"We should be getting back." Taren says as he kisses Anna.

Anna sighs. Taren is right. She's keeping him from his duties. "And I should have left before now. I'm sure that Grey is getting very impatient with my still being here."

Taren laughs. "Not a chance Anna. He's caught up in his troubles with Ari and the damn tribunal. If anything he's thankful that you are here. He can trust you to be with Ari and not hurt her, unlike most of us."

Anna smiles and kisses Taren back. "He trusts you Taren. He most definitely trusts you."

Taren sits back and asks, "Why do you say that so assuredly?"

Anna replies with a straight face. "You're still alive." She means it. Anyone that Grey doesn't like tends to leave. Some are heard from again. A few, a very few aren't. She doesn't have any proof, but she thinks that Grey killed them.

Taren smiles. "Grey would do anything for you Anna you know that. But he has never killed anyone in cold blood. I know that there are people that you've seen that you have no clue where they are but Grey keeps tabs on them all. They're just terrified of Grey."

Anna is relieved. "But you are aware that if you ever hurt me Grey would kill you."

"I have absolutely no doubt of it whatsoever. I thought long and hard over the whole idea of even asking you out. I enjoy my life and living. But I decided that you are worth the chance. And I'm glad that I did. Grey told me that he's happy that you are happy." And with that Taren stands up and helps Anna stand as well.

Anna takes his arm and he walks back towards the springs. Anna muses on Grey some more. "He's going to take it hard when she dies isn't he Taren?"

"He's fallen hard for her. It will be hard for him. I wish there was something we could do to help." Taren says morosely. Grey has been his best friend for as long as he can remember.

"There is a way." The voice comes from Taren.

Anna sighs, "I really wish you wouldn't do that it scares me."

The tree voice ignores her and continues. "There is a way. We don't wish for the chosen to die either. There is a way to save her but she must die."

Anna shakes her head. "You're not making any sense. She has to die so she doesn't die? How do you die so you don't die?"

"Ahh, I see. Her body must die. It is the only way to cleanse the poison from it. But if the magic is strong enough we can heal her and she will live. This is very desirable for us. She carries the blood a strong amount of the proper blood. All those that come and receive have that blood.

"Your people, the army of the general also have the blood. It seems the Aelven have intermingled with your people enough to leave behind an affinity for magic." The voice explains. "That is why so many of those we test are receiving. And that is good, but the chosen her blood is more than half. She is strong and should she live she would help spread the magic and save this world," the voice continues.

"That's lovely and all but you're forgetting the tribunal. They'll order her death even if she wasn't already dying."

"Yes, the chosen is aware. She has asked the general to take her life and he has agreed," the voice is smug.

Anna is blown away by this information. "What?"

"Just last night he has agreed to end her life. If the weapon is properly prepared then her life when it ends can end a great deal of hatred. We will prepare it soon. He will need it before he will be able to come down here again," the voice says.

Anna is getting upset now. "So what do you need me for? Sounds like you already have everything taken care of."

"No. We have the spell and can teach it to you. But there is a potion that must be made and we cannot do that. We can help you, give you the ingredients and what not, but it requires a physical body not under our control," the voice replies.

"Okay, and then what?" Anna replies getting intrigued.

"When the chosen's life is ended a curse will be set off. That curse will kill all those blinded by hatred and anger in general, but against the Aelven in specific. I'm afraid that there will be many dead. In some cases whole communities will die. That will be an unfortunate side effect. The upside is that blind hatred will no longer be taught and people might have a chance at not hating.

"After the curse goes off, the potion must be given to the chosen quickly. The one called Dr. must be nearby. She will confirm the death of the chosen, so the law will be satisfied. Then she must give the potion to the chosen. The potion will heal and if she has reason or a bond the chosen will return."

"Fine, so again what do you need me to do?" Anna says getting impatient.

"Other than the potion we will need you to keep the general alive. He might decide to kill himself after killing her. He mustn't. We think that he might be or that there is a strong enough bond between the two of them that she will live if he does. But if he takes his life there will be nothing to anchor her here," the voice says.

Anna looks at Taren incredulously. "Grey will do what he wants. I can't stop him from killing himself if that is what he decides to do. If you haven't noticed he's stronger and bigger than me by a lot."

"But not in magic ability. He has been practicing a little but you are naturally stronger. You could stop him if you needed to, or wanted to."

"Sounds good to me," Anna says shrugging. Even if things don't work out between Grey and Ari she likes Ari and there aren't many females she can say that about.

Taren starts walking again. "So, do you think it will work? What the tree thing said?"

Anna shrugs again. "No idea. This whole magic thing is new to me. But if the trees think it might work I'm willing to give it a try. I like Ari and I think she'll be good for Grey. I think if it wasn't for her there would be five bodies being sent home today not one."

Taren chuckles, "I think you're right. Grey wasn't nearly as nasty in his punishment as he could have been. There were plenty of green faces at what he did, but the men still had their skin. Well most of it anyway. Whips are rather nasty to skin."

Anna shivers. Grey was very good with whips. If they still had skin Grey must have been in a forgiving mood.

They get back to the spring and the others are talking about the possibility of saving Ari.

Jaylen is determined. She doesn't like the part about Ari having to die but understands that sometimes in order to heal one has to do some changes the body can't handle. She will be able to confirm Ari's death. That part will be simple Grey doesn't miss what he aims for and he will aim for Ari's heart. He won't want her to suffer, no matter what those greedy bastards from the tribunal order.

Jeshua is green at what Grey is going to do. He knew that Ari was dying and Grey didn't like it but he never thought Grey would kill someone in cold blood. Not someone he loved. And Grey loved Ari no matter what any one else says.

Anna moves over to him and talks to him. "What is worse, watching someone you love die in an agonizing death or a quick knife to the heart given by your own hand? Which would you prefer Jeshua?"

"I would prefer to be given the quick death. I guess that Ari would as well. But still I have a hard time believing the general would agree to do that." Jeshua is miserable at the thought.

"I'm sure he didn't come to this decision easily. I was told he agreed last night, which means he's been thinking about it since the first day. He's thought about it a great deal. What about you? If it were Alexis facing a horrible death and you could give her a quick merciful one if she asked would you?"

"I'm not sure. I think that I might but I'd very likely take my life afterwards." Jeshua slowly gets the words out.

"What is your part in all this Jeshua?" Anna is curious.

"To make sure he doesn't use his knife until the time is right."

"I didn't see a knife on him," Anna says suddenly.

"He didn't bring it today. He borrowed mine when he needed it." Taren wouldn't say anymore, Anna didn't need to know exactly how angry her cousin is.

Grey walks up. "That won't matter. If they need my knife it will be here for whatever they need it for."

Taren walks over to Grey. He whispers in his ear. Grey removes Ari's hand from his arm and walks a little distance from them. Taren continues to talk to Grey in a whisper. Grey turns ashen, but nods his head. He returns to Ari and the others.

"I don't think my actual presence is needed. Taren," Grey hands him a knife, "Bring it back to me when it's ready. Now I've lingered here for too long already. That delegation is on its way and I have a pile of paperwork on my desk.

"Jeshua, you are relieved of duty for the rest of the day. I see you've somehow managed to get your cast wet. I imagine that upset Jaylen. You should get that taken care of."

Grey looks at them all. "If you have no other duties than feel free to stay here, I unfortunately don't have that option." Grey is feeling a pain, a sadness he's never felt before. He turns and takes Ari's hand.

"Grey your clothes." Jeshua sends them to Grey who catches them easily. He just wishes that he didn't have to put them on.

Alexis and Jeshua follow with Alexis bending over for her clothes as they pass by the tree.

Jaylen shrugs and joins the outward bound party. She will need to take the wet cast off and retake the xrays anyway.

"I guess that means we're alone." Anna says feeling a bit sad now.

"I think you're forgetting the trees that are all around us." Taren says jokingly trying to lighten things up.

Anna smiles at him for trying. "I guess I'd better start that potion. Will you be staying?"

"Of course. Who else will the trees use to tell you what to do?" Taren replies glibly. Besides he doesn't like the idea of her being down here alone. And from the relief on her face she didn't like the idea of being here alone either.