"Long prior. I had many arrangements to tend to. You are meeting with Meera for your midturn meal, and with the advisors after the eve meal."

Sam sat up, "It would be a happier rising if you were but here with me in bed."

"Then we would not be rising but making more a mess of the bed."

"And I would be much more the glad for it."

Sam rose and began to tend to her needs.

"May I attend to you?" She was concerned, seeing Sam as somewhat distant.

"No. It be fine. I can tend myself. Perhaps it will help to clear my head. Be it midturn, in truth?"

"You have not had much sleep of late and well needed it. It be a little beyond midturn and have much to do."

- 171 -.

"And I have a Second that could do all this for me. I am not needed.

You are The Second and can tend to the advisors, the festival, and Briggon.

Are Meera and Caitha yet here?"

"Caitha? I arranged it for you and Meera."

"Not you as well? Why is this, Jandra?"

"Have you not the need for private communication?"

"I will but have to inform you later, would I not?"

"I will tend to it." She began to leave, somewhat perplexed at Sam's foul mood.

"Jandra. Hold but a moment. You need not make my arrangements for me. There are others to do these things."

She sat Jandra down on a chair and sat down next to her. "When I first became The Highest's Second, she would tell me, 'Sam, do not assume what I may or may not want.'" She closed her eyes for a short moment, then looked at her. "You are now The Second of this community and must stand on your own. You have well earned this position and although I am The Highest, you are not my assistant. Lillon and Govan are our assistants and should be here now attending to the issues at hand."

"May has kept everyone away for the turn."

"Then May also assumes, as May will do. Have Lillon attend to your needs the remainder of this turn. But for this meal with Meera, I would much like you and Caitha present."

"Would you like me to cancel the advisors for this eve?"

"No. You are correct; they need to meet. I am certain they have many questions they would like answered. I hope you are ready."

"Are you no longer happy, Sam, as you were this morn?"

"The reality of the turn sets in, and I am just weary. Perhaps a meal would be most beneficial. It has been long since I last ate."

"I will send a messenger for Meera and Caitha and have May prepare for two more. Go sit and wait on the patio. I will be there directly and we can but enjoy the solitude for a moment."

Sam watched as Jandra left the room. She had much enjoyed the morn, but the reality of becoming The Chosen One was beginning to emerge much too soon. The responsibilities the Woman in the Woods told her of were laying with dread on her shoulders. She finished tending to her needs and went to wait on the patio, sitting at the small round table. May had placed some bread and drink there, and Sam guessed that it was for her.

She looked around and noticed that everyone was at a distance from her.

She focused on the cup as the Woman in the Woods had taught her. Focus.

Concentrate. Think of where you want it to go. See nothing else. Think nothing else.

Move the cup. Sam summoned her power and focused. Slowly, the cup - 172 -.

moved a little. Sam raised her hand up off the table and focused on the cup again. The cup began to rise to her hand.

"Sam!"

The cup dropped back to the table and Sam picked it up. Jandra had completed her errand and was coming to meet her, and had seen the cup rising.

"Look at what I have done. What a mess I have made." Some of the wine in the cup had spilled onto the table. "I will get a towel from May,"

and she got up quickly to do so.

Jandra knew what she had seen and wondered why Sam was trying to keep it from her. She sat down and waited for Sam to return. She thought that they did indeed have much to work out between them.

Sam returned with the towel and began to wipe up the spill. "Jandra, can I but pour you some wine?"

Jandra just looked at Sam with an eyebrow raised, "If you cannot trust me, Sam, perhaps I should return to my own dwelling."

"It be not an issue of trust."

Jandra waited and finally said, "Then explain it to this poor witless brain of mine."

"It be not about you, or about you and me."

She yet frowned, "Does it concern you?"

"Yes."

"Then how does it not concern me as well, then? Do you wish to have a companion or no, Sam? If you do, then we must work through each other's issues together."

"You will have enough burden as Second to carry without me adding to it."

"You are but selfish and witless. And you are overly used to having your own way. May has spoiled you. But you wanted me to remain, Sam, so what will it be?"

"Why do I do this all wrong?"

"Because you assume I cannot, should not, and do not want to hear your issues."

Jandra rose and went across to Sam. She put her arms around her and gave her a long and fully passionate kiss. Her tongue explored Sam's mouth so that Sam instantly became aroused. Sam responded and held Jandra in return.

In a seductive voice, Jandra asked, "Would you like me in your bed this eve, Sam?" and she kissed her again in the same way.

After the kiss, Sam was left gasping for air, much surprised, and wanting more. "Of course I would."

- 173 -.

Jandra again raised her eyebrow and frowned, "Then, you will begin to work out the other parts of our relationship too, Sam."

Sam sat down, heavily. Jandra could see the burden increasing for Sam, but she knew she needed to help Sam to share more of her burdens with her.

Jandra placed her arms around Sam's neck and held her from the back as Sam was sitting. "I respect you more than any woman I have ever known, even The Highest. I remain in awe of the sacrifices you give to this community. But your burdens are now our burdens. If you cannot share them with me, then our relationship cannot work. I am strong, Sam. You have said as much yourself. You must learn to trust me."

Sam reached up with her hands and held onto Jandra's arms. "You are correct, of course. I have been overly solitary for overly long now. You speak wisely. I am selfish and witless, and you are strong. I have long faced"

Just as Sam was beginning to speak about the burden she so heavily faced, Meera and Caitha walked up. "We have caught you at a tender moment."

Jandra removed her arms and went to sit down. "Welcome, Meera, Caitha. Please sit with us."

Caitha went and hugged Sam, "I am so happy you have finally after these many cycles found someone you want to share your life with."

Sam looked over to Jandra guiltily. Caitha then went and hugged Jandra, "And Jandra, I never dreamed you would finally gather your courage to speak to Sam about becoming your companion. I be so proud of your bravery."

Jandra looked over to Sam guiltily, and they burst out laughing.

Sam looked at Meera, "Sit, my friend. We have much to speak of this turn. Tell me of your blacksmith. Be he a real smith?"

Meera nodded, "I took him to Briggon this morn. Briggon gave him one chance or it was off with his head. Briggon took him to Hengist's smith, Raynod. Do you know of him?"

"I have seen his work and have spoken with him but a few moments."

"Raynod looked at Ivers, our man from prior turn, and told him to make a door hinge. Ivers went straight to work at the bellows and hammered and heated, and hammered and heated, and then produced a fine door hinge. Then Raynod told him to make a horseshoe. He did. And this went on until I left. As I left, as I became most bored, Raynod declared our new man an excellent smith. Had Briggon informed you that Raynod lost his companion but less than a cycle ago?"

"No. I had not heard of this. So, be this a match?"

- 174 -.

"So it would seem." Both Sam and Meera laughed. "Then it worth the effort to bring him back. And we can but use another smith."

Jandra looked at Meera, seriously for a moment, "Meera, why is it you want no prisoners?"

Meera looked at Sam, but responded to Jandra's question, "I allow nothing in Woden that could cause potential harm."

Sam also replied, "Meera allowed a prisoner once. That prisoner almost killed me."

Jandra knew that she had asked enough about this and could see it an uneasy issue.

Caitha asked Jandra, "Jandra, may I bring out this new chair to sit in?"

"Oh, you mean the rocker? Certainly, Caitha. It is in the sitting room." She looked to Sam. "We will return quickly."

As they left, Meera took the opportunity to ask Sam, "How did this come to be? Are you well pleased at this companionship?"

Sam nodded, "I had thought of asking Jandra two cycles prior, but had not the courage. She has told me that she did the same. As I am now The Highest, I knew all of you would place much pressure on me for a companion. It is sad, though, that a highest and a Second live in the same dwelling.

Do you see this as a problem?"

Meera shrugged, "Both ways, I think. It is easier to guard, but we must remain more alert. If it but makes you happy, then I will but find a way to make it safe for you. Is she attentive to you, Sam?"

"Thank you, Meera. I have enough burdens these turns to not add safety to them." Sam nodded mischievously, "And yes, Meera, she is most attentive and most forceful. I just hope I can manage a constant companionship."

"Meera dear, I would much like a rocker." Jandra and Caitha had returned with Jandra carrying the rocker. "Jandra says that I may rock in it out here. Sam, do you but mind?"

"Of course not, Caitha. Enjoy it much."

Caitha sat in the rocker, "I have long thought you two should be companions."

Jandra was in disbelief. "That not be the truth, Caitha. How would you but know?"

"It be most true. Ask Meera. I have said this upon many, many occasions. Have I not, Meera?"

Meera nodded, "She speaks truly, but then Caitha tries to be Woden's matchmaker."

Sam laughed, "Why not tell me prior, Caitha? Perhaps I would not have remained so dimwitted."

- 175 -.

"No, poor Sam. You be The Highest, but of these things you are, in truth, witless. Poor, poor Jandra."

May came out with the meal. "Here be your meal. Eat and enjoy.

Remember Highest, your advisors come in but a short while."

They ate their meal and as she had been of late, Sam was famished.

She ate everything and got more. The prior turns had left her with even less weight and even she knew she would have to be more careful, so set about eating.

Caitha was surprised at how much Sam could eat. "You eat like a horse, Sam. How do you remain so thin?"

Jandra answered for her, "She eats only once every few turns.

Meera laughed and asked Sam, "Are you certain that you are but ready for a companion?" and then told Jandra, "You know, Jandra, Sam has a past of much rumor."

"Oh, do tell me, Meera."

Sam just looked at Meera with a sneer, "What bad lie do you now spread of me?"

Meera ignored Sam and told Jandra, "It is rumored that no one has been able to fully satisfy The Highest in the bed."

Sam just moaned and Jandra laughed. "May informed me of that same rumor just this turn. So Sam, be this true?"