Willow's End - Jera Skyspear
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The Library: Part Two

Thus, unlike the usual happenstance that seemed to bring them together, Ashevathallion and Jera Skyspear made an appointment between them to meet in the firehall of Camelot. Their intent was to take the journey Ashe had promised her, a visit to the Library at Green Silences.

Prior to Ashe's arrival, Jera was minding a conversation within the hall and found it disturbing. The topic was purpose and meaning of life, no trivial matter certainly, but a particular young woman was apparently so distraught over it that she began to doubt any reason for her own existence. At least, that's what Jera drew from the conversation and simply could not understand this attitude. She sipped her tea, somewhat frowning under the puzzle of what would bring a person to such thoughts.

She was so contemplative in fact that when Ashevathallion entered the firehall, she missed seeing him right away. He was difficult to miss, from his tall Sithryn height to his graceful long strides to his colorful clothing in the green and blue of his clan. His traveling cloak bore a clasp signifying his clan as well, the House of the Silver Rose. It was to the seat of this clan which he and Jera would travel, to the Forest of Green Silences. Ashe also had a small leather case slung over his shoulder, obviously prepared for a journey.

He looked around the hall, nodding greetings to acknowledge those received, but his path did not stray as he spotted the elven woman he sought and went to meet her. "S'dia shaya, Jera."

Jera was so much in thought that his voice almost startled her. Furrowed brows softened and she smiled, albeit from a less than content expression. "Going somewhere?" She teased, knowing full well where and with whom.

Ashe grinned, "A short trip on a long Road with a treasured companion." He sat beside her then with concern, "You look distracted. What is wrong?"

She set aside her tea and shook her head, "No great difficulty. Just a recurring puzzle. People... not usually of our ilk... who fall into thoughts that... that anything can exist without reason? It's a paradoxical way of thinking to me. Just because we do not always know the reason doesn't deny there is one. I mean, if it IS, it IS. And intentionally so, else, it would not be." She truly was perplexed by this.

"Which thoughts were these that perturb you?"

Jera leaned close to him and lowered her voice to a whisper only for Ashe, "Twas a woman earlier, a human one, speaking of meaningless lives and that perhaps they should not exist and I... Well, it's troubling that any should think so and I seek to understand it, but I cannot."

"Ah, yes, well..." Ashe paused for a moment, then shared his comment, "Humans are indeed different than you or I. They seem to ponder the meaning of life quite a bit. Sometimes, they over ponder, to my thinking."

She nodded and sat up straight again, seeming to shrug off the weight of the topic. "Well, I ponder too but... I'll not solve it this eve, and I have more pleasurable pursuits in the offing. Don't I?" She smiled and all the previous consternation was gone.

"I think it's because they are the Children of the Fire, doomed to burn brightly for a short time. Whereas elves see each day as something to be cherished and enjoyed. And, aye," He grinned, "We do have more pleasurable things to look forward to this eve."

Pale blue eyes flashed in a moment of understanding as Jera put together Ashe's wisdom with her quandry. "Yes yes! That could very well be it. The drama and passion of fire, though shorter lived than the long glow of stars... Yesss. Indeed." Then again, she shifted focus and nodded, "As for this evening's pursuits, I am at your mercy. Lead on." She added a light chuckle to her sparkling smile.

"Alright then, have you eaten and drank?"

"Aye, enough. Have you?"

He nodded. "Then we'll walk down to the pond by the garden." He rose to his feet and held out a hand to Jera to help her stand as she gathered up her folded cloak with the other.

"Let us begin." He smiled at her and gestured toward the garden doors. As they reached the doors, Jera extended her folded cloak to Ashe, "Favor?" He tilted his head and missed her meaning, "For you? What is it, love?"

That made her chuckle, "Well, if you just release my hand, I suppose I could put it on myself. Or you can assist."

Ashe threw back his head and laughed then released her hand and stepped back to help her with her cloak.

"I thank you, kind sir. Your mind is already on the Road perhaps?"

"Umm...well..perhaps it is. There, that seems set."

"Now, I'll delay no longer. To the pond, eh?"

He grinned and waved with a flourish toward the door then opened it for her. She stepped through as fluidly and gracefully as one might expect, albeit with a snicker. Ashe took her hand again as they walked outside onto the plaza with the fountain. "A good night for it, see? A full moon and all the fires of heaven to light our way." His free hand reached up to point to the stars.

Jera gave his other hand in hers a little squeeze as she looked up with him and smiled into the sky, "Yes, Thank You," she said to the stars and moon.

Ashevathallion laughed once more, something he'd done more of lately. "We're heading to the flat rock that overlooks the pond. Do you know the one? Ian often stands upon it. The children call it 'Da's Rock' he's there so often."

"Hm... I've not noted a particular rock but what you say suggests you'll be able to tap in there? The pond bodes a line, certainly."

"Aye, so it does. Ian calls the Road there often, right at the rock hanging above the water." Ashe pushed aside a low hanging branch as they walked along the slightly twisting gravel path.

Jera nodded, understanding the need and purpose of such a place, though not having made use of this one. "Do you call the Road often?"

"Well, not as much as I once did. Now that I've settled here, I use it less often."

"I could not have chosen a better place for you to settle."

"I must confess, I feel the Goddess has smiled on me." Ashe nodded to a point shortly ahead of them. "Almost there. There's that gazebo that Ian tells stories about." He chuckled at the memory of some he'd heard.

"Stories? There is something noteworthy about a gazebo?" Jera snickered too, mostly caught up in Ashe's mirth. "Perhaps I shall hear of them sometime."

"Oh, don't open that Pandora's Box. He'll talk you to tears--- Ah, there's the rock. There! You see?"

"Aye..." she nodded "and I begin to feel it too." The feeling grew stronger as they approached and stood at the base of Ian's Rock.

"Here... watch out for the gravel." Ashe warned, "It's been loosened by the rain the other eve. Let me climb up and reach my hand down for you."

"Mind your steps too, hm? Not sure I could catch you." She grinned and awaited his ascent, ready to take a hand up.

"Oh ho! So I'm an ancient now, am I?" But a hand hold here and there, a step to a crack halfway up, followed by another to the top, and he looked down in triumph, "So, there!"

"Ancient? No. Bigger than myself? Yes." She snickered as she hurriedly gathered up the skirt of her dress enough to tuck a bit under the tie at her waist. She'd worn a nicer dress than her usual and didn't want the soft blue fabric to end up under her boots as she climbed. At last she reached up to let Ashe help draw her to his position. He bent and stretched his long arm down to grasp Jera's wrist in a tight but careful grip. "Alright, easy now, let the rock take your weight."

She nodded and used his pull and her own to gain the distance. As she drew up near him, she teased, "You know, I get around in the forests and rocky places quite a bit. Where'er the best grows."

Ashe winced at his lapse. "Of course you do. I'm sorry. Forgive me."

"I forgive, but I also like to hold to, so no offense."

He waited for Jera to gain her stance next to him. When she'd attained a stable footing, she dusted her skirts back into place. Ashe was looking out across the pond, "Can you sense the line?"

Jera turned slightly and looked out over the water too. Her mouth drew into a side grin as she slowly nodded. "I see it." When she focused there was a glowing light along the leyline. There was also a low sort of vibrational hum through her skin, through her heart.

"Yes, right under the pond." Ashe grinned. "I think Ian prefers it because of the dramatic effect."

She chuckled, "Aye and beautiful it is too, diffused through the water with the sky lights reflected over the surface."

"So it is... until you summon the Road." Ashevathallion stretched out a hand, as if pushing at a door. A faint silver line appeared on the surface of the water first, as though a walkway were emerging, but ahead of them the air itself rippled. Jera took a deep breath, for though she can do this herself and has traveled the Road many times in her life, it is always thrilling.

Ashe simply watched the effect of his summoning. Unlike Blackthorn, there was no loud clap of thunder or rush of air. Perhaps it was because he's older and more experienced. Jera felt the summoning through her body like a soft breeze. She was impressed with Ashe's gentle way, though she truly expected no less. They both watched as the air rippled again, and a dark hazy oval hovered there in midair before them, framed in the silver haze from below.

"There." Ashe grinned. "Have I impressed my lady love?"

Jera looked at him, her appreciation of this act and his endearment evident even in the veiled light. After a moment she whispered, "Perhaps from the first moment I saw you."

He smiled down to her softly, "Then, unlike the humans, I know my life now has meaning."

"And I do believe I've found mine as well."

Ashe leaned closer, perhaps with intent in the gesture. Jera wondered of it and arched a brow while searching his face so close. His words were quiet. "You know, we could stand here for hours like this... I would not mind it at all... but there seems to be a hole in the sky over there."

Jera snickered at him and didn't look at the hole in the sky but only at his eyes glittering with humor in the moonlight. "Then perhaps, we should step through it."

He nodded, still trapped in her gaze, "Perhaps, yes," then he dipped his head forward with elven grace and stole a brief kiss. "One for the Road, arwenamin."

She was caught again by surprise. She had thought he was about to do that before and that his inclination had passed but now, before she had time to react, he was drawing back. "The sweetest wine lies on my lady's lips. Shall we go?"

Jera drew her lower lip in and released it, then amazingly said nothing, but only nodded, regarding him with surprise still on her face. Ashe smiled and nodded in return, then stepped forward, out to where the rock ended, yards above the water, and the silver haze held beneath his elven boots. He looked back at Jera. "Well, step lively, beloved. It's a long walk along the Road and we would not want to encounter Rhiannon of the Silver Bells upon it." His grin broadened, "Or perhaps we might. Your beauty would shame her to silence."

Awakening from her fog brought on by his kiss, Jera stepped forward and reached to slip her hand in his as she too stood on seeming thin air but she was confident that it was much more than that. "Hush. You'll blush me further... and goading those within is less than prudent."

"Ah, but you are right." He grinned aside to her, "I shall have to walk beside you and stop myself from shouting your wonders to them all." He gained the glowing opening and waited so they might step through together.

"You're treading dangerously, and not even on solid ground." She joked about their mode of travel and further chided him, "I have warned myself many a time about falling for you and that silver tongue."

Ashevathallion gestured with his hand as they both gained the opening to the Road. "Milady, it is already too late for me. My heart has been ensnared by your smile." With that, the air rippled, the opening seemed to darken.

Jera held to him. It's quite different to travel with another and through a passage not of your own making. But, all she needed to do was stay with Ashe... and there was a last minute threat to crush his fingers with her own, should he make good on his teasing and spout off to someone on the Road. Having given that admonishment, she passed through with him while snickering.

Ashe made some reply, but it was lost to any who might be listening, as the air rippled again, the opening faded from view, and the silver haze settled back down into the water of the pond.

The Road had come... and now it was gone.

(from 2002 1110) © DHP and Bill West

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