[Day 8]

He quickly cleaned up the girls while talking to Talitha about the
training books he had borrowed.  "I've been thinking of writing something
similar..."

"You should.  You're a good teacher."  'Lith bit her lip and seemed to go
a bit pale.  "You can keep those copies if you like.  They... They're
extras."

"Extras?"

She nodded.  "Mmm.  Yes.  They're Mael's." 

"Mael?"

"He..."  She stopped and smiled down at the little girl she was holding on
to.  "You're lucky, you know.  They're beautiful girls."

Suddenly, he understood who Mael had been.  He nodded.  "Yes, they're very
precious.  They're all I have of their mother."  He picked up Darreni.
"I'm taking them to the sitters.  Even without a class, I have things to
do-- Searching... and I've got someone special to meet.  Would you like to
walk along with me?"

Talitha picked up Treanya.  "Sure, I can do that.  Who are you meeting, or
is it hush-hush?"

Trey balanced Darreni and picked up the tabard, nodding to it.  "Sir
Gransol ap Chevane.  He was the leader of the landbound men who took over
the Medical Center."

"Oh.  I heard about him, except I didn't think he'd told anyone his name."

"He hasn't," Trey said, "but I recognised the tabard."

"Ah.  Some use for heraldry."

He laughed.  "Well, most of the time, I don't know a barre vert from a
croix d'or, but the Chevane arms have special significance for me."

"I see...  You're going to be mysterious and make me drag it out of you."

"Just seeing how curious you are," he answered as they stopped at a door
and he knocked.  "Good morning, Miri," he said to the woman who answered.

"Good morning.  Don't you two look lovely today?!  Come see me."

Trey kissed his daughters goodbye, told Miri when he'd be back for them
and turned away, walking toward the Medical Center.  It was a long walk,
but he wanted the time to think.

"So?" she asked.

"Hm?  Oh, yes.  I was born Trannetram ap Chevane.  Gransol is my brother."

"Wow.  So, how did he end up against you in the invasion?"

"It's a long story," he said.  "Suffice it to say he probably doesn't know
I'm here.  We haven't seen each other since he was 4 and I was 14.  I'm a
little nervous about this meeting."

"I can understand that.  Well... I ought to go-- you shouldn't have me
tagging along."

Trey nodded.  "Oh, Talitha, would you like to have lunch and talk tactics
books?"

"Sure, that sounds okay.  Shall we meet in the Dining Hall?"

"My place.  I'll cook and we can hear ourselves think."

"Sounds good.  I'll see you there."

He waved goodbye to her, then trudged on to the Medical Center.  The two
bored-looking men on the door looked at him a little suspiciously when he
told them he needed to see the prisoner alone, but eventually acquiesced.

He stepped into the room.  The man in the bed looked up from the book he
was reading and their eyes met for the first time in twelve years.  The
first thing Trey noticed was the glow of affinity around his brother.  The
second was how much of himself he could see in the face.

"Gransol?" he asked.

The man sat, staring at his unmatched eyes.  "T-Tannet?"

Trey sighed at the recognition.  "Yes.  It's me."

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Tr'etram and Koroth

NRPG: Now, the question is, what should Trey do about the affinity?

---

 Lynette R. F. Cowper <lcowper@indy.net>, INWO Line Editor