Prophecy, Child of Earth (65 page)

And in that moment, as he made love to her with his body, and his soul, and his words, and even the water around them, Rhapsody lost forever her fear of that part of his nature that was alien to her, the strange dragonesque part, and the power it held over the elements. It was just another piece of him to be cherished, along with the rest. The dragon in him was no different than the music in her; it was something powerful that made him special. And as she sought to please the man she loved, she wanted to make that part of him happy as well.

She took his hands in her own and guided them through her hair, knowing how that excited the dragon, and as she drew them over her body she let him envelop her, wrapping herself up in him. Ashe began to tremble violently; she knew she was reaching both parts of his nature, and the knowledge mixed with the sweet excitement that his efforts were causing in her, pushing their lovemaking toward a culmination that threatened to consume them both.

Rhapsody closed her eyes as the waters of the tub surged around them, caressing her back. She could feel a tingling warmth that started in her fingers and toes begin to move inward, building in intensity; she knew when it reached her center there would be an explosion. She clung to Ashe, who was in the midst of his own battle for dominion over the moment; he was losing. She opened her eyes and studied his face. It was enthralled but pensive, in the struggle to maintain control.

'You're holding back," she scolded gently between breaths. "Let go."

His eyes closed in response, and he shook his head slightly.

Rhapsody was at the edge of a realm she had no desire to enter alone. She slowed the delicious rocking slightly, and Ashe's hands gripped her waist tighter.

"Please," she whispered. "I'm not going without you. Let go."

He did. The waves began to churn with vibrancy like a raging river, rapids tumbling over themselves as the rhythm of their movements increased. The water roared white with the force of their passion, sloshing over the edges of the tub and flooding the floor. The currents in the tub, responding to his rapture, crashed over Rhapsody like waves against the rocks on a shoreline. Even the air of Elysian took on an electric hum, and in the distance she was vaguely aware that the musical sounds of the waterfall had been replaced by a raging torrent. The fire on the hearth in the next room leapt and roared in response.

She had no idea how long the pleasure actually lasted, but it seemed almost long enough to erase a lifetime of sorrow. Finally fire and water melded in ecstatic release, and they cried out together as the waves broke over them, submerging them in froth.

After a moment Rhapsody broke the surface again, and put her head down on Ashe's chest as it rose from the water. She gasped for breath, and caressed his shoulder as he held her tightly in his arms. The waters, still hot but now calm, had drenched the floor, and through her weary delight Rhapsody was glad for the marble tiles.

They lay in the tub for a long time without speaking until the water finally grew tepid. Ashe kissed her forehead and looked down at her, his heart in his eyes.

'You all right? Didn't breathe in any water, did you?"

A long sigh escaped her, and she turned to look at him, smiling. Her eyes shone up at him like starlight reflected on the water. Ashe felt his throat tighten.

'Amariel," he said softly to her, in the language of her childhood. "Merei Aria. Evet hira, Rhapsody."
Star of the Sea,; I have found my guiding star. It is
you, Rhapsody
. Her eyes twinkled; his idiomatic usage was perfect. "What a romantic thing to say."

He smiled at her. "I guess you've made me a romantic. What a feat." Rhapsody laughed and leaned up to kiss him. "A romantic dragon. Isn't that a contradiction in terms?"

'Yes." His face began to shine. "Do you love me anyway?"

She looked seriously at him and spoke, using her ability as a Namer for declaring the truth. "Always."

He drew her closer, kissing the top of her head. "Aria," he whispered again.

And from that moment on Aria became his special name for her, the name he used in the most intimate moments and as an expression of a love that no other language or image could approximate.

j runthor waited impatiently in the afternoon sun at the edge of Kral-durge's guardian rocks, listening to the howl of the wind as it whined through the fanglike formations. He had come in answer to Rhapsody's call, and was growing more frantic by the moment, wondering where she was. The message she had sent him on the wind had contained no hint of fear or panic, just a simple request, amplified out through the gazebo, to meet her in the meadow above Elysian.

At last he could see her coming out of the shadows, wrapped in her familiar cloak, despite the sweltering summer heat.

'About time you checked in, Duchess," Grunthor groused as she approached. "If one more day 'ad passed, Oi would have been down there with my entire elite regiment." He swept her into his arms and held her tightly, feeling the panic and annoyance drain out of him like water through gravel. "Ya all right?"

'I'm fine, Grunthor," Rhapsody answered, laughing as he put her down again.

"In fact, I'm better than fine."

Grunthor eyed her suspiciously. "And why is that, exactly?" he demanded, noting her glowing countenance and gleaming hair, unbound from its ever-present black ribbon. Before she could answer, he held up a massive hand. "Ah. Never mind. Please don't say it, miss."

The light in her face diminished a little. "Why?"

'Just don't, please," said the sergeant simply. He sighed deeply. What she intended to say was as clear as glass to him. What he feared would happen had come to pass. A dragon had taken her as its treasure, just not the one he had believed would.

He thought about how Achmed would react, and shuddered. Grunthor looked away from her face, now wreathed in a puzzled frown, and off into the sunlit crags of the Teeth, their rocky trails green in the fervent bloom of high summer. "You're not in any trouble then, or need any 'elp, do ya?" he asked finally.

'No, of course not," Rhapsody said falteringly: "I would have called for you right away had that been the case." She tried to swallow the knot in her throat that his reaction had formed. She reached up and touched his broad face, turning it gently back toward her. When the amber eyes met hers there was great sadness in them, but his face was set in his standard mask of nonchalance.

'I thought you wanted me to be happy, Grunthor," she said softly.

Grunthor looked down at her thoughtfully. "Oi do, miss. More than any-thin'."

'Then can't you be happy for me?"

The giant turned away again and stared off into the tallest crags. Once they had seemed insurmountable; now the Bolg scaled them regularly, maintaining the ancient ventilation systems, rebuilding the Cymrian observatory. Everything that had once seemed so distant now seemed within easy reach. The irony tasted bitter in his mouth.

'Oi'll do my level best, miss," he said at last. "Now, if that was all, I need to be on my way. I'm off on a scouting mission to the deep Realms. If you need me, Oi'll be back in a fortnight or so."

'Wait," Rhapsody said, fumbling inside her cloak. "There is something you can do for me, if you're willing." She drew forth a folded piece of parchment, carefully sealed, and handed it to him. "This is for Jo. I wanted to explain—what has come to pass, and give her a chance to adjust to the situation." She wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. "Jo has—a fondness for Ashe, and I want to be sensitive to her feelings," she added awkwardly. "Will you make sure she gets it, please, Grunthor?

Before you go, if possible? I want to give her as much time as possible." The giant Sergeant nodded, tucking the letter inside his doublet. "And let Achmed know as well?"

Grunthor nodded again, stone-faced. It was clear by the lightness of her tone, and her consideration of the task as an afterthought, that she had no idea of the difficulty of what she was asking. For the first time since he had known the Firbolg king, he would have to struggle to find words. "When ya comin' round again?"

'I thought I'd wait for a few weeks, give Jo a little time," she said. "I'll try and coordinate my return with yours. Then I want to sit down with you and Achmed and talk about going after the Rakshas."

Grunthor ran a finger under the neck of his jerkin. "All right, miss. Now, I need to be off." He patted her head clumsily with his enormous hand, then pulled her close in an unwieldy embrace.

'Are you all right, Grunthor? You look tired, haggard." "Not been sleepin' too well at that," the giant answered. "Nightmares; somethin' comin' out o' the darkness. Can't put a face on it yet. Now Oi got an idea what you've been sufferin'

all this time, miss." He sighed deeply, and gave her a final squeeze. "You be careful, eh? And let our misty friend know if Vs not a gentleman, 'e'll be answerin'

to me."

Rhapsody smiled within the depths of his armor. "I'll do that," she said, then pulled back and kissed the giant's hidelike cheek. "Give my love to the others, and to my grandchildren."

Grunthor squeezed her shoulder, then turned and left the windy meadow, now blooming in bright colors of heartsease, flowers Rhapsody had planted there at winter's end. Blossoms of condolence, often given to mourners or planted on graves and battlefields, they did little to gladden either of the hearts that had stood for a moment within their glorious panorama.

Che ring of the Patriarchy came into its power on the night of Summer's midpoint. It was a night of great significance in both of their traditions, so Rhapsody and Ashe were glad to be able to observe it together. They had camped out on the heath, Ashe waiting to perform the rites of the religion his father led, Rhapsody observing the ceremonies that the Lirin held sacred. Afterward they lay in a patch of sweet woodruff and watched the night sky, her head on his shoulder, wordlessly. A shower of shooting stars passed overhead, and a moment later Rhapsody could feel the muscles in Ashe's chest stiffen beneath her. She sat up and looked down at him.

'What's the matter?"

He was staring at his hand, a strange look coming over his face. "Fascinating,"

he murmured.

'What?"

'Well, I was just thinking about a Gwadd chemist, First Generation, an apothecary by the name of Quigley, reputed to know the secret to every medicinal tonic and potion ever mixed, primarily because he invented most of them. I know his history, and the story of his trip with the First Fleet—Gwadd are not generally seafarers and the voyage was terrifying to him. In spite of that, he developed an herbal remedy for seasickness from dried seaweed in the course of the journey. I was thinking what a marvelous person that would be for you to meet." Rhapsody nodded. "Then I realized I have no idea how I know any of this."

'How very strange."

'Yes, but not as strange as the thoughts I was having about the Mountain Knives. They are a band of stout, strong men, Nain, I suppose, who are so gifted with their blades that they can eviscerate an entire army before the soldiers even know it. One legion of their victims kept traveling for a mile before they felt apart, literally. They are pig-headed and merry, and when they are victorious they celebrate with a war dance and ear-splitting, hooting cries, even if they are still in imminent danger. Also First Generation; also a thought I had never had until a moment ago."

'And you think it has something to do with the ring?" Her comment became moot a moment later when the white stone in the center began to gleam, and a broad smile crept over Ashe's face.

'I know it does. Rhapsody, this is marvelous. I suddenly have knowledge of all die living First Generationers, where they are, what they are like, even whether they are loyal to the Cymrian cause or not. There are some marvelous people still alive, Singers, healers, nobles and peasants, priests and pirates, and I know of them all. I wonder if the Patriarch had this knowledge, too."

'I doubt it," she said. "He told me it was a ring of wisdom, and it gave him die knowledge to perform die duties of his office well. I imagine it is telling you tüese things because the office you will hold is that of Lord Cymrian, and it is giving you information you might need in that capacity. It must believe you're die best candidate."

'How disappointing."

'Stop that; you're insulting my liege lord." She bent and kissed him. Then a thought occurred to her. "What about leadership? Does it give you any inkling as to who would be a good set of counselors, or who would make a good Viceroy?" He nodded.

'It's as though, for those reasons only, I can judge any of their worthiness, not as people, but as leaders." Rhapsody drew her knees to her chest and grew quiet. Ashe noticed. "What, Aria? What's wrong?"

'Nothing's wrong," she answered, looking at die ground. "What about potential candidates for the Lady Cymrian? Any First Generationers alive that qualify?"

Ashe looked at her seriously, and turned his attention to her question. "Well, as a matter of fact, tüere are several."

Rhapsody looked up at him and smiled slightiy. "Well, that's good, anyway. It gives you a group to choose from, so you should have no trouble picking someone you'll be happy with."

'Not really," Ashe answered. "There is only one obvious choice, someone of a nobility that would be unquestioned among the Cymrians. She's also someone of great wisdom and accomplishment; botü the Cymrians and I would be lucky to have her as our Lady."

'Well, that sounds promising," Rhapsody said, smiling. "I'm glad to know you will be happy in your choice of wife."

'First of all, die Lady Cymrian doesn't have to be my wife. And even if it makes sense to do it that way, just because I choose her, and ask her, doesn't mean she'll have me, Rhapsody. Cymrians are strange like that. She may be reluctant; in fact, I know she is. If she had wanted to, she could have taken the title on her own. She's had the power at her disposal to do so for some time."

Rhapsody leaned over and kissed him. "I have no doubt that she will accept you, Ashe. You said she was someone of great wisdom. Anyone who would turn you down would have to be a fool."