CHAPTER 1058: PREPARING FOR REUNIONS (PART TWO)

While Sionid’s decision technically settled matters, Rosie herself was still trying to understand why this group of strangers had become so invested in protecting her, particularly when the only danger she might face was her own husband. It was true that he’d been badly injured in his duel with Dame Sybyll, and according to Lady Ashlynn, he’d been permanently blinded when his own Holy Light Blade turned against him.

She shouldn’t be in any kind of danger, especially with Lady Ashlynn and Sir Ollie both planning to be present when Tommin arrived, and yet she felt like she’d been one step away from the village assembling an honor guard for her.

"Why are you all going so far for me?" Rosie asked Sionid once she had a chance to pull the constable’s wife aside. "I’ve only been here a few days, and it isn’t like I’m some high-born noblewoman. If I hadn’t been married to Tommin, I’d have no status at all. So why make such a fuss over me?"

"I think you underestimate how important you are, Lady Rosie," Sionid said as she examined the latest ’interesting’ individual to join their community of refugees and former captives. "Lady Ashlynn clearly values you very highly or she wouldn’t have sent two vampires, especially Madame Zedya, all the way to Hurel to rescue you."

"Then, Lady Ashlynn personally cured you and your son of one of the most deadly poisons known to the Eldritch clans," Sionid explained. "We have a few members of the Nightweaver Clan in this village and everyone here knows how dangerous their venom can be, and how hard it is to cure once it’s taken hold for several days."

"So is it any wonder that the people here think that Lady Ashlynn must value you highly?" Sionid asked. "And if that’s the case, is it any surprise that they would be so quick to protect you?"

"But... But I’m just a nobody," Rosie insisted. "I’m worse than that," she added, shaking her head in a complete rejection of the idea that she was somehow special. "Lady Ashlynn just wanted me to write to Tommin, to try to convince him not to fight. And... and I refused. I didn’t even do what she asked me to."

She hated her weakness, and even more, her selfishness in refusing the request of the Saintess who had saved her son’s life and hers as well. She understood that Lady Ashlynn was a person who had taken protecting life, all life, even the life of her enemies, as her struggle. She wanted to help in that struggle in any way that she could, but when it came to protecting the man who had abandoned her to Owain’s schemes... she just couldn’t.

Tommin put his faith above everything, and when he left her to take up the sword of a Templar, he’d never looked back. Never once visited her or their son. Never wrote. Never even sent word that he was riding off once again to fight against the Eldritch, this time at Lord Loman’s side instead of Lord Owain’s.

So when Lady Ashlynn asked her to write to him, to convince him to stand down in this fight, Rosie couldn’t bring herself to do it. Tommin had chosen his faith. If he wanted someone to protect him, then he should turn to his Holy Lord of Light.

"After she did so much for me," Rosie said as moisture began to collect in her eyes. "And I’ve done nothing at all for her... To say that I’m someone worthy of all of this attention. It’s just a bit too much. I, I’m lucky I haven’t been thrown in the dungeons for refusing to help Lady Ashlynn," she said.

"No, you haven’t done anything to deserve that," Sionid said gently, wrapping her arms around the other woman in a tender embrace. "Lady Ashlynn is different. The Eldritch are different. Even when someone is your enemy, once the battle is over, the victor cares for the defeated. But you were never Lady Ashlynn’s enemy, your husband was, and she knows the difference."

"If you truly want to do something to honor the gift that Lady Ashlynn has given you," Sionid added a moment later. "Think carefully about her offer to let you care for Sir Tommin. It’s your choice to allow him back into your life or not. Lady Ashlynn didn’t save your life just to bind you to a husband who doesn’t love you... I think we all know how she feels about her own husband."

"She gave you and Tonnis back your lives to live for yourself," Sionid said firmly. "If you want to accept Sir Tommin back, you can... but Lady Ashlynn will not force you to. And if you need support, all of us here will help to watch over you."

"How is it that you became so wise?" Rosie asked, looking at Sionid in confusion. She was probably older than the other woman, at least by a few years, but somehow, Sionid seemed much more... prepared for this conversation than she would have expected.

"Lady Rosie, I know you’ve been married to a knight for a long time," Sionid said delicately, taking a deep breath to steady herself before saying something she never would have dared to say to the wife of a knight before arriving in the Vale of Mists. But, as she’d been explaining, things were different here.

"You’ve been married to a knight for a long time, but until recently, Lord Owain has never lost a knight in battle," Sionid said. "But the number of common soldiers who have died is... very high, and the number who returned from his raids with crippling injuries is even higher. The wives of all those soldiers, you think we never talked to each other? Never had to protect each other when someone fell to drink after they could no longer raise their shield or mount their horse?"

"My husband isn’t the only one who understands what happens when a soldier is hurt the way Sir Tommin was," Sionid added gently. "So, whatever you decide to do, if you need help, please know that you don’t have to face him alone. Not tomorrow, and not ever."

At the time, it had been immensely comforting for Rosie to hear, and it had given her the courage she needed to join Lady Ashlynn and Sir Ollie in the courtyard where they awaited the return of Lady Heila with the prisoners they’d taken in Hanrahan Town.

But now that the carriage was clattering across the cobblestones, drawing closer with every breath, she found herself reaching out for Sionid’s hand, clutching it firmly, as if she would topple over without the other woman’s support.

Rosie had considered a thousand different things to say to Tommin once she finally saw him again, but which words she used would depend on Tommin and how he appeared once he emerged from the carriage...