Dearest Raina,
He kissed you! How romantic! Well, I am certain you think so, although, as you know, I myself am not very romantic. But it sounded so sweet and I am sure your heart was pounding and your head was spinning. If I loved someone the very thought of the kiss would make my heart beat out the battle march. And, oh Raina, he must love you! He must have meant something by that kiss. He does not sound like the kind of person that would lead someone on without any intention of it going somewhere. I am quite certain that he is just as deeply in love as you are. And I wish you all the happiness in the world.
Alas, my lot is not so good nor so pleasurable. To begin with, Sol has started talking again and I am now learning the value of silence. Strange how you value something so much more when it is taken away from you.
But I take it back, to begin with I will tell you about Gi. I have learned some pretty valuable things about Gi and the King that I think you should know. Gi's life has been chock full of magic and spells. In fact, his whole life has been one big spell. Or most of it.
The night before Sol's passion for talking awoke, Gi and I sat around the campfire and he related to me all he could remember of his former life. He claims he told me these things for the sake of the rebellion, but I flatter myself in knowing that he thought me the right person to tell them to. At first he was a bit uncomfortable telling me things that have always been a secret in his mind but he has begun to open up more.
His life as a child is muddled and vague, but he remembers clearly the night he first met Y'ata. I thought it strange that he got involved with Y'ata before the King and told him so. He answered with a nod and asked me to listen through to the end.
He grew up in the countryside. His parents are Lord and Lady Medonia. He shortened his name to Medo for privacy's sake. He is an only child but strangely enough he seems to think that he grew up with a close friend around his age. But none of the servants have children near his age and the rest of the countryside is barren of anyone worthy the companionship of the child of Lord Medonia. But without reason, he insists that he had a childhood companion. He also claims that Y'ata came to the estate not to see him but this friend. He remembers spying in on the conversation between his friend and Y'ata and being caught, thus catching the attention of Y'ata. He remembers Y'ata's eyes and his tireless scrutiny throughout the three days spent with his family. He would roam the house in thoughtful silence and Gi felt his eyes always on him, he could almost see the wheels of thought turning behind those black eyes. And then nothing. Gi's memory stops there for quite sometime. His guess is that he went with Y'ata to the King and started his personal Warrior Training and whatever else he was to do. Only bits and pieces remain of those years but they all suggest spells and the work of Y'ata. Gi claims that he was with Y'ata more than he was with the King and any orders were given by Y'ata. Anything he does remember in detail is pointless and inconsequential. He remembers much of Warrior Training but nothing that varies from any other Warrior. And he does remember me. He remembers our training and the strained feeling. Although for the life of either of us, we cannot make out what caused the strain. To be sure, I mentioned some attraction to Gi but whatever was once there is gone now. I am not so certain my feelings were attraction. The idea of a spell seems to fit so well with the burning and my messed up feelings. I mean, I am not impartial to Gi even now, but it is not the same.
Anyway, he remembers our duel and then his memories fade. That was about the time he left Warrior Training. But where he went to, except to get you, I cannot guess. He didn't show up again until he came to the Tower. And then when he told the King of Benk's betrayal and escape. And that is when things clear up a bit. Although the way he told it seemed a bit foggy and frankly embarrassing on my part. He was in his usual trance-like and obedient state when he informed the King of the escapes. But when he saw me something cleared in his head and he felt the urgent need for his own escape. By the time the King left and he was taking us back to the cell, he was clear and planning. And you know the rest. I can't imagine what I did to cause the clearing of the spell but he claims it had everything to do with me. He couldn't or wouldn't explain further.
Before this he spoke of some secret meetings and sudden missions he was sent on but I can't make out their importance. I wish I could though. Gi clearly stated that these secrets all had something to do with the one thing or person Y'ata feared. But neither of us can think of who or what that may be. I am a hopeless pessimist in thinking that there is nothing Y'ata fears.
So although I am certain you have drawn many conclusions of your own, here is my analysis. Y'ata has somehow gained control of the King and the kingdom. In many ways it is a sad conclusion for me. It seemed much safer to work against the King but I am at a loss when fighting against a mage. The pieces fit nicely though, Y'ata has always been with or near the King when he was doing something nasty, he gained control over Gi (who is showing himself to be rather hard-headed) and some of the things the King does would be nearly impossible without the help of magic. Even keeping track of us. And yet he does it seamlessly. Although I seriously hope he has lost all trace of you, I have no such hope for myself. It would be fruitless. We are in an area far too populated and too distant from any wilderness to try to hide in.
Villages surround us and frankly I don't know how we got here. Without Sol's guidance we got ourselves rather lost and ended up near every source of information post the King has. But we have been lucky and the scouting parties we came upon were small and far between leaving us almost perfectly well.
As Sol pointed out to me when his "gift" of speaking returned, it is easier to get lost when you don't know where you're going. And by my lance I haven't the faintest idea where we're headed. Are we to look for Luc and company or are we to come to you in the rebellion? Heaven knows.
Sol's miraculous, endless talking began two days ago. We had just escaped unscathed from the largest scouting party we have yet encountered and Gi and I were using up the last bits of adrenaline by foolishly reenacting bits and pieces from the fight around the campfire. As we sat down on the fallen logs in giggles and laughter from the falls and cuts we caused our opponents, we were struck silent by the scraping sound of Sol's voice, softly echoing around the campground.
"Things have a terrible permanence when people die." In any other situation I would have laughed aloud at the absurd and rather obvious comment, but I held my silence and gazed at the still figure looking towards our recent battleground.
We were so shocked that Sol had condescended to speak to us that we let the moment pass in silence. It was broken by the beginning of an endless lecture from Sol. Heaven help me if I know what he said. I have long stopped listening to what he rambles on about. It only gives me a headache. I just shook my head in bewilderment and stomped off to saddle up the horses. Gi listens respectfully to Sol's lectures but I don't know how he manages. Sometimes I almost think he really listens, but the thought is beyond belief.
When asked why he had chosen to grace us with his wisdom again, Sol simply answered that it was time.
By the sword, I don't understand that man, and by my lance I haven't the will or reason to try to. I let him be and only grudgingly admit that we have not been lost since.
With Sol's new bucket of words comes a bucket of questions from Gi and me. Where are we to go? What is our next course of action. But he remains silent and urges us to find our own answer. So much for his talking again. He never says anything useful.
As to your life, I am so happy for you. For you and Ranger and most especially for you finally finding the Rebellion. Tell me more about it. What do you actually do there? What are the people like? I confess, I am awfully curious and questioning on all points concerning the Rebellion. As much as I have always wanted and planned to lead the Rebellion, I know much less about it than I should. I hear unsettling rumors about the destruction the Rebellion causes and I am afraid some of the people are rather hard set against them. But I want your opinion on them. Is it everything we hoped and dreamed the Rebellion would be?
I cannot deny that when you spoke of your friends in the Rebellion, it gave me a shooting pain in the heart. Raina, my friends are gone! Sure, I have Sol and Gi with me but they are the two people I don't exactly classify as my friends, for different reasons. I miss Kira and Terk and Abe and Benk. We went through so much together and now we have so much more to go through but we have to do it alone. And Kira, Terk, and Abe aren't here to go through anything. I keep wishing that there was some reason their deaths were faked and that I could find them but the answer is all too simple and horrid. They are dead and that is that. There is not much I can do to change it. But I do miss them and I envy you your new friends.
By the way, I realize that I mentioned in my last letter that Gi and I were intent on keeping a watchful eye on Sol and were rather suspicious of his being in league with M'oren. But I have completely cleared him in my mind. His hurt at their betrayal is as deep as mine and I feel it almost wrong to place suspicion on him. That does not mean I won't be careful, but I won't be too suspicious.
As for Luc, I can only hope.
Yours,
'Taira
My Lance! Things happen quick!
So, in a nutshell, Zel is engaged to be married to King Gioto and her horrid mother is even now spending her time in luxury at the Palace. How can there be any doubt as to where their loyalties lie? And Luc's.
I'talia and Benk are safe with us at last. They were traveling quite near us actually and were set upon by Y'ata and his men. But Y'ata wasn't intervening in the fighting and accidently let them escape. They are as well as can be expected and I am in earnest when I say I hope Luc is not so well. How can I be wrong now? He must be in league with Y'ata and he must have led Benk and I'talia straight to him. I only hope the pretending went too far and that he was killed in the process. And don't tell me to wait a minute, Raina! I can't be wrong this time! Benk said Y'ata was too easy on Luc and that he suspected him all along. I am just glad that Benk and I'talia are safe and we are all rid of Luc. So much for his treachery!
