Hendelt found himself cooling his heals on the bench outside the building that housed the village council. This was the third time they had kept him waiting, discussing matters that they felt were more important than why the wind no longer blew. After spending the better part of the morning being ignored, he finally found himself in front of the aging council.

The village council members were the oldest inhabitants of the plateau, mostly because of the old adage: 'With Age comes Wisdom'.

When Hendelt glanced around the room he found he no longer believed in the truth of such sayings. Wisdom did not appear to apply the faces he confronted.

Studying each council members in turn looking for some encouraging looks that might lead him to believe that today's results would be better than the last two. He found none.

Barden, the oldest of the council members was ancient and frail and was of little use in the governing of the village. While considered a great man and a visionary when he was younger, his greatest contribution to the council these days was staying awake for the whole meeting. Something he did not appear to be accomplishing today.

Silia gave Hendelt a broad grin as his eyes fell on her.

"Good Morning, Hendelt, it's nice to see you this fine day"?

The only woman on the council, Silia was known to suffer from the occasional lapse in memory and on more than one occasion had not known what the subject was, when a vote was called for. The vacant look in her eyes told Hendelt that she was unaware of why he was there.

"Good morning, Silia".

Seated to the right of Silia, was Tolar, the only member of the council that Hendelt felt might be sympathetic to his proposal, was far to timid to express any opinion that he felt might be against the the majority of the council.

"Again, Hendelt? Don't you think that we have discussed this enough?"

"That depends, Gammon, can you tell me why the wind has stopped? Can any one of you even give me a possible reason?"

Gammon, the current council chairman was a small man, not just in stature, but in mind. He reveled in the fact that, considering the mental state of his compatriots on the council, his was really the one vote that counted.

"To be honest, Hendelt, we really don't care why it has stopped. We just rejoice in the fact that it has. With the wind gone, the storms have stopped. What more could we ask for?"

"Tolar, I know you have dreamed of the day when we would no longer have to hide from natures fury but this doesn't feel right. It cannot be the way it was supposed have happened.”

Hendelt glares at the council member looking for any sign of agreement, but found Tolar couldn't even meet his eyes.

"Do you expect to just sit here and take what comes. Don't you want to know? You ignore the warnings and you could be endangering the whole village."

"The water in the river has risen to the level of late summer and rises still. When will it stop? When the whole plateau is again turned into a lake?"

"There is no danger to the village, Hendelt, you are just stirring up dissent among the people and scaring them". "You go too far. You will cause a general panic if you continue to follow this path. There is no danger to the village, we are too far from the river to worry about such things.”

“For ten days now, you have been badgering us to let you go and find out what has happened to the wind. The council has decided that as the senior storm watcher, you cannot be allowed to go. We need you here."

Hendelt's temper was starting to get the best of him and he was near to shouting at the council.

"You don't need me here. You all know, the storms will not come when there is no wind to push them? As village council, it's your duty to send someone; if not for safety sake, then at least for curiosity. Let me go. It's the only way to find out what is happening."

"You are wearing our patience thin with your constant harassment, both in these chambers and through out the village. We have decided!! It's planting season and we need everyone. With the wind gone, the windmills no longer turn and we need to water the crops? Already the sun begins to dry the fields and we need everyone to help bring water from the river. If you can devise a way to bring water to the village without the need for hauling it, then and only then will you have our permission to go."

Hendelt looks around the small room at the rest of the council, all who are awake nod in agreement as his eyes pass over them. Barden snorts as he awakens to the shouting.

Hendelt turns on his heal and thunders from the room, muttering to himself, "Fools".

Emerging from the council chambers, the cool of the building is left behind and the heat of the sun hits him like a fist. A habit of a lifetime takes over and he lifts his eyes to the sky, scanning for clouds.

Always he has been able to feel the weather, he could sense when it would change. It's what had propelled him to the position of senior storm watcher at a far younger age than anyone in recent memory. The feeling that there was a storm on the horizon, was what lifted his eyes.

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Walking between the houses, his gaze upward, he did not see young Antin laughing and running from his sister until it was too late. To say it was a collision would be laughable. Antin simply stopped cold and fell onto his back when he collided with Hendelt.

Hendelt jumped back and landed on his backside and rolled away from Antin.

"Ohhhh, what hit me? Did anyone get the number of that cart?"

Antin jumped to his feet and crouches over Hendelt. "I dint hurt you, did I Unca Andelt? Glacia was twying to tickle me. I guess I wan't watchin where I was going."

Hendelt moans. Slowly, moving to a sitting position, he whips his arm around the wiry little blond boy and pulls him down beside him.

"Glacia, I got him, come give him his due."

"Nooooo, laughs Antin. Don't let her get me."

"What is all that noise?"

"Mamma, help me, Unca Andelt is got me and gonna let Glacia tickle me."

"He is, is he? Hendelt, if I remember correctly, you were as ticklish as your nephew when you were his age. Do I need to help my son"?

Springing to his feet, He releases the boy and lets him escape his sisters clutches.

"Umm, no ma'am, that won't be necessary."

Watching the two children run off down the pathway giggling, Hendelt turns to his sister.

"You've got quite a handful there, Astaria. How do you manage?"

"It's not that hard, they're good kids. Since their father passed, they have been very helpful around the house. Antin even makes his bed every morning and for a 4 year old, that's saying something".

Hendelt chuckles, but Astaria see's the distant look in his eyes.

"You've been to see the council again, haven't you?. You know they are never going to change their minds. Gammond owns that council and he's never been friendly to our family. Why do you bother?"

"Father once said, 'Those that see what others do not, have a responsibility. They must either convince them there is an problem, or address the problem themselves'. I know something is wrong and I ...... Why can't they see the danger, why won't they listen. Someone needs to find out what is happening. Why did the wind die and why is the river running so high? What is it that's melting the glacier so early and so fast?"

"Hendelt, you are only firming their resolve by fighting them all the time. You have a gift that they cannot understand. You have an empathy with nature that is as far beyond their understanding, as is the current situation."

"I need to find the storm I sense. It's like the worst storm I have ever felt and I find my waking hours are filled with dread from the feel of it."

Astaria takes a long look at her brother, deciding that at 17 years, he is man enough to know what the council really thinks about him and his empathic abilities.

"When you were just 5 years old, I snuck over to the council chambers one night and listened in on the meeting. I heard them petitioned Father, even pleaded with him to send you away. He calmly reminding each and every one of the council members of all their own indiscretions, ended the meeting by resigning his seat on the council and stormed out of the chamber. He almost caught me listening but was so furious he didn't see me as he passed. They were afraid of you then, and they are afraid of you now. They are afraid you may be right and frightened people never make rational decisions."

Hendelt stared at his sister, disbelief and anger rising in his eyes from what she had just revealed.

No matter how old Astaria gets, Hendelt still sees the golden haired girl who laughed and played with him as a child. She had grown into a striking woman. Her only love in life had been her Shawn and together they had two children whom they adored with all their hearts. She had been a mother to Hendelt in so many ways since their mother had died of pneumonia. When their father had disappeared one day when he was 9, she and Shawn had taken him in.

Together they had encouraged him to trust his feelings when no one else wanted to acknowledge he had them. Shawn had taught him to shoot his bow and taught him all he knew about the land around the village. That Hendalt loved his sister and her family was evident to anyone who saw them together.

Two seasons had passed since Shawn was taken from them by an avalanche and Astaria was left to raise the two on her own. Hendelt missed him as much as Astaria and the children did.

Astaria was somewhat of an outcast herself, though not to the extent that he was, and she understood how he felt. People were far too quick to hate someone just because they were different and when Astaria was born with blond hair and gray eyes, the villagers decided immediately that there was something wrong with her. No one had ever seen hair or eyes of her color. She has had to spend her whole life standing up to the village, first for herself and then for Hendelt. Now it looks as if she will have to do the same for Antin.

"I've been wrestling with the idea of going against the council's wishes and you have just provided me with me the deciding factor. I will heed father's advice and not wait any longer for them to see what I see. I'll be leaving as soon as I can make arrangements. I know what needs to be done, so I will do it. If it were not for you and the children, I would leave the whole lot of them to fend for themselves."

"You needn't worry about us, we will be well cared for. Besides, we'll be protected by someone we all know and trust."

Anger is quickly replaced by surprise at his sisters words.

"Have you been sneaking around with someone?"

Standing, with his fists on his hips in a mock look of outrage, his smirk hidden only with a concerted effort.

"I'm shocked and scandalized that you've seen fit to keep this information from me........who is it? Who have you been walking out with? Please don't say Ramish. I know he has been asking you to walk out with him, but.....you don't really trust him, do you? He's after everyone in a skirt in town."

"No, I have not been seeing Ramish, I..."

"Is it Pontiff? He at least I could learn to like and I know he would be able to provide for you and the children."

"Hendelt..."

Hendelt closes his mouth, and waits patiently, waiting to hear the name of his new brother-in-law to be.

"There is no one. I have not been seeing anyone, I...."

"I don't understand, what do you mean when you say it's someone you trust."

"If you would stop interrupting me, I will tell you, .......we're going with you."

Hendelt stared at his sister, shock evident on his face.

It took a full minute for Hendelt to regain his composure. When he does, it's to begin a snicker. Snickering turns to chuckling which turns into a full belly laugh.

"That's a good one. You almost had me going there. You always did know how to break me up."

Astaria says nothing. She stands there glaring at Hendelt.

Hendelt's laughter rolls to an embarrassed titter and finally stops altogether. "You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

"No, dear brother, I am not. Without you, there is nothing keeping any of us here. The idea of spending a lifetime trying to make the villagers accept Antin or marrying one of the 'fine' gentlemen they have here, just doesn't appeal to me. You and I have never belonged here but leaving has never been an option; until now. I know you want to be shed of this town and in case you never realized it, so do I. Besides, this time I have the ‘feeling’ and it's a feeling that we need to go with you."

She turns and starts walking toward their home fully expecting him to follow, she begins itemizing all the items they will need.

"There is much to do before we leave. I have the packs ready, I'll need you to find a horse for Glacia, small preferable and well mannered. Talk to Grady, he has the most gentle horses. Better you not let him know what we are about. Maybe just tell him that you are going to make a little girl happy by gifting her a pony. Antin will ride with one of us. I have sewn a sling for him to ride on one of our backs. Oh, and we could use a pack horse, you can get that from Wattel, I believe he owes you a favor or two. The food we will have to......"

Hendelt just stares after his sister and as she disappears around the corner still listing items needed.