Welcome to Gaia! ::

Bez smiles at her. "Who's that?" he asks.

Tam chuckles softly. "Honorian's mate and Pyropian's mother. She has a way of putting people in their place."

Bez nods. "If the fostering is true then mother she is. Blood may make one a parent, but it love which binds them into a true mother and child relationship."

Bez nods at this and sighs. "An honorable thing to do..." and he means it. He's not belittling either Honorian or Pyropian when he says it and it shows in his voice.

"Then I stand corrected." says Tam quietly. "Fidelia," he asks in a soft voice. "How are gem children chosen. Hope has stated they are born with gems, yet I've seen individuals in the past... not recently, true, but I have seen them... who bear gems in much the same way. Is it something inborn... none of you are overly old, so do you get reincarnated or something..."

"So the gem chose you..." murmurs Tam thoughtfully. "But this is an ages old battle to which ye have been called. And I am certain none of ye are immortal... in truth. Or ye wouldn't age at all once ye don them. So has there ever been and elderly gem child, who upon dying lost his or her gem?"

Tam sighs heavily. "I was going by something Hopian once told me... when he wasn't all that old... I met him as an adolescent cub and I've watched him grow up into a fine lion over the years... It just confused me, that's all. He once said that the gem children fought The Shadow Queen... all twelve of them, but I was at that battle and I know how long ago it was... So many conflicting tales, I can't see how it meshes... but I also know he was telling the truth.... as he knew it."

Tam shudders. "I'd rather not say her name as it strengthens her." he whispers sadly. "But her brother E'li and I go way back. I used to play for him when I was younger..."

"I wasn't questioning your veracity, Fidelia. I was merely attempting to make this fit in my memories, which are badly fragmented, I fear. I have had several bouts with madness in the past, which I have long since put behind me, thank the all father. At least I pray I have..." sighs Tam quietly shaking his head.

Bez reaches out and grips his hand tightly. "You know who and what you are now... and to some extent... the what and why of your existence... Before you had great gaping holes in yer psyche that made it hard for you to do that which you were designed to do. It is difficult to remain sane when yer falling apart at the seams." he whispers softly, firmly, in an understanding voice.

Tam smiles at him and nods. "That it is... that it is. Anyway, m'Lady, as I was saying I was merely attempting to reconcile your people's existence with my own memories, nothing more. I have been around for a very long time... and know much, not all by any means, nor do I understand it fully. Much of what I know, I've been raised to accept blindly."

Tam smiles fondly at them bnoth and leans back in his chair, closing his eyes, letting the evening breeze, sharp and cool, caress his face. "Thank you, both of you, for being so understanding."

Bez makes a soft off colored remark that sets Fidelia laughing, but Tam doesn't rise to his baiting. Instead he simply sits there, eyes closed, thinking on the past week's events, listening to his mate and the child of Faith make small talk.