Timeless

14

"What do you mean? She's in his tent. If she can't break out it means that he's a very strong magic user." Anna says.

Grey expounds, "Jaylen was a strong magic user, perhaps stronger than Anna's mother. There were some that said that she should have been the one to inherit Healthhome. Anna's mother was a little jealous of her youngest sibling and so jumped at the chance to banish her.

"But if she can't break from the enemy than he has her tied to him somehow. And that takes a great deal of magic to not only make but to break."

"You can do it child, I'll show you how. You have the ability to bring me home. But only if they will allow me to come home." The voice that had awakened her last night and thus saving Grey's life shows her how.

"Would you allow her back Anna? If we could get her back, would you take her in? You Grey? would you be willing as well?" Anna's answer is an immediate yes, but Grey's takes some time.

"Grey, what is it?" Anna asks at his reservation. "She's family. She belongs here."

"Your father had a way of causing friction and dissension. I remember it Anna. He knew about the rivalry your mother felt towards Jaylen and he used it to cause problems. I loved Jaylen. She mothered me almost as much as my own mother, but she's been prisoner to your enemy for years. What's to say that he hasn't hurt or changed Jaylen to be like your father. That could do far more damage than just opening the gates and letting him in could."

"If you don't agree to her coming here than we can't save her." Ari states and turns sadly away. She gets the feeling that Jaylen could be as key to their survival as she knows she herself is.

"I will agree if and only if Ari can find no deceit in her when she comes. If deceit is found than she will have to be held in the dungeon." Grey hopes against hope that they find no deceit in her. He's missed Jaylen, even though it's been centuries since he's seen her.

"You big fake." Is all Ari will say. Then turns from him to Anna.

"If we are going to do this it will have to be tonight. As soon as possible actually. We'll need a large bucket, wide rather than tall filled with water. It needs to be big enough for 6-8 people to sit around it. Then we'll need at least four more of your strongest magic users. Not Grey, he has too many reservations about this for it to work with him." Ari ignores the indignant and angry look Grey throws her. "And a smaller bucket of water, some towels and a blanket. She won't be able to come with anything from him not even clothes."

Anna nods her head and sets about ordering everything Ariele demanded. Grey stands by Ariele. "You think this will work?" His voice lacks emotion but Ari knows that he's conflicted.

"Yes, she told me how and will do all that she can to assist. And before you go judging her Grey, it was her that woke me up in time to stop Sheila from killing you last night. She doesn't know how she can speak to me and I hear, but she knows that she can and is desperate to get away from him. She doesn't blame you for your doubt and is even willing to live in the dungeon rather than stay with him one more night." She is as matter of fact about the information as she had been about her life growing up. Grey has no choice but to believe her.

"She says that she's missed you too." Ari says before Grey moves off to the window and watch the lights play in the water.

Grey decides it doesn't much matter anyway. The enemy was only two days march away. He's not even going to get the full week with Ari and not even the lighted fountain can ease the pain and depression.

Taren comes to stand by him until the preparations are ready. "Two days. Well I guess dying with family and friends beats living with hated enemies. I'm sorry you won't get more time with her. It's too bad we can't get one of those nasty spring storms we sometimes get. That would delay him at least an extra two days."