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Drenan didn't dare interject in his daughter's speech, but he couldn't contain the feeling of swelling pride deep in his broad chest.  It was one thing to feel loved, but an entirely other feeling to hear the one you love spell it out so plainly and passionately.  A few gentle tears began to well in his eyes, which he promptly wiped away just as her speech ended.

Keldah let out a long, drawn-out sigh in response, and still he did not look up at her.  "I... look forward to the day you both will join me here."

In the blink of an eye, Lyrah's curvaceous form shot forward, and Drenan only just barely got his arms around her belly before she began wildly flailing her arms at the farseer.  "COME ON YOU HEARTLESS VOIDSPAWN!  Let me at him!  I'll show him with my fists if I must!"

Amid her vivacious flailing, the spirit of the deceased farseer began to waver, then suddenly disappeared in a beam of blood red light.  "Be at ease, Lyrah," Talair interjected gently.  "Your rage is misplaced.  Your words affected him more than his prideful soul will admit."

Lyrah's chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath, steadily relaxing in her father's protective grasp.  "Y-yeah?  Phew... well... I knew that.  I just... he needs to learn, y'know?"

The venthyr actually chuckled at this.  "I assure you, he will.  You have my thanks for your help, and I hope I've been helpful in return, yes?"

Drenan frowned a bit at this.  "Closure is help, I suppose, but he was not who we wished to see.  We are looking for... my late wife."

"Oh," the absolver murmured quietly.  "I am so sorry, I fear she is not among us in Revendreth."

"No?" Lyrah asked incredulously, her ears drooping.  "Are you sure?"

"I can sense connections that souls had during their lives, and this was the only recent soul that was connected to yours here," Talair explained.  "But... hmm...."  His words faded and his red-hued eyes closed, and the venthyr seemed to be surrounded with another red, magical aura for a few quiet moments.  "I sense another connection!" he chirped suddenly.  "She is in another afterlife."

Lyrah's azure eyes lit up.  "Can you take us there!?  Please!?"

No sooner did the words leave her lips than a flash of crimson light split the landscape, and in its place appeared a swirling, energy-formed gateway of red magic.  "This will get you close to her," he assured them.  "I wish you both the best of luck, and hope, for your sakes, that we may never meet again."

Lyrah went bolting for the portal and nearly dived headlong into it, but Drenan hesitated right at its threshold.  "Talair... is this destined to be our afterlife?" he asked in earnest.  "Have we sinned so greatly with our love that we must be redeemed...?"

"I... I'm not [i]supposed[/i] to tell that sort of thing to mortals," Talair admitted somewhat sheepishly.  "Buuuut... the first thing I did was read your souls when you got here, and... well, there are sins that individual worlds, civilizations, and cultures create, and there are sins that are universally considered nearly beyond redemption.  It is the latter that Revendreth deals with almost exclusively, things such as murder, rape, genocide, and anything that a soul might do to cause another soul severe anguish... things like hatred, discrimination, and cruelty.  With full honesty, I believe your daughter's words just now were proof that she has experienced none of those things, despite the taboo the both of you have indulged in.  There was no dark coercion in your union, and there was consent from both sides of the table without incurring pain or anguish.  In short, as of right now: Neither of you belong in Revendreth... unless you decide to do a proper 180 in the future for whatever reason."

Drenan nodded slowly.  "You have our gratitude, Talair.  Thank you," he rumbled, then slowly stepped through the portal after his daughter.

Talair watched as the gateway closed behind them, smiling to himself, clearly satisfied with his work.  "Such polite mortals."

* * * * *

Drenan had to shield his eyes as the hues of red faded into a brilliant blue.  The barren landscape had been instantaneously replaced by a lush, blueish forest of massive, gnarled trees.  Magic appeared to flow freely and swirl around the gargantuan trees that dotted the landscape, and a great deal of small creatures bounded to and fro freely, all of which glowed that same blue color.  A small smile appeared upon the bull's face as he watched his daughter craning her neck upward to look up the trunk of the nearest tree.  "Ardenweald," he echoed with certainty.  "Of course Kinah would end up here."

Lyrah was practically spinning in circles to take in the natural beauty of this afterlife.  "Wow... this is [i]way[/i] prettier than Revendreth!  Is this what they mean when they say 'heaven'?"

"I think one of the druids said a place called 'Bastion' was closer to the Light's idea of 'heaven', but I would not mind spending time here myself," Drenan admitted, walking up behind his naked daughter and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.  "This place feels... safer than the last.  I do not feel nearly as exposed.

"Me neither," she agreed and reached up to place her hand atop his.  "I think we should split up, then.  Maybe she's not too far?"

"Maybe, but if something happens, you are to call for me immediately.  I will come running."

Lyrah laughed softly and turned around to face him, wrapping her arms around his waist before giving his bare torso a nuzzle.  "Don't worry about me, daddy.  Just worry about finding mom."

Drenan smiled and leaned in to give Lyrah a tender kiss, his hands giving her own waist a fleeting squeeze before they parted.  "Very well.  I will see you soon."

Satisfied, father and daughter turned in opposite directions, and before long they were out of sight of each other.