though he was an old man he still bowed before
speaking.
“You have a blank slate my lord,” He
advised, but if unable to resist added. “But you will have to gain
our trust.”
Rohesia winced but Ison did not
flinch.
“I am your equal sir, and you will
have my trust.” Ison held his voice firm. He may be out to prove
himself to these people for Rohesia’s sake but he was not about to
show weakness, at any cost.
Claimont gave a slight bow and turned
to Rohesia who nodded for him to be dismissed. Everyone continued
on their way as she winked at Kaya for them to continue around the
other houses. They had two more villages to visit before they had
ended their Walk, but word should fly fast between them all. She
just hoped the person delivering the gossip was in good health on
this day, as she doubted very much that she could go through that
every time she just wanted to deliver treats.
Apart from the people whom they had
greeted, Rohesia noticed Ison had not spoken much since her big
speech. They had just said their goodbyes to Kaya who had taken the
children to the kitchens to return their baskets, and Rohesia
decided to take a detour to her father on the way to see how he was
doing. Ison joined her.
“Ah, I see you have returned,” Argarth
advised after welcoming them both into his study chamber. “How did
the Walk go?”
Rohesia quickly looked in Ison’s
direction and then back to her father.
“A little bit tricky at first,” She
told him. “But in the end it turned out well.”
Argarth looked at Ison as if knowing
exactly what would have happened and then back to his
daughter.
“These things take time. Have all the
invites been handed out?” He replied.
“Yes, every single one,” She replied.
“Even those for the odd few with friends in the Foreign Lands,
apparently we’re the hot gossip.”
Argarth laughed as he noticed Ison’s
sour expression. Rohesia didn’t seem to acknowledge it as a sudden
tension was added to the room.
“Well father, we will leave you to
it,” She turned to Ison. “Would you like to go for a horse ride
around the kingdom? There is something I have been meaning to show
you.”
He knew he looked uncomfortable and
thankfully Argarth seemed to notice.
“I need him here for the moment
Rohesia,” He advised coming to Ison’s aid. “There a few matters I
have been waiting for him to sort upon his return.”
Neither of the men liked the look of
anger and disappointment that crossed over her face; something she
quickly supressed. The tension grew immensely.
“Very well,” She said with a feeling
of loneliness. “I shall leave you to it. I have a few things to
sort out about the wedding ball anyway. I trust what you have to
discuss will not last all eve?” She asked shortly. She didn’t think
she could spend another eve falling asleep without Ison by her
side, no matter how much she didn’t want to admit it.
“I shall get him back to you as soon
as possible.” Her father advised as he sensed the confusion and
fear oozing out of Ison. She didn’t reply and refused to look in
Ison’s direction. Her heart aching enough to make sure she slammed
the large wooden door shut, just a little, on her way
out.
Argarth poured Ison a brandy and
handed it to him before he broached the subject of what he had
witnessed.
“My daughter has a way of getting
under one’s skin one way or another,” He advised gently. “I take it
she has got to you today?”
Ison looked up at him once he had
emptied the chalice. He had never felt this vulnerable before in
his whole life as he could no longer deny the emotions unravelling
in him. He just had no clue with how to deal with it. Argarth
continued in the stead of his silence.
“ When I lost my wife
Marianna I thought that my world was also going to end. Do you know
why it didn’t?”
Ison shook his head. All the control
that he had taken years to master flying out of his mind. Argarth
continued.
“Because of all the
speaking.
“You have a blank slate my lord,” He
advised, but if unable to resist added. “But you will have to gain
our trust.”
Rohesia winced but Ison did not
flinch.
“I am your equal sir, and you will
have my trust.” Ison held his voice firm. He may be out to prove
himself to these people for Rohesia’s sake but he was not about to
show weakness, at any cost.
Claimont gave a slight bow and turned
to Rohesia who nodded for him to be dismissed. Everyone continued
on their way as she winked at Kaya for them to continue around the
other houses. They had two more villages to visit before they had
ended their Walk, but word should fly fast between them all. She
just hoped the person delivering the gossip was in good health on
this day, as she doubted very much that she could go through that
every time she just wanted to deliver treats.
Apart from the people whom they had
greeted, Rohesia noticed Ison had not spoken much since her big
speech. They had just said their goodbyes to Kaya who had taken the
children to the kitchens to return their baskets, and Rohesia
decided to take a detour to her father on the way to see how he was
doing. Ison joined her.
“Ah, I see you have returned,” Argarth
advised after welcoming them both into his study chamber. “How did
the Walk go?”
Rohesia quickly looked in Ison’s
direction and then back to her father.
“A little bit tricky at first,” She
told him. “But in the end it turned out well.”
Argarth looked at Ison as if knowing
exactly what would have happened and then back to his
daughter.
“These things take time. Have all the
invites been handed out?” He replied.
“Yes, every single one,” She replied.
“Even those for the odd few with friends in the Foreign Lands,
apparently we’re the hot gossip.”
Argarth laughed as he noticed Ison’s
sour expression. Rohesia didn’t seem to acknowledge it as a sudden
tension was added to the room.
“Well father, we will leave you to
it,” She turned to Ison. “Would you like to go for a horse ride
around the kingdom? There is something I have been meaning to show
you.”
He knew he looked uncomfortable and
thankfully Argarth seemed to notice.
“I need him here for the moment
Rohesia,” He advised coming to Ison’s aid. “There a few matters I
have been waiting for him to sort upon his return.”
Neither of the men liked the look of
anger and disappointment that crossed over her face; something she
quickly supressed. The tension grew immensely.
“Very well,” She said with a feeling
of loneliness. “I shall leave you to it. I have a few things to
sort out about the wedding ball anyway. I trust what you have to
discuss will not last all eve?” She asked shortly. She didn’t think
she could spend another eve falling asleep without Ison by her
side, no matter how much she didn’t want to admit it.
“I shall get him back to you as soon
as possible.” Her father advised as he sensed the confusion and
fear oozing out of Ison. She didn’t reply and refused to look in
Ison’s direction. Her heart aching enough to make sure she slammed
the large wooden door shut, just a little, on her way
out.
Argarth poured Ison a brandy and
handed it to him before he broached the subject of what he had
witnessed.
“My daughter has a way of getting
under one’s skin one way or another,” He advised gently. “I take it
she has got to you today?”
Ison looked up at him once he had
emptied the chalice. He had never felt this vulnerable before in
his whole life as he could no longer deny the emotions unravelling
in him. He just had no clue with how to deal with it. Argarth
continued in the stead of his silence.
“ When I lost my wife
Marianna I thought that my world was also going to end. Do you know
why it didn’t?”
Ison shook his head. All the control
that he had taken years to master flying out of his mind. Argarth
continued.
“Because of all the
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