Ambere Chronicles Volume One: Kaurine Dawn [UNABRIDGED EDITION]

Chapter Three: Dusk's Embrace

[Wolfreach University, Frostcap Mountain Range, Halsion Reach Region, Haldios IV, 32nd of Aescadur, 5001 TE (Terran Era)]


[Cewa]

After a long day of studying in the library, trying to glean all I could about the Knights of Kaur'Ainda, in the hopes that I could, at the very least, work out how they fell, I went to the postmaster on campus, having received a notification that I had a letter to pick up. I walked up to the small kiosk in the wall, and pressed my ID card to the reader. A few seconds later, the letter was transported to the receptacle where it could be collected. I bent down and pulled out the small, thin envelope, and decided to walk back up to my dorm and actually open it once I got to my room.

A few minutes later, I sat down on my bed, and used the letter opener Boltz had gifted me 2 Frostreigns before. I pulled out the small letter inside, and read it. Then I read it again, the words not properly registering as a fog seemed to come over my mind, preventing me from comprehending the words the first time around. The second time though, the words slammed into me with the force of a collapsing mountain.


[Boltz]

I walked in the door, and saw Cewa reading a small letter on his bed.
"Hey Cewa, just got back from Wolfreach; the produce market was open, luckily for me, and I was able to get us some fresh ingredients for..." I trailed off, realising that he hadn't reacted when I walked in. I put down the bags I had been carrying, taking up the entire table, and walked over to him. That's when I realised he wasn't reading the letter... He was simply staring blankly at it. I gently grabbed it with a finger and my thumb, and surprisingly met no resistance when I tugged on it. I skimmed the letter, and felt my heart instantly plummet.
"Oh..." Was all I could muster. I laid the letter on his bed, and immediately sent a short message to Aerrin:
"Our dorm, ASAP. Important." I knew that there was nothing I could do that would help my friend right now; He needed his lover, not his best friend.

Master Zok'Aerrus,

We regret to inform you of the unfortunate passing of your grandmother, Aubriena Brightshade. You may take solace in that she passed in her sleep, warm in her bed at her residence on Thestriechai IX. We understand that this news may be difficult to hear, but we shall await your response to commence funeral rites as per the custom of your kin, be it species or familial tradition.

With sincere condolences, Agziot, Relations Director, Tribute End-life Services.

The letter was short, though polite. A couple of minutes later, Aerrin slid into the doorway, the door still wide open from when I'd walked in, and Aerrin looked out of breath as she steadied herself and rapidly walked towards us. Her face was filled with a small amount of concern and a hint of confusion, but her face bleached when I handed her the letter. I watched as she read it three times in a row to ensure she read it right, her eyes filling with tears as she did so, and then she rushed over to Cewa, where he remained in the same position, staring at nothing. Aerrin's arms closed around him, the letter flying to the foot of his bed as she let go, and Cewa seemed to animate slightly. Only enough to focus his gaze and see that Aerrin was holding him, and I was in the room a couple of metres away. His arms slowly rose and wrapped themselves around Aerrin as I nodded to him, and walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind me to give them some privacy.


[Aerrin]

I barely paid any heed to the sound of the door clicking shut as I held Cewa tightly, shifting only to sit on the bed beside him, and turn his body towards me. His arms had slipped around me, albeit slowly, as Boltz pulled the door closed, and I faintly registered that he probably did it to let us be a bit more alone. Cewa's arms slid around as far as they could go, and as they reached their greatest extent, they began to pull inwards, both pulling me slightly closer and at the same time also pulling Cewa closer to me.