After dessert Arie gave her report, both on the progress of her students and how well everyone handled the attack. The fact the Imrah even asked her about the second surprised her. Most people wouldn't even have thought to ask her about things that weren't directly related to healing. But the longer she was here the more she realized that Imrah was above all a shrewd commander. It came up that one of her recruits complained directly to Imrah about her manhandling of him. Arie explained in clipped words about what had happened, and if she didn't know any better she'd have said that the lord found her response very amusing. Maybe he had a low opinion of the man, but Arie thought it might have been envy; envy that he couldn't react as such to his subjects. That had Arie quickly backing away mentally, she did not want to sympathize with a noble. She made her excuses and left as soon as possible, gathering up the little sapling in her hands.

She hadn't even shut the door when she heard a sneer from farther down the hall. Arie turned, pulling the sapling close to her chest; to protect it, and turned to face her potential opponent. Sir Jorrey.

"I'm surprised you walked out of there a free woman." The way he said it made her think that he had been listening to the earlier conversation, but even more than that it had her warning bells going off. Then it clicked with sick certainty in Arie's mind. She had wondered what it would take to get the captain to undermine Lord Raoul, someone who would also whisper in Lord Imrah's ear. Someone whose voice had weight.

"How did you convince captain Flynn to allow some of the troops to speak to Imrah without talking to the commander first?"

"The common bitch has brains. Not that it really matters." The knight's smug smile was enough to set her teeth on edge.

"It matters when you undermine authority in a time of crisis, which could get people killed."

He snorted, "Yeah, you. Who cares if a few commoners die. That many less leeches sucking us for coin, besides they'll be replaced."

Arie was stunned by his blatant callousness, but only momentarily. Then anger lit in her blood making her feel like she was on fire. This man spat on everything she had been working for because he was jealous of her and that people listened to her. He didn't care if people lost their lives or livelihoods. All he saw was his own self importance of the class he was born into, and her supposed lack thereof. This monster was a knight who had taken vows to protect the weak and innocent. That thought hardened something in her. She would protect everyone, and she didn't give a damn who they were, she wouldn't allow evil to touch anyone while she drew breath.

"I hope you are never infected, Sir Jorrey. I fear your pride will be your death."

"We'll see about that."

His words made her curse to herself. She hadn't bothered to even check to see if he was infected. Her Gift rose to her eyes and swirled around her like pale blue green fire. She saw his muscles go taunt under his skin; he probably expected her to attack, but there was no blackness in him. She sighed to herself then turned and left. Every step away from him she strained to hear if he would attack her back. No attack came, making her wonder if he was truly a coward or not.

Arie made her way through the halls. Several times she got turned around because she took a wrong turn. There were so many passages and hallways that made Arie suddenly wish Nadia was here to help her. She hadn't realized how much she had been relying on the other girl to help her find her way around until now. Finally she caved and called one of the castle dogs to her. The wiry hound was only too happy to show her the way out to the gardens. Stepping outside Arie's jaw hung a little slack at the beauty of the place she had only heard of in her mother's stories. Flowers, trees, bushes, even medical herbs grew around a carefully laid out stone path. The colors were so varied and beautiful even in the light of the moon. Her guide lead her down the path to the center of the gardens where an ancient twisted tree stood.

At first she had thought the massive tree was so knurled from age, but as she got closer she made out the scorch marks that ran down it. Walking around it revealed it was almost split it half as if some nasty magic had struck it and attempted to burn it to the ground. Her guide laid down in the grass, content to watch as Arie walked up to the tree and flowed her Gift into it. The first thing that she became aware of was the endless years this tree had seen. Then she realized it was dying at a snail's pace and it knew. Trees, she remembered, were odd, they were aware of things around them, but not in the same way people did. Her mother thought it was because they were so long lived, and Arie had to agree. This one knew it was dying and knew what she carried. The tree spoke in its strange language; that wasn't really spoken, making its will known. It wished to give what was left of its life for the next generation. It knew in its core it would not live to see another harsh winter, slowly it would fall asleep and never wake again. Arie caught glimpses of the humans it had watched over in the strange memories of the tree. Her mother, her grandfather and grandmother, and many generations.

"Are you sure?" She knew it would understand her spoken words, they always seemed to understand any human language. It was almost like their language transcended their own means of communicating.

Agreement.

"It is dying, isn't it?"

Arie turned to face Lord Imrah. "Yes."

"What are you going to do?"

"It is offering what's left of its life to support this one." She gently raised the sapling that was tucked against her chest.

"Ah," Imrah walked over to the tree and laid his hand on the scorched bark. "This tree has stood for generations. It carried my parents and even theirs before them, I courted my wife under this tree, and my daughter climbed it's branches early in life. This tree even saved my life in the Immortal's War."

"I know, it showed me."

Imrah stepped back with a raised eyebrow. "The tree showed you?"

Arie shrugged, "They are different from humans and animals. How they 'see' the world around them is different, but they seem to understand us just fine." Arie placed her hand back on the tree. "You better step back your Grace, unless you plan to stop me?"

Imrah shook his head no and stepped back to the path behind the hound that was still dozing in the grass. Once Arie was sure he was far enough back she bent down into a crouch and placed her hands near the base of the tree. Her Gift seemed overly willing to rush forward into the tree. She dragged the life from the tree and with it came the rush of memories of the trees long life. Everything filled her body and mind until she herself felt stiff and slow. There was a loud creak. The tree seemed to shrink in on itself. The leaves withered into dust and the branches seemed to reach for her even as they crumbled. Then finally all that was left burst apart into dust. Arie's body felt like it was moving in slow motion while also feeling like it was moving impossibly fast. She placed the sapling in place of the old one. One breath then another, then she let all that was the old tree flow out on her Gift. It was like the flood gates in her had opened. Everything rushed past her blurring her vision and draining her energy. Blue green fire engulfed her mind even as a force pushed against her hand. Arie staggered back when the connection suddenly snapped. She landed painfully on her butt. Internally she checked to see what had happened to her Gift and found herself and her Gift still there, and not as empty as she would have thought. It was only Imrah's soft gasp and tentative whisper that brought her attention back to the world around her.

"Anna?"

Arie whirled around to see the lord was looking at her with a very peculiar expression on his face. A mixture of shock and joy. Then Arie realized why, her hair was loose. The similarities to her mother were undeniable with her hair down, which was part of the reason Arie had been careful to keep it up. She quickly turned away and started looking for her hair ribbon. The tie had apparently been ripped from her hair with the transfer of her of life.

"No, I'm Arie." Her mouth was dry as she looked around for the tie. Once she found it she quickly swept her hair into a knot that would hide the blue green ends. As she straightened up she looked at her work. Momentarily stunned into forgetting the lord's strange words. The sapling had grown well beyond what it should have. It was almost as massive at the tree that had been here, only this one had bright red apples hanging from its boughs.

"How," she murmured to herself. Arie felt a hand on her shoulder, callused warm and achingly familiar. But she knew if she glanced toward the hand her mother wouldn't be standing there and the feeling would vanish.

"This is amazing work." Imrah walked over to her and gazed up at the tree. "It looks like it could be the same tree, but it has apples."

Arie shrugged and admitted, "I'm not sure what happened. It should have been about half this size, but I've never done a transfer like this." She took a shaking breath.

Imrah turned to her. "Are you alright?"

Arie waved him off even though she could feel the shaking in her limbs. Too much magic when she was still too tired, she thought to herself. She drew another shaking breath and looked at Imrah. The lord was looking at her with renewed interest, like he was seeing something he had missed. It made Arie uneasy.

"You are tired, I should escort you to your room."

"I'm fine." Arie replied curtly.

Imrah smiled, a true smile. "I'm sure you are, but maybe if I walk with you the young knight won't be tempted to ambush you in the halls." He must have seen the surprise on Arie's face because he chuckled. "This is my castle, it is my job to know what goes on in its halls." He sighed, "And the door was open, you two weren't quiet." He offered his arm and Arie watched him warily. "I promise I don't bite."

Arie scowled at him, but put her hand on his arm and allowed him to lead the way. The lord lead her easily through the dizzying maze of hallways. And as they moved Arie got the feeling that the lord was moving with a purpose, and not to take her back to her room. Her hunch was confirmed when they slowed to a stop in front of a familiar picture. Arie struggled to remain composed as she looked into the smiling face of her mother. Thankfully Imrah was looking at painting not her, but she suspected he wouldn't looking there for long.

Imrah sighed, "I apologize, it is still difficult for me to pass through this hall. See them smiling at me?"

"Oh," Arie tried to keep her face bland and neutral.

"My first wife and my daughter. My wife got sick after the birth of our daughter and never really recovered. She was," he seemed lost in the past. "everything for me; for a time."

Arie felt very uncomfortable when she saw the lord's eyes were misted with tears. She was even more startled by the admission. Something twisted painfully in her chest; a memory pushed to the surface, but Arie shoved it down ruthlessly. Even so her mouth went dry and she struggled to find words.

"What do you mean, for a time?"

Imrah smiled. "Our daughter was born. She was a ray of sunshine and compassion. Not a mean bone in her body. Anna was a gift from the gods themselves. Even her Gift seemed to reflect that. She healed everyone and everything, didn't matter if it was me, a servant, or the dogs. She told me that she needed to heal. He took a deep sigh. "Her and my second wife never really got long. I thought it was just that she missed her mother. Then I found the note she left. She said she had made her choice and she had things she needed to do." His words seemed to creak under the weight of years of sorrow and fear. "I sometimes got word from a soldier whose family had been seen to by Anna. But it has been years since I've heard anything." There was a question in there.

Arie swallowed the knot of emotions. "What is it you are trying not to ask." She withdrew her hand and took a tentative step back. It was always better to leave herself an opening to run just in case.

"Your magic reminds me of Anna in a way that is too uncanny. I hazard a guess to say you trained under her at least. And phy-."

"Yes, your daughter was a very Gifted healer who taught me everything I know. I'm sorry to tell you that she has passed on to the Dark God's realm." Arie sucked in a trembling breath as the lord's eyes scanned hers with keen intelligence.

"And what about her child? I had heard she had a daughter."

"She lives." But before he could ask the question clearly written on his face Arie bowed. "Thank you, your grace. I think I could make it back to my room from here." Then she turned and left at a brisk pace. Making it perfectly clear that she was not going to continue this conversation. She turned the corner and then was practically running. Her heart pounding in time to her steps. It was only when she reached her room with the door closed firmly behind her that she realized she was shaking and tears were streaming down her face. Arie slid to the floor and shivered.