Chapter Four: Over Breakfast
I awoke the next morning with the fight from the previous night still fresh in my mind. While I was changing from my night gown into a fresh dress, a phrase from the fight suddenly surfaced. I had totally missed it due to my anger: "You're an even bigger fool for choosing him while I've loved you all my life."
Loved...All his life... I didn't know what to do as I stood there remembering. Of course. It all made sense. Before Atrus had came Tab'r had always been there. He was constantly bringing me gifts for no reason and the constant flirting that I always thought was just a joke. How could I have not seen it? But I knew the answer to that one. I was so wrapped up in Gehn's writing guild, I barely had time for anything else. And when Atrus came...He made me see the truth of Gehn's writing.
I shook my head to banish the thoughts of the fight and the times before the arrival of Atrus. It didn't matter whether Tab'r loved me or not, I loved Atrus not Tab'r. And Tab'r will just have to learn to deal with that. I smiled with satisfaction at my decision.
I finished getting dressed and began making my bed. When I knew I had remembered something while I was just drifting into sleep. But what was it? I shook my head again to clear my mind and try to remember. But no luck. I frowned and finished making the bed.
I stepped into the kitchen with the smell of fresh majorah baking in the fire. Aeriel was already up and busy squeezing one the fruits, an orange one, into juice. I looked carefully at the fruit. It was not one that I had remembered. When I asked her what it was, she replied, "An orange."
"I know the color. But what do you call it?"
"An orange. The name is the color of the fruit. The juice is very good for you. Atrus planted it for us once. He said he was given the seed by a stranger from another world. I believe it was the one that freed him, freed you, freed the villagers and Moiety, and trapped Gehn. I'm not sure of his name. I never did catch it."
I nodded, "Neither did I. I was only in contact with him twice. Before he let me go and after. And both were in time frames of around thirty seconds. Wait a minute! When was Atrus here long enough to plant a tree or bush, or whatever that orange or whatever it is?"
Aeriel looked surprised, "Why, about six weeks ago. He was here for around a week. I thought you knew."
I searched my memory frantically for a moment. Six weeks ago. Duration was about a week...That's when I got.
"He said that he was going to unstable age called Selentic. Atrus lied to me!" I didn't mean to get so upset, but he had never lied to me. Never. And that bothered me.
"Hush now, sister. You don't need to throw a fit. I'm sure he just, well. I don't know! When he comes back for you, you can ask about his visit yourself."
I thought about that for a second and said, "I'll do that. So what's for breakfast?"