Lady of the Veiled Vale

Unexpected Surprises

"Ye know I don't like people messin' about in me head, Raiden."

   He instantly fell to one knee. "A thousand pardons, My Lady. I merely seek to heal whatever grievous wound pains you so." He half expected the dragon to appear, and chase him away.

   "What dragon?"

   It was then, when he stood (out of shock) that he saw her eyes. They were not the glassy, unfocused orbs he was accustomed to.

   Those were the clear, sharp eyes of a fellow T'sa Vedii, or Dream Walker.

   "Shit..."

   "Yeah, it's me. What dragon did ye think would be appearing in my dreams?"

   He was not sure he should--or could--show her. She heard that thought, too. This was the danger inherent in T'sa Iva. She just rolled her eyes.

   "Fine. Then show me whatever you want, and be done with it."

   He shifted uncomfortably. "That is not the way of the T'sa Unai, the Dream Paths. Typically, there is a Guide that shows the T'sa Vedii, the Dream Walker, the Path to follow."

   Her brow furrowed. "So I thought you were the Guide, and you thought I was... Which of us is the Guide, and which is the Walker..?"

   He had to think about that. If they were on her T'sa Unai, then he must indeed be her T'sa Ina'i. But that didn't make sense, because he had to walk his own Path to reach hers.

   She shrugged. "You were expecting a Guide, so I guess that's me. But what sorts of things did the others show you?" She was wary, nervous.

   He hedged. "They took me to potentially traumatic events in your past."

   She shrugged again, perhaps a habit she picked up from her errant French suitor. "There were certainly plenty of those to choose from. Which have you already seen?"

   Raiden tried to spare her embarrassment. "There was a fight before you left Ireland, Kevin being brought to you, and an... enlightening introduction to your... ahem... to Darien." He'd chosen his words with great care.

   "So, you've met the whole cast of my little drama."

   "Actually, no."

   Her brow puckered again. She'd have wrinkles from this night alone, were it not in the realm of dreams! "Who else is there?"

   "Your father." He purposely refrained from calling the man Papa. He wanted a natural reaction from her, and that's what he got.

   She was her eight year old self, in the blink of an eye. She was also clutching a stuffed dragon.

   Raiden stared at the toy for so long that the child Gwinn held it closer. His heart ached for her. Had someone taken it from her?

   The little girl nodded.

   He knelt next to her, careful not to touch. :Who?:

   "Mama took it. Said I had to let Papa go, and grow up. I was being a baby."

   The god's great heart nearly broke. He allowed himself a light touch, just on her bright red hair. :Aw, sheyla, she was wrong. She was just taking out her frustration on you, because he left. You have every right to miss him.:

   The full-grown woman, still holding the stuffed dragon, flung her arms around his neck. Tears wet his shoulder, though he could not feel them.