The Shining Falcon

Desperate with terror, Ljuba huddled against a wall, staring at him as though he were her death. Drawing the magical residue about himself, enhancing his own depleted strength as best he could, Finist gently pulled free from Maria, physically, psychically, and reached out for his cousin. What must be, must be.

But before Finist could even touch Ljuba, she screamed: the sound of it rang with the anguish of a lost, lost soul.

They were back, they were back, and Finist was coming towards her, shouting without words, Traitor! Traitor! Didn't Maria hear him? Didn't anyone hear him? Traitor! Traitor! Oh, God, and it was true—all her plans, all her hopes and schemes, had come down to this. When Finist reached her, when he touched her, her fate would be sealed, she would be lost, forever lost—

Ljuba screamed and, screaming, tried to flee. But Finist blocked her path, shouting in his silent rage, Traitor, traitor! She couldn't let him touch her, she had to escape, but there was no escape! No escape save one—

«Ljuba!»

Just as he touched her, just as his hand closed about her arm, she changed. There was a dizzying blurring of shape, a wild stirring of feathers and a rush of wings, and all at once there was no Ljuba, nothing but a crow flapping frantically away, nothing but an empty caftan falling to the floor.

Somewhere deep in the forest, strange beings stirred. Somewhere deep in the forest, the leshy laughed softly to himself and whispered, «Meet your fate, oh forest-foe!»

«Finist… ?»

The prince came back to himself with a start, realizing belatedly that he had tried to follow the crow. He stood at the window, staring after her. Swallowing convulsively, he glanced down at his hands, trembling with shock there on the sill, and clenched them about the smooth stone to try to stop their shaking.

«Finist? Please, Finist, what is it? What happened?»

Slowly and painfully as an old man, the prince turned from the window. «Ljuba's gone.»

«Well, yes, I saw her fly. But — "

«You don't understand, love. She's gone forever.» For a moment he couldn't continue. «Ljuba… broke. She took her guilt upon her before she could be formally accused. And she—she not only took her avian shape, she sealed herself into it. Maria, I felt it happen!»

«I don't — "

He couldn't hide his shuddering. «It‑it's the fate of the royal traitor, to be bird forever, body and—and mind.» Finist saw the dawning of comprehending horror on Maria's face, and gasped, «You understand! Oh, Maria, she will never, never return!»

She said nothing, only watched him, her face pale as death. And Finist broke, and flung his arms about her, and clung to her as though he'd never let her go again.

At last the shock wore off. Finist pulled free enough to look down at Maria and smile, a touch uneasily.

«Forgive me. I didn't mean to…»

«You—you don't hate me?»

«Hate you!» He drew back even more, staring. «Dear God, Maria, no! Why should I — "

«Ljuba… It was my doing. Her‑collapse, I mean.»

«Nonsense.»

«It was! I—I don't know what happened, I don't even know what I did!»

«You showed her the truth, that's all," said Finist, very gently. «You simply showed her the truth. You… did what I would have had to do.»

«But — "

«Maria, love, believe me, you did nothing wrong! What happened to my cousin was inevitable.» For all his attempts at calm, Finist couldn't keep a faint tremor out of his voice. «You see, love, if she hadn't d-doomed herself, it would have fallen to me as prince and magician to—to destroy her.»

«Oh, Finist, no!» Maria looked up at him with anguished eyes. «And you loved her, didn't you?»

«No. I… No," said Finist after a moment, truthfully. «No, I never really did.» He shook his head impatiently. «It's you I love, Maria, never doubt that. It's you I love.»

What if she didn't believe that? What if he had frightened her away? Suddenly terrified, Finist stared into her eyes. But what he saw there was warmth—wonderful, reassuring warmth. And the prince let out his breath in a long, happy sigh.

«So. There are a good many things that must be done, to undo what — " He stopped short, reluctant to mention Ljuba's name. Ah, it was going to take a long time for healing. «What was done," Finist finished firmly.

«Akh, yes.» Maria understood. «The first thing to do, I would think, is to restore poor boyar Semyon to his proper place.»

«Indeed! And then get word to Stargorod and your father that you're alive and quite safe.»

«Yes, thank you!»

«Mm, and perhaps I can find a way to coax the man to Kirtesk. I can always use someone of his integrity at my court. Even if he does insist that I'm a child of the Devil!''

«And Vasilissa… ?»

«I'd like to see her again, too. Love, I just might be able to help her. Strengthen her mind, I mean, with healing magic.»

Maria's eyes shone with startled joy. «I never thought— Finist, could you?»

«I can at least try. Akh, but we're leaving out the most important task of all!»

She blinked. «What's that?»