A Vote of Confidence
I waited for 3 days for Kel to come home. But she didn't. Come home, that is. On the fourth day, there was a flood in one of the coastal cities and I had to move out. I left a note on the desk saying that I would be back soon, and that I loved her, that I was sorry for what I'd said. I'm not sure if she ever got it.
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We stayed on the coast for two months. I agonized over Kel, alone with only Marques. I wondered if she'd gone back to our rooms or not. Helping rebuild and salvage the town sometimes helped take my mind off of it, but sooner or later I would be thinking of Kel again. It was hopeless. My letters weren't answered, but I kept writing anyway.
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One night I was sitting in a local tavern with my friends from the Own, melancholy, as usual.
Qasim noticed. "Hey, Dom. What's bothering ya? I hardly ever see you smile anymore."
Reluctantly, I told him about Kel's new scribe and our fight. "And then I had to leave, and we hadn't solved anything. And the worst of it is, pretty boy is still there with her!"
There were sympathetic murmurs all around the bar, mostly filled with the King's Own. We were the only ones with money to spend in a tavern.
Lerant spoke up. "Look. It isn't as if this isn't unusual for a man in the Own. Most of our women have left us high and dry by now. 'We're never there' and all. What I'm saying is --"
I glared at him. "What ARE you saying?"
"What I'm saying is, it's no wonder your marriage is falling apart at the seams."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Lerant."
Wolset rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He has a point. None of our marriages have worked out. And Dom's married to a LADY KNIGHT, for Mithros' sake! If his marriage doesn't work, then there isn't a hope for any of us!"
There was a cry of agreement all across the tavern. Men were shaking their fists and hollering. I felt elated. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. At least I had SOME support.
Qasim stood up, knocking his chair backwards. "MEN! Are we going to let some blond bootlicker get the better of our Dom?"
The answer was deafening. "HELL NO!!!"
Wolset got up on the tabletop. "Then lets get this bloody town cleaned up! We'll be back at the palace in less than a fortnight! FOR DOM!!!!!!!!"
Another roar. "DOM! DOM! DOM! DOM! DOM!" Qasim hollered with the rest of them and shook his fist in the air. The others followed suit, starting to get out of control. I was lifted bodily from my chair and carried around the tavern five times. People patted me on the back and shook my hands heartily. Then, I was set down and doused in wine for good luck. By the end of the night I was about ready to collaspe. And I did.
Lying in my cot, exhausted, I smiled up at the ceiling. Things were looking up.
To the shapeless mage: You can't have Dom. He already has a wife, as I have pointed out numerous times in the story. You know, her name is Kel?
I waited for 3 days for Kel to come home. But she didn't. Come home, that is. On the fourth day, there was a flood in one of the coastal cities and I had to move out. I left a note on the desk saying that I would be back soon, and that I loved her, that I was sorry for what I'd said. I'm not sure if she ever got it.
________________________________________________________________________
We stayed on the coast for two months. I agonized over Kel, alone with only Marques. I wondered if she'd gone back to our rooms or not. Helping rebuild and salvage the town sometimes helped take my mind off of it, but sooner or later I would be thinking of Kel again. It was hopeless. My letters weren't answered, but I kept writing anyway.
________________________________________________________________________
One night I was sitting in a local tavern with my friends from the Own, melancholy, as usual.
Qasim noticed. "Hey, Dom. What's bothering ya? I hardly ever see you smile anymore."
Reluctantly, I told him about Kel's new scribe and our fight. "And then I had to leave, and we hadn't solved anything. And the worst of it is, pretty boy is still there with her!"
There were sympathetic murmurs all around the bar, mostly filled with the King's Own. We were the only ones with money to spend in a tavern.
Lerant spoke up. "Look. It isn't as if this isn't unusual for a man in the Own. Most of our women have left us high and dry by now. 'We're never there' and all. What I'm saying is --"
I glared at him. "What ARE you saying?"
"What I'm saying is, it's no wonder your marriage is falling apart at the seams."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Lerant."
Wolset rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He has a point. None of our marriages have worked out. And Dom's married to a LADY KNIGHT, for Mithros' sake! If his marriage doesn't work, then there isn't a hope for any of us!"
There was a cry of agreement all across the tavern. Men were shaking their fists and hollering. I felt elated. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. At least I had SOME support.
Qasim stood up, knocking his chair backwards. "MEN! Are we going to let some blond bootlicker get the better of our Dom?"
The answer was deafening. "HELL NO!!!"
Wolset got up on the tabletop. "Then lets get this bloody town cleaned up! We'll be back at the palace in less than a fortnight! FOR DOM!!!!!!!!"
Another roar. "DOM! DOM! DOM! DOM! DOM!" Qasim hollered with the rest of them and shook his fist in the air. The others followed suit, starting to get out of control. I was lifted bodily from my chair and carried around the tavern five times. People patted me on the back and shook my hands heartily. Then, I was set down and doused in wine for good luck. By the end of the night I was about ready to collaspe. And I did.
Lying in my cot, exhausted, I smiled up at the ceiling. Things were looking up.
To the shapeless mage: You can't have Dom. He already has a wife, as I have pointed out numerous times in the story. You know, her name is Kel?
