Chapter Fifteen

Methos left Ragar at the foot of the mountains, the mortal scholar making his way back into the city to digest the tale Methos had told. Methos watched him go, then, a little weary, made his way up the hillside to the Aries house.

He'd had no intention of telling Ragar the truth, until he read the story written by Lonan. They weren't gods, he'd said, and neither am I. They just had an extraordinary number of years to study in. Almost anyone could discover impossible secrets, given thousands of years of undisturbed study.

But what had happened to them? Was the last still alive somewhere? Methos sighed, pushing open the main door to the house. I'll have to see if House Scorpio has any of Methuselah's records.

Minyah appeared in another doorway, an amused glint in her eyes. "Ghean has been looking for you," she warned. "Two days until the wedding, and her betrothed nowhere to be found. She has gone down to the city to find you."

Methos groaned softly, running his hand back through his hair, loosening the tie that bound it at the nape of his neck. "I haven't missed anything of importance, have I?" he asked nervously. "No unexpected rituals that the ceremony can't be completed without?"

"No," Minyah said, "but she will want a magnificent apology. You may wish to begin thinking about it."

Methos glanced over his shoulder, back down the hill he'd just climbed, and sighed dramatically. "Have you had the evening meal?" he asked. "Maybe we could share dinner and look for her together."

Minyah smiled. "I would enjoy that," she agreed, "but if you think my presence will curb Ghean's tongue, I believe you will be disappointed."

Methos grinned, offering his arm gallantly. "I can only hope. Meanwhile, I'll practice my apology on you."

Minyah laughed. "A moment." She retreated into the room she'd come from, re-emerging a few seconds later with a woven satchel slung over her shoulder. A glance inside showed Methos a bundle of paper, bound neatly, settled at the top of the bag.

"You're anticipating my company to be so dull that you bring papers along with you to study?" he teased, as she slipped her arm through his.

"No." Minyah smiled. "I will listen to your practiced apologies, and write down the parts you should keep. Did you find the Book?"

Methos' eyebrows lifted. "Am I that transparent? Does Ghean know I went looking for it?"

"Ghean," Minyah said placidly, "is not as much a study of human nature as I. At worst she thinks you are, mmm. Engaging in activities only a bachelor might be permitted to do, one last time. At best, and knowin Ghean, this is probably her thought, she thinks you are out searching for the perfect gift for the ceremony."

"Oh dear," Methos murmured. "And what might the perfect gift be? I only have two days to find it."

"Something symbolic of the House, perhaps. Ghean is very proud to be the last daughter of Aries."

Methos looked down at Minyah, curiousity drawing his eyebrows together. "Is Ghean your daughter by birth?" he asked frankly.

Minyah's own eyebrows rose in elegant arches. "What an impertinent question," she said. "No, she is not. I found her in the hills behind our house, only hours old. Whyever do you ask?"

"Our kind seem to be born without family." Methos shrugged. "At least, a number of Immortals I've talked to have been foundlings. I haven't asked everyone I've met."

"And you? Were you born without family?"

Methos shook his head. "I don't remember," he said distantly. "It seems probable."

"You find it distressing," Minyah ascertained. "Your inability to remember."

"Not distressing. Vaguely irritating, perhaps. I remember an extraordinary amount. It makes me wonder what it is I've forgotten."

"Perhaps you should be glad of the advent of writing, before you had lived a thousand years and forgotten it all."

Methos quirked a smile. "That's the thing," he said. "I might have."

The conversation died away as they entered the busy town market. Methos peered over heads in search of Ghean, finally chuckling at himself. "She's so small there could be a single person between us and I wouldn't be able to see her."

"I would suggest we try the Bull's Tavern, then,' Minyah said, turning down a side alley. "It is her favorite place to eat. She and Aroz often used to go there."

"You couldn't have said that in the first place?" Methos demanded, half dancing around the crowd to regain Minyah's side.

She smiled up at him, nearly a grin. "I could have," she admitted, "but I would have missed seeing you bobbing around the people like a tall seabird. I deemed the spectacle worthy of a small delay."

Methos couldn't stop the laugh that spilled out. "I see where Ghean developed her sense of humour," he accused. Minyah inclined her head with a modest smile, then, ithout warning, abruptly disappeared into a suddenly coalescing group of passers- by. Methos blinked down at the sea of dark hair, recognizing Minyah several seconds later by her satchel. Weaving through the throng to catch up with her a second time, he said, "That's twice you've abandoned me. Am I to take this as -- "

Nausea swept over him, a quick rush that left him chilled. Methos straightened, momentarily blessing the height that allowed him to scan the mass of people with an easy glance. Karem, light among the darkness, moved off towards a table, without looking to see what Immortal approached. Methos looked ahead, following Karem's path to its end, and touched Minyah's shoulder. "I've found Ghean. This way."

They circled towards Ghean's table. Minyah swatted someone out of the way with her satchel, looking wide-eyed with indignation when he frowned at her. Methos laughed as the man looked startled, then with an apologetic and sheepish grin, stepped out of the way. Minyah's eyes danced as she grinned back at Methos. "The trick," she explained, "is making them think it was somehow their fault."

"I think women have been doing that since the dawn of time." Methos grinned, guiding Minyah to a halt at Ghean's table. Hidden in an corner of the open tavern, Ghean sat across from Aroz and Karem both, the latter just settling down with three mugs of the sweet ale that Atlanteans drank in almost as much quanitity as they did coffee. "I see you're able to entertain yourself in my absence," Methos teased, and Ghean looked up with a startled glance.

"Methos!" She shoved her bench backwards to launch herself towards him for an exuberant hug. "Where have you been? Have you met Karem?" Ghean released the hug and stepped back a little. Over the top of her head, Methos watched Aroz scowl at the table, expression black.

Belatedly, Ghean noticed her mother. Minyah stood to the side, vivid amusement at Ghean having eyes only for Methos. "Mother!" Ghean went on. "We've been talking about history. You'll be a great help. Methos, Karem is as interested in the House artifacts as you are. Perhaps you should pool your resources and try to find the Book together."

Methos struggled to keep the dismay off his face. "Perhaps," he agreed, "though Karem claimed to be no scholar, and thus without hope for studying the artifacts. We've met," he added, and inclined his head towards Karem in greeting.

"Ghean tells me you've been staying up late reading about the artifacts," Karem said, light tone belying the glint of steel in his eyes. "Not holding out on me, are you?"

"Why ever would I do that?" Methos asked drly, swinging a long leg over the bench to sit. "I haven't found anything useful at all."

"You spent half the day missing and found nothing useful?" Karem's skeptiscism colored his tone, now.

Methos cast a brief glance at Ghean. "Telling your woes to strangers?" he asked. "The trauma of a missing betrothed?"

"He's not a stranger," Ghean explained, sitting on one side of Methos as Minyah took the other. "He's a friend of Aroz's, and Aroz is family." She smiled across the table at the dark man, whose face went even more bleak.

"Perhaps I should get the newcomers something to drink," he offered, standing. "Minyah?"

Minyah smiled up at him. "A cup of coffee, please. Methos?"

Methos, all too aware of how little Aroz desired to bring him anything, hesitated. It had been hours since he'd had anything to eat or drink. "Ale, please," he said after a moment. Aroz scowled again and made his way across the busy tavern.

Ghean watched him with a frown, and when he returned, reached out to place a hand over his as he sat. "The ceremony is in two days," she said. "Won't you be happy for me, old friend? Is there not even one smile within you for me?"

Aroz dredged up a smile, tinged with regret. "I am happy for you," he lied.

Methos, tasting the lie in the words, threw a twisted smile at the table. I wonder how long it will be until we battle again. Without Ghean to cry mercy, this time I will take his head. I'd hate to spend my married life looking nervously over my shoulder, waiting for him to come.

Ghean smiled, pleased. "Thank you, Aroz. That wasn't so bad, was it? You'll stand in place of my father, won't you? I'd like to have all of my family together for the ceremony, and you're a part of it."

It was a kinder way to distance herself from him than Methos would have tried. He watched Aroz struggle with the request, and give in, nodding his head.

"I would be honored, Ghean." The bass voice sounded more angered than honored, but everyone at the table knew it was the only answer Aroz could give.

"Pleasantries aside," Karem said, voice so innocent it almost entirely diluted the sarcasm in the words, "I wonder if I could impose on you, Minyah? Your expertise on the artifacts is clearly far greater than Methos'. I would like to learn what you know about them."

The intended barb slid by without the desired effect, as Methos nodded a little. "She's more likely to be able to determine the location of the Book, if it still exists, than I am," he said, sounding almost apologetic. "An entirely lifetime in Atlantis, versus a few weeks." He shrugged, playefully rueful. "I'm outclassed."

"In that," Minyah said serenely, "you are entirely correct." The grin that shot across her face ruined the effect, and everyone laughed. "I would be delighted to instruct you in what little I know, Karem. Perhaps Methos would like to join us, as he has finally confessed his interest in the artifacts as well?" She lifted an eyebrow at Methos curiously.

He opened his mouth to protest that it wasn't necessary, then stilled the words as he took in Minyah's expression. She's -- not afraid; I don't think Minyah is afraid of anyone. Wary. Of being alone with Karem. I can't blame her. Methos changed his sentence while still inhaling to speak it. "I'd love to join you," he admitted, adding a touch of chagrin at being foundout. "I'd no doubt have gotten further myself if I'd had the presence of mind to ask you, Minyah."

"No doubt. Men, however, often seem reluctant to ask the help of a woman." Minyah picked up her coffee mug and smiled over the brim of it at each of the men, in turn. "I suspect it is due to the fear that they will confirm that women are far more intelligent than they."

For a moment, Methos, Aroz and Karem became a monument to consolidarity, equally offended on behalf of their gender. Ghean laughed, applauding her mother, and Minyah's quiet smile turned to a grin. "I trust you will remember that in the future," she said severely to Methos, who gave up his expression of mock outrage to join the laughter.

"I'll try," he promised. "Meanwhile, maybe our study sessions shouldn't begin until next week? The ceremony is in two days -- "

"A day and a half," Ghean interjected.

"A day and a half," Methos corrected, grinning, "and most of us here are rather intimately involved with it." He shrugged at Karem. "A few days delay won't make that much difference."

Karem frowned very slightly, glancing over the others at the table. Finally, he shrugged as well. "I suppose not, at that," he agreed with well-feigned pleasantry. "Forgive my eagerness, Minyah. I've never been good at patience."

"Few of the young are," Minyah said in a tone so dry Methos shot a sideways glance at her. She arched an eyebrow back at him, elegantly. The corner of her mouth turned up, self-mocking, and she lifted a hand to gesture briefly at her own eyes. It is something in the eyes, she'd said, when she'd deduced Methos' secret. Something, apparently, that she could discern in many Immortals. Methos sat back, regarding the woman.

She could be very, very dangerous to Immortals, if she chose to be, he realized. How old? How many lifetimes do we have to lead before she can see it in our eyes? Or is it the first death that marks us? Methos turned his head to study Ghean, who smiled back up at him curiously.

Nothing but the tingle of potential Quickening marked her as Immortal. Her eyes were bright, full of life and excitement, untouched by the deaths he could see in the faces of the other two Immortals at the table. Examining Ghean, Methos wondered when those changes would settle into her eyes, invisible to all but those who knew how to look for them.

Karem was grinning apologetically, unaware that his secret was betrayed to the Atlantean scholar sitting across from him. "Perhaps patience will come to me as I age," he agreed. Methos could hear the underlying tinge of amusement, so often injected into his own words. Sometimes it was the only way to maintain sanity, to pretend Immortality and great age were a colossal joke, one that only the Immortals were in on.

Except this time, Minyah was in on it, as well. She smiled, nodded, and said, "Perhaps," with such polite disbelief that Ghean blinked in surprise.

All trace of humour fell away from Karem's face. Cooly, he stood, looking down at Minyah. "And perhaps not," he agreed, acidly. "Maybe you're right. What a pity that would be for you." He turned and stalked away through the thinning crowd.

Methos watched him a moment before speaking to Minyah. "That may have been a mistake."

"I do not care to be laughed at," Minyah said irritably. "Particularly by children who think they are my better."

Aroz, voice slightly strangled, said, "He's more than four hundred years old, Minyah."

"Never-the-less," she snapped, "my statement stands. He is a child, eager for toys beyond his understanding, and I do not care to be mocked."

Ghean stared after Karem in dismay. "He's one of you, too?" Her voice rose to a higher pitch. "Is everyone going to live fore--"

Methos elbowed Ghean in the stomach, wincing apologetically as he did so. Ghean's expression exploded into outrage. Aroz half lurched to his feet, snatching for his sword, an action mirrored by Methos.

Minyah's voice cracked out: "Stop this!"

Both men froze, eyes locked on each other across the table. A little circle of quiet washed out from their table, as other patrons turned to watch the commotion. Finally, Aroz snarled, "Later," and slammed his sword fully back into the sheath, regaining his seat.

"Later," Methos agreed in a growl, then took a calming breath. "Ghean, I'm sorry," he said as he sat down again. "You were becoming uncomfortably loud." This is a serious game, Ghean. You don't understand yet, but you will in time. Until then, I cannot allow you to betray me. To betray us. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "Are you all right?"

Ghean rubbed her stomach sullenly. "I'm fine," she muttered. "Is everyone but me going to live forever?" she demanded more quietly. "It's not fair."

Methos exchanged an uneasy glance with Minyah. "Life has never been fair, Ghean," the woman said. "I am quite certain I will not live forever. Perhaps you will be lucky and will be like them."

Ghean looked up at Methos, eyes pleading. "Will I?" she asked. "Could that happen?"

Methos closed his eyes, sighing, then looked at Ghean. "I don't know." If you die before your time, yes. If one of us tells you, yes. If you do not die . . . no. "I don't know, Ghean. We don't make that decision." He looked aver at Aroz, whose face was pinched, though he nodded his head in agreement after a few seconds. Methos sighed again, shaking his head. "I don't know."