The Pegasus's Lament by Martin Hengst Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Martin Hengst
Tags: Fantasy fiction
next time,” she muttered under her breath.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Wynn smile. Then he stopped, as if he had suddenly remembered how angry he was with her. No, angry wasn't the right word. He hadn't been mean about it at all. He was just upset. As upset as she was that he couldn't see her side of it. Though she supposed that was fair. She couldn't really see his side of it either.
“We're almost to the gate,” he said. Tiadaria nodded.
Tia wasn't used to Wynn being so quiet. She was accustomed to his dry wit and his penchant for pointing out things during their travels that she might not know, or realize. She had missed the easy peace between them during their ride. For at least the hundredth time in the last week, she wished she could just go back and have that entire conversation over again. She'd take the ring and be happy about it and everything would be okay.
“Listen,” he said, turning in his saddle so he could face her. It was the first time he'd done so in days. “I sort of understand why it has to be this way, but coming into Dragonfell is going to be hard for me. I already had Faxon making arrangements, so I need to tell him to undo all those arrangements. I'm sorry if I've been, and continue to be, a little short. I'm just disappointed.”
“ I know. I'm sorry.”
“ I know you are.” He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “We'll figure this out, just like we've done with everything else. I just wanted you to know that, at least this part of it, isn't your fault.”
Tia bit back a retort. She wanted to tell him that none of it was her fault. She didn't ask him to take her away from her life and her duties. She didn't expect him to rescue her and whisk her off to the life of a wife and, potentially, mother. She just couldn't think of that right now. No matter how much he wanted it. Fortunately, they had just arrived at the massive ironwood city gates, which spared her from having to make any reply at all.
No sooner had they pulled up to the guard house when Faxon appeared around the corner. Tia stifled a groan. Of course he would show up just now. The stupid grin plastered across his face meant that he had, like Wynn, taken for granted the fact that she'd accept his proposal, no questions asked. She wondered if Faxon would treat her the same way as Wynn had when he found out what had happened.
“ How's the happy couple?” the quintessentialist asked, coming up to take the reins of both horses.
Wynn made a strangled noise and Tia covered her face with her hands. She wanted to slip off Nightwind's back and just melt into the earth. If there was anything she didn't need, it was Faxon making things even worse. Wynn recovered sufficiently to reply before Tia could.
“We're fine, but the handfasting is going to have to wait.”
Faxon's eyebrows went up at the hardness in the young man's tone, but he had enough good sense not to say anything. He turned to Tia, the question plain on his face.
“I have duties to attend to, Faxon,” she snapped, finally losing the grip she had held on her temper.
The older quint rocked back on his heels, surprised by the vehemence in her voice. He blinked at her and nodded, as if buying himself time to compose a response.
“Yes, I had heard that the King requested you come to Dragonfell.”
“ At least she's eager to do it when someone asks,” Wynn groused.
Tia rolled her eyes skyward. She clenched her hands around the edge of the saddle so hard that the thick leather doubled. She would not get into this argument again. Not for the third time in as many days.
“I wasn't asked. I was ordered. ”
“ Well, better hop to and follow those orders, then.”
The last of her patience snapped. She slid from the saddle and rounded on him.
“Fine, Wynn, I will. Just remember one thing, I wasn't the one who surprised you without any warning. I'm not the one who asked you to give up what and who you are to be with you. I'm not the one who
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Wynn smile. Then he stopped, as if he had suddenly remembered how angry he was with her. No, angry wasn't the right word. He hadn't been mean about it at all. He was just upset. As upset as she was that he couldn't see her side of it. Though she supposed that was fair. She couldn't really see his side of it either.
“We're almost to the gate,” he said. Tiadaria nodded.
Tia wasn't used to Wynn being so quiet. She was accustomed to his dry wit and his penchant for pointing out things during their travels that she might not know, or realize. She had missed the easy peace between them during their ride. For at least the hundredth time in the last week, she wished she could just go back and have that entire conversation over again. She'd take the ring and be happy about it and everything would be okay.
“Listen,” he said, turning in his saddle so he could face her. It was the first time he'd done so in days. “I sort of understand why it has to be this way, but coming into Dragonfell is going to be hard for me. I already had Faxon making arrangements, so I need to tell him to undo all those arrangements. I'm sorry if I've been, and continue to be, a little short. I'm just disappointed.”
“ I know. I'm sorry.”
“ I know you are.” He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “We'll figure this out, just like we've done with everything else. I just wanted you to know that, at least this part of it, isn't your fault.”
Tia bit back a retort. She wanted to tell him that none of it was her fault. She didn't ask him to take her away from her life and her duties. She didn't expect him to rescue her and whisk her off to the life of a wife and, potentially, mother. She just couldn't think of that right now. No matter how much he wanted it. Fortunately, they had just arrived at the massive ironwood city gates, which spared her from having to make any reply at all.
No sooner had they pulled up to the guard house when Faxon appeared around the corner. Tia stifled a groan. Of course he would show up just now. The stupid grin plastered across his face meant that he had, like Wynn, taken for granted the fact that she'd accept his proposal, no questions asked. She wondered if Faxon would treat her the same way as Wynn had when he found out what had happened.
“ How's the happy couple?” the quintessentialist asked, coming up to take the reins of both horses.
Wynn made a strangled noise and Tia covered her face with her hands. She wanted to slip off Nightwind's back and just melt into the earth. If there was anything she didn't need, it was Faxon making things even worse. Wynn recovered sufficiently to reply before Tia could.
“We're fine, but the handfasting is going to have to wait.”
Faxon's eyebrows went up at the hardness in the young man's tone, but he had enough good sense not to say anything. He turned to Tia, the question plain on his face.
“I have duties to attend to, Faxon,” she snapped, finally losing the grip she had held on her temper.
The older quint rocked back on his heels, surprised by the vehemence in her voice. He blinked at her and nodded, as if buying himself time to compose a response.
“Yes, I had heard that the King requested you come to Dragonfell.”
“ At least she's eager to do it when someone asks,” Wynn groused.
Tia rolled her eyes skyward. She clenched her hands around the edge of the saddle so hard that the thick leather doubled. She would not get into this argument again. Not for the third time in as many days.
“I wasn't asked. I was ordered. ”
“ Well, better hop to and follow those orders, then.”
The last of her patience snapped. She slid from the saddle and rounded on him.
“Fine, Wynn, I will. Just remember one thing, I wasn't the one who surprised you without any warning. I'm not the one who asked you to give up what and who you are to be with you. I'm not the one who