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`Wendy,' a voice called behind her. She turned to see her father. At first she was relieved that he was there as she thought that maybe he could bring Victor back to life but something in his resolve suddenly wished that he hadn't come. Why was he here? Nobody had sent a message to him. She wondered why he had let her train with Victor when, as Amber had told her, her feelings for Victor were apparent for all but sundry. And he never approved, yet he let her go with him. From the way that he looked at her, she knew he had known.
Her forth reaction was anger and she suddenly slapped him. She didn't care who was looking. `You knew, didn't you?' her eyes narrowed at him.
`No.'
`You had to have known because there was no other reason as to why you seemed to not want us together.'
`If I'd have known that he was going to die, I would never have allowed you to spend time with him,' he saw the unbelieving look on her face. `If I could spare you from the grief that you feel now.'
`Then why?'
Henry went closer to her and tucked the hair that was flying all over her face at the back of her ear. `Because I knew that he wasn't the one you were destined to be with.'
`I will never love another,' she said in a small voice but it sounded like a promise.
`I know you will and you will be happy unlike the way that you were with Victor.' He touched her cheek with both his hands and raised her face gently to look at him. `It only seems that way because you are at Victor's grave.' he looked around as if searching for the words then his eyes locked on hers again. `I know you loved him and I can never deny that and so shouldn't you but I promise you, that you will find love or it will find you again.'
Wendy did not want to cry in front of her father. She wanted to seem strong but everything was crumbling and she heard herself sob. Henry took her in his arms and held her for awhile then he suddenly shifted and carried her. He was about to turn when his eyes met with Gorham's. He bowed slightly then stood up straight before he turned and went to his carriage. He never broke his stride because of Wendy's weight. He put her in the carriage then went in with her. The carriage pulled away with them inside.
Some distance away Sidney smiled, `I told you he recognized your presence and respects you.'
`How can I know that he wasn't bowing to you?'
`Because,' she turned to look at Gorham. `Aside from the fact that you are the king, he recognizes that you are a respectable man.'
`Only that?'
`Also, you are very courageous as he knows no other man who would have been able to tame me as you have done.'
Gorham wanted to object to all those reasons but when he'd ever have a chance to meet
Henry, he would know. He looked up and saw the carriage leaving. `Where is he going with Wendy?'
`He's taking her to her adoptive parents who have known her for much longer.'
`That's a brilliant idea. There she will be taken care of emotionally unlike here.'
`Well,' Sidney started to walk to the castle. `He thinks like you do.'
`Wait a minute,' he said when he caught up with her. `If he thinks the way I do then he must have thought about you the same way as I do.'
`Are you suggesting something Gorham?'
`You know exactly what I'm suggesting.'
`Then I should tell you that I don't know what he thinks about me besides the fact that I'm- was Victor's sister.'
`Are you sure he never made a gesture or said anything that would make you think otherwise?'
`Let me see,' she stopped as if in thought, `I met him once when he was in the company of my mother, but then I was too young to make anyone attracted to me not to mention, know who was attracted to me. Then the second time was when I had just escaped from my mother. So you can imagine how scared, relieved, confused and panicked I was all at the same time. I doubt that would have been the time to look for gestures. Then the third and the last time, I was at my brother's funeral and I was with my husband. I merely saw him at a distance but I did recognize a gesture,' she looked at him with set jaws. `He bowed but it might have been either to you or me. Now that I think about it, it might have been me after all.'
`I get the point Sidney,' he said. `I should stop being jealous of a trivial matter as that.'
`Thank you,' she started to walk again. `I need to see the children before I rest.' They headed to the castle. Behind them, the grave digger was putting dirt back into the soil. The crowd started to dissipate given that no one rose from the dead. Martin and Jared went home. Joel went to report to Alice. Dr. Ryan went to pack up his things since they were returning back that evening. Apparently three months had passed during his short visit on the other side. Ken and Amber watched in sadness as the grave filled up then they also went to pack up their things. They would return if ever Wendy required their assistance. And finally when the grave was full, the grave digger stomped the ground hard, packed his shovel and headed home. A day's work had ended.
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