The Day After-part 4
Mixed intentions, flowing emotions.
Henien slipped off her horse quickly, softly pleading with Garrion to run inside the tent that her horse had stopped infront of, mud cked in its mane, it's steel shoes paining it as they craked lightly, like a thorn in ones side. Not only tht but a heavy man waas laying on it's back, his blood trickling into the horses hair to the horses dissmay. A deep huff and shake of the head was all the horse had in reply, trusting his owner to relieve him of his troubles. Henian rubbed oen of her temples with a thumb, flicking a few strands of her hair as she looked to her large burden, a hand was placed on her hip, lenaing to one side as light drops of rain slid down her face with care. Taking her horses leads she led him to the flaps of a large, thick leather tent. She carefully pulled the bloody and bruised mass from her horses back, letting him run off to graze. A gentle sigh carried from her lips, the light smog form her breathe rising overhead as eth fell form her horse roghly. No grunt or sigh was heard as yet again he had fallen unconcious, his skin as white as a fresh blanket of snow dropped over the tree-tops. Except of course for the spatter of crimson here and there across his chest and frankly, most all of him. The abuse he had taken the past days was evident, his every feature worn like a boudler from years of batteling the elements. Chizled, cracked, rugged. He looked like death itself, his usually strong stature weakened, his muscles sgged lightly, weak from lack of food and nutrition for days, Henian slowly pulld him into the tent through the two light brown flaps, rain mixing with the blood, cusing a light concoxion that drenched his back and sides, mixed with dark and pebbly mud. Her beautiful eyes examined his every bit of skin, tearing up at his state. A broken mess was the man she once, and still loved. Rushing over to their son, tucking him under the grey and red fox furs, resting his head upon a rugged pillow before rushing back to Eth, bandage and needle in hand.
Slowly Etheirgrums eyes opened the next morning, bright and early. The birds sang, the chorus of the crickets rose, the dampening of the fog lingering over the sea of green. Beads of water dripped down every blade, giving the earth nourishment. The only sight for miles was a single tree, and under it a tent. Etheirgrum's vision blurilly starred to the brown top of the tent, blinking to try and regain his sences. He flt a soft arm around him, as well as a head burring into his neck, hair about his chest. He smiled softly, thinking it was a nightmare, though the pain was still very much real to his dissmany. As was the blood, the stitches, the rain pattering onto the roof of the tent. He reached his arm that was not wrmed by the comfort of another, running his palm over his face drearilly, rubbing his temples in light agony. Slowly his gaze tilted to the one beside him, and to his light horror it was not his wife, grunting and graoning as he rolled out of her grasp quickly, causing her to stir. He looked over his torn and dirty trousers, groaning in hunger and at his appearance, quickly looking around for something to dress in. Henian smiled up to him, pushing herself up as she noticed his disgruntled looks, tossing him a old shirt of her brothers of which he put on quickly. A slight snort released from him as he wore his foes clothing whom died the night before. She urged him to sit, pushing him from his shoulders down to a single wooden chair at the side of the tent. It creaked and argued with him as he sat, sngrilly allowing his weight. Placing his head in his hands he groaned, sighing and rubbing a hand through his long hair as his 'captor' fixed him a meal. Etheirgrums head slowly jerked up, painfully looking over the tent. He noticed a small boy, about the age of ten curled up under a few furs. His hair was a dark red, his skin tough and lightly tanned as his fathers. The boy stirred, rolling onto his side and meeting his fathers gaze, Garrion's doe colored eyes starring intently into his fathers statly ones. After a while Garrion went to his mother, kissing her arm of which he recieved a smile and a bit of deer meat from, wandering over to his father and starring up to his eyes silently. Etheirgrum looked back down into the gaze, cold tears as ice cold water freezing his body as they poured slowly down his cheeks.
After moments of a meeting stare Garrions small fist met the flesh of Etheirgrums chin, causing the unsturdy man to flench lightly, widdening his eyed before bursting out into a laugh, followed by a deep bellowing cough. Etheirgrum smacked his son gently upon the top of the head, smirking. ''what was that f..for?!'' bellowed the shattered man. ''For leaving my mum you no good rotten, pig eating, sheep pleasing, sod!'' Henian grinned at the title she hag given Eth. Turning his eyes to Henian in bewilderment for a moment before back to his son, smirking and ruffling his hair. '' I did what I needed to..and I will in the future. Maybe when your older you'll understand. '' Are the words that went right through Garrion before another light and weak punch met eths jaw. After a few more light words with his son Henian sent him back to his furs, smiling to Eth as she held out a plate full of foods, as well as a mug of ale. Eth's eyes lit up like a lantern as he grabbed the plate, digging in starvingly, downing the ale, the plate was as clean as it was before food was placed on it within minnutes. Henian giggled at the display before Eth met her eyes seriously.
'' Why am I here..how did you find me, and why the sod is all of this happening? ''
Henian raised a brow and sighed '' you mean...your not here for us? '' she sparred a glance to Garrion before looking back to him softly. '' I thought you came looking for me dear, you met my brother in his cmp it seems...I... '' she sighed, looking down. '' I didn't mean to kill him, it's just y... ''
She was silenced by one of Eths fingers on her lips. '' No...I did not come here for you...I did not want to see you again. I am sorry, I know it was wrong of me to leave and it has been cowardly for me to hide from you and the past as I have been. I loved you...at one point...that point has passed. All I wan't is to get back to where I was...to my new love, my wife. ''
Henian raised her eyebrows, feeling her heart jolt inside of her form his words, his eyed dark and emotionless like a barrier between him and the man that she loved with all her heart. She suddenly started paniking, noticing the ring on his finger. Her eyed were bombarded by a sea of tears, her eylids acting as a sea bank, keeping them back before she coursly and weakly responded. '' y..your not here for me?....him?...us? B...but....m... ''
Etheirgrum sighed deeply and shakenly, placing a hand gently on her cheek, wiping a few of her streaming tears, a waterfall he could not quench even if he wanteed to. '' you know I loved you...I was a coward...and I am ashamed of myself deeply. I always will be. But you've your life, i've mine now...they will not mix well...'' Sparring a glance to his son before looking back to her, lightly teary eyed. '' I love my wife...more than I did you...it is the sad truth. I need her....crave her...will die without her. And if I don't I would wish every dy that I would. She is my new life..not you...n...not him. That was a blissful mistake merian. Please accept that...move on...find a man that diserves you. Not a arse like me...I...you can have everything I have to support yourself. I'll come and visit atleast a few times a year. Not out of pity...i'd like to...I...my son. I am sorry...for everything...truly. But we are not meant to be together...we never will be. ''
Henian choked between tearsm her heart exploding from regret and longing, squeezing one of his hands she lowly and weakly responded. '' I understand....I...keep your things...keep everything....you need it all. P-please...do not visit us...forget us as I will try to you. I..I love you...j...p-please don't leave...''
Etheirgrum sighed sadly, dropping a few tears. He slowly and shakingly stood, wrapping his arms around her, holding her gently, comfortingly. His son joined them, hugging his mother and father as one of them shed tears over the others shoulder, shaking and screaming in longing. Hours passed of echoed sobs in the wind, birds flying overhead as the wind joined in with the womans cries. '' One last kiss..'' whispered Henian. Etheirgrum looked to her eyes painfully, she was released from his grasp as he limped heavilly from the tent, sighing. He grabbed the leads of the grey mane, pulling onto his back. He lead it aside and rode full speed away from the tent. Henian peeked out, tears still in her eyes. Her son hanging onto her side, sadly as he watched the bare and bloody figure ride off into the distance. Henian wept more, her son holding her lovingly, promising to do all he can in his life to help her and himself.
Etheirgrum never looked back though his heart pounded, in pain, regret, longing. But for his wife, the one he had been seperated from. He looked to his hand, starring at the ring before he whipped the renigns to go faster, looking up across the fields as he held on very weakly, near unconciousness again. Whispering like a lost spirit to himself.
'' im coming sweet-cheeks...and i'll see you soon,,,or later...as long as I take breathe,you can be sure, i'll be on your trail. ''
