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STOLEN BY THE PAST Chapter One: "Had'Rian," Layana sighed, falling in against his chest. "It is so wonderful to see you again." "You, too," he replied. "You must come inside. I have made tea." Without waiting, far too excited, Layana turned and headed back indoors. Had'Rian and Behan followed behind. They were led inside a large room that was made up of a kitchen and eating area. A long, wooden table stood in the centre of the room and was laden with cups, saucers, pots of tea, sandwiches and cakes. Had'Rian's stomach gave a growl of hunger. "Please, sit down," Layana said, motioning towards the table. Had'Rian hurried over and began picking at the food, pouring himself a mug of hot tea; it had been too long between meals. So preoccupied with the food, he did not notice that Behan had not followed until he spoke. "I have been here before," he whispered. Had'Rian stopped and looked up. Behan was stood a few metres away, looking around with wide, questioning eyes. He looked tired but his mind was still working at normal speed. Wiping crumbs from his mouth, Had'Rian asked, "What do you mean, Behan?" "I don't know," he replied. He stopped and then smiled, shaking his head. "Perhaps I dreamed of it." |
Layana looked across at him. "No, you didn't dream it," she said. "You have seen it before." Had'Rian and Behan looked at her. "Not this particular cottage but the one in E'Thelwin. Do you remember, Behan? Where I spent my childhood? You and Abhner came looking for me?" Behan's face broke into a smile. "Yes," he said. He hurried over to Had'Rian and placed a hand down against his shoulder. "Had'Rian was with us, too. Do you remember, Had'Rian?" Had'Rian had seen many houses throughout his two-hundred-and-two years of life; it was difficult to recall them all. But something did tickle at the back of his mind. A memory of a place quite similar to this room, only smaller. The table had faced the other way, the windows had been larger. It had been three years since he had last been in that cottage. He wondered if it still stood or if the Elders' fire had swept through the woods as well as the village. "I do remember," Had'Rian said. Layana smiled and sat down opposite Had'Rian. "The Elders are very old," she explained. "They like things to be a certain way." She looked around. "I quite like it, though. It reminds me of home. And that is always good." "Yes," Had'Rian replied, not quite sure if that was correct. He supposed if home had been a happy place then it was good but if not… And Layana's childhood had not been happy. Her adulthood hadn't been much better.
Looking across the table, he studied Layana's appearance, the one beneath the mask of welcome she wore. She had changed so much during these last two years. How sad she had been - and still was. She was a little happier now, he could see that, but she still carried the scar that Abhner's death had cut into her. She'd got out of Fehn as soon as the battle had ended and it had not helped to lessen her grief. He looked at Behan as he settled down beside him. Perhaps he had not made a mistake in letting Behan stay in Fehn for so long. Even far away from Sandpoint one could still obsess over what had unfolded, and still punish his or herself for their actions.
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