Chapter 23

Ashmael and Phylax departed shortly after breakfast, Cobweb's message to Lisia packed among their baggage -- as well as within their minds.

Cobweb stood at the door watching them go, wondering what reply he could expect. He had many things to be grateful for in his life, but he did not want to raise himself up on too much false hope. He had been wrong before.

It was after a few minutes had passed that, inevitably, Swift came up beside him and spoke. "You're finally asking him, aren't you?"

Cobweb abruptly exhaled through his nose but did not turn his head. "Shows what you know, my pearl. I've asked him before."

"Did you really?" Swift asked rhetorically. "Well, I hope this time, you've been a little more forceful."

Cobweb turned. "I have been. And this time I have help."

"Ash and Phylax? Well, good, I'm glad." Swift smiled, then glanced over to Seel, who had been lingering at the breakfast table with Opal.

"That's why we told them," Seel confessed. "We thought they could help -- being an outside party and all, not all bound up in this family of ours."

"Our little politenesses," Swift added, shaking his headed. "We've been wanting to say something for years."

Cobweb turned away, walking toward the staircase. He felt embarrassed, to have overlooked this solution, letting his emotions and need for privacy and independence cloud over his judgement.

"Well, I suppose it's best you didn't. Everything happens in its own time." He reached the foot of the stairs and turned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be in my room. Possibly for days."

"Dramatics," Seel uttered in a stage whisper.

Swift chuckled. "Possibly, but then again, he may just be serious."

As it turned out, Cobweb hadn't long to wait, at least in the relative scheme of things. The Gelaming visitors had been riding horses through the other lanes and had reached Harling Gardens by nightfall. Apparently they had managed a private audience with the headmaster without any trouble, for a few hours after dinner, Cobweb sensed a call was coming through for him on the thought transference unit. He met Swift on the stairs as he went down; he'd been on his way to relay the message: Lisia was calling. Cobweb headed straight to the office.

He braced himself and acknowledged the incoming call.

"I love you," they both told each other at the same time. It was the way they always greeted one another, but on this occasion, the words were more appropriate than usual.

"Lisia," Cobweb began, sending forth his thoughts with all the power he could, "I'm so pleased to hear from you."

He had no idea what Lisia would say next. What had Ashmael and Phylax said to him? Would he be direct or would he work Cobweb up to the subject in stages?

Lisia did not answer these questions. Instead, he said nothing.

"Lisia?" Cobweb called out into the ethers. "Are you there?"

A few seconds more passed before Lisia finally answered. "I'm here," he said, "but I don't want to stay here. I'm coming down."

"To Forever?"

"To Forever. I want--"

"You want--"

"I want--"

"I want--"

"I want to be your consort." Once again, their thoughts fell together perfectly. There had not yet been a ceremony, but in his heart Cobweb knew they had been bonded.

"Ashmael and Phylax gave me your present," Lisia offered. "It's beautiful."

"You're welcome. They also spoke with you?"

"Yes. They told me things I needed to hear."

"They helped me as well."

"We were being stupid," Lisia admitted.

"Very," Cobweb agreed.

"I will come at the end of summer, when classes are over. Is that too late?"

"No," Cobweb said, "it's not too late. Besides, I've waited this long..."

"I've waited, too. All my life... I've waited for this."

"I'm not the har who's rescuing you from the facility."

"No, you're not," Lisia agreed, "but you're the har who loves me."

"I will be your consort," Cobweb said.

"And I will be yours." Lisia's mindvoice was strong and clear.

"See you in the fall."

"Call me on this as much as you can."

"I will. I love you."

Cobweb switched the set to idle and stepped back. A few hundred miles away, another soul was joined with his. In a few short weeks, they would be together.

A few short weeks turned into a few long weeks to Cobweb. Months afterward he realized he couldn't remember anything that had happened in the house or anywhere else during that time. All he remembered were the thought calls with Lisia, the letters he'd received, and the hours he'd spent preparing the house.

Cobweb's room had been transformed into their room. Cobweb bought a bigger bed and all the bed clothes they would ever need. For the wall he bought a new painting, a still life of tiger lilies. Every night he enacted a ritual at he foot of the bed, welcoming Lisia into the house and hoping for the happiness of their union. No one, least of all himself, would have suspected his spells could ever be so romantic or benevolent, but in this case, they were nothing but.

Other preparations were made as well. Besides the joint bedroom, Lisia would have a room of his own. Cobweb left most of the design open, knowing Lisia would be bringing along things from his rooms in Harling Gardens. Just the same, in the closet Lisia left several new outfits from the same tailor who'd made the riding outfit. Lisia would find them whenever he filled the closet with his own clothes.

In a small room adjoining Cobweb had set up a small office. It seemed unlikely Lisia would be abandoning his position entirely during his season in Galhea; he would doubt occasionally like to work on his articles or arrange other school business. While Cobweb hoped this would not take up too much time, especially in the first few months, he wanted the opportunity to be there.

Finally the day approached when Lisia was expected to arrive from the north. He was traveling by horse with an additional horse carrying his excess baggage. Pansea had called to let the household know that Lisia had departed. He'd also wished Cobweb all the best and told him to make Lisia forget about Harling Gardens, at least for a little while.

It was sunset when Lisia arrived, again riding his speckled horse, a gray horse trailing behind on a lead. It had been a long trip, but seeing Cobweb brought the bright happiness to his eyes. As the grooms took his horse, he ran over to the steps.

Cobweb stood on those steps the way he had a hundred times, a pale, dark-haired siren, only this time his heart was open. He would not be injured.

Swift and Seel arrived at the door just as the couple embraced and then, foregoing words, shared breath. Such promise and oh, such love.

At last they parted. Cobweb, seeing the grooms taking the horses away, called out to them. "Take the bags inside and take care of the horses. I'll have whatever we need sent over." He stepped down to the level of the drive, Lisia's hand in his own.

"But where are you going?" Swift called out.

Cobweb, who had not told his son his plan, walked a few paces further before turning. He put his arm around Lisia's shoulder. "Well, having heard you two talk of your two days of love in that tent in Imbrilim, I think Lisia and I deserve at least that much time alone."

He kissed Lisia on the forehead; his partner seemed almost in a daze, no doubt from travel. "There'll be food at the tavern," he whispered into his mind. "Food and more."

"Actually," he called out loud to his questioners, "I think it might be a week. We've waited so long..."

He gave Lisia a squeeze and together, then turned down the road, headed for town. Cobweb had booked a room at the inn adjoining the tavern, and the "Do Not Disturb" sign would be firmly in place.