I wandered up behind her and hugged her tightly.I wandered up behind her and hugged her tightly. "It's done for you, Tasha. The others will take over now." She reached up and placed her hand on mine, like she had the day she had first awakened. "It was a long year, Father." "I know, Tasha, but you did well. You did better than I could have asked of anyone." She sighed gently. "Only a hundred of us to start out with, and I had to be responsible for them all." "Only ten. You were supposed to reach one, then ten. The ten were supposed to reach the hundred." "But somehow they all kept coming back and asking me, Ken. There were just so many questions, as if I had any more answers than they did." "You did your best, Tasha, and you held it all together. I was impressed. You did wonderfully." I slid my hands down her shoulders and around her waist, holding her against me. She no longer fought me as she had once, a year ago. She patted my hands as I laced fingers about her waist. "Do you think I'm still in IS?" she asked, turning to look at me. "I'm not sure. It's not something I can really, objectively determine. I wish I could, but it's something I just feel. I think in some ways you are, but for the most part you've got it together." She smiled. "Can we go somewhere, Ken. Just you and I?" "Like where?" "North Point. I like it there." I blinked, considering. There were only two people who I thought even know of North Point-- me, and Oenone. Actually, I'm sure there are many many "North Points" scattered around Pendor, one for every local map and town. But for us, Shardik Castle, North Point is just one place. |