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[lastgunslinger]

It's a little hard to figure out time in the Dreaming. In some cases, that's the point.

Kind of like this one.

Eventually, a little ways down the beach, a chair becomes visible. A tall lifeguard's chair.

Somebody's sitting in it.

Comments

[lastgunslinger]

Roland straightens up a little; he's still hunkered. His hands dangle between his knees. "I wouldn't have described Alain as cute, myself."

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly stiffens, but only a little. No hooks catch at his words, not here where her memory of Alain is dimmed and her feelings are muted. There is no scent of summer peaches on the breeze from the ocean.

"Well, true, but I don't think you'd ever describe anything as cute, Ro."

[lastgunslinger]

"Also true." Serenely.

[awesome_lilly]

"So how would you describe Alain, then?"

A little less serene. She's spent less time with Moiraine.

[lastgunslinger]

Roland thinks about this for a moment, turning a piece of driftwood over in his hands.

"Solid."

[awesome_lilly]

"Oh, we're doing the one word game? I can play that."

Lilly tilts her head.

"Gone."

[lastgunslinger]

"Not just one word, if you don't want."

Roland reaches in his pocket for flint.

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly shrugs.

"I think that one kinda covers it."

[lastgunslinger]

"Has it occurred to you that he could come strolling up? Since I have."

Quietly, to himself: "Spark-a-dark..."

[awesome_lilly]

"No. Because he can't."

She turns away from the fire Roland's lighting, towards the ocean, as Dream's words echo in her mind.

No one, nothing, will walk here without your permission.

[lastgunslinger]

Roland is occupied with lighting the fire; it takes him a moment to respond.

"Because you don't want him here."

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly keeps her back to him, her eyes fixed on the horizon and its ever-setting sun.

"No. I don't."

[lastgunslinger]

"Why am I here, then?"

It's a logical question; Roland was one of his best friends.

[awesome_lilly]

"Because he left you too."

[lastgunslinger]

There's the crackling of joints -- and of wood -- as Roland stands behind her.

"I left him first."

Pause.

"Twice."

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly blinks, but doesn't turn around.

"Twice?"

[lastgunslinger]

"Second time was in Milliways."

He steps forward to stand beside her, arms folded across his chest. "Did he ever tell you how he died?"

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly tilts her head, still not quite looking at him.

"Just said in battle. It didn't seem like so much of a good topic, even for a death story, so... we never really had a lengthy conversation about it."

[lastgunslinger]

"You want to know?"

Roland is dead, and Alain is gone; the knowledge can't hurt anybody any more.

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly looks at him now, eyebrow raised.

"Do I?"

Because she can't really think how this is going to help, but if Roland thinks so, then...

[lastgunslinger]

"I can't tell you that."

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly sighs.

"Fine. Yes, I want to know."

[lastgunslinger]

"Cuthbert and I shot him."

Entirely matter-of-fact.

"Accidentally."

[awesome_lilly]

Silence.

"... you what?"

[lastgunslinger]

Roland looks down at her. "We shot him. Accidentally."

Normally Roland doesn't like repeating himself. His tone is mild.