So quickly...Hours melted into a fraction of a second. The time it takes for candlelight to glint from a dagger into a woman's eye.
Annette was perched on the railing of the balcony when Tirseng found her that evening, there were scattered notebook pages everywhere. Her hair was loose in the breeze, the feathers of this exotic bird inviting the wind to dance. Cautiously, he called to her, "Lizard. Don't."
Tiredly she turned to look at him, "What? Don't jump?" she asked. Slowly, too slowly to suit Tirseng, she climbed back to the balcony proper. "It is beyond that, Snowleopard. Even that mountain, she mocks us.... But what of now, Tirseng," she asked tiredly, "What do you want?"
He showed her the box he carried, lifting the lid to show her the dagger inside. Her eyes flashed and she took a step back from him. "Qu'est-ce que c'est??"
He shut the lid apologetically, "I just wanted to be sure that you knew.."
"Knew WHAT?" she spat, "How to hold a knife? Or perhaps where to strike? It could not be the same place where I lay my head at night, could it?" She wobbled slightly and Tirseng moved to catch her as she crumbled to the floor. "All of this," she sighed, fluttering the pages on the ground, "and there is nothing I can do....." Suddenly, she looked up at him, eyes dark and brimming, "Promise me something, Snowleopard?" At the sight of her sorrow, he would have gladly promised to run across the Khumba barefooted, but as it was, he solemnly nodded. She drew him close and whispered, "If you are ever in a café, and you see a beautiful woman with soft eyes and a kind smile, perhaps she is reading something that you are reading? Promise me you will fold up your newspaper and just go home." He nodded once again.

As the pair sat, they saw Curioso walk slowly beneath them on his way to Mallory's hut.
"You should speak to him." said Tirseng
"Non." she replied. "The mountain was different, Tirseng, but now he walks the earth and is dead to me."
"Do not say such things!" he shook her shoulders, "For as long as I have known you, I have known that Arthapratisamvit smiles on you. If there is a way, you will find it. Now, Tashalan has asked that you help her prepare while I deal with Dominic."

And now....her hand shook so badly she feared dropping the blade. She wrapped the rope around her waist, handing the slack to Tirseng. The Princess chanted in her circle. As her consciousness lapsed, so did Annette's. She didn't hear the howling in the air around her, or see the cracks and their tributaries streaming across the walls and floor, but she was startled to hear her breathing match that of Tashalan. Slow, ragged, and slower, the moment she stopped, Annette knew. It was just like when her cousin François taught her to fire the rifle, exhale, and in the calm, release.
It happened faster that the glint of the dagger. She plunged the knife into Curioso just as the Princess willed her to, and the doors flung open to reveal a furious Dominic. He yelled, whether it was 'No' or 'How dare you?', Annette never knew. Instinct and promise made her reach for the Princess, I will hold you until the torrent subsides. The wall of rage hit her as she touched Tashalan. The rope bit into her waist, and her head hit the floor. All was darkness.