Claws of Daylight

Eighteen.

"I met someone the other day. He's strong and handsome, like a hero from a legend, and he's a wizard, too. He came up here with his teacher to check on the ward. I think I somehow made an impression on him, even though I was filthy, digging in the mud for clay, and am obviously a werewolf. Maybe he'll come back to visit me again. Jack says I'm delusional, but I'd rather be delusional than grumpy like him." — from the journals of Cerridwen

~~~

Briar woke to dawn's snowy pallor and her stomach flitted.

She was getting out of here.

Hurriedly, she swung her legs out of bed, but stopped short when she heard low, muffled voices from the main room. Tiptoeing to the door, she pressed her ear to the crack.

"She's a nice girl." Sybil's voice.

"She's not Cerridwen." Rook. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed how similar she is to her," Sybil said.

There was a long pause.

"I'm not bringing her because I'm interested in her, Sybil. I'm bringing her because I need her for the job. I told you that already."

Sybil huffed out a sigh.. "I'm just saying, if something changes between you two, you can let yourself be happy again."

"You know I can't," he said.

"You can, Rook. The only thing stopping you from being happy is your own stubbornness. It's been fifteen years."

"Still not long enough." Rook's voice was gruff and short.

"When are you going to give it up?" Sybil demanded. "All this gloom and self-loathing?"

"Never."

Sybil sighed again, followed by the sound of a damp thwump. Maybe she'd thrown a dish towel at him. "Just have an open mind, will you? Don't only show her your ornery side. Lighten up a bit. It's like you've aged fifty years." Another long pause, and then Briar heard a chair scrape back. "I just love you too much to let you sabotage the rest of your life, Rook. You can let someone in again."

"I love you too," Rook said. "You know I do. But what I do with the rest of my life is not your business." The front door creaked open, letting in a howl of wind. "Please tell the princess that I'm waiting for her."

"Rook. Come on. Wait."

The door shut and Sybil growled in frustration. Loud clattering followed as she presumably stirred the morning porridge.

Briar remained there for a moment, thinking.

So, Rook had been in love with Sybil's sister. I

t was sweet of Sybil to put in a good word for her with Rook, though of course she didn't want it.

Of course I don't, she thought even as her heart fell a little.

Briar did her best to stand without making a sound, then got dressed and packed her things. Shouldering her satchel, her hand hovered over the doorknob and she glanced back at Cerridwen's room for the last time. She imagined a pretty young woman sitting cross-legged on the floor, forming her clay vessels. She imagined a young Rook sitting on the edge of the bed watching her, enamored.

"Thank you for lending me your room," Briar whispered. "I hope you found some peace, wherever you are."

And then she opened the door and left.

Sybil looked up from her daily ritual of stirring porridge and smiled brightly, though a tear stained her cheek. "The wizard told us you're going with him this time."