As Sanria stared at the cottage, a low whistling could be heard. She turned to find Thasmudyan. She did not have the rush of emotion she used to have. It was simply like meeting an old friend - albeit one you were embarrassed to inform of your polyandry. Still, they spoke, Sanria noting the distinct absence of any questions about Nioma. He had truly let go of his daughter. She gave him a tour of the castle, inviting him to apply to the Keepers, and after a bite to eat, they said their goodbyes. Sanria checked her mental list. She could say truthfully that she was no longer in love with Thasmudyan, but she hoped that he would be part of the Keepers and remain her friend.
She returned to the cavern later that evening after finishing a bit of work. That night she spoke with Colin, determining that the two men were at odds. Colin spoke about how they should be together, and Sanria found herself thinking about the way Gilean looked at her. She had seen he and Claire together, she saw the concern on his face when she sat in the living room. She knew what it looked like when someone was holding back what they felt. She certainly thought she had seen it on Gilean's face.
Sanria offered Gilean the chance to leave, to not feel obligated to stay. The answer was a resounding no. Sanria frowned at the distress on Gilean's face and was confused. He said he loved her, wanted to be with her, that she was the mother of his children, and wanted her to want him. She felt guilty that she didn't want him to leave, but at the same time... at the same time she knew that somewhere inside of his mind, of his heart... she was his second choice.
The following day she sat at the kitchen table alone. She closed her eyes. "Leandra, I know you probably don't want to talk to me, but, I truly need your help."
The flippant acid reply came back, "What do you want, mom?"
"I need you to tell me where I can find Claire."
Turnabout (2 of 2)
Gilean's expression faltered. "No... you said something..."
"Sanria said she could see it. Something she saw when you and Claire were together." Colin shrugged dismissively. "If you don't believe me, why don't you ask Sanria yourself."
Gilean stood staring at Colin for another moment, fighting whether or not to accept what he had just been told. That is what Sanria had said, something about the way he looked at Claire. But no, that was over, Claire was gone and Sanria was his family now. He loved her, the kids loved her. Claire was gone.
Gilean's shoulders drooped a bit in defeat as he turned to leave the training room.
"Gilean!" Colin called sharply.
Gilean paused and half turned, looking over his shoulder at the decidedly intense glare of the large warrior.
"Sanria better be wrong about you and Claire. I better not be putting up with all of this if you would rather be with someone else. And you better not hurt Sanria. Because if you do..."
Gilean narrowed his eyes with a scowl and silently left the room.
"Sanria said she could see it. Something she saw when you and Claire were together." Colin shrugged dismissively. "If you don't believe me, why don't you ask Sanria yourself."
Gilean stood staring at Colin for another moment, fighting whether or not to accept what he had just been told. That is what Sanria had said, something about the way he looked at Claire. But no, that was over, Claire was gone and Sanria was his family now. He loved her, the kids loved her. Claire was gone.
Gilean's shoulders drooped a bit in defeat as he turned to leave the training room.
"Gilean!" Colin called sharply.
Gilean paused and half turned, looking over his shoulder at the decidedly intense glare of the large warrior.
"Sanria better be wrong about you and Claire. I better not be putting up with all of this if you would rather be with someone else. And you better not hurt Sanria. Because if you do..."
Gilean narrowed his eyes with a scowl and silently left the room.
Turnabout (1 of 2)
Gilean entered the upstairs training room to see Colin actively working over one of the dummies in the room with a practice blade. He took a moment to be sure the door was securely closed behind himself before turning toward the larger man with an accusing glare. "Just what are you doing?"
Colin barely spared Gilean a glance as he continued in his measured strikes. "I'm training, and I don't recall inviting you. However, if you'd like to take up a blade and spar..." Colin flashed Gilean a mocking grin.
"You know what I'm talking about. Sanria."
Colin paused in his strikes and let his arms drop, turning toward Gilean with a scowl of his own. "No, I don't know what you're talking about. Last I heard you seem to be getting everything you want so you're going to have to be a little more specific."
Gilean took a few steps toward Colin. "What did you say to her? She comes to me and starts talking about helping Claire, bringing her back, letting me be with her!"
"Well, maybe that would just be better. You could have your own family and I could have mine."
"How dare you suggest that to her," Gilean said, pointing his finger at Colin angrily, "My family is with Sanria. She's the mother of my children. Not just the babies, but Matinus and Nioma."
"I suggest you watch yourself," Colin retorted as he raised the dulled practice blade back in Gilean's direction. "Nioma's not even your child. I was going to raise her before you were even around. Just one more thing you have tried taking from me."
Gilean stood his ground for a moment, his eyes locked with Colin's and his jaw tense, before finally dropping his finger. "What did you say to her?"
"Do you want to know the funny thing," Colin scoffed with a small shrug, "I didn't say anything at all. That was all Sanria."
Colin barely spared Gilean a glance as he continued in his measured strikes. "I'm training, and I don't recall inviting you. However, if you'd like to take up a blade and spar..." Colin flashed Gilean a mocking grin.
"You know what I'm talking about. Sanria."
Colin paused in his strikes and let his arms drop, turning toward Gilean with a scowl of his own. "No, I don't know what you're talking about. Last I heard you seem to be getting everything you want so you're going to have to be a little more specific."
Gilean took a few steps toward Colin. "What did you say to her? She comes to me and starts talking about helping Claire, bringing her back, letting me be with her!"
"Well, maybe that would just be better. You could have your own family and I could have mine."
"How dare you suggest that to her," Gilean said, pointing his finger at Colin angrily, "My family is with Sanria. She's the mother of my children. Not just the babies, but Matinus and Nioma."
"I suggest you watch yourself," Colin retorted as he raised the dulled practice blade back in Gilean's direction. "Nioma's not even your child. I was going to raise her before you were even around. Just one more thing you have tried taking from me."
Gilean stood his ground for a moment, his eyes locked with Colin's and his jaw tense, before finally dropping his finger. "What did you say to her?"
"Do you want to know the funny thing," Colin scoffed with a small shrug, "I didn't say anything at all. That was all Sanria."
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