In Which Jeda Looks to the Cosmic Strings

December 3, 1199

"My God, Prior! You're so handsome and grown-up." Jeda stood on her toes to kiss her nephew's cheek--and still had to marvel that he was old enough to have hair on it. "I know you and everyone else your age is probably tired of hearing things like this, but it doesn't feel like it was all that long ago when I was cuddling you as a baby."

"It's all right, Aunt Jeda. For my favorite aunt, I'll put up with it."

"Just don't call me that in Leara's hearing; she's about to be your mother-in-law too now, you know."

"I guess you're right about that." But, if anything, Prior's grin only widened. "But I think she knows you'd have be my favorite aunt, and she probably understands; you were closer with my father than she is with my mother, and closeness like that kind of carries over."

"Well, maybe it does." Her own girls might have been closer with Ietrin's siblings had Ietrin actually bothered with any of them--and they'd all adored and been adored by Sparron. "Ah, my nephew. My brother's son. You're more like him every day, you know--but still your own sweet self."

Prior tilted back his head and blinked at the ceiling. Jeda didn't comment; there wasn't any shame in a private tear, but on Prior's wedding day, she'd let him keep that tear private. "I wish he was here."

"I think he is, in whatever ways he can be." In whatever ways she, at least, hoped he was. How many nights had she spent lying awake, the only thought fighting her dread of the next day the dream that her brother was pulling any cosmic strings he could to help her. Whenever her mind wandered back to that dragon, it carried Sparron's ghost as a rider. "And he will be, until you get to see him again for real."

"I'd like to think you're right. Doesn't make me miss him any less, though."

"Me neither--but it's your wedding day. Even in spirit, I don't think he'd ever miss that."

"Hmm." Prior sniffed. Wedding days were a time of mixed emotions for many, but he'd find his calm when Neva's moment came. Now, though--before he stood at the end of the aisle--Jeda's nephew would let his feelings fall where they would. "I just hope I turn out to be half the father he was."

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