Matters of the heart
(1:02 am Jan 25 2005)
The outskirts of the city were burning. So were the outermost gates. The heart of the city though, the Arsenal it was named for still stood for the moment. Hardigan and Keygan knew that the burning was inevitable, the only way the King's forces could get obstructions out of the path of the colossal siege machines they were building. Both knew the city was in it's last days. A small handful of people remained. Mostly, they lingered here only because Jerle Nidoma did and they would not leave him here.
Berec was the only exception to this, he remained because Keygan remained, and so he did not go. He had only spoken to Commander Stormingbyrne on a few brief occasions. Something inside him told him, there was something special about her, beyond her obvious qualities, and so he trusted his instinct that he should remain close to her. At night she filled his dreams, and their weight held down his heart. It was for that reason she had his complete empathy, though she knew it not, and it was for that reason too that Berec felt it necessary to speak with Commandant Nidoma.
Jerle could barely move about his rooms without his cane now and so when the knocking came at his door he snapped impatiently for whoever it was to just come in. Much easier than admitting to himself what a hard time he'd have getting up to cross the room and open the door. Young Berec came in a serious expression on his face. He had only newly been made a warden and in fact he's not yet chosen an order. Jerle was surprised to see the young man, a though a prankster and at times a practical joker during his training, the youngling typically was not outspoken about anything. Jerle thought perhaps someone had talked the young man into trying to coax him into evacuating.....So his words came as a bit of a shock as they settled on Jerle's ears.
"I'll make no apologies for my bluntness, sir, " he began, "But I feel I can keep quiet no more. I do not fathom how you can stand so aloof from someone who clearly loves you. I once respected you a great deal. Now though, I think you an old fool, perhaps you are losing your mind, I hear it happens to aged men sometimes. Though you do not strike me as senile. You seem to understand your health is failing and that your time grows short, and a senile man most likely wouldn't acknowledge such things. But I truly do not ken why you avoid Commander Stormingbyrne."
Jerle's mouth hung opened in silence for a time before he managed to stammer, "I beg your pardon?"
"Keygan Stormingbyrne, the women who loves you, you may know her...... You keep pushing her away while you tell yourself, you don't want to break her heart. Yet, ironically that is exactly what you are doing." Berec said angrily.
Jerle remained somewhat shocked at this. As quickly as it begun it was over, and the young man abruptly whirled out of the room. His words how ever echoed in the deepest parts of Jerle's heart..
The outskirts of the city were burning. So were the outermost gates. The heart of the city though, the Arsenal it was named for still stood for the moment. Hardigan and Keygan knew that the burning was inevitable, the only way the King's forces could get obstructions out of the path of the colossal siege machines they were building. Both knew the city was in it's last days. A small handful of people remained. Mostly, they lingered here only because Jerle Nidoma did and they would not leave him here.
Berec was the only exception to this, he remained because Keygan remained, and so he did not go. He had only spoken to Commander Stormingbyrne on a few brief occasions. Something inside him told him, there was something special about her, beyond her obvious qualities, and so he trusted his instinct that he should remain close to her. At night she filled his dreams, and their weight held down his heart. It was for that reason she had his complete empathy, though she knew it not, and it was for that reason too that Berec felt it necessary to speak with Commandant Nidoma.
Jerle could barely move about his rooms without his cane now and so when the knocking came at his door he snapped impatiently for whoever it was to just come in. Much easier than admitting to himself what a hard time he'd have getting up to cross the room and open the door. Young Berec came in a serious expression on his face. He had only newly been made a warden and in fact he's not yet chosen an order. Jerle was surprised to see the young man, a though a prankster and at times a practical joker during his training, the youngling typically was not outspoken about anything. Jerle thought perhaps someone had talked the young man into trying to coax him into evacuating.....So his words came as a bit of a shock as they settled on Jerle's ears.
"I'll make no apologies for my bluntness, sir, " he began, "But I feel I can keep quiet no more. I do not fathom how you can stand so aloof from someone who clearly loves you. I once respected you a great deal. Now though, I think you an old fool, perhaps you are losing your mind, I hear it happens to aged men sometimes. Though you do not strike me as senile. You seem to understand your health is failing and that your time grows short, and a senile man most likely wouldn't acknowledge such things. But I truly do not ken why you avoid Commander Stormingbyrne."
Jerle's mouth hung opened in silence for a time before he managed to stammer, "I beg your pardon?"
"Keygan Stormingbyrne, the women who loves you, you may know her...... You keep pushing her away while you tell yourself, you don't want to break her heart. Yet, ironically that is exactly what you are doing." Berec said angrily.
Jerle remained somewhat shocked at this. As quickly as it begun it was over, and the young man abruptly whirled out of the room. His words how ever echoed in the deepest parts of Jerle's heart..
posted by K-Squared at 1:02 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home