Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ai pulls him to his feet and embraces him. "Love endures... faith inspires... you merely stumbled along the way."

"Some stumble... " grumbles Bez testily.

"At least you didn't fall head first into a bottomless pit like some people we know." says Ai fondly. "You had doubts, but you never truly lost faith... how else can you explain the fact that you were sent here and not into the abyss with the others."

"But I misled so many into following him." cries Bez angrily.

Ai shakes his head. "Nay, Bezernia... you merely voiced what was on your mind. I was there, remember... throughout it all. Not once did you tell our kin a lie. You voiced doubts and questioned reasonings, but throughout it all, even though you were confused and quite certain something wasn't right, you gave homage where it was due. Luce did not. You were used, my love... well and thoroughly used. The snake twisted your words, then blew them up beyond all recognition. Can you honestly tell me that you believed the Father would replace us?"

Bez slowly shakes his head in negation. "Of course not... we were his children."

Ai smiles thinly at him. "But Luce followed behind you, feeding on the confusion your doubts drew forth, and that is what he claimed. Oh he was devious in his choosings. He used you as a sounding board. He followed you closely, listening to your conversations. In the beginning you sought to understand this mystery you were faced with... strove to find an answer by seeking out others to help you see your way. Many were those who scoffed at you and told you naught was amiss, but those who listened to what you said, he approached... that was how he amassed his army. You sought only to confront our Father and find out the truth, you sought understanding... wisdom. You were afraid. Luce sought only to overthrow. You sought answers, he sought destruction... as you used me to draw out the Father, he used you to get to me. I tried to warn you of this... that our brother was not to be trusted."

Bez hangs his head. "And I laughed you off... I know. Ai, I was ever the fool..."

The bard places a finger under his chin and forces his head up. "Hush... the fools were those who believed Luce without questioning his motives. Now your daughters are awaiting an explanation. And there is a full moon tonight, a perfect night for soul searching and tale telling in the gardens. Go, take them with you... and don't come back until you tell them the truth... al of it... not just the lies you've been feeding yourself all these years. And remember, Bezernia... I Love you." kissing him on the cheek, he turns and drags the girls to their feet also, then places they small hands into their father's.

"My... my... look at you, all grown up." says a fond voice form the doorway. Kero looks up to see Ai smiling widely> He steps aside to let the others out and the girls run to his side, laughing with wonder.

"You are so beautiful!" cries Mara stroking his skin in amazement.

Ari hangs back a short distance away, smiling shyly. "Yer almost as pretty as Em." she whispers.

Ari nods with a shy smile. "I think he is very handsome, the way his scales are not quite silver, not quite gray, but shining from the inside... like a storm cloud that has the sun hiding behind it. He looks white at first glance, but he really isn't... it's really kind of hard to explain, but I like it."

Ai joins him as they watch the three walk down to the gardens, the girls chatting happily about how cool Kero looked. Bez, however, is lost in thought and his face clearly shows his inner conflict.

Ai sighs. "When it rains, it pours.... I'm certain he'll do fine, but if I was there he'd have an even harder time of it. Best I stay behind. But look at you... this is indeed a first. YOu, old friend, are very handsome indeed." he adds looking him up and down with an amused grin.

*Set it up, by all means... but I refuse to play every character... I'll do Iggie, of course... and Paladin. If you want, I'll even do Hlal but you need to do a few more than Luciel. There's Cory, her boy firend (what the hell did we name him anyway) and Silvera for starters...*

I'm feeling a little dragged out myself... tomorrow then.

*Check it*

But no one is home. There are signs of habitation though. The table in his small kitchen area is covered with books and papers, and recently written papers... so recent that the ink on one has yet to fully dry.

He glances at the writing and finds himself smiling. It seems Igniska is taking lesson from Hlal-son, and someone else, on how to run a well ordered library. The most recent paper concerns the proper cataloguing of materials and how to form cross refernces in a file for faster access.