romantic subplot, hooray!
I have too much fun with the romantic subplot in the Paladin's Song saga. I don't know where this fits in, or if it will even make an appearance in the books, but I do like how it turned out. I just needed to write tonight.
Title: What the Rogue Sees (a Paladin's Song segment)
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: PG
Taerwyn stood on the wall of the citadel as she stared off to the north as she always used to do. The cold and the bite of the chill wind were ignored as she leaned against the rough stone, as her attention was otherwise occupied. Her gaze had been drawn down to the courtyard below, where she could see Thorven and Lothair walking together and conversing under the moonlight. She could not hear what they were saying, but she knew Thorven well enough by now to guess at the subject from his posture and the look on his face. They had to be talking about Lothair’s past.
She frowned as she wished she could hear what was going on, and then inflated her cheeks to let out a long sigh and blow a loose strand of hair out of her face. She wasn’t going to get any answers up here, and it wasn’t like she could intrude on the private conversation. Blast her curiosity!
“It’s awfully cold tonight to be standing so still on the walls.” The voice came from behind her right shoulder, and she jumped guiltily. She wasn’t spying, not at all. She struggled to control the red in her cheeks as she turned to face Harris. Once again she was reminded of why she was glad the rogue was on her side, since she could have been dead just now if he was not.
“I know. I’m thinking.” She forced a sheepish grin and turned her back on the scene below. Despite her grin, her thoughts were of a serious nature. “Do you think someone like that can truly find redemption? Or do you think we’re making a mistake by welcoming him?”
Harris chuckled softly and ran a gloved hand through the gray hair on top of his head. “Well, holy child, I didn’t get to be this old in my profession by trusting people. But there are a few that I do trust, and Thorven is one of them. He’s proven his judgment to me time and again.”
Taerwyn frowned, wishing that she could accept the answer. It was the one that Liana had given as well, and still the young paladin was dissatisfied. “What if Thorven is making a mistake?” She hated to question the High Cleric, of all people, but something about the situation still didn’t sit right with her
“Well, we all do. It’s part of being human. That man down there has made his fair share, even if you weren’t around to see them.” Harris came to lean on the wall next to her, and she noticed now that he had a stick in one hand, and a piece of wood in the other. He was whittling something again, and she wondered what as he took up the activity again right next to her.
“I believe you.” She laughed quietly and shook her head. She found it hard to believe, but knowing the human side of him now, it was easier than it would have been even two years ago when he remained that vague heroic legend in her mind. “I just have a bad feeling about this.”
“Well, you are the second most holy of us, so it might just be that you’re picking up on Lothair’s nature. Have you brought this up with Thorven?” Harris did not look at her as he asked the question, and kept his eyes focused on his hands. It was just as well, since she did not want to be responsible for the rogue injuring his highly skilled hands.
“No… I haven’t found a chance. Well, I’ve had time and opportunity, but not the words.” She looked over her shoulder at the two below. “I mean, what do I tell him? That I don’t trust his decision?”
Harris laughed. “Child, I’ve told him that more times than I can count in this lifetime, and yet I’m still here. He respects your opinion and your ability to think for yourself, or you wouldn’t be with us. He’s not the sort of man that keeps mindless sheep this close. If you feel like there is something wrong, you need to tell him as much.”
Taerwyn nodded as she thought over these words for a little bit. “Maybe it’s not Thorven’s decision that I don’t trust. It’s more likely that I can’t trust a death knight.” That must be it. She did not trust Lothair’s background, or his methods. She had no way of knowing that he would not turn on them, since he turned to the darkness once already before.
“Especially not one that handsome.” Harris had a knowing tone in his voice, and Taerwyn frowned at him.
“Just what is that supposed to mean?” The rogue was implying something, and she wasn’t sure that she wanted to acknowledge it or even think about it.
“Child, I have eyes. Anyone can see that he is young, he is attractive, he is strong, and he likes you. And with neither you or Thorven willing to make a move to break the status quo, something is going to have to give somewhere, and soon.” Harris still hadn’t looked up from his whittling, although she could see that a sword carved in miniature was beginning to take shape, with a strange lump on the other side.
Taerwyn blushed bright red as she considered the implications of his words. “That’s…” She spluttered a bit. “That is none of your business.” She was content to follow Thorven and let him keep her at a distance, as long as she was able to lend her sword to his cause. She was a paladin; she needed nothing more.
“It will be soon enough if something doesn’t happen to break the tension that’s building. If you think we can’t all feel it…” The aging rogue left it at that. “Take it from an old ladies’ man, child. I don’t think that you will be happy to wait forever for a man who only grows older in his single-minded focus on his mission.” The other side of the stick was beginning to take shape, and she saw that it was a hammer. It looked oddly like the weapon that Thorven carried.
“You don’t know that.” She bristled now, starting to get defensive. “I’m a paladin. You forget that I don’t need romance, only purpose. I have enough of that already.” She pushed off the wall and began to pace along the walkway. “Anything else gets in the way and I don’t know why you and Liana keep trying to push me into some sort of relationship I don’t want.”
Harris raised his hands in an attempt to be placating. “Sorry, Taerwyn. I don’t mean to pry. I just know what I see. I’ll stop talking about it.” He went silent and went back to his carving.
Taerwyn sighed as she hugged herself. She did not like being at odds with any of the party. “It’s… It’s okay. I do like him. Thorven, I mean, not the death knight. I like him a lot and I would, no, am following him to the ends of the earth. I guess you could call that love, of a sort. But I don’t expect anything in return. There are things that are bigger than my feelings in this world, things that are more important, and helping him to the end of his quest is one of those things.” It was the first time she had been so candid about those feelings, and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
“We all deserve some happiness, holy child.” Harris’ voice had grown soft, almost gentle. “If that is what makes you happy, then more power to you for it.” He held out the carving that he had worked on while they spoke. She could see now that half was carved as Thorven’s hammer, and the other half, she now recognized as Lothair’s sword. “Here. This is for you. Think about it.” He waited until she accepted it to start walking away.
She ran her thumb over the carved lines, and frowned. Why would he make something like this? “Thanks, I think.” She forced a smile, as she watched him walk away, and then she went back to watching the two in the courtyard below. She could be happy; she needed to be happy with her platonic love for the Cleric.
The death knight seemed to sense her gaze, and he turned his head to look up at her on the walls. His eerie blue gaze met her eyes, and he smiled faintly, almost a smirk. She choked on the sensation of her breath shortening, and then whirled. She could talk to Thorven later, when he was nowhere near Lothair. With her fist tightening around Harris’ carving, she retreated to her temporary quarters.
Title: What the Rogue Sees (a Paladin's Song segment)
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: PG
Taerwyn stood on the wall of the citadel as she stared off to the north as she always used to do. The cold and the bite of the chill wind were ignored as she leaned against the rough stone, as her attention was otherwise occupied. Her gaze had been drawn down to the courtyard below, where she could see Thorven and Lothair walking together and conversing under the moonlight. She could not hear what they were saying, but she knew Thorven well enough by now to guess at the subject from his posture and the look on his face. They had to be talking about Lothair’s past.
She frowned as she wished she could hear what was going on, and then inflated her cheeks to let out a long sigh and blow a loose strand of hair out of her face. She wasn’t going to get any answers up here, and it wasn’t like she could intrude on the private conversation. Blast her curiosity!
“It’s awfully cold tonight to be standing so still on the walls.” The voice came from behind her right shoulder, and she jumped guiltily. She wasn’t spying, not at all. She struggled to control the red in her cheeks as she turned to face Harris. Once again she was reminded of why she was glad the rogue was on her side, since she could have been dead just now if he was not.
“I know. I’m thinking.” She forced a sheepish grin and turned her back on the scene below. Despite her grin, her thoughts were of a serious nature. “Do you think someone like that can truly find redemption? Or do you think we’re making a mistake by welcoming him?”
Harris chuckled softly and ran a gloved hand through the gray hair on top of his head. “Well, holy child, I didn’t get to be this old in my profession by trusting people. But there are a few that I do trust, and Thorven is one of them. He’s proven his judgment to me time and again.”
Taerwyn frowned, wishing that she could accept the answer. It was the one that Liana had given as well, and still the young paladin was dissatisfied. “What if Thorven is making a mistake?” She hated to question the High Cleric, of all people, but something about the situation still didn’t sit right with her
“Well, we all do. It’s part of being human. That man down there has made his fair share, even if you weren’t around to see them.” Harris came to lean on the wall next to her, and she noticed now that he had a stick in one hand, and a piece of wood in the other. He was whittling something again, and she wondered what as he took up the activity again right next to her.
“I believe you.” She laughed quietly and shook her head. She found it hard to believe, but knowing the human side of him now, it was easier than it would have been even two years ago when he remained that vague heroic legend in her mind. “I just have a bad feeling about this.”
“Well, you are the second most holy of us, so it might just be that you’re picking up on Lothair’s nature. Have you brought this up with Thorven?” Harris did not look at her as he asked the question, and kept his eyes focused on his hands. It was just as well, since she did not want to be responsible for the rogue injuring his highly skilled hands.
“No… I haven’t found a chance. Well, I’ve had time and opportunity, but not the words.” She looked over her shoulder at the two below. “I mean, what do I tell him? That I don’t trust his decision?”
Harris laughed. “Child, I’ve told him that more times than I can count in this lifetime, and yet I’m still here. He respects your opinion and your ability to think for yourself, or you wouldn’t be with us. He’s not the sort of man that keeps mindless sheep this close. If you feel like there is something wrong, you need to tell him as much.”
Taerwyn nodded as she thought over these words for a little bit. “Maybe it’s not Thorven’s decision that I don’t trust. It’s more likely that I can’t trust a death knight.” That must be it. She did not trust Lothair’s background, or his methods. She had no way of knowing that he would not turn on them, since he turned to the darkness once already before.
“Especially not one that handsome.” Harris had a knowing tone in his voice, and Taerwyn frowned at him.
“Just what is that supposed to mean?” The rogue was implying something, and she wasn’t sure that she wanted to acknowledge it or even think about it.
“Child, I have eyes. Anyone can see that he is young, he is attractive, he is strong, and he likes you. And with neither you or Thorven willing to make a move to break the status quo, something is going to have to give somewhere, and soon.” Harris still hadn’t looked up from his whittling, although she could see that a sword carved in miniature was beginning to take shape, with a strange lump on the other side.
Taerwyn blushed bright red as she considered the implications of his words. “That’s…” She spluttered a bit. “That is none of your business.” She was content to follow Thorven and let him keep her at a distance, as long as she was able to lend her sword to his cause. She was a paladin; she needed nothing more.
“It will be soon enough if something doesn’t happen to break the tension that’s building. If you think we can’t all feel it…” The aging rogue left it at that. “Take it from an old ladies’ man, child. I don’t think that you will be happy to wait forever for a man who only grows older in his single-minded focus on his mission.” The other side of the stick was beginning to take shape, and she saw that it was a hammer. It looked oddly like the weapon that Thorven carried.
“You don’t know that.” She bristled now, starting to get defensive. “I’m a paladin. You forget that I don’t need romance, only purpose. I have enough of that already.” She pushed off the wall and began to pace along the walkway. “Anything else gets in the way and I don’t know why you and Liana keep trying to push me into some sort of relationship I don’t want.”
Harris raised his hands in an attempt to be placating. “Sorry, Taerwyn. I don’t mean to pry. I just know what I see. I’ll stop talking about it.” He went silent and went back to his carving.
Taerwyn sighed as she hugged herself. She did not like being at odds with any of the party. “It’s… It’s okay. I do like him. Thorven, I mean, not the death knight. I like him a lot and I would, no, am following him to the ends of the earth. I guess you could call that love, of a sort. But I don’t expect anything in return. There are things that are bigger than my feelings in this world, things that are more important, and helping him to the end of his quest is one of those things.” It was the first time she had been so candid about those feelings, and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
“We all deserve some happiness, holy child.” Harris’ voice had grown soft, almost gentle. “If that is what makes you happy, then more power to you for it.” He held out the carving that he had worked on while they spoke. She could see now that half was carved as Thorven’s hammer, and the other half, she now recognized as Lothair’s sword. “Here. This is for you. Think about it.” He waited until she accepted it to start walking away.
She ran her thumb over the carved lines, and frowned. Why would he make something like this? “Thanks, I think.” She forced a smile, as she watched him walk away, and then she went back to watching the two in the courtyard below. She could be happy; she needed to be happy with her platonic love for the Cleric.
The death knight seemed to sense her gaze, and he turned his head to look up at her on the walls. His eerie blue gaze met her eyes, and he smiled faintly, almost a smirk. She choked on the sensation of her breath shortening, and then whirled. She could talk to Thorven later, when he was nowhere near Lothair. With her fist tightening around Harris’ carving, she retreated to her temporary quarters.