Sisters Three (Completed)

20. Morna (2/2)

Morna screwed her lips up, but couldn't find it within herself to lie to him. She fixed her eyes on her knee while she spoke. "It's the water. You know what it does when it is too near, but it also haunts me when it is too far. My body and mind revolt." She didn't want to tell him of the hours of agony she forced herself through as a child to try and break the water's control. She didn't want to tell him that if it took them too long to arrive at the Pyrus, she'd most likely end up rejecting anything in her stomach and develop a fever. He could do nothing to help her, and Brenna's words from the day before still reverberated in her mind. No one wanted the burden that came with knowing everything about her water call.

Afton pulled up close, so close that the sides of his horse brushed against Morna's feet. His knee occasionally tapped against her leg, and Morna's mouth ran dry. With so many men around them, he didn't dare actually reach for her, but she felt the sympathy in his gaze. She looked at him through the shield of her hair, wishing that they could return to the forest around the gardens.

"Since we're leaving water behind us, you're getting sick?" he asked, his voice pitched low so that no one would overhear them.

Morna nodded.

"Do you think you can make it to the river?" he asked. "I can try and think of a reason to reroute our path by a smaller river first, if you'd like."

"No! That's incredibly thoughtful, but I'd rather just ride it out until we reach the Pyrus," she said, leaving out that she'd more than likely be even sicker when she'd have to lock herself in a hold on the boat taking them across the river. "Don't worry about me. I've been fighting this all my life, so honestly it's just another day."

Afton shook his head. "That shouldn't be," he muttered. "It isn't fair that you should have this happen to you when you've done nothing to deserve it."

Morna shrugged. "No use bemoaning it. I only ask that if I take a turn for the worse that you won't tell Robbin or your father the real reason. Say I caught something from one of servants at Grand House, or that I ate some bad meat. I don't want them knowing about the water call."

"I wish I could say that they would understand, but I think your idea is best," Afton said. "My brother and father rarely have time for anything but this war. Anything that hampers them or disrupts their plans is often dealt with harshly. Not to mention the fact that they are not the sort to try and understand anything that is not plain and simple."

"My aunts nearly fainted on the spot when they found out, and I'm just imagining your father doing the same."

Afton chuckled. "He'd probably come very close."

As a gentle pause developed in their conversation, a sudden thought occurred to Morna bringing with it a chill down her spine. "If your father found out about my affliction, do you think he would bar Robbin from marrying Brenna? There's animosity between Robert and my sister already, and I would be forever ashamed if I were the one to snatch her chance away."

Afton chewed on the inside of his cheek, his eyes shifting to stare at his father's far-away back. Morna waited for his answer, but it was a while yet before he opened his mouth.

"There is no love lost between my father and Robbin. They've never been close, and I doubt if my father would have kept him if Robbin's mother hadn't made him swear to protect Robbin on her deathbed. Their only common ground is this war and their determination to win it. My father generally couldn't care less what my brother does outside of the war, but who our wives will be seems to fall under his jurisdiction. He wants our royal blood to be strengthened, even if his own and Robbin's are only royal by marriage. So, I think perhaps we should just endeavor to keep your sickness as quiet as we can until the union is solidified," he said. "The only thing letting your sister marry Robbin at this moment is that my father likes the idea of the army she might bring him. It wouldn't take much for him to decide to suddenly care for Robbin's future, though."

"What do you think about our siblings' approaching marriage?" Morna asked.

Afton shrugged slowly. "I don't know what to think about it, honestly. Robbin didn't tell any of us his plans beforehand, so we're still a little in shock."

"Brenna chose not to confide, either." Morna paused. "In case your family thinks we were conspiring to have Brenna and Robbin marry, my aunts and I were just as a surprised as you." They had been planning after Afton himself, but thankfully he would have no way of ever knowing that. Somehow, Morna couldn't bear it if he suspected them of scheming after the power his position might bring them.

"I don't accuse you," Afton said. "I know my brother well enough to realize he'd be cooking up some new strategy. He no doubt knew Father wouldn't sanction it, and that's why he waited until he could announce it in front of a large audience."

"That sounds like Brenna as well." Morna sighed. "I just wish I could understand why she wouldn't tell me. Surely she must know that I wouldn't scold her or betray her confidence."

"Don't dwell on it too much. They had their reasons and there's a good chance they'll never tell us what it was that kept them from informing their families before making it public."

Only, Morna had a sinking feeling she knew exactly why Brenna had kept quiet—and he was riding right next to Morna.

Morna looked ahead to where Brenna rode a few feet to one side of her fiancé. She must have tired of trying to draw attention, for she was now sulking quietly. Even though she rode next to Robert and Robbin, it was as if she were miles away. She barely looked at them and they didn't include her in their conversations, so she adjusted herself in her saddle as she evidently already began to feel the consequences of dressing for beauty rather than function. Brenna's figure looked lonesome even while being surrounded completely by her future countrymen.

"Are they in love, do you think?" Morna asked. "Maybe we're doing them a disservice to assume they're merely marrying for power or a political move. Perhaps they fell in love and want to keep each other close during this war that your family is fighting."

Afton's shoulders rose and fell as he breathed in deeply. He inspected Brenna and Robbin's backs with a thoughtful expression. The pause stretched until Afton turned back to Morna.

"My brother wouldn't marry for love," he said, simply.

Morna's heart sank, though she couldn't say she was surprised. Robbin was not a romantic man.

Afton continued. "I hope Brenna knows that about him. I don't want him to break her heart."

"There's no harm of that," Morna replied. "Brenna's not the type to give away her heart to a person."

No, Brenna was in love with something else entirely.