Xiaolang had me take us back to the highway in Choi, resuming our original mission to search out magicians. If we ran across a few rogue Priests while we were at it, so much the better.
We traveled perhaps a mile along the road when I abruptly realized that a Gardener was nearby.
Very
nearby, at that. “There’s a Gardener within a few miles of us!” I called out in excitement.
Xiaolang snapped around, dragging Hayate to a halt. We all stopped as well, to avoid running into him. “Where?” he demanded, matching my enthusiasm. “I can’t feel him.”
“A little more than a mile out in that direction, I would think, just outside of your range.” How he got there, I have no idea. I should have felt his presence long before this.
“Let’s catch up,” Xiaolang urged us on. “Garth, lead the way. We need to ask him some questions, while we can.”
I couldn’t argue with that. I dove off to the right side of the road, guiding Night in the direction of the Gardener. At a fast lope, we crossed the distance fairly quickly.
The Gardener must have sensed that we were coming because he was just standing there facing us, clearly waiting. As soon as I was within sight, he waved his hand, beckoning me forward. I slid out of the saddle immediately at this invitation to approach him.
The Gardener came closer, holding out a hand to me. I remembered what had happened last time—Gardeners didn’t really talk. What they did was gave you
impressions
. It wasn’t quite telepathy, wasn’t quite empathy, but something of a mix of the two. It felt like an intricate painting in your mind. I had maybe a one, or two minute contact with one, and spent the next week unraveling everything that he passed on to me. It was very potent stuff, intellectually speaking, heavily detailed and carrying different layers of meanings.
Remembering this, I tried to brace myself. I knelt down to his level, to make him more comfortable, extending my right hand to carefully grasp his. He smiled at me, and I felt waves of approval, delight, and an unmistakable feeling of expectation emanating from him.
There was a picture in my mind, of Chahir changing. The land’s ley lines flowing stronger, the country thriving like it once did, hundreds of years ago.
“Yes, I can feel that it’s improving,” I acknowledged, with a look of open admiration on my face. “Thanks to you and your people’s help.”
There was gratitude from him, but also an acknowledgement of everything
my
people had done to also bring about this change.
“Thank you,” I murmured. “We have a question. Is there any way to block a ley line from being tapped into again like that?”
What came next was so complex that I frowned, trying not to be overwhelmed as I struggled to unravel it. The picture was complicated, showing that there was indeed a way to block a ley line from its environments. However, doing so apparently shut off its aura from the very land itself. It would stop all of the power from continuing to flow to the area, eventually leeching out all of the vitality of the ground around it as the plants absorbed it.
I grimaced. “So it can be done, it’s just not a good idea.”
He nodded firmly, never breaking eye contact with me.
I turned to Xiaolang to translate the answer. “He said that we can make a ley line tamper-proof, but doing it is just as damaging as tapping into one. The line would be cut off from supplying the land entirely, and it would slowly die.”
Xiaolang sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Well, that wasn’t the answer I was hoping for. Ask him if there’s a way we can contact him, in case something like this happens again.”
The Gardener was already shaking his head from side to side, an indulgent smile on his face. He pressed his fingers against mine, amusement heavily layering his answer.
There is no need. We know what happens to the land when it happens.
How he knew that was completely lost to me. I had an uneasy feeling that if he tried to explain it, my mind would either implode or melt from the attempt to understand even the basics of it.
He took my hand in a firmer grip, a slightly preoccupied look of concentration wrinkling his forehead. There was something obviously bothering the Gardener, something that he felt needed to be said, and an uncharacteristic uncertainty of just how to say it. Also mixed up in his jumbled thought was a desire to somehow reward my efforts. There was also an odd sense anticipation of what would happen when something that had long hidden was brought to light.
I was still trying to puzzle it out when the Gardener slowly formed an image of Chatta in my mind, as if he were asking my permission about something. It caught me utterly by surprise, as he stared up into my eyes. He was devoid of guile, with an open countenance of complete faith and confidence. I had no notion of what he was asking me, but I sensed he had my best interests at heart.
Not knowing what else to do, I slowly nodded my assent. Without breaking eye contact with me, he gently extended his hand to Chatta, gesturing her forward to join us.
With a hesitant glance at me, she came and knelt down next to me, accepting the hand extended to her.
Somehow (I have no idea how) the Gardener directly connected us, nearly erasing the sense of his own presence entirely. It was the oddest experience of my entire life. One moment I was in direct contact with the Gardener, and the next moment it was like the world slowed down around me. I was still aware of the Gardener, but the bond that connected us was gradually fading and becoming transparent. It was like he had become an invisible conduit for me into Chatta’s soul, and I was more and more aware of her with each passing beat of my heart.
I could experience her breathing, as if it was me breathing. It felt like we were moving toward each other through a misty cloud. The cloud began to thin, and I gradually became aware of what she was thinking and feeling. I felt her surprise, uncertainty, bafflement, and finally wonder.
Then the distance between us completely collapsed, and her eyes snapped to mine, a sharp gasp in her throat. She knew!
And in that same moment,
I
knew!
I’m not sure which revelation hit me first—the realization that she knew I loved her, or that
she
loved
me
. They seemed to hit me simultaneously, leaving me reeling and off balance. Exactly which one should I react to, and how? I just knelt there and stared into her eyes, consumed by the depth of our shared knowledge and feelings. She stared back at me, mouth searching for words, although none emerged. Even her thoughts were too scrambled up to be very articulate. For all of the infinite power at my control, in that moment, I had become completely helpless and mute. She…loved me? And she knew I loved her?
The Gardener gently released our hands, drawing my attention away from Chatta. I didn’t know what to do—didn’t know why he had brought this up to begin with. It took several attempts before I could get my own mouth working. “Why?” I whispered, with a silent plea for understanding.
The Gardener gently touched my face, with his work worn hand, long enough to give me an answer.
Balance
.
We desired to help you discover your own Balance.
“
You’ve done everything in your power to give the world back to the people, Garth,
” Night murmured soothingly in the back of my mind.
“Can you blame them, if they want to restore a part of that world to you?
”
The echo of that thought snapped me back to my senses like a bucket of ice cold water. Aw nuts! Night was a telepath; of course he’d be able to sense what was going on between me and the Gardener. After all, he had last time. And Xiaolang…I turned my head slightly and peeked over my shoulder.
Xiaolang met my inquiring eyes with a knowing, satisfied look. The man practically
radiated
the headline in ten foot letters, “Yes, I know.”
The Gardener patted my knee in profound empathy, as if he understood just how confused I was by all of this. And all things considered, he probably did. He gave me one last long, soul searching look, as if to assure me that everything would be alright. Then he opened his hands and beamed at Chatta and I, waved at Night and Xiaolang, and sauntered off back to where ever he had come from.
“Well, I think we better make an early camp,” Xiaolang announced cheerfully. “You two can follow at your own pace, eh? There was a nice clearing about half a mile back. You can join us there.”
“Splendid idea, thanks,” Chatta responded in a faint and distracted voice.
The rest of the team, naturally, had no idea what was going on. They were still staring at Xiaolang in obvious confusion, and Chatta and I in growing apprehension. Rather obediently, like the good soldiers they were, they followed Xiaolang back up the road. I could see that the questions were forming rapidly, like an approaching storm, in their minds. I had no doubt that once they were out of ear shot they would start pelting our Captain like a maelstrom, mercilessly demanding answers.
I felt the urgent need to get off the road, and out of sight, before I settled into what I knew would be a difficult, truncated discussion with Chatta. I led her through the woods, into a small clearing that gave us a modicum of privacy. The trees and foliage was thick here, blocking any view from the road, and soft sunlight filtered through the top of the leaves to give the area a warm, pleasant feeling. The pretty setting did nothing to calm my racing heart or tightly strung nerves. I didn’t have a clue what to say. What, by all the great ancient magic
could
one say, after such a revelation, landing like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky? Where would I even begin?!
“How long?” she asked. Her voice was a little unsteady, and eyes still wide with surprise and a little unfocused.
A short laugh burst out of my mouth, unbidden. “Chatta, are you kidding? There hasn’t been a day since I met you that I haven’t loved you.”
“Then why didn’t you
say
something?” she demanded in exasperation, flinging her hands up as if appealing to a higher power for help.
“I didn’t consciously admit it to myself until
quite
recently.” I pondered that thought a moment, but decided that admitting I’ve known for the past several weeks, without saying anything, would probably get me into a world of trouble at this point. Silence was definitely the better part of valor, and a virtue worth having, if I had any hope of surviving this encounter intact.
“That’s not the only reason,” she growled, advancing on me, a feral look glinting in her eyes like half crazed hounds after a hard chase.
She sounded quite certain of that. I eyed her warily. What else had she felt from me, when the Gardener still had us bonded…?
“You,” she informed me crossly, with a finger pointing accusingly in my direction, “don’t think that you’re
good enough for me!
”
Internally, I groaned. I was afraid that might have leaked through. “Chatta…I’m really not,” I admitted with a defeated sigh, not even attempting to dodge the truth.
“Don’t make me beat some sense into you,” she threatened, shaking a fist.
“I’m serious!” I snapped back. “Look, you’re a titled Lady—”
“I don’t give two hoots about that!”
“—and I’m an exiled Chahiran Mage with two masters,” I continued in exasperation, “and I’m under an honor oath to your father to
protect
you, which includes protecting you from
me!
”
“I am really,
really
beginning to hate that oath!” she snarled between clenched teeth as her eyes narrowed to angry slits.
At the moment, so did I. And here I thought I had been so
clever
when making such promises, to ease her father’s mind, and keep Chatta in my company. I could really shoot myself square in the foot, couldn’t I?
Chatta took a deep breath, and when she finally released it, she seemed calmer, on the surface, at least. To my experienced eye it looked like she was one inch away from losing control of that fearsome temper completely. “Garth, allow me to break this down for you. Regardless of what
you
think,
I
think you’re more than an even match for me. I also happen to love you, despite your stubborn, single minded, myopic ways!”
“Pot calling the kettle black,” I observed wryly.
Chatta ignored that invitation to play Insult War, and kept going. “Now, this is the real question you need to be asking yourself. Do you really want to leave me crushed and broken hearted, eventually settling for someone else?”
Er…no. I really didn’t. I paused at this thought, seeing this situation for the first time from her perspective. And doing that completely let the air out all of my arguments, like a sharp knife through a billowing sail. The only thing that truly mattered to me, to the very core of my soul, was seeing her happy…which she knew quite well. My defenses were breached, there was no way I could deny her anything, and she knew it. If
she
thought I was good enough for her, well…then I was. I would just have to get used to the idea.
How is it that I can never win any arguments with her? I had a sinking feeling that I never would be able to. I guess I will have to learn to live with that as well.
I shook my head, laughing helplessly. “Okay, love. You win.”
“Yes!” She threw her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. I held her just as tightly, letting a sense of abject relief wash its way through my system. Really, I never wanted to lose her, no matter the reservations that I had about my own worthiness.
I still had a lot of issues to resolve. On top of all the political problems I was embroiled in, I had to go back to Del Hain at some point to face Delheart. Asking to be released from the Oath of Protection, because I was in love with his daughter, wouldn’t go over well at all. In fact, when I started thinking about all of the things I would need to accomplish before I could allow myself to focus on just Chatta, I felt like banging my head on a large boulder to get some relief.