The Sha's Sword

Chapter 30: Severed ties

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"Congratulations! Do we have a wedding on our hands?" Douser steps out from the shadows of the doorway, clapping his hands together.

Seth frowns. "Arthur – Douser – do you mind? We'd like a minute alone, if you can manage that?"

I have to stop myself from laughing at his annoyed face.

"Oh, alright then." Douser smiles good-naturedly.

"Talk about over protective." Seth mutters, rolling his eyes. His hands haven't left mine, and I almost never want them to.

He watches Douser walk down the hallway and into his own room and turns his gaze back on me. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... overwhelm you."

I'm still in shock of this recent discovery. I knew my feelings for Seth had changed quite dramatically since we first met, but I never imagined for a moment that those feelings were returned.

"How long has this been going on?" I manage to get out, voice wavering slightly.

"It was very soon after we first met, believe it or not." Seth smiles with a shrug. "You and I are complete opposites, but I did secretly enjoy our arguments. They weren't really arguments, anyway. Merely disagreements. I never imagined that you truly did hate me, even for a moment. But of course..." he sobers. "Of course, if it's only me that feels this way about you. I mean if you don't... if you don't feel the same way..."

I smile fondly, remembering our times of arguing around our kitchen table, the petty arguments that seemed so important at the time but were really children fighting over nothing.

"Seth, you know, when I was riding back with Douser, I surprised myself. I wasn't thinking about Cheviot's feasts, or the comforts of the castle. And I wasn't thinking about the other people I had left behind." I squeeze his hands slightly. "I was thinking about you."

"Really?" Seth brightens.

I nod. "Because you were the one I wanted to see. The one that seems to make everything better. The one that always fought with me and the one that I knew I can trust absolutely."

He smiles. "We may have our disagreements... but I believe we have come to know each other as more than just friendly rivals, no?"

"Well – we'll have to think about all of this out when the rebellion is over. If we're still alive." Common sense kicks me hard. While I'd love to dream about weddings and happiness, we are still very far from that dream. 

"Whatever we do, we're going to do it together." Seth gives me a hug, a warm comforting hug that only he can. "And afterwards... we can figure it out, right?"

"Of course we can." I smile. "Now we have more than our own lives to live for."

***

Douser sits in silence in the dark room, the only light emitted from the soft beam of moonlight that is shining through the window. His feelings have been unsteady after discovering that his sister is very much alive and well. And now that Alyce is here in the castle, it's almost too much. She is so close, yet so far away.

He hears a gentle knock on the door and Alyce creeps in. Her eyes are as bright and king as ever, brown hair is cascading down her shoulders, and in the pale moonlight it is glowing, like a halo around her head. Light floods the small room from her candle. "Douser, are you awake?" She whispers. "I can't sleep."