The Taming

We'll Comfort You

"You look morose today." Rhyers remarked to Elsabet as he wandered into the solar. "Sebastian had said you were in a kindly mood when he last saw you this morning."

"Time to think." She said plainly. Shooting him a cursory glance. "Since when do you come up here?"

"I was looking for you. Sebastian said you might be up here." Rhyers sat in the chair near the window. She was in the window seat. Allowing the morning sun to pour over her as if she wanted to soak up every drop. "After seeing the pain you were in that last time I was here, I wanted to check in on you."

He referred to when she'd thrown herself into his arms in the library.

She flushed slightly. "It wasn't pain. It was anger."

Rhyers scoffed. "You may have Bast fooled into believing how hateful you can be, but I'm not so easily deceived."

She cast him a blank look.

"Don't look at me like you don't know what I'm talking about." He leaned forward to brace his elbows on his knees. "I've lived too long and seen too much pain, to fail to recognize anguish when I see it."

"And if it were?" She quirked a blonde brow. "What would you have me do about it?"

"I can't make him let you go." Rhyers said flatly. "Lord knows I've tried to persuade him. But..."

He studied a point on the floor before deciding to say it outright. "I know you love him too. So you can either sit in this blasted castle feeling burdened and alone and being bitter or you can let the man that wants to help you with your burdens and your loneliness do so. You could take him for the difficult, complicated man that he is and enjoy yourself a bit."

"It is something I haven't tried."

Rhyers sighed. "I think you're missing the point. If you're going to just let things be, don't do it with that goal in mind, it'll only hurt you more. Sebastian is a complicated man. He has layers, many of which are nearly impossible to scrape through, but one thing I do know about him is that if he fixes on something, really puts his mind to it, he'll never relent."

"You say that like you have an example?"

"Do you know the tale when he gave up on praying for your safety."

She crossed her arms over herself. Staring out into the rainbows of light playing over the bailey. "I believe, perhaps, that your alpha mentioned it in the past. But if you merely wish to tell me Sebastian's merits. Please don't, not right now."

Rhyers sat back in his chair, giving her a thoughtful study but remained silent.

She rolled her eyes sideways. Giving an exaggerated groan. "Fine. Tell me. Since you're clearly intent on sitting there glowering at me until you do."

"He told the alpha, that he couldn't lose any more of his brothers. He'd grown tired of the sorrow and grief and praying for help."

She blinked dully at Rhyers.

"So he decided that day, to take on looking out for all of us. To ensure that no more died." Rhyers leaned forward as if confiding a deep secret to her. "And once he began that mission, he's never stopped."

"And did he succeed?"

Rhyers sighed. "Total success would be impossible. Many of us left for the Isles, or Ferus, and those were too far away for him to reach in their time of need."

"Could he hear them?" She asked seriously. Imagining that listening to someone die and knowing she could do nothing about it, would be excruciating.

"I don't know." Rhyers sighed. Looking uncomfortable. "But it is my fear as well, that he could."

She grimaced. "That would be beyond dreadful."

"Yes." Rhyers agreed. "It would."

"But for everyone else who did remain in his vicinity, he has been the godsend which he himself had given up on. We were dying in vast numbers each year, but since he took on being the guardian of all, Radix has had to fight tooth and nail for every kill."

"As Sebastian has for every save." She added bitterly.

"Also, true." Rhyers didn't bother to deny it. His brows lifted as understanding dawned. "Is that why you wish to be free so badly?"

"What?" She rolled her eyes to glance at him. Looking annoyed at his mere existence. Much more, the question he'd dared to ask.

"Because you think if you were out there to watch his back, perhaps he would not suffer such misery?"

Elsabet's mouth tightened but she said nothing. Merely averting her attention back out the window.

"It's clear you have no intention of responding to my question." Rhyers rose. "Which leaves me to my own assumptions."

"Assume what you will." She dismissed. Unable to be goaded.

"It comes down to the simplest thing, Elsabet. And that's what you must consider. If he intends to keep you here, do you wish to spend every moment hating him for it. Or do you want to enjoy the time you do have together until he does either free you or get himself killed?"

"I think the reality of his death is nearer than any of you seem to think."

"I think we can't even stand to imagine him not being around."

Elsabet grunted. Twisting side to side as she stared out the window. As if whatever she felt had become too much for her to remain still.

"I didn't mind you know." He remarked from the doorway.

She gave him a quiet look.

"Comforting you when your world crumbled down."

"Don't think that I would be yours." Elsabet said harshly.

"I don't." Rhyers said. "I wouldn't consider it. What I do think is that you've become much like a sister to me. And watching you wounded was dreadful. My point was that I doubt any of us would mind being there for you when it's all overwhelming."

The sincerity in his tone left his intention without question.

"I doubt Mardichi would agree with you." She said doubtfully.

"Ha!" Rhyers guffawed. "Don't let the big brute fool you! He's the biggest kitten of us all."

The corners of her mouth twitched.

Rhyers left, heading back toward the luxuries of Rhyers Manse.