Back at the Beginning

Writers: AL, Heather
Date Posted: 11th April 2025
Series: The Unwanted Sister

Characters: Coran, Relea
Description: Coran and Relea continue their conversation after her unexpected arrival at Green Valley
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 2, day 18 of Turn 12
Notes: Follows “Deja Vu (2)”

Relea

Coran’s mind was a confusing whorl of thoughts as he followed Relea
out of the Dining Hall. Everything about the woman in front of him,
the sway of her hips, the way her hair glinted in the light, the
tender wisps at the nape of her neck… All of it was imprinted on his
memory.

He couldn’t wait for them to make it anywhere more private than the
corridor before he touched her shoulder. When she turned to look at
him, he signed, [What do you mean we’re _not_ divorced?] He
remembered, in painful detail, the day he had left her with the
papers….

~*Flashback*~

Sunlight beamed into the modest bedroom that had been tastefully
furnished and decorated by the crafty hands of his wife. Dust motes
floated by lazily in the brilliance of the late afternoon sun. On the
floor at Coran’s feet, his carpet bags were packed, and then his
leather healer’s bag of tools was resting on top of them.

He was torn between staying and leaving. His heart wanted to stay, but
his mind said it was best if he went. Corlea was with the other hold
children being watched over by some of the old women. He’d said his
goodbyes to his daughter the night before. Her tears still tore at his
memory. Leaving his daughter, knowing he would miss seeing her growing
up….

**It’s for the best.** He had been a failure of a father. The last
thing his daughter needed was to grow up in a home where her mother
and father walked on eggshells around one another. Where there was no
trust. Where respect had been lost.

Receiving the letter from Reven, who was going to Emerald Falls to act
as a Warder to their new Lord Holder, had been a boon, really. Now he
had a dual reason to go to Green Valley. They needed him in Reven’s
absence, and he could get out of Jade Harbor and leave Relea to pick
up the pieces of the life that he had broken.

Picking up his bags, he walked into the main living area where Relea stood.

[The dragon will be here soon,] he signed. Setting his things down, he
picked up a piece of parchment from the top shelf of a nearby cabinet.
[This is a divorce agreement. I’ve already signed it. If you sign it
and send it to the harpers… you’ll be free.]

Relea froze, a dish in her hand, the towel she’d been using to dry it
pausing as she froze. Her eyes dropped down to the parchment he held
in his hands, then rose to his face. For several turns, that face had
brought her joy, but over the last few weeks, she had struggled to
find the joy that had once marked her marriage. That wasn’t to say
there hadn’t been any struggles, but never had it been quite so bad.

Slowly setting aside the dish, she freed her hands so she could
respond to him. [Is that what you want?]

Coran looked at his lovely wife. A lovely wife that he did not
deserve. His infidelity could only mar and damage her happiness.

[It is for the best] he said. [I would like to visit Corlea some.
Maybe she can come to Green Valley to visit with the family some once
I’m settled?]

[The best for whom?] Relea inquired, her hands moving a little
quicker, and truthfully she could not tell whether she felt rage or
relief. Perhaps it was a bit of both whirling and swirling inside all
at once so that she was almost dizzy in her attempt to interpret her
own emotions.

[For you. For Corlea… For me? This past month has been….] He trailed
off, lacking the hand sign for the depth of the guilt he bore. Getting
away, getting some space, maybe that would allow him to breathe again.

Relea stared at him, what he told her spearing her heart. Heavily,
she leaned against the counter, her mouth working, but the illness
that had took her hearing had also stolen the ability away to easily
formulate words. Only by hard and diligent work had she been able to
figure out how to mouth four words, that of his name and that she
loved him. That seemed such a life time ago. And now?

[I can not stop you.] Tears glistened in her eyes even as her hands
wearily signed the words in resignation. She was not certain anything
she could say would stop him if she tried.

Before he could let his emotions stop him, Coran took one last glance
at Relea, at the divorce agreement, and left.

~*~ End Flashback ~*~

[ I never filed.] Came the response, even as the tears that
threatened began to trickle down her cheeks. [I couldn’t bear to
file.] She added, her hand motions weak.

Coran was stunned. He had felt certain she would send the agreement to
the harpers once he left.

Her announcement filled him simultaneously with relief and shock.

They were still married. His wife was still _his_ wife.

[Why didn’t you tell me?] All this time they could have been… Could
have been what? Reconciling? Coran didn’t know if reconciliation was
even possible after the way he had ruined everything.

[You walked away.] Relea’s hands limply formed the words as she spoke
in her silent language. [You walked away and I thought you didn’t
want this anymore. You didn’t know…] She trailed off, her hands
hovering in the air without finishing her thought. [I didn’t think a
letter was the right way to do it.] She stated finally.

Coran didn’t know what to do. Didn’t know the right answer. He knew
that he loved the woman standing in front of him. He knew that he’d
loved her enough to try and leave so she could have something -
_someone_ - better.

And yet, here they were. Back at Green Valley where their circle had begun.

[I’m staying in our old quarters,] he told her. [Will you and Corlea
be staying with me?]

Why did he even ask that question? Honestly, Relea wondered why he
ever did anything anymore. Choking back a sob, she wiped away a stray
tear. [She misses her daddy.] And Relea missed her husband. Even as
angry as she had been, and even still was, she loved him. But how
could they repair what was broken? She didn’t know. All she knew was
after months of agonising, she’d come the realisation she wanted to
try again, to get counselling, to see if they could come back from the
darkness that plagued their marriage. The question was, did he want
to?

Perhaps it was a foolish idea. After all, he had an affair. He
walked out. She was the one chasing him. Maybe she was simply
chasing a foolish dream. How could she ever hope to have a happily
ever after with a man if he didn’t want her? [We have nowhere else to
go.] Technically, that wasn’t true, but the dragon that brought them
was gone and it would be another day at least before she could request
another escort if she changed her mind.

Coran understood some of the emotions on his wife’s face. [I didn’t
want to assume.] He reached out and curled his fingers around her
hand, squeezing it gently before releasing it to sign, [Let’s go pick
up Corlea.]

She sniffed and stared at the hand until he released it, then nodded
at his response. She didn’t know what the future held, or if they
could salvage what they had. She didn’t know if he really wanted to
try, or simply resigned himself to his fate in order to give himself
more time to figure out how to discuss the matter of divorce. She
didn’t know anything, except that somehow, she still loved that man,
and despite it all, she wanted him as her husband, and for him to be a
part of her life.

Last updated on the April 15th 2025

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