"All through the eve, Highest."

Margeria handed Sam a cup of tea, "Compliments of the slain."

Sam rose and began to prepare. She donned her weapons, freshened herself, and watched for the sun's rise to hit the cave's entrance, wherever it was.

"Do you know where the entrance lies, Highest?"

"No. Help me to look, Margeria."

As the sun raised its rays onto the rocks, Margeria saw a small cave opening. She pointed to it.

Sam nodded, "Look after my friends and companion. I know not how long I be."

Margeria nodded and placed her hand firmly on Sam's shoulder, as all guards did when facing battle. Sam returned the gesture and walked to the cave's entrance. Margeria saw her examine the torch, take it, and enter the cave. Margeria went back to watching over the camp until the others awoke. She would deal with Jandra's anger later at having not been awoken as Sam left.

Sam yet had her weapons but decided to keep them sheathed. She followed the instructions but wondered why the Women of the Woods couldn't just meet with her by the river. This all seemed overly mystical and magical, something not of Woden. She walked for what seemed like all the morn. She thought that this power and magic weren't for such as her kind.

As she neared the end of the cave, she felt and saw great fog. The torch lit very little now, so Sam had to check the path carefully to make certain she yet followed it. After what seemed an eternity of walking, she began to see a clearing. She was glad as she was growing tired. Too tired to be some place this dangerous, alone.

At long last, she entered the clearing and waited. For what, she knew not. Is this a hoax? Then how might I dream such a thing and meet the woman/man in the rags? She tried to place out of her mind her concern for her growing weakness, as she knew it would be most difficult to do the return trip back - 160 -.

to the river. If she met anyone dangerous here, she knew she would likely die.

She walked around the clearing slowly, looking for signs of any life.

Seeing nothing, she decided to rest upon the path for a short while, and then head back. As she rested, a movement occurred in the fog surrounding the clearing. Sam hadn't yet seen it. It was as if a forest tree shaped itself into a woman. The woman began to walk out of the fog, and Sam caught her movement. She stood and watched, seeing a very old but beautiful woman, with silver hair hanging to the ground. The air shimmered around her.

Sam, startled, knelt down, "Woman of the Woods."

So, you have finally come. I have called you upon many moments, but finally had to send my old friend.

"I came with greatest haste."

Come, walk with me through the Woods. I will show you our realm.

Sam rose, and the Woman of the Woods held out her hand to Sam.

"I am for some strange reason, overly tired, so will be unable to walk far."

Never mind about that. Take my hand and you will be comforted.

They walked into the fogs, and into the Woods. They seemed to walk a great distance, but Sam noticed she no longer felt weak or tired. She saw no path or clearing, and noticed that the trees just seemed to part for this Woman.

Do you not recognize me, Sam?

Sam studied her very closely. She had never seen anyone with such beautiful but long flowing hair. She thought it must never have been cut.

She had a fleeting yet vague memory of when she was young.

"At the Falls? Your haired flowed about as the water."

The woman smiled and her face shimmered as she did. It looked like the sun shone upon her, but Sam could see no sun through such deep fog.

Yes, Sam. This is good. The memory is returning. We had removed it from you until it was the proper moment. Life is difficult enough for you creatures, so until you were needed and ready, we kept it from you.

"Why are you known as witches?"

The Woman of the Woods laughed, and then looked upon Sam sadly, This wil happen to you, too, my young one. When you have gained your power, many will shun you. Unlike us, however, you are partially of the human sort, so will not have the same or equal powers. We hope you will be able to mask them. Ours fly about us as they are part of us. Yours you will learn to summon. Your kind cannot understand mystical abilities, so think of us as witches.

Sam saw a great dwelling in the Woods. The dwelling looked like the trees, but not. From what she could tell, they were trees, as she knew them - 161 -.

to be, but then they would suddenly appear as a dwelling. It was a dwelling, most certainly, but one that looked of the Woods. It was open, but closed, and Sam noticed that as the wind blew around, the leaves would move to shelter the dwelling's openings. The Woman of the Woods led her into the dwelling and had her to sit at a table. The table was a table, but also a tree.

Sam could see one, and then the other, as if the shapes merged into the other, but not. She began to notice there were others moving about. They were not people, such as Sam. She could almost see through them. They seemed to almost hover, and then she saw that they were looking at her.

"What am I seeing? What is this place?"

Oh, but I am so unused to your type. You always hurry so. Here, Sam, drink this. Your sisters are about you, but you know them not. Look at me, Sam. Who do you see? Look very hard into my eyes.

Sam drank from the cup handed to her, then looked in the Woman of the Wood's eyes. She felt hypnotized by the effect, but began to clear her head.

Sam opened her eyes wide in understanding but disbelief. You are my Mother of the Fall's mother. You are my grandmother. But you are so The Woman of the Woods laughed. Old? Are you trying to say that I am old, Sam? Indeed I am old, as is your Mother of the Falls. It is alright that you say so as you know nothing of cycles.

But how can that be? How can I be a daughter of spirits?

It was morn of The Second turn and Meera was beginning to worry.

It had been one more turn and eve, and she was now facing an enemy group descending on them of perhaps twenty men, or more. Jandra tried not to bother Meera or the others, but was overly worried for Sam. They had rested and eaten well, but the moments were quickly becoming a concern for each of them. They had built traps in case the men came. It had taken a half-turn to build their ambush, but knew it would be worth the effort if the men arrived. Even Jandra had made an ambush of her own design. In the prior eve as they waited for Sam, Jandra explained to Meera why she had long hated her.

"I but thought that you had denied Sam, and could not understand it."

Meera shook her head, "All these cycles, Jandra. At least it now be over."

"I am so sorry, Meera."

"It is of no importance now. And I had asked Sam overly soon after Brett's death."

- 162 -.

"You have remained the closest of friends to Sam. How could I have not seen the devotion in your eyes for Sam, even after all these cycles?"

"I am a warrior, and you saw that part."

"Perhaps. But I am sorry for it, all the same."

During the same prior eve, Keddi had asked Meera if she should go in search of Sam, but Meera remained steadfast. If Keddi asked now this morn, she was uncertain if her answer would be the same. Meera was deeply worried about Sam. She knew that whatever Sam faced beyond the cave was not of what they knew.

Jandra came up once again to her, "Meera, we need to go find Sam. It has been overly long, and I am well concerned. As are you. I can see it in your behavior. You but pace."

"Perhaps you be right. It has been overly long. But let us wait until midturn to begin."

As they all prepared to wait a little longer, Jandra yelled out, "Sam!"

Meera looked to the cave's entrance and saw Sam. Her hair shimmered, and her eyes but glowed and shone like deep pools of water. Meera noticed that they were becoming almost unnatural looking, but deeply compelling. Her eyes no longer looked as if they could see in the same ways as others.

Keddi began to smile and wave at Sam, but a distant movement caught her eye, "To your weapons. Quickly."

The group of men was upon them and had seen them. Margeria went to the trap they had prepared and waited for the right moment. Meera saw that there were at least twenty-eight men, all on horses, and all well prepared with weapons. Jandra gasped as she saw them racing toward them, wondering how any of them thought they would come out of this alive.

Unknown to Jandra, both Keddi and Meera thought the same.

Keddi knelt and prepared her bow with arrows. Sam moved quickly into the rocks and prepared her bow and arrows as well, not yet having seen the trap lain for the men. As the men came into the trap, Margeria released her rope, and Keddi shot at one across the river. It missed. She shot again and hit the target. Both ropes finally loose, rocks came tumbling down upon the men and horses. Sam busied her bow, as did Keddi and Margeria, upon the remaining men. Quite suddenly, many arrows were flying. Sam thought there were far too many arrows, even with Keddi's great skills, and from the direction of the high cliffs. She wondered briefly over it, wondering which of them had been on the cliff top. Meera had seen the same and had also wondered about the arrows, but didn't have the moments to look up to the cliffs.

As the men came charging toward them, Jandra released her rope, and up swung a barricade of spears. Several men and horses found their deaths - 163 -.

on Jandra's spears. The few men remaining quickly dismounted and ran toward the women while waving their swords. There were six remaining.

Keddi's arrows found their target in two of the men. Meera and Sam were fighting with two others, and Margeria had sent her arrows into another.

Sam's blade had found her target's neck and she turned, thinking that all had been well dispatched. She saw that Meera had won her battle, but had received two wounds. As Sam turned toward Jandra, she saw that Jandra was being held by the last man, his knife blade was upon her neck.

He was laughing, "What say you now, Sam of Woden?"

Margeria had seen the man take Jandra, so began to move silently behind him, as he hadn't yet seen her. Keddi knelt and drew her bow.

Sam looked carefully at the man and his knife. She closed her eyes.

Focus. Focus on the knife. Focus as the Woman of the Woods taught you. She choked away any self-doubt as Jandra's life was at stake.

Meera saw the man suddenly struggling as if fighting with his own knife. She looked at Sam and realized that Sam was doing something with her newly-found powers.

Focus. Move the knife. Summon and focus the power.

The man looked shocked. Suddenly, Sam's eyes opened and her arm raised straight out to the man.

"NOOO!" The man's hand opened and dropped the knife. In his surprise, he accidentally let go of Jandra, and Keddi and Margeria instantly took the advantage. Within an eye's blink, Keddi sent two arrows into his chest. He staggered momentarily, then fell dead to the ground. Sam fell on her knees, violently sick. She cared not, though, as Jandra was alive and safe.

Jandra and Meera went to help Sam, Keddi left to check for survivors and Margeria began to collect the remaining horses. Sam tried to waive away Meera and Jandra, but they insisted on remaining close by, feeling helpless.

Meera tried to lighten the moment, "Who needs weapons when you are around?"

When Sam was finally done being sick, she looked wearily at Meera.

"Fine, Meera. We will but hope for an enemy of one from here on."

Meera laughed and thought it good that Sam yet had her sense of humor. Jandra just held Sam's shoulder for lack of knowing what else to do.

Meera looked at her, "Let The Highest rest but a bit, Second. Would you mind collecting the men's weapons? We need to make haste from this place."

Jandra nodded, kissed the top of Sam's head, and left to collect weapons.

- 164 -.

"That be most amazing, Sam. As soon as you learn to control that power, you will be a most frightening enemy."

"I think the emphasis be on the word 'if", Meera. "If" I can learn to control this power."

"Rest for a moment. I will help the others. You will need what strength you have to ride."

They had found ten horses from the Second group, removed their reins, and released them into the wild. They did the same with the remaining of this group, save two. Onto one horse they packed all the collected weapons.

"Meera, do you think any others await us?" Margeria was growing tired, as were they all.

"I hope not, but we must remain on our guard. If we make haste this morn, we might yet make Woden this eve."

Keddi came back into camp with one survivor. The man looked weak and scared, not like the others who were more tough and rugged. This one seemed almost gentle.

Keddi kept moving him forward to Meera, and then made him move to his knees in front of her.

"What is this Keddi? I want no survivors."

"I think his story interesting. I believe he was not part of this group."

"Oh, no, Highest, I wasn't. I belong not to this band of ruffians."

"I am no Highest. Address me not so."

He sniveled, not knowing what to say.

Meera grabbed his hands and looked at them. "They are hard as a fighter's."

"He says he is a blacksmith."

"Then why be you with this group?"

"I was walking to Hengist, and they came across me and made me join their group."

"Walking to Hengist? And you expect me to believe such a story as this? There be no roads."

"Facing death in the wilds is better than what waited for me in Apien.

It is but a bed of corruption."

Meera looked at him, wondering what to do with him. "And why should I believe this story? I think you but try to save your own life."

"Let me prove it to you, Highest."