ELENA StOOD BY ttIOS o t and te by one in tle Borso. At intervals people    o ting if anyt all. It le t lay a.

        From t all, and no lig, fires banked,    t of ts, everyone kne.

        ttle noise from een or ty people must o Mattios    t knoo join ter, at ting-place; s too fe been enoug year, or t, and t ttles very badly. t er to replace t certainly lose tonight.

        It arry nige crest of Vidomni as s        sky, a differeo t entirely, in only a fele began.

        na    stopping to talk. It    a time for talking. Elena    na tonig    oo soon for o be doing t s    tarry for any man or    he world of day.

        So a couple s kno o the house.

        t on t, timio in t of ting in darkness and praying.

        Praying for rain and to be fruitful to tall    of fall. For to nourisake root and t, giving soil. Praying —t ually onig alkers to save their lives.

        Elena instinctively reaco fi s    t    of transparent birthe womb.

        A symbol of good fortune, birt sac o be destined for a life blessed by triad.

        te soutains, teac.    rites    deeper, furto o moutando a c said to be guarded from deat sea, or naively named for fortune.

        It was marked for war.

        For t eac of ts t began the

        year. Foug yet risen seedlings t    cities, cut off from trut of suc for all tando, o pray and to be afraid of sounds in t t mighe dead abroad.

        From beoued to see Mattio looking quizzically at her.

        Sh one hand.

        "Not," she said.

        Mattio did not speak, but t s of a    of reassurance more turning to go baside.

        Elena criding, solid and capable. t do trestle-table, across from Donar. S t, t Verzar, about love and then desire.

        Surned ao look out into t toline of tle in tages errible battle a year ago riump.

        Verzar er t defeat, as all tims of t battles did.

        touc    fall in t cold, final touc, Verzar o o sleep and o t s own.

        I portal of Morian, of longed-fra ly intercessions invoked ears.

        t in to battle t speak in such a way.

        Not t to deny Morian of Portals or Eanna or Adaon; only t t triad, po    beyond told s ts sun. Once a year t alkers of Certando     their own.

        Elena sonigo fig year, and fe. And ed in sucy-ts daug alkers into a time , year by year.

        So    eyesigtio e.

        It , as ed,    stocked ures t could kill a man. Baerd didnt expect to find suo for a long time now.

        ars and t of Vidomni in t    it s bot disturb o be abroad on an Ember Nig ual of    all across ting in silent darkness beheir walls

        offered ude o need. o t lay as if croucive darkness uars al fires cast back at tever flames triad created for tning out of the heavens.

        If ts and spirits a ed to see t o beg their fiveness.

        let y, of pale marble under moonligicos s spend a lifetime studying to uand, of quiet voices    uood by a droyard and a steady, strong, sculptors hers hand.

        turning the noon sun red.

        Smoke aments, to bounce like a boulder on scorco poer t year, infinite and meaningless by the cold ung sea.

        tants, ts, t een years.    yoked to one in , images of royed, terated. truly obliterated: a sound t ing, year by year, furtide er da different as ides came back.

        o live    was a co surrender.

        to die. Or retreat into madness as heir own hands.

        But t could drive terly from t, ead, over and above everythose ashes of ruin.

        Against ter,    he dark.

        And so Baerd    into ts across t, or singly, or dark ars. Among t, or tumn in Astibar or Senzio, along snoled mountain slopes in tregea, or    at the highlands.

        to o smell ten to ters aste grapes and moonlit er, lie motionless in a forest tree to c predators at t. And on a great or in ioless and soon gone. Anot, a part of he River Deisa.

        In every er of t urning of t in t and t field, by t mountain ridge, reac or back or io was ever and again denied.

        imes before on t.    back a long o tains at t of the

        ne. From ter and    misgave    t omorro — as ed—to ease or s.

        tonig called to    le. Alo tonigsteps led . to t lay bele edly open door, Baerd sa as if sing for opped.

        Sitting at table, resistiation to t time, trying to appear as if all    could be on t of tio side t, as it al coward hey had been for years. Even before poor Verzar had died.

        able at Donar, but tco stio follo ttio forile reassuringly. na caugo a fehe more visibly nervous people.

        Not at all easy tio stepped outside    someone ly bearded and of middle , stood motionless before Elena, glang from o t speaking. regean fashion.

        Mattio looked over at Donar     repress a shiver.

        "Someone may e," tereve. And notle. Mattio looked over at Elena;    left tranger. Sanding very straigionless,    s Mattio    years c . illness, and f to hide her fear.

        Dain, and tepped forending ter.

        Calmly ;Be    is not to be abroad.”

        t ed o use ;Nor, as I uand t a nigo have doors and windows open.”

        "and t; Mattio said. too quickly. Elena still    looked ahere was an odd expression on her face.

        Moving a little o stand beside tio realized t imes to tle. A musi, o remember, or a merc of some sort. One of t, o see ttle.

        tranger    respoo ort.    revealed, to be giving tter t. ttio.

        "Im sorry," ;If I am trespassing upon a    in ignorance, five me. I o your peace.”

        ually turned aending to leave.

        "No!" Elena said urgently.

        And in t Donar spoke for t time.

        "tonig; rusted so mud you are not

        trespassing. I t someone migg for you.”

        And at t traurned. hem now.

        "e for ; he asked.

        ted e side to let and in front er. Mattio looked across at e-gold in t. Sook he dark-haired man.

        eadily at Donar. "e for ; ed, mildly enough.

        Still Donar ated, and in t moment Mattio realized    ttio, for ood    to do.

        And t. o one from th.

        "e are t alkers of Certando," eady and deep. "And t of ts of spring. t. I must ask you: where a mark .

        . . did ttended declare a blessing found?" And slo    h.

        Out of ttio saing    tranger, ar    so t.

        time tretced sounds from ted tio could see t    lay be    been revealed.

        till not speaking, tranger moved one o    and reac    out, so t tarlig, too wore.

        Mattio edly t    himself.

        "Eart; Elena murmured, uo stop herself. She had closed her eyes.

        "Eart springs from it aurns," Donar added. rembled.

        t it for Mattio to finis;Returns, t fort ;    tranger, at t identical to Mattios oo Elenas, to Donars, to them.

        It ion spoken in sequence by t Baerd finally uood w umbled upon.

        time of    failures, of violend blood, taken root    o spread t tum and ads ening speed. And against Carlozzis tral teac triad ies, subject to and agents of an older, darker set of po set their hands.

        Faced e unity among t up in tarvation, ti, Prince of tigana, ed doried and executed all across tever means executions ed iime.

        A time of violend blood. two hundred years ago.

        And no declared to be Carlozzini.

        And more. Nig army of t. o one kne noo     be in danger noo be holding himself carefully, as if prepared for violence.

        tood ciful, t in t, every spoken    a feline undercurrent of daoo young, too s make    from    s    not in a    e danger. Deliberately Baerd forced o relax. ; o tell me, then?”

        Elena ears from    tranger again, abs , quiet solidity, y, t t y, painfully a, trying to move past t and before erval o touco be sure t tio and Donar. Someto be o rate on w Donar was saying.

        " I tell you no many people," ly.

        "For till    us destroyed and tyrant in Astibar his.”

        "I kno; tly. "ill you say why you are fiding in me?”

        "Because tonig of battle," Donar said. "tonig alkers into erday at su I fell into a sleep and dreamt of a stranger ing to us. I o trust my dreams, t to know whey will e.”

        Elena saranger nod, calm, unruffled, ao , and t ing in o be a sadness in    it oo dark to tell so mug ion ru sucime.

        On t. Men    griefs of tain. So ask.

        "You are t; o Donar.

        "; Mattio cut in s;And you    to d; From to ed tion. Elena kneive     respected in    too oo important a moment for misuandings. Suro ly.

        "Mattio!" s Donar    moment tranger smiled for t time.

        "You leap at a slig is not meant," ;I o find my bearings. It is darker    is for you.”

        Mattio opened . ure of apology    was Donar who replied.

        "I am Elder of t; ;And so miios aid, is leaderstle. But you must kno to figonig like any battle you mig again from t    sky e sky, in t d shadows, few of us will appear as we do here.”

        ted uneasily for t time.    relutly, to

        look at Donars hands.

        Donar smiled, and     hand, five fingers spread wide.

        "I am not a ; ly. "t ep into it and are marked for it,    s. t wizardry.”

        tranger    lengtesy, "I    see t. I do not uand it, but I    only assume you are tellio a purpose. ill it please you noo tell me    is?”

        And so Donar said t;Because tle tonight.”

        In t follotio spoke, and Elena ;e    need.”

        "?" ther man said.

        "e call t; Elena said tio spoke. "to us year by year. Geion after geion.”

        "to ruin t t," Donar said. "For tando tle t, and for all time o .”

        Mattio said, "For almost ty years no    ts , and about they have—”

        But tranger ed gesture.

        "Almost ty years? And from t?" ep nearer and turo Donar. "tyrants came almost ty years ago. And Brandin of Ygrat.”

        Daze eady as c t;true," ;and it is a t t o some of us, but I do not t signifies. Our battles on t ea, and hey e.”

        "But still—" tranger began.

        "But still," Donar said, nodding ;teries to t are beyond my poo grasp. If you dis a pattern t I do not . . . ion or deny t it migrue?”

        o ouc;You carry t your preseniganding t,    tell you t deato meet us in t I    also tell you t our need goes beyond tando, and even, I the Palm.

        ill you figonight?”

        tranger    a long time. urned a tars, but Elena    ruer vision     really looking up at ts.

        "Please?" s;ill you please?”

        urned back it o look at Donar once more.

        ;I uand little of ttles to figo ake. If you dreamt my ing    myself be guided by your dream.”

        And tears again, Elena sao ;Yes, I ;    smiling, ;I . My name is Baerd.”

        And so it seemed t er all.

        Elena mastered ears, standing as straigumult, a terrible c of t c seemed to Elena t se plucked on . Beyond Donar, Mattio said somet s    it ranger, and realizing, as     s before, t incts    misled. t could not possibly be missed by any man or o see, even in night and shadow.

        Sig, trying to    for    all    seeking in trangeness of t. O. Oh, my dead love.

        Sook a careful breat;I am Elena," s;ill you e in ahers?”

        "Yes," said Mattio gruffly, "e in ; time s t came tried to mask it. S t sound, g fty, ing so muco give sorro t and tides of t could scarcely be ruled even by t of day.

        Besides, s, already, as turo go into to find in o or called by Donars dream.

        Baerd looked at t t placed in    o toue edge, ted color of red soil.

        o Donar, to to t in    urned a as somet deal    noeen of t women, all ing for him.

        t ting-place, Mattio    tell.

        a, by trut t ting for     e up to empting of fate, t aspect of it, something he seldom did.

        But    no to do it.    of Ales-san, and of all times ting ake    ongued Catriana? Or Devin? No, Devin c careful, focused attention, and e to ime. Sandre would call him a fool.

        And per someto the words Donar had spoken.

        rivial superstition. A c dro .

        Almost ty years, Mattio had said.

        t, Donar had said.

        t be little in it, reat deal, or not all, or everything.

        to the lees.

        It ter, deatter. For one panicked, irrational moment e of spring.

        ttio wince

        ruefully at taste of he panic passed.

        table    aed from its trestles. Pallets    to lie upon. Elena moved to ook t s do.

        Baerd t of er, of t clear image of he wide world.

        Donar to on Baerds otc t.

        "Leave your s;It will be useless whe fields.”

        Baerd ated a moment loer recklessness, of a mystic folly     against tches.

        "Close your eyes," ;It is easier t ; ant. ever o act upon ;It ; s;but it    be. Eart us grace, and t." It    thing he heard.

        It    sleep. ever it     sleep, for no dream could be this keen in his face.

        all of ing    many people—tios.

        t range. he looked up.

        And Baerd sa t    green-gold of spring. It s green and golden ligars in stellations ed,    pounding, sear t o    retc sains at all. No snole Borso to nort. Or ?

        est. ition uro look t trees, of grass, bare of flower and se and barren.

        "Yes, look t; Donars deep voice said from be;and uand e as t year    ttles of t years. e are fig not far from noo t battle of our war.”

        "And?" Baerds eyes ill on t, on tony ruin of the hills.

        "And all t just ando. And people will die. Of hunger or of plague.”

        "All over t;    look aion t .    was siing.

        "take, ttle for a small peninsula. All over t is said t ours is not ttered by time and tars.”

        "Carlozzi taughis?”

        "Carlozzi taugand eacly, our oroubles    perhaps in dream.”

        Baerd sill looking out at t. "t is too remote for me. too difficult. I am a one and a sometime merd I o fig my ion, over many years. I live in a peninsula overrun by enemies from overseas. t is the level of evil I    grasp.”

        urned aern    Donar. Ae t. tood ht and his head held high, a man in his prime.

        A o t greatly cer, till e trangeness of t. her eyes, he saw, were a very deep blue.

        "ere your eyes t same color an ; he asked.

        S;It    knohis year.

        It ctle for me every time.    color are they now?”

        "Blue. Extremely blue.”

        "ell t extremely blue, but blue." ;Sell you ; ty, a lig his lips.

        "tell me.”

        "You look like a boy," stle laug;A fourteen-or fifteen-year-old boy, beardless noo cut if we    half a ce.”

        Baerd felt    t in . It actually seemed to stop for an instant before beginning again, laboriously, to beat. urned s his hands.

        t. Smoot in tregea five years ago    there. he closed his eyes, feeling suddenly weak.

        "Baerd?" Elena said be;Im sorry. I did not mean to—”

        ried to speak but found t . ed to reassure    it    time in almost ty years.

        For t time sieen-year-old boy forbidden to go to war by o figo an end.

        "Be easy, Baerd," le. "Be easy. trangeness here.”

        to meet and clasp at . ed against rong and s o cover his face as he cried.

        Above t trange fields ing-time, or utterly bare and desolate and lost, in t.

        "t; someone said, o t;Look. e    claim our ons.”

        tios voice. Elena released epped back. Baerd wiped his eyes and looked

        to t again.

        And    to make rig terly een.

        Over t, far off yet but unnaturally clear in tural ligh.

        "O; akeh.

        " do you see?" Mattio said.

        Baerd turly trimmed, but ;Ygrat; e of excitement. "Soldiers of t, but t is exactly hers.”

        Mattio looked suddenly tful.    it was Donar who spoke.

        "Be not deceived, Baerd. Remember    in our peninsula, ttle of t your invaders from overseas.”

        "I see t I see.”

        "And sell you t    their numbers?”

        "And t again," Mattio said bluntly, almost angrily. "to a tail like tain cats. t teeths.”

        Baerd    of ill, in tance, p do of ting knives of Ygrath.

        uro Elena, a little desperate.

        "I do not like to name ; s;teoo much.

        tures of my c it is not s e, but t ttle of your daytime world.”

        , a rusreaming out of the hills.

        "I am alle," o o ;All my life.

        I see out tell you t I am fifteen years old no fourteen or I could not be    ; A t struck ;tell me: is tream    of us, a river below whey are desding now?”

        "t; Donar said. "Do you    to join battle there?”

        A red, fierce joy rollable.

        "I do," ;Otio, where do we claim our ons?”

        "t; Mattio pointed sout to a small nearby field alks of     your stream very soon.”

        Baerd did not speak. tios lead. Elena and Donar     field of    already and Baerd sa to pluck a stalk to be t. It    o take a part of to uand t    ern logic of day, grasped t tall yello onig for their hands.

        epped in among t field, careful of alk for    came free easily, even o    green nig on to fallo in    cautiously, and    already talk iffened like metal fed. It sliced tling soued it alk rue to    uries ago.

        o t. t of t of t a dream, old    a dream.

        Donar io stood beyond, a passionate defian his face.

        Men and ern and resolute and unafraid.

        "S; Donar said turning to look out upon t;S to the Ember war?”

        "For t; t alkers cried, and raised t to the sky.

        Baerd di tigana bar Saevar cried    and not aloud, but    foralk of    like a long blade in o do battle u enced place.

        s, there was never any blood.

        Elena uood onige, of any kind of life. o to th.

        t of to tream and.

        Elena prepared o figinted c. Sened, but s. S Ember ime tle sucures as tmare ones she saw.

        But Donar and Verzar    of magic it    t mattered,     s so muger on ts, so mued oo, t time and even after ion so deal ment to be made. to one degree or anotly    image of w he once had been.

        Just as Baerds very clearly, reac ed.

        Fifteen,    fourteen, or     uand t, but sime to puzzle suot noream, and n to clamber out, clad in them.

        Sure dripping er as it scrambled up toed eetinctive deadliness s self in t-ied body of her foe.

        S, ing ely more. Surned—barely in time to blootep before ts on . Sed e attempt to ward.

        tanding them.

        S Baerd. At ranger on t.    iganding over t killed.    o    all. urned and    foro tcride into ttle, and s sure o a ruso grieve for too young eyes.

        Again, no time for sucs. to it. Screams of pain, cries e and fury cut t like blades of sound. So tio beside abbing, -footed among te in his ce.

        All about    alkers of Certando plunged into their war.

        Sures from t.

        S o to o, and again and again on eacs, t t be fruitful, t to bear its bounty in t year, and t.

        In t of t , Elena glanced up. S of till- climbing moon, and t stop o t of tated ream, apprec . t yet.

        t certain t.     of ther side.

        Sore s from truck doo a scabrous s, bubbly sound. S barely in time to block a sideo keep ing. nas free    eveo look but s was.

        It ars, u of t moon, it es and open sores. Seet, letting t bodys grace be guided by alk t o e from self as muc did from er, and s be blood, but time to cime noo do anyt all but parry and    to keep ones footing on to fall o die.

        Stered, ory flasime. tride ao quell a movement to t at one point, guarding    ing for to e to tag ter, screaming ind. iful, and deadly. S like grey sludge blog tream. ly, sold t yrant in t.

        to vanis moved so fast. Knee-deep in tream ood rooted like a tree and t force    of    to o get furtream. tling alone i strange on

        range on talk t .

        Elenas    a overwhelming weariness.

        So ing beside Donar. toget for tretg to move in cert, to be of one mind.

        t fig trained for battle. t eaceacs apex and ting noaugo speak for life all grain had bee.

        So t alkers of Certando did battle by t river, fig, oldest dream of try fields beyond all ty    and flouriss cycle of seasons and years; a dream of t year none of to see.

        And time, amid tumult and te for t to look up and s tream    t, disanized and fused    of to ter, o e to orme was scarcely knowable as his own.

        Elena could barely stand. Sterly spent.

        S one of t beside c s beside earing    rip to bind it opped hough.

        opped oucely, ed across tream. Sed, ao t, fear rising in    moment of seeming victory Elena sa t    empty anymore. t tanding there.

        "Look!" a man cried just t;hem again! e are undone!”

        Otook up t cry along t t spaces of    Elena    he would.

        Just as    aleen years, ty; t, Donar o set, green and full, just    seemed as if t o force t dark figure o stand    as    the enemy ranks.

        And it s, ing,    o tterly tested places of battle, t fields, and claim t and disease and desolation spread wh.

        ood no of ted    of t rising and flo smoke and darkness sretc to a sudden s of ess e into , a terrible, numbing co tremble. S    seemed t t all, to o her.

        Across tream tions of , saw

        retcotlefield. Elena ation in t of to e at t, o , t tly     year, and t, and t ae, even as s to find a o ready ed body to faother charge.

        Mattio ; sence, blindly fig figure on t;Not time! Not! Let t retreat again!”

        side, ano move to t    to t    t a sob escape .

        And nled gamely up from     arm dangling at anding ting ting of pride t o pain, Elena sa t alkers    retreating. None of to o try. And some of to die now shem would die.

        t ;No," he said.

        "t fall back. e oo many tonig    spring. I o play for time, to    .

        Ele o cry, from exion as mug to let Donar see anding, , ing to ease triump, ly realized t Baerd    ohe miracle begin.

        ,    all. From t t- it was. In an odd way he shadow-figure came.

        It    kno, but teps t nigaken o tc seemed to ime ago.

        see t t didnt matter, it really didnt.    t.

        It oget o t someone    knoly ure of its po alkers    been able to and because t uand.

        inctively t it tio. it turning range se—ern bank.

        ools. Rig matter at all. ten by t o deal . Not a pro even    t now.

        ed up at t sly as ting do t full to overfloainty, scious t Alessaer, but kno task, and kneness of t

        nig;Be gone! e do not fear you! I k—onight!”

        Gradually t greill, deatill. Baerd could tios labored, painful breat be look back. ed, straining to pee t t he hill.

        And as ared it seemed to , t tly.

        t t dissipated a very little.

        ed no longer.

        "Be gone!" , a ringing sureness in ;I    of tors yranny in a land t    and t to sion, to obliterate a name. Yours is a power of darkness and s I know you and ame you, and so all your shadows are gone/”

        came to    true! It ing apart, as if taken by a    even in t of joy somet tory y at one and time.    of    flat and rigid at    his back.

        Mattio w would be a prayer.

        t in disarray    of tream. Even as Baerd less, urmoil, more of ted and spread, beginning to blo Baerd t     bearded and slim, and of medium , and yrants t o sigo t his soul.

        "My s; ;Quickly!”

        tio placed it in    of tarting to fall back, slo first, ter, and suddenly t t didnt even matter; t didnt matter at all.

        Baerd looked up at t of ted ;Stay for me! If yratruly t you noay for me—I am ing! In tigana bar Saevar!”

        ildly, still screaming    of tream, scrambling up t cold as ice t boots.    ered a terrain t    tonig figure before    didnt matter eit didnt matter if he died.

        t, to gainsay o be setting unnaturally fast. It looked as if it ing noted against t green moon; t    clearly again across tween.

        to    er of er of till laug    all, the

        surned and stepped doo t.

        Baerd began to run.

        "Baerd, !" ;You must not be on telands whe moon goes down! e back! e have won!”

        t ,    ttle, ion t onigever    alkers of Certando, ts victory     could not be.    in . And e, kne as    of sig low hill.

        "Stay for me!" Baerd screamed again,    voice ripping t.

        bursting ook stragglers among t even breaking stride. It tered, it    year. ttered nort led to the hill.

        Baerd reac straige ground.

        ted th a surge and a gasp.

        And ood upon t, exactly , toy valleys and ruined    all.

        urned quickly nort    too, seemed to irely melted a and tood.

        t.

        eland under a clear, , alien stars and tigana o ing back t ill dead and o er    somewhe world.

        Baerd sank to er. It ime in t Ember Nig as t    broken long ago.

        Elena reaco climb. S t steep. Mattio arted to e migo be among ter moo, but Donar old    op smiling since Baerd unned, incredulous glory in his face.

        Most of toxicated riumpo t had always happened.

        Carefully avoiding Mattios eyes, Elena er Baerd. Be s ering    field after an Ember victory. Ele e . S Mattios face    s ride as s did not falter, and to to run, suddenly afraid for t, and for iness.

        Baerd ting on tood in front of tting moon just before ened expression flickered

        for an instant across arlit dark.

        Elena stopped, uain.

        "It is only me," srying to catch.

        a moment. "Im sorry," ;I    expeg anyone. For a moment ... for a moment you looked almost exactly like a ... like somet ged my life.”

        Elena didnt knoo say to t. S no furtting    s doc said nothing else.

        Sook a deep breat;You sed someone. You s I ; S pounding.

        For a long moment Baerd ill, ilted a little to one side, as if listening to t lit up oo the hollow, wounded eyes.

        "t; ;t, Elena." It    time aars    impossibly brighe sky.

        Ele    gaze. S;After all, it is dangerous        even kno bae.”

        "I ; ;I imagionig the ground where you walked.”

        Suro look back. And caug to see t along taken to te flowers were blooming in w h.

        Even as sc tions from o ood. to onige o life uars    beautiful things she had seen in all her days.

        Quietly, Baerd said, "You    teac is not only a matter of tle. You must follo is possible tain lands lost in battle years before.”

        Sten long ago. S;truly dead. It    al; Sears a him.

        oo sad for a moment suco dispel t sorro only for tonig;t is mostly true, I suppose. Or true for t things    die. People, dreams, a home.”

        Impulsively Elena reacook     lay in ly but    response. In tance, east of t alkers o celebrate and o cry t summer would see.

        Elena    s s o his man.

        S;If    is part of t; But t ,    her own.

        Baerd . S    so say t    sound

        ead, t migo speak, s;You said you kneell me?" It range, almost an illicit pleasure to speak his name.

        ly. le face, especially young as it ;Donar tio, all of you. You y years or so told me. Donar said I oo mucied to transitory battles of day, do you remember?”

        Elena nodded.

        "    on. "I sa truly so of course. I uand t no I     time    an ansself. And transitory, must add to t you face s.

        t, Elena, it ot but be so. Everyts. e ot afford to look only at our o is t friend of my life augyrants in our peninsula    goes deeper t evil o ttlefield .”

        "Darkness adding to Darkness," s certain .

        "Exactly," Baerd said. "Exactly so. I uand your battles     going far beyond doesion. t ake. It was before him all along, if only he could have seen.”

        "And t; Elena asked. " did to do ?”

        "Naming o do ," Baerd said quietly.    across ;Names matter even more    als live and die." ated. And after a silence made deeper by t;Did you hear me name myself?”

        It seemed almost a silly question.    at top of    oo intense for o do anyt answer.

        "I did," s;You named yourself Baerd di tigana bar Saevar.”

        And moving very sloely, Baerd reac it to les, and not only ts widowed daughe village below Borso.

        "t; ;t ... I t it mig tonight. here.”

        tingling . Fig;I dont uand.    did I do?”

        ill t some seemed gentler no;tigana is t aken as loss is part of t brougo to all your ottlefields for ty years no uand tely, you t, but believe me    you could not    land ba your village,    even if I spoke it to you from as near as    louder tream.”

        And no t sum of o vey, but t mattered more for    look in the dark of his eyes.

        "And tigana is your ; s a question. She knew.

        ill ;tigana is my ; he echoed.

        "Men call it Loe now.”

        S a long moment, t;You must speak of to Donar," she said.

        "Before m takes us back. t sucters, someto    to help.”

        Somet;Ill do t," ;Ill speak to him before I go.”

        t t a s    ill pounding, almost as it tle. Baerd did not move.

        een, ain again, and sa all around tself    of we flowers.

        "Look!" sed and awed.

        .

        "Y; he said.

        Belo, in till singing. Elena kne    of ts of spring. t. And tonig o o be almost as close to the flowers.

        S;t are different about tonight. here.”

        "I kno; Baerd said softly.

        And te floo take o ouc o ans—before o hers.

        S er t, for desire and need cras of bark—carried by a ogete flo hill.

        And as so enderness, Elena looked up for a moment past    all tars of t.

        And it came to    t every single diamond of tars would have a name.

        t, and all ts scattered from    strears. So    t o the beginning of spring.
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