"You have allied yourself with the witch twice now..." Dorlas words echoed in Arthain's mind as he watched the two squires walk away, Dorlas' hand on Thelian's shoulder in comfort. As Melost and I once were... Arthain hear a mirthless chuckle behind him and spun to see Anwenelme, her head cocked to one side as she looked at him in mock disbelief. "Why did you stop him, Arthain? Your guilt could have been assuaged with one sword-slash after all. Thelain hates me as much as you do since I ran his precious kinsman off. Why have you spared me?"
Arthain narrowed his eyes at her. "I would not have Melost's kinsman become ensnared by you in any way, woman. He has proven far more loyal to Melost than I, I who counted him my closest friend. Torture me if you must, but leave Thelian alone!" She moved away from Arthain slowly, provocatively. "I will do what I please, with whom I please, mortal. Nothing you can say, nothing you can do can keep me from..." Her eyes widened at the look on Arthain's face.
Unbeknownst to her, Arthain had been fighting a battle of his own, a desperate fight to keep himself from throwing away all that he had learned from his friend in the way of honour and friendship. Had that one act changed his entire life that much? The fact that what he had done was so irrevocable, so finite, he was sickened by his own presence...and hers. Her presence tormented him. Her perfumed hair, her lips. He put a hand to his pounding head as he tried to get a grip on his emotions.
Her contemptuous tone shattered his self-discipline and he strode over to her swiftly and grabbed her roughly by the arm. He put his face close to hers. "Yilsa....ah, beloved...how I missed you..." He gritted his teeth as he shoved the false memory from his mind. "Stay away from him, woman. Should you choose to ignore this warning, I will be the one visiting you in your tent, and I swear...I will not be gentle!" He flung her away from him then stalked away, seeing before him the stricken look on Melost's face and the disillusioned one on Dorlas'. He had failed them both and, knowing in his heart he had amends to make, he walked along the edge of the small camp until he came to where Dorlas and Thelian sat in companionable silence.
Thelian started to rise, but Arthain gestured for him to remain seated and crouched down next to him and drew a long breath. He nodded to Dorlas, who returned his gaze briefly, then rose and stretched. "Looks like I'm off to bed, Wake me for my watch." He brushed past Arthain and squeezed his shoulder before he vanished into their tent. "He has much insight for one so young." Arthain looked into Thelian's eyes. "Aye, that he does." he returned softly. "Thelian, I...I cannot attempt to explain what happened, nor why. I want you to know that I grieve that Melost is not yet returned to us. I don't know if you can ever forgive me for the part I played, unwitting though it was." Thelian merely gazed into the fire as the stars wheeled overhead.
[ July 18, 2003: Message edited by: Cuthalion ]
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