Heart of Leoth: [HAITUS]

The Day the City Fell

Galyn's eyes burned with fury, shimmering at the corners. His cheeks were pink and his breath quick. He'd never struck her. He was the only male she'd ever loved who had not. But she wondered if he would now. If this desperate thing called war might push him to it finally.

'Fara, you will do as I command you and go. You will leave with the rest of the women and you will hide where they cannot find you! Then, when it is safe, you must return to your brother.'

She saw it for the first time then. Fear. Bright and terrible in his eyes. He wasn't frightened of the warriors hammering bloodied fists at the golden gates of his city, he was frightened for her.

'I will not return to Valdr, Galyn.' She shook her head. 'You cannot ask it of me, I will not.'

He scoffed. 'You truly think it matters now that you married me without your family's blessing? For I promise you it does not. He will want you safe. He will want you where he can protect you.'

She bit the inside of her cheek so hard she thought she would tear it open. 'If he sought to protect me then he would have sent his men to our aid!' She sounded like a petulant child and Gods she loathed it. To temper her tongue, she clawed at the silk folds of her gown instead, fisting the material tight. She watched Galyn's shoulders drop, his gaze too.

He shook his head gently. 'I do not blame his inaction. We asked him to take a side in a war he had no part in. I am not so sure I would not have done the same. If it were my kingdom I am not sure I would have risked my people against Leoth either. If it had been Zybar alone, then yes, perhaps.  But together...' His words were haunted.

'You would not have left your kin or your allies to die at the swords of these barbarians, Galyn, I know you would not. You would not stand by and watch Calate destroyed when you have soldiers and ships and a means to aid it.'

He said nothing. Did not deny it. Did not agree with it. When he trained his gaze on her again it was softer.

'Do you love me, Fara?' He asked.

Her heart squeezed in her chest, painful, tight.

'You know that I do.' She whispered. And it was true. She did. Galyn had been a means of escape, a wide-open door to freedom. Her savior. But the first time he took her body in gentle reverence, she knew he was more than this. She'd felt, almost immediately, an unending gratitude toward him, and right then she had told herself she would give him anything he desired.

And Galyn, she came to understand, desired to be loved above all else.

And so she had loved him.

'Then you will do this for me,' he said, firm.  'You will go. You will abandon this city before it is too late, and you will return to Calate. To where you will be safe.' He strode toward her so that he towered above her small frame and clutched her by the shoulders, rougher than he'd ever been with her. 'You will beg his forgiveness for what we have done - lay all of the blame for it at my feet alone - and you will win back his favour. Promise him your obedience. Promise him whatever he asks.' Tears rushed at her then, at Galyn's honour and sacrifice, at his innocence and ignorance, at the worthiness of the male before her. All of it. It overwhelmed her and she felt the words bubble atop her tongue. The hideous truth of all she had done. The sting of it burning her throat like sour wine.

If she told him all of it now would he still want to see her saved? Would he still long to see her walk from the rubble of this burning city? Knowing the gentleness of his heart she considered that he would. Even still. In the end, it was her own cowardice and lack of honour that stayed her tongue.