Episode 157 Regrets
Regrets
Arisanna closes her eyes as she leans back against Cerian’s chest in the steaming hot springs at the mountain chalet.
The heartlanding knew just what she needed tonight.
His hand swirls across her skin beneath the water, and the intimacy of his casual touch feels so right. So perfect.
“I hope someone wakes us when Tharios arrives,” Cerian says, and Arisanna laughs.
“Tired of this already?”
He kisses her temple. “Of course not. Just distracted. Forgive me.”
“I’m teasing, Cerian.”
He leans his cheek against her hair. Then he stiffens.
“What’s wrong?” She turns to look at him.
“I hear horses.”
“Horses? Here in the heartlanding?”
“No. In the real world. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.”
“Perhaps ask?”
He stares at her for a moment. “I wish we would wake up.”
The heartlanding fades around them, and soon they’re curled up in their little cabin again.
Even Arisanna hears the horses now.
“Just ask.” Cerian shakes his head. “That should have occurred to me.” He starts to sit up but quickly lies back again. “I don’t like this part.”
He must still be dizzy when he crawls off the bed a few seconds later, but he doesn’t seem to care.
“Wait for me,” Arisanna mumbles as she pushes herself up. The room is still spinning.
Cerian paces the floor in the other room, and Arisanna blinks, trying to bring the world back into focus.
“Whistling wind.”
Arisanna looks up. “What’s wrong?”
“It isn’t just Tharios and Viala. Rominy and Elowyn came too. And they look exhausted.”
“What?” Arisanna crawls off the bed and stumbles to the window. Cerian’s right.
“They can sleep in here,” Cerian says. “We’re done sleeping.”
Arisanna stifles a yawn. She wouldn’t mind a little more sleep, but she keeps that thought to herself. Apparently, they’re done sleeping.
“You won’t share with Tharios, but you’ll share with Elowyn?” she asks.
Cerian stares at Arisanna like she just asked the most ridiculous question ever. “It’s Elowyn.”
Right.
She can’t even pretend to understand, but she lets it go.
Cerian grabs her hand and pulls her toward the door, and she almost falls.
“Human,” she says. “You married a human. And I’m still dizzy.”
“Sorry. I could carry you.”
She frowns. “I’m going to say no to that for now. Give me a minute, and I’ll be fine.”
He starts pacing again, and she struggles not to laugh. “All right, let’s just go. Walk slow, and hold my hand. Slow for a human.”
“That would entail standing still.” He pushes the door open and leads her through it slowly, though, not dragging her off her feet, and she follows as they make their way toward the stone shelter once more.
Tharios rehearses what he wants to say one more time as they approach the Outerlander waypoint.
It sounds as ridiculous as the last twenty things he came up with.
With a sigh, he turns to Taliel. “I’ll explain to Rafelis what happened if that would be helpful.”
It’s the least he can do.
“I admit this isn’t quite how I imagined him finding out my heart belongs to another. Quite literally. I don’t believe he’ll be displeased, though. Shocked, perhaps. But Jonas is a good man.”
Jonas looks down at the reins in his hands. What is he thinking?
“Is Second Rafelis someone special to you?” Jonas asks as he glances up at Taliel.
Whistling wind. That conversation probably sounded much different to Jonas than how they meant it.
“He is,” Taliel says calmly. “He’s my brother.”
Jonas stares at her. “Your brother? Second Rafelis is your brother? Stars above. I thought—you know what, it doesn’t matter what I thought.”
“A heartbinding won’t work unless both hearts are free,” Tharios says quietly, and Jonas chuckles.
“Good to know. So, you’re the sister of the Second to the First? Second in command of King Lorial’s entire warrior band?”
“Indeed,” Taliel says.
“No wonder you all keep mentioning him. Should I be afraid?”
“Of Rafelis?” Elowyn laughs as Tharios quietly translates the conversation for Viala.
“Rafelis is a fair man,” Grandmera says. “You have nothing to fear from him.”
“Also good to know.” Jonas breathes in deeply and winces. Perhaps Rafelis can manage Jonas’s pain so Tharios can save his life magic for Uncle Quilian.
They quiet as they pass the temporary shelters surrounding the waypoint.
Warriors patrolling the area nod as Tharios leads the others past, and all too soon, they pull up outside the stone shelter flooding the dark woods with light.
Father appears in the doorway, and his relief at Tharios’s arrival is obvious.
Then he frowns as his eyes alight on Rominy.
“These woods are not safe for Rominy and Arisanna right now, Tharios. You understand that, right?”
Add that to his failings tonight.
Before he can respond, Elowyn dismounts. “Tharios is not my keeper, Pera. Blame me.”
Father turns to her in surprise. “You appear remarkably improved. Far more improved than you should.”
“That was my doing, Lorial,” Grandmera says. “She and Rominy are both safer this way, and Healer Cadowyn agreed.”
Father sighs as he draws Elowyn close. “Well, I’m glad you’re well, in any case. I confess I’m relieved I didn’t have to witness what you must have gone through.”
Tharios helps Viala down before climbing off Nebula himself.
“It will be all right, my love,” she whispers in Lothlesian.
As Tharios hands Nebula off to one of Father’s warriors, Father steps closer.
“We have things to discuss, but Quilian needs your attention if you feel up to it. Are you sure you’re ready to be using your life magic again?
You look exhausted.” Father rests a hand on Tharios’s shoulder and studies his face as Taliel steps closer with Jonas not far behind.
Then Father frowns again.
“Something is wrong. I read it in your eyes.” He glances at Taliel and then does a double-take when his gaze lands on Jonas. “Blood. What happened? Were you attacked again? Please tell me you’re all right.” Father steps back and searches Tharios from his head to his feet as if looking for injuries.
“I’m unharmed, Father. May we continue this conversation inside?”
Movement catches Tharios’s eye, and he glances up at Cerian standing nearby with Arisanna at his side.
The frustration filling him leaks out as he addresses Cerian. “You lost my horse.”
“Your horse left us in the middle of the woods,” Cerian says.
“You shouldn’t have taken him in the first place.”
“Tharios,” Viala says. “There are more important things to discuss.”
He rubs his gritty eyes. She’s right. And he shouldn’t take his frustration with himself out on Cerian.
“I’m glad you’re all right,” Tharios says, and Cerian nods.
“I’m relieved that you are as well. And Nebula.”
“Come inside,” Father says. “So we can talk. And not about your horse.”
Tharios follows him into the shelter, and the others join them.
Mother sits beside Uncle Quilian, who seems to be resting peacefully at the moment. Thank the fates.
“Is Rafelis here?” Tharios asks.
“I sent him and Corivos to get some sleep,” Mother says as she rises. “Why?”
“He needs to be part of this conversation.” Tharios glances at Taliel.
“Don’t wake him if he’s sleeping,” Taliel says.
“I’m not sure how you expect any of us to sleep with all the noise you’re making.” Rafelis steps through the doorway and draws Taliel into a hug. “Did you meet her?”
“I went home briefly after we spoke last night. She’s beautiful, Rafelis. I’m sorry you weren’t there.”
That’s right. Rafelis is a father now.
“I do this for her.”
“We all do,” Taliel says softly.
“Will someone tell me why Rominy’s guard has blood all over his ripped jacket?” Father asks as he gazes at Tharios.
And by someone, he means Tharios.
“We were attacked by the same two elves we encountered the other day. I...I wasn’t prepared for an attack. My magic was not at its best, and an arrow got through my shield.”
It isn’t what he’d planned to say, but it probably doesn’t matter.
“So you led your sister and her human binding partner into these woods on this night, knowing the danger, while your magic was not ready to protect them?” Father asks.
Tharios works his jaw. “I did.”
“You’re lucky no one was killed. Where are the rebels now?”
“I couldn’t hold them and protect the others at the same time. They fled.”
It’s quiet in the stone shelter as Father stares at Tharios. “We make choices every day that affect the lives of the people entrusted to our care, Tharios. That is not something to take lightly.”
“I understand.”
“Do you? This isn’t a game. Jonas could have died. Are you prepared to live with that?”
“I will live with my mistakes, Father. Mistakes of which I am keenly aware.”
Then Father turns to Taliel. “I expect better from my elite warriors. You should have brought more guards to protect the Crown Prince of Nunia.”
“With all due respect, Lorial, that was my decision,” Rominy says. “I will have to live with my mistakes as well.”
Father lets out a heavy breath and rubs his brow. “I’m relieved you all will live to have regrets. And I am glad you are still with us, Jonas.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Jonas says quietly.
Rafelis turns to Taliel, and he isn’t happy. “You and I will talk.”
She stands straighter. “Understood, my Second.”
“There’s more, Father,” Tharios says.
“I’m listening.”
“I couldn’t hold my air magic and heal Jonas at the same time.”
“And you ventured out in that state?”
“I grasp the extent of my failings tonight, Father.”
“So explain to me how he stands here, healthy and whole.”
Viala reaches for Tharios’s hand, and he clutches it as he plods forward.
“I performed a heartbinding, sir. To keep him alive until I could heal him.”
Rafelis looks around their little group before his eyes land on Taliel. He swings his gaze to Jonas and finds Tharios next.
Then he stumbles from the stone enclosure as Taliel hurries after him.