sitting in his office nearly twenty years later , once again wrestling with the shame of alcohol-flavored secrets , i found myself wishing the same thing . `` mostly north , '' he repeated , but found it as good an excuse as any to take her hand . take my word that the future of your land and people rests upon it ? '' she already had what she wanted . i mentioned that it would be brought up in this meeting , the seer said , wiping sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his robe . 