To Bind in Blood

Chapter 47 | End

A week after the Lord Father's burial, the streets of Black Vale were alive with celebration.

Jurion had wrestled with the appropriateness of the occasion so soon after his father's death, as they were technically still in mourning, but eventually he realized the people needed it. There was plenty to celebrate: there was no war, the Great Lord had taken a wife, and the Lord Father was home with his Creator and reunited with his wife and son.

Their wedding feast had marked the beginning of the week of festivities, and now halfway through, Jurion found it both exhausting and freeing. The court and council had assembled only once, and Jurion hoped they would continue to leave him and Wrell alone so they both could rest. Still, it was difficult to find rest when there were so many people about and things happening.

Currently they were in the stables, had slipped away after the afternoon meal and successfully avoided running into anyone they knew. The stables were blissfully quiet, the stablehands and grooms granted permission to go into town and join the celebration.

They walked the corridors, greeting horses as they passed, until they arrived at Resi and Issar's neighboring stalls. They situated themselves on the bench in front, their backs against the wood. Jurion leaned back and breathed in the scent of horses, wood, leather, and hay. He knew Wrell was doing the same thing.

"We are becoming old," he said. "This is what my parents would do when they were trying to escape their children and the officials that were always chasing after them with problems and paperwork."

"I think it is an honor to be likened to your parents." There was something wishful and lonely about her statement. Perhaps because she had never had parents to call her own.

"Yes, you are right." His parents had been good people, and he missed them. By the blood, he missed them.

Wrell reached for his hand, sensing his sadness. "He would not want us to grieve for too long."

Jurion sighed, taking her hand and holding it tightly. "He would not."

"There you are." He recognized his sister's voice before she came into view. She rounded the corner, a sly smile creeping across her face as she took in Jurion and Wrell sitting side by side, fingers intertwined. "Stealing a moment alone, are we?"

Jurion merely raised his brows, while Wrell gave a small smile.

"You cannot leave me to bear so much responsibility again," Eira continued, planting herself on the bench opposite theirs. "I have so much to do already, and when the council is not with you, Jurion, they like to harass me."

"There is no escaping the council," Jurion said with a mixture of exasperation and fondness.

"Then I wish you a long life, lord-brother-if not for your sake, then for mine. And produce some heirs eventually so I never have to take your job again."

Now he wasn't sure whether to laugh or scold Eira for speaking in such a way. Wrell was unbothered; he felt her amusement at their sibling banter and knew she was not annoyed or embarrassed by Eira's intrusion and remarks. She was used to Eira's unfiltered tongue, after all.

"What have you come to find us about?"

"I do not want to disturb you."

"Your presence here speaks otherwise," he said dryly.

"We have time, Eira," Wrell said, content to sit and listen where Jurion was not. Yes, she would make a wise and patient Great Lady. Far more patient than him.

"I won't stay long," Eira said with a glance at Jurion. "I only wanted to see how you were doing. Everything has happened so quickly, I feel I have barely had time to process it all. Your binding. The empress. General Cicerus. Father." Eira looked down at her feet, then back up at Jurion and Wrell. "He was so happy for you two, you know."