Wartune

  * * *

  Yannick arrived just over a bell later. He received less grief from the old nurse, and was soon at Sophia's door.

  He too paused, and thought about what to say. For perhaps the first time in Muda's life since they had fled Yaloran Yannick had hope, but that hope was tied up in Muda betraying their neutrality.

  He knocked softly and entered.

  Muda was kneeling on the floor, his head resting against his two hands as they enveloped Sophia's. Yannick walked up to Muda, and softly cupped his head.

  "She will survive." Muda said after a moment. "But they do not know how bad the damage is. Healers come four times a day."

  "She was always strong," Yannick reassured him, "I think her chances for leadership are gone...but she will survive."

  "Leadership? She lies at death's door and leadership is what you think of?"

  "I think of what she would think of, as should you. She will wake, soon enough, and her first thoughts will be of her people." Yannick replied.

  "Her people? They did this to her! They put these expectations on her and now look at her!"

  "She has always done what she thought right. She would have made a glorious ruler, in truth..." Yannick coughed to mask his emotion, but Muda was not deceived.

  "The people, that truly is all she ever lived for...The people be damned!" Muda stood up, and reached for his sword. "Her people have abandoned her, but I have not."

  Muda pushed Yannick out of the way, hard enough to stop any argument. He swayed once as he left, his first step, but steadied himself and then was gone.