Trials of Life

The royal family of Marksylvania mourns over the death of loved ones, and Nolen faces a difficult decision.

23.

Trials of Life

 

Three days later there was a state funeral for Gamel and Valniai and they were laid to rest in the recently completed royal crypt of Marksylvania.    Even the weather seemed to mourn, for a dreary rain fell throughout the day, the first rainfall since the foul weather generated by the curse ended.   

It was a bittersweet time for the royal family of Marksylvania and the families related to them by marriage.    The loss of the heir to the Marksylvania throne was sobering the common people, who looked at their royalty as nearly divine.     Yet now they saw that they died tragically just like anyone else, and their elven immortality was not immunity from a tragedy.

But it was the family that hurt the worst.    For Aurei and Eleazar, Gamel’s death was another wound to hearts already stabbed by the deaths of three other children, as well as other family members.     Yet at the same time, there was a renewed sense of life, a strange hope that came from the breaking of the curse that had threatened to end their dynasty.    

It was their tight bond of family love that got them through the funeral service and interments of Gamel and Valmiai.    They all gathered together and wept and mourned as a unit, shielded and comforted by each other in their grief.     Aedric and Snoe arrived the day following their healing, accompanied by Lady Mathlyn, Lord Mattleos and his sister.    Arianelle was never so happy to spend time with her parents as she was during the days surrounding the funeral of her uncle and aunt.    They noticed her change of attitude and sudden show of deep affection toward them and counted this as one of the few blessings of this tragic time.

The various dukes, counts, earls and barons arrived and all paid their respects to Eleazar, Aurei and especially Nolen.   In spite of what she had learned about her cousin’s feelings for her, Arianelle stayed very close to her cousin’s side during those days, giving support and love that he never asked for, but seemed to be extremely grateful for.

 

***

Time seemed to pass slowly as one heals from loss, but a week later it was time for everyone to return to their various roles.    Nolen stood with his grandfather, watching with amusement and great admiration as Aurei, Amala, Snoe and Arianelle practiced their swordsmanship with blunt weapons in the royal training ground.

It was clear that the four women were related by their extremely dexterous moves.     All but Arianelle used swords in both hands, but the Sylvan princess carried a shield in her left hand which she used with as much skill as the others used their twin swords.  

They were all impressive to watch as they mock fought each other, laughing and enjoying the work-out after so many days of sadness.

“I guess I’ll have to be heading back to King’s Reach to put everything in order there,”   Nolen said to his grandfather with a bit of sadness in his voice.

“There is no hurry, Nolen.    You can take care of business from here, if you would prefer.”

“I know, grandpa, but I’m afraid that if I didn’t meet some of my father’s court they may find offense.    I imagine it will take a month or so to stabilize everything before I can return here to continue my paladin training.”

“Take what time you need, dear boy.    I think you should have someone accompany you.    Your grandmother and I have to meet with Emperor Hiote-Chi-Anak, for his son’s conversion of faith has stirred the heart of the Hutcaiah court and he sent a long message to me expressing what I feel to be genuine desire this time to learn about Yesh.”

“That’s wonderful, grandpa.   Don’t worry about me, though, I’ll be fine on my own.”

“Well, Carn and Amala have to return to their trip to the east, so they could travel with you to King’s Reach, but they need to return to East Point.”

“Grandpa, I’ll be fine without anyone there, really.”   As he spoke, the ladies joined them, having finished their sparring matches.

“What are you two discussing?”   Aurei asked as they approached.

“Nolen’s return to King’s Reach,” Eleazar answered, “I feel he should have someone with him while he’s there.    In that setting, with his parents not there, it might be more difficult than he realizes.”

“I’ll go with him.”   Arianelle immediately volunteered.

Nolen looked at his Grandfather, alarmed. “Uh… I don’t know…”

“Aria…” Eleazar began to say to her.

“Grandfather, it’s alright; all of us now know about… it.    I understand and it doesn’t bother me… really!”

“Aria, I’m still…struggling with… um…”   Nolen said to her, red faced at having to talk about such an embarrassing thing in front of not only Arianelle, but her mother, their grandparents and their Aunt Amala as well.

Arianelle reached over and took his hand. “I know that, Nolen, but I also suspect that the more you are around me, the less you’ll think so highly of me.”

Nolen looked tormented and glanced for help toward the women, especially Arianelle’s mother. “Aunt Snoe, I don’t know if this is a good idea…”

He seemed very surprised when the Sylvan queen just shrugged, “I’m not worried either, Nolen.”

“But-“

Arianelle squeezed her cousin’s hand. “Nolen, I am NOT interested in you in the same way, and I assure you that if you ever tried anything inappropriate with me, I’ll chop you into a thousand pieces.”

Everyone laughed at her statement, except for Nolen.   He believed what she said, and was certain that she could do it if he tried anything.     But he was sure that he was too terrified of doing anything like that.    It was the thoughts and fantasies that worried him more.     Even if that was all that remained, it would taint him as a paladin.

“Aria, I don’t know if having you around me when I’m struggling to deal with my parents’ deaths is proper.    I have a perversion toward you-“

“Perversion?”   Aurei interrupted, finding distaste at the term, “Nolen, you are overstating your problem.    It isn’t a perversion.”

“Grandma, she’s my cousin!”

“Yes, but there are many cousins who marry.”

“But that is sick!”

“Child, Yesh never forbid that.   In all the restrictions that he made on relationships in his teachings, he never prohibited cousins from marrying.”

Nolen was surprised at her words and glanced to Eleazar.    The king conceded to his wife’s statement with a nod, but clearly the thought bothered him.

“Still, grandma, I don’t want to put Aria in danger.”

Arianelle snorted. “You’re not going to put me in danger, Nolen.   If you lay a hand on me, I’ll beat the temptation right out of you.    You’re my cousin and I love you, but that is all that you are going to ever be.   I think I can cure you of this obsession by spending more time with you.   In a month’s time, you’ll just look at me the same way I look at you.”

Nolen slowly shook his head. “I don’t know…”

“Aria, if Nolen is uncomfortable with you around, you shouldn’t make him worse,”   Eleazar suggested.

“Grandpa, I think he needs me around him.    We’re almost the same age and we’ve been through quite a bit together this past week.    If I go back to Tarmard and he goes back to King’s Reach, he might start thinking about me in a stupid fantasy.    Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say.    Familiarity breeds contempt is another saying.   The more he is around me, the quicker he’ll realize that the real me is nothing like what he has imagined and he’ll be cured.”

“That sounds ridiculous to me, child,”   Eleazar told her.

“I disagree, grandpa.   The more people are around me, the less they like me.   Trust me, it’s true.    Just ask my mom.”

Snoe just rolled her eyes, “Sweetheart, the final decision should rest with Nolen.”

Arianelle looked at her cousin with raised eyebrows, “Well?   Do you want to get over this stupid infatuation so we can just be cousins again?   I guarantee that you will, if you let me come with you back to King’s Reach.   We’ll be bickering and arguing with each other in a week’s time and you’ll be glad when the month’s over.”

He had to smile at her self-recrimination, “You had better be right.   I don’t want to be uncomfortable around you for the rest of my life.”

“So you’ll let me go with you?”

“Yeah… I guess so… Yesh have mercy on my soul.”