March 5, 2011

In Which Thetis Is Not Spared

August 2, 1172

"You're sure you can make it home all right?" Thetis did enjoy Alsina's company, and she did think that the girl could be clever if she tried--but somehow, she didn't doubt that that red-haired head would have been oft-forgotten had it not been attached at the neck. Likewise, it would have surprised her to learn that the younger woman had ever managed to get from Thetis's house in Tetran to her own home in Armionshire, and the fact that every account she'd heard had involved someone having to point Alsina in the right direction confirmed this.

But the girl just nodded, her dark eyes sparkling with a naive confidence. "Aww, that's sweet of you to worry, Thetis, but it isn't as if I haven't made that trip hundreds of times."

She wasn't quite reassured; nevertheless, the best way to handle Alsina was with a smile. She would run into someone like she always did. Hell, if Thetis knew Aldhein at all, he was already on course to meet his wife halfway.

"Well, today was fun." A glint of August sun sparkling on her new bracelet, Thetis clasped her hands together and laughed. "It's nice just to have a market day with the girls--same time next week?"

"Definitely--I'll ask Evaleith if she wants to come too." Waving, she began to make her way down the path, toward the westbound road to Armion. "Goodbye, Thetis! I'll see you next week!"

"Bye, Alsina!" Thetis watched as her friend stepped further and further away until she took a bend and scurried out of sight. It was a fitting end to a pleasant afternoon, but even fitting ends were ends; it was as good a time as ever to open the door and step back into the house.

Or, so she thought.

Perhaps she and Alsina might have lingered a little longer at the tailor's shop, or stopped for some of the baker's fresh pastries. Maybe they might have paid a visit to a new baby born to one of the village women, or stopped a minute to listen to a bard playing by the gates, or even taken the longer, more scenic route back to the house. Even if Alsina had taken a couple more seconds--just a couple more seconds--to turn that bend, then it was quite possible that Thetis's timing would have been more fortunate. She might have been spared the shock that awaited her inside.

But timing can be a cruel, cruel thing.

NEXT CHAPTER:

11 comments:

Van said...

Sorry for another short chapter. Next one will be short too... but seeing as the one after that will need to be shot in two rooms, it will probably be longer. Actually, I might normally split it into two posts, but I'm thinking I'll need the same POV throughout and after three hundred and fifty-four posts without ever writing the same POV twice in a row, I'm not about to change that now :S

Anonymous said...

YIKES! Oh, Thetis! They're not biologically related! Just keep remembering that.

And oh, poor Alsina. I'm exactly the same way. No sense of direction whatsoever. Hopefully Aldhein is coming to meet her halfway. :)

Van said...

I imagine she'll be telling herself that. Whether it'll be any comfort is a different story :S

Heh. I have no sense of direction either, unless it's a route I take literally all the time. There's a reason I hate driving :P

Chene303 said...

Wow...not really what a mother wants to see when she walks in her house but hey, coulda been ALOT worse!

Okay so I understand they're not technically related but they were raised as siblings! That should still feel like making out with your brother/sister. EW!

Van said...

At least they were clothed? :S

Yeah, they grew up together pretty much from square one. Most people in that situation probably would feel like they were making out with their siblings :S Actually, that'll be touched on in the next post.

S.B. said...

wow. I did NOT expect that. Yeah at least they weren't naked but still...

What is she going to do with this? Thetis doesn't seem like the hysterical sort, but it's hard to imagine a reaction much less than hysteria. Those poor guys.

I love the exchange between Thetis and Alsina! Handling it with a smile, what a perfect way to describe it.

I just adore your writing!

Van said...

Heheh...

We'll find out what she does with this in the next post--sort of. This is the first of the three-post "What-to-do-with-this?" mini arc, so we'll get some closure-ish-ness pretty soon :P

I missed both Thetis and Alsina! It was nice to write them again :)

Thanks Beth :)

The Lunar Fox said...

Poor Thetis! lol, yeah, at they were clothed, but still. Yikes!

I can't wait for the next post. Though they aren't actually related, they've been raised that way. Talk about blurred lines!

Van said...

Next post possibly some time tomorrow? Not sure I can make any promises because I don't know how long I'll be out, but it shouldn't be too long a wait.

Thanks Lunar :)

Penelope said...

Oh dear. Poor, gentle Thetis having her heart broken by her own children. :o I can't wait to see how Florian handles this.

Van said...

It was... definitely a shock, to say the least :S