Just Enough

Nara Merald

Summary: Snippets of Karla and the Offering.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Black Jewels Trilogy, Anne Bishop does. I make no profit from this.

Just Enough

"Mother Night, I know I'm not really much of a believer, but if you are ever going to hear me, hear me now. I don't care what Jewel I come out with as long as it serves my goals. It doesn't matter what I want, I need to be strong enough to heal the rifts in Glacia and piece it back together again. I need to be strong enough to deal with Hobart and to protect myself…

"What you can be, and what you will be... those are sometimes two very different things." That is what they said to me. Mother Night, let me make the right choice."

"We need to make the Offering to the Darkness," Morghann declared.

"I agree," Gabrielle said heavily.

Kalush looked away. "What if I don't have a Dark Jewel?"

"Then you can whinge to all of us and use your temper to scare us all into submission." Karla said archly, and was rewarded by Kalush smiling softly.

"I'm scared…" Morghann whispered.

"Me too." Gabrielle smiled wryly.

"Me three." Kalush uttered so softly it was almost unintelligible.

"Yep." Karla nodded, as the four witches stared at each other.

"If Jaenelle could do it… we can too." Gabrielle said determinedly, but the effect was barred by her worrying her lip with her teeth.

"Everything is going to change now." Morghann sighed.

"It's strange you know. In some cases, there's a need to stay as light as possible. I know some don't even make the descent but trap themselves at their Birthright forever. A Dark Jewel not strong enough to protect its owner is a worse handicap than a weaker Jewel. Hayll has begun a vicious circle starting and ending with fear; males break strong females before they can attain power and females ring strong males before they can break other females. No one wins, not really."

"In my case, there's pressure to go as dark as I can, because the Ebon Gray is certainly strong enough to protect me. But should I descend just because I can? Simply descending to a Dark Red isn't enough, I acknowledge that. But should I have the attacking power of the Ebon Gray when a defensive Gray could protect Glacia just as well?"

"Glacia is locked in an endless winter, and the Black Widows will not relent. You know you are the one who can end the winter and bring back the Summer."

"I'm not Jaenelle. I can have the Ebon Gray, but it won't help me understand people like she can..."

Karla turned to Jaenelle with a rueful smile.

"And did she answer?" Jaenelle asked.

"Mother Night? No," Karla shook her head.

"So what did you do?" Jaenelle enquired, completely uninterested in the Jewel wrapped carefully and hidden in Karla's pocket.

"I followed my heart," Karla answered shortly.

"You haven't shown anyone yet…" Jaenelle stated, indicating the mystery Jewel.

"No," Karla did not offer to show the Jewel to Jaenelle.

"Go and show him; you know he's worried," Jaenelle murmured, and Karla acquiesced.

Jaenelle's eyes followed Karla as she went to Morton, a small smile curving her lips.

"Just enough," Jaenelle murmured, and made a quiet wish of her own.