His first act was to take the goodbye letter he had written Leese a few days ago, crumple the parchment, and toss it into the water. The letter had been simple, expressing his love and asking for forgiveness. He could not seem to put his thoughts onto paper effectively, so he decided brief was best.
Then, as hard as he could, he flung Kahl’s rock out into the loch. He pulled his arm back to toss Lutren’s next, but a gentle hand tapped him on the shoulder.
“Sire, we were wondering if we could throw Lutren’s stone with you,” said Cait, her light hair pinned up in a high bun like the married women often wore it.
“Can we, sire?” Arlen moved closer.
“I would like that,” Taran told his young friends.
They prepared to throw, but Veerah approached …show more content…
Impossible. He would make sure he was traveling when that happened.
“Sire, a letter for you.”
Taran spun around. Bili held out a folded, sealed piece of parchment, and spoke too formally. He all but tossed the missive at Taran.
“Who is it from?”
“A merchant from Ce brought it over. It’s from Camelot.”
Bili turned on his heel and stormed off. Taran had hoped his best friend would remain with him and read the letter, but Bili did not seem interested. He must be damn cross with Taran.
But Taran, tired of losing those he loved, shouted, “Bee! Come back.” Bili stopped walking but did not turn. “I need you.”
Bili dropped his head, then turned and strode back to Taran’s side.
“I realize you don’t agree with what I did with Veerah, but I need you now more than ever. Please.”
“Taran, sometimes, I think you are your own worst enemy. We had it all worked out with guarding schedules and protection, but you all but forced her into another man’s arms. I believe a part of you wants to be miserable, to punish yourself. That’s why you did this. But you’re punishing Veerah, too, and she’s innocent. I don’t want to stand by and watch.”
Taran clutched the parchment in his fist, crinkling it. “What does that …show more content…
Don’t say that.” Taran wanted to grab onto Bili and force him to understand, and beg him to be his friend again, like when they were boys and argued about ridiculous things. They might not speak for a day, but they always made up, and they were always close.
“Sorry, sire.”
Bili climbed down the ladder and wandered into the Fortress.
In his misery, Taran had almost forgotten he had a letter from Camelot. He popped open the seal and read, hoping for good news.
King Taran,
I have to think you’ve not received my letters and I have received none from you. But isn’t that the way of things with these missives traveling across Albion?
First, I must say I have missed you since you left. I felt a brotherly connection to you, as if we could speak of anything. Is that odd?
Regardless, the purpose of this letter is to invite you to my wedding. I sent an official invitation separately, but who knows when you’ll receive that?
Yes, Ilene and I are to marry! Your words of wisdom gave me strength and I proposed marriage. She is completing a language teaching job on the northern border, and as soon as that is over, we will have our wedding here in Camelot.
I do hope you will be able to make it, and feel free to bring as many guests as you would like. I will make sure accommodations are available.
I cannot wait to see you.
Fondly,
Then, as hard as he could, he flung Kahl’s rock out into the loch. He pulled his arm back to toss Lutren’s next, but a gentle hand tapped him on the shoulder.
“Sire, we were wondering if we could throw Lutren’s stone with you,” said Cait, her light hair pinned up in a high bun like the married women often wore it.
“Can we, sire?” Arlen moved closer.
“I would like that,” Taran told his young friends.
They prepared to throw, but Veerah approached …show more content…
Impossible. He would make sure he was traveling when that happened.
“Sire, a letter for you.”
Taran spun around. Bili held out a folded, sealed piece of parchment, and spoke too formally. He all but tossed the missive at Taran.
“Who is it from?”
“A merchant from Ce brought it over. It’s from Camelot.”
Bili turned on his heel and stormed off. Taran had hoped his best friend would remain with him and read the letter, but Bili did not seem interested. He must be damn cross with Taran.
But Taran, tired of losing those he loved, shouted, “Bee! Come back.” Bili stopped walking but did not turn. “I need you.”
Bili dropped his head, then turned and strode back to Taran’s side.
“I realize you don’t agree with what I did with Veerah, but I need you now more than ever. Please.”
“Taran, sometimes, I think you are your own worst enemy. We had it all worked out with guarding schedules and protection, but you all but forced her into another man’s arms. I believe a part of you wants to be miserable, to punish yourself. That’s why you did this. But you’re punishing Veerah, too, and she’s innocent. I don’t want to stand by and watch.”
Taran clutched the parchment in his fist, crinkling it. “What does that …show more content…
Don’t say that.” Taran wanted to grab onto Bili and force him to understand, and beg him to be his friend again, like when they were boys and argued about ridiculous things. They might not speak for a day, but they always made up, and they were always close.
“Sorry, sire.”
Bili climbed down the ladder and wandered into the Fortress.
In his misery, Taran had almost forgotten he had a letter from Camelot. He popped open the seal and read, hoping for good news.
King Taran,
I have to think you’ve not received my letters and I have received none from you. But isn’t that the way of things with these missives traveling across Albion?
First, I must say I have missed you since you left. I felt a brotherly connection to you, as if we could speak of anything. Is that odd?
Regardless, the purpose of this letter is to invite you to my wedding. I sent an official invitation separately, but who knows when you’ll receive that?
Yes, Ilene and I are to marry! Your words of wisdom gave me strength and I proposed marriage. She is completing a language teaching job on the northern border, and as soon as that is over, we will have our wedding here in Camelot.
I do hope you will be able to make it, and feel free to bring as many guests as you would like. I will make sure accommodations are available.
I cannot wait to see you.
Fondly,