The Elegy of Autumn (#0.8 Ruthen Quartet)

Part - 7

This is this last part, and it is quite big. About 3k words.

She clutched her stomach and threw her head back and laughed. The music ringing in the temple's stones. The abandoned temple had become their meeting place. No one came, save for her protectors.

"You really did that?" she snorted. "I cannot believe that."

"Believe it or not," he shrugged, to show as though he did not care, but he was enjoying the mirth and the joy radiating from her. He was quite content with where he sat, and that was close to her

"I believe you," she smiled. The after a moment of silence, she asked, "Where is Neron?"

"I left him at home," he said. "My landlord takes care of him when I am not there."

"Must be a very kind person," she said.

"That she is."

"But you must bring him often to me, Kale," Cahira mused. "Whenever he is close by, I sort of feel at ease. Must be a child's charm."

"I could not deny that," he said. "I used to feel that whenever I met my friend's daughter. Before I met Neron that is."

The breeze rested and the earlier singing birds withheld their melody. Far away yet very close by for the bow she wielded, one of Cahira's protectors was hidden among the thickets. She was far enough to give privacy but close enough to do her duty.

"Who came today?" Kale asked, seeing the sky retain its bright azure despite the evening. Perhaps, the summer had taken this colour for the day.

"Ophra," Cahira sighed.

The second stretch of pause was long and as much as he hated to admit, it was awkward.

"She said something, Kale," Cahira whispered, her voice amplified in the silent temple.

He licked his lips and saw her eyes flicker to his lips momentarily. Was she affected by him as much as he was to her?

"What did she say, Cahira?"

"Something about you."

The unusual chillness of the late summer air was pronounced on his damped skin from sparring with her before.

"What?"

"My protectors," Cahira began. "They are a little paranoid. They worry about my safety over anything. And there is no rule stating that female heir should not have any lover-"

"Are we?" Kale interjected, keeping his tone playful. Worst thing could happen for her to reject him, but then, if she were his friend, he could at least see her, which was better than not to see her for the rest of his life.

A slight shade of pink shyly appeared on her cheeks and that colour gave him the answer with more solidity that her words could ever. For all the time - five months, he spent with her, he knew she was not a woman who blushed and she was certainly not someone who shuttered or squeaked.

She closed her eyes. "It depends."

That had given him half hope.

"On what?"

"On what I am about to say and your answer," she said.

It seemed to be fair.

"Continue."

"So they wanted to know more about you," Cahira said. Then she added cooly. "You know, when Lady Eluria of Icathus had a lover, she was murdered cold blood, they do not want anything to happen like that."