Nairn Tuckamore
There was something entirely too convenient about the arrival of this second vampire. His concern. His knowledge of the particular blade Gwindor had been impaled with. His knowledge of the relationship between Gwindor and Sellia. Sellia had allowed the man to help Gwindor, but Nairn didn't see any familiarity on her face when he'd stepped into view. Yet the man clearly knew her.
Nairn didn't trust his tone, or his intentions.
"I will carry him." Without waiting for argument, the Norn bent low and gently took Gwindor in her arms, one arm under his knees, the other under his shoulders. She stood without difficulty and the limp man was in no danger of having his injured limbs dragged through the dirt. While she didn't like having her arms full - or having someone so close to her face - Nairn considered this arrangement the best option.
"You may assist by watching for other mercenaries, if you must. We must go quickly."
Her long stride began carrying her and her load down the hill at a brisk pace. Part of her told her to take the rear and keep an eye on the newcomer, but she pushed the thought aside. Gwindor needed healing and Sellia could clearly take care of herself.
Finding Home
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Finding Home
Sellia
"Thank you, Nairn," Sellia said sincerely. Somehow, the Norn's offer was a great relief. This other vampire had so far been nothing but kind, but she still felt a foreboding... and the more time she spent in his presence, the more she realized it was centered around him - around this Devrin, as he told them his name was.
Was she being foolish? Her beloved was in grave danger. Shouldn't she accept any help that was offered, regardless of her irrational feelings about the source?
But then she remembered something Gwindor had told her. "My people place grave value on such intuitions. You should heed it." That was the closest she was going to come under the circumstances to Gwindor being able to speak for himself. She would honor his wishes by trusting her gut and being cautious.
As they walked, Devrin kept up a stream of sympathy and reassurance. "I'm so sorry about your friend, Sellia. I'm certain he'll be alright. I think we found him in time..."
Sellia nodded absently from time to time, but she was at most half-listening... and she found that his prattle, rather than comforting her, was making her feel increasingly annoyed. She felt a stab of guilt at her own irritation. He was only being nice, wasn't he? She shouldn't take her fears out on a stranger. But then Sellia was able to pinpoint exactly what bothered her about the other vampire's behavior. He wants my attention. He wants me to look at him, talk to him, think about him - not focus on Gwindor. That wasn't necessarily malevolent. It might be merely arrogant, just the garden variety selfishness of a conventionally handsome man who was used to being the center of women's attention. And yet it somehow increased her sense of dread.
She was relieved when they made it back to the others. She thanked Nairn again, and helped her to ease Gwindor to the ground as Tempest ran up to them. The healer frowned, seeing the extent of the injuries, and immediately went to work.
Tempest was clearly fully invested, doing her utmost... but she was also clearly tired, and low on mana. She'd healed many that day, and her reserves were all but used up. She did what magic she could, and supplemented it with bandages and potions as necessary.
"I'll do my best to save his eye and his leg," Tempest said. "But I'm afraid I can make no guarantee of either."
"It's alright," Sellia said. "If you can't, just save his life. That's what matters. He's strong. He can handle the rest. Just don't let him die."
She certainly didn't look forward to Gwindor waking up to find more life-altering injuries. But the important thing was that he did wake up. Her mind was already working on logistics to make it easier. We'll need to rearrange the cottage if he loses the leg. I can move the bed downstairs by the fire, so he doesn't have to climb the stairs to the loft...
Devrin was still hovering. "Sellia, I was wondering if we could talk..."
"Not now!" Sellia snapped, rounding on him with blazing eyes. She saw the hurt on his face, and felt bad. He had helped them, after all. Gwindor could have lost more blood if he hadn't removed the blade, and would be even worse off. She should be grateful. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be unkind. But now is not the time."
"Of course, my lady," Devrin said agreeably - but failed to take the hint to make himself scarce for awhile, and continued to watch Tempest work.
Eventually, the healer indicated she had done all she could. "He's stable for now. Let's get him back to camp."
"Thank you, Nairn," Sellia said sincerely. Somehow, the Norn's offer was a great relief. This other vampire had so far been nothing but kind, but she still felt a foreboding... and the more time she spent in his presence, the more she realized it was centered around him - around this Devrin, as he told them his name was.
Was she being foolish? Her beloved was in grave danger. Shouldn't she accept any help that was offered, regardless of her irrational feelings about the source?
But then she remembered something Gwindor had told her. "My people place grave value on such intuitions. You should heed it." That was the closest she was going to come under the circumstances to Gwindor being able to speak for himself. She would honor his wishes by trusting her gut and being cautious.
As they walked, Devrin kept up a stream of sympathy and reassurance. "I'm so sorry about your friend, Sellia. I'm certain he'll be alright. I think we found him in time..."
Sellia nodded absently from time to time, but she was at most half-listening... and she found that his prattle, rather than comforting her, was making her feel increasingly annoyed. She felt a stab of guilt at her own irritation. He was only being nice, wasn't he? She shouldn't take her fears out on a stranger. But then Sellia was able to pinpoint exactly what bothered her about the other vampire's behavior. He wants my attention. He wants me to look at him, talk to him, think about him - not focus on Gwindor. That wasn't necessarily malevolent. It might be merely arrogant, just the garden variety selfishness of a conventionally handsome man who was used to being the center of women's attention. And yet it somehow increased her sense of dread.
She was relieved when they made it back to the others. She thanked Nairn again, and helped her to ease Gwindor to the ground as Tempest ran up to them. The healer frowned, seeing the extent of the injuries, and immediately went to work.
Tempest was clearly fully invested, doing her utmost... but she was also clearly tired, and low on mana. She'd healed many that day, and her reserves were all but used up. She did what magic she could, and supplemented it with bandages and potions as necessary.
"I'll do my best to save his eye and his leg," Tempest said. "But I'm afraid I can make no guarantee of either."
"It's alright," Sellia said. "If you can't, just save his life. That's what matters. He's strong. He can handle the rest. Just don't let him die."
She certainly didn't look forward to Gwindor waking up to find more life-altering injuries. But the important thing was that he did wake up. Her mind was already working on logistics to make it easier. We'll need to rearrange the cottage if he loses the leg. I can move the bed downstairs by the fire, so he doesn't have to climb the stairs to the loft...
Devrin was still hovering. "Sellia, I was wondering if we could talk..."
"Not now!" Sellia snapped, rounding on him with blazing eyes. She saw the hurt on his face, and felt bad. He had helped them, after all. Gwindor could have lost more blood if he hadn't removed the blade, and would be even worse off. She should be grateful. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be unkind. But now is not the time."
"Of course, my lady," Devrin said agreeably - but failed to take the hint to make himself scarce for awhile, and continued to watch Tempest work.
Eventually, the healer indicated she had done all she could. "He's stable for now. Let's get him back to camp."
Re: Finding Home
Fira-Nar and Nairn Tuckamore
Fira had been doing her rounds, walking from one end of the group of people gathered in the courtyard to the other, as a form of maintaining communications and keeping an eye out for a return of the mercs. So she was a little late in finding out that Gwindor was severely injured, nevermind him being missing in the first place. She came up behind Nairn, who looked like she was cleaning her daggers and gave her a nudge in the back with her elbow before jutting her chin in the direction of Sellia, Gwindor, Tempest...and Devrin.
"Hey. What's he doing here?"
Nairn stiffened at Fira's touch and glared down at the argonian who was paying precisely zero attention to the norn. She held her gaze for a moment, then followed Fira's to see she was looking at the vampire who had appeared at the opportune moment. The two of them watched as he hovered closer to Sellia, only to be rebuffed.
"He arrived when we found Gwindor and had knowledge of the blade holding him to the tree. He seems to know Sellia - he is familiar with her. But she...is not."
Fira's arms were folded over her chest now and her gaze had turned from curious to glaring.
"He was by the camp earlier claiming some sort of relationship with Sellia be she doesn't know who he is. And he obviously can't take the hint. We better deal with him."
The argonian stomped forward, leaving Nairn still fiddling with her dagger. It took the norn a moment to realize what Fira had said.
"We?" she said to the empty space beside her.
~~~~
Fira walked up to Devrin, not so much as glancing at anyone else. Tempest was doing her thing and Sellia could focus on Gwindor.
"Hey, you heard the lady, a little space here." Fira made a motion with her hand, more of an invitation to step aside. Whether he did or not, she added in a slightly lower tone, "You were content to leave her alone earlier, why you hanging around now?"
Fira had been doing her rounds, walking from one end of the group of people gathered in the courtyard to the other, as a form of maintaining communications and keeping an eye out for a return of the mercs. So she was a little late in finding out that Gwindor was severely injured, nevermind him being missing in the first place. She came up behind Nairn, who looked like she was cleaning her daggers and gave her a nudge in the back with her elbow before jutting her chin in the direction of Sellia, Gwindor, Tempest...and Devrin.
"Hey. What's he doing here?"
Nairn stiffened at Fira's touch and glared down at the argonian who was paying precisely zero attention to the norn. She held her gaze for a moment, then followed Fira's to see she was looking at the vampire who had appeared at the opportune moment. The two of them watched as he hovered closer to Sellia, only to be rebuffed.
"He arrived when we found Gwindor and had knowledge of the blade holding him to the tree. He seems to know Sellia - he is familiar with her. But she...is not."
Fira's arms were folded over her chest now and her gaze had turned from curious to glaring.
"He was by the camp earlier claiming some sort of relationship with Sellia be she doesn't know who he is. And he obviously can't take the hint. We better deal with him."
The argonian stomped forward, leaving Nairn still fiddling with her dagger. It took the norn a moment to realize what Fira had said.
"We?" she said to the empty space beside her.
~~~~
Fira walked up to Devrin, not so much as glancing at anyone else. Tempest was doing her thing and Sellia could focus on Gwindor.
"Hey, you heard the lady, a little space here." Fira made a motion with her hand, more of an invitation to step aside. Whether he did or not, she added in a slightly lower tone, "You were content to leave her alone earlier, why you hanging around now?"
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Finding Home
Devrin Olan
"Oh," Devrin said softly, his flawlessly handsome face now looking a bit crestfallen. "I don't mean to come on too strong. I just care so deeply about her. She matters so much to me. I can’t bear to see her hurt. I know that witnessing such a grievous injury to her poor friend is... difficult... for her. I feel compelled to comfort her, and to offer all the support I can. As I'm sure dear Sellia and your tall friend can vouch, I have been nothing but helpful and accommodating when it came to aiding the elf's rescue."
He gave Fira a winning smile. There was nothing blatantly insincere about his words - but his speech did sound perhaps ever so slightly rehearsed.
"Oh," Devrin said softly, his flawlessly handsome face now looking a bit crestfallen. "I don't mean to come on too strong. I just care so deeply about her. She matters so much to me. I can’t bear to see her hurt. I know that witnessing such a grievous injury to her poor friend is... difficult... for her. I feel compelled to comfort her, and to offer all the support I can. As I'm sure dear Sellia and your tall friend can vouch, I have been nothing but helpful and accommodating when it came to aiding the elf's rescue."
He gave Fira a winning smile. There was nothing blatantly insincere about his words - but his speech did sound perhaps ever so slightly rehearsed.
Re: Finding Home
Fira-Nar and Nairn Tuckamore
Fira wasn't sure how to take Devrin's response. For one - if he cared so much about her, why did he leave the camp without seeing her? Why didn't he tell her how he felt? For two - it looked like he thought he cared. Maybe that was it.
"Well, she's telling you how she wants to be treated by you - right now, that's to be left alone. Maybe that's the best comfort you can offer at the moment. If that's not what you wanted...that's...too bad? I guess?"
"You are correct, you were helpful." Nairn's voice came from somewhere up to Fira's left. The argonian felt some relief that she had shown up. The way she'd responded, she didn't think the norn cared about the situation at all.
"But I don't know how you were 'accommodating'. Perhaps by continuing your conversation while Sellia was too occupied to reply."
Nairn felt compelled to needle him on this point, though she wasn't certain why. She was willing to consider that it was simply her own annoyance from having to listen to an unhelpful one-sided conversation the whole way back to the rest of the group. It made more sense than the seemingly innate dislike she held for the man. Nairn wasn't certain what to do with the feeling, so she set it aside for something more tangible.
Fira wasn't sure how to take Devrin's response. For one - if he cared so much about her, why did he leave the camp without seeing her? Why didn't he tell her how he felt? For two - it looked like he thought he cared. Maybe that was it.
"Well, she's telling you how she wants to be treated by you - right now, that's to be left alone. Maybe that's the best comfort you can offer at the moment. If that's not what you wanted...that's...too bad? I guess?"
"You are correct, you were helpful." Nairn's voice came from somewhere up to Fira's left. The argonian felt some relief that she had shown up. The way she'd responded, she didn't think the norn cared about the situation at all.
"But I don't know how you were 'accommodating'. Perhaps by continuing your conversation while Sellia was too occupied to reply."
Nairn felt compelled to needle him on this point, though she wasn't certain why. She was willing to consider that it was simply her own annoyance from having to listen to an unhelpful one-sided conversation the whole way back to the rest of the group. It made more sense than the seemingly innate dislike she held for the man. Nairn wasn't certain what to do with the feeling, so she set it aside for something more tangible.
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Finding Home
Devrin Olan
Devrin was not even slightly chagrined by this attack on his character and these petty insults toward his actions. What did these ruffians know? But he was eager to end the conversation. The healer had said that Gwindor could be moved, and the process was underway - Devrin needed to get rid of the lizard and the tall freak, and make sure he was close to Sellia when the time came to make his move.
In service of that goal, he could pretend to be chagrined. He could pretend a great many things.
He bowed his head. "Forgive me. In truth, this situation has been... so difficult for me to navigate. Perhaps you can imagine it from my point of view? Sellia is the love of my life. She is everything to me. Even still. Always. But I am nothing to her. I will... accept that, in time. Or she will change her mind, and welcome me back. In either eventuality, I do not wish to cause suffering or distress to Sellia or her friends. I will absent myself for a time. Adieu, ladies."
Devrin did not go far. He circled around the far side of the camp; he had just been seen assisting with a rescue and then engaged in a conversation that, to all appearances, was amiable with Fira and Nairn, so he was greeted with little suspicion. He was neither welcomed nor questioned as he moved deeper into the caves, trying to determine where Sellia and Gwindor were.
Locating them didn't take long. He could hear the hushed murmur of voices as Sellia talked to the healer. Devrin waited patiently in the dark.
And waited. And waited. The healer left, but Sellia didn't. He was just about to give up, when she finally exited the room with a pail in her hand, apparently seeking to fill it with fresh water. Devrin slipped into the chamber after she had passed, and locked the door behind him.
The elf wasn't stirring yet, but a few rough slaps to the cheeks corrected that. Gwindor met Devrin's gaze with his one good eye. His mouth moved as if trying to form words, but no sound came out.
"I feel so sorry for you," Devrin said, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking Gwindor's hand soothingly. "You've suffered such a setback today. There's the physical, of course. You're even less than you were before, and that's saying something, isn't it? But I'm afraid I have even more bad news for you. All of this - it's simply too much for Sellia. She can no longer bear to look at you. She no longer wishes to continue a relationship with you. She asked me to tell you. I'm so sorry, friend."
Gwindor's lips worked ineffectually for another moment. Devrin continued to regard him with a look of pity. (And perhaps with a soupçon of smugness?) But then Gwindor spoke. "If she tells... me... herself."
Devrin's eyes flashed with anger. "You would stoop so low? You would refuse to accept the lady's attempt to deny you? Are you truly such a blackguard that you would keep her by your side against her will?"
Gwindor repeated with more strength. "I will accept. But only. If she... tells me... herself."
Devrin was fully prepared to argue his point - he was sure he could browbeat the elf into becoming demoralized enough to accept his word on the matter - but there was a rattling of the door handle, then a pounding on the door itself, and finally a vampire prepared to rip the thing from its hinges.
"Excuse me a moment," Devrin said, and stepped out into the hall.
Devrin was not even slightly chagrined by this attack on his character and these petty insults toward his actions. What did these ruffians know? But he was eager to end the conversation. The healer had said that Gwindor could be moved, and the process was underway - Devrin needed to get rid of the lizard and the tall freak, and make sure he was close to Sellia when the time came to make his move.
In service of that goal, he could pretend to be chagrined. He could pretend a great many things.
He bowed his head. "Forgive me. In truth, this situation has been... so difficult for me to navigate. Perhaps you can imagine it from my point of view? Sellia is the love of my life. She is everything to me. Even still. Always. But I am nothing to her. I will... accept that, in time. Or she will change her mind, and welcome me back. In either eventuality, I do not wish to cause suffering or distress to Sellia or her friends. I will absent myself for a time. Adieu, ladies."
Devrin did not go far. He circled around the far side of the camp; he had just been seen assisting with a rescue and then engaged in a conversation that, to all appearances, was amiable with Fira and Nairn, so he was greeted with little suspicion. He was neither welcomed nor questioned as he moved deeper into the caves, trying to determine where Sellia and Gwindor were.
Locating them didn't take long. He could hear the hushed murmur of voices as Sellia talked to the healer. Devrin waited patiently in the dark.
And waited. And waited. The healer left, but Sellia didn't. He was just about to give up, when she finally exited the room with a pail in her hand, apparently seeking to fill it with fresh water. Devrin slipped into the chamber after she had passed, and locked the door behind him.
The elf wasn't stirring yet, but a few rough slaps to the cheeks corrected that. Gwindor met Devrin's gaze with his one good eye. His mouth moved as if trying to form words, but no sound came out.
"I feel so sorry for you," Devrin said, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking Gwindor's hand soothingly. "You've suffered such a setback today. There's the physical, of course. You're even less than you were before, and that's saying something, isn't it? But I'm afraid I have even more bad news for you. All of this - it's simply too much for Sellia. She can no longer bear to look at you. She no longer wishes to continue a relationship with you. She asked me to tell you. I'm so sorry, friend."
Gwindor's lips worked ineffectually for another moment. Devrin continued to regard him with a look of pity. (And perhaps with a soupçon of smugness?) But then Gwindor spoke. "If she tells... me... herself."
Devrin's eyes flashed with anger. "You would stoop so low? You would refuse to accept the lady's attempt to deny you? Are you truly such a blackguard that you would keep her by your side against her will?"
Gwindor repeated with more strength. "I will accept. But only. If she... tells me... herself."
Devrin was fully prepared to argue his point - he was sure he could browbeat the elf into becoming demoralized enough to accept his word on the matter - but there was a rattling of the door handle, then a pounding on the door itself, and finally a vampire prepared to rip the thing from its hinges.
"Excuse me a moment," Devrin said, and stepped out into the hall.
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Finding Home
Sellia
The vague foreboding that had been haunting Sellia for days had suddenly coalesced around that locked door.
She'd been gone for only a few minutes, and Gwindor had been asleep. He would have had no reason to lock her out - nor was it realistic that he had managed to get himself up and across the room to do so, in his current physical state. No, someone else had locked her out. But who? And why?
It could be nothing good.
She yanked and wrenched on the door, and felt the wood start to weaken. Satisfying as it would have been, she never finished ripping it open, because it opened suddenly of its own accord and Devrin stood before her, with a toothy smile on his face. Sellia herself was caught off guard by the abrupt opening, and stumbled back a pace. Devrin carefully shut the door behind him.
"Sellia, my dear! I had hoped you would return--"
"Of course I returned--"
"I had thought we might take a walk together. I have much to discuss with you."
"A... walk? No. I'm not going for a walk with you. My companion is badly injured. I'm tending to him." Sellia was perplexed that she had to explain this.
Devrin waved a dismissive hand. "We'll ask one of the others to take a turn."
"I don't want one of the others to take a turn. I want to be here. With him."
"Sellia. You are so kind. So generous. I love that about you. But the elf need not remain your burden. In fact, you will be grateful to learn that I had the forethought to ensure that he will never be a burden to you again."
"If you hurt him, I swear to you I will--"
Devrin had the audacity to laugh. "Oh, no, I didn't hurt him. Not physically at least. There was no need. No doubt it was painful to hear that the woman he loves does not return his feelings. But he'll adjust to the idea. And now you're free to be with me."
Sellia was pale with rage, shock... and fear. What if Gwindor believed him? Would he accept that it was all a lie? Or would he decide he was finished with her regardless?
Devrin seemed to be thinking the same thing. "I don't suppose there's any coming back from this. Not for you and him. Ah well, so sad. Anyhow, with him out of the way, you are free to be mine."
"You don't understand." Her voice was cold. Her eyes were steel. "You and Gwindor are not in some kind of competition. If he doesn’t want me anymore, so be it... but that doesn't mean I would ever be with you. That option will never be on the table. If he doesn't want me to share his bed, I'm not afraid to sleep alone."
"You would choose this broken wreck of an elf--"
"Gwindor is a treasure!" She was shouting now, a fact she noticed only when she heard the echo of her own voice, and she forced herself to take a breath. "He is the one I love. Nothing you can say or do will change that."
"Oh, I have my ways," Devrin said with an enigmatic smile... and lunged at her, pinning her against the wall and forcing his lips against hers in a kiss.
When Gwindor had kissed her in the past, it was gentle and willing - he had not alarmed the sparrow that nested in her pocket. Devrin's abrupt tackle startled the bird, which flew up and struck him with a faceful of scratching talons and beating wings in a retreat to the rafters.
"Urggggh!" He grunted, and stumbled backward... and tripped over the water pail Sellia had set down when she was trying to force open the door.
Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention as he righted himself, Sellia ran into the room with Gwindor, slammed the door behind her, and threw the bolt.
***
"I'm sorry," Sellia said. "Gwindor, I'm so sorry for his lies."
"You... said... you said I... am a treasure."
"You heard?"
"Enough."
"Then you know what he tried to do. How he tried to manipulate us both."
And had he succeeded?
"The little cottage," Gwindor said. "Is that... still... on offer?"
"For you? Always."
He reached for her, and she went to him eagerly, kissing his forehead, then taking his good hand.
"Always," he repeated. Despite his injuries, and the fever, and all the uncertainties of the future - in that moment, he felt a strange sense of peace. He had suffered, but this time it wasn't accompanied by loss, and now he saw that he didn’t have to live forever in the fear of it.
The vague foreboding that had been haunting Sellia for days had suddenly coalesced around that locked door.
She'd been gone for only a few minutes, and Gwindor had been asleep. He would have had no reason to lock her out - nor was it realistic that he had managed to get himself up and across the room to do so, in his current physical state. No, someone else had locked her out. But who? And why?
It could be nothing good.
She yanked and wrenched on the door, and felt the wood start to weaken. Satisfying as it would have been, she never finished ripping it open, because it opened suddenly of its own accord and Devrin stood before her, with a toothy smile on his face. Sellia herself was caught off guard by the abrupt opening, and stumbled back a pace. Devrin carefully shut the door behind him.
"Sellia, my dear! I had hoped you would return--"
"Of course I returned--"
"I had thought we might take a walk together. I have much to discuss with you."
"A... walk? No. I'm not going for a walk with you. My companion is badly injured. I'm tending to him." Sellia was perplexed that she had to explain this.
Devrin waved a dismissive hand. "We'll ask one of the others to take a turn."
"I don't want one of the others to take a turn. I want to be here. With him."
"Sellia. You are so kind. So generous. I love that about you. But the elf need not remain your burden. In fact, you will be grateful to learn that I had the forethought to ensure that he will never be a burden to you again."
"If you hurt him, I swear to you I will--"
Devrin had the audacity to laugh. "Oh, no, I didn't hurt him. Not physically at least. There was no need. No doubt it was painful to hear that the woman he loves does not return his feelings. But he'll adjust to the idea. And now you're free to be with me."
Sellia was pale with rage, shock... and fear. What if Gwindor believed him? Would he accept that it was all a lie? Or would he decide he was finished with her regardless?
Devrin seemed to be thinking the same thing. "I don't suppose there's any coming back from this. Not for you and him. Ah well, so sad. Anyhow, with him out of the way, you are free to be mine."
"You don't understand." Her voice was cold. Her eyes were steel. "You and Gwindor are not in some kind of competition. If he doesn’t want me anymore, so be it... but that doesn't mean I would ever be with you. That option will never be on the table. If he doesn't want me to share his bed, I'm not afraid to sleep alone."
"You would choose this broken wreck of an elf--"
"Gwindor is a treasure!" She was shouting now, a fact she noticed only when she heard the echo of her own voice, and she forced herself to take a breath. "He is the one I love. Nothing you can say or do will change that."
"Oh, I have my ways," Devrin said with an enigmatic smile... and lunged at her, pinning her against the wall and forcing his lips against hers in a kiss.
When Gwindor had kissed her in the past, it was gentle and willing - he had not alarmed the sparrow that nested in her pocket. Devrin's abrupt tackle startled the bird, which flew up and struck him with a faceful of scratching talons and beating wings in a retreat to the rafters.
"Urggggh!" He grunted, and stumbled backward... and tripped over the water pail Sellia had set down when she was trying to force open the door.
Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention as he righted himself, Sellia ran into the room with Gwindor, slammed the door behind her, and threw the bolt.
***
"I'm sorry," Sellia said. "Gwindor, I'm so sorry for his lies."
"You... said... you said I... am a treasure."
"You heard?"
"Enough."
"Then you know what he tried to do. How he tried to manipulate us both."
And had he succeeded?
"The little cottage," Gwindor said. "Is that... still... on offer?"
"For you? Always."
He reached for her, and she went to him eagerly, kissing his forehead, then taking his good hand.
"Always," he repeated. Despite his injuries, and the fever, and all the uncertainties of the future - in that moment, he felt a strange sense of peace. He had suffered, but this time it wasn't accompanied by loss, and now he saw that he didn’t have to live forever in the fear of it.