Leaving - Part 1 |
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Chapter 3 |
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| I am sitting on a stone bench in a little copse of trees next to the maze. The air is warm and filled with the scent of the flowering rosebushes. Elspeth is sitting beside me, head leaning on my shoulder as we savour this brief moment of peace. She lifts her head, cocking it as though listening to something. I follow her gaze and see Maruman, sitting on a sunny branch looking down at us. Suddenly, she jerks upright, turning to glare at him. “Enough, Maruman! I will leave when I must, but until then I will enjoy what I have.†His only response is to leap down from the branch and saunter away, tail waving lazily. I gently pull her back down beside me, looking at her curiously. “What was that all about?â€She sighs, snuggling closer into my side, but I sense a withdrawal of something inside her. Her shield sliding back into place. “Just Maruman being annoying, as usual. Talking about annoying, we really need to look at better ways managing Obernewtyn’s increasing population at the next guildmerge meeting...†My mind wanders as her voice becomes businesslike and she starts discussing guild matters. I feel that she is trying to cover something up, distract me. I think back to what she said to Maruman, and the meaning of other comments and actions thud sickeningly into place. I turn and grab her shoulders, interrupting her mid word. “When must you leave? Why?†She looks at me, saying nothing. It is as I thought, she never meant for it to last. Drops of cold water hit my face and she pulls away, turning back to the main house. “Come, it is starting to rain.†The sound of falling rain fills my ears and the world fades. |
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