Claire walked in on them in the middle of a disagreement and the tension was thick. Velentham stood at the door, Gilean on the couch, and Claire felt her energy begin to wane once more. Gilean didn't want to tell Velentham where Sanria lived. It was more than she could bear, and Claire took matters into her own hands, telling Velentham where he could find the sage.
Velentham had barely closed the door before Claire turned to find Gilean. The priest was in the back of the cottage, standing amidst the roses. "I'm sorry..." Gilean said, turning to face her. "I don't know why he upsets me so much."
'I can't do this, Gilean. You have me so upset right now... I just want to leave.'
"How have I upset you? I didn't try to tell him what to do. I just wasn't going to help him."
'It's one thing for him to be arrogant and haughty, it's completely another for you to be antagonistic. Telling him to watch out for himself because they'll be looking for him... what is wrong with you? You've only succeeded in reminding me what I was headed off in the first place.'
"Well, yes I'm angry at him, but I meant that. As upset as he makes me I don't want to see him dead. I'm not trying to antagonize him. Didn't you see how he kept trying to rile me? Now I won't stand for him trying to influence you. But I didn't mean to do anything to him. I just refused to help him do something I disapprove of."
'You don't think I felt him trying to influence me?'
"Oh, I... I didn't know. I just felt what he was doing and..."
'You felt you had to step in. I noticed.'
Claire felt her frustration mounting and her energy slipping away. Again, she turned to go back to her family, and again Gilean stopped her. "Tell me, what am I to do with him?" he asked with a pleading gaze.
'Nothing!!! Don't you understand that? That's exactly what I'm talking about! He's not your charge, Gilean!'
"You think it's wrong for me to choose not to help him if I disapprove?"
Claire walked back into the house. Things were going downhill fast. She questioned whether her feelings for Gilean were only there because he was gone for so long. 'Maybe you need to go back to the temple where you can take care of people that need it, Gilean.'
"Claire... Claire, I want to be with you. I want to marry you. I want us to have our family. I can't go back to being alone. Not after experiencing being with you. I need you, and I need our child. I know I'm not perfect but I can be a better person. Please, help me to do that. Don't give up on me... don't give up on us."
Claire sighed deeply. She leaned on Gilean again, her soul and body drained. One thing she wasn't - she was not a quitter. Velentham was gone. He didn't appear to be coming back. Perhaps there would be peace. She and Gilean could fix the problems, mend, heal, and get back to normal.
