So… no use in postponing the end eh!
Chapter VII. Late night
The kids were a little too excited to eat much, so the meal was over quickly. Amousca led them to their rooms, told them good night with a kiss, and let them go to bed alone; they were old enough for that now.
Expecting to find Anomen sound asleep, she entered the master's room on tiptoe. She went to the wardrobe, and retrieved her night gown despite the dark, her elven sight helping. She removed her robes, still careful to be silent, and put on her night gown. When she turned to go to bed, she found Anomen staring at her, fully awake and grinning.
"I promised you an explanation, my lady," he said, sitting up in bed.
She came to sit next to him. He looked red in her infravision, and she could see his skin was flushed with blood. He was not really tired right now, she realized; for a man with such a constitution, a restoration scroll probably helped a lot.
"I met Ajantis in Baldur's Gate," he began.
She had not travelled for long with the paladin, but it had been enough to gain his respect, she knew.
"We spoke of different things for a while; he is a very pleasant man. Then he asked me about Saradush and the Throne of Baal. I told him I did not really know what to tell him, because he was obviously familiar with the story. So he told me he had heard I was married to an elven woman who had been a Baalspawn. I found him very respectful when he spoke about that, unlike many paladins unfamiliar with you. And so, I told him it was true, and your name. Then he stared at me for a while, before asking, looking a little angry, if I was unfamiliar with your adventures in Baldur's Gate. I told him that I wasn't, and then he asked me why you were not there with me. I was a little shocked at first, to hear his tone of reproach, then he explained he had been adventuring with you for a short while, and was wondering why you did not wish to go back to Baldur's Gate. Then I explained to him that our children were to be home for three days, and that didn't happen very often, and that you preferred to stay in Athkatla with them."
Anomen paused shortly and Amousca, with elven infravision, could see the blood rushing to his face; he was blushing in the dark.
"Then he shot me a look so disdainful that I took my glove and threatened to throw him in his face to challenge him if he didn't explain why he was so haughty with me, while I did nothing to deserve such despise from him. He looked at me, and said: "You have the chance to be married with such a wonderful woman, who gave you children, and you leave her alone in Athkatla to come here to challenge me, who wanted nothing more than her company. What an ironic turn of events." I let down my glove, and sat back in front of him. I had to be told by a stranger to see the absurd in the situation. I reminded myself of my father, then, except I am not fleeing my loved ones in drink, I am fleeing in body."
Amousca put a hand on his shoulder and he turned to her.
"You are not like your father, my lord. Look, what you did tonight. They were all so happy to see you, surely you cannot deny or refuse to see it? And then that wonderful discussion around the table about the interests of each of them, especially the promise to Samir that you will go to his play. You love them and you show them, Anomen."
"Still, I should have been here more often recently," he said.
"You are here tonight and the surprise you made us will quickly make them forget your past absences if you continue to be here when it is important."
"I'd like to be able to share with Samir like I share with Matteo," he said again, dreamily.
"Well, speak of poetry, which you have an interest and understanding of, I trust," Amousca smiled, thinking back of the things he had said about her back when he was just beginning to court her. "Tell him the song he plays is lovely. Say that his painting represents a beautiful sight of our world. That is all he needs."
Anomen sighed.
"I am trying, my love, but sometimes I do not find the words."
"I know. But do not worry, give him attention and he will come to understand your occasional lack of words. He loves you. They all do."
She paused.
"I love you."
Anomen turned, smiling at her, all unhappiness forgotten. She was beautiful in the moonlight; her hair seemed silver and her incredible eyes, light brown bordering on yellow, looked silver too. The night gown almost discovered her shoulders and her hair was down; she always wore it in a knot in public, and the long curls were more impressive when she finally let them down on her back. He touched her cheek lightly, then drove her closer to him, sliding one side of the gown over her shoulder to kiss it. She put a small, cool hand on his chest, pushing him away, laughing:
"Are you not tired from your wild ride, my lord?"
"Apparently, restoration scrolls do miracles for me. Why do you think I asked Guillaume to buy another one?"
She laughed as he pulled her down next to him.