Ghet was numb. She'd taken so much pain that her ability to feel had shut down in self-defence. She'd gone from Galain straight to the nursery and endured her daughter's uncomprehending anger without the slightest flicker of emotion. She'd finally given up trying to get it through to Aarien that she wasn't coming back. Heading up to the rooms that were now Galain's, Ghet had ruthlessly erased every trace of her presence.
After that, heading to Riker's and having Marius yell at her had no chance of making an impact. If she'd had to talk to Foxx, she might have lost it, but as long as people were yelling at her, she stayed dead inside.
Oddly, it was the next step that scared her. In a way, it would be easier if he'd changed his mind, if he sent her away. Then she could just... go. Go and not be.
She stopped at her cottage, to find out where he was, and to catch her breath. Except staying away from him was just too painful, so painful she could nearly feel it. So she headed for Nenlante, oddly reassured that he'd gone back there. He'd had choices of his own to make, and it was better if they were made without her round. Well, except that even with that, she mattered. She'd ended up mattering a good deal more than she'd ever wanted to. Still, she was a political realist. She knew what had to be done, and in a way it was easier to deal with than the emotions involved.
If she'd been capable of feeling, walking into Windemiire would have been difficult. There was an icy false calm around her that was impenetrable, at least for now. There was barely a twitch in her face when she found herself, yet again, with Ja'Kel. "I've come to see Y'Roden. I think he's expecting me." She'd made no attempt to communicate with him, yet she was quietly sure he'd have known as soon as she crossed back through the Wards. "It's alright, I can wait."
The Hyem Sirke gave Ghetsuhm a ready smile; he had always liked the redhead, based on what little he had seen of her. There was something about her that struck a chord with him; she was warm and brimming with emotion, a living flame of life. Something had been a little off lately though, and even Ja’Kel had taken notice.
“He’s just in the garden,” he answered, inclining his head towards a set of open doors, his expression turning to the wry side as he observed the pounding rain. “Waiting might be wise…” his sentence was cut off by the appearance of Y’Roden down the pathway.
He had paused just inside an archway, eyes focused on Ghet, hardly aware of the Ranger beside her. Dread was holding him back, fear of what she might say… of what he might do…
“I’ll… just give the two of you… I… you know where to find me,” the Ranger stumbled over the words before backing up a step and hurriedly ducking around a corner.
Ghet moved forward, a flicker of expression on her face that on another day would have been a laugh and a wry comment. Y'Roden was soaked. Whatever was between them was so strong and obvious poor Ja'Kel couldn't burn out of there fast enough.
She could see it in Ro's face now, that his heart had been no calmer than hers while she'd been away, that he didn't know which way she was going to jump even now, and how could he? That, like her, he was afraid to hope. Yet she couldn't speak, she couldn't find any words to tell him what she'd done.
She moved closer to him, her eyes fixed on his face, trying to find a way to bridge the awkward gap her grief put between them. Stopping just shy of him, she dropped her eyes, and her hands lifted to undo the top button on her shirt, baring her left breast. Not just naked but bare, stark without the mark it had borne for so long. When she spoke her voice was rough and barely audible over the rain. "It's done. Over."
Rain soaked fingertips touched on Ghet’s smooth skin, brushing over the place where Galain’s mark had appeared so suddenly, in Ro’s mind, and broken his heart in two. A lifetime ago… How he had despised that mark… and now, just as suddenly, it was gone.
His vibrant eyes lifted to her face, the grief in the depths of his Lisse’s eyes tugging and tearing at him. It had cost her so much to stand here right now, to speak those three little words that meant… everything.
All the fear and doubt fell away in the rain, washing away across the stone pathway. A heavy arm hooked Ghet’s waist and his left hand sank into her hair. Tugging her hard up to his chest the half-elf let go of a shuddering breath, nearly crushing her as he buried his face into the scent of ginseng, a choked sound escaping that was a mix of relief, love and shared pain. He couldn’t seem to find his voice, or the words to express what he was feeling. Overwhelmed, that may have touched on it… what is there to say when everything a man has ever wanted is suddenly right there for the taking?
“Yona elleska dai,” it was just a whisper in a thunderstorm, just the beginning of so much he wanted to say.
Y'Roden's touch shattered Ghet's calm. She sobbed against his chest, aware of the irony that he should be the only one who could comfort her. She couldn't give in to it yet, though. There was still too much to do. "I love you, too. I..." She took a deep, shaking breath and stepped back so she could see his face, still touching him. "There's nothing between us now. I'll be your wife, and all that entails. If you still want me. You took it back, didn't you, the throne. I didn't think B'Rodyn would give you any choice. And nor would She."
Ro’s thumb stroked away a stray tear on Ghet’s cheek and he smiled wryly, though there was a quiet amazement in the depths of his eyes. “Aye, I did, it seems there is no escaping Fate’s will for me… for us.” He shook his head slightly, wet droplets scattering from his fringe of hair, “You think, after all this time, after all we’ve been through, that I wouldn’t want you? I think we have proved quite nicely that there is nothing in this universe that would make me stop wanting you.” His shoulders relaxed slightly and he smiled, the reality of what she had said sinking in, “Or S’Hea for that matter, I want you both, and… gods Ghet, you as my Queen?” His dimples made a brief appearance, “you’ll see… you’ll understand how much more this can be soon enough.”
A short, half nervous laugh escaped him, his fingers touching her face, then tangling in her hair, “and now… I have no idea what to say or where to go from here. I can’t just take up the reins of S’Hea and put… this on the back burner, and I can’t leave Nenlante yet either. I just… I want you to myself, alone, for as long as we can manage before I take back the throne.”
Ghet shook her head and gave a wry smile. "I'm not taking anything for granted any more. Not anything, and especially not you." She leaned back against him, more comfortable, but as lost as he was. She'd thought this was the last thing she had to do, but it was also the first. "And... I know. There's so much... I don't even know if I can let you..." She laughed, unsteadily. "Of all the things that could be causing us problems? I never thought sex was going to be one of them."
A chuckle rumbled through Ro’s chest and he dropped his head, tilting Ghet’s chin up with one weapon roughened finger. “One step at a time,” he murmured, kissing her lightly, “we’ve both been battered up over the past year in so many ways, we both need to heal, and we can do that together. We’ll just… take things as they come, so to speak.” A glimmer of his usual, roughish self flickered through verdant eyes, “First step, getting you out of the rain, I’m not sure months of illness, stasis and a romp in the rain mix well.”
Before she could protest, the hulking half-elf had swept the diminutive redhead up and cradled her against his chest. “You can beat on me later for toting you around, and I may even try not to enjoy it.”
Ghet laughed quietly. His happiness was lifting the weight in her chest. "I didn't come here for you to not enjoy things. That's not the point at all." She laid her head against his chest and sagged. Whatever happened now, she didn't have to carry it all alone. "I am tired. Gods, Ro, I'm so tired. Think we could save taking over the world until tomorrow?"
As they entered the open doorway and stepped into Windemiire, Ro paused and smiled, gently kissing Ghet’s forehead. “You just sleep Ghettie, and leave everything else to me. You’re safe, you’re where you belong, and there is nothing more for you to worry about.”
Fate was never boring, he found, and this time it had surprised him with something amazing, something he had never expected to have. A future with Ghet, just the two of them, the Kingdom he loved as much as the woman, and somewhere down the twisted path of destiny… peace of mind.
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