In Which Searle Loses the One Person

October 5, 1169

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, cousin," Nythran muttered after an awkward minute of exchanged stares, "but I certainly wasn't expecting our paths to cross any time soon, least of all in my own home."

Searle placed his hands on his knees and tried not to frown. He might have liked Nythran if not for his marriage to Riona, but following that, it had become painfully difficult to stomach his cousin's presence. It seemed it had grown even moreso since her death. "I haven't been back in Dovia all that long, but when I arrived back at my castle, Danthia and Tivalia weren't there. I went to see Danthia's father, and he said that they were staying here with you."

Nythran squinted. "That was all he told you?"

That was a strange response; regardless, Searle nodded. "He wouldn't give me any details. I think he just wanted me to leave; Danthia's family doesn't really like me all that much."

"Oh." Nythran didn't seem to need any explanation. Searle was relieved; he didn't really want to talk about his relationship with his in-laws.

But at least Secundus had been civil enough to point him in the right direction. Searle wasn't exactly happy to be back--he hadn't been happy in years--but he was tired of the Elaryses and the Genevas of the world. He was sick of being used and discarded and left to his own devices. Danthia was the one person in his life who was always there for him no matter what, and if he couldn't make things better for himself, then perhaps he ought to try making them better for her.

"Well? Can I see her, or has she turned in for the night?"

Nythran sighed as Searle heaved himself off the couch; the young lord was considerably shorter than Searle himself was, but in spite of his small frame and mild manner, his presence was eerily stifling. "She should still be awake, but... well, I don't know if it would be a great idea for you two to see each other right now if Secundus didn't give you all the details."

Searle frowned; why was the other man being so difficult. "I don't see why there would be a problem; she's my wife, Nythran."

His cousin swallowed. "Uh... about that..."

"Nythran?" The door swung open. "Nythran, who's--oh.

"Well, I'll be damned."

Searle had thought so far ahead; he'd known what he wanted to do. He'd wanted to apologize and tell her they'd head home first thing in the morning. He'd wanted to promise they would start over. He'd wanted to run to her and look her in the eyes and kiss her.

But he couldn't look her in the eyes. All he could see was her stomach. "Danthia?"

A strange smile curling on her lips, Danthia waddled toward Nythran and rested her hand on her arm, planting a light kiss on his mouth--what the hell was going on here? "Darling, can you give us a minute? I think Searle and I need to talk." Darling?

"Are you sure?" he asked, taking her hand and squeezing it reassuringly. Searle knew that squeeze--he'd once held Riona's hand that way.

Danthia nodded as Nythran let go of her hand and instead gently massaged her bulge. Was he the father? He must have been; Searle certainly wasn't. "I'm sure. I'll be with you in a little while--why don't you go check on the girls?"

He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, then left. Searle waited a few seconds from the time the door shut--five, four, three, two...

There was no 'one'. He couldn't hold it in any longer.

"What the hell is this?" Searle hissed, holding back his arms to restrain himself from shoving her. "You little strumpet! Is this a recent development, or have you been fucking Nythran behind my back for years now? Is Tivalia even mine?"

Danthia rolled her eyes. He scowled; did it not occur to her that this was a serious accusation? "Of course Tivalia is yours, you arrogant ass-wipe! And I haven't been 'fucking Nythran behind your back for years' as you so delicately put it; I've only been sleeping with him since I married him in January."

Wait... what? He couldn't do anything but gape at her. This made absolutely no sense. "Since you married him? You can't be married to Nythran! You're already married to me!"

"Not anymore," she insisted, an insultingly wide smile upon her face. "You were gone for well over a year, you know--our marriage had legally ended months before I became lady here. Oh, and seeing as I am lady here, you might want to apologize for calling me a strumpet; you must realize that I outrank you now."

He couldn't believe this. That damn Nythran. First he'd stolen Riona away, and now Danthia too. Who was next? Was Tivalia going to start calling him 'Papa'? "This is ridiculous."

"You may think so," Danthia sniffed, "but you brought this all upon yourself; even you're not selfish enough to miss that detail."

That stung; he almost would have preferred it if she'd kneed him in the balls. "Look, I know I'm not much of a husband, but... ah, fuck it! Let's just wake Tivalia and go home, and I'll go to the grave swearing that your little bastard is mine, all right?"

He prepared himself to head toward the door; Danthia, however, did not budge. "You idiot! You weren't listening to a thing I said, were you? Nythran is my husband. Everyone in Dovia knows that Nythran is my husband. Everyone in Dovia knows that this is Nythran's baby. If you didn't know that until just now, then I fail to see how that can be my fault."

He didn't think he could take it anymore--this was far too much, far too soon. "Why is it that everyone I've ever cared about has been taken away from me?"

A sorrowful glaze crossed Danthia's face--her copper brows, her blue eyes, her full lips. She'd never looked so tragic. She'd never looked so beautiful. "You never cared about me, Searle. You never cared about me, and I was never taken away from you--you pushed me away."

God--he had pushed her away. He'd never meant to; he'd never thought it was possible. Since he'd been forced to marry her, she'd been the one constant in his life, the one person who had cared and worried and kept him going, all the while suffering in silence. Now, even she had turned her back on him. No, that was not quite true; he himself had spun her around.

It was no easier to look at her than it ever had been. "Danthia... I'm so sorry."

She didn't even blink; she simply crossed her arms over the bump of Nythran's spawn and stared at him. "Seeing as it's the only thing you've ever offered me, I suppose it would only be polite of me to accept your apology; don't for a second, however, think that means that I forgive you."

Searle nodded, his heartbeat slowing deep within his chest. What a pathetic little thing it was; it produced so much, yet it was never enough. "I couldn't expect that you would."

Danthia clasped her hands together, the glint of a nearby candle reflecting off Nythran's ring on her finger. "It's getting late. You may spend the night if you wish, but you have to be long gone by the time the girls wake. You're always stepping back into Tivalia's life for a couple of days only to leave for months on end, but no longer; I will not let you break her heart again."

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