How could she prefer Argul over him?
He was being arrogant, he knew it. He laughed coldly. Was that one of the reasons Ustareth abandoned him?
He wanted her so badly, how couldn't she understand that? When he first met her, he knew there was something special about her, despite the letter. And now he knew there was.
Shaking his head, he paced the room. Why would Claidi want to search for Argul? Didn't she like him as a friend, at least? Didn't she know she was breaking his heart?
No. She had eyes for only Argul. But yet...at the rise, wasn't there a little more between them than friendship? Or was it just his imagination? But Claidi looked at him in a different way than she did now, he was sure of that.
Maybe he should have stayed at the Rise, he thought bitterly, if this was the way Claidi's feelings were.
But it was too late, he knew. He could never go back to the Rise, really. It would never be the same. All he could, and would think about was Claidi.
Maybe I should just refuse her, he thought. But she's determined. She would do it without me. He looked down at his feet.
How different my life would be if I had a mother who loved me? he thought angrily.
Ustareth was meaning for you to follow her, but you never did, a voice inside his head told him. She was determined. She wanted to forge a new path. But she loved you.
She did not, he told himself firmly. If she loved me, she'd have taken me with her.
You would be a burden on her journey, the voice answered.
"I'm a burden everywhere!" Venn yelled aloud. He closed his eyes. It was late at night, and he'd probably waken Claidi up.
Sure enough, she knocked on his door. "Venn? What was that?"
He looked at his feet. "Nothing," he mumbled.
She walked over to him. He stared at her. How graceful she seemed! She sat beside him, and his heart began to beat faster.
"Venn?"
He looked down. "What?"
"Do you think I don't like you?"
Venn stared at the floor. He did think that sometimes she didn't think of him first, only her own desires, but no, he'd never thought that. But was it true? That terrible thought tore his insides apart. He didn't answer.
"Because that isn't true, Venn. I like you. I like you a lot."
He jerked his head up, staring at her.
"You're one of my best friends, Venn. You're a great person."
He looked down again. How foolish to think she had meant something else. But he couldn't help but think, hope, really, that it was not all his imagination at work.
He looked up. Claidi had slowly walked across the room.
"C'mon, Venn. Let's try and get some more sleep."
He dreamt of Claidi that night.
He was being arrogant, he knew it. He laughed coldly. Was that one of the reasons Ustareth abandoned him?
He wanted her so badly, how couldn't she understand that? When he first met her, he knew there was something special about her, despite the letter. And now he knew there was.
Shaking his head, he paced the room. Why would Claidi want to search for Argul? Didn't she like him as a friend, at least? Didn't she know she was breaking his heart?
No. She had eyes for only Argul. But yet...at the rise, wasn't there a little more between them than friendship? Or was it just his imagination? But Claidi looked at him in a different way than she did now, he was sure of that.
Maybe he should have stayed at the Rise, he thought bitterly, if this was the way Claidi's feelings were.
But it was too late, he knew. He could never go back to the Rise, really. It would never be the same. All he could, and would think about was Claidi.
Maybe I should just refuse her, he thought. But she's determined. She would do it without me. He looked down at his feet.
How different my life would be if I had a mother who loved me? he thought angrily.
Ustareth was meaning for you to follow her, but you never did, a voice inside his head told him. She was determined. She wanted to forge a new path. But she loved you.
She did not, he told himself firmly. If she loved me, she'd have taken me with her.
You would be a burden on her journey, the voice answered.
"I'm a burden everywhere!" Venn yelled aloud. He closed his eyes. It was late at night, and he'd probably waken Claidi up.
Sure enough, she knocked on his door. "Venn? What was that?"
He looked at his feet. "Nothing," he mumbled.
She walked over to him. He stared at her. How graceful she seemed! She sat beside him, and his heart began to beat faster.
"Venn?"
He looked down. "What?"
"Do you think I don't like you?"
Venn stared at the floor. He did think that sometimes she didn't think of him first, only her own desires, but no, he'd never thought that. But was it true? That terrible thought tore his insides apart. He didn't answer.
"Because that isn't true, Venn. I like you. I like you a lot."
He jerked his head up, staring at her.
"You're one of my best friends, Venn. You're a great person."
He looked down again. How foolish to think she had meant something else. But he couldn't help but think, hope, really, that it was not all his imagination at work.
He looked up. Claidi had slowly walked across the room.
"C'mon, Venn. Let's try and get some more sleep."
He dreamt of Claidi that night.