not you."
"Iness—"
"If you want to run again, Andera, then there's nothing I can do to stop you. But I won't carry any more lies back home to Pa, and I won't give you my blessing. If you go, you go alone."
Tears clouding her vision, Andera got up and ran from the tavern. She threw herself back onto her bed at Evin's house, glad Kel wasn't there, and cried into her pillow. Kaji curled up by her and licked her hand with her rough, warm tongue, making Andera feel only a little less alone.