After the Evening Bells

10

The whole way to Amin's that next month, the girls discussed how Kellah would break the news to Haman. Perhaps if Haman insisted to his father, he and Kellah could be betrothed and married quickly before Kellah was even known to be with child. When the baby came early people might suspect something, but by then she and Haman would be man and wife so no one would make a big deal of things.

When they reached Amin's, Megah stayed at the table with Kellah rather than going to dance. Shortly after the girls' arrival, Joram approached, but Kellah told him, as politely as she could, that she didn't feel like talking.

"Just for a minute," the Captain said.

"She said she doesn't want to talk, Redcloak." Kellah had never seen Megah speak so fiercely. It was good to know she had such a loyal friend.

"It's okay," Kellah said. "Just for a little while."

Joram looked for Megah to leave, but seeing that he wasn't going to get the privacy he desired, he started talking. "I wanted to say goodbye. In two days I will leave here."

"And where will you go?" she said. She was trying her best to seem interested. He had been kind to her.

"East, of course. First to my village to see my mother. It's been more than three years since I've seen her. And then eventually on to the capital, to Alder."

"Are you and your mother close?"

"You could say that. My father died at a young age and I had no brothers or sisters." Kellah thought about her own mother and whether she might have had some sage advice for her if she were still around. Whenever she imagined her mother, she always assumed they would have been the dearest of friends.

"I see. Well, safe travels, Captain," Kellah said. Megah gestured for him to leave.

"Best of luck to you," he said and squeezed her hand.

She was fond of him in a way and perhaps would have been sad to see him go if not for everything else on her mind.

She sat at her table for what seemed an eternity, quietly going over her plan with Megah. Eventually the bells rang to mark the evening.