Part III: Fire & ale

Blessa lifted her chubby hand
And the arrow, obedient, hovered,
leading with its ruby point.
"Da." commanded she.
So the arrow moved
out of the room
towards the door.

Blessa toddled after
On her, chubby, sturdy, legs.
Wobbly-not-wobbly 
A baby, yet...
Surely older than me.

"Blessa, wait," I called, though 
She couldna open the door 
wi'out me. (I thought!
We hadna met hovering arrows a'fore, tho.)

My exhaustion hung heavy on my shoulders
But out again we'd go
Ragmoarnaroch needed us
Twas impossible to say no.

Blessa stood by the door 
Playing with her pretty red arrow.
I tossed some food in our sack
And prepared myself to follow.

Need I put her up again
High upon my shoulders?
It seemed not so
She was ready to go
She had her arrow to follow.

I looked at the door
The arrow
The girl
And turned my own pretty head

To look at the shelf
The fire (still warm)
The mug
That he'd left on the table.

With the print of his lips
On the rim 
of that mug
on the table.

Blessa played on
With a sweep of her hands
She was learning the arrow
And how it moved.

Twas like she was gentling a horse.
I turned my shoulders
I set the sack down
I took up the pitcher of ale.

I poured it
As he had
Not long before.
Foaming ale into the mug.

I set down my bones, 
weary me
Upon the bench
Was he as tired as I am?
I put my lips
Where his had been
Not a kiss, but still, some magic.
I closed my eyes 
I felt him there. 

The ale was fine
The batch one of my best
Glad I was he'd had some.
I felt the good of the herbs
and the hops and the malt
Surge into my blood.
I breathed deep 
and deep again.

"Your chi, Beth," I heard him say
deep in my mind,
"It's yours to use if you'll find it."

I drank another long draught from the mug
Drank another long draught from the air.

A smile curved my lips 
I remembered the day 
that he'd taught me, or tried,
To meditate his way.
"The chi, you can find it."
Och, he'd been so sure.

"Stare into the fire
Find the twin flame
That burns in the hearth inside you."

I'd tried with him
To find that chi-hearth
But no luck I'd had
No feelings I'd felt
But the thud of my heart
As usual.

He'd shown me, though
He'd shown me his own
His own aura glowing
The fire afore us, growing...

"Zzzt, Mama!" cried Blessa
And my eyes snapped open
To see my wee daughter
In the glow of the fire

A big fire. 
Where before the hearth had burned lowly.
How? But...

"Mama zzzt!" Blessa cried again.
Her arms swung akimbo
She sketched an egg shape 
In the air around me.
Around me.

Around me?
I'd done it!
The room was lighter
And the light was from me.
And the fire was brighter
And that was my chi.

Joy surged inside me
And energy too
I had the power
For what we must do. 

"Zzzt, Blessa!" I sang, and rose to hug her.
Oh, this blessed chi.
She laughed and laughed
And hugged me back
And I felt our energy surge more.

I knew we had to hurry.
I drank the mug down
Drank half again
And filled my extra aleskin.

More weight to carry.
But now, it didna fash me.
How far would we go?
The way to know
Was to open the door
And take that first step

Twas Blessa who did
Take the first step
Her chubby sweet legs 
Seemed more strong by the minute
Like me, she knew
Her Da was ahead
And she'd shown me
That he was in trouble.

As I pulled shut the door
And pulled close my cloak
She toddled ahead
Sure after that arrow

Though the snow blew
His footsteps were clear.
Through the path down the valley.

I and my pack and a stout walking staff
Followed near after
My newly quick daughter.

Followed after my daughter.