Chapter 16
Ryzen
“Elva,” I tested the name on my tongue. “Not familiar, no.”
“That’s because she’s one of the very few of the female population you haven’t slept with,” he taunted. I only smirked.
“Walk with me,” he said quietly, getting up and striding to the door with me trailing behind.
The short distance to his chambers were spent by him telling me how Elva and he had met last week on Gladys’ birthday and how they got close. He finally brought her to the castle today to give her a tour and I couldn't contain my grin when he said, “One thing led to another and…”
I was going to make a vulgar comment when he opened the doors to his chambers and took me straight to the bedroom.
I gaped first. Then burst out laughing when I saw the state of his bed. The four poster that was usually pristine with navy sheets was completely destroyed, one of the posters lying on the floor, the mattress caved in and one leg missing.
“Oh Rory,” I said between huffs of laughter, barely able to catch my breath. “I didn't expect this.”
Rorcan, in all the time I've known him, flushed a deep red for what I knew would be the first and last time.
“We needed somewhere to go and your chambers were the nearest so… I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“I got that,” I quipped. He scowled.
“I get it though,” I said trying to keep a straight face. “Forty years is an awfully long time.”
His jaw tightened. I wish I hadn't brought it up.
“Hey… I-”
He shook his head, his way of telling me that he was fine and disappeared into the dressing room.
~
What I had said to Rorcan was fresh in my mind as I scolded myself for ever even thinking of making that comment. It was unnecessary and hurtful. Gladys always said that I never think before I spew something out my mouth and I never disagreed with her.
But it was true, Rorcan had been with no one else, in any sense for forty years. I hated the woman who did this to him and I don’t know what I’d do if I ever saw her again. She had the audacity to claim to love him and then left him in an instant, with no word, no goodbye. It was something of a fling to her, but to my brother…
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Though summer had eased a bit, it was still hot enough that I tugged on the collar of my dark jacket.
And then I spotted Lyn coming straight toward me through the stone pathway of the garden. I smiled. She smiled back.
She had on a deep crimson wrap dress, her light brown hair lifted from her shoulders by the summer breeze. Her eyes, so like the waters of the ocean I held so dear, sparkled in childish delight.
“Weather’s great today,” I said by way of greeting. Why am I talking about the weather?
She came to stand before me then, her hands crossed behind her back, the skirts of her dress swaying on the breeze.
“Indeed,” she replied, her pink lips in a satisfied smile. I realized I should stop staring at her mouth. “I quite enjoyed my visit to the kingdom today. The people are so nice.”
I would have begged to differ but I kept my mouth shut. For some reason, I didn’t want to ruin it for her.
I motioned for her to come along as I walked back into the west section corridor with her at my side.
“Tell me something,” she said suddenly with that casualness she had recently started showing toward me. “Have you ever been in love?”
The question caught me off-guard. So much that I halted.
She couldn’t have known.
Guilt flashed in her eyes and she rushed out, “I’m sorry, that was inappropriate.”
It took me a moment to compose myself. She doesn’t know, I reminded myself.
“No, no… But no, I can’t say that I have.” I tried not to show how uncomfortable this conversation was making me. And then, as an afterthought, “Have you?”
She stared at the bluestone walls, the carved pieces of history on them.
“No,” she said and I detected a hint of sadness in her voice. “It’s a wonderful thought though.”
“It only sounds wonderful,” I said, not entirely sure if I was talking about it in general or about my own state, “but the reality of love is that it is all-consuming and not worth the pain.”
To be continued…
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