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Iolo Mountain to have as many babies as they could. Their spells and midwife
skills would mean that none of them would die, and in fact they wouldn't even
show stretch-marks on their bellies afterwards because of their healing
spells. I've had time to think about it, and I have realized you were right -
that plan would have worked. Yes, it would have meant that those women would
have had to choose men who were essentially strangers to them and couple
repeatedly, bearing their children over and over, and that was something they
couldn't accept - but it would have worked. You were right. Your plan may have
been unpalatable to them, but that doesn't mean it was wrong. No, they were
wrong, Raven. They should have sat down with you and discussed an alternate
plan, and together worked something out that would have satisfied their honor
as women and yet allowed your race to be reborn. But instead, they rejected
you utterly. You were right, and they were wrong. But that's not all, love.
You told the men of the Dyclonic Circle that Morgar was evil, and they should
owe their allegiance to Yorindar. And you were right again - Yorindar, through
we of the Southlands, made it possible for your people to come back from the
void and have a chance to restore your race. Morgar, on the other hand, is
opposing this as best he can. You were right, in every case."
"Morgar is opposing me? How?" I asked, confused.
"Raven, think of what Gorol said Cordo was saying. 'Your failure to re-shape
this body into your own is a mere fabrication to cover your own feeble will.'
Cordo has to know that's not true. He was your friend for years before, wasn't
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he?"
"Well, yes. We often chatted over a cup of byallar in the Master's Lounge in
the Black Tower, and we often played chatto together. He and I weren't as
close as Gorol or Faral and I were, perhaps, but still, we knew each other
fairly well."
"Precisely. How can someone who knows you even moderately well claim you are
weak-willed, and unworthy to be High Master, my love?" she said, and stroked
my cheek softly with a finger. "Surely that is Morgar influencing his
thoughts. He would have to know you well enough to know that's simply not
true."
I clasped her hand to my face, closing my eyes, and sighed. It was many
moments before I could speak, I was simply too depressed. Finally, I found my
voice again. "Thank you, Arella. I... I'm sorry," I said, and kissed her hand
gently.
"Sorry? For what?" she asked.
I looked down to the ground, the tears coming unbidden to my eyes. "I... I'm
sorry that I can't call you 'love' in return. To me, you still are and always
will be my special, dearest friend... But my one, true love lies sleeping in
her tomb. She still holds my heart in her tender grip, and always will. I'm
sorry."
Arella reached out, lifting my chin with a finger, and smiled at me. "Oh,
Raven. Don't you think I know that by now?" she said, and kissed me gently. I
smiled weakly. "Raven, I've had many years to think about this, and I have
accepted the fact that you love me as much as you can - as a friend. I love
you far more than that, and to me, you will always be my only love. Even so, I
understand, and I'm not unhappy with you. You have to understand - to my eyes,
you are like some powerful, beautiful, immortal being who said she'd hold me
close to her forever, if only I would let her. Instead, I rejected her,
because she couldn't give me her heart - and that was wrong. Now, I see that
your love for Dyarzi is greater and grander than even the old plays of
chivalry and love that still are shown in Larinia. It's a part of your soul.
It's what drives you, day after day. It's what kept you going all those lonely
years when I abandoned you in my foolishness, and it's what keeps you going
today," she said, then suddenly giggled.
"What? What's so amusing, now?" I asked, smiling.
"Oh, Raven! The story of our relationship would make for a grand, tragic play
that would draw audiences in Larinia for ages to come! My love for you, your
love for Dyarzi, and I'm sure from the afterlife she looks down on you and
loves you still. Yes, it would be a marvelous play, and I'm sure the author
would make a fortune in ticket sales - if only the audience could get over the
fact that all three of us are women," she said, and laughed harder. Swift-wing
joined her, cackling loudly.
"But..." I began, about to object that I wasn't really a woman, I merely had a
woman's body, but I couldn't finish. I burst out laughing. I reached out to
Arella, and we hugged each other tight. For many minutes, the sound of our
giggling echoed over my quiet, lonely lands.
Four.
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