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85. Schism
Tempers were running high. Kalush understood that as well as any of the others, her heart aching. The land was being torn asunder, and Nharkava was being destroyed by fighting. And yet, here she sat, wringing her hands when she thought no one was looking, and listening quite attentively to her Queen's orders. Jaenelle knew what she was doing. Kalush had to keep believing that.
The boyos' were driving them towards war. They snapped and snarled, huddled at the end of the sitting room of the Keep, glaring towards the Queens like they were the enemy. It hurt Kalush maybe more than Aaron was with them, and his dark look towards her. She found herself wanting her daughter and husband, safe and away from here. She wrapped her arms around her, staring into the flickering fire with a look on her face akin to despair.
How had this rift opened in the First Circle?
It all came back to Jaenelle's orders. The First Circle were to remain here. She had turned over the order for all of the Queens and Warlord Princes in Kaeleer to come here, but still the First Circle was caged.
And the boyos didn't like being caged. It was amazing that a real fight hadn't broken out yet. Perhaps only the instincts to protect Queens had kept them at bay this long.
"Lady Kalush," a young maid spoke up. Kalush glanced up at the call of her voice. "Your daughter... ma'am, I thought perhaps you would like to see her. She's been crying after you, Lady."
Kalush smiled sadly and nodded. "Yes, bring her in for a bit. Thank you."
It was barely a few minutes later when little Arianna came barreling into the room. She clamored into her mother's lap, wrapping little arms around her. Kalush embraced the girl, wondering how much the fighting was affecting her. Not the tension in the room, she seemed oblivious to that, but the war that swept over Kaeleer. The child seemed well enough but who was to tell if she could hear the crying of the land.
Saddened, she brushed the girl's hair away from her face. The little one was content to be held until she spotted her father.
"Papa!" she cried, flinging herself from her mother's arms and across the room. Aaron stooped to scoop the girl up and cradled her; Kalush watched his eyes close as he kissed her forehead and felt tears sheen her face. She stood and crossed to them.
"Aaron-"
"Don't." he cut her off. He took his little girl and settled her into Kalush's arms. He gave her a quite meaningful look, those gray eyes heavy with pain and anger. This schism had torn the First Circle asunder, but Kalush had faith in that moment that is was not a permanent break. This too would pass...
Tempers were running high. Kalush understood that as well as any of the others, her heart aching. The land was being torn asunder, and Nharkava was being destroyed by fighting. And yet, here she sat, wringing her hands when she thought no one was looking, and listening quite attentively to her Queen's orders. Jaenelle knew what she was doing. Kalush had to keep believing that.
The boyos' were driving them towards war. They snapped and snarled, huddled at the end of the sitting room of the Keep, glaring towards the Queens like they were the enemy. It hurt Kalush maybe more than Aaron was with them, and his dark look towards her. She found herself wanting her daughter and husband, safe and away from here. She wrapped her arms around her, staring into the flickering fire with a look on her face akin to despair.
How had this rift opened in the First Circle?
It all came back to Jaenelle's orders. The First Circle were to remain here. She had turned over the order for all of the Queens and Warlord Princes in Kaeleer to come here, but still the First Circle was caged.
And the boyos didn't like being caged. It was amazing that a real fight hadn't broken out yet. Perhaps only the instincts to protect Queens had kept them at bay this long.
"Lady Kalush," a young maid spoke up. Kalush glanced up at the call of her voice. "Your daughter... ma'am, I thought perhaps you would like to see her. She's been crying after you, Lady."
Kalush smiled sadly and nodded. "Yes, bring her in for a bit. Thank you."
It was barely a few minutes later when little Arianna came barreling into the room. She clamored into her mother's lap, wrapping little arms around her. Kalush embraced the girl, wondering how much the fighting was affecting her. Not the tension in the room, she seemed oblivious to that, but the war that swept over Kaeleer. The child seemed well enough but who was to tell if she could hear the crying of the land.
Saddened, she brushed the girl's hair away from her face. The little one was content to be held until she spotted her father.
"Papa!" she cried, flinging herself from her mother's arms and across the room. Aaron stooped to scoop the girl up and cradled her; Kalush watched his eyes close as he kissed her forehead and felt tears sheen her face. She stood and crossed to them.
"Aaron-"
"Don't." he cut her off. He took his little girl and settled her into Kalush's arms. He gave her a quite meaningful look, those gray eyes heavy with pain and anger. This schism had torn the First Circle asunder, but Kalush had faith in that moment that is was not a permanent break. This too would pass...