"No, Keddi. It be not necessary. I am well guarded."

"Then I will move you back into your proper bedroom."

"That would be most appreciated as I have sent May home for the midturn and eve. Thank you for thinking of it. Do you need me to find you a place to dwell?"

She smiled, shyly, "I think not, Highest. I have found a place."

"Then we will see you at the funeral." She turned away so that Keddi wouldn't see her beginning to laugh.

"I will take but a few moments to return your bedroom to normal, and then I shall go to prepare."

Sam went back to her library where Jandra was waiting. Jandra had overheard the conversation and was all but laughing, herself.

Whispering, Sam said, "Did I not tell you? These women think they want me, but are overly frivolous for my liking. I must be getting old, as I like a little more stability and a little less lust." She looked away as if in a dream, "Although lust is not always a bad motivation."

Jandra covered her mouth so as not to laugh.

"It has been good to laugh a bit after the early midturn's sad events.

Now we must attend to the last event."

They began walking to The Highest's dwelling. "Keets informed me to gather at The Highest's dwelling. From there the procession will continue to The Sacred Stones."

"At least it is not so far as this midturn's distance."

"How are we to get you your strength returned to you? I am most concerned for you."

"I hope to relax and rest this eve."

"How do you get the memories of this midturn away from your thoughts?"

"They never go away, Jandra. It be the sad fact of these positions.

They just ease a bit. If I sit alone this eve, I will surely think overly much on this turn, but it is the price of choosing so. I should just take a distraction for one eve to keep my mind from such."

"I think you would have to have a companion that would be willing to hear of such things, as well. It would help to be able to speak of them with someone, but in truth, I don't wish to place these thoughts on anyone."

She nodded her head, "I do not think you know how very correct you be."

"Will you be moving over to The Highest's dwelling soon?"

- 134 -.

"I have decided to remain where I am. The community can use it for other purposes. Meera will fight me on this decision, as will my advisors, but I will listen with closed ears. You know, Jandra, you will need to think of your advisors. You will need to select them soon."

"I will wait for you to select yours first."

"Perhaps we might reconsider how we form our advisors. Perhaps we can speak of that at a more relaxed moment."

"Will we ever have such?"

"I hope so, and I hope it will be soon."

They had arrived at The Highest's dwelling, seeing that all of Woden and Hengist were also there. Tehna, Karan, Lilley, and Jenna had lined everyone up so that the procession might begin. The musicians with their drums, horns, tambourines, and flutes were in the front. The Highest's banners followed, the former Highest atop a raised litter was next, and her now widowed companion directly behind her. Sam followed, along with Oisin and Jandra, the advisors, Briggon and his leaders, and then all the women and men. It was a quiet and solemn procession that began as the musicians started to play. The drum led the mournful tune, and some of the women sang along with the musicians. The tune was primal and somber, as was usual for the funeral processions. What was unusual for this turn was the lack of any spiritual leader from the Women's community.

When they arrived at Woden's Sacred Stones, the former Highest was placed atop the large, raised platform, the rock that formed the top of the arch that now had wood piled on top of it. She would be cremated, as was custom, so that her spirit would be released back to the Spirits of the Falls.

The many women and men had returned to their spots in the tiers with no room to spare. Oulin, one of the spiritual leaders from Hengist, had volunteered to lead the ceremony, while honoring the women's ways.

"Let us sing our departure to our Highest."

It was an extremely sad song that began with a lone woman's voice sounding as a lost soul. The other women gradually entered the song, and finally, so did the men. The song ended as it had begun.

The Spiritual Leader from Hengist stepped forward and began, "It is to the Spirits of the Falls our Highest now returns. She has graced our communities with her wise counsel for many cycles. Our communities have grown because of her. If we look around us this turn and see our communities and each other, we can see her work and know that it will continue. We lose our heart as we lose our Highest. But the Spirit Mothers have called her to their service, and we are asked to move on without her.

She will be gone from our presence as of this turn, but will live in our memories, stories, songs and hearts forever."

- 135 -.

He knew it was awkward for the women to have a man lead the ceremony, but the women had welcomed the intervention, as they knew him to be a truly spiritual person.

"All those who would, let us say our final leavings to The Highest."

The procession came down, one-by-one, and walked past The Highest where she now lay, one last moment. At the end, Mandra, The Highest's companion, went up and bowed her head, touched the stone, and returned to the circle. Sam then went up and knelt down onto her knees, bowed her head to the ground, and placed one hand upon one of the three large stones. She gave her thoughts silently, and all waited with much patience.

I come now to bid you my farewell, Highest. So much is left unresolved. Why did you have to take your vial of poison? I would have found a way to save you, and you knew as much. You know this as truth!

As vowed, the traitors were captured and executed. Their deaths were overly easy for the loss of you, for now we truly have no mother. I have no mother. And you left me as The Highest. I have not the abilities of you, Highest. You were the community's mother. I am but a solver of problems. How could you leave me with this disarray?

You knew I was to be the Chosen One, and yet you never told me. You knew that I was to get this strange power, and yet you told me not. You always told me that it is lonely to be a leader, but did you make certain that I listened? Oh Highest, you were right. I will most apparently become The Chosen One only after having been made Highest, as you saw it as so.

I am angered at you. I am angered at your death. We need you. Who will I now turn to for counsel? Who is there for all of us now? I am but a pitiful excuse of a leader. I am selfish. I am needy. And I am immature and tedious, as you had told me countless moments.

While you were indeed well loved, it is not until this sad moment that we now recognize the strength, courage, and patience you possessed. I am afraid now, Highest. I have this strange power that seeks to kill me. I have visions, and I fear that I will have to bed or battle a man, and birth a child. I am well afraid. You have always been there for me, for the community.

We just executed twelve women this turn. We murdered them as they were to murder you. Would you have done as we did? I think not. I think you to place them on a deserted island and left them to their own devices. You were not as I. I act overly quickly. You have said so yourself.

I am afraid for me, Highest. And I am afraid for my communities. We but scarcely mete out a living on our lands, and have just managed to get ahead because of you. You were wise in the skills of negotiation and what you called politics. I am naive and brash. I will offend where you made liaisons.

What will become of us, Highest? You were our map. You were our counsel.

You were our mother. Will we become lost now without you? Were we ready to be cast out on our own?

- 136 -.

I wil miss you, Highest. This is truth. As I speak with you now, my eyes tear from the sorrow. All are here to give their final respects. I do not . . . no, I cannot let you go. I do not want to let you go. I need you as I need Brett. Why did you go when you knew I would find a way? You had said as much yourself. You knew I would find a way, Highest. And you did anyway. Now we must become whole in a new way.

We return you to your mothers now, Highest. The winds are gentle this turn and will carry you in a safe journey. We pay homage to you and all that you were. You were a woman we all modeled. We now turn to the winds, the sky, the waters to speak with you. Please hear us, Highest. Please do not abandon us. We are well afraid of the dark, now.

As is my duty, as you so oft told me, I give you your leave to return from which you came. Safe journey. Keep us safe and watch over us now.

Sam struggled to get up and did so slowly. She had been sending her final thoughts to The Highest longer than she realized, but everyone had waited. She stood by the platform awaiting her next duty. The spiritual leader waited to see if anyone else would come up, but none did. He removed the torch from its holder and gave it to Sam.

She held it high, "Highest of all of Woden Falls, I return you to your mothers. May the Spirits of the Falls guide you in your journey, and may you watch over us and protect us."

More softly, she added, "We will miss you, Highest." She put the torch to the wood pile and stepped back.

The gathering watched the fire roar. It was a good fire and would burn hot and true. When the fire slowed its forces, the gathering began to return to their communities. The turn was done, the traitors executed, and The Highest given her funeral.

Sam waited until most the women and men had left.

Meera came near, "Highest, do you need company this eve? Caitha and I would be delighted to remain with you."

"No, Meera. Jandra and I may talk about our advisors. I must tend to that. I have long wanted to improve that practice."

"Back to the community affairs so quickly? You need to rest."

"I will, Meera. Meet me on next after midturn and we can have our meal together. It feels so long since we have spoken, yet it has been but a short moment."

"Overly many events, Highest. Please rest. You look well exhausted and pale."

"Until the after midturn, then, Meera."

Jandra came up to Sam, "I will walk you back, prepare you for the eve, and then leave you to your rest."

She looked at her, and then turned to begin walking, "May I lean on you but a bit? I feel myself growing weak yet again."

- 137 -.

Jandra nodded as she opened her arm to Sam. "It has been a long two turns. I am weary from all the chaos and sadness. I will miss The Highest most deeply. I have worked long with her and will miss her leadership. She has seen us through many crisis. It is turns such as these that make me wonder if I should retire to the gardens. But you are tired for even many more reasons. You grow weak from using this extraordinary energy you have. You need to rest and take care of yourself. "

"Weary is a good term for it. It is turns such as this that make me want to sit on the patio and breathe in the fresh scents of the flowers. I need to get the smells of the morn out of my lungs. It seems I will smell those foul odors evermore. It would be good to just relax."

"Yes. That would be good, to just relax and let down our emotions.

They be overly vast on turns such as these. But those moments are hard to find."

"It be true. I have decided that one must make such moments rather than wait for them to come along."

"We have arrived, once again. Would you have me prepare you?"

"Please just help me remove my tunic. The rest can remain for now."

"You are overly weak to remove them later."

"Then I will sleep in them. I care not."

Jandra did and Sam moved to the patio.

"Do you have the moment to share a drink, Jandra?"

She nodded, "I could use one."

"Can you get the container of wine over on the ledge for me, and those cups as well?"

As Jandra retrieved them, Sam asked her, "Would you like some wine so that we may rest for a moment?"

"That would be most appreciated." She sipped the wine, enjoying its taste, "The wine makers did well with this crop. Does this woman you like enjoy wine?"

"In truth, I know not. I think she might. Do you?"

"I do. I cannot get much of it, but I do like it. It is difficult to obtain, as our supplies are short. Have you ever spent many moments with this woman that you like?"

"Such as?"

"Oh, say, a meal."

"No. I have never had her over for a formal meeting."

"No? Do you know what she likes to eat?"

- 138 -.

"No. I can but guess. I think it matters not, though. What is it you like to eat?"

"I am not a picky eater." She laughed, "If someone likes to do the cooking for me, I will not complain."

Sam smiled as she nodded, but just sat and relaxed. Neither had the need to hurry the conversation.

"It be a beautiful eve. I can hear the river from here. I was unaware of this."

"I have always liked that sound, but find few moments to enjoy it."

Jandra got up, "I think is sounds romantic," and then laughed. "Perhaps you should use it to improve your sex-life."

Sam smiled at her, "You think my sex-life amusing?"

"You surprise me with your lack of it. I would not have thought you to have to search for company or intimacy."

"Intimacy?" Sex is distant enough for me, but intimacy is non-existent."

"Oisin be not intimate?"

"That be not a word to describe Oisin, I think. Needy. Lusty. Aggressive. Desirous. Strong. But certainly not intimate."

"I understand. I have had such. As you say: sex-life, not love. Intimacy is unimportant, so it seems."