She sucked in a sharp breath at that but otherwise said nothing. What else could she have expected?
Elrion simply stood there, looking devastated. “Was it all a ruse, then, with us? Did you wish only to get your orc lover out from under the thumb of his uncle, who mistreats him?”
“No,” she said. “No, it was not.”
“Did you think I would be an easy cuckold?”
“No, I fell in love with you.” Her voice quavered.
“Please, don’t,” he said, swallowing so hard she could see the knob in his throat bob.
“As you say, Dathor went to Nathre out of jealousy. He was jealous because I had true feelings for you. He was devastated.”
Elrion turned back to her. “Well. Then it is all just tragic, I think.”
She bowed her head.
He walked past her, heading back towards the Peak.
She stood there a moment, looking off into the distance at the sky and the flowers and thinking that she did not know what became of her now, that her entire future had suddenly turned black, and then, because there was nothing else to do, she trailed after him.
When he got back to the Peak, he brought her with him into the sitting room and told the steward and Celedin that they’d had a discussion and had mutually come to a decision that their marriage arrangement would be dissolved. He would want most of the bride price back, but would agree to allowing them to keep a portion of it for their trouble.
She stood there numbly, unable to do anything but to stare straight ahead.
If she had any thought, it was only that she could not understand what had driven her to be so vindictive towards Nathre. It wasn’t even the orc woman’s fault, and Aerhril knew that. How could she have done it? How could she not have thought through what would happen? How could she have been so thoroughly cruel?
And how could she have destroyed everything?
The steward asked why and Elrion would not elaborate, saying only that it was a mutual decision.
When Elrion left, she tried to leave the room as well, but the steward prevented her.
He sat her down on the couch and asked what she had done.
She could never explain this to the steward.
“It doesn’t matter,” said Celedin. “It’s my decision if I want to keep her.”
The steward turned to look at him. “Keep her?”
Celedin smiled faintly. “We both know I’ll not find another wife. You have invested so much in her education and her dresses, Father.”
The steward looked her over. “Whatdid you do?”
She said nothing.
“Father, if I wish to marry her—”
“Quiet, Celedin,” said the steward. He sat down in front of Aerhril and gazed into her eyes. “That man was so intent on having you that he was willing to pay ridiculous sums of money for you. You did something to sour him on you, and I want to know what it was. Did you do it on purpose?” He eyed her. “No, I don’t think you did. You worked hard to ensnare that man and to escape us. Because, all this time, while we have treated you with the utmost kindness and have cared for you and clothed you and fed you and treated you like a member of our own family, for years, you have never been grateful.”
“Iamgrateful,” she forced herself to say, because she wanted to stay.
“No,” said the steward. “No, you are not. You have never been grateful, and you have shown yourself to be a schemer, a manipulator. I can only think that Elrion nae Nilriane saw you for what you were and he wanted nothing to do with you. If you think I am going to allow my son to marry something like you, you’re sadly mistaken.”
“Father,” said Celedin.
“However,” said the steward, “we can’t simply turn you out, can we? So, what can be done with you, that is the question.”
