Fire's End
By Trisha L. Sebastian

I was still wiping the blood off of my hands when Morgan 
came home.  From the look on his face, I knew that he knew 
what was wrong.  "Mother..."  His voice was choked with fury 
and he held out his hands.  I drew my child to my breast and 
held him until he shifted, but she still did not cry. 
"What.... why?"

"I don't know the answer to that.  Yumi wasn't very exact 
when we exchanged words."  I sighed.  "Ota was very valiant, 
right to the end.  He was a good man."

"You said he was a layabout and a womanizer."

I laughed.  "That was AFTER the elves went on a panty 
raid in our home, Morgan.  And you remember who led them."  I 
nuzzled her cheek.  "I was just a little mad, that's all.  Ota 
has always been a good friend of mine."

Morgan was silent.  I continued to stroke her hair as she 
trembled in my arms.  Finally, she spoke.  "There was nothing 
I could do.  Justice felt heavy in my hands, like I was not 
meant to bear it.  When... it was over, I gave it to 
Jacqueline.  It is rightfully hers."

Her voice grew husky.  "I couldn't move.  I couldn't 
think."  She started to shift again, growing taller and 
filling out his frame.  His shoulders widened, and his voice 
turned deeper.  "All I could do was watch those damnable slugs 
obliterating Ota-sensei's Pattern."  I stepped back, surprised 
at the sudden weight in my arms.  This was not my son.

He looked up, showing a broad face, weathered by years of 
fighting.  He was grimacing, as if fighting off pain.  His 
features flickered and suddenly I found myself staring into 
Ota's eyes.  "Morgan!  What are you doing?  You know you're 
not ready yet!"  I waved my hand, casting a quick spell.  He 
collapsed, shrinking in on herself and crying out, pushing 
away from me.

"When *will* I be ready, Mother?"  The look in her face 
was angry, far angrier than I had ever seen her.  I wiggled my 
fingers, but she cut me off, grabbing my hand.  "No.  I won't 
let you manipulate me on this matter, Mother.  You can't keep 
on protecting me forever."  She squeezed, and I gasped.

At that sound, she dropped my hand and turned around.  
"I'm sorry, Mother.  I didn't mean to react like that."

I nodded.  "I know what you're thinking.  You're worried 
about your father, aren't you?"

"Kanna's told me several times about the history of 
Ember, how Aunt Corrine restored it by attuning herself to the 
Fire DemiJewel.  But it wasn't the same."  She sighed.  
"Should the Blue Knight ever return, she won't be the same 
either."

I nodded my head.  "No, it wouldn't be the same."  I held 
out my hands to Morgan, and she looked at me.  "No tricks this 
time."  She came forward and I took her hands in mine.  "As 
long as I am living, and as long as we still have breath in 
us, we will endure.  I am taking steps to make sure this 
happens.  This 'Taylor' person will see what it is to mess 
with the women of Harad."

She shifted, a small smile on his face.  "And the men, 
too?"

I laughed, hugging him.  "And the men, too."  I gave him 
a swat on his arm. "Get on with you, my child.  I know where 
your heart lies, in the thick of the action.  One of the last 
things on Ota's mind was Jacqueline. Protect her, as he would 
have."

Morgan nodded solemnly, drawing his sword.  I shrunk away 
from it, and he held it in front of him.  "Tyreein and I will 
find out whomever did this and make them pay."  The sword gave 
off a definite thrum of power and affirmation.  I flinched.  
He bowed, and reached for a trump, spoke to someone on the 
other end of it, and was pulled through.

I sighed, activating my own trump.  "You know what this 
means."

"Preparations must be made.  All the elves will have to 
be told."

I nodded.  "I'll dot it, love.  I know I can handle this 
better than you can."  I paused.  "Is Morgan going to be okay?  
What do we do about his 'heritage'?"

My lover reached through and took my hand.  "I don't 
know.  We will be vigilant, though.  What happened to your 
cousin will not happen here."

"I hope not.  I couldn't bear to lose another family 
member."

He stepped through and stroked my cheek.  "Princess Juri 
will return.  Morgan said he'd seen her."

"I'm not sure if I believe his story.  It just sounds too 
impossible to believe."

"Morgan is my child, too.  If she says he saw her, she 
saw her."

I leaned into his embrace.  "If you say so, love."

"I do."

We stood like that for a while, watching the sun set.  
Finally, I pushed away.  "I'm going to see Kasumi.  Hopefully 
I can do something to ease her pain."  I got to my feet and 
pulled out a trump.

"Are you okay, Hiko?"

I lied.  "I'm fine."  He nodded.  I knew he didn't 
believe me.  I gave him a kiss on the cheek and teleported 
myself to Amber.