Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Frustration
Loren
Thursday, Late Afternoon
Loren was frustrated because he’d been
summoned by his king when he was needed by his bride.
After she’d holed herself in her father’s study with her
mother for a long conversation, they’d had a quiet evening, and when they were
abed, it was the first night they hadn’t explored each other.
He sensed her mood, therefore, he simply held her the very
long period of time it took her to fall asleep.
The next day, he understood her preoccupation, only after he
demanded she share it.
She did just that.
“You are you,” she said. “You must be free to be you. Do the
things that make you feel right inside. Therefore, the Madam Duponts of this world need to be dealt with. And the Satrines and Corlisses need to be
helped, though, never again in that exact way,” she’d attempted a weak joke.
As weak as it was, he still smiled at her.
“But those are risks you accept, situations you control,
things you decide to do,” she carried on. “Father has brought danger
to you, and that was not yours to decide. And I can’t…I can’t…well, I
find I can’t abide it.”
“It will be dealt with by the end of the week,” he stated,
instilling his words with the determination he knew Marlow would be utilizing
to see that statement made true.
“I know. I don’t doubt your skills. I just don’t…” She
sighed. And then she gave it to him. “How evil can one man be?”
That was when he took her in his arms.
“He keeps surprising me. All my life, he just keeps
surprising me,” she mumbled against his chest. “And obviously not in good
ways.”
“He will be dealt with soon as well, my love,” he reminded
her.
“Yes,” she replied, but he could tell she remained
despondent.
Loren did not remember much of his mother. But he held vague
memories of bright smiles and gentle touches and the sound of much laughter
shared with her husband.
However, he remembered everything about the rearing he
received from his father.
So he had no foothold to understanding what she was feeling.
Which meant his only recourse was to return the favor she
was extending to him.
Hold her close and keep her firmly tethered to the belief
that there was good in this world, and he was giving it to her.
In the midst of this, he’d received his summons from his
king and had to leave her.
It was a summons from a king, he could not say no.
It also expressly asked he come alone.
As such, he was frustrated.
That frustration dissipated when he arrived at their suite
to see True, Farah, Cora and Circe were not there, but a redheaded woman
wearing an attractive, but very strange garment was with his king and the ruler
of Korwahk.
She studied him, thoroughly, and then smiled a small smile
that was both spectacular and terrifying.
“Lore, we need you to sit down,” Tor said quietly.
“Satrine is—” he began.
“Please sit down,” Tor said, still quietly, but now firmly.
It was then, Loren took full note of the look on his king’s
face.
And he sat down.