Chapter 15 book 3 is live
Discovery:
“I am tired,” admitted Sedra. “But I feel we’re close. Don’t you?” She put her hand on his arm. “Do you need to rest?”
Brinnid laughed. “Your concern touches me, my lady, but I’ve been on many a march. This is merely a dusty stroll.”
Sedra turned back to the wall and the nooks filled with bones. “Marches? And here I thought you were a sailor.”
“I am a king, ma’am,” he answered, turning his lantern towards her; its light turned her hair to dark silk and warmed the soft, curving profile of her smudged cheek. Ah, she’s a fine woman, even covered in dust and a shapeless robe. “We are men of many talents and abilities, we kings. Some time soon I hope to acquaint you with a few of them.”
“Is that so,” she murmured absently, gently moving aside a femur to inspect the back of a niche. Brinnid sighed; he turned back to the wall and peered into a deep crevice. They returned to working in silence. “And what talents and abilities would those be, sir?” she said suddenly.
Brinnid swung around, taken off guard. Sedra’s lantern sat in a niche; she herself leaned against the wall, arms crossed, observing him. He grinned. “Well, it would entirely depend on the situation, ma’am--whether we were outdoors or indoors, in daylight or lamplight...in company or alone. There are many variables, so there are.” He stepped closer to her, but she gave him a slight, quirking smile, retrieved her lantern and resumed her inspection of the niches. Brinnid lowered his lantern and put his other hand on his hip. “Your Highness, I do believe that you have been studying your sister’s ways.”
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about, Your Majesty,” said Sedra crisply, keeping her back turned. “And why would you have been paying attention to my sister’s ‘ways,’ I wonder?”
“Because I have been waiting for you to pay attention to mine, Sedra,” he let slip. Her back stiffened. Too far, too soon, he despaired to himself; I had her for a moment, and now I’ve spoiled it. Well, in for a copper, in for a gold. “You said I could court you,” he continued, “and yet I find that instead of long walks in the gardens and charming conversations over cards, I have spent my courtship breathing in bone dust and brushing filth from my hair.”
“I am tired,” admitted Sedra. “But I feel we’re close. Don’t you?” She put her hand on his arm. “Do you need to rest?”
Brinnid laughed. “Your concern touches me, my lady, but I’ve been on many a march. This is merely a dusty stroll.”
Sedra turned back to the wall and the nooks filled with bones. “Marches? And here I thought you were a sailor.”
“I am a king, ma’am,” he answered, turning his lantern towards her; its light turned her hair to dark silk and warmed the soft, curving profile of her smudged cheek. Ah, she’s a fine woman, even covered in dust and a shapeless robe. “We are men of many talents and abilities, we kings. Some time soon I hope to acquaint you with a few of them.”
“Is that so,” she murmured absently, gently moving aside a femur to inspect the back of a niche. Brinnid sighed; he turned back to the wall and peered into a deep crevice. They returned to working in silence. “And what talents and abilities would those be, sir?” she said suddenly.
Brinnid swung around, taken off guard. Sedra’s lantern sat in a niche; she herself leaned against the wall, arms crossed, observing him. He grinned. “Well, it would entirely depend on the situation, ma’am--whether we were outdoors or indoors, in daylight or lamplight...in company or alone. There are many variables, so there are.” He stepped closer to her, but she gave him a slight, quirking smile, retrieved her lantern and resumed her inspection of the niches. Brinnid lowered his lantern and put his other hand on his hip. “Your Highness, I do believe that you have been studying your sister’s ways.”
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about, Your Majesty,” said Sedra crisply, keeping her back turned. “And why would you have been paying attention to my sister’s ‘ways,’ I wonder?”
“Because I have been waiting for you to pay attention to mine, Sedra,” he let slip. Her back stiffened. Too far, too soon, he despaired to himself; I had her for a moment, and now I’ve spoiled it. Well, in for a copper, in for a gold. “You said I could court you,” he continued, “and yet I find that instead of long walks in the gardens and charming conversations over cards, I have spent my courtship breathing in bone dust and brushing filth from my hair.”
No comments have been added yet.
