Broken Fantasy

Writers: Miriah
Date Posted: 16th April 2019

Characters: Humari, Arnolt
Description: Arnolt spends time with Humari and asks a very awkward question
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 10, day 26 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Yarmel, Taril

Humari

Arnolt settled into the chair, watching Humari with a gaze that could
have only been described as completely heartsick. He studied her, her
more confident bearing, the glow in her face, the easy way she walked
now. She was even prettier to him and even more impossible to reach.
From some of his first memories of her, he had been besotted; he had
once conjured up a fantasy that she'd be betrothed to a cruel tyrant
and would only be saved when he rushed in, swept her off of her dainty
feet and rescued her.

She had been betrothed, but he hadn't been able to be rescued.
Instead, it was he that had had to be rescued from the cruel tyrant.
If only she really knew what her brother had done. He shuddered
inwardly at the memory of Yarmel; it was more than the hand, it had
been so much worse. Yarmel had had two candlemarks with him. It was
more than enough. But he would never tell anyone; he could never bear
to tell any one. He was just glad the man was dead; he only regretted
not being able to see it himself.

But there were better things to think about and she was one of them.
From her face, she was happy. But with Taril? Why did it have to be
Taril? "You look really nice, Humari."

She turned, her eyes warm and placed a cup of warm tea in front of
him. "Thank you, Arnolt. You're looking much better too. Healthier. I
heard your brother and sisters were with a foster mother now and were
taking lessons."

"Yeah. Cordero, he's an apprentice Smith now. He's real happy about
it. The girls are learning too. Much better than the education they'd
be getting on the docks."

Humari grimaced; she wasn't supposed to know about that education, but
she wasn't stupid. She knew full well what it would have been. "I'm
glad." She sat across from him, picking up her own cup and taking a
sip. "What about you? Are you going to apprentice to anything?"

Arnolt blinked in surprise. "Nah. Can't do much with this hand, really."

She sighed. "How is your hand?"

He slowly pulled it out, not able to hide the grimace at the sight.
The remaining fingers were straight and he could bend them, but the
sight of the stumps made his stomach knot up. "It's better. I can move
the fingers around a bit more. The Healers say I'm lucky to have that
much."

"Arnolt, I..."

"Don't worry 'bout it." He interrupted quickly, tucking the hand back
inside his jacket. "Heard you was with child again."

She accepted the change in subject and her eyes immediately softened
as she laid a hand on her belly. "Yes, I am."

He shifted in his seat, wishing that soft gaze had been for him. "I
guess you're happy about that, huh?"

She nodded. "Yes. I'm very happy about it."

He looked at his tea and tried to be nonchalant as he picked it up and
took a drink. "You happy with Taril too?"

She kept her smile but her questioning eyes revealed that she was
surprised at the question. "Of course. He's my husband."

"I mean..." He shifted a little in his seat. "If you wanted, I
could...well...I'm about to be fifteen and if you weren't really happy
we could go to the Weyr or somethin'. I could be the babe's papa. If
you wanted."

The surprise was now evident and she took a moment to just stare at
him, then visibly struggled to find the right words. "Arnolt, I
appreciate that you'd be willing to do that for me and the baby. I
really do. But I had that option once. I chose to stay." She reached
out and touched his hand. "Taril is very good to me and to Tumaril.
I'm very happy with him. Honestly and truly happy. I love him."

Arnolt felt his heart split in half at the declaration and his once
hopeful fantasy crumbled into dust. She loved him. Part of him wanted
to tell her all that he knew about Taril, things she couldn't possibly
know. But that look on her face; he couldn't be the reason the look
went away. If she was happy...then he wanted her to stay happy. "But
we can still be friends, right?"

She squeezed his hand. "Of course. You'll always be my friend, Arnolt."

"Good." At least it was something.

Last updated on the April 16th 2019

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Broken Fantasy