Editing An Early Departure (section)

==Twilight Flees at Dawn==

Rivers Between Us threw another bag onto the back of his owl and began cinching down the straps.  Halfway through the first knot, Pei ran up to his side and firmly took the rope from his hands and began again, making quick, simple knots to form a web over the equipment.  Rivers stepped back and nodded his head vaguely, then looked to the few that had gathered together to see him off.

It was a busy time at the Plum Blossom Retreat.  Most of the people with high enough clearance to learn of his departure were already in the field, spread across the Marukan.  Even Lyssa, who was as much of a secretary as he had at the time, was completely preoccupied with orchestrating the deployment of sentries in the Infinite City.  Of his close companions, only his sister was present, looking rather stern at the moment.

“You’ll be careful, won’t you?”  She tightened the scarf around his neck, which he promptly loosed again.

“Marta, I’m going to try to unlock the secrets of destruction and creation, all so I can fight the most powerful force of darkness in the Confederation.  Of course I’ll be careful, as careful as I can be with the time that I have, which is none.”

“Well, I just don’t know if you have any sense at all anymore, after…”

“Ah, that Leaf.  I would have told you myself, if they would have let us alone for a second, but know I’m as much a prisoner as… never mind.  I could slug him for telling you like that.  I still might.”

“Your judgment has been wrecked by this matter.  He meant well... I think.”

One of Rivers’ hands raised to his neck, twisting at a light silver chain about his neck.  “I still don’t know if I want to save her… or kill her.  Or if there’s any difference.”  He shook his head and stepped onto the side of the warbird.  “Give me a kiss, it’s time to go.  The longer I wait, the longer it’ll take to finish this.”  He took one last look around the aerie, watching the walls and windows.

“You’re still hoping she’ll show up?”  She slumped her shoulders and sighed.  “I know what you’ll do.  Don't worry, trust in yourself.”

“That’s what I told her…”


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''As we flew towards Nexus this morning, Rivers kept getting the strangest expressions on his face, like he might try to punch me at any minute.  It sort of weirded me out.''

-- From the journals of [[Leaf Shakes the Wind]], Night Caste spymaster

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[[Heaven's Mandate]]