"Claidi, what do we do now?"
"Search for Argul, of course."
"What? You don't know where he is!"
"I'd search hell to find Argul." Venn looked down. I'd search hell to find you, he thought.
He frankly didn't want to search for Argul. Fabulous, remarkable Argul. Both women preferred Argul: Ustareth, whom he'd thought solely loved him, as she'd always told him, that he was the gem in her heart, (his heart twisted angrily) and Claidi, whom he now loved, and was sure he'd love, for all eternity.
"So Venn? Will you?" Her voice was pleading. Venn looked at his hands.
"Yes, Claidi. I'll help you find Argul."
He had expected a smile, or a shriek of joy, but she just looked at him, obviously concerned. About what? he wondered.
"Venn, you don't like him, do you?"
He thought about that. He didn't know Argul, yet his hatred for him was like none he'd ever had, excepting Ustareth. Angrily he ranted in his mind about how she could have taken him with her, that she had lied to him, told him she loved him, left him a doll to be his mother...
And Argul, who was her obvious favorite. For although Venn hated his mother, he still wanted her to love him. Why he didn't know.
And Claidi. Willing to search hell to find Argul. Why couldn't she feel that way about him? Why did everyone prefer Argul? He was glad that he'd left Treacle behind, or she'd start going after Argul as well.
Finally, he answered. "Claidi, do you really expect me to like him?"
"No, I suppose not."
"If you suddenly realized your mother had left you for another, wouldn't you be a bit angry?"
She walked over to him. "I love you, Claidi," he whispered.
She looked him over. "Venn, please. I..."
"I know. You love Argul."
"Well, I do..."
"Claidi, do you love Argul with all your heart?"
She avoided his eyes. "I do," she answered softly.
Venn examined his fingernails. I love you with all mine, he wanted to say. But he didn't have the bravery.
"I'm going to sleep," he told her flatly. "Good night."
"Search for Argul, of course."
"What? You don't know where he is!"
"I'd search hell to find Argul." Venn looked down. I'd search hell to find you, he thought.
He frankly didn't want to search for Argul. Fabulous, remarkable Argul. Both women preferred Argul: Ustareth, whom he'd thought solely loved him, as she'd always told him, that he was the gem in her heart, (his heart twisted angrily) and Claidi, whom he now loved, and was sure he'd love, for all eternity.
"So Venn? Will you?" Her voice was pleading. Venn looked at his hands.
"Yes, Claidi. I'll help you find Argul."
He had expected a smile, or a shriek of joy, but she just looked at him, obviously concerned. About what? he wondered.
"Venn, you don't like him, do you?"
He thought about that. He didn't know Argul, yet his hatred for him was like none he'd ever had, excepting Ustareth. Angrily he ranted in his mind about how she could have taken him with her, that she had lied to him, told him she loved him, left him a doll to be his mother...
And Argul, who was her obvious favorite. For although Venn hated his mother, he still wanted her to love him. Why he didn't know.
And Claidi. Willing to search hell to find Argul. Why couldn't she feel that way about him? Why did everyone prefer Argul? He was glad that he'd left Treacle behind, or she'd start going after Argul as well.
Finally, he answered. "Claidi, do you really expect me to like him?"
"No, I suppose not."
"If you suddenly realized your mother had left you for another, wouldn't you be a bit angry?"
She walked over to him. "I love you, Claidi," he whispered.
She looked him over. "Venn, please. I..."
"I know. You love Argul."
"Well, I do..."
"Claidi, do you love Argul with all your heart?"
She avoided his eyes. "I do," she answered softly.
Venn examined his fingernails. I love you with all mine, he wanted to say. But he didn't have the bravery.
"I'm going to sleep," he told her flatly. "Good night."