Wind fingered the watchers' hair.
Iimmi saw her first, two hundred feet along the rim. Her drapes, died red and orange in the flame, blew about her as she walked toward them. Iimmi pointed to her, and the others looked up.
As she neared, Geo saw that though she stood very straight, she was old. Her short white hair snapped at the side of her head in the warm breeze. Firelight and shadow fell deeply into the wrinkles of her face. As she approached them, light running like liquid down the side of her winded robe, she smiled and held out her hand.
"Who are you?" Geo suddenly asked.
"Shadows melt in light of sacred laughter,
Hands and houses shall be one hereafter."
recited the woman in a calm, low voice.
She paused. "I am Argo Incarnate, of Leptar."
"But I thought ..." Iimmi started.
"What did you think?" inquired the elderly woman, gently.