She has understood now and fears. Loves the Master but still. The Apprentice has seen it before. Love with fear turns into hate. She explained it there in the orchard, fiery of eye. Whenever She sees him, flames rise in Her blood. Consuming, incinerating memory and sense. When he is gone, flames abate. Cold ashes remain and memories return. Along with it, sense returns to pass sentence. Until next time.

A matter of time before the Master realises, too. Then what? Doesn't bear thinking. The Master is really decent at heart. Slave to his dream, the one to make come true. Now turned misfortune. When he sees the truth - catastrophe.

He is no evil man, not yet. But the disappointment will undo him. Punishment will be meted out. No, it doesn't bear thinking of.

Better to forestall. Tonight. He recalls how She looked at him when he fastened the rune about Her. She understood. Is it right? Not as such. But what else is? Awaiting disaster? Flee alone, leave Her to be punished? Flee together and be caught? No, the only way. She must love the Master even unto death.

It has to work. His first own rune is entirely his own. The greatest strength is also the greatest weakness. Greatest weakness the greatest strength. The Master cannot fathom that. Taught to the Apprentice by an old gammer. Earthly wisdom, the rune of the many. Of the weak but many together and thus strong.

The Master fears weakness, cannot understand the unbreakable link between weakness and love. He understands only strength. Will retaliate with force. To his undoing. If he does understand, he will have a chance to set things right.

No hope really.

Walking to and fro. Watching through the window, to the tower chamber above. Rehearsing the keys of the bondservants in his memory. They might defend, avenge the Master, if they understand. But the Master cannot have foreseen such an attack. Must have overlooked it.

Looking up at the tower again. When?