Welcome home

Esus flew desperately, not stopping for the night. It was still dark when he flew over the walls of Isemalrocath. Landing at the watchtower he peered in looking for his clothes and one of the acolytes shrieked and pulled a short sword. He took flight again immediately. They could be educated later, for now, he needed to get to his Charyic, safely.

Hoping that she would have left the window open, Esus flew to their room. It was open as if she were expecting him. He flew in and landed on the empty bed. Empty? He began to change. As soon as he had a voice he called out, “Charyic?” He checked the floor around the bed and looked at the empty cot with growing trepidation before he pulled on some of his clothes and went to find Alok.

If she were ill or injured enough to require someone to stay with her Alok would know of it. It would likely have been his cot. He knocked urgently on the door to the healer’s quarters. He thought about battering the door down as he knocked again and again with no response.

The door slammed open and Alok was glaring furiously. “Someone-” He blinked, “Esus?”

“Where is she? Is she sick? Injured? Why is there a cot in our room? Why isn’t she in her bed?” Esus let his questions pour out. Alok stood staring as if contemplating his answers. “Alok, please. What happened? Where is my Charyic?”

The man grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him in. “The girl went from worried sick, unable to keep down food or water and having contractions, to being furious and, from what I hear, trying to escape. If no one is on the cot perhaps Ivhir is with her or chasing after her again.”

Esus groaned and turned to go back out, he had to find her.

“You’re exhausted, my friend. Sit down and have some tea. The girl won’t fly away.”

“You have no idea, Alok. My beauty… she’s...” Esus rubbed his face.

“You’re no good to anyone if you’re dead on your feet. How many times have I told you that?” Alok firmly pushed him down in a chair and rested a hand on his head calming him. After a few moments, he brought two cups of mushroom tea and sat as well.

Without the urgency Esus began to drowse, unable to stay awake as he was told some of the details of Charyic’s care. After a short time, Alok found him a place and let him rest.

When Esus woke the sun had risen and the urgency of finding Charyic hit him again. He rose cursing Alok, running back to the bedroom hoping she had returned or that someone would be there that knew something, anything.

The door was closed and he pushed it open without knocking. He felt the weight lifting from his shoulders. Charyic. “Charyic.” She stood by the bed holding one of his feathers and his bag, looking lost. When she looked up at him he saw her hands curl into fists and her face tightened to a look of pained relief and then clenched into fury. “My beauty.” He moved toward her with his arms outstretched, noticing her hair had been hacked off.

“Esus,” Ivhir touched his shoulder stopping him.

“Get out,” Charyic whispered. “Both of you.”

“My beauty.” Esus felt the weight come crashing back down. Ivhir tried to pull him toward the door and Esus pushed him off, “Charyic-”

“Get. Him. OUT.” She threw the bag and pointed to the door imperiously.

In shock, he let Ivhir pull him to the doorway. “Why?” He murmured helplessly, watching as she stormed to the door.

“‘How could I leave my beauty?’ is what you said to me Esus. And you left. Without a word.” Charyic’s eyes were burning with anger and pain.

“My beauty, I-” Esus reached out but Charyic stepped back and slammed the door.

“Welcome home.” Ivhir sighed.

Esus leaned against the door. She was angry and hurt. She would calm. “Alok said she made herself sick?”

“Yes, if you’d seen her, Esus…” Ivhir leaned against the wall. “Alok had to keep her asleep. But when the Holy Father told her you were alive and going to look after the shrine it was almost like she snapped out of it. She was furious at the Holy Father, and at everyone. I took her knife, I thought she’d hurt someone.”

“Alok said she ran away?” Esus turned his head to look at the man and Ivhir snorted.

“She’d been given permission to go to the temple. She just had no intention of waiting for anyone to take her. There was a scaffolding outside of her window to clean her vomit off of the stonework and she climbed down without waking me.” He gave Esus a look of annoyance, “Stole my knife, by the way, and lent it to a priestess of Ayil.” He continued with a shake of his head, “Miryil caught her when she was on her way back, talking to a shopkeeper. They seem to know who she is and, because she has access to the Holy Father, want to be in her good graces. She managed to order some confections as she was being dragged away.”

“Dragged?”

Ivhir nodded. “Miryil was none too gentle. Erech had to intervene when Charyic kicked her.”

Esus felt anger wash over him. Miryil would have hurt her. “I shouldn’t have left.”

“You had to. There was no other way.” Ivhir looked at him meaningfully, “You might have told her you were going, though. You just vanished. She was sick with worry, throwing up out of the window before anyone thought to look in on her.”

“My beauty. I am so sorry.” Esus murmured pressing his face against the door. “I thought I would be gone for a few hours.”

“How long have you been back?” Ivhir asked quietly.

“It was night, I came in the open window and… She was gone.” Esus took a breath. “I was frantic. I went to Alok, he wouldn't let me leave until I had rested.” He swallowed. “The priestess of Ayil showed me her hair and your knife. She said,” He cleared his throat. “She said Ayil was unhappy with me. She wouldn’t tell me what had happened to Charyic, why she had her hair, just that leaving without a word was cruel and that I would find out what had happened if I ever returned.” He caressed the wood grain of the door. “I didn’t stop flying until I-until I arrived.”

“What happened to the shrine?” Ivhir inquired cautiously.

“I left it with Silosyil, Ayred, and his men. Where they can go from there I don’t know.” Esus sighed. “At least it has a chance of being concealed from Malav now.”

“Ayred? Prince Ayred?” Ivhir came off of the wall and leaned on the door.

“The same. He’s nothing like his brother. If Malav falls, the throne of Cearazon will have a sane King to sit on it.” Esus turned his back to the door and slid down, sitting on the floor. “Why is there still a cot in the room?”

“I’ve been guarding her.” The tall man sat next to him. “It seemed to be the easiest way to make sure she doesn’t get sick again or manage to wander off.” He laid a hand on Esus knee. “You have the patience of a stone to deal with that woman.”

“No.” Esus breathed out looking at his hands feeling the ache of not being able to touch her. “She’s joy on the wing.”