Aliel

Chapter 25

I walked into the dining room, and saw Lorien and Varen seated at the dining table. They stopped talking the moment they saw me, and Lorien stood up carefully, a subdued look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Claresa. Varen has brought to my attention that I have spoken thoughtlessly. I would never, ever, put our baby in danger, and I certainly wouldn't use it as a weapon. I hope that you can forgive me." He looked at me so remorsefully; I forgave him right then and there.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," I sobbed, the tears finally coming out. Lorien put his arms around me and held me close, and I knew that we were going to be alright.

"It's alright, Claresa, I think I deserved it. Of course you wouldn't want to hear any of what I was saying."

"But it is an intriguing notion," Varen said. My worry rose up again. If Varen took his side, then I knew I didn't stand a chance. "Of course, the child would need training before any kind of confrontation would be feasible, and-"

"No," I said. I had to have my say now, before Varen's logic broke my arguments down. "There will be no confrontation. There will be no training. My baby will not be used as a weapon!"

"We are not talking about using your baby, we are talking about preparing it for the inevitable. If it is known that there is a person that could rival this being, do not think that it will go unnoticed and unchallenged. Do not worry, Claresa, your child would have the best teachers and instructors, and would be perfectly safe in elven land."

"No, I will not listen to this. My baby will not be put into a position where it would have to fight the hybrid. It will not be trained, it will not even be told about your insane ideas. And I will not go with you to elven land, unless you both give me your word that this is the last time we speak of it."

"Claresa, please, be reasonable," Lorien said, a look of panic crossing his face. "You can't think of staying here, it would be too dangerous!"

"And what kind of danger would our baby be put in if I go with you? You would raise it up believing that defeating the hybrid was its only purpose, that that is the only reason it exists!"

"No, Claresa, no we wouldn't. We would still raise our baby, together, with love and care. I've told you before that children are very precious to elves, we would never be so uncompassionate."

"Well you seem very uncompassionate right now, talking about it as if it was just a thing to be trained up to do what you wish! I will not allow it! And I will stay here, if I must, to protect my baby."

"Claresa, you are overreacting," Varen said, speaking slowly, as if I was a child that needed to be reminded of my manners. "There is no need to be so-"

"Oh, am I? Am I overreacting? Maybe to you, but to me I am perfectly justified in making my feelings clear. I say again, I will not go with you if you insist on this."

I glared at them, daring them to continue. They exchanged looks, and it made me even angrier. Why couldn't they understand? Why did they want my baby to be in danger? I didn't want to argue with them anymore. In fact, I didn't want to talk to them at all, unless it was to give me their word that they wouldn't speak of it ever again.

"Perhaps you both need time to come to your senses. If you'll excuse me, I need to make breakfast."

"Claresa-"

"I don't want to hear any more, Lorien. Unless you want to tell me that you've decided to put these crazy notions out of your head, I don't want to hear it."

I walked away into the kitchen, and began cooking. Neither of them followed me, and I was glad. I think I needed some time too, to calm down. I'd never been so angry in my life, and I didn't like it one bit. But I had to make sure that my baby would be safe. And if staying here and being separated from my Aliel and one of my dearest friends was what it took, then so be it.

The rest of the day there was a strained silence whenever I and one of the elves were in the same room. Neither of them spoke to me, and I despaired that they would never change their minds. Varen left sometime after lunch to buy supplies for the journey to Valenass. Lorien had been employed by Adeem in mixing batter and dough. I stayed up front in the shop most of the time.

Dinner time was even more awkward, and when bed time came around, Lorien stayed in the dining room with Varen for the night. Sleeping in the bed was much more comfortable, but I kept waking up, wondering why Lorien wasn't there, then remembering and tearfully trying to fall back asleep.

Had I made a mistake? Would this always be between us, always driving us apart? I believed that I was in the right. But that didn't give me much comfort in my empty room.

The next day was filled with more cold silence, and I almost broke down and made amends several times. But then I would place a hand over my stomach where my baby was steadily growing, and my resolve confirmed itself once more.

That night as I lay awake, there was a soft knock on my door. When I opened it there was Lorien, his green and gold-flecked eyes glowing softly in the dark hallway.

"May I come in?" he asked quietly, and I nodded, closing the door behind him. He stood next to my bed, and I went and sat down on it, looking up at him. "I've come to tell you that... I cannot put what I believe is real and true out of my head. Now, wait, just hear me out. I can't tell you that I don't still believe that our child could be the key to defeating this new enemy. I cannot lie to you like that. But I can tell you that I will not act on these beliefs in any way, if that remains your wish. Claresa, I don't want us to be at odds anymore. It hurts me to see you so upset, so angry, and so sad. I want us to be together again. You are my Aliel. We shouldn't be apart like this. So... can you accept this compromise?"

I thought about it. I understood their reasoning, I did, and I was actually proud of Lorien for sticking to what he believed, and not lying to me. And he was promising not to act on them, if that was what I wanted. It was.

"I think that I can," I said. It wasn't exactly what I had been hoping for, but it was the closest thing that I thought we could get to. "But... what about Varen?"

"She has also agreed to this compromise. Then... you'll come with us, to Valenass?" I nodded. "And we can go back to talking now?" I smiled at him.

"I'd like that."

"Then... can I kiss you now?" I laughed quietly.

"I'd like that, too." He kissed me gently, than sat down on the bed next to me, his arm around me.

"Oh, you'll love Valenass, Claresa. It's so beautiful... I really can't describe it, you just have to see it."

"I can't wait."

I really couldn't. Our tales contained many descriptions of the elven lands, and I wondered which of them were true. Was it a lattice of rivers? A dense forest or jungle? Open meadows? I'd just have to wait and see.