Marcello opened her mouth, and then grimaced, stopping herself short of saying 'so do I,' and then covered her face with her hands. She grew slowly, and her dress was replaced with a suit that was probably very stylish in Marcello's world as of a year ago, and when she took her hands away from her face, she was a he again, stubbly chin, broad shoulders, and all, and he stepped forward to her, sitting down beside her to stroke her hair. "Is this better?" he asked.

She looked up and laughed softly, stretching up her hands. "Oh, you." She snuggled against his chest. "All the same but not the same." Settled in comfortably, she said, "Should I let him go? I don't know if that's safe anymore. He's--" her mouth twisted up "--old. He seems so passive. And then he spits venom like any viper and I think that it'd be a better idea for the good of all to just be rid of him."

Marcello moved his hands down to her arms, a little awkwardly with the change in size. "I don't know, love," he said. "And I can't make the decision for you. I...I don't think he has any power. And I imagine any of us would be venomous in his position. They're just words, darling. I..." He frowned. "If it were me, I'd let him go. He wants to talk to Seth, and I'd trust Seth to be able to tell us what he thinks should be done, too. He's not powerful enough to escape capture should we need to stop him."

"I confess it makes me ill to think of letting him loose again in Cnoch-na-Niall." She slid away from Marcello, hand on her stomach. "But Seth . . . Seth I trust, somewhat more than I trust him. It would depend on where Seth's loyalties soothly lie--with Maalech or with Mabhe's memory. It is a heavy matter to pin on a mere memory."

"But Seth still sees her as his mother, even if he has those other memories back, doesn't he?" Marcello asked. "I do not think he would betray that now...I..he would be honest, even if he cares for the old man. He is the sort of person who can do that." He frowned at Niabheara when she move away. "Are you all right?"

"No." She wriggled back beside him again. "But better. I'm a fool." She laughed again. "I think I want to be alone, and then I get lonely. It's not good for me to sit and dwell. I learned that whilst you were gone. I start to think everything is hopeless and will ne'er improve. I was in the corner thinking that it will be a whole year before we can try to have a child, if we don't turn you back before the seasons o'er."

Marcello's expression softened, and he looked her over. "And you were hiding in the corner, worried about that?" he asked. He gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I was lamenting the same thing to Meg," he admitted. "She thinks it's the season, but I don't know...I think part of it is Maalech. I...I just don't know what I can do to change back. I don't know what changed me last time, and I don't know how I got turned into a woman this time."

"I don't know either." She moved nearer to him again. "It isn't anything you've done wrong, love, that much I can assure you."

Marcello frowned. "But for everyone else, it's been something," he said. "At least there's something they can do to turn themselves back. There must be something for me, too, mustn't there?" He slid an arm around her. "I want to at least be able to try. I want you to be able to know we tried."

"I know, I know, there can't be nothing," she said in agitation. "E'en if it's someone who can break fayerie. Maybe Father's managed to speak with it. He should have sent word by now."