"Well, you got them here, and in plenty of time," he told her, scooting back so he could lean against the headboard. "Anything exciting happen?"
"Not really," she said, a bit of disappointment in her voice. "I'll give them one thing, they can fight. It was never even close to a real battle, even when they were outnumbered two to one. I think they killed twenty men for every one they lost. Out of some five thousand Selani, I think they only lost about a hundred, total. I've never seen such a tough breed outside Fae-da'Nar. They're almost unkillable."
"The desert breeds them tough, Sarraya," he chuckled, feeling the brands on his shoulders twinge in agreement. "Besides, most humans can't fight a Selani. They're just too fast."
"I noticed that," Sarraya agreed. "The Dals looked like they were standing still."
"Did they pick up the Sulasian army?"
"Yeah, but they're about a day behind us," Sarraya replied. "The Seleni didn't want to slow down and wait for them. How much time do we have?"
"Eight, maybe ten days, depending on the weather," he replied. "The ki'zadun just sacked Darsa."
"Did they put up a fight?"
"They evacuated the city before they got there."
"Oh, well, that was the humane thing to do, but if they'd have had a city full of civilians to play with, it may have slowed them down a few more days."
"That's cruel, Sarraya."
"Sometimes you have to be cruel, Tarrin," she sighed. "Given the penalty if we fail, when it comes down to it, in this case the end definitely justifies the means."
Hard choices. He remembered feeling that way when he heard about the Ungardt attacking the enemy army in Tykarthia, how they would be slaughtered, but it would buy them precious time. He hated having to think in those terms, but she was right. In this game, there was absolutely no rules. They had to do whatever it took, anything, in order to win. The stakes were just too high. They may have to face a decision of sacrificing some to save the rest.
"Maybe, but I don't like it."
"I don't like it either," she assured him. Then she laughed. "Such a change from the old Tarrin I knew," she smiled. "That Tarrin wouldn't have batted an eye at the thought of civilians."
"Yes, well maybe," he said with an uncomfortable shrug.
"You're a rare case, my friend," she smiled. "I've never seen a Were-cat get so feral, and then come back so far from it."
"I'm still feral, Sarraya," he sighed. "But not as much as I used to be. I'm just in familiar surroundings, where I generally control everything, and I'm surrounded by friends and family."
"I know," she nodded. "As soon as we leave here again, we'll see the old Tarrin start to peek out again."
"Just wait til I come within spitting distance of the Keeper," he chuckled. "She brings that out in me so fast even I don't realize it."
"So, the Tower wasn't what you expected it to be?"
"Not at all," he agreed. "I was expecting a hostile atmosphere. But the people I don't like stay away from me, and I have lots of friends and family around to keep me happy. So, so far, it's been pretty good."
"I heard you made up with Jesmind, and you met your daughter."
"You knew about her?" he asked dangerously.
"Not until after Triana told me a few days ago," she said quickly. "It bowled me over."
"It did me too," he chuckled. "I'll have to introduce you to Jasana," he told her. "She looks like Jesmind but acts like Kerri."
"Triana told me that she was a dangerous little girl," Sarraya laughed. "Almost good enough to be a Faerie."
"There's no way she could ever be that bad," Tarrin teased.
"Yes, few can live up to our towering standards," Sarraya said with a mocking sigh, tossing her hair. "It's so hard to be the best, you know."
Tarrin yawned. "I hate to cut it short, but I need to get back to sleep. I had a long night last night."
"If you're mates with Jesmind, I'm not surprised," Sarraya teased. "Rahnee may have the reputation, but Jesmind is almost as bad as she is. Every male I've ever known that was mates with Jesmind says the same thing."
"I'm not going to argue there," he agreed. "She is affectionate."
"Well, we can catch up later," Sarraya said. "Now that I'm really looking at you, I can see that you really are that tired. And that wasn't Jesmind. You've been practicing magic again, haven't you?"
He nodded. "With Jenna."
"Ah, that explains it," she said with a nod. "Is she any good?"
"As strong as I am," he said proudly. "She's a fast learner, too. She'll be ready when the time comes that they need her magic."
"That's reassuring. I won't mind at all going into battle if there's a Weavespinner on my side," Sarraya agreed. "Let alone two of them." She stood up and flitted into the air, the buzzing sound of her wings reminding him of her, and making the time they spent apart melt away. He would always identify Sarraya in his mind with that sound as much as he did with her appearance and scent. "I'll see you later, alright?"
"How did you get in, anyway?" he asked curiously.
"You left the balcony door unlocked," she winked. "I'll go back out that way."
"I have to go see someone in town when I get up again," he yawned. "You can come with me. You can meet Janette."
"The little human girl you like so much? I'd like that," she said with a happy smile.
"I'll come find you when I get up," he promised.
"Don't bother. I want to go meet your daughter. I'll be with her."
"Fine then," he yawned again. "See you in a while."
"See you later," she said as he laid back down and promptly went back to sleep.
To: Title EoF
Chapter 34
It was well after noon when Tarrin finally got up, and it was right then that Jesmind decided to let him have it for staying out all night. Jesmind was a shockingly direct woman, and unlike a human female, she had no qualms about making her displeasure known upon his body. He was awakened to a pitcher of cold water being thrown in his face, and as he snapped up from a rather pleasant dream, sputtering and hissing in anger, Jesmind dropped the pitcher on his head and then stalked out of the room.
But that was that. Her displeasure voiced, the argument was generally over. After he dried out the bed and put on some clothes, she was almost affectionately pleasant to him when he came out to see his daughter on Triana's lap, a book in her paws, learning more about reading from her grandmother. Sarraya was sitting on Triana's shoulder, listening in relative silence as Triana corrected her granddaughter on pronouncing the words in the book. "Good morning," Jesmind said archly, then she rose up on her toes and kissed him lingeringly. "Don't stay out all night again," she warned.
"If I have to, I will. But next time, I'll let you know, so you won't worry," he promised. "I didn't realize I was there all night until the sun came up."
"Next time, I'll throw something worse on you, beloved," she threatened.
"Next time, you'll know I'll have to stay out," he assured her.
"Alright then. Did it go well?"
"Pretty well," he nodded as Triana nodded to him and handed him a tankard of water. He accepted it with a grateful smile and took a long drink. "I learned so much so fast, it's all kind of jumbled up in my head. And I can't remember half of what I was taught right off the top of my head. But I'll sort it out with a little practice."
"That's the way of it when you learn too quickly," Triana snorted. "You should slow down."