Secrecy

(Sequels start with “cold”)

   “You are his firstborn daughter?” Strider repeated. A villager lent a hand to help him stand while Larina turned to him with a smile to dazzle. “Why did you not tell me?”

   “There was nothing to tell. The other woman is but the second daughter of Frein, Tainar.”

   Strider looked past Larina to Frein. “Why did you do not tell me? I am not used to be deceived.”

   Frein had the decency to look embarrassed. His hands wrought themselves in front of his old tunic, and his look skipped from Strider to Larina and back. “I wanted you to stay,” he confessed quietly. “And if you had been willing…”

   “But I was not.” Strider snorted. “So you sent me into the fen.”

   “And to me to judge you,” Larina added. “What a wonderful coincidence.” Her voice still held a certain melody and the touch of amusement.

   “You could have asked for help.” Strider felt weak in the knees just hearing the musical voice. Why had it not touched him like this the night before? “That would have been preferable to delivering me at her mercy.”

   A villager, tall and broad like an old tree, stepped closer. His uncouth bearded face bore such sadness it was too much for words. “We could not make it a choice. Or would you have gone to kill an innocent looking woman?”

   “Kill? Why should…”

   Larina's laughter interrupted him, and a chill tingled down his spine. Suddenly he felt his age and it tried to weigh him down. He fought the urge but it cost him. The villagers looked at him as if to say, we told you so. They, too, fought to bend their knee in front of the woman, who enjoyed her demonstration. With a seductive swing of hips, Larina stepped forward to face her father.

   “You were ordered to never return to our village,” the old man said. His attempt at dignity was meant to fail; his voice trembled.

   “And you were told to never hurt me! Mendaris warned you!”

   “We did not hurt you. The beast did.”

   “Because you and your fellows let it come to this.” She reined her temper. “But I did not come here to quibble about old truth. Where is the hut?”

   “Hut?” Frein repeated. His eyes locked with Tainar's, and she quickly lowered her chin. She looked close to tears.

   Larina's eyes narrowed. “Please, do not insult me further. Since I am a married woman now the men will certainly have started building a hut for me and my…” She glanced over her shoulder. “…husband.”

   “What does that mean?” Strider stepped closer and felt his legs obeying again. “Larina, there are many things you ought to explain.”

   “Explain? I do not think it is on me to explain.”

   “Why all the secrecy? What are you hiding from me?”

   The eldest shook his head, slow and sad. “Too much secrecy has already maimed this village.”

Word count 489