Arlenia called Hector and Brant into the hut and set them down. The two big men looked at her and broke into smiles. "Now you want us to do what, exactly?" Hector asked.
"You take these darts, Banion has already tipped them in the sedative, and you -"
"Dart him? Like a monkey?" Brant asked. The men broke into laughter.
"Look, jerks, you dart him, alright? Then you drag his butt back here so I can marry him with Banion's blessing and I won't have to be some single mother on an island full of... of..."
"Jerks," Brant finished.
"Yes. Jerks. You'll be paid for your work."
"How much?" Hector asked.
"I don't know - I'm sure I can scrounge up some platinum somehow, but you are both my friends and have been for years - so I can count on you, right?"
The men sighed and shook their heads. "Yeah, you can. But you're gonna owe us big, Arlenia."
"Just... be careful. He can get really, really angry."
"He won't even see us," Hector said.
"Good. Oh yeah -" Arlenia paused and walked to her bedside table. She lifted a letter into her hand and laid it on Brant's lap. "She needs to find that."
Brant lifted the letter and eyed it before looking back at Arlenia. "How is she supposed to find it?"
"Leave it at the door for all I care. Now go. I want my husband back here before I get any bigger."
Gaining a Husband
"Come out, child," Banion crooned. For nigh on a week Arlenia stayed in the hut at the end of the village. Her stomach was beginning to show the first signs of pregnancy and her armor didn't fit quite right. She had to wear a muslin moo-moo and she felt belittled, weak, and trapped. Banion, the village elder, didn't help matters. He watched over her as though she were sick - even though she did have trouble keeping meals down.
"Go away, Banion."
The door opened and Arlenia grumbled, folding her arms like a petulant child as she flopped down into the chair by the fire. "I said go away."
"Remember to respect your elders, Arlenia. We are the learned and the way, after all."
Banion walked in and took the chair opposite her. He smiled and gave her a flower. "How do you feel?"
"I'm fine," Arlenia replied, her cheeks burning crimson. "I'm knocked up and stuck here without a husband."
"There are plenty of fine, upstanding men on this island that have and continue to offer you their hearts."
"I don't want them, Banion. I want the father of this baby."
Arlenia looked at the old man, who seemed suddenly deep in thought. "You are miserable, aren't you," he asked, looking up at her.
"More than you can imagine."
"And you feel that this man should be with you?"
"More than anything."
"Perhaps there is a way, though it is not my first desire."
Arlenia sat up as Banion told her of his plan. She would have her family. Even if she had to do it underhandedly.
"Go away, Banion."
The door opened and Arlenia grumbled, folding her arms like a petulant child as she flopped down into the chair by the fire. "I said go away."
"Remember to respect your elders, Arlenia. We are the learned and the way, after all."
Banion walked in and took the chair opposite her. He smiled and gave her a flower. "How do you feel?"
"I'm fine," Arlenia replied, her cheeks burning crimson. "I'm knocked up and stuck here without a husband."
"There are plenty of fine, upstanding men on this island that have and continue to offer you their hearts."
"I don't want them, Banion. I want the father of this baby."
Arlenia looked at the old man, who seemed suddenly deep in thought. "You are miserable, aren't you," he asked, looking up at her.
"More than you can imagine."
"And you feel that this man should be with you?"
"More than anything."
"Perhaps there is a way, though it is not my first desire."
Arlenia sat up as Banion told her of his plan. She would have her family. Even if she had to do it underhandedly.
Vanishing Guardian
Sanria held the note in her hand and reread it carefully. Her hand began to tremble as she looked at the words written:
Sanria, I thought about what you had said and how I hadn't ever given Arlenia an opportunity to win my heart. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I had been unfair. She does deserve better than what I had given her. I will be gone for a time - I need to do some soul searching. Of course I will return to visit with you and Orn and when our little one comes, I will make certain I visit with her, but I believe our time as a couple is at an end. I realize this may not make you happy, but you had wanted out so terribly before, I figure it's only a matter of time. I would rather ensure that someone who desperately loves me has the opportunity to give that affection to me. I will be in touch.
Colin
Sanria closed the door and walked slowly into the sitting room. She sank into the couch and burst into sobs. There was never an indication that Colin was unhappy or that he felt that way. There was hardly anything - at least anymore - that made Sanria feel as if she wanted to leave. Now, however, she was utterly alone without even her memories to keep her company.
Sanria, I thought about what you had said and how I hadn't ever given Arlenia an opportunity to win my heart. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I had been unfair. She does deserve better than what I had given her. I will be gone for a time - I need to do some soul searching. Of course I will return to visit with you and Orn and when our little one comes, I will make certain I visit with her, but I believe our time as a couple is at an end. I realize this may not make you happy, but you had wanted out so terribly before, I figure it's only a matter of time. I would rather ensure that someone who desperately loves me has the opportunity to give that affection to me. I will be in touch.
Colin
Sanria closed the door and walked slowly into the sitting room. She sank into the couch and burst into sobs. There was never an indication that Colin was unhappy or that he felt that way. There was hardly anything - at least anymore - that made Sanria feel as if she wanted to leave. Now, however, she was utterly alone without even her memories to keep her company.
Studies
It had been days and Claire had milled about the cottage in a depression. She knew that Gilean went off to learn about his past, she even knew that it might take more than only a day to sort it all out, but she hadn't expected that he would be gone for so long. Claire walked up to the library and sat herself down with a large tome. So he needed more time. With a sigh she relegated herself to rehearsing the spells she had already learned.
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