We must speak, anyway. Oisin, go about your affairs. I will see you in the morn. Please extend my sincerest thanks to your crew."

- 106 -.

May left the room, and Oisin bent down to Sam to kiss her. Jandra was surprised, but Sam enjoyed the moment. Oisin had been careful to take Sam's hands, as Jandra had done earlier, place them together and quickly cover them with her own. Sam felt some energy flowing from Oisin, and it made her feel better. Oisin then gave her a tender yet passionate kiss, Sam suddenly remembering that Jandra was in the room, "Oisin, Jandra is present. You embarrass me."

"You are overly beautiful to let go, Highest. It was not just Devin's breath that was taken away with your beauty. I thought my heart had halted."

"Oh, Oisin, that is so absurd. What be beauty, anyway?"

Jandra spoke, "But it be true what Oisin and Sir Devin say, Highest.

You truly are a most beautiful woman."

"Enough of this. It be tiresome. Oisin, please go now. I will see you in the morn. Jandra, please attend me so that I may lay down before I fall down."

"What would you have me do, Highest?"

Sam was struggling with her gown, but was too tired to lift it off.

"Just help me take off my gown. I am well tired of these garments."

Jandra raised the gown over Sam's head and placed the gown onto a chair. As she turned to help Sam further, she saw that Sam was standing there fully naked. Sam began to sink into the bed, tired from all her prior events. Jandra had thought she was falling so she reached out to hold her.

As she did so, the current went through Sam into Jandra. Jandra ignored it, realizing it was overly late anyway, so just helped Sam to sit up safely in the bed. Sam had, unknowingly, reached into Jandra's thoughts.

She is so beautiful. Devin was correct. She takes my breath away and makes me feel like I have never prior felt. She gives me urges I have not felt in many cycles. But what about Oisin? No, Sam could never want me. Besides, she is most attached to Oisin.

And then, Sam sensed sudden fear and embarrassment, Oh, no. Please let her not have heard these thoughts.

Sam acted as if she had heard nothing. "Jandra, we must speak about our plans for the midmorn."

"Yes, Highest. But I must say, your game, as you called it, was magnificent. Highest, do you really plan to make union with this king?"

Jandra took the bed covers and started to cover The Highest. She noticed that Sam seemed to feel no immodesty at all with her nakedness.

Nor should she with such beauty as this.

Sam sighed, "My first duty is to our community. If through such a union we are guaranteed safety from harm, then it is a consideration a Highest would have to make. But no, Jandra, I desire not as such, and have no in- - 107 -.

tentions to do as such. I was but trying to uncover the length of their holdings and their mannerisms so that we know how much to prepare for battle.

We discovered their legions are no match for ours, given Hengist's involvement, too, which I feel would be most certain."

May had entered with Sam's meal. More broth, and much of it.

"May, am I not to have any more food in this life?"

"Highest, dear, you have become dehydrated. If you finish this, I will bring you some food that will be easy on your stomach. Here Jandra, help The Highest to eat her soup. She looks overly pale for my liking."

She looked at Jandra trying to cover The Highest, "Oh, Highest, where is your bed shirt?"

"I know not, May. I was overly tired to fetch it, and Jandra knows not my room."

May went to the wardrobe and took out Sam's bedshirt. "Here, Jandra.

What are your trying to do, let The Highest catch a fever?"

"I am sorry, May. I know not your custom."

Sam laughed, "Do not let May beat you into submission, Jandra, or you will but live to regret it."

"Eat your soup, Highest. Jandra, place on her bedshirt before she catches a fever. What would The Highest do without me?" She shook her head and walked off muttering, "Just sitting there without her bed clothes on. I know she is trying to"

Sam laughed again, "She be so bossy, that May of ours. But she cares well for me."

Jandra placed Sam's bedshirt on her, then finished covering her with the bed covers, "I think that will keep May's fever away from you now, Highest."

"It is a little warmer. Thank you. May I have my soup now so that I can have something of substance, or would you be so kind to throw that into the bushes so that I may just eat my other meal?"

She shook her head while laughing lightly, "No, Highest. As May said, you do look pale, and you are dehydrated. You need the liquid."

"You are as bad as May. Let us get this part over with, but I am tired of soup. And Jandra, if you would rather be out enjoying the festivities, please go and do so. I can feed myself this soup."

"Thank you, Highest, but no. I have had enough of that for one eve."

"If you would rather be in your own dwellin"

"No, Highest. I am where I should be."

"Then let us to our plans for the midmorn. Are all the traitors captured?"

- 108 -.

"Yes, Highest. Meera, Keets, Oisin, Keddi, and Margeria provided brilliant campaigns. All our traitors are secure. Meera tells me that you are aware that we must pronounce their sentence in the morn."

The Highest sighed, "It be true." She shook her head. "This be a sad way to begin your term as Second, Jandra, and I am well sorry for it. It will be overly difficult to but watch and pronounce."

"We must place them to their death according to the laws, be that not correct?"

"It is, but it be the manner in which we must do it. You may not know the law on this. They killed The Highest. The pronouncement is grim indeed for the act, and it is about that which we must speak. I could allow it that you need not be there, Jandra, if it will be overly difficult for you."

Sam watched Jandra's reaction, knowing that while Jandra had lost her companion two cycles prior, Josin had since been visiting with Jandra through the eves. She also knew that while Jandra had kicked Josin out of her dwelling, permanently, witnessing such an execution of someone she knew in such a way would not be easy.

"My place is beside you, Highest."

"Do you know of this manner of death that we are so obliged by law?"

"No, Highest, but they are traitors and must face their fate."

"Jandra, I wish not to interfere into your private affairs, but I do know that having to watch Josin face this type of death may be other than what you can face."

Jandra looked surprised, "You know that Josin and I had been together?"

"It is my duty to know the women I serve. And I know that you also have been split from her for at least three moons, now. But Jandra, this be not a pretty sight and you have not been a part of these events, ever. Death be never pretty, but killing and torture are most vile."

"Whatever it may be, Highest, I choose to be at your side, as is my duty."

Sam nodded, "So be it. Are we prepared for The Highest's funeral?"

Sam had finished her soup so leaned on her pillow and set about listening to Jandra. Jandra reset Sam's bed covers for her.

"All is arranged. I have organized the musicians, the singers, and sent a message to the entire community, as has also been done for the morn."

She could see that Sam was beginning to fall asleep. "Please worry not about the ceremonies, Highest. They are fully organized."

Sam's eyes were beginning to close, but she struggled to remain awake awhile longer. "Jandra, there be something we must talk about."

- 109 -.

Jandra got a chair and sat next to The Highest's bed, "Yes, Highest. I am here."

"Do you remember when I lost Brett?"

"Yes, Highest. We were under full attack and had almost lost our community. Brett had been killed as Meera took you to safety."

Sadly, Sam replied, "Yes. This be truth. Were you also aware at how much I had loved Brett?"

"There are songs to that love, Highest."

Sam didn't know about these songs, so was surprised. She thought that she might like to hear them, at a later moment. "It took me a long while to be able to see our realm again, Jandra. I lost track of all that was around me. Meera took constant care of me, almost eve and turn. I refused to eat. I refused to listen to anyone. And I refused to even care. It was Meera who kept talking to me and who kept letting me rant and rave in my anger at my loss."

"Meera is a good woman, Highest."

Sam's eyes were closed now, "She is, but that is not the point, Second.

Meera was with me all the moments. She fell in love with me and asked me to be her companion. In my concern over her and what others might say of her, I told her that I could not, but that the rumor was to be that she rejected me. I wanted not that Meera carry the burden of rejection with her. She liked it not, and argued with me fully, but I would not relent. You have hated Meera these cycles because you but believed she had rejected me. It is an honest mistake of my doing. I would now ask you to embrace Meera for the full gift she is to our community. You will know no better woman. You can trust her with your life, and you will now learn that you will need to do so."

"I know this as truth, Highest. I will make it right."

Sam nodded and began to settle in for the eve.

"Highest? Is it an increased burden for you to hear other's thoughts?

It seems to double your concerns."

"It does, but at other moments I find it amusing."

"Amusing?"

Sam opened her eyes a bit and smiled a small but mischievous smile, "I have learned that I take others' breath away besides Sir Devin's, and that seeing my body gives others urges they have not felt for a long while. Possibly, Jandra, this might help to increase my sorry sex-life."

Jandra blushed, "I am embarrassed, Highest. I never meant for you to know of these thoughts."

"And I never wanted to know of others' thoughts and desires. But it be not all bad. I have always known and respected you, and always knew you to be The Highest's best advisor. She told me so upon many occa- - 110 -.

sions. And because of this unwanted gift that weakens me by the turn, some happiness comes of it. I know your true feelings that you have deeply hidden from all, including yourself."

"A question, Highest. Why did you choose me as your Second when you have trained Lillon to take this position?"

"You are the more qualified woman. Lillon is not yet ready, and I trust you to be my best counsel, as you were for The Highest."

"Has it anything to do with Hern and Lillon making a bad judgment?"

"No. We all make bad judgments. It is how we come out at the other end of those judgments that make us the women we are. You chose your path in full understanding and have remained steadfast to the community."

"Has Lillon not done this, as well?"

"She has done it in her own way, but will face some scolding from the community. You learned of your mistake and acted quickly and swiftly to solve the situation. In a moment of chaos, a good leader is able to focus, make a plan of action, and carry it out. You but showed that ability."

Sam began to laugh quietly.

"What is so humorous, Highest?"

"You know, Jandra, your advisors will now pester you to take a companion as they do me prior to every festival. Keddi is available. She would be a good choice for you. Strong, lusty, fun. And Lillon is also now available, but a little needy for you, I think."

Jandra groaned, "It be good you can laugh about this. Perhaps, I too, will be able to laugh about it, soon."

Sam's eyes were closed again, and Jandra just studied her face as she thought about all that Sam had said.

Sam spoke quietly, "You are thinking overly hard. I can hear your thoughts."

"But I have not touched you. Can you now hear thoughts when there is no contact?"

"I jest. But I could tell that you are thinking."

She nodded, even though Sam's eyes were closed, "I am. It be truth."

"It is difficult to drop the events of the turn. Are you thinking of them?"

"No. I am merely wondering of your words."

Sam opened her eyes, slightly, and smiled again at Jandra, "Go now, Second. May will watch over me for the eve.

"My apologies, Highest, but May asked if I would do this for the eve.

I agreed, but could find another if that be your desire."

"No. This is fine. I will need someone to wake me in the morn."