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Aug. 8th, 2005 08:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lastgunslingerCuthbert and Susan hand-in-hand. Alain from the stables. Jake and Oy from the bypass door. Eddie pushing Susannah, and Ted following.
Roland is waiting for them, glass in hand.
It doesn't matter where they come from, really. Only that the sun is going down, and that they all find each other.
This comes to every ka-tet that ever was: ka-shume. The feelings of foreboding and of loss. The knowledge that the tet will break...only according to Cortland Andrus, no ka-tet truly breaks, because even death (she of the Endless) is part of ka (he of the Endless).
And ka is always served.
In another where and when, in the past for four and in the future for one, Roland will tell his tet that sharing khef is a jolly thing to do, while you can. That wasn't (and won't) be very jolly, and neither is this.
To Alain first.
"Do you call me dinh?"
"I do."
"Will you share khef with me, and drink this water?"
"I will."
"Drink, bondsman." He holds out the glass, and Alain drinks -- though not much. There are still eight more. "I love you, Alain." And Roland kisses him; it's both brief and dry. Ritual.
"I love you, Roland." Something tight in Alain's face...but he knows how it's supposed to go.
And Roland moves on. Eddie is next to Alain. He repeats the ritual...and with Susannah, and with Ted. The old man hasn't participated in it before, but he's read the books, and he knows what ka-shume is.
With Jake, and Oy, Roland lingers...and presses an extra kiss to Jake's forehead before moving on.
Cuthbert, now; and there's not even an effort to lighten the mood from him.
"Do you call me dinh?" He knows Cuthbert does. Knows that Cuthbert always has, really.
"I do."
"Will you share khef with me, and drink this water?"
"I will."
"Drink, bondsman." Pause. "I love you, 'Bert."
Cuthbert's eyes might be a little bright as he replies in kind.
And then, last, Susan. Their kiss is as the others: dinh to bondswoman. The exchanged I love yous are sincere.
Roland drains what's left in the glass, and puts it in the middle of their circle. Then he steps back, and takes Jake's and Cuthbert's hands.
"We are ka-tet. We are one from many. We have shared our water as we have shared our lives in this place. And now the Ka of Nine comes to an end. If one should fall, that one will not be lost, for we are one and will not forget, even in death."
The sun falls behind the horizon and fades from the sky, as the Nine stand together in this place for the last time.
Roland is the first to let go, and Eddie the first to turn back to the bar, looking for a moment as though he is conferring with someone. Explaining.
They scatter as they came. Leaves on the wind of ka.
Roland is waiting for them, glass in hand.
It doesn't matter where they come from, really. Only that the sun is going down, and that they all find each other.
This comes to every ka-tet that ever was: ka-shume. The feelings of foreboding and of loss. The knowledge that the tet will break...only according to Cortland Andrus, no ka-tet truly breaks, because even death (she of the Endless) is part of ka (he of the Endless).
And ka is always served.
In another where and when, in the past for four and in the future for one, Roland will tell his tet that sharing khef is a jolly thing to do, while you can. That wasn't (and won't) be very jolly, and neither is this.
To Alain first.
"Do you call me dinh?"
"I do."
"Will you share khef with me, and drink this water?"
"I will."
"Drink, bondsman." He holds out the glass, and Alain drinks -- though not much. There are still eight more. "I love you, Alain." And Roland kisses him; it's both brief and dry. Ritual.
"I love you, Roland." Something tight in Alain's face...but he knows how it's supposed to go.
And Roland moves on. Eddie is next to Alain. He repeats the ritual...and with Susannah, and with Ted. The old man hasn't participated in it before, but he's read the books, and he knows what ka-shume is.
With Jake, and Oy, Roland lingers...and presses an extra kiss to Jake's forehead before moving on.
Cuthbert, now; and there's not even an effort to lighten the mood from him.
"Do you call me dinh?" He knows Cuthbert does. Knows that Cuthbert always has, really.
"I do."
"Will you share khef with me, and drink this water?"
"I will."
"Drink, bondsman." Pause. "I love you, 'Bert."
Cuthbert's eyes might be a little bright as he replies in kind.
And then, last, Susan. Their kiss is as the others: dinh to bondswoman. The exchanged I love yous are sincere.
Roland drains what's left in the glass, and puts it in the middle of their circle. Then he steps back, and takes Jake's and Cuthbert's hands.
"We are ka-tet. We are one from many. We have shared our water as we have shared our lives in this place. And now the Ka of Nine comes to an end. If one should fall, that one will not be lost, for we are one and will not forget, even in death."
The sun falls behind the horizon and fades from the sky, as the Nine stand together in this place for the last time.
Roland is the first to let go, and Eddie the first to turn back to the bar, looking for a moment as though he is conferring with someone. Explaining.
They scatter as they came. Leaves on the wind of ka.
