Legends Lost Tesnayr

  * * *

  Nigilin sat on the cold, wet stone of the wall. Rain drizzled around him soaking him all the way through. He stared out at the canyon beyond where the remains of the battle still stood. The grumblings of the men mostly faded away after Tesnayr’s speech. It was a good speech. It even riled him up.

  A commotion caught his attention. Nigilin glanced over and saw the triplets dragging another man. Frowning, he walked over to see what they were doing.

  “What are you three up to?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” replied Nedis.

  “We were just taking out the garbage,” added Nular.

  The man in their arms struggled.

  “Alright, he was speaking ill of the general,” said Nedis.

  “I’m certain that we can all handle a few insults,” said Nigilin.

  The three brothers grunted and headed away.

  “Oh, fellas,” called Nigilin, “The latrines are the other way.”

  Smiling broadly, the triplets hauled the man away. Nigilin chuckled to himself. He remembered being that young and doing the same thing to a man that insulted his commander. That should shut the guy up for a while, he thought.

  Nigilin looked up and saw a lone light glowing in a window. Jenel’s chamber. His heart ached for her. He could only imagine her suffering.

  Jenel lay face down on her bed. Her puffy eyes and face told any who saw her that she had been crying. Her tangled hair covered her features. For three days she had refused to see anyone and refused to eat. She hadn’t even bothered to bathe or change her clothes. Rybnik’s betrayal had cut through her and ripped her heart. She had not only trusted him, but she had loved him the way a child loves a parent.

  Soft fur brushed against her and nestled in her lap. Jenel barely registered it. “My lady,” said Turyn as he curled in her lap, “The maid is outside with a tray of food.”

  “I’m not hungry,” said Jenel.

  ‘You must eat,” said Turyn.

  “I can’t,” whispered Jenel. “I can’t believe he turned on us like that.”

  Turyn put a soft paw on her hand to comfort her.

  “He was my mentor, my friend,” said Jenel, “And to learn that he had used me for ten years—when he told me that I passed it off as stress. But now I wonder if what he said was true and I foolishly thought he cared about me.” More tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “Sometimes we don’t really know the people we love,” said Turyn. “And perhaps, he did care about you in a way, which is why he told you the truth.”

  “But that doesn’t make sense,” said Jenel.

  “Perhaps it does,” said Turyn. “Jenel, I am sorry about all this. But there is little any of us can do about it. Rybnik made his choice. All we can do is choose how we will respond.”

  “I want him to pay for what he did,” Jenel hissed.

  “I’m sure he will,” said Turyn, “I must go. Take care of yourself.”