“A precaution only,” she said. “Against the spread of the sickness. You should not have come, truly.”
“Well, if the sickness is so very bad, then we must do our duty as the gods command,” he said. “We must care for eachother, must we not?”
She smiled at him. “It is a noble thought, sir.” She pushed Raclahad at him. “Have you met my sister?”
Elrion looked her over. “I cannot say that I have had the pleasure.”
And then, she suddenly had an idea. Could she get Raclahad out with him somehow? Get him to take her sister away from all of this? If she knew that Raclahad was safe, it would make everything easier.
“Well, allow me to present my sister, Raclahad nae Hariel,” she said. “Raclahad, this is Elrion nae Nilriane.”
He took her hand and smiled at her.
Raclahad looked terrified. She tried to smile and did not manage it.
“Let us sit,” said Aerhril. “Do you still take your tea the same way, sir? Two sugars and milk?”
He looked at the tea service, nothing in the way of refreshments. “I assume everyone is too sick to make up anything for visitors?”
She smiled at him. “Indeed. Your tea?”
“I don’t even want any tea,” he muttered. He sat back on his couch, eyeing her, his dislike all over him. “Truly, I cannot say why I am here.”
She poured the tea. For him and for Igbar, who was silent, as usual. She handed it to him, however, and then made her way over to the writing desk, where she got several sheets of paper, the pen and the inkwell.
Elrion furrowed his brow. He began to say something, and she shook her head at him.
She scribbled on the paper,We are being overheard.
He raised his eyebrows and he brought the tea to his lips. He looked very startled, quite uncomfortable, but then, that was his way. He was not of this land, no matter what he might say. He was not the sort to raise his fists. He was likely the sort to stammer out an apology. The sort to take to his heels and run.
But she did not need him to fight. She needed him to save her sister. Running away with Raclahad was exactly the bestthing.
She wrote,I need you to claim that your daughter insists that Raclahad be brought to you. I need you to loudly say that you will not leave without her. I need her gone from this place.
Elrion swallowed. “Well,” he said, “it is true that Evriane is most desirous to see Raclahad again. I have never made her acquaintance, but I know my daughter has been sneaking around, coming to visit here without my knowledge.”
“Yes,” said Aerhril.
“I assume, if you have both come to meet us, neither of you are ill,” said Elrion.
“We are not,” said Aerhril.
Raclahad was reading what Aerhril had written and shaking her head, looking panicked.
Aerhril was writing.
“Well, if she cannot come here to visit, then Raclahad must come with us.”
“Oh, how kind,” said Aerhril.
“I would like to stay with you,” whispered Raclahad.
Aerhril shook her head fiercely at her sister, still writing.We were attacked by the orc army on the day of my wedding. They killed all the men and took all the women and children prisoner. The army is continuing south to strike Renegahan. You must take Raclahad from this place. You must send word to the armies in the Vale. You must stop this invasion.
Elrion read what she had written, his eyes going wide. His hands shook. “I must very much insist that your sister come along with us, and I should like to extent our invitation to you as well, my lady.” He snatched the pen from her.Celedin?he wrote.
She hesitated and then got another piece of paper. Aloud, she said, “I could not leave the Peak, of course. I must stay here and guard it.” She wrote,The orcs think he is dead, but he survived. I have him hidden away in the keep.
