The messenger stood and said, "I am sorry, Highest. Two ships arrive.

One ours. One of another's place. Both are loaded with women, men and children wanting to seek refuge in Woden. Oisin has sent these two ships back to us. There is a message from Sea-Duty Second, for your ears only."

Sam nodded to the guard, who turned and left the room. Sam looked at the messenger, "Tell me the message."

The messenger looked at Jandra and back to Sam, "Highest. Sea Duty Second said for your ears only. I am sorry, Second."

Sam began to protest, but Jandra turned to her, "I will wait in the sitting room," and turned and left.

The messenger began, "Oisin has met up with what she called a little old person of dirt and earth. This sage, as Second has also referred to her, demanded the necklace that King Buron had given to you. The sage has sent me with the necklace back to you. The sage tells me to inform you to have one of these green stones placed into the handle of your sword and another into your knife. The sage has sent back a knife that she but wants you to have and carry with you at all moments. The sage also said to tell you that she has sent a message to you that abides within me, but I know not how. She has informed me that you would but know what to do to retrieve it."

Sam nodded and moved toward the messenger. She placed her both her hands on top of the messenger's head and mentally searched for the message. Finally, she found it and heard the Old Raggedy One.

Your moment is coming soon, but danger first approaches. You and Woden must be ready. Have the green stones embedded into your sword and knife, and but carry your knife with you always. Heed the warning well. Buron but gains strength from the Spirits of the Valley.

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You have less than one moon to but prepare for Buron's first advance. Prepare what powers you now have. I will return soon and give you what you will need to over-come him, but be warned: He is strong and he but builds his forces. Buron and the Spirits of the Valley must not win this battle, but the battle just begins. Guard yourself well. Meera is your best ally, but lose not Jandra. You have her embedded within you now, through her tear. She is now a part of you and will bear your line. She now carries The Promised One. Buron also knows of this. Lose her not. If need be, take her to the Spirits of the Falls for protection. They will tend to her and the child."

The message was stunning, and confused Sam, but she tried not to show it. She removed her hands and spoke to the messenger, "Who but meets the ships?"

The messenger bowed her head, "Karan and Meera were called. They are at the harbor port now, Highest."

"Bring me Meera. And hurry. Run. Then get Keddi and Margeria.

Then, as quickly as you can, bring me Ivers from Hengist. Waste no moment. Halt for no one. Guard these secrets well. And return with Meera.

You will but give her the green stones then. Leave the knife with me."

The messenger gave Sam the knife, turned and left. Sam retrieved one of the guards and together, they went to the sitting room where Jandra had been waiting.

Sam looked at the guard, "I want the guard doubled on Jandra from here on. There are to be no errors about this. Two eves prior, we but escaped from this dwelling. No guards were aware. That cannot occur again, or at the next moment, those guards will but feel my wrath. Jandra is to be the most guarded and protected person in all of Woden. Be this clear?"

The guard nodded, "Yes, Highest. I will inform all the guards and make it so. Would you like me to inform Second of Defense?"

"I will do so. Leave, and from this moment, prepare Woden for battle. Under all circumstances, Jandra must be guarded. We must remain vigilant. Within one moon, we will be attacked."

The guard left. Sam noticed that Jandra looked surprised and frightened. She sat down next to her.

"I will be leaving to the harbor in but a few moments. We have two ships just arrived from Oisin, filled with women, men and children who wish to be in Woden."

"But, Sam, you mentioned that we will be attacked and that I am to be the most guarded in all of Woden. Why be this so? How do you know of this?"

"A messenger but arrived from Oisin. And Oisin was but met by the Old Raggedy One who sent me a private message."

Sam knelt down in front of Jandra and looked up at her, "Jandra. We have but a few quiet moments left before many arrive. You must know this - 348 -.

prior. I need you, Jandra. I may not now or in the future say enough of this, but know it to be true. I want you here with me, as my companion. I vow I will never again act as I did. I know I am not a perfect companion, and I know we have overly many issues to work out between us. But you are a part of me. Jandra, I have not spoken these words since Brett, so know them to be true and for you only. I need you. You and I are now connected in ways you don't yet know or understand, but Woden needs you. You and I must live together, not for us, Jandra, but for the future of this realm, as what comes from us will ensure peace. It be not correct for me to ask this of you, as I am Highest, but I must ask it. Jandra, will you accept me as your companion?"

Jandra's eyes were wide-open in surprise. As had become typical in their brief relationship, events became overly consuming and continually interfered with their personal issues, but Jandra had come to accept this.

And as Sam had said, it was considered most inappropriate for The Highest to ask anyone to be her companion.

Jandra looked into Sam's eyes and saw them steady and true. She looked deeper into their blueness and saw that Sam's power was strong.

She leaned forward and placed her arms around Sam.

She laid her head down on Sam's shoulder, moved a hand to Sam's head, held it gently, and softly said, "I love you, Sam, but our relationship be not working between us. Why do you now say these things?"

Sam moved her arms around Jandra and rocked her gently. She knew not how long they remained that way, but were once again interrupted.

Meera had arrived, out-of-breath from running, "Highest. I am here."

Sam turned and looked, "Wait outside for but a moment. I will come and get you."

Meera left and Sam turned back to Jandra, "Jandra?"

Jandra had sat up when Meera arrived, but now moved her forehead to meet Sam's, "I know not, Sam. You push overly hard at overly quick a moment. Our relationship is not working. It would be best if we parted now prior to it getting worse for you. And for me. I cannot take this as it is, Sam. Please place no more pressure on me. Our relationship has but gone overly far already."

"I need you."

"You do not love me, Sam, and that will make all the difference. But why do you guard me? And why do you but make Meera wait? This is not as I am used to from you."

Sam looked at her and frowned, "Then it should be. You are the most important to me and all The Realm now, Jandra. You must know and carry that with you." Sam moved back a bit and looked at Jandra. "Be strong for what I am about to tell you. We have few moments to discuss this, but you - 349 -.

must know so that you will but accept the guards and know of the reason for them.

Jandra nodded.

"I took one of your tears and made it mine. Are you aware of this moment?"

Jandra nodded again, "I recall the moment. I know not why you did as such. It was the moment after you returned from your death. What of it?"

Sam closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them, "I be only half human. The other half belongs and is of the Spirits of the Falls. My mothers." Sam closed her eyes again and waited a moment, then resumed, "As The Chosen One, my child will be the ruler of all The Realm. the Spirits of the Falls would like it so."

Jandra thought, What child? Tadan? But waited Sam's answers.

"But we must first win peace. And the battle begins. Buron but gains his strength from the Spirits of the Valley. They be but controlling spirits and fight against the Spirit Mothers of the Falls. We battle for them, and I am to be the one with the power against Buron."

"But, Sam"

Sam placed a finger against Jandra's lips, "Shhhh. The story is yet to come. Although you didn't know of it, when I but took your tear and mingled it with my own tear, we became much more than companions. We joined, as a man from Hengist and a woman from Woden do at Festival.

You became a part of me, in ways even I understand not. I know not how to tell you this. It is not the moment in which I wanted to inform you, Jandra. This should have been told in private, and at a special moment. I am but sorry."

Jandra raised Sam's head with her fingers under Sam's chin, "Tell me what you must, Sam. I am strong enough to bear it."

Sam didn't think anyone was strong enough for the story she was about to tell. She placed her hand on Jandra's stomach, "You but carry our child, Jandra. I know not how this be so, but the Spirits of the Falls have made it thus. Yours and mine. It be inconceivable, but it be so. It grows within you."

As Jandra gasped, her eyes opened in wide-disbelief, "A child? Our child? How be this possible? I be far overly old for this. This cannot be so, Sam. It be impossible. I want no child. We do not even have a relationship. This is most bold untruth."

Sam shook her head, "Our child, Jandra."

Jandra stood up and held her stomach; her womb, "A child. Yours and mine, Sam?"

- 350 -.

Sam nodded, "The Spirits of the Falls have made it so. I know not how."

Jandra looked at Sam and softly asked, "Do we want a child? I wish not to carry a child at my cycles, Sam. I want not this child. Should I have not been consulted prior about this? How DARE you do this to me!" She was becoming well angered.

"I am sorry, Jandra, to have gotten you involved in all this, but it is out of our hands. The Spirits of the Falls have insisted, for the future of all The Realm and the future of Woden."

"Yours and mine, Sam? They insisted? But this is my life, not theirs."

"Yes. Ours, Jandra."

"What if I decide to move back to my old dwelling and not be your companion? How fair is this to me?"

"I know not. All I know is that you now but carry the future of all of Woden and the entire realm. You and I are as one."

"This is why I must be protected so?"

Sam nodded, "Buron knows of such. The Spirits of the Valley, or someone must have discovered this and informed him. He will now seek you out to prevent this. But worry not, Jandra. We will keep you safe."

Jandra sat back down, frustrated and angry, "Finish with your messages, Sam. Meera but waits for you. I know not what to think of this.

You should have told me of this."

Sam got Meera and came back in. She informed Meera of the message from the Old Raggedy One, the approaching battle with Buron and Oisin's messages.

"Meera, prior eve, Jandra and I but escaped from this dwelling so as to have some private moments. The guards noticed not. I would not normally tell you of this, but I have something you must now hear, and must now guard to the death."

"Tell me how you but escaped without notice." Meera wasn't pleased at the report.

"I will, but first hear this. Jandra carries my child."

Meera shook her head as if to clear her ears, "WHAT? This be not possible."

"Yes, Meera. It is. The Spirit Mothers of the Falls have but made this so. I will tell you more later, but know this. This child is from our Spirit Mothers and is to be the future of all of Woden and the entire realm. This child is brought by our Spirit Mothers to provide a leader for all the realm, Meera. Jandra must be protected."

Meera turned to Jandra, "Do you but want this child, Jandra? Did you but know of this?"

- 351 -.

"No. But what choice have I been given in this? It is but new to me as well. I know not if I even remain with Sam past this eve. I know not if I can even have a child." She sounded more than well angered.

Sam tried to ignore her anger, "The Spirit Mothers will provide for this, Jandra."

Jandra narrowed her eyes, "You trust overly these Spirit Mothers, Sam."

Meera was astonished that Jandra had said she might be moving back to her own dwelling.

Sam turned back to Meera, "I have informed the guards that if they become negligent once again as the eve prior, they will but face my anger. I will have them put to death, Meera."

Meera sat down, "A child, Sam?"

Sam also sat down and showed Meera the knife, "It would seem there is more to this realm than our small ways and being. But Meera, there be much more. The Old Raggedy one has sent me this knife. I am to have a stone from the necklace embedded into the handle. The same is to be done with my sword."

Meera nodded, "A stone. Into your weapons. And it will provide you gained strength without touching the stones. That is why you have but called for Ivers. He awaits outside. Oisin but has the necklace though, Sam."

Sam shook her head, "No. That is but why the Old One went to Oisin. It has been returned with the messenger."

Meera exited and returned with the messenger and Ivers. She put out her hand out to the messenger, "Give me the necklace."

The messenger did so, and Meera looked at it, then at the messenger, "You have done well. Keep your messages private. You may leave."

She turned to Ivers, "Take this necklace. Tell no one of it. Do you understand?"

Ivers nodded and took the necklace. Meera turned to Sam, "Give me the knife sent to you, and then get your sword."

Sam gave Meera the knife from the Old One, and then left to retrieve it. Meera said to Ivers, "This knife is extremely important. Take one of the stones from the necklace and embed it into the handle. Can you do this?"

Ivers nodded as he examined the knife, "I can. Why is this important?"

Sam returned with her sword and gave it to Meera. Meera handed it to Ivers, "Take this sword and do the same."

Ivers took the sword, "It can be done."

Meera asked, "How long?"

"Two turns."

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"Make it one. Do you but like it in Hengist, Ivers?"

Ivers looked shocked, "Of course, Second. It has made my heart happy. I can't imagine losing this life. I would fight to the death for Woden and you, Second."

"Good. Then know this. This work you do helps to save Woden now. We are about to face battle, and these stones are most important to Woden and Hengist. They must be secure and never fall from this knife and sword. Our very existence will depend on your work. Can you but do this, Ivers?"

He knelt and bowed his head, "Thank you for this opportunity to but show my allegiance and gratefulness. I am indebted to you. I will do this work by two morn's hence. It will be without exception."

"Go now, and get this done. Have them returned immediately when you are but done. Thank you, Ivers. Inform no one of this work."

He rose, nodded, and left. Meera turned to Sam, "I but assume that you have called Keddi and Margeria here to be personal guards to Jandra."

"When the battle begins, I want Jandra taken to our Spirit Mothers, without delay. They will tend to her and make her safe. Until then, Jandra must be safe and well guarded. I want no mistakes."