Uninvited Guest

[Violet]

15 Ymiden 717

Violet had taken her parting with Malcolm roughly. Though she knew her father would see it as dramatic, she had spent the first trial alone at home, refusing to go to her lecture and feigning illness for her daily training schedule. Though it was probably not wise, she had invested in a bottle of wine that trial and drank the whole thing before even dark had fallen. She had spent much time lying on the bed, passing in and out of shallow sleep. Occasionally she would awake with a start, her cheeks wet from tears.

When she had finally bucked up the courage the next trial of her series of lectures with Malcolm, she was surprised- and somewhat relieved- to find that a temporary replacement was in his spot. Violet hadn’t really wanted Malcolm to see her in this state. She knew she was disheveled from irregular sleep, her eyes red and puffy from consistent crying. She had exchanged her seat at the front of the hall for one in the back for when Malcolm did return. He had asked her to respect his decision and right now her heart was hurting.

Concern came, though, as she noticed that he was continually absent from lectures and completely absent from the barracks where he often had business or training to conduct. The more trials that passed without seeing him, the less self-pity she felt and the more concern she had for his wellbeing. It was very unlike him to miss any of his duties being the devoted man that he was. She needed to know if he was ok, but how would she find out? Asking another commanding officer would be inappropriate and might lend credence to any rumors that might have spread.

Violet took a few trials to consider it. Did she go to house and simply knock on the door? How could she face his bitter wife? Surely one of the two officers who had walked in on them had seen the kiss. Even if it meant nothing and was nothing, she didn’t imagine Elyna to be the kind that simply glossed over such things. She seemed to enjoy tormenting Malcolm and that would only add fuel to her fire. Though the longer it went, the harder it was to resist. Finally, one day she simply pulled on her black breeches and crimson blouse and set across town for the estate.

When she arrived, she stood still for the door at the moment as if she could hear what was going on inside. Then she took a deep breath and rapped on the wood. Immortals help her if Elyna answered the door.

[Elyna]

10th Ymiden

Elyna hadn’t slept the night of Malcolm’s attack. Whatever it was. She’d worked to keep a feverish temperature down with the use of a cloth and a cool bowl of water. Wiping the sweat from his face, chest and arms and with the windows opened ajar, just enough for the air to circulate without letting in the rain. Elsie had crawled out of her bed, disturbed by the thunder and lightning and joined them in their bedroom. Finally, the skyrider realised that she succumbed to sleep and dozed off on the chair, with Elsie napping against her. The next morning there had been tears of relief when Malcolm awoke, disorientated.
It was almost an Arc to the trial that the noblewoman had nursed him to health, after his battle in the arena. This felt all too similar as she kept busy ensuring that he had something to drink and light meals to eat. She’d called for a healer, uncertain of what had gone wrong the night before. No matter the verdict though, it was clear that the stress of their relationship and the strain and tension he buried, was taking its toll on the mortalborn son of Vri. Anna had arrived to collect the children as Elyna was due to return to the Skyriders.
Relieved of two pressing responsibilities, Elyna had spent the day with Malcolm instead. Quietly sewing beside the bed as he rested. Elsie was always outgrowing her clothes and the young woman had drawn out a new pattern ready for warmer weather. The outline of a gown with capped sleeves was spread over the bedroom floor as she worked. Bowed over the soft linen, with the fire burning downstairs and the rain pelting the window, the skyrider lost track of time. She traced out the shape of the dress before adjusting the width of the sleeves. They would cover the shoulders to stop any burning, but would stop part way down the girl’s arm to keep her cool. Elyna also kept the sleeves wide in the pattern so that the material would hang loose against Elsie’s skin; without restricting her movements. It was a light fabric that would keep her cool, a linen with a loose weave. It hadn’t been an expensive fabric, which was a bonus, considering how quickly Elsie went through clothes and the toddler’s rough treatment of them. It was also a vivid green, summery for the hot cycle and able to hide the stains that were sure to be ground into it.
Between drawing out the pattern and cutting it out, Elyna ensured Malcolm was comfortable and spoke to him. Careful to be attentive and not cause an argument. He needed to rest and he needed to recover. Thinking about the night before made her own heart race and she felt as though she moved in a dream. Despite her careful attention, Elyna had to draw out the pattern for the dress three times in an attempt to get it right. Even then, she realised too late that she’d cut it straight to the weave of the fabric. Having the fabric at an angle would have given it more flexibility, as it was, the dress would be suitable for Elsie, but it would have considerably less wear. A mistake she wouldn’t have made if she wasn’t so tired and distracted.
As a dutiful partner, she made fresh bread and stew for dinner and fed the children when they returned. Elise joined her beloved Dada for a cuddle before being taken to her own bed to sleep, and Luke, though he grumbled at first, settled down to sleep. With the house quiet and the fire burning low, the Skyrider tidied the house ready for the next day. She barely dared to sleep again, but pressed close to Malcolm and tried to doze. Frightened that if her attention slipped, she might lose him.

11th Ymiden

It was Elsie who woke her the next morning, padding into the room with a cautious smile.
“Story?” She demanded and climbed onto the bed. She knew her Dada was ill and so was careful, as she dropped down beside Elyna and peered at the slumbering man.
Elyna sat up, pulling the little girl tight towards her side, wrapping an arm around her.
“Do you have a story book?” She smothered a yawn before pushing her fingers through her hair.
Elsie nodded and produced a tattered piece of parchment.
Bleary-eyed, Elyna tried to smooth out the note, the paper was wet around the corners and missing a large chunk of text. She rubbed her face again, struggling to focus on the words, until her blood seemed to slow in her veins, heart pumping sluggishly.
“Elsie, where did you get this?” She tried to keep her voice low, even and not wake Malcolm.
“Vara,” Elsie snuggled up to her mother, “Vara gave me story.”
Elyna swallowed down the rising bile and pressed a kiss to her daughter’s head. Her eyes burnt beneath her lashes, air burnt in her lungs and stung on the way up. She dashed the sleeve of her shirt against her face, rough against her cheeks. She squeezed Elsie tight and shuffled, putting the child down beside her Father before standing. Bare-legged once more, Elyna tucked Elsie in and promised to bring her a new story to read with her Dada, and left.
The letter was clutched in her hand and the young woman descended into the hallway before she dropped onto the bottom step. She read the words slowly, carefully though she knew they would always be seared into her memory.

Malcolm,

Thoughts of your touch inspire the deepest fire within me, an arousal that begins in my groin and spreads out to the tips of fingers and toes. I often imagine what it would be like to feel those roughened, ink-stained hands against my skin, caressing my body in intimate ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
taste the salt of your flesh on my tongue as it meanders up your neck and across your ear. How I long to utter sweet nothings into your ear as my hands traverse every inch of your flesh. I yearn for the night ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-V

She could only imagine that V was Violet. Strange that she didn’t even consider it might be an old letter from Vanessa. Violet’s kiss and her attempt to drug Malcolm however, were forefront in her mind. There were large gaps in the paper that had been devoured by the puppy. Where had Vara found the note? The dog emerged from the living room and pushed a hard nose into Elyna’s hand, demanding attention. The skyrider closed her eyes, fussing the creature as her world came undone. No more tears, she promised herself. None, not one. No more tears for Malcolm Krome. She was his, her fate bound to him, whether he was faithful or not, husband or not. She would rather argue with Malcolm then live a life without him, any life without him. Twice now she’d faced the prospect of his death, his loss. It was too much to bear. With Vara trying to lick her face, the young woman found herself bent with grief.
Beyond the front door, a bright day was dawning. All the grey storm clouds burnt off by a glorious sun. It was going to be a hot day and she listed the things she needed to do. Open the windows to let some air in, light the fire, boil water for tea. Feed Elsie and Luke before Anna collected them for the day. She’d go down to the barracks and collect work for herself as a skyrider…and then she would return to watch over Malcolm.
Elyna gathered herself, built the fire and burnt the poisoned letter. She made tea and returned to Malcolm with a cup to warm him. Then, as she had promised herself she would the young woman threw open the windows and let the breeze in. The curtains whispered against the window panes. She read to Elsie from the book Malcolm had made, changing some of the words to her Father’s Rahaki. She fed her daughter and son and made certain they were dressed for Anna’s arrival. She made arrangements for the woman to remain in the house as she left for the barracks.
Returning a break later, she kissed the children goodbye and they left to spend the day with their nurse in house Burhan. Having collected what felt like a mountain of paperwork from the barracks, Elyna promptly dumped it in a pile in the corner of Malcolm’s office. It could wait another day. She remained attentive to the mortalborn, though quieter than the trial before. With the sunlight streaming through the window she worked, pinning Elsie’s little dress with copper pins.
Elyna sat on the windowsill, legs bent at the knee and the sewing balanced on her lap as she worked. Neat and careful stitches joined the seams together, tough and suitable for the rough treatment of a toddler. Once she’d completed the first line of stitches, she went back over them to re-inforce the thread. Doubling up the stiches and ensuring that some of the toughest wear wouldn’t snap them easily. The words taunted her and she couldn’t help but wonder if there had been more than a kiss between Malcolm and Violet. She hadn’t found a date on the letter…but had it arrived in her absence. She felt sick, unable to eat and barely able to stomach the fruit tea’s she bought up to Malcolm, along with his notebook, pencil, reading material and anything he requested.
The silence was quiet and it was almost comfortable. Yet the woman felt as though she was living someone else’s life. Her needle danced across the fabric, concentrating on the shoulders and the underarms once more. Finally, the thread was snipped and tucked neatly away. Next she drew out a selection of embroidery threads and started stitching hares and tree’s along the middle of the dress, something to brighten the fabric. Little images that Elsie would delight in exploring.
The children returned for dinner, ate, were bathed and then settled back into bed once more. With the words of V’s letter seared into her mind, she found herself reluctant to return to their bed. Yet she curled up, with her back to the man and slept, fitful, with dreams to disturb her thoughts.

15th Ymiden

Elyna had started to rise with the sun. Taking the opportunity to perform some stretches in the garden and attempt some sit ups, muscles screaming at the memory of what they used to achieve. The trials were wearing on. In the mornings the children were collected by Anna and she would work from home, either bent over her paperwork, fingers pushed deep into her hair as she wrestled with the numbers and letters, or sewing. The door to the study open so that she could answer Malcolm when needed, or if she was stitching, she would take up her seat on the windowsill. Though she preferred to sew when she knew the man was asleep. Elsie’s dress was complete. Just in time, as the scorching weather seemed reluctant to pass.
This morning had been no different. Anna had collected the children earlier to take them to the Burhan house. Elyna had managed to have a bath and dressed in breaches cut at the knee and a loose shirt. Her clothes fit once more, any sign of the weight of childbearing stripped from her form. It would take time though, to regain the strength and muscle tone that she’d once taken for granted. Elyna braided her hair before twisting it up, off of her neck. The pot of water was boiling, hissing as the steam rose.
Upstairs and down, the windows were thrown open in the hopes of tempting in a breeze from the burning air beyond the house. From stormy weather to blistering sun, Elyna wasn’t sure what part of Ymiden she preferred. Her sewing was upstairs, yet she lingered in the kitchen. Sorting the cupboards and tidying, taking care to be quiet and leave Malcolm undisturbed. She wasn’t avoiding him, she promised herself. Yet it was hard to look at him and not see Violet tasting his skin. How could she raise such a subject…when the tension between them had caused such dire effects?
The door sounded and the woman blinked, startled. Barefoot she crossed the open plan living space and pulled the barrier open, peering around it. Violet, hair shining in the sun. She looked as though she’d been crying yet Elyna couldn’t find it in her heart or conscience to feel sorry for her. She studied the woman, silent for a moment as she took in the soft and sultry curves, and her pale blue eyes.
Elyna took a step to the side and gestured for Violet to enter, “Malcolm has been unwell. He is upstairs.”
Assuming the woman accepted the invitation, she climbed the stairs in her bare feet. Elyna padded across the hallway, past Elsie’s empty bedroom and to the room she shared with Malcolm and Luke, the door was open, curtains fussing in the light breeze. Beyond, the summer birds were singing in a nearby tree and the first flowers had started to bloom. The air was sweet and she gestured with the extension of her arm for Violet to enter the bedroom.
“I’ll make some tea,” she glanced at Violet and turned on her heel, unable to meet Malcolm’s gaze. She left the pair of Knights alone and descended back down the stairs.

[Violet]

Violet had paused after she had knocked, momentarily reconsidering her position as she glanced around at the opened windows. It didn’t seem like something Malcolm would do. It made her reconsider how much she didn’t want to face Elyna. At least when things were still possible, she had her confidence to ride on and fuel her spitting matches with the woman. Now that confidence was totally broken by their parting words and the fact that he had called her off, making clear that his decision was to have that woman by his side. She couldn’t understand it.

Before she had time to act, the door was pulled open cautiously, the familiar dark haired woman peeking out from behind the shield of the door. Violet locked her blue eyes with Elyna’s brown ones, the two of them exchanging a glance that neither of them probably wanted to share. For a moment she wondered whether she or Elyna was the most uncomfortable with this particular meeting. “Unwell?” She nearly stuttered when Elyna stepped aside to allow her entrance into the house. She was going to allow her inside? Just like that? No nasty words, not even much of a nasty look?

She stepped into the house and followed Elyna up the stairs, sparing glances here and there to the empty rooms and the décor of the house. For a moment, she wondered if Elyna was taking her up here to have words with her- or worse. Violet was relieved to see Malcolm, but at the same time concerned for the shape he appeared to be in. She breathed a sigh of a relief when Elyna exited the room, leaving the two of them alone in the room. “I was worried,” she said quietly. “You haven’t been at lectures or at the barracks.”

Violet wouldn’t dare take a step forward. She was ever conscious of the sounds in the house, listening for where Elyna might be at all times. She could be back up the stairs at any moment and how would it look if she was sitting on the edge of the bed? “What’s wrong with you?” She turned sideways to face the window, looking out and also to shield her disheveled looks from Malcolm. It wasn’t the best idea for her to be seen by him like this. “Is there anything I can do?” Her body was rigid.

[Malcolm]

Sleep was tricky to find after the first few days in bed, something Malcolm never usually struggled with. His fever was still up, with breaks where he felt almost normal. His muscles stung, demanding that he stay right where he was, no matter the time of day. During the night when it was colder, he had taken to getting up and trying to stay up a while, but he never lastest long.
Last night he had sat in the bath for the first time in days, and physically cried due to the pain, another thing so unlike him. The heat had been unreal, steam peeling away from any exposed skin, as if the water boiled upon contact.
As Violet entered the room, it was a cold sweat the man broke out in, the veins in his neck and arms swollen. The skin on his face was an uncomfortable shade of red, darkening when he strained to sit himself up, propped up by the pillows at his back. He wore nothing but a pair of light cotton bed shorts, the sheet tucked in around his hips. As he sat up a bead of sweat raced down the length of his torso and lost momentum in the short, defined forest of hair below his belly button that disappeared beneath the band of his shorts.
“Lady Warrick,” Malcolm greeted the woman, voice hoarse. “Apologies,” he said in reply to her highlighting the fact that he hadn't been at the university or the barracks in recent days. “I've not been well.” Malcolm was forced to smile, and felt silly for stating the obvious. “We’re not sure what it is, I had an attack a few nights ago, and I've felt a bit rotten every since.”
He had lost weight, any reserve wasted away to see skin shrink around lean muscle. Malcolm shifted the sheet a little, uncomfortable to be so exposed to the stranger’s gaze, especially when he was in such a bad state. Elyna had taken the best care of him she could, but even he had considered asking for a doctor, sure this was unlikely to improve without some kind of medicine. He ate very little outside of bread with the crust cut off, soaked sometimes in stock or stew. Water burned the back of his throat, but he persisted, knowing how important it was to keep his fluids up.
“I'll be back to work soon,” he promised stupidly, when the only thing he should be concerned with was getting better.

[Elyna]

Since finding the explicit letter from V, Elyna had been convinced that Malcolm was unfaithful. The mortalborn was sharing his bed with the beautiful blonde, who shared such similarities with his deceased wife, Vanessa. Now Violet was here, in her house. Elyna stood for a moment in the open planned living area, her hands balanced on the work surface before she shook herself. She poured water into three mugs of tea, adding ground willow root and ginger to Malcolm’s cup, along with a little honey to sweeten the bitter tasting powder. The nerve of Violet, to come here, of all places… The knight had looked surprised to find Malcolm so ill, but her emotion towards the man did little to soften Elyna’s feelings.
The young woman left her own drink downstairs and returned up the wooden steps, balancing the two mugs in her hand. Violet had moved across the room and Elyna set down a mug for her on the chest of drawers they’d bought from their previous house. Malcolm had told her that Violet had been to their old house, and she couldn’t help but wonder if their affair had started so soon. Yet, the man had been honest with his infidelity with the slave. Elyna watched Violet sidelong and approach Malcolm. She knelt, setting the drink on the bedside table, in easy reach for him.
“I’ve added willow root,” she told the man, voice soft and quiet, “hopefully it should numb any pain…I’ll get some fresh water and towels ready,” she added and spoke to him directly without acknowledging Violet. She needed to bring his temperature down, the vibrant red of his skin was alarming and after five days, his progress had been slow. Vakhanor was half-aukari and he’d almost gone up in flames, yet those flames had been quelled…she couldn’t help but wonder if this was related to Malcolm’s own Aukari heritage. She had to remind herself, that her lover we not human. Not one part of him. She studied his emerald gaze before straightening up.
Her gaze swept through the room, landed on Violet and she stiffened, “I’ll leave you both to get re-acquainted.” She forced herself to be polite, collected her sewing from the chair and made her way out of the room. Elyna returned to her own mug of tea. She set it down at the kitchen table and set the pile of clothes down. Mainly children’s clothes, badly worn and in need of fixing up. Elyna threaded the needle with a dark brown cotton and sorted through the stack of that she’d washed and dried. A pair of miniature breaches for a small child. She almost smiled as she cut a patch of grey fabric to size and started to pin it to the knee of the breaches, worn through.

[Violet]

Violet’s brow knotted, heavy with concern. Never had she seen Malcolm in such a state, not even when he had consumed the wine she had spiked with more sleeping powder than she intended. He was sweating and his skin was so red it looked like he had been burned terribly by the sun. She swore she could almost feel the heat emanating from his body. He couldn’t be comfortable, even with the windows open and a decent breeze coming through the home. Her gaze darted around, looking for anything she could use to help him.

“You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep,” she mumbled, forgetting herself and turning to face him. “You look very sick. What kind of attack was it?” Violet didn’t know if she would get an answer from Malcolm. He was such a private person, and there had only been two occasions that he had allowed himself to tell her anything of importance. “Have you called for a doctor? You need some help, Malcolm. This seems pretty serious.” She sighed softly and glanced over him once more, his state making her nervous and worried. Her muscles were taught, stiffened from tension and concern.

Elyna joined them in what Violet thought was too short a time. She was carrying two cups of tea. At least she barely bothered speaking to Violet, though she wasn’t so sure that didn’t make it worse. She lifted up the teacup to cradle in her hands, taking a sip and nearly burning her mouth on the piping hot liquid. “Thank you,” she remarked quietly as Elyna gathered up her work and left them to get ‘reacquainted’. She let out a breath, the tension in her body easing a bit when the woman left the room.

Setting down the tea, she found a washcloth soaking in water. It wasn’t cold anymore, but it was still probably cooler than his skin and he was still sweating. Pushing up the sleeves of her blouse, she wrung out the cloth and came to the edge of the bed. Violet touched the cloth gingerly to his forehead and his cheeks, her palm feeling the warmth of his skin. She ran the cloth across his chest, wiping up sweat and being very cautious about how far down she allowed herself to go.

“Please see a doctor. I’m very concerned. It’s been too long. You’re so hot, so flushed. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

[Malcolm]

Elyna entered the room to set down a cup of tea, and Malcolm muttered little more than a thank you, though he doubted he would be able to drink it. He watched her leave and then turned his gaze on the open window, watching the sky beyond the surrounding rooftops.
Needless to say, Malcolm was uncomfortable with the proximity in which Violet worked, dabbing the cloth against the edge of his face before she ran is down the length of his chest. He closed a hand over her’s and stopped her, shaking his head. “Don’t,” he said, a breathless sound.
It wasn’t her place to help him, the idea making him almost as uncomfortable as the pain he felt whenever the cloth was touched to his hot skin. “Can you get Elyna,” he asked. “The two of you should be able to help me outside.”
Malcolm wanted to sit in the garden, hoping that having the sun and wind on his skin might help. When Violet left the room, he realised that he hadn’t answered any of her questions, and thought himself cruel. All the girl ever heard from him was no, it was no wonder he had upset her so much.
He got to his feet while he was alone he managed to pull on a pair of trousers, only to quickly push them down again. The pressure against his legs was too much, the light pair of bed-shorts all he could stand.
When the two of them returned, Malcolm put an arm around each of them and let the women help him to the back door. “I’m an Aukari,” he admitted to Violet, a race that wasn’t welcome in Rynmere, hence his hesitation to tell her. “But this has never happened before.”
He sank down into a wooden chair outside and his hands started shaking, something that remained out of his control. “Sit down,” he said to them both, “I think the three of us need to talk.” Malcolm looked across at Elyna, he could see the dread in her eyes. “Violet, I think it's important we talk about what happened during our mission to Endor, and what we spoke about while Elyna was away in Burhan recently.”
If the women thought they were uncomfortable, Malcolm was tenfold. He hated confrontation, despised it, but he couldn’t live under the same roof as Elyna much longer if she continued to think so ill of him.

[Violet]

Don’t, Violet. No, Violet. Why was she even trying anymore? This was far from a sexual situation. She merely wanted to help make him comfortable. He was dripping sweat, so why couldn’t she simply wipe it off him? Her hand stiffened under his, the muscle in her jaw twitching as it clenched in a fit of anger. He was feeling so unwell that she felt guilty enough to simply recoil and deposit the rag back into the bowl calmly. She took up her hot teacup again and went to sit on the ledge of the open window.

Malcolm had ignored all her question, barely even glanced at her. She was beginning to feel a bit foolish for coming at all. Her stomach dropped when he asked for Elyna. She couldn’t deny him, not like this. Maybe not ever. Her shoulders sunk as she got up and put down the tea, trampling down the stairs a little more noisily than usual as to alert Elyna to her coming presence. “He wants to go outside,” she called when she got to the bottom of the staircase. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, but I’m not going to tell him no.”

With a shrug she turned and went back up to the room, waiting for Elyna to join them. When she did, Violet got on one side of him and allowed him to put an arm across her shoulders for support. It looked like he had attempted to pull on trousers but had decided differently, judging from the garment in a crumpled pile on the floor. If he wanted to go outside bad enough that he was willing to go in his bed shorts, at least he was getting to. There was a nice garden here. Perhaps he enjoyed it there.

As they helped him down the stairs and out the door, she was surprised to learn that he was an Aukari, or at least he was in part. A brow quirked at the new information, but she didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t have cared if he were full blood Aukari. He was still Malcolm and that was all that mattered.

After they helped him into a seat, he requested they both sit. Violet didn’t argue, though every fiber of her being was itching to get up and bolt. Why had she even come? The feeling only got worse when he made clear his intentions. Talk about it? Why? Wouldn’t that just make things worse? An exasperated sigh escaped her as she glanced at Elyna sitting on the other side of Malcolm.

“What is there to say? I don’t think my intentions were anything she hasn’t already figured out. But… I am done, like I promised to you when she was gone to Burhan. I only came because I was concerned something had happened to you.” Violet was doing a very good job of avoiding speaking to Elyna by speaking through Malcolm. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have come at all.”

[Elyna]

The patch was made of a stronger material than the breaches themselves. It was the work of a few bits to secure the pins. She’d considered putting the patch on the underside of the hole so that it would sit flush. Then, she’d realised that the wear would only continue fraying and eventually her stitches would be undone and render the repair useless. The skyrider took a sip of her tea, rubbing a hand across her eyes. She really must be tired to start thinking about such things. Even with the children with Anna, it was difficult to look after Malcolm. His continued ill-health was a worry, because there was little she’d been able to do to help him.
The skyrider threaded the needle and knotted the cotton. It was quick work, the pointed iron made short work of the fabric. A softer, copper needle would have done for what she needed, but the stronger metal meant that she could sew quicker. The young woman managed to edge the patch in long looping stitches to hold it in place. Then, it was with smaller, more delicate stitches that she circled the repair to hold it in place. She snapped off the cotton once the knot was formed, looping the needle back and forth and pulling it through its own hoops to secure it.
It had been her Mother’s idea, to offer services to the city folk. Unless it came to combat or flying, Elyna knew that she was little use as a teacher, and so she’d offered her skill as a seamstress. There were plenty of families amongst the common folk with clothes that needed mending or no longer fit their little once. So, the noblewoman had started an initiative. There was a basket left in the main marketplace with a friendly clothier. Anyone could deposit clothes in the basket if they were no longer needed or required repair. Elyna collected the clothes whenever she could, arranging for them to be washed at house Burhan, which her Mother had reluctantly agreed to. Then, once they were clean Elyna would collect them and work her way through the pile. Fixing up tears and patches ready to return to their owners or be distributed if they were no longer wanted.
Violet seemed to stamp down the stairs and destroyed her concentration. Elyna blinked at her before setting her sewing to the side. She stood and followed the blonde back up the stairs. Was it a good idea for him to go outside? The skyrider wasn’t sure, but Violet’s words were like barbs. Who was she to even think of telling Malcolm no? The young woman was stepping far beyond the bounds of a knight to her warden. Still, Elyna bent and helped Malcolm to stand. The three of them moving through the house like an awkward crab and down the stairs until finally they reached the outside. Long grass grew in an almost meadow, bordered by shrubs and tall trees. Some of the ground had been cleared, the ground flattened by the dinner they’d held with their friends. It was here that a pair of chairs had been put in the shade.
Malcolm sank into the first, not far from the empty firepit. The charcoal stirring in the light breeze. Elyna returned to the house, first for Malcolms’ drink and presented it to him, determined that he should keep drinking. He was unwell enough, without succumbing to dehydration. Next she bought a chair for herself, along with the next piece of sewing she needed to complete. A pale grey shirt, with the sleeve half-torn from the shoulder. She slid the needle into the ball of grey cotton and slid the snips into her pocket. Venturing outside, she felt the dewy grass beneath her bare feet and realised that she was perhaps less formally dressed than he should be in the presence of another noble. But who cared.
Malcolm requested that she stay, and so she did. He’d admitted his heritage, or part of it to Violet and she bit her tongue. Truly the pair were comfortable together, if he would admit such truths. She wondered what else the female knight knew.
I think the three of us need to talk, he said and her heart seemed to sink to her stomach. Why was he doing this? He requested that they discuss the mission to Endor…and his visit the woman during her absence. The knot in her stomach tightened and threatened to reject her breakfast.
She. She. Elyna watched Violet speaking and found her teeth pressed tight together. The skyrider didn’t think that she was a prideful person, or a noble who demanded ceremony. Violet Warrick, a Lady and a Knight of the Iron Hand however, should know better than to address a commander and fellow noble so rudely. The young woman found her fists balled in the fabric of the shirt, eyes narrowed. She forced herself to breathe, in, hold and then let it go.
“Lady Warrick,” she struggled to keep her voice calm and even, “if you continue to speak so rudely in my presence, then I will ask you to leave my house. My name is Elyna Burhan, I’m a Colonel of the Skyriders, you can address me as Elyna, my Lady or Ser.” She warned and glanced at Malcolm, the deep brown of her gaze was burning lighter, a pale copper sheen betraying her biqaj blood as she struggled for control.
“Malcolm,” she forced herself to draw another breath, “you don’t need to do this,” she extended a hand to touch the back of his fingers, once and gently, searching his expression. He didn’t need to explain himself to her, and what good would it do, to have all of his secrets spilling from such vile lips as Violet possessed.

[Malcolm]

Malcolm frowned, the two of them weren't making this very easy on him, not that he deserved it. His gaze was fixed on Violet as she spoke, before Elyna raised her voice, pulling the lower ranked officer back into line. Malcolm squeezed his toes together against the grass, thankful to be outside. When he spoke he sounded calm, though a little breathless at times.
“Elyna,” he said, “you're my world, but before you I had a life, a family, responsibilities, goals, dreams. I put a lot of those things on hold, I took certain people for granted, my actions hurt Vanessa, enough to see a woman who hadn't hurt a soul her whole life, suddenly turn and lash out at me and the people I care about.” he knew without stating the obvious that she would understand that he was referring to her imprisonment in Burhan. He knew also that Elyna had dreams and aspirations she had put on hold to try and make this relationship work, and he was not trying to belittle that.
“I hurt her and I never made up for that. I lost someone very important to me and I couldn't even talk about her for fear that I would upset you. I didn't get to say goodbye, I couldn’t mourn her, my family was torn apart, I caused so much pain. If we hadn't,” he stopped, if they hadn't been together what, Marcus might not have hurt her. Would he have hurt someone else? Was such hatred a result of chance or was it ingrained, hardwired into whatever it was that made him who he was.
He shook his head, the thought wouldn't help now. “During the mission to Endor Violet added sleep powder to the wine in my tent. She knows it was wrong,” he said before either of them could make a fuss. “She feels terrible,” he knew because they had talked. “That morning in the tent she told me what she had done and I don't know what happened. I looked at her and I saw Vanessa and I wanted to hurt her for everything she had done to us, the poison, the arena, your imprisonment. I put my hands around her neck and I squeezed until I thought she was dead. Guilt stopped me,” he looked down, “because I knew I was the reason she had acted like such a monster.”
“I was overcome with guilt and… I don't know why I did it, but I kissed Violet, seeing only Vanessa, thinking that maybe if I could just say sorry she wouldn’t haunt my dreams anymore or linger at the fringe of my mind.”
He looked at Violet. “I'm sorry,” he said, “I'm sorry I hurt you, and I'm sorry I didn’t do enough to make it clear that I wasn't interested in being anything more than your teacher.”
Malcolm turned his eye on Elyna then. “Ely, I’m sorry I gave you reason to doubt me. Violet is my student, a knight under my banner, and nothing more,” it was a difficult subject, he knew, but it was better to be open, Malcolm felt, to have everyone on the same page. “There is nothing more,” he mouthed.
Perhaps it was the fresh air, or the sun on his skin, but Malcolm felt a little better, or at least lighter, if not a little guilty for the manner in which they had all come together. “Please,” he leaned forward and reached out for Elyna’s hand. “I'm telling the whole truth,” he whispered to her, searching her eyes for some kind of sign that she believed that to be so.