the places you're taking me to

1/8/1348, evening

The doors of the stable slammed open, the wind wrenching them out of the hands of the stablehands who were opening them for the weary group that was slowly riding in. The horses' heads drooped, and their riders seemed to be in much the same condition. Dismounting in the entrance as the stablehands shut the doors behind them, the riders pulled back their hoods, shaking snow off themselves.

One of the stablehands approached the tall man in chainmail who had ridden in first. He spoke Spanish with a strong Russian accent. "Sir Gavião, if you will follow me, we have stalls ready for all of your horses. Will you need them to be taken care of?"

Gavião nodded. "Please. All except for Dream and Daffodil, I believe Callas and Galvin will see to them themselves." The stablehand nodded and led the group to a row of empty stalls. After unsaddling them and turning them loose, most of the group went up to the Temple. Gavião told Callas before he left, "I'll send down a pair of knights for you."

She nodded absently. "All right, Gavião. I'll see you in an hour or so, more than likely." She turned and retreated into Dream's stall. Gavião watched her. Something about the way she was holding herself worried him, but there was probably nothing he could do that being in contact with Dream for a while wouldn't do better, at the moment.

Poor lass. So many people she's loved killed recently. He sighed to himself and started for the Temple.

Callas pulled out her grooming implements, and picked up the stool that someone had thoughtfully left in her stall. For a time, she groomed Dream in silence, simply enjoying the work and the warm smell of horse that surrounded her. Dream was uncharacteristically quiet, for once not demanding that certain itchy spots be scratched. Finally, she finished, putting her tools away and sinking down into the straw bedding, her legs folded under her.

Dream nuzzled her hair as she gazed absently into midair. She reached up and scratched him under the chin, and for a few minutes they stayed like that.

Finally, Dream shivered his coat and nudged Callas. All right, out with it. What's bothering you?

"Where should I begin? Maria and Josephina are dead, and probably their families as well. My mother--stepmother--killed me today. Today was the second time in as many days that I've died. And I almost didn't come back this time."

What do you mean? Dream's mental voice held a note of alarm.

"I mean I was seriously tempted to not come when I was called back to my body. I wanted to go be with my father, with everyone else who's gone before me. I am so tired. And it scares me, Dream, how easy it was to contemplate not coming back to the living. Everyone who I loved as a child is gone, and our lives are still so very fragile. We're strong, but our enemies are stronger."

Dream laid down next to her, and she leaned against him, resting her head against his side. But you did come back.

"Aine reminded me that my life matters here, to you, to Galvin, Gavião, Gemma, and the rest. I still have things to do before I'm able to choose to lay down this life for good."

I, for one, am glad you did. And, besides, not everyone you grew up with has perished.

"What do you mean? My father, my sisters, my stepmother might as well be dead. Who else?"

Don't you remember the horse you used to ride around the farm on, all those long days you were out with your father?

"Yes...but he was taken when they took my father."

Taken, yes. But I did find my way back to you eventually.

"You?" She twisted around to look into his grey eyes.

In the flesh, Callas. I told you I'd been watching you for a very long time.

"And you came back to me..." Her voice was soft.

Of course. When you were born, your mother asked me if I would consider partnering with you. You'd need a guide, she said, and a friend. When I was taken, I went back to the dream realm, where I waited until you had grown enough to be in need of a familiar, and came back. And here I am.

"Ah." Tears stood in Callas' eyes for some reason as she shifted and curled up tighter against Dream. "Thank you, Dream, for telling me that. I needed to hear it, I think."

I thought you would have figured it out by now. It's not like I haven't been dropping hints.

"Sometimes, I'm not the brightest of girls." She sighed, and turned her head so she was staring at the ceiling of the stall. "When is it enough, Dream? When do I get to lay down what I carry at last? I've known that this war is going to mean my death for a long time now, and it has--over and over again. We're not supposed to come back so many times."

I think this will be decided one way or another before the month is out. You can end it sooner rather than later, if you want.

"I know, but...I'm not certain I want to do the thing that would end it sooner. Killing a god isn't exactly high on my list of things I wanted to do with my life."

I know...but with Morrigan, this might drag on for months or years. Without her, they're a lot weaker. Besides, she's not exactly a favorite of the other gods.

"She's still a god. Doing this brings us down to the level of our enemies. Different goals, same actions."

To defeat them, you may have to become them.

"And that is exactly what I don't want to do. How can I be our guide through the shadows when the whole web is tightening around us, steering us towards the exact thing I don't want to do?"

You've said it yourself. You do what you need to.

"I know. But I still lament the necessity." Callas snuggled down tighter against Dream. "We'll see. I may not be able to convince the others. Gavião's going to be the most difficult one, I think." She closed her eyes, resting her head against Dream's side. "Maybe we've bought ourselves a little time, love. I hope so. We could use a few days of rest."

For a time the only sound was Dream's deep, regular breathing, Callas' lighter breathing laid on top. After a while, Dream turned his head and eyed Callas; she'd fallen sound asleep curled up next to him. He reached out with his mind. Galvin?

Galvin, up in the Temple, started a bit, like he did every time on the rare occasions that Dream talked directly to him. He murmured, "What is it?"

Your girlfriend's asleep in my stall. You might want to come fetch her; she could benefit from a warm bed.

"Can do. Thanks for letting me know."

A few minutes later, Galvin was leading a mostly-asleep Callas to bed. She murmured something unintelligible as he pulled her boots off for her and laid her down. He climbed in after her and wrapped himself around her. He'd left one candle burning, and in the faint golden light he could see her face in profile. He gently brushed a lock of hair out of her face, and she smiled in her sleep and shifted a bit, pulling him a bit closer to her.

I lost you today. Again. Love...we're all so careful of you, so protective, but we just can't keep you safe. How many more times are you going to do this to me? How many more times am I going to have to carry your body from the battlefield? He rested his forehead against her shoulder briefly. But I will stay, no matter what. No matter what pain it causes...I've come too far with you to abandon you now.

Galvin sighed and settled down, pulling her close to him. Tomorrow was another day, possibly filled with fresh heartbreak. But for tonight, there was just the comfort of two bodies pressed close together, the silent room, the dark night forgiving everything they had done and had yet to do.

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