The Re-opening of Old Wounds

"Yes. And before you ask, yes the lady was my wife."

Astra assumed from his use of the past tense that the woman must be dead. She knew enough about Allarian society to be aware that there was no such thing as divorce. "I'm sorry. How did she die?"

"Oh, she's not dead. But she did not share my worries about the way that Allaria was going. So when I came here, she did not accompany me. Instead she took the proceeds from the sale of my estate, and went to live in Camelyn. So though she may still be my wife in law, she no longer is in reality."

"I see," Astra replied. "How long ago was this?"

"Oh, ten years at least."

That puzzled Astra. Surely Reaibn had only taken over very recently? She knew that, according to Fred, King Emry had still been in charge when he had set out on his quest. Or was Reaibn's apparent take-over merely the latest symptom of a lengthy malaise rather than, as she had rather assumed, being its cause?

After a pause, Rufus went on: "I don't know why I kept the cameo. It always brought back more bitter memories for me than happy ones. But one day it was no longer on the mantelpiece where I'd placed it, and I never bothered to search for it."

"I'm sorry if my finding it, and my idle curiosity, has caused you pain."

1. "You weren't to know."

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree