James Galloway - Weavespinner

"I'm alright, Granpapa," she said with a bright smile. "We're home!"

Elke hugged Jula, whom she knew was Tarrin's bond-daughter, gave Kimmie a light hug, then offered her hand to Mist. She hadn't met Mist, only knew of her from what Jenna and Tarrin had told her. Triana came in behind them, and she nodded knowingly to her. "Well, who have we here?" Elke asked as she knelt down and looked at the suddenly shy Eron.

"This is your grandson, Eron," Mist told her bluntly. "Say hello, Eron."

"Hello, Gramma," he said bashfully.

"And these are your newest grandchildren, Elke," Kimmie said proudly, holding up her bundle. "This is Tara, and Mist is holding Rina. They're your granddaughters."

Elke turned down the blanket and looked at Tara 's tiny little face, and her eyes simply melted when she saw the infant. "Oh," she said breathlessly. "She's beautiful, Kimmie!"

"They're identical, so when you see one, you've seen them both," Kimmie winked.

"Rubbish!" Elke said. "Let me see my other granddaughter, Mist!"

Mist laughed and presented the baby to her as Eron, with Jasana in his arms, came over and looked at Tara. Tarrin picked up Eron, Triana and Jula gathered in with Jesmind and Jenna, and they all spent a moment marvellling at Kimmie's babies.

"We're home, Grandpa!" Jasana said again happily.

"How long are you going to visit?" Elke asked Jenna.

"No, mother. We are home," he told her. "Everything's been settled, mother. I've come home."

Elke put her hands to her mouth again, then gave him a fierce hug. "I don't know where I'm going to put you all, but we'll find room," she said. "Are your friends staying long?"

"We'll be here for breakfast, mother," he told her. "There's a meadow out in the Frontier that I'm going to claim. About two hours in or so by horse. I'm going to build my house there. Mist and Kimmie have to go back to their own homes. We just wanted stop in and see you before we go."

"And have breakfast!" Jenna said brightly.

"And have breakfast," Tarrin chuckled.

And they did just that. Triana had to Conjure the extra food, but Elke cooked it, with Jenna and Kimmie helping, and they sat down in the common room and had a good, hot, filling meal cooked by his mother's familiar hands. It seemed wonderful to Tarrin to sit down and have a meal with his parents, and know that once he left their home, there was nothing but the trip out to the meadow, and the process of building. Triana would be a big help there, Conjuring the materials they'd need, but they'd be living out of tents for a couple of rides. He thought about leaving Jasana in the house with her grandparents, but she needed to be with them right now. She was a hardy girl, she could handle the cold.

"So, you're building a house," Eron said. "Why not stay here a while? We can round up a house-raising party, son. We can have it up in a few days."

"Thanks, father, but this is something I think we should do ourselves," he said. "I'm not building anything big or fancy. We just need a nice cabin with enough room for me and Jesmind and my daughters."

"And I won't be there too long," Jula told them. "I've been given my adulthood by Fae-da'Nar. I'm going to stay with father a while, and when I'm sure they're settled in, I'll be moving on."

"Well, that's nice to hear, girl," Elke told her. "Does this mean that everything's said and done, son?"

He nodded. "It's all over, mother. The day for the Firestaff came and went, and we're all still here. That's all that was needed. It won't be a problem for five thousand years. I think it's going to take me that long to recover from this," he admitted ruefully.

"Papa died," Jasana blurted. "But the shining lady brought him back again."

"Jasana!" Jesmind snapped.

"You didn't say I couldn't tell them," she said flippantly.

"You what?" Elke gasped.

"Well, it's technically true," he admitted sheepishly. "It's a long story."

"And you're not leaving this house until you tell it!" Elke said flatly, slamming down her tankard of water on the table.

More or less obliged to do so, Tarrin sat down and did just that. He told them about Jasana's abduction, and his wild plan to get her back. The others added in what they knew, and it took them most of the morning to tell it. "It was the only way I could pull it off," he said ruefully as he finished telling them about his confrontation with Val, and his using the Firestaff. "I took a huge chance, but it paid off in the end."

"You're as bad as your father!" Elke accused. Then she laughed. "But you're here now, and that's all that matters," she told him with a loving smile.

"I'm glad you're not mad," he smiled.

"I should be, but I'll forgive you this time," she told him.

They helped Elke clean up the dishes, and spent a little while just visiting. Eron and Elke took turns holding the twins and Eron, getting to know their energetic grandson, and Eron only broke two chairs and a pair of dishes as he zoomed around the room frenetically. Jenna told them all about Arren becoming king and her hand in that, then told them about those they left behind. "Kerri went back home to Wikuna, and Allia should be in the desert by now. Dar should be in Arkis, and those that didn't stay at the Tower should be in Abrodar by now. Everyone's going home," he sighed. "I'm going to miss them."

"My mate, if we want to get home, we should think of heading out," Jesmind warned.

"It is getting late," he agreed, standing up. "So, what do you say, mother, father? Want to come see the future home of your son?"

"I'd love to!" Elke said happily.

"I think I know which meadow you're talking about, son," Eron smiled. "Let me get my winter cloak and my boots."

They let Tarrin's parents get ready, and then they stepped outside. It was midafternoon now, still briskly cold, and still brightly sunny. Jula stepped down into the snow and looked around, then she laughed and started around the house.

"Jula? Where are you going?" Tarrin called.

"I think it's around the back. I don't know, I didn't come through it," she called.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just follow me!" she called.

They started out after her, and when they came around the house, he started sensing something magical. And it was strong. Jenna looked a little surprised, looking at Tarrin speculatively. "That wasn't here the last time I visited."

"I think we just found out what Mother didn't do," Tarrin chuckled.

What the Goddess didn't do was create a strange stone arch behind the house, just inside the treeline. It was surrounded by a simple split rail fence that had a gate in it facing the house. The arch screamed of great power. The rather plain stone arch was one solid piece of white granite, some twenty spans high and eight spans wide at its base.

"Here it is," Jula said.

"What is this, Jula?" Triana asked.

"Mother knew you'd want an easy way to get back and forth from your parents' farm. So she made you one. Step through this, and it takes you to the meadow."

"Well, that was nice of her," Elke said, a little uncomfortably. "It's going to be a little hard to explain for anyone who comes to visit."

"They can't see it," she said mildly. "Only we can."

"Oh. I'll take your word for it."

Jula smiled broadly. "Come on, father. There's something on the other side you need to see. It's mother's gift to you."

"Now I'm worried," Tarrin said with a nervous laugh. He picked up Jasana and took Jesmind's hand as Jula opened the gate, and then he stepped up to it. He had no real fear of the magical device or using it, but he was sincerely worried about what he might find on the other side of that arch. There was no telling what could be there.

But the only way to find out was to see.

With a sigh, he stepped foward, and then walked into the arch.