PERSONAL NOTE FOR ALLISON
Krinn walked slowly with the older elf through the hallway. Prenanala's idiot smile turned into an honest grin as soon as they were out of earshot. "Circles within circles?"
Krinn rolled her eyes. "Don't ask me, Pran. I was just curious about the scroll. I don't know the guy from a hole in the wall. Although, truthfully, some of them are decent people. I'll find out what the real story is soon enough, I suspect."
Pran arched his eyebrows. "Really? Do I detect a hint of a change in lifestyle?"
Krinn's hand clenched. "Pran, I just... don't fit in. The temple clerics are kind, but they know I'm different. It's just time to move on."
"Are you sure you want to move on with someone like El Sid?"
Krinn looked questioningly at him. "Why? He's arrogant, but so are all the gold rings. Sometimes a bit boorish. Nothing really bad, though."
Pran smiled mirthlessly. "El Sid is considered next in line for the succession of Borgia Hold... although I'm not even sure he knows that. Controversy is bound to follow such a man."
Krinn stopped short. "You're kidding me."
"Not at all. El Sid's uncle is Victor Borgia, Lord Holder of Borgia Hold. He has two sons, but neither are that capable, and uncle Vic' is generally thought to be much more concerned with the hold's welfare than with his immediate family. He's likely to pick the best candidate."
"But there must be older, more capable gold rings in the hold."
Pran nodded. "True at the moment, but Victor expects to be around for a while. He is looking for an up and comer, not someone to replace him tomorrow."
Krinn shook her head in disbelief. "How did you find out so much about El Sid before we even arrived?"
"Krinn, Krinn, Krinn. I know every gold ring holder in Salta. I know a fair number of silver rings as well. You know we like to keep in touch with what is happening in the world."
They began walking again. Ahead was a door that had a translucent, crystalline appearance, as if made from ice. Pran waved his hand, and it opened.
Inside, the room was laced with huge quartz crystals. Light shimmered from somewhere far within, reflecting in deep, vivid hues of blue, green, red and orange where it diffracted through the large hexagonal spikes. Pran lead her to a small alcove lined with white fur.
They sat in silence for a while. Krinn finally spoke. "Anything new from Evael?"
"Nothing of particular interest. How are things at your father's temple?"
Krinn shrugged. "OK, I guess. Better than... home."
Pran looked at her searchingly. "Home? I vaguely remember it being called 'land of the stuck up...'"
Krinn broke in. "Things change." She watched the light flicker through the crystals for a while. It was hypnotic, and she felt tension slowly leak out of her. "Nice effect" she commented.
"Meditation is much easier with some aid in removing outside distractions."
"What do you think about my going back, Pran?" she asked suddenly.
"Back to Evael? Krinn... I don't mean to be harsh, but you know half breeds have some disadvantages."
"Deformities, you mean."
Pran looked irritated for the first time. "Krinn, you have to stop carrying that chip on your shoulder. Its unfortunate that you can't mindmeld. It isn't the end of the world."
"Pran, I'm, I'm... I'm a damn experiment. My mother's experiment, and what she got was a freak."
Pran was still angry. "Krinn, what your mother did was try to find a way for the elves to survive. Our birth rate is almost nonexistent. We are dying out, girl. We need new blood." He looked into the distance. "We need another chance."
Krinn replied bitterly "New blood... but not an elf any more. Not an elf, Pran. You aren't saving anything."
"We can save the culture."
"Sure. A few books, some scrolls, things that you know carry only a tenth of the knowledge you get from them with the understanding of the racial mind matrix."
"A tenth is better than nothing, Krinn."
"Tell it to Hotherial."
That stopped the elf. Hotherial's half-breed son had been a very bad mistake, and there was no denying it. Finally, Pran said "So, are you going to travel with these people?"
Krinn smiled humorlessly. "You mean, no, you don't think it would be a good idea to head back."
Pran looked at her intently. "I don't think it would be a good idea, but not for the reasons you think. You simply aren't ready. The bitterness will drive you out again, maybe permanently. And I would hate to see that happen. My advice, for what it is worth, is to spend some time moving around. You need to find yourself, Krinn. Until then, it would be a mistake."
Krinn stared for awhile into the crystals, then sighed. "Thanks, Pran. It was a nice break. But I think it's time to go."
Pran nodded with the truth of that. They exited back into the main hallway. From the far end, the angry sounds of Tristan's and El Sid's voices, clearly intended to be whispers but so intense as to be shouts, echoed down the hallway.
Pran smiled again. "Circles within circles?" He shook his head. "What an idiot. Oh well, time to act the doddering old elf-fool again."
Krinn cracked a smile as well. "That shouldn't be too hard." Pran's glare was only half feigned.
[NEXT] [PREVIOUS] [CHARACTERS] [INDEX] [MAP] [NOTES] [BACKGROUND]