Author's Note: Last chapter took me quite a while to write, I'm sorry to say. I got so busy and when I returned to it about 1,500 words in I couldn't figure out a way to continue, so I took a break and then came back. That's why I'm glad I got ahead of the curve. This way you still get to keep up on everything without my busy spells getting in the way.

Now we get to see the aftermath of Caelin's takeover. I'm sorry to say it's not going to be as nice as I'd like it to be. Nergal and the Black Fang are evil for a reason.

Chapter 49: The Plains I Love

Father,

It's been quite a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry I haven't written, but I know you never approved of my choices. I'm still not sure you've forgiven me, but lately I've really missed getting the chance to speak to you. Maybe this will simply end up in the Castle furnace, but at least I can say I've tried now.

To be honest, it was my husband who insisted I call out to you. He said that even though he happily married me and brought me to the plains, family is equally important. He hoped one day to meet you on equal footing. I suppose that's very much like him, though.

I've been living happily here. Life among the Lorca is more rewarding then you might think. We hunt, fish, and barter with passing merchants. The young ones are trained from a young age to help the tribe. Of course, only the best are the teachers, so I've had nothing to do with that. I'm mainly a sewer for the tribe, fixing our clothing when it gets ripped. It happens nearly daily, so you'd be surprised how busy one can become.

I suppose I shouldn't beat around the bush anymore. We do have a daughter. Her name is Lyndis. I chose grandmother's name, I hope that's alright. With the rest of the tribe she's simply Lyn, but for family she'll always be Lyndis. Soon she'll turn eighteen. She'll be of age. That means she might very well get married soon. When I realized that, I simply… I wanted to speak to again, dad.

If you're willing, we'd love to see you here on the plains. The closest town to us is Bulgar. If you come there and ask for the Lorca at the fruit merchant, he'll be able to point you towards our camp. I should warn you, if you wait over a year we'll have moved. That's our defense against bandits. We've been hearing worrying rumors about the Taliver lately, so we try to avoid staying in the same place for too long.

I hope to see you soon.

Love,

Madelyn

"Lord Hausen?" Eliwood shouted into the hallway. Now that the enemies had been cleared out, they could risk being a little noisier. Will thought Hausen was being held somewhere, but searching the entire castle wasn't in their best interest. It was bringing rather nasty flashbacks to what occurred with Lord Helman to his mind.

"Eliwood." Hector growled. "Here… on the throne… it's blood."

"Blood!" Will shouted. "It's not that knight you took down?"

"No." Eliwood muttered. "He came down to fight us. His blood shouldn't be on the throne. That can only mean…"

"He might only be injured." They heard the soft voice of Lyndis behind them. She winced as she held her ringing head. "We must find him first."

"I can help you with that." The red haired woman said, dropping down from her hiding spot in front of the four.

"Leila!" Hector said in surprise.

"It's been quite a while, Lord Hector." Leila said with a polite bow.

"Lord Eliwood of Pharae and Lady Lyndis of Caelin, a pleasure to see you again." Leila said. "Marquis Caelin is in the room behind the throne room, receiving treatment."

"My grandfather is safe?" Lyn asked in surprise.

Leila fell silent. "…His life is yet his own."

"I will go to him." Lyn said. "Thank you, Leila."

Lyn hurried from the room, Florina following behind her to make sure Lyn didn't faint again. Hector turned to Leila. "So, what are you doing here?"

"You know why." Leila said simply. "I'm investigating Lord Elbert's disappearance on Lord Uther's orders, if you want specifics."

"My father?" Eliwood asked in surprise. "What have you learned?"

Leila glanced around the room, before gesturing to the hallway. "Come with me. We'll talk in private."

Eliwood and Hector began making their way from the hall. When they reached the doorway, they paused, looking back at Will. He was still crouched by the throne, a thoughtful look on his face. "Yo, Will! You coming?" Hector asked.

"Ah." Will stood, walking over to the two. "Forgive me, I got a little caught up in my thoughts."

"Worrying about things won't change them." Hector said. "We've won the day, trust in that."

"Yes." Will said. "Of course you're right. Let's go."

In a room across the hall from where Lyn was no doubt checking on her grandfather, Will, Eliwood, Hector and Leila sat at a table. The three faced the lady thief as she began to speak. "Let me start with a conclusion. Marquis Pharae is alive."

"Hah! I knew it!" Hector exclaimed, slapping his hand on the table.

"Good." Will said, closing his eyes.

"Are you sure?" Eliwood asked.

"I've been posing as a member of the Black Fang for several months now. That's where this information comes from, so I believe it is genuine." Leila reported.

"Black Fang…" Will muttered. He was rather angry at the thought that Lord Uther had sent another spy into the Black Fang, but her being here was a good thing for them now. As it was, it still filled him with a sense of uneasiness. "How long has Ostia known about them?"

"For quite some time." Leila answered for Hector, who seemed unsure of it himself. "The Black Fang is a guild of assassins founded about ten years ago by Brendan Reed. They were originally based in Bern. They gained notoriety rather quickly in several countries thanks to their policies of targeting nobles who abused their positions. The masses spread their legend, calling them the chivalrous Fang or the defenders of the common folk. They quickly gained support."

"About five years ago, Brendan Reed remarried." Will continued, surprising Eliwood and Hector. "Since then, the Black Fang's operations slowly changed. They began taking on any target, no matter how difficult, as long as they were paid. They also stopped killing criminals, only targeting who they were paid for."

"As expected from a former Black Fang member." Leila said. "All this is relatively common knowledge. The Fang had been open about their policies and hits until the marriage, so it became quite obvious what the catalyst for change was."

"I didn't realize that before." Will said, clutching his head as he tried to remember. "That woman… what was her name…"

As Will muttered to himself, Eliwood spoke up. "So The Black Fang is responsible for this madness?"

"Yes. I managed to get rather decent evidence that the shadowy man Nergal is the one behind Reed's wife. It seems the Black Fang was performing secret tasks across Lycia for Nergal, even while Brendan Reed was still in power. However, the number and timing of those missions has drastically increased since Brendan's remarriage." Leila continued.

"Hence why Ostia sent Maria to infiltrate the Black Fang." Will managed.

"Yes." Leila said sadly. "Nergal sent his trusted retainer Ephidel to Laus one year ago. I don't have any evidence, but I believe he's responsible for the Marquis' youngest son's death."

"How can that be?" Eliwood asked.

"The poison used against Lord Hausen was diluted from a special Black Fang concoction. If slipped secretly enough, one dose of it would've been enough to kill him. He was already a weak child, you see. He could barely leave the castle." Leila said.

"What, that's supposed to recuse him of his errors?" Hector growled.

"Not at all." Leila said with a shake of her head. "It's simply a theory as to how Ephidel got a foothold into the Marquis' court. Poison the son, then try to treat him while ensuring the son passes away. As long as Ephidel acted the part, there was no reason to suspect him."

"I see." Eliwood said, sinking back in his seat. "How despicable."

"Ephidel manipulated Marquis Laus' feelings after his son's passing to incite him into rebellion. Laus sent out the call to the other Lycian nations shortly after. The first to respond was… Marquis Santaruz."

"Lord Helman… why would he do such a thing…" Eliwood sighed, though he spared a glance Will's way. Will shrugged.

"Next was Lord Elbert, Marquis Pharae." Leila said, closing her eyes as Eliwood stood.

"You're telling me my father endorsed this plan?" Eliwood nearly shouted.

"I cannot say." Leila said, biting her lip. "I do know he is with Marquis Laus. They're on the Dread Isle. Specifically a place known as the Dragon's Gate."

"The Dragon's Gate?" Will asked. "Where is that?"

"I do not know where on the Dread Isle it is located." Leila said, shaking her head once more. "I'm sorry."

"Of all places…" Will muttered. "The Dread Isle… Damn."

"What kind of place is it?" Hector asked.

"The Dread Isle is also known as Valor." Will began. "It's said those who step onto the Isle never return. Well, most everyone."

"Most?" Eliwood asked.

"It's where I washed up after the accident. I've heard it's where Nergal found Mark too. Nergal's likely come and gone from the Isle for many years. So the stories may be a bit exaggerated." Will explained.

"If that's where my father is, I will go and find him." Eliwood said firmly. "This Dragon's Gate, too."

"I'm going too." Hector said. "I'll tell you right now, you aren't going to stop me."

"I'm also going." Will said. "I'm involved with this, more deeply than I'd like. It's my duty to end the threat posed by the fang."

"Let me join you as well." Came Lyn's voice from the doorway. "Forgive me for eavesdropping, but I couldn't help myself when I heard you talking from outside the door."

"Lyndis, I appreciate the gesture, but shouldn't you stay with Marquis Caelin?" Eliwood asked.

Lyn shook her head. "Laus must be stopped." She fell silent. "I also want to help Eliwood find his father. Losing a parent… is an unbearable pain. It's something I'd rather you didn't have to feel yet."

"Lyndis… Hector… Will…" Eliwood said, looking at them all. "Thank you. You give me strength."

"We're friends." Hector said. "It's what friends do."

"I will also continue searching. Lyndis… what are you going to do about the Marquis?" Leila asked.

"I…" Lyn fell silent, before turning to the three. "After the poisoning from last year… and even more so now… grandfather doesn't have long left."

"What?" Eliwood asked.

"Damn…." Hector gritted his teeth.

"I… I know what I must do." Lyn said. "But… if we may… before heading to the Dread Isle… my grandfather would like to visit the plains."

"The plains…" Will said. "Your mother and father?"

"Yes." Lyn said. "I know it's a lot to ask, but please—"

"We'll do it." Eliwood said firmly.

"Wait." Hector said. "One thing first. Leila."

"Yes?" Leila asked.

"Nergal and Ephidel… what are they like? If you remember Will… now's the time to speak."

"I've never met Ephidel myself." Will said. "And I… I think I met Nergal… once, but I can't remember anything about him. I'm sorry."

"I've had yet to lay eyes on Nergal." Leila said. "It would be foolish to push for his inner circle, so I haven't. Ephidel I've spoken to on several occasions, however. He's… eerie. He always wears a cloak that covers his face, and yet… His eyes. They have a distinct golden glow. You can't miss them. They seem nearly… inhuman." She bowed politely once more, before leaving the room.

"Lyn." Will said, approaching the young woman. She had held it together, but her tough exterior was finally beginning to crack. As Will wrapped her in a hug, she began to sob.

"Hey." The blonde man said, waving airily as the red head approached.

In spite of herself, Leila smiled. Matthew always managed to make her smile. "It's been a while." She replied.

"You've not had a chance to write, work being so dangerous and all." Matthew returned. "Always dangerous work, you two…"

"We're spies, Matthew." Leila said. "Everything we do is dangerous."

"That's true." He chuckled. "So uh… Leila. How long do you think this mission's going to last?"

"My objective is the same as yours: to rescue Marquis Pharae." Leila said. "At least, that's what the order is now. Uther's latest orders finally got to me when Ephidel left me with Lord Hausen." Leila sighed. "If everything goes well, I'll be in Ostia at the same time you are."

"Is that so?" Matthew said, whistling softly. "You need to visit my hometown then."

"You were born in Caelin right?" Leila said with a raised eyebrow. "Why?"

Matthew fell silent, rubbing his nose with his fingers idly as he tried to form the right words. "…To meet my parents."

Leila's eyes fluttered in confusion. "Matthew, that's…"

"Well that's all I wanted to say!" Matthew suddenly cut her off rather loudly. "Haha, sorry for keeping you and all that. See you later!" He hurried off.

Leila huffed as she watched his red ears vanish from sight. "As slippery as ever…" She muttered, a soft blush crossing her cheeks, "Didn't even wait for my reply."

It took them quite a while, but eventually they managed to reconnect their entire group. After a night's rest, they began making preparations. Serra, Priscilla, and Lucius worked throughout the day to heal the remaining injuries people had, most everyone returning to full health. Unfortunately, Lord Wallace's condition still hadn't improved much. Serra said his older body wasn't handling the healing as well as younger people did, and the injury under normal circumstances would have been life threatening.

Merlinus' management skills were ridiculously helpful as they prepared an extra caravan to carry Lord Hausen and his guard. Hannah presided over the aged lord, her knowledge of herbal remedies supplementing the healing Lucius was providing. Even so, Lord Hausen's condition failed to improve.

"What do we do?" Hector asked Will as they walked through the Caelin halls. "I know Eliwood wants to help Lyndis, but we need to keep tabs on The Black Fang and find a way to the Dread Isle."

"I've been thinking about that myself." Will muttered. "I… I don't want to be insensitive to Lyn and her situation though."

"That's what I'm here for." Hector said. "Give me and some of our forces orders to carry out. I won't be any use to Lord Hausen or Lyndis anyway."

"Yes… you're right of course." Will sighed. "Let's see… What's the nearest port town?"

"The Port of Badon. We'll have to pass through Santaruz again." Hector said.

"I… I see." Will crossed his arms. "What about correspondence? Do you think Pharae or Ostia will be able to help us in any way?"

"Without proof?" Hector shrugged. "This is an even worse situation than what happened with your lineage. Sure, Leila's report will convince my brother, but just Ostia won't be enough."

"What about Lord Orun?" Will asked.

"My half-brother?" Hector asked, raising his brow.

"Wait, Lord Orun is your half-brother?" Will asked in surprise. "I just remember his help in the battle against the Taliver."

"Ah. Well… I can't say it's impossible." Hector agreed. "But I know Thria was hit hard during the early stages of Laus' betrayal. They acted like it was the work of bandits, but several villages were burned for the sole reason of weakening Thria's position."

"I see. That's unfortunate." Will muttered.

"Also, I'm pretty sure the Lycian conference is supposed to happen soon." Hector said. "Last time I received a letter from my brother he spoke as if it was coming up within a month or two. That was before we took over Castle Laus, so it's been at little over a month since then."

Will crossed his arms in thought again. "We really can't count on anyone but ourselves then, I guess."

"You want us to head to Badon?" Hector asked.

"No." Will said. "Even if you were to go and find us a ship, there's no guarantee they would remain for the month it will take us to circle to the plains and back. We also want to give Leila time to get back to Valor. Following too quickly after her could draw suspicion."

"Wouldn't not following at all be more suspicious?" Hector asked.

"I had Marcus, Lowen, Sain and Kent run a few patrols of the area to give the illusion of chase." Will said. "We'll have to hope it's enough."

"Damn." Hector growled. "I hate feeling useless."

"Hang on… I do have one idea." Will said with a smile. "Ilia."

"Ilia?" Hector cried in surprise. "That's even further than the plains! What could you possibly need there?"

"While Wallace and I were traveling we were in Ilia for a short amount of time after leaving the plains. Bern was tempting, but far too huge to traverse so we avoided it." Will said. "While I was there, I heard a rather disturbing rumor."

"Rumor?" Hector asked.

"I was able to confirm it by… Well we may have pseudo stormed their castle and gotten arrested." Will said, scratching his cheek.

"Arrested?" Hector shouted. "Ah, sorry. How in the world did you get out of that one?"

"Once they knew what we were there for, they kicked us out. We were escorted kindly to the border and asked not to return for… well a long time." Will explained.

"I see. What were they doing?" Hector asked.

"Sending a Pegasus Squad to the Dread Isle." Will said.

"What?" Hector shouted again. "Are they mad?"

"I asked the same thing." Will said with a sigh. "But… if they have any new information…"

"Could be useful to have." Hector breathed. "Right, I'll gather a small team and head out then. How many should I bring?"

"I recommend Oswin, Matthew and Serra." Will said. "They're already familiar with you, but it's still a small enough group that hopefully they'll let you act as envoys."

"Got it." Hector said with a nod. "Though I'll be honest, those three would not be my picks."

"Only because you know they'll keep you in line." Will said with a chuckle.

"Will." The voice of Erk came from a side room, bringing Will and Hector to a stop. "If you're sending Hector on one mission, I have a second suggestion."

"Which is?" Will asked.

"My master once told me of a man. A practitioner of the dark arts." Erk began. "He should be in Lycia right now."

"Any idea where?' Will asked. "Lycia is a big place when looking for one person."

"I'm not sure." Erk said sheepishly. "I believe if he had been near Laus or Caelin I would have found him along the way, however."

"So, either he's in Santaruz or Badon…" Will began, "Or he's near Tania or Pharae."

"Yes." Erk said. "At least I believe so."

"I suppose it's worth a shot at least." Will said. "Let me think…"

"I can lead a team." Dorcas said, emerging from the same doorway as Erk. Apparently the two had been talking until they heard Will and Hector passing by. "I can visit my wife in person. I'm also more familiar with the area around Pharae."

"That makes sense." Will agreed. "But I'd rather not send you alone."

"I'll go with him." Raven said, also appearing from the doorway. It was strange to see three people Will had classified as rather silent all in the same room. "Lucius may not approve, but you need him here."

"I do." Will agreed. "But if you're willing to go with Dorcas I'll be thankful for it."

"Two people won't be enough." Erk said. "I would volunteer, but I'm sworn to guard Lady Priscilla."

"No, that's fine." Will said. "If you can describe him that should be enough. I also want Rebecca and Bartre to accompany you."

"Bartre?" Dorcas asked. "You know I don't do overly well with him."

"He'll be useful." Will said. "More useful with you than with us. I'd rather avoid having him challenging people to fights while we're… well…"

"I understand." Dorcas said. "Bartre is a little too accustomed to life's hardships to show a large amount of respect for it."

"Thank you." Will said.

"I understand why, but I don't particularly like it." Eliwood said. "Splitting our forces now seems like a rather foolish idea."

"If this practitioner of the dark arts is powerful enough for Erk to recommend him, he can be a very valuable ally for us. We have to try." Will said.

"Yes, but Ilia?" Eliwood said. "Wouldn't Florina be better for the task?"

"Lyn needs her friends right now." Will said. "Even I can't provide the level of comfort Florina will bring her during this time. We need Lyn to be able to recover after this, as heartless as it sounds."

"Why not go to Illia after the plains?" Eliwood asked. "It would be a simple matter to keep traveling north."

"Time." Will said. "Your father is still alive. One month, or even two months from now that should still be the case. However, give it three to six months, and suddenly our knowledge goes back to nothing. Finding a ship to Valor won't be easy, and I don't want to downplay the importance of it."

Eliwood frowned. "I suppose I see your point, but if that's the case why aren't you sending a team to Badon?"

"I am." Will said. "I just told Hector different."

"So… that's why you came to me." Eliwood sighed. "What do you need?"

"You, Marcus, Lowen, Erk and Priscilla are going to head for Badon." Will said. "The rest of us will travel to the plains."

"I see. Lyn only needs the Legion at her back right now… I did want to offer my condolences." Eliwood said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry." Will said.

"No, it makes sense. I know you would go yourself if I didn't." Eliwood smiled. "Lyn needs you right now, so stay with her. I'll get my group ready to go."

"The dark magic user might be in Badon. That's why I'm sending Erk with you. Priscilla will go as well so he can protect her and you have a healer just in case." Will said. "Marcus and Lowen are self-explanatory."

"Yes." Eliwood said. "Then we'll prepare to set out as well. How are we all going to meet up after this?"

"Well, we'll head to Badon ourselves. The port is a specific town, isn't it?" Will asked.

"Yes, it is." Eliwood said. "I suppose that will have to be good enough."

"Thank you for understanding, Eliwood." Will said. "It's just… there's too much that has to be done."

"Make sure you rest yourself." Eliwood said. "I can clearly see bags under your eyes. You didn't sleep much after we left Laus and I doubt you slept at all last night."

"Yeah, well… I guess there's been a lot on my mind. That's pretty obvious already, I suppose." Will said.

"You're not making as much sense as usual either. Make sure you tell Hector what's going on or at least where we'll meet up." Eliwood said. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

"I will." Will assured him. "Thanks."

Eliwood and Dorcas's teams left almost immediately. Hector's team also departed after a quick follow up with Will. Though they would be traveling a similar road through Lycia, they were using horses without a caravan unlike the rest of the party to get to Ilia in a timely manner, so there was no reason from them to stick together. Will sighed heavily as they returned to their own preparations.

The procession was carried out in somber silence. The small bits of conversation were mostly held in whispers and most of the time eyes were fixed upon the wagon carrying Lord Hausen. Inside, Hannah and Lucius kept a constant vigil on the aging man, while Lyn visited him often. The two continued to speak to each other whenever Hausen found himself awake, listening to stories of Lyn's training in the Lorca. One special story she had saved was the story of her first encounter with another tribe. Now she realized it had been the Kutolah, but back then they had seemed like an entirely different species to her. There were enough differences between the two dialects that one could think they spoke different languages and Lyn had never dealt with people outside the tribe before that day. The story brought a smile to the old man's face with a soft chuckle.

"I should have been more understanding." Hausen said sadly. "I missed out on so much."

"Grandfather…" Lyn said.

"Pride… it is not a thing to follow blindly." Hausen said. "Lyndis, my pride kept me from you and your mother. Do not let pride dictate your actions."

"I… I'll try not to." Lyn said.

"Pride can give one strength, don't mistake me." Hausen said, closing his eyes. "But too much pride is like… eating a full boar alone. It may be filling, but it is ultimately unsatisfying."

Lyn remained silent. Hausen's breathing slowed, and he once more fell into sleep. Lucius placed a soft hand on Lyn's shoulder. "I'll take over from here. Go get some rest."

"Yes… I'll do that." Lyn said.

"Lyn…" Florina greeted her friend just outside the wagon. Lyn smiled wearily. "Let's go into the front wagon, okay?" She said, grabbing Lyn's hand softly.

"Yes… you're right." Lyn said.

Upon entering the wagon, she saw something that gave her the smallest amount of comfort. Laid out before her were two bedrolls. In one, currently snoring softly, was Will. It reminded her of the time they had first begun to travel. Will had been so nervous to share a tent with her. Looking back on it now, she supposed she had been rather ignorant. In a way, it brought her comfort to know he now cared a little less about the prospect. Or maybe he had simply fallen asleep without realizing it.

Either way, Lyn felt her eyes close quickly after she laid down to rest. Florina bowed silently, before leaving the wagon.

The time spent on the road went much quicker than they expected. As Will thought, without Lundgren around and with Merlinus' aid, they covered much more ground in a shorter timeframe. What had taken them nearly six months to manage now only took a short two weeks. Those weeks were not entirely without joy or laughter, but the overhanging truth of what was about to occur weighed upon them all.

All too soon they had reached Bulgar. From there, Merlinus, along with Lyn, Florina, Will, Guy and Lucius escorted the caravan with Hausen onto the plains. Sain, Kent, Wil and Wallace saw Lord Hausen off with a respectful salute. Wallace had finally made a full recovery, or at least he claimed as such. Sain and Kent still noted the old man staggered a bit when walking for long periods of time, but knew it was not their place to say. Hannah remained with them as well, her stock of herbs having run dry a few days before. The look in her eyes was thoughtful as she saw off the young group.

They traveled in silence, Merlinus keeping the horses steady upon the uneven hills while the Sacaens traveled alongside the caravan in silence. Eventually, Lyn lead them to a small space that had been cleared of grass. Nearby, Will recognized the ger he and Lyn had fought Batta at over a year earlier. So the reason Lyn had been so adamant about fighting the bandits that day… was because of this. The clearing had several tombstones, all of which had been marked by an unsteady hand. At the front of the gravesite, words had been etched into the rock.

Here lies the Lorca

Seeing it struck a nerve he hadn't expected. A bit of anger was welling inside of him, though he always knew this was the case. The Lorca were gone and Lyn was the last. Though it was true he and Florina were now a part of her tribe, knowing that her true family rested here was painful. Just as it would be painful to sail across that wretched sea once more. A part of him wasn't even sure he could do it. The thought of the waves, the never ending darkness that had encompassed him… he shuddered momentarily.

"So… this is it." Hausen said, his voice wavering. Lyn led him gently, slowly by the arm over to the graves. He knelt, more out of fatigue than anything else, as he looked upon them. "This horror…"

"It grows less painful with time." Lyn said. "It will never be gone from my memories, but I… I will keep moving forward."

Hausen brought his hand to Lyn's face, softly. "That is what it means to live in this world. Lyndis… remain always as you are. Your strength… your kindness… your beauty… they radiate from within. Never let anyone dim it."

Lyn grabbed the old man's hand with her own, tears beginning to fall. "I won't."

Hausen turned to the graves. "Madelyn… forgive me. There is so much I should say… so much I wish I could do… but my time has run out." His hands touched the dirt, raising a small amount before letting it fall back onto the grave. "Thank you for continuing to love me. Thank you for raising your daughter. She is… more splendid than I could ever have hoped."

He collapsed onto the ground, his breathing heavy as tears of his own fell down his face. Lyn wrapped her arms around him, holding him as the two wept. "She knows, grandfather. My mother watches over me even now."

"Will I… will you let me watch over you too?" Hausen asked. "I… I know I haven't earned…"

"Please grandfather… don't say that. Not now." Lyn said. "Not now."

Hausen gripped her as tightly as he could, the two's hug lasting as long as they could hope. When it was done, Hausen let his hands fall back to the ground, letting his breath become shallow. Upon the plains, and next to the daughter he loved, Hausen began to feel his consciousness float away. As it did, he thought he could hear Lyndis singing. Her voice shook with tears, but the sound was clear.

"Mother Earth gives us life,

Father Sky takes away,

Mother Earth sees our joy

Father Sky feels our pain,

The little mares gallop by,

The old oxen stop to rest,

And as the world turns,

We all earn our beds."

Lyn feel silent, finding it too difficult to continue. Instead, the soft voice of Guy took over. Will looked at the young nomad, surprised he knew the tune, but was also grateful for it.

"The shining sword held high,

The warriors do fight,

The medicine in hand,

The healer gives to the lad,

The bow and the arrow sure,

The hunter fires to kill the boar,

Knowing as the world does turn,

Food can be bought but is better earned."

Guy took a breath and though she still had tears in her eyes, Lyn joined in once more to finish the ballad.

"Mother Earth raised the chick,

Father sky pushed the bird,

Mother Earth gave the words,

That Father Sky heard,

The loved ones that we lose,

Can only bring us strength,

And after a farewell,

A new day begins."