Eclipse of Hearts ✔

19. Hidden Agenda's [Raphael]

His footsteps hastened over the quay. He stood still before the ship and looked up. 

"You have it?" it sounded out of the darkness.

"Yeah."

Raphael peered up awaiting. Two legs appeared, where after his brother climbed down. 

He gave him the scepter, a golden staff with a crystal sphere on top. 

"Will it work?" Eldinòr wondered, his fingers discovering the golden surface. 

Raphael shrugged. He didn't care. "All that matters is that he keeps his promise." 

Eldinòr stared coldly at him. "I'll make him."

Raphael watched his shoes. He didn't know what to say. He had been reunited with his brother for two months and he didn't want to say goodbye again. He had told Melline and Alyssae that his brother had disappeared years ago and that he had believed that he was dead - which differed not much from the truth. He hadn't spoken about it because he thought he could keep a better control of his distress when he acted like he had no family. He did not know if they believed his story, but they had been satisfied with his explanation. 

"Will you join me?"

Raphael shook his head. "No. I love her."

"That wasn't supposed to happen."

He shrugged. "I've build up a life here. I'm not going to waste it all. You don't need me anymore, do you?"

Eldinòr looked shortly at him. "No."

"You're coming back, right? You promised Alyssae." 

His brother grinned and Raphael watched him with an uneasy feeling. They had spent a lot of time together and he didn't know if he trusted his brother with her. He didn't want her heart to be broken again, even though he couldn't imagine her thoughts were with anyone but the father of her unborn child. Still he knew she was disappointed by her dwarf friends, who hadn't contacted her either. She couldn't afford to lose another friend.

"Yeah. I'll come back."

Raphael inhaled in relief. It seemed that Eldinòr had cheered her up a little, for he had seen her smile once or twice and he hoped she wouldn't slide back in a deep, dark hole when he left. 

He knew Eldinòr had persuaded her to sent another letter, if only to know how the war had ended. Also this time no answer had came and secretly he was relieved that his brother would continue his traveling life in order to find out what the hell was going on in Middle Earth, so that Alyssae didn't need to feel  uncertain about everything. 

Raphael walked back to the villa in which Melline and he lived  since the wedding, before she noticed he was gone. He noticed that he had clenched his fists. Maybe it was for the best that Thorin hadn't shown his face, for he would have told him the truth for once and for all. That man behaved very rude, even if he didn't care about Alyssae anymore. He should have had the decency to tell her so! 

He walked to the barrel and splashed water in his face. Then he stared into the mirror, wondering what would happen if it came to light that he had robbed his father-in-law.