Tine walked around aimlessly, always keeping the temple in view so that he could make his way back there later. He did find the park, which turned out to house the Dragon Lord’s menagerie. Oddly Tine felt sympathy for the animals caged there to be looked at, although, he had to admit they did seem to be well tended.

The square was also easy to locate. On three of the four sides of this large patch of green shops were open for business. Tine looked around, but understood that he had nothing he could trade for the goods or services offered within.

The one thing he did not understand was the deference given to him. There was no way any of the people could know who he was, or even what he was, yet they all treated him as if they did know. At first he thought it was because they were mistaking him for a guard, but in one shop he saw how the keeper treated guardsmen, and it was not good. With a frown, Tine considered the guard’s behavior to be in need of correction, but he wasn’t sure if it was just the one guard or if it was the mindset of all of them.

He was no closer to a conclusion when his stomach began to rumble for a meal. Noticing that many of the shops had closed up, Tine determined that he should be headed back toward the temple. There was a wide avenue that seemed to lead straight toward the temple, so Tine began to walk it. He was close enough to see the stair when the thudding of horse’s hooves caused him to turn around. The first horse passed so close that he could smell the beast’s breath.

Tine took a few quick steps backward, narrowly being missed by the second horse as well. There were nearly a dozen, then a carriage, and a few more horses. When they had passed, Tine continued up the avenue, along with a few other men, toward the temple.

When he arrived, he found the front stair guarded and men being turned away. Tine did not even attempt to approach the main stair, but instead turned to the back entrance. There he found a different temple guard, and one dressed in blue. They both scowled at him, causing him to retreat a step. However before he could flee, the door behind them opened slightly and one of the girls who had been assigned to him spoke to the temple guard who arched an eyebrow in his direction, then said something to the other guard, who looked at him with disbelief. No matter though, because Tine had gathered his courage and walked calmly past before they could think of a legitimate reason to object.

“Elda set us at both entrances to watch for you, in case you were given trouble,” the girl told him before he could ask why she was waiting.

“I’ll have to remember to thank her.”

She smiled and looked him over, then led him into the temple headed toward the baths. “Gadina went to fetch the others. We need to bathe you quickly, the ceremony is about to begin.”

Tine did not argue as he was stripped and bathed by the three girls. A fourth arrived as he was being dried. She was clutching another ribbon tied cloth packet.

“The Maiden bids you come,” she stammered out as she handed him the clothes.

Tine accepted them and untied the ribbon. These were similar to the ones he had taken off, but inside was the belt and boots he had left at the guard station. Happily, Tine dressed, combed out his hair then he attach the bead as Bra-Neche had done. To finish, he tied the belt around his waist, knotting in the manner Deven had taught him was proper. When he was fully dressed the girls parted to let him exit the chamber. Eldah waited for him. The other girls ascended the stair that led to Tine’s rooms as Tine and Eldah continued on their way to the main chamber.

They opened the door to find the chambers nearly empty. At one end stood a group of women, at the other stood a group of men. Along the wall a few Daughters of the Moon stood quietly, watching. Tine and Eldah found a place among them.

Tine could feel the tension in the room.

One of the women stepped forward, then a man stepped forward. They walked toward each other and spoke quietly in the center of the room. Then the women separated so that one stood alone.

“Who requests my blessing?” she asked, the echoes of time evident in her voice.

“Our son,” the couple in the center of the room said more or less in unison, “for his Chosen.”

“Why do you ask for him?”

“He is on the border. His Chosen has just arrived and needs to take up his duties.”

“Bring the young man forward,” she said as she gestured with her hand.

Tine felt a shiver run up his spine as he recognized the motion. This was the same woman he spent time with in the womb.

A young man came forward and Tine recognized him as the one the guards called ‘prat’. He was well dressed and his hair hung loose, but he seemed frightened.

“What are you called?” the Maiden asked him once he had joined the couple in the middle of the room.

“Luvad,” he responded, his voice cracking in the middle of his name.

“Come forward Luvad.”

Tine watched as he put one foot in front of the other, hesitantly, inching forward.

“Kneel,” he was commanded when he came close enough. Luvad dropped to his knees and the Maiden stood, walking forward until she stopped just in front of Luvad.

Minutes passed.

The couple in the middle of the chamber looked worriedly at each other. The man Tine recognized as Maraneth paced slightly among the men.

Finally, Luvad fell forward, clutching his head, crying out. The Maiden stood alone, “I can not bless him.” Her voice carried through the chamber although she spoke softly. “He is neither Chosen nor a Son of Suril.”

The man who had identified himself as the father stepped forward, “Not Chosen? How?” He turned to Maraneth, “Where is the Chosen boy?”

“I was told he was the one,” Maraneth said calmly, “although when I saw him I could not believe our Prince could choose such, there was another young man there though, do you think…”

The Dragon Lord nearly growled, “Find him!”

The woman standing with him was shaking, her hand clamped over her mouth. He turned to her and glared, “You find this funny?”

“Bra-Neche will have a fit when he finds you tried to keep his Chosen from receiving the proper blessing by loosing him.”

“Bra-Neche should have thought of that before he Chose some backwoods bred boy who didn’t even have the sense to tell the guard who he was.”

Tine had stepped forward when he heard Bra-Neche’s name mentioned, his hand reflexively reaching for the bead. Eldah attempted to pull him back, but he broke her grasp and stepped forward another step.

“Perhaps,” he said quietly as the Maiden had done, not too surprised when his voice carried as well, “the backwoods bred boy was not aware he would have to defend his honor from every quarter since the moment his love was taken from him…” All eyes were on him. He raised his chin and squared his shoulders. “Perhaps if he had not been passed from guard to guard and ignored by everyone else…” Tine turned and faced the Maiden and smiled, “then just perhaps he would not have had the chance to discover his heritage. And perhaps,” he turned to Bra-Neche’s parents, “he would not have had the chance to come before you today confident about his future.”

The Maiden stood and beckoned him to come. Tine strode confidently toward her. “Kneel, Son of Tabolt.”

Tine knelt and he felt her presence again. It was over in a breath.

“My blessing on the Son of Tabolt has been given. The Son of Gavi Chose with his heart and his love is returned…”

Tine remained kneeling when he felt hands on his shoulders.

“Son of Tabolt?” the male voice asked, “not a Son of Suril?”

“Yet he lives?” the female asked, “how?”

The Maiden smiled sadly at Tine. “When Suril lay dying on the battlefield Gavi came to him and promised to bed him if he yet lived in the morning. Tabolt heard this promise as he had been moving among the wounded, healing them with his touch. Soon, Gavi and Suril slept. It was then that Tabolt moved over to Suril, healing him fully, giving him immunity to Gavi’s curse because he could not remove what Costan had done. This great act of kindness drained too much of Tabolt’s life energy, though, and his corpse was found among the fallen. But the Maiden saw and knew that one day one of Tabolt’s sons would come home…” She reached out and stroked Tine’s cheek, “Tabolt, who sacrificed himself so that his brother might know peace, who fathered sons immune to Gavi’s curse, who can not be bound except by love. He is not Bra-Neche’s Chosen.”

Tine looked up at her, confused.

“You love him. He loves you. You are bound, but you are not his Chosen. Your binding is… different… that of equals,” she stroked Tine’s cheek, “of brothers, as Gavi and Tabolt were brothers.”

“Did they lie together?” Tine boldly asked and the Maiden laughed.

“How else would Tabolt know that he was immune to Costan’s curse?”

Tine blushed.

“Rise young Lord and be known.”

Tine stood and faced the man and woman who were Bra-Neche’s parents, suddenly nervous at the prospect.

“Son of Tabolt, eh?” Bra-Mine clasped Tine on the shoulders. “Your brothers are waiting to meet you. They did not like the other one at all.”

“I didn’t care for him either,” Florvae said quietly. “You spent the night in the womb?”

Tine nodded.

“Our daughters descend when they have their first moon-flow. I’ve never heard of a boy descending and surviving.”

Tine laughed softly, “You will find that I am a very unusual boy.”

Bra-Mine stepped away from Tine as Maraneth came over to meet him. “Did I hear the Maiden correctly — bound but not Chosen?”

The three nodded.

“Then, um, how is he to be trained? Who will name Bra-Neche’s son?”

Tine looked Maraneth up and down then smiled. “I will name Bra-Neche’s son. I may not be his Chosen… but we are still bound.”

Maraneth signaled to Arabeth who walked over with a child in her arms. She held him out to Tine, who took the child and gazed into his eyes, “Call him Roel,” he said after a few moments.

“Bra-Roel,” Bra-Mine said the name with the proper honorific for a Dragon Lord. “Yes, that will do nicely.” The others agreed. Even Roel was smiling.