by Dane Bagley
Though Terrence did not sleep particularly late in the morning he did sleep longer than he was used to. He lay in his comfortable bed reflecting on how different it was than sleeping on the ground. He had no idea what this day would bring and wasn’t particularly interested in finding out any time soon. He assumed that with the apartment so quiet that Daxton must still be sleeping. If he was needed, Aiden would be by. Half an hour later he arose. The breakfast that had been laid out was not so warm as it had been earlier but it was sumptuous none the less. He then wandered around and saw that Daxton and Aiden were gone. Jashion still slept.
Terrence felt restless. He had not felt so in his life. He felt worthless and useless sitting in a comfortable home with food placed before him. He did not entirely dislike the luxury, but on the whole, he was miserable. Perhaps if he had company to talk to it would have helped. But, Aiden and Daxton were gone and doing something, and he was not.
It was nearly noon before Jashion awoke. More food had been brought for lunch and Jashion breakfasted upon that. Terrence ate his lunch while Jashion ate his breakfast. There was some silence between them. The outburst on the way to Cardsten from Terrence and the strange uncomfortable evening, the night before, had left them both still out of sorts.
Finally, Jashion broke the silence, “Where is they?”
Terrence shrugged.
“Did Aiden return last night?”
“I don’t know,” said Terrence, not looking at him.
“When did Daxton leave?”
“I don’t know. They were both gone when I awoke.”
“Did ye just awake?”
“No, I’ve been up for some time. Sitting here in silence is all I’ve done today.”
A gentle knock came at the door.
Terrence and Jashion looked at each other. Terrence got up and opened the door. Tira stood there, alone. Terrence stood there and stared at her strangely. It was daylight, Tira’s long brown hair was braided and her outfit made her look different enough that Terrence didn’t immediately place her. Something about her eyes were so familiar though. He stared at them until Tira smiled.
“May I come in?”
“Oh, yes.” Terrence’s heart began to beat a little faster.
Terrence did not leave room for her to walk by him and into the apartment. She took a small step forward and looked up at Terrence, smiling slightly again.
“Tira.”
“Yes.”
“You…look different…today.”
“Oh…”
“Come in.”
“…okay.”
“Hi, Jashion.”
“Hello, Tira. Good morning, it is.”
“Yes, it was. It’s not morning anymore. Did you just get up?”
“I did, not long before, and now I’m just eating me breakfast, I am.” Jashion smiled awkwardly.
“I’ve been up a while, but I wasn’t sure what to do. Jashion was sleeping and the others are gone.”
“Yes, I think that Mirinda and Tasha were anxious. I thought that I’d give you some time to rest from your journey. Was the rest nice?”
“Very,” said Jashion.
“Good,” said Tira. “When you’re ready, I thought I’d take you for a fitting for more clothing.”
“I’m ready,” said Terrence.
“Thank ye, I’ll be ready soon.”
Jashion disappeared to his room and Tira and Terrence looked at each other silently for a few moments.
“How do you like it here?” asked Tira pleasantly.
Terrence looked sullen. He shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think that we will be staying long, though.”
Tira looked at him curiously.
“I mean, we’re hunters. It’s nice to rest up a bit, and you and your friends have been great, but this isn’t our kind of life here. For all I know, Aiden may come back and say, ‘let’s go.’ And we’ll be off. There is nothing holding us here.”
“Oh,” said Tira. “But…”
“No, I mean it is nice here. I like it, in its way, and I wouldn’t mind staying for a little while. I guess, we’re getting some new clothes so maybe we’ll stay for a few weeks, I don’t know.”
Jashion came in the room. “I’m ready.”
The threesome left and Jashion and Terrence learned how to be fitted with clothing. Neither of them appreciated the violation of their personal space. Both were happy to return back home. Mirinda and Aiden were sitting in the living room when they entered.
Mirinda looked stunning. She was in a very short red dress. So short, in fact, that all Terrence saw were legs as he walked into the room, with her right leg neatly crossed over her left. The effect was unpleasant for Terrence. His light blush and looking away did not go unnoticed by Tira.
“How’d it go?” Mirinda asked Tira.
“Fairly well,” she answered with a smile.
“You must’ve had your hands full,” said Aiden.
“Where’ve you been?” asked Terrence looking straight at Aiden and trying to ignore Mirinda.
“I’ve joined the military.”
“What?” said Terrence.
Jashion looked over and narrowed his eyes.
“You sound like you enlisted as some kind of a scrub, dear,” interjected Mirinda. “He has a post under General Malright. He is his understudy. It won’t be long and Aiden will be a general himself. Frankly, I think Malright will get you promoted and away from him as soon as possible. He knows the better man when he sees him, and I’m sure he doesn’t want you to be commanding more attention than himself.”
Terrence looked at Mirinda as she spoke. Her eyes were so much like Aiden’s—they commanded so much attention and respect. He began to understand the way that women looked at Aiden; they were all so in awe of this perfect masculine specimen. For Terrence, he struggled to get past Mirinda’s feminine perfection. Her black hair was curled and hanging on her shoulder. This perfect black on perfect red gave such a powerful impression. Then, those eyes with such a pretty face, and lipstick that matched her dress. He unconsciously dropped his eyes from her presence and once again they met with her legs. Again, it was too much for him. He looked back at Aiden as she finished.
“Aiden?” Jashion said, but couldn’t complete any further question.
“So, that’s it,” said Terrence, “one minute we are coming to see Cardsten and the next we’re joining up; we’re all in. I guess we should go back to, ‘The Dragon’s Lair,’ and celebrate. Might as well sing up to the dragon; if Aiden’s on Cardsten’s team then the dragon has won.”
Aiden stared at Terrence but showed no emotion. Mirinda looked disgusted.
“What’s your problem?” asked Mirinda.
Terrence was steaming up inside. He didn’t have additional words at this time.
Jashion stammered, “We’ve never spoken on this, we haven’t. Why’d you not wake us an’ speak with us this morning. We’ve thought our time here short, we did.”
“Where’s Daxton?” asked Terrence, looking at Mirinda.
“Did he not get your permission, either?” she said sarcastically.
“Terrence,” said Tira from behind. Terrence turned. “I’m afraid that Daxton will not be returning. He and Tasha have agreed to wed, and he has been given a very powerful position by Tasha’s father. I’m sure that we will get together soon with them and he can tell you all about it. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you before.”
Terrence felt the ground slipping from beneath him. Marcus was dead and Daxton was gone; gone to this place that was becoming revolting to him. Aiden was his friend and mentor and here he was ensnared by this…she-devil, dressed in fiery red. He thought that he was on a quest, in part to fight off the evil creatures of this world. His friends were joining the dragon’s team; they were joining the enemy and it hadn’t taken even a day. A couple of pretty faces, and that’s it, games over, new plan now.
Tira watched Terrence’s face. She could sense the pain.
“Give me a day or two and I�
�m sure that I can secure posts for both of you. We can’t just free load on these kind ladies who have been taking care of us. Daxton has work and so do I. You’ll need positions soon, too.”
“Aiden,” said Jashion, “do ye want me to join the military with ye. Is this what ye would ask of me?”
“Yes, it is, my friend.”
“Then I will.”
“Good. Thank you.”
“I will not!” said Terrence defiantly. This is not the right course of action. I will not be a part of defending Dromreign.
“There are other options, Terrence,” said Tira.
“You are not obligated to stay with us, Terrence,” said Aiden. “I would not have left you in the wilderness without protection. But you are a man now. I could use your strength and skill with me in the military, but that is up to you. If you choose a different path, then so be it. I will always respect you and consider you a great friend.”
Reality was beating upon him but he was not able to absorb it. Tira walked up close to him and put her arm around his. He was mostly numb, but he looked at her and waited for what would come next.
“Would you walk me home, Terrence?”
He nodded his assent and they left together without saying another word. It would be a block or two before either would speak.
“There are many positions that a man of your strength and understanding could acquire. Daxton will be very powerful here in his new position. He could get you involved with Tasha’s family business. They are very powerful and have many options available. I could use my influence with my family to help you also. You don’t have to directly fight against those who fight the dragon. We are more than that, here. You could do anything and be anything that you like. I don’t want you to do anything that makes you unhappy.”
“But stay here I must?”
“No. I didn’t say that.”
There was a significant pause.
“But, I hope that you stay.”
“Why?”
There was a look of pain in her eyes.
“That hurt’s, Terrence.”
“I feel trapped. I feel alone in the world. We were a band of brothers, even when I lost my true brother. Now, they have all taken their own paths, and I want another. I don’t believe that I can be home here. I’m not happy here, and I don’t want to be happy here. I don’t want it to grow on me. I don’t want to be okay with what is okay here. And I don’t want to help that dragon, or even to act like I’m helping it. I want out of here. I think that you are beautiful and kind. You have been a friend when every other friend has deserted me. But you are of Cardsten and I find everything repulsive about this place.”
He looked over and tears were lightly rolling down her cheeks.
“What did I say?”
She shook her head and said, “nothing.”
“Would you leave with me, then?”
Tira looked up, confused.
“Go away with me?”
“Where?”
“To Agedon.”
“To Agedon?” she said, hardly believing her ears. “Who else would go?
“Perhaps, no one.”
“The two of us alone, but…”
“We would wed before we leave. I’ll stay for two more weeks as we plan and carry out the wedding. Then we’ll go. If Agedon is filled with fools as you suppose, then we will return and I will make this our home, and I will be happy. But, if they are not fools and there is truth to what they say, then would you stay with me there?”
Tira’s arm was around Terrence’s arm as they walked. She had initially squeezed a little tighter, but at this point her arm hung looser.
“You don’t know what you ask. Agedon is hated by my people, by my family. I don’t think that they would let me leave. They hunt down and imprison those that defect. I…I don’t know if it would be possible, even if I wanted to…”
“You don’t have to go Tira. I am leaving, and I may return but only if Agedon is as Cardsten describes it. I will not stay here, at least not until I have seen Agedon for myself.”
“I don’t understand. One minute you would marry me, and the next you would leave me forever to see if you like Agedon better. And if I am to marry you, then I must leave with you and say goodbye to all of my family, friends, and the great life that I have here. And go to a place which I have hated since birth, to become my own sworn enemy. I do not even know if you love me. I see no evidence that you do. You seem to only see the world through your own eyes. You’ve abandoned your own family to leave on a quest. Then, when your friends find a place and women that they love and choose to settle down, you are ready to abandon them forthwith. You tell a girl, who loves you, that you will marry her but only if she too will leave everything and do what you want. Do you not see that there are others in this world? That people care for you, but may not see all things as you do? The world does not revolve around you.”
“I’m sorry Tira, but I must do what I feel is right. My conscious will not allow me to join in when I feel it to be wrong. You are right, though; I am too rash. I have spoken of wedding you and I have not even kissed you. I do not know you and your world, and then I ask you to leave it all. I will take a few days to consider everything more fully. But, I do not take back my proposal. If you would have me, then I would marry you and I would care for you and protect you forever. I can’t say if I could do this in Cardsten at this time.”
“Kiss me once then Terrence. If this is what is best, then may we both come to terms with it together. I will be your friend and you may count on that. I don’t know if I can be your wife, if I must leave all else.”
Terrence kissed Tira softly. Inside of him a passion ignited. He had locked his heart thus far and was only thinking. He began to feel and understand the way that his friends felt. The world was different when one felt that way for a woman. His perspective expanded in that instant. He could leave all else, but could he leave her? Agedon may indeed be a bunch of fools. And this place wasn’t so bad. Tira walked up to her front door. He could hear soft sobs as he walked away.
Chapter 15
