IC: Midsummer Rising

[white_flowers]

Midsummer.

Longest day, brightest day, day of celebration for those of the Light and also of the Wild.

It will be a day of great power-- and had once marked the ending of the rising Dark in the world she had once called her own.

But here at the end of all the worlds, she intends to change things. The longest and brightest day it may be, but there is another side to it as well; for at the moment that the sun passes zenith, the time of Light also passes.

So begins the long slow fall into the Dark.

This time, the White Rider means to turn her carefully-gathered power to advantage at that precise moment, bringing the cycle to an entirely different ending -- for everyone.

She is smiling cruelly when she steps out of the forest and starts toward the bar, half-lost in her thoughts and her plans.

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[last_adam]

Everything's so quiet, everything's so still, Adam can't help but feel that this can't be right, this can't be the end. And things clear up, as they are wont to do, but he can't quite let himself relax yet. Turning, he looks at the people behind him, trying to ensure that everybody's alright, trying to ensure-


He's not even sure what. But he turns and kneels by Moiraine, and reaches out and grabs Mary's arm perhaps a bit too rough, and he smiles, a knowing smile.

"Is everybody alright, then?"

[uncommongardenr.livejournal.com]

Dickon doesn't know if whatever just happened is good or bad.

But, first things first.

"I'm fine, sir."

A quick glance to the jay to make sure it seems alright, now that things are calmer, and then he looks over at Mary.

"Miss Mary?"

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary shakes her arm free of Adam.

With a glower: "I was not hurt."

[last_adam]

Adam watches her closely, carefully, and nods.

"I'm-


glad, then."

From where he sits over Moiraine, his eyes go back and forth between the children and the bird, and he nods again, seeming to agree with himself over something.

"Good."

[uncommongardenr.livejournal.com]

"Is it over?" Dickon asks, still hardly knowing what he means by 'it'. "What happened?"

[blue_ajah]

"I believe it is," she calls to the children. The Aes Sedai's tone is calm, even if her vision is still a touch blurry and she is not moving to stand yet.

"For the time being, at least, it is finished; and I believe that the Dark has failed once more."

Else they would likely not have survived, she thinks to herself.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"It is not stormy anymore," Mary says; and glances over at her tree, reassuring herself that all the branches are still where she left them.

"It was her - wasn't it? It was the witch."

[uncommongardenr.livejournal.com]

"Aye, I think it were."

Dickon is very still suddenly, and the reason for both that, and his certainty, become apparant as he points

"Whatever she were about, looks like it's been stopped."

That fact doesn't keep him from sounding wary.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary follows his pointing finger, her eyes going wide and round.


"- she is not dead," she says; her hand drops from her tree, and her fist clenches at her side.

"She is not dead; if she is not dead she will only do it again -"

She takes one furious step in Blodwen's direction, before stopping herself, suddenly irresolute.

She'd made a promise to try to stay away. Only to try - but nonetheless, a promise.

[uncommongardenr.livejournal.com]

"There, now," Dickon says again, as soothingly as he can manage.

"Us can't say what's happened yet, don't tha give up so fast..."

He pauses for a moment, indecisive. Approaching Blodwen Rowlands doesn't seem like any more of a good idea now than it ever has, but there are other people all around, and whatever she was trying to do has apparantly been stopped, and they need to know just what happened, and what it means.

He squares his shoulders, touches the stone through the cloth of his pocket, and walks toward the woman in white and those surrounding her.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

. . . Mary tried.

She did try, she tells herself. But Dickon is going; and she cannot let him go alone.

She hurries after him.

[blue_ajah]

Her tone is a bit strained, but calm enough to serve-- and dry as the dust of the Aiel Waste when she says,

"As well as may be expected, Adam."

A beat, and she looks up at him.

"A different sort of apocalypse, I think."

[last_adam]

"A much different sort."

He looks around, surveying the people gathering together, clearing their eyes, mending their wounds.

"So she's-"

He knows. He does, but it's nice to get confirmation, now and then.

[blue_ajah]

"... I am not sure," she says slowly. Dark eyes are narrow with concern as she looks for Merriman and Will and Bran, finding them with others beside who seem to be going to their aid.

She turns her head carefully to look for Raven, and sees that group as well. Raven looks to be in far better condition than Blodwen.

"But I think it is not unwell for us, here at the end of this day."

[last_adam]

"I think you're probably right."

His eyes follow her gaze and he nods, reassured.

"Is it well enough for you out here? I think we should probably get you inside."

[blue_ajah]

Cautiously, she raises one hand to her head, shading her eyes against the evening's light in order to look across the grass at the others again.

"I would prefer to help," she says, "but I do not know how much help I might be, at the moment."

Dark eyes are nearly black with pain from the blinding headache that she is currently suffering, and she cannot concentrate enough to channel yet.

[last_adam]

He watches her, sees her eyes, sees the pain, and he glances once more at the people around them, gathering together.

"I think things are under control here, for the moment."

[blue_ajah]

All of those she is most concerned about seem well, and there are several who look to be in far better shape than she.

Reluctantly, Moiraine concedes,

"Perhaps so."

[last_adam]

He looks around, and he thinks (or listens, or does it matter, really, what it's called?) and he smiles at her.

"Trust me on this one?"

And he offers her his hand.

[blue_ajah]

The faint smile that curves her lips at this is more than slightly wry.

Although the Aes Sedai says nothing, she places her hand in his without hesitation and allows him to help her to her feet.

A pause, and then,

"Thank you."

Quietly said, it is meant for more than this simple assistance, perhaps.

[last_adam]

Perhaps. And Perhaps Adam knows. He nods, and helps her up, and slowly, they head back towards the bar.