Control.  Focus.  Center in the Light, in my heartbeat.

          Zaraek listened to Zen’s hooves clomping along the path back to Silvermoon and willed the rhythm of his heart to slow, to come in synch with that peaceful, steady beat.  

          “Forgive me, my lady.  She’s young…” 

          He turned to gaze at Linthice, riding beside him on her shuffling warbear, its talons clicking on the stone.  He was still burning from the encounter with Kaileth, but he knew he had to let it go.

           Remember, Linthice is what this is all about.  Her pain. Nothing else matters in this moment. This is what we are together today for.

          Linthice just nodded, saying nothing, her twilight hair now dry and flowing around her face softly. He was thankful she had the maturity to ask no more questions.  He wouldn’t have hidden anything if she had, but he was glad she seemed as ready to put the encounter with Kaileth behind her as he was.

          At the little park before the Shepherd’s Gate, he drew Zen to a halt, then leaned forward to pat his neck and murmur softly to the deathcharger. The stallion champed the bit calmly, for once not in a spooky mood.

          “This is a beautiful place, here, in spite of the pitiful drunks who seem to be drawn to it.” Zaraek said.  “Would you like to sit with me?  There’s something I have been hoping to share with you.”

          Linthice looked at him, smiled slightly, and looked away. “Of course,” she said.   As always, hard to read.

          The two elves dismissed their mounts and strode down the incline to one of the benches flanking the bridge.  Zaraek looked at the flowers surrounding the benches and growing profusely in the center planter before it, and wondered what they were all called.  A stray thought struck him.  Tabalah is an herbalist – she probably knows them all by name.