Chapter 28 Araphi #2
The song flows on from there. Araphi strums her lute, singing the verses that tell of their travel north and the various perils they faced, falling into the river, the pocket dimension, the cabin (though she left quite a bit out of that verse; there were some moments that are just for her and Sage), meeting a sorceress with a giant owl, then settling into life in Arkney.
Tears rise in Araphi’s eyes as she plays the last verse:
Long though they rode together,
Their story had to end,
So they said goodbye after the winter,
Never to meet again…
“That’s a mighty tragic tale, Bard,” Wren’s voice calls out from the doorway. Goway hoots in agreement.
Araphi sighs, putting her lute down. “How long have you been there?”
“Long enough to know you love your ranger, and that you’d be a fool to let that go.” Wren walks into the room and sits down on the edge of the bed.
“It’s not that simple,” Araphi says.
Goway blinks at her and Wren raises an eyebrow.
“I’m sure I know all about how complicated relationships can be, but this one seems clear: You and Sage adore each other.
So much so, I almost can’t stand to be around you.
I swear, if I have to come across the two of you kissing in an alcove every time I’m on my way home after dinner, I might actually leave the village. ”
Araphi grins. “We are very discreet, always.”
This makes both Wren and Goway cackle.
“Would you ever leave your life in Arkney, or your family?” Araphi asks. She stands and starts pulling on a sweater and her boots from the trunk at the foot of the bed.
Wren shrugs. “I’ve been thinking about it more and more lately. The adventures you and Sage have told me about have me thinking the world is quite a bit bigger than I’ve given it credit for. I suspect I want to see more of it.”
Goway hoots loudly.
Wren rolls her eyes. “And the bird says it’s time. I think when you all leave, I’ll head out too. Make my way to Shearwater perhaps, and see if I can’t learn something more about what happened to…my friend.”
Araphi knows all at once what she wants to give Wren to thank her for all the kindness and good care. For rescuing them from the cabin and welcoming them into her village. For gifting them these precious months together, away from their real lives and the rest of the world.
She stoops and pulls from the trunk the dress she wore on arriving in Arkney. Rolling back the hem, she uses her teeth to rip out one stitch, then unravels the thread that opens the tear in the lining. From there, she fishes out the artifact that’s caused them so much trouble.
“What’s this?” Wren asks.
“A dragon’s tooth.”
Wren’s eyes widen. “Do I even want to know what you’re doing with such a rare magical item? You know things like this are rumored to make the user mad, as the dragon’s power pours into them.”
Araphi considers what to tell her about how she came by the tooth, but shakes her head.
“Just take it, please. It’s from the Swallow, near where your family’s temple was.
It feels right for you to have it. Perhaps you can use it on your adventures, and perhaps it will rescue you in all the ways you’ve helped us.
I hope you find what you’re looking for. ”
Wren holds her gaze for a long moment, and then nods. “Thank you, my friend. I hope you find what you’re looking for too.”
Araphi finds Sage standing in front of a frozen pond that marks the outer edge of Arkney.
“Hi,” Araphi says, sneaking up behind her to snake her arms around her. The ranger tenses for just a moment and then turns around.
The dimple in Sage’s cheek—Araphi’s downfall every time—pops. She plants a kiss on Araphi’s forehead and then leans in for a long, lingering one on the lips.
“Hi, yourself.” She nods toward the lute on Araphi’s back. “Are you writing music for tonight?”
“I am. I’ll play something new.”
“I’m sure they’re going to love it.”
“Alba and Pyla would be happy if I played ‘Cheese for Me, Please’ a hundred times.”
“Gods, no,” Sage says, laughing. “I’ve had enough of that song for a lifetime, I think.”
She takes Araphi’s hand. A comfortable silence falls between them as they stroll along the stone path that snakes outside the village.
They stop beside an enormous pine tree, and Araphi turns to consider the twisting shape of Arkney.
Sadness fills her all at once—as brutally overwhelming as the waters of the Swallow.
“Should we talk about what comes next?” Araphi says softly.
Because they really, truly should. They’ve been putting off the conversation about saying goodbye to each other for months, but if they don’t talk about it now, when will they?
“We should talk about it,” Sage agrees and exhales sharply.
“I’m not ready to go, you know,” Araphi confesses.
“Me neither. It feels like we just got here.”
“But we can’t stay either.”
“Exactly. I’m not sure where Remy and the others are, but I imagine they’re not going to return empty-handed. I bet they’re waiting for us at Briarwall, possibly mustering fighters to come hunt us down as we speak.”
Araphi sighs. “They might think we’re dead?”
“They might. But if there’s a chance the tooth is still around, Remy will want to take it. I know I would.” The words linger between them.
Araphi should tell Sage she gave Wren the tooth, but what if the ranger disagrees, or even worse, thinks her foolish for giving away their bargaining chip? So instead she says, “We can’t stay here, then. I won’t bring danger to this village.”
Sage nods. “Me neither. They’ve been too good to us. They deserve better. But I’m healed up now, and the snow is melting. We could survive in the forest on our own. I can take care of us. Or find another way out—perhaps to a neighboring kingdom where nobody we know will be able to get ahold of us.”
Araphi snorts. “I’m not sure that place exists.”
Sage takes her hand. “Please, Phi. You don’t have to go home to be the heir. We can go together. We’ll just…We’ll leave, and we’ll keep moving.”
It’s exactly what Araphi wants to hear. Exactly what she wants more than anything. Exactly the offer that Phi Runesong would take.
But she’s not Phi Runesong. At least not entirely.
Part of her is still Araphi Clauneck, and she has responsibilities.
If not to her family, then to the people they will hurt.
People like Wren, or the children, or everyone else in Arkney.
Araphi isn’t sure what the future holds, but her aunt Menorath will keep looking for a means to produce her own magic, sacrificing adventurer after adventurer, if that’s what it takes.
Someone has to make it known what she’s up to and stop her.
Araphi has to go back to her family and try to change things for the better from inside their tapestry of power.
She can’t leave it to smother everyone in Arkney, she must try to unravel it, even if it’s only one thread at a time.
It’s not what she wants, but it’s what she must do.
“No,” Araphi says, closing her eyes as Sage’s face falls.
“No?” Sage echoes.
“I’m sorry. I can’t.” Araphi’s voice breaks around the words.
“What do you mean you can’t?” Panic fills Sage’s voice, and Araphi can almost see the hurt from all her past wounds in the simple words.
“I mean if we take off, then my Aunt Menorath and my family will keep looking for magic.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do, because I know them. Even if my aunt is denied the dragon’s tooth, she’ll keep looking for some other artifact to suit her own ends.”
Sage grips her hand. “That may be true. And yes, someone should stop her, but it doesn’t have to be you, Phi. In fact, it shouldn’t be. The Claunecks are dangerous; Yael and Margot barely escaped them! What can you possibly do in the face of all that power? You’re just a bard!”
As soon as the words are out, Sage slaps a hand over her mouth.
Hurt blooms inside Araphi. Is this really how Sage sees her? After everything they’ve been through together?
No. She knows it’s not. She knows that in a thousand ways from a thousand moments from their time together. She knows it’s sadness and the thought of leaving each other that lurks behind Sage’s words, but they still hurt.
“You don’t mean that,” she whispers.
Sage shoves a hand through her hair. “I don’t, I’m sorry. I just…”
“You just don’t want me to leave.”
“I don’t.”
“I don’t want to either, but I have to. My family is causing this hurt, and I need to be the one to fix it.
If I don’t go back, my siblings will bear the brunt of my choices, and they’re not ready to become the Clauneck heir.
They wouldn’t stand a chance against the family.
Maybe, though, after I make things better, we can be together.
I’m not sure how long that will take, but if you wait for me—”
“Just…come with me now. Stay with me, please.” Sage’s voice breaks on the last word, and Araphi’s heart goes with it.
She draws in a long breath through her nose. “I can’t.”
Sage’s eyebrows draw together and she swallows hard. “Are you sure, Bard?”
“I’m sure, Ranger. I’m sorry.”
Sage nods. “Then I’ll take you as far as Briarwall. You can take the Queens’ Road from there.”
Then she hurries away, wiping at her eyes. Araphi collapses against the tree. That hadn’t gone how she’d hoped at all.
It’s their last day in Arkney, and Araphi has ruined it.
Which maybe is for the best. Araphi Clauneck needs to get not only Phi Runesong out of her system but also Sage Wilderstone.
Even if it’s the last thing she wants to do.
Lute still on her back, she trudges to her room to pack. She won’t be playing Sage’s ballad tonight.
But perhaps that’s for the best too. Perhaps it’s all for the best. One has to go back to the real world sometime, after all.