“She is trying to help Oma right now. I’m not supposed to meet with them until later this afternoon,” Symphony explained with another sigh. “So I’m venting to you first,” she added, kicking another spray of water into the air. She watched it idly as it fell back to the stream, and looked back up to his face.
“Vent away, just don’t expect it to change anything,” he said, calmly tilting his head back to blow smoke rings.
“What if I set Jala up to die? Maybe I should have just left her in Bliss,” Symphony said softly and closed her eyes.
“The temple in Bliss is gone. Not sure who did it, but everyone there is dead,” Remedy replied and Symphony’s eyes flashed open once more. Seeing her expression, he shrugged. “I heard about it yesterday. I thought you knew. I think everyone believes it was Avanti’s work but no one knows for sure,” he added.
“They could have found out who she really is. Has she been warned?” Symphony shook her head in frustration and sat up, turning to look at him. “She isn’t ready yet, Remmy, she doesn’t have a chance.”
“She has surrounded herself with some rather formidable people Sym. I’m sure she will be fine. Personally, I’m more worried about the Blight infestation than I am about the welfare of the Merrodin girl,” he said with a shrug.
“That’s because the Merrodin girl’s life hasn’t been drastically altered for your own purposes. Lutheron has maneuvered her like a puppet for me, Remmy. Anything that happens to her is my fault,” she said, her voice strained.
“We have maneuvered quite a few people for you Sym. If this is going to work, we have to. Not all of them will survive to the end. I hope the girl does, but face it, if it comes to war she likely won’t. We are banking on her vote at the council, not her fighting skills,” he replied, trying to soften the words with his tone.
“How are we any better than them?” Symphony asked, her voice filled with disgust.
“Because we are out for the welfare of the whole and they are out for their own self interests,” he replied. “Because we try to help people and they help themselves. Because we seek to find peace and they breed war and intrigue. Do I need to go on?”
“No, it just feels like I’m acting like one of them,” Symphony sighed and lowered her head.
“You aren’t. They wouldn’t be worried in the slightest about the impending disaster. Go ahead scry on any one of them. I promise you they aren’t concerned at all,” he said. motioning with one hand toward Morcath and Avanti.
“If it comes to war. will we win?” she asked softly. her eyes slowly rising to meet his.
“You are the one that has been trained for war. You tell me,” he replied softly.
“Before the Blights, it would have been close. With the Blights tying up Glis and Arovan, I don’t think we will,” she answered quietly.
“Well, there you have it then,” he replied, taking another long drag from the cigarette and holding her gaze. “That doesn’t change anything, though. We have come too far to back down now. This is the only chance we will get, so let’s pray to a few Aspects that you are wrong.”
“I do just about every day,” she whispered and turned her gaze back to the water once more. A faint reflection of herself caught her gaze for a moment and she studied the dark circles under her eyes and the disarray of her hair. “I look like my mother did before the fall of Merrodin. I remember her praying nightly and losing sleep.”
“Your mother was a priestess. She was supposed to pray nightly,” Remedy replied quietly.
“I remember her telling me that everything would get better and that all I had to do was pray and Fortune would provide,” she whispered softly.
“And he did. Because of him the Merrodin girl survived and we have a slim chance of getting this done through votes. You have to learn to find the silver lining, Sym. It’s the little miracles we have to treasure,” Remedy said softly.
“The little miracles,” she repeated quietly and nodded. “Do you think I will make a good leader, Remmy?” she asked after a long moment.
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be supporting you Sym. You have been raised for this and you are just having a down moment right now. I know you better. You will bounce back and when it counts you will be there as strong as ever. You don’t have to be strong at this particular moment, so vent and release the frustration,” he answered with a smile.
Turning back she smiled at him and shook her head softly. “When I’m Empress or Queen or whatever title they stick on me I’m keeping you at my side as an Advisor”
“And here, I thought we were friends,” Remedy replied with a sigh, allowing his shoulders to slump dramatically. With a smile he winked at her and nodded slightly. “You need me Sym, I’ll be there,” he promised.
*
Silently, Symphony closed the door behind her and made her way to the sand table. She glanced around the room as she walked, amazed that Faramir was not already here, waiting. Her gaze lingered on the dark shadows on the wall and she wondered if she dared a mage light. Magic was forbidden in Fionahold for the most part, but exceptions were made. Chiding herself mentally, she pushed back the urge and rested her arms on the edge of the sand table, staring down at the multi colored grains of sand below. Kiernan’s warning had made her too edgy. She was starting to twitch at shadows now like a half grown child.