mail call

[illgotten]

    Niko. It's become a litany, a charm to soothe himself to sleep of nights. Niko, come home to me, come home.     By now he no longer believes in it. There was no word of farewell, no word in the months since then. Niko is gone; has left him, as if after all it meant nothing. He should never have let himself be convinced otherwise

Comments

[cywyllog]

It's only a few moments later when she gathers her shawl and follows him, quiet as always.

"Mordred?" Just loud enough so he knows she's there. "Are you all right?"

[cywyllog]

"I do not what?" She prods gently.

[illgotten]

A long pause. "I don't know."

[cywyllog]

Cywyllog sighs again and lets that particular matter drop.

"Well, you are right. I am not. Not jealous, anyway."

[illgotten]

Spoken before he thinks: "So what are you?"

[cywyllog]

Softly, "Hurt, I suppose."

[illgotten]

He winces a little, sets his hands on the fence rail again and stares at them. "I didn't know. About you, or-- anything, really."

[cywyllog]

"So you keep telling me. I believe I get the point by now." Still softly. "I cannot imagine I was all that important to you, then."

[illgotten]

"That's not fair, damn it, how do I answer that? No, darling, of course you are, can't think how I didn't know you at once. God! Don't tell me what you can't imagine, woman. You're the one who knows."

[cywyllog]

That gets her to look at him, voice slightly strengthened. "You expect that I know what you thought about me? Well, I am sorry but your feelings were rarely a topic of conversation."

[illgotten]

And now, now his tone is gentler. "What about yours?"

[cywyllog]

"They were not usually discussed either."

[illgotten]

"Wedded bliss."

[cywyllog]

She looks back out straight ahead, twisting a lock of hair in her fingers. "It was a political marriage, Mordred. What would you expect?"

[illgotten]

He laughs a little. "I'd expect your father to hold out for somebody better, frankly."

[cywyllog]

"Actually, I think as far as my father is concerned, there was not much better to be done." She shrugs slightly. "To be honest, he is rather proud of me."