watched Milgorry anxiously as he stood impatiently next to the ship’s longboat. He began lowering the longboat even as the ship’s captain gave orders to drop anchor. It didn’t surprise Araas and Timbul to see their father waiting on the sand. Milgorry refused to allow anyone else to accompany him in the first boat, and as he moved towards the land he could feel Tiernan’s mind scrutinizing his thoughts. He determinedly relaxed and opened his heart.
He suddenly remembered his mother more clearly than he had ever remembered her and his heart leapt as he tried to capture the fleeting images and emotions. There was serenity about her. Then he recalled the grief he experienced when he was taken from her to Tarl and the confusion he felt when left with the slaves. At first he had been frightened of his father then the fear had mellowed into many years of watchful wariness, which had recently been replaced by mistrust and resentment, then again by anger and disgust. The longboat slid up onto the white sand. He climbed from the boat and began to walk towards Tiernan. His heart pained with the memories of the many times he had acted unquestioningly on his father’s orders, and the hurt which had resulted from his actions. He remembered the terrified faces of the people of Fishing Point, and his casual insensitivity to their screams as Nandul and his warriors cut them down like an infestation of vermin, leaving the bodies scattered from one end of the city to the other, and the indifferent satisfaction he felt, in what he had once considered was a job well done. He felt sickened by his own actions and under the intense stare of Tiernan, he felt deeply ashamed of his unthinking compliance with his father’s commands. Then he considered the day Nandul had ordered him to bring Louisa to him, and how his heart had been troubled by his father’s irrational plans. He thought of the bodies of the soldiers at Three Ways and his part in their destruction and his heart tightened when he remembered the terrified girls and the burning barge. His mind leapt forward to the day he had told Louisa that she was a guardian and he remembered how his heart had been captivated by her the instant she responded to his thoughts. The memories of his aid in their escape and the difficult trek across the Ice Coast were mingled with the frustration he felt when they were recaptured. He remembered waiting in the secure unit with Elena and Immosey and his heart leapt as he thought of the day Louisa had told him she carried his child, and in this very instant Tiernan’s furious gaze drove him to his knees. His head was dragged forcefully backwards and his spine arched agonizingly as the guardian’s incensed glare crippled him. He fell sideways onto the sand with his back curving beyond what seemed possible. Excruciating pain overcame him. His eyes closed. His mouth opened and his entire body shook violently as every muscle contracted. He knew he was mere seconds from his spine or neck violently breaking and, as an agonized groan escaped his lips, he concentrated his last thoughts on Louisa and the child who would now be safe. And as this thought crossed his mind, despite the incapacitating pain, a smile played across his face and he knew that he had fulfilled his purpose. The guardian and her child had been safely returned to the Dwellings and the human girls had been saved from certain death. His heart filled with relief and he sighed tremulously and awaited his return.
Tiernan ’s eyes flicked sideways as a second longboat drew up on to the sand. Louisa leapt onto the sand with a scream of horror and grief. She sprinted towards Milgorry, who lay in a contorted heap, trembling helplessly. Screaming in shock and desperation, she threw herself upon the warrior. Tiernan’s eyes narrowed with disbelief as he watched her. He knelt beside Milgorry. Without taking his eyes from Louisa, he reached out and touched the warrior on his shoulder and Milgorry
He suddenly remembered his mother more clearly than he had ever remembered her and his heart leapt as he tried to capture the fleeting images and emotions. There was serenity about her. Then he recalled the grief he experienced when he was taken from her to Tarl and the confusion he felt when left with the slaves. At first he had been frightened of his father then the fear had mellowed into many years of watchful wariness, which had recently been replaced by mistrust and resentment, then again by anger and disgust. The longboat slid up onto the white sand. He climbed from the boat and began to walk towards Tiernan. His heart pained with the memories of the many times he had acted unquestioningly on his father’s orders, and the hurt which had resulted from his actions. He remembered the terrified faces of the people of Fishing Point, and his casual insensitivity to their screams as Nandul and his warriors cut them down like an infestation of vermin, leaving the bodies scattered from one end of the city to the other, and the indifferent satisfaction he felt, in what he had once considered was a job well done. He felt sickened by his own actions and under the intense stare of Tiernan, he felt deeply ashamed of his unthinking compliance with his father’s commands. Then he considered the day Nandul had ordered him to bring Louisa to him, and how his heart had been troubled by his father’s irrational plans. He thought of the bodies of the soldiers at Three Ways and his part in their destruction and his heart tightened when he remembered the terrified girls and the burning barge. His mind leapt forward to the day he had told Louisa that she was a guardian and he remembered how his heart had been captivated by her the instant she responded to his thoughts. The memories of his aid in their escape and the difficult trek across the Ice Coast were mingled with the frustration he felt when they were recaptured. He remembered waiting in the secure unit with Elena and Immosey and his heart leapt as he thought of the day Louisa had told him she carried his child, and in this very instant Tiernan’s furious gaze drove him to his knees. His head was dragged forcefully backwards and his spine arched agonizingly as the guardian’s incensed glare crippled him. He fell sideways onto the sand with his back curving beyond what seemed possible. Excruciating pain overcame him. His eyes closed. His mouth opened and his entire body shook violently as every muscle contracted. He knew he was mere seconds from his spine or neck violently breaking and, as an agonized groan escaped his lips, he concentrated his last thoughts on Louisa and the child who would now be safe. And as this thought crossed his mind, despite the incapacitating pain, a smile played across his face and he knew that he had fulfilled his purpose. The guardian and her child had been safely returned to the Dwellings and the human girls had been saved from certain death. His heart filled with relief and he sighed tremulously and awaited his return.
Tiernan ’s eyes flicked sideways as a second longboat drew up on to the sand. Louisa leapt onto the sand with a scream of horror and grief. She sprinted towards Milgorry, who lay in a contorted heap, trembling helplessly. Screaming in shock and desperation, she threw herself upon the warrior. Tiernan’s eyes narrowed with disbelief as he watched her. He knelt beside Milgorry. Without taking his eyes from Louisa, he reached out and touched the warrior on his shoulder and Milgorry
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