I was sleeping when a flash of white entered my room. I sat up automatically grabbing my sword before looking at my doorway. In the pale moonlight, I made out the red robes of one of the eternal ones.
"You have been asked for," said the eerie voice.
I rubbed my eyes and groaned. He wasn't a nightmare.
"By who?" I growled.
I had just got back last night from a small battle to the east and now I was being asked to leave for the Foghorn Mountains with one of the eternal ones for an unknown reason.
"Prince Jaspen."
My interest peaked. Why would Jaspen ask for me? We had been trying to avoid each other ever since he learned his true heritage and I was alright with this routine. He had become sharp tongued and I could pick out some of Sari's features in him which only made me ache for her more. My heart had grown cold in her absence.
"What for?"
"He is your prince, soldier, I suggest you stop questioning and instead get up, dressed and ready to go."
I sighed. Of course he was right so I got up, throwing on my boots and readied my horse. I had become used to sleeping fully dressed with being a soldier so long. We set out for the Foghorn Mountains a thousand questions dancing in my head.
"Which one are you?"
"Bane."
****
Two days after we left, we arrived back to the eternal one's lair. As I entered, Jaspen rose quickly from his pile of furs.
"Hassan, you came!" he said barely able to hold back his enthusiasm.
I looked at him oddly. It had been a long time since I had heard him so excited to see me. In truth, it slightly worried me. He hadn't shown that much enthusiasm to see me since he had come up to my hip.
Looking at him closely, there was something different about him, but I couldn't tell what it was. He rolled his eyes and came over to me embracing me.
"Thank you for coming and thank you Bane for fetching him."
I hugged him back awkwardly. Jaspen wasn't one for embracing. Who was this boy? He released me.
"You must be hungry."
"Aye."
The other eternal one came out of the shadows. "Come over by the fire. I made turnip stew."
I did and Jaspen sat cross legged beside me- that's when I saw how tired he looked. His eyes had deep, black circles under them and on his shoulder was a tattoo done in a royal purple hue that was Ander's mark. I had seen them enough in battle to know Jaspen was supposedly "god" touched.
"So why did you summon me?" I asked.
Jaspen looked at me seriously. "I have a chance to meet my mother- your Sari - and I wasn't going to do so without you. I know you miss her and still hold a slight grudge against me for it."
I looked him over hard trying to see if he was joking. How was it possible for him- much less both of us- to meet Sari? Then I remembered Bane was the son of the God of Death, but why would the gods allow us to pass into the valley of the dead? Was he joking? But then I remembered Jaspen didn't joke anymore.
Did I really want to see my Sari to just lose her again? Could I handle that? I placed my head in my hands. No, but what was the chances she wanted to see me and would be hurt by my selfishness? I wasn't a big believer in the gods or their hand in my life, but if there was a slim possibility I could see her…
"Why?" was all I could bring myself to say.
"Why what, Uncle?" he asked, using the term he hadn't used with me for a long time.
I peered up at him from my hands. "Why would you do this for me? I-"
"We've always had our differences, Hassan, but she is your wife. I wouldn't go alone without asking if you would want to go with me. You have always tried to do the right thing for me."
I nodded. "Thank you."
He was becoming a good young man- though it was easy to see that the title of prince was wearing him down before his time. He was no longer the boy I had once worried about so much.
He smiled.
"So… When is this happening?"
He scratched his head. "I … I don't know. Bane?"
Bane looked over at the other. "Rentook."
Rentook sighed. "Touch the mark of Ander."
Jaspen brought his hand awkwardly to the mark and lightning filled the sky and thunder boomed hard and a figure appeared.
"Ah- so you did come."
It was then I saw the second figure.
"Aye…" was all I could say.
So the gods were real and not just stories to explain our existence. I bowed my head in respect. They entered and I could tell Zanti from Ander easily. Zanti was dressed in all black with ashen skin and Ander just looked the part of chaos.
"I will allow you both in my realm for an hour," said Zanti. "Any questions?"
I shook my head, still in awe.
"I don't think so, Zanti," said Jaspen calmly.
Zanti looked over at Ander. "You owe me, brother."
Ander laughed, clapping Zanti on the shoulder. "As I always do."
"Come," said Zanti. "I will help you travel to my realm."
Jaspen and I both rose and went over to Zanti. Part of me didn't trust the God of Death, but the thought of seeing Sari again overwhelmed my thoughts. He touched our shoulders and Bane and Rentook swirled out of vision and we landed in a damper environment. I blinked, not knowing what to think. Above us there was a sun, but I couldn't feel it, and we were standing in a fog.
"I will be back in an hour to collect you," said Zanti and disappeared into the fog.
Jaspen looked over at me looking as confused as I was.
"Sari!" he called. "Mother."
I started doing the same and soon we found ourselves at the top of a hill under a tree. Sitting on one of the raised roots was my wife- my sweet, loving Sari.
"Sari!" I called and ran forward, embracing her.
She did the same and Jaspen stood back awkwardly.
"Hey, my soldier," she said, smiling. "Is that … is that..."
"That's your son," I said, finishing her sentence.
She smelled of jasmine and looked so beautiful in her plain, white dress. I moved so she could see him better and she stretched out one arm, inviting for him to come forward.
I saw him move forward, not seeming sure if he should.
She pulled him into her arms looking at me with a sad smile on her face. I had missed her so much that I almost wanted to be selfish and rush Jaspen off, but I knew Sari was happy to finally meet her son at long last.
"Hassan, I waited for you for so long," she said. "And to meet you."
She looked at Jaspen, bringing her fingers to his shoulder and running them over the swirling patterns.
"A Scortha ," she whispered.
This is why I had tried to keep him from becoming a Scortha . I knew that if she had been alive the calling to be a Scortha would have devastated her. How different would our lives have been if she hadn't died?
"He's also the prince," I said finally.
She looked surprised taking a step back from Jaspen. "Let me get a good look at you!"
Jaspen looked over at me awkwardly and let Sari look at him intently before she came to my side.
"It's so nice to finally get to see you two," she whispered resting her head against my chest.
"Aye," I said, wrapping one hand around her waist.
She leaned into me more, looking at Jaspen, mystified. I couldn't even begin to imagine how odd it had to be for her to see her son almost a man now.
She brought a hand to my cheek and leaned up and kissed me. Jaspen cleared his throat.
"I'm… I'm gonna go find Neo," he said and disappeared into the mist leaving me alone with my sweet Sari.
Sari looked slightly hurt, but didn't let it affect her long. I swept her into my arms and kissed her deep and lovingly. She felt so real that it brought tears to my eyes. She kissed me back, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"Both of my men are soldiers," she said as if trying to wrap her head around it.
"I tried my hardest to talk him out of it," I whispered, sitting down in the grass, holding her in my arms.
"I know. I always knew you would make a great father," she said, looking up at me.
I instantly felt guilty. She didn't know I had given him to Thekros.
"I … I didn't raise him," I whispered.
Her eyes were such a beautiful green and her full lips were just as I remembered. She looked exactly the same as I had seen her alive before I came back to tend to her in her final moments.
She brought her hand to my cheek looking surprised. "Why not?"
"I… Ginfried was going to place another mortal in my house if I kept them and the pain of losing you was too much to keep him. I always saw things that reminded me of you in him and it just made it that much harder."
"Oh, Hassan," she said sadly, resting her head against me.
I ran one hand through her light brown ringlets. Her hair was as soft as I remembered.
"You were my joy, Sari," I whispered, resting my head gently against hers.
She smiled faintly. "I didn't mean for you not be happy without me. You are such a wonderful man, Hassan. You deserve happiness."
"There is no joy without you," I said, kissing her.
She kissed me back. "At least you will be happy then."
"For now," I said. "For a fleeting space of time."
She looked up at me, curious. "Hassan, time never stops here."
That's when it hit me- she thought we were both dead, she believed that Jaspen and I had finally come to join her in the afterlife.
"Oh, Sari," I whispered holding her closer. "Sari, Jaspen and I are here for only an hour."
"Hassan, you're both dead," she said stroking my cheek. "You're dead which is how you are seeing me now.That's how we're together."
I looked at her sadly, resting my hand over hers. "Zanti did this for Jaspen and I- we are only here for an hour."
Her smile fell slightly. I understood her disappointment. She had been waiting here for me for so long and now she thought we were reunited, yet here I was telling her it was only for a short time. I knew she was happy I was still alive, but not thrilled to be losing me again.
"I dream of you every night," I whispered. She relaxed against me.
"I've missed you."
"I miss you every day," I said, kissing her gently. "You made me want to live. You changed my heart of stone to one of kindness. You were the most amazing person in my life, Sari."
"You've almost gone cold again," she said gently. "I noticed it about you. Your face lit up when you saw me. Don't be that man again, Hassan."
"It is the only way I can bear the hole in my heart," I said quietly.
I had missed her gentle nagging.
"Hassan," she said, looking up at me. "You must find happiness- Jaspen looks to you. I know Ginfried is no father to the boy, but you…"
"I will try," I said. "I swear."
She smiled. How I had missed her.
"How did you ever fall for a man like me, Sari?" I asked honestly.
For the rest of our time together she told me exactly how and it brought tears to my eyes. I had married the most amazing woman ever. The time came too soon to lose her again.
"Soon," I whispered looking at her.
She held my jaw looking at me seriously. "No. You must die an old, grouchy man, Hassan. I will not be happy until I know you lived your life to its fullest. I don't want to see you here for a long time. Do you understand?"
I smiled, kissing her lovingly one more time. "I love you and I swear."
I knew I would be an achy mess for a long time to come. She was my true love and no one would ever replace her.