WOT Adv 253 - Fiznak

== The Wheel Turns ==

Fiznak relaxed. He knew, after all two things in life: the blade and women, and perhaps not necessarily in that order. He smiled and gathered her more closely to him, feeling her warmth and closeness, her soft breath against his chest. Perhaps this wouldn't be so difficult after all. In any case, Daelyn certainly seemed to know what he was doing.

He gently kissed her head and stroked her long glossy hair, enjoying the moment. How much of this dream, if dream it really was, existed in reality? How much of this were the imaginations of a wounded and broken Fiznak? "I missed you, My Heart. I came close to making my final peace tonight, as you can see by my hair."

She pushed him back, arms about his waist and studied him. "I am glad you did not."
And tangled one hand in his curls.

"As am I. For then I would not have been able to gaze upon you once more. Light, you're more beautiful everyday!" He brought his lips to hers in a long kiss. After some time--was it a minute? An hour? It seemed to short whatever it was--she moved her head away and once more leaned against him. After some time, he felt a tear splash on his hand.

"What is it, My Heart?"

She shook her head and sniffed against his chest. "You will think me weak. Unbecoming of the strength of our ancestors."

"Never, My heart. Tell me." With tender hands, yet rough and calloused from thousands of hours training and fighting with the blade, Daelyn, took her hands in his and met her eyes.

"It is just that every time you go out there, a part of me dies. And with these trollocs so close, I wonder how long our love can last. What will become of us, Daelyn?"

Daelyn smiled down at her; amazed that his woman, so fierce with the blade, and as cunning as any male warrior in the hold, could ever think this weakness? What man in the boarderland did not wonder the same thing, every time he drew his blade to defend hearth and hold? No, this sentiment was not weakness. This woman was as courageous as any man. For a moment he said nothing, and continued to hold her hands.

"I cannot say for certain, my love. But by the light, I am alive and the shadow will be pushed back, we will see to that!" He leaned to kiss her but she turned aside and, removing her hands from his, walked over to the window that looked down on the streets some thirty feet below. Her hands grasped the window sill, staring into the blackness of early morning.

"I heard the fighting. From my window I looked down and could see a milling mass of men and shadowspawn," She nodded below somberly, still gazing into the darkness. "I heard your voice, leading our warriors. With every clang of blade on blade, my heart was hammered with sorrow and for fear of losing you. I--" she turned, shaking her head ruefully and then looked at him, her chin lifted in an almost regal manner. "I am sorry, my heart, I shall remain strong. Tell me of it. What was it like?"

"Hush..." He joined her at the window and spoke softly. "You are strong and not unlike us men. We feel the same thoughts for our women and children every time we go to battle. Think not that you are weak. As to the battle," he sighed and recounted the story of rallying the troops, the confusion and fighting inside the streets, the betrayal of Captain Aedrik, and finally of his defense upon the south wall. "And so, Tai'manshima, the Dai'shan called me. And I killed that Darkfriend, Captain Aedrik."

"I am glad," she said simply and then fidgeted with the simple silver wedding band on her left hand.

He nodded. "I know you always told there was something not right about him. I should have listened more closely to you more, My Heart. I should have--"

She drew closer to him and put a finger to his lips and smiled up at him. "I have some news of my own, though of a different sort."

"Oh? And what would that be? You are always so mysterious."

"Not this time," she smiled with a mixture of happiness and sorrow. "I might not get another chance to tell you. You are to be a father, Daelyn."

Shock roiled through Daelyn and through Fiznak. It was a wonder his jaw didn't hit the floor, he was sure his mouth was so far a gape.

"Well, say something, you big oaf." She jabbed him, not entirely softly, in his midsection, concern written across her face.

"A Fa-Father?" He wondered what his face looked like but he could feel his face sliding into a slow big grin.

"That's what I said." Her concern melted into a nervous smile.

A father? Light! He gathered her to him, spinning her about and then set her down, beaming happily.

"I am glad you took it as you did." She laughed up at him.

"How could I not? To have children of our own, and after waiting so long!" He still couldn't believe it and scrubbed one hand through his hair.

"Light? When did you find out? When will she be delivered?" He sunk into a chair and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms about her midsection as if to feel the new life inside of her. A father!

"About two moons back, I knew, but I did not want to worry you with all your responsibilities as a scout for the Dai'Shan. And then these foul trollocs appared. Anyway, it is still some months off." She sighed happily and then paused suddenly, tilting her head. "What do you mean, 'She'?" One arm about his shoulder.

"Well, you are so beautiful, I would like to have a second smaller copy, just to look at."

"I feel it will be a son," she smiled. "And he will be a strong and good man like you."

A son. He said nothing just squeezed her tighter for a moment and then stood shaking his head.

"Blood and ashes!" He said after a bit and pushed her off and stood, frowning and looking at her nervously, twisting her ring around and around on her finger.

"What is it?"

"Well, the Dai'shan orders all the men to sleep at the walls with their weapons in hand but allows me to come to you. You know this cannot be. My honor would not allow it."

She frowned and sighed in regret.

Daelyn felt his own desire to be with her this night of all nights rise within him. Perhaps he could---what? Leave his men? They could not spend it with their women folk. No he was Tai-manshima and such an honor and responsiblity could not be taken lightly.

Sighing he hugged and kissed her long and deeply. "I will return with the men. We expect another attack on the morrow, and the men are tired. My presence will buoy up their spirits. I will return as soon as I can, My Heart. May the light be with you!"

She kissed him back firmly and he turned and had his hand on the door handle, when he heard a whisper in the darkness on the far side of the room. A whisper that chilled his bone. A whisper in a voice sounding like long nails scraping against the granite stone of a rotting tomb.

"How...touching." It said, sarcasm rich in its deathly whisper. A tall sinuous form detached itself from the wall and pulled a long dark blade from a scabbard beneath a cloak that did not move when he moved, but hung motionless. Overlapping plates of black armor enhanced the sickening vision of scales on a snake, a snake poised and ready to strike. It glided step by step towards them.

Shae-ree screamed and stood stock still, motionless between Fiznak and the Fade. A proverb yammered wildly in the back of his skull: "The look of the eyeless is fear."

"You have interfered for the last time, worm!"

Fiznak stumbled backwards as it glided towards him, knocking over a table containing a small lantern of oil which spilled into a book case, causing flames to leap upwards. Shouts came from below. Shae-ree's eyes were wide and her scream ended and she trembled as the gaze of the eyeless passed over her and to Fiznak. Shouts sounded from the street below and off in the distance a horn blew.

Moving with grace and inhuman speed, the viperous form leapt not at Fiznak but instead to the door and slipped home the bar, foregoing any hope of escape through that route. "There is not hope for you, human worm. Your entrials will be mine!"