The Reaper's Voyage

Chapter 47

Today is the day Delyth and Tiarnan are supposed to get married and anguish is an understatement to how she feels. The letters never stop. In fact, she has an entire desk full of them. Half of them she has already read through.

She thought she had no one until Jothan burst into her room immediately after she let out a gut-wrenching scream.

"Delyth." His face contorted in one that reflects her pain.

"Goat." He chuckled and shook his head, finding it remarkable that even during a time like this she manages to be snarky with him. While the duvet is covered over her distressed body, he takes cautious steps toward the bed then stops when he reaches to the side.

"Would you be comfortable if I joined you and offered solace?" She took the time to think about her answer before nodding, realizing that he is the best person to help her at this moment, given he was recently in the same situation.

He climbed into the bed but laid on top of the duvet and carefully wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug while she broke down in tears in his arms. He brushed her hair with his flat palm, trying to soothe her as she released all the agony she felt.

"It's going to be okay," He whispered in her ear with his head resting on top of her head.

She shook her head and sniffled before lifting her head to look at him. "No, it won't. I just want him back. How did you recuperate from Cybil's death?"

"I didn't. I still haven't. I'm simply trying to go each day with her close to my heart knowing that she's looking down at me, smiling." Delyth inhaled sharply and hiccuped.

"I don't know if I can–" She began crying again and he held her tighter and continued petting her hair. When she finally fell asleep, he stayed for a little while longer until he snuggled her in the bed and left quietly. He received a message that Silas wanted to have a word with him but he'll be damned if he listened to a single word he had to say after he murdered his wife and the fiance of the woman he claimed to fancy.

He really wishes that Delyth made his death a slow one, making him feel every pain he caused. He also hopes he gets to see him begging for his life.

Jothan couldn't bear to pass her room another day, knowing she's sulking and not taking care of herself. So, he forces her out of the room and to the side of Lardel Castle near a cliff, opposite to the one Kalodor sits on.

She lifts her chin and closes her eyes as she welcomes the coolness of the wind hitting her face and the warmth of the sun touching her skin. It has been a while since she felt this and she almost regrets wallowing in her room for days on end.

"The light suits you. It looks less depressing than when you were stuck in your dark room like a bat." She punches him in the arm and laughs. It feels strange having not laughed in so long but it is so refreshing.

The smile pauses on her mouth as she thinks about how much Tiarnan would've loved to see her smile. She remembers it being one of his favorite features about her.

She inhales deeply and glances around at Varusa's landscape. Its nature contradicts the sins of its King. It seems even man has no control over Mother Earth no matter how powerful he is. The colors splattered all over the nation are extraordinary. The purple, pink and white petunias mixed together in two acres of land with low shrubs around them. The children run in another field of tall grass while butterflies rise from behind and around them. Her eyes move to where she sees two pastures of sheep and cow merrily chewing on the bounteous field. Not too far beyond, there is smoke coming from the chimney of a house.