Winter: Halfway to God V
The Clubs tower had a big black clover on it, Ash said. It's just around the corner, go on, it's not hard to find. Then he said he was late and left.

When I turned the corner, I saw two doors. One had a big black clover on it, just like Ash said. The other one was pearly white, with words carved across the top in a language I couldn't read. From behind the door glowed a warm white light.

I touched the door, and felt a tug in my heart because it somehow made me feel as if I would find behind the door something I was looking for for a long time.

Behind the door, bathed in light, was that girl. She reminded me of you, but I knew that you were not her because you said that when we meet, we would definitely know each other. I reached into my pocket and clutched at the piece of string.

"Who are you?" I blurted out.

"I wouldn't speak to her like that if I were you."

The Prophet stepped out from behind the girl. He did not look angry, but I was startled just the same.

"I'm sorry, I must have opened the wrong door," I apologized quickly, dropping my eyes.

"She is the Healer, the Pure One. She is Eira. You must be careful not upset her or she may refuse to heal you." He placed his hands around the girl's shoulders.

Eira pulled out of his grasp and said unfeelingly, "I don't need you to speak for me as if I cannot speak for myself." I was frozen by her coldness.

She took my hand. Her hands were cold, colder than mine. I looked into her eyes. They were a misty blue grey full of secrets.

"I know you," she murmured, her voice reaching only me. "You're my little blackbird, Merle." She stared deeply into my eyes, and for an instant, I forgot the Prophet was there.

I wanted to ask her how she knew my name, but i felt that it was a secret, like many secrets she had hidden in her sad eyes.

The voice of the Prophet pulled me back into reality. "It's almost midnight," he said, but I wasn't sure which of us he directed it to.

I felt the authority in his voice, and I left them. I felt both relief at leaving the Prophet and regret at leaving Eira, who made me feel as if your memory wasn't so distant after all.