A Crown Of Blades(ARTK, Book 3)

Chapter 107-108

  Juhna 24th,3330 A.G

 
  Maude had never laughed so much in a single day; nor had she thought it to be possible. It'd started simply enough; her and Tuyon and Uwen had been the only to eat in the great hall and all were in the habit of making polite conversation- only with them it were never polite. It were of blood, of the battles they'd been through and the worst things they'd seen.

  Somehow they'd circled back to the Sharenian battle, and to how Maude had silently moved up the hill on her stomach. It'd taken a very long time, she reminded them- but they were still amused by it, and so they'd spent the first half of their day recreating the action on stone instead of attending to any duties.

  And on stone in the middle of a relatively peaceful month .... It appeared as if something were seriously wrong with all of them. They'd gotten more than one stare, but when a woman carting three kids around looked both horrified and confused- Maude lost it. They didn't stop, of course.

  Maude still had much to teach. And Uwen finally broke, laughing so hard Tuyon thought he may have to knock the younger man out so he would breathe.

  Walking just by them, too focused to notice- were Eudo. The pain in his stump were still there, of course- but it were becoming more and more tolerable. Walking were still difficult; especially through the woods as he'd just done, but he were growing used to it. Giselle's craft had been incredible; truly the first of it's kind, and he'd decided he would spend the rest of his life making sure the world knew it.

  Going down the steps outside of the main entrance had been easy- going up turned out to be anything but. Even with the walking stick he'd hated to use, but that Ysmen had recommended for at least the first few months- he stumbled.  Andruche, stationed at the front door- moved to help him but were swiftly denied.

  He would never grow used to this new body if he were to constantly allow help. Rising alone took the better part of sixty moments, but he did it- and then Andruche were stopping him before he could go in.

  "Your friend is here again." He said. "In the sitting room beside the main entrance. She said it's very important."

  Eudo frowned. He hadn't expected to see Arabella again for a very long time; with the directions their lives pulled them in. He did not mind, of course.... From the way his heart beat and speaking suddenly became difficult.

  "Did she.... Say what she wanted?" Eudo asked.

  Andruche only shook his head. "I told her where you'd gone and... now she is waiting in the sitting room to the right."

  Eudo slightly nodded, took the few steps necessary to be inside and hesitated just before that open door. What could possibly be so-

  Then there were her footsteps, her face peeking out from behind the door- and he forgot what he'd been thinking of. She threw her arms around him first, and he hugged her back- though a bit slower and with less strength.  He did not pull away until she did; did not get a good look at her until then.

  She wore her hair up and the simpler clothing that would make her work at the inn a little easier; and had gained a little around her waist and everywhere else. It were the good kind that came from eating enough food to function for multiple weeks, and on her.........

  He had to think of dead babies and what'd happened to House Ashhand to ensure his body didn't betray his thoughts.

  "You're walking better now." Were the first thing she said, dispensing with the greetings. He did not mind; in Dedor it were something only done when one knew a person well.