"Why not?" she said. "The ship's underway and your labour is done, is it not?"

"It is," he replied, "but I'm aching all over. All I want to do is lie down and sleep for several days."

"Which makes it the best time to start," she said. "You'll have no distractions." She was smiling at him, a fact that didn't escape his notice.

He finally caved in. "Very well," he said, "come and sit before me, cross-legged."

She sat, spreading her dress carefully as she did so. "Now what?"

"Close your eyes and look deep within you," Athgar commanded.

"How do I do that?" Natalia asked. "Is it some type of meditation?"

"In a sense, yes, but it's more than that. You have to find your inner spark. I suppose, in your case, it would be an inner pool? To be frank, I'm not quite sure what you'll be looking for."

"What is this spark of yours like?" she asked.

"I see it as a small flame. The first time I tried this, it took me some time to see it. You have to stare into the darkness."

"The darkness? Is that your evil side?"

"No, I mean the black you see when your eyes are closed. Try to imagine the flame within you. Eventually, it should flare to life. You're already capable of casting, so I imagine it will appear quickly."

She closed her eyes, concentrating. It felt as though she was staring into the abyss, an endless pool of night. She didn't see anything but suddenly felt as though she had been bathed in water, luxuriating in its embrace. "I found it," she said. "Now what?"

Natalia waited for Athgar to respond, but when no words were forthcoming, she opened her eyes to see him sitting opposite, his head bowed and a gentle snoring sound issuing from his mouth.

She leaned forward to look closer into his face. "Sleep well, my friend," she said, then kissed him tenderly on the forehead.

Clearwater

Autumn 1103 SR

The Marianne hit the pier with a bump. Natalia and Athgar stood by as the crew leaped into action, tying the vessel off. Captain Howe, his attention no longer required, walked down the length of the deck to where his passengers waited.

"You've done a great job," he declared, "and you're welcome aboard my ship anytime."

"Thank you, Captain," said Natalia. "You've been most gracious."

"What will you do now?" he asked.

"We'll look for a vessel sailing to Corassus," she replied.

"You'll have to be vigilant if you're sailing those waters," he said, "it's a dangerous route."

"Dangerous?" piped up Athgar.

"Yes, you'll have to sail through the Teeth of Karamir."

"That doesn't sound too appetizing," replied the Therengian.

"That's not the half of it," offered the captain. "To get to Corassus, you'll also have to sail past the pirate coast."

"That sounds even worse," said Natalia.

"Why doesn't someone hunt down the pirates?" asked Athgar.