Chapter Eight – Meeting of an Old Flame
Thom's cloak billowed out behind him as he strode angrily back to his rooms where he could shout his annoyance in private. Although the morning had turned out to be the best day of his life so far where he finally found out that Emilie had loved him, his world started to crash down as he entered the dining room of his family quarters.
He had come face to face with a person he rather wished he could forget.
"Nataila…bloody Nataila", muttered Thom, "how does her family know my mother? Nataila."
He waved his hand across his own door for it to open and slammed it shut tightly in the same manner, before beginning to pace furiously as he recounted the meal. His whole posture was tense from remembering it.
"Thom, you arrived", echoed his mother from the balcony, "come out and meet my guests." Following his orders like a wise son does when his mother is the Lioness, Thom plaster what he hoped was a convincing smile and walked out.
"Evening ma", he whispered quietly into Alanna's ear and kissed her cheek lightly before facing visitors.
As his mother slipped an arm through his, she introduced him to a middle age gentleman sitting across from his father who winked as a greeting at his son. "This is Lord Malfour who is staying here for the rest of the summer".
Thom bowed and made polite greetings while Lord Malfour smiled kindly back and asked Thom to call him Walther as he was still uncomfortable being known as one of the gentry. For some reason, Thom liked this man and hoped that they could be on friendly terms.
His mother moved Thom to see a lady in the half shadows as she continued her introduction, "Unfortunately Walther wife has taken ill and her daughter wished to stay at her side until she returned to health. However she has sent her cousin instead to keep her father company. May I introduce you to Nataila, Thom?"
The words of friendship fell from Thom's lips as he gazed at his first love that stood before him in a very low cut pale blue dress. She smiled a knowing smile and stuck out her hand for Thom to kiss.
Barely registering anything on the outside Thom's mind was working overtime. Did his mother know that Nataila was his old love? What was Nataila doing at the Palace now? And what was he going to tell Emilie?
The thought of Emilie calmed him slightly to function the proper greetings and settle down at the table. As he looked around, his father caught his eye and gave a questioning stare which Thom shook his head at. I can't believe this is happening to me! Why! The gods have got to hate me!
Nataila had found her sitting next to Thom for dinner and wasted no time in showing what she wanted. As their older relatives left to retrieve a map of the south lands of Tortall, Nataila's hand started to run up and down the inner side of Thom's thigh. She put her mouth to his ear and whispered, "It's been a long time Thom, hasn't it?"
Thom burned with anger and grabbed Nataila's hand from his leg and returned it to her lap and although he wanted to throttle her, Thom trained his voice to remain unaffected, "It has Lady Nataila and things have changed."
Her eyebrows rose elegantly at the defiance at Thom's new attitude and then she smiled smugly and whispered before the older adults could hear their conversation. "I'm looking forward to a challenge when I'm staying at the palace."
After that Thom remained firmly in the background for the rest of the night until he could plead an early night for early lessons.
Now in a very pissed of mood, cold anger threatened to engulf Thom's early happiness. As he walked around his empty room trying to figure out Nataila's plans and why this was happening to him, all he wanted was Emilie's company. He needed to tell her everything now, as soon as possible.
Looking outside his window, he guessed the hour of night and hoped that Emilie was still up from having dinner with the prince and his fiancée.
I never knew that there was so much to organise for a wedding! Thom groaned thinking of what his would be like yet his stomach was filled with butterflies. Hopefully it will be small and private. I can't stand public displays.
Making sure the hallways were empty Thom slipped out of his own chamber and headed towards the direction of Emilie and on the way he contemplated about what exactly he wanted to discuss with Emilie regarding Nataila bizarre return into his life. His old memories of Nataila did not bring a fluttering sensation to his heart and he knew that he had been a fool thinking that he deeply loved her.
Better to be a fool and learn from your mistake than never experience life, his head told his heart.
Quietly walking like a thief, which he would be forever grateful to his father, Thom silently reached Emilie's room without being seen by any other person, servants included. He was secretly pleased with his achievement and the fact that Emilie was indeed still up which he could tell from the candle light that shone through the crack at the bottom of the door.
Thom knocked the cold wood persistently since he was tapping ever so softly not wanting any one else to come out their rooms to investigate. He could hear cloth rustling and feet padding across a creaky floor to the door which opened a fraction, letting Thom glimpse at a very sleepy Emilie who hair was all tousled.
Emilie squinted her eyes up at Thom's shadow figure, needing a few minutes to note her late night caller.
"Thom", she whispered ever so silently that Thom thought it was in his head. "Go back to bed before anyone sees you."
"I need to talk to you", replied Thom just as gentle, "I would not have come if it wasn't important."
He could see Emilie weighing up the options and was relieved when she widened the door and allowed him to pass, before quickly shutting the door and locking it. As Thom glanced around the room, he smiled at what he saw. It was very Emilie.
Her walls were washed in a pale green which radiated calm and peaceful like a spring day. It was tidy and filled with little objects here and there indicating her participation of court life – fans, ribbons, invitations and a large wardrobe. However Thom loved the way that Emilie hid the several books that would announce to everyone her educated mind on more pressing topics such as politics and the Tortall law. Emilie was a mixture of both worlds and it suited her character which Thom had begun to appreciate very much.
Emilie moved around the room with practise grace, wrapping a shawl around her nightdress to ward off the chilly night ahead. Eventually she sat on the couch which stood in front of her window and stared at Thom for an explanation.
The courage and resolve that Thom had had now disappear and he nervously edged over and sat a distance away from Emilie on the couch.
"I don't know where to begin", Thom laughed uneasily, " I think I might be a bit foolish trying to explain something that happened long ago and has nothing to do with the present. I… it seems like I should though, because it would be wrong… mmm."
Thom looked up from his hands that were shaking to see a concerned Emilie clasping her dainty hand over his mouth. "Start at the beginning Thom," she said with a smile, "then we'll discuss it and work from there. Or I'll have to listen to you mumbling for the rest of the night and as handsome as you are, I am tired."
Emilie retracted her hand but Thom made a dash to grab it in hands and entwine their fingers, making Emilie shift her body closer to his. Taking a deep breath and focusing on what he was about to tell, Thom explained and revealed his time at the City of the Gods.
He described everything to Emilie: the first time when he had performed a difficult spell in front of his mentor and was rewarded, the long and annoying studies which he frequently grumbled about in his letters to his father, the time when he was chosen for a specific and delicate task from one of his great teachers and finally being able to put on the black robe, knowing that he had done it all by himself.
And then there was Nataila, his first, the one girl he considered to be the love of his life. They meet in Thom's second final year of study and Nataila was sought after by many of the young men who were practising magic. He felt extremely lucky and a tad arrogant when she marked him out as a potential suitor. Some time later in the year when the leaves of autumn were falling, they became lovers and Thom thought he was in love. He kept this relationship hidden from his family fearing that they might find it a suitable match and also because Nataila beg it to be their little secret against the rest of Tortall. He had given her anything that she had asked and when nearing the end of his sheltered life in the cloisters, Thom was going to propose.
He decided that he would do it after all his examinations. So after the last one, Thom rushed to his rooms to find the ring which he thought Nataila would adore in his room and made his way to her quarters. He had remembered her saying to him that she would be out all day with her family which gave him the idea of surprising her in her room. Entering her quarters, Thom heard a sound from inside her bedroom and moved quietly thinking that it was Nataila back early. He was right. But she was joined in her bed with a young man that Thom recognised as being two years older than him and had graduated last year.
Thom stumbled out quickly without making a sound, too distract to care what was happening. That same day, he packed all his bags, scribbled a letter to his mother saying that he was heading home for the summer and went to see the Head Priest on forwarding his results to his home. After that, Thom left and went away to heal his broken heart.
He had finished telling the most painful experience that he had ever had to go through and now he could not say or do anything. He felt completely empty…but in a good sort of way.
"Thom," broke in Emilie, "I'm sorry. For once I don't know what to say or do." She squeezed his hand to apologise further.
Thom chuckled at Emilie for basically thinking the same thing as he. Looking at Emilie's confused face, he laughed even louder earning a query glance from her to explain himself.
"You are amazing", he simply stated before seizing her mouth in an ardent embrace which left them both breathless afterwards. He leaned his forehead against hers and tried to memorise her brilliant emerald eyes.
It was Emilie who broke the staring by asking, "Thom, why are you telling me this?"
Thom noted that Emilie's face was paler than usual and her eyes were downcast, as he looked downward to her lap he saw her wringing her hands together. He was puzzled at her actions.
"Because tonight Nataila was at my mother's family gathering", said Thom, "and she made it pretty clear that she wants to restart our relationship."
"And are you?", Emilie whispered to him with her down looking interest in the rug patterns.
"Am I what?". Thom couldn't understand why Emilie wasn't looking at him, laughing at him and telling him what an idiot he was being about his fear of Nataila ruining his life again. "Why aren't you looking at me, Emilie," he spoke so softly. He placed his hand under her chin firmly and turned her head to meet his and found that her eyes were brimmed with tears.
She still wouldn't look into his eyes, so he gentle rubbed his thumbs in a slow circle motion on her cheeks catching the tears that had escape her control. "Why are you so sad?"
The question hung in the air as Emilie refused to even note Thom's comforting hands. He was baffled her reaction, all he had said that he had loved Nataila and that she had made a move on him tonight…Emilie thought he was coming to break up with her. Thom shook his head as he realised what Emilie had taken from his confession.
"Emilie, my dear, you are a very silly court lady indeed", Thom knew that he shouldn't be baiting her but it got him a response.
Emilie glared up, into his violet eyes which many people would have backed away from and she started to struggle out of his hands holding her face. "I am not silly," she grounded out. "Let me go."
"Yes you are!" replied Thom with a smirk as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled Emilie unceremoniously unto his legs, securing her in with his arms, " you're silly if you think that I am leaving such a beautiful, spirited and intelligent lady for Nataila."
Emilie stopped her aggressiveness at once which was a huge give-a-way that he was right and in a low murmur said, "I am a silly court lady then." Thom laughed and kissed her soundly on the cheek then the forehead, eyebrows and finally capturing the mouth.
After a heated session of kissing between the two, Thom regain control on his purpose for being in Emilie's room so late.
"I don't trust her Emilie", he said into her hair, "I don't believe that this is a coincidence."
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I'm leaving it off here because I am unsure which direction that I am taking it. I hope that you like Emilie and I will reveal why she knows so much about the going ons of Thom's affair. I hope that I am conveying that you don't need to be a warrior like Alanna or Kel or have magical powers like Daine to do some good in the world. Anyway please review and tell me what you think. Thanks!