Kevyn admired his wife of a century as she watched out the window.  After three children, twelve grandchildren, forty-two great grand children and one hundred thirteen great-great-grandchildren she often joked that she was worse than Vanyel for founding dynasties.

"Love?"  Kevyn took a place next to her.  His voice had roughened with age but neither bore many signs of their incredible age, a side effect of using a great deal of magic.  Lines around her eyes and mouth marked the passing of great joys and pains.  Even after so long he was amazed at her strength.

Sherri gave him a sweet sad smile.  "I was just thinking.  When we agreed to return, I never really understood the price.  We have outlived everyone.  Even our own children died of old age before us."

Kevyn took her hand in his.  They had two sons and a daughter, and as Lord and Lady Death had promised, none had True Sight as powerful as their mother.  Their daughter had had it in a weak form that only allowed her to see and converse with ghosts.  Their daughter and eldest son had both gone on to become Heralds.  The younger son became the Lord Martial, following in his Great Uncle Avren's footsteps.  Of their grandchildren one was their daughter's but the other eleven had all come from their youngest and his very fertile wife.  Their eldest son had died at only twenty-five in the north when one of the hostile tribes attacked, for a time Kevyn had worried that she would never recover from the loss.  Two of their Grandchildren had been Chosen, one had died young and the other lived to his eighties, and only three grandchildren were still alive, none lived in Haven.  Of their great grand children there were none that were close to them.  Myra had lived to be in her seventies when her heart gave out.  Hana and Neri were both Chosen and had died before their mother did.  After that Myra was never the same.  Both girls had been on a diplomatic mission to one of the Vales when they were attacked and killed.  One by one Sherri's uncles, who never stopped threatening Kevyn, passed on.

"May you have a long life should be a new Shin'a'in curse."  Sherri complained.

"Do you regret it?"  Kevyn asked.

"Sometimes I wonder if we should just have gone on, especially when I consider having to live this long with madness…"  She let her words trail off.  "At least I have you, Quin, and Nick here with me always."

Kevyn studied her bright blue eyes for the truth; his own had long become grey.  "You know we are.  What else is bothering you?"

"Just an old woman wishing she wasn't old."  Sherri assured him with a sigh.

She stiffened suddenly and her eyes rolled back in her head.  Kevyn barely managed to keep her from hitting her head on the windowsill.

"Love?  Sherri?"  He shook her shoulder gently.

Slowly her eyes fluttered open and a relieved smile fluttered on her face.  "Finally."

Kevyn didn't need to ask what had finally occurred.  Another True Seer had been born.

~ * ~

Mattias pressed his face into his palms and quivered.  His young mind unable to understand what had just happened.

"Mattias."  A soft and gentle women's voice said and someone pried his hands from his face.  He was scared she would be like the bloody woman that had scared him; instead she had the most beautiful eyes and looked like an angel.  "See, you are alright, I sent her away."

Mattias noticed another man kneeling next to him with a kind smile.  He trusted them both instinctively.  Beyond them were two more figures.  One that seemed to be glowing horse and the other seemed to be both a glowing horse and a human.  "Who are you?"

"I am Sherri, this is Kevyn, Quin, and Nick.  We are here to make the scary people go away."  Sherri reassured him.

Mattias's relief was tangible as he threw his arms around her neck and sobbed with relief.

Kevyn stroked his dark head.  Dark circles were apparent under the five year-old boy's eyes. 

:He hasn't slept in a long time.:  He warned her.