The Book of Terrus: The Wise and Powerful

Chapter 9 - Devoured

"You were trying to leave without saying goodbye though," said Lhara accusingly. "Why?"

"...Because this isn't goodbye." Tarun looked away, frowning. "Goodbye sounds too much like forever."

Marden was crumpling up Tarun's note. He squeezed it tight before lobbing it across the room into the hearth, disturbing a small puff of ash. "You don't know that. Anything could happen once you leave Trosk."

"I know. But even if I can't come back here for some reason, I'll see to it that you can come and see me in Amenthere, or wherever I am. I swe-"

"No!" Lhara shook her head vehemently, still pinching herself pale. "No swearing. I don't want to be mad at you again if you break that oath."

The three siblings stood staring at each other and the walls for a long time. To Lhara it felt like a sort of spell lingered in the room. To speak or move would be to break the spell, and then Tarun would leave.

Eventually though, the silence did end. Marden moved past Lhara and Tarun to the door. For a moment Lhara wondered if he intended to bar Tarun's way. Then he reached for the coat pegs and offered Tarun's cloak to him.

"Wait for us," he said, fastening a bruising stare on Tarun. "There may not be honor in your intentions, but if it's what you must do then we'll see you off. That's what family does, Tarun."

OoOoO

By the time the three of them made it down to Trosk the sun was just about clear of the horizon. Just as Nadathan had promised the Factionists were gathering outside the inn. The griffin mounts were preening and honking softly as the dawn light glinted on their feathers. Unsurprisingly, it seemed most if not all of the villagers had turned out to catch a last glimpse of the Factionists too, whether they intended to leave with them or no.

"Tarun! So you did decide to go after all then? Throwing in with the east rather than the throne, eh?"

They were joined by Gerdiom's family clan with Andris leading the way. The butcher's second son was likewise dressed for travel in sturdy new boots and a laden pack. Gerdiom and Alina hung back a short ways, seemingly unsure whether to be proud or beside themselves. For a second Lhara thought perhaps Hengar hadn't come to see his little brother off at all, until she spotted him and Eima watching at a distance from inside Gerdiom's shop.

"Yes," was all Tarun had to say.

Lhara noticed the flash of uneasiness behind Tarun's words. She thought any and all guilt he felt between Trosk and Amenthere to be fitting punishment for what he intended. Still she held her tongue and said nothing.

"You must be missing Andris already, Alina," she spoke to the butcher's wife instead. Alina, a heavyset, motherly woman tried to laugh and ended up batting away a tear instead.

"Oh, he'll be just fine I'm sure. Besides, we can't expect to keep Andris here in Trosk forever, not unless he could have found an eldest daughter to wed."

Lhara heard the chastisement loud and clear, and had to work very hard not to roll her eyes in front of Andris's mother. For Anders' sake, it had been one little kiss when they were both much younger and full-flushed with youth. Apparently she would never live it down though.

"I'm sure Andris will come home a well traveled and worldlier man for having gone," she said.

"And the same for Tarun," Alina replied. "Things won't be the same around town without them though. Or Halna for that matter."