Days of Autumn Rain
Jan. 28th, 2013 04:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feredarStory: Days of Autumn Rain
Year: 987 FY
Characters: Mel, Riluke
Warnings: Unrequited love and resultant heartbreak, background war
Mel saw Isshiri off, then trudged back up the beach to Lady Riluke's house. He was leaving tomorrow--exactly where he didn't know, but it hadn't worked out for him to travel with Isshiri, and not just because the desert would be as dangerous to him as the winter in Feredar was to his friend. She hadn't joined them down there--she'd had a meeting with the Lady, working to help her plan for whatever response the King of Glass was likely to make.
But she had gotten back before him, much to his surprise.
"He's off safely?" she asked.
"Safe as he can," Mel said.
"I thought you were planning on going with him?"
Mel winced a little. "Didn't work out. Plus, I can't go where he's goin'."
Lady Riluke eyed him. "But you wanted to?"
He flushed and dropped his eyes.
"I don't think anyone else has figured you out, Mel," she reassured him. "Remember where I'm from, though. Just because I don't dance doesn't mean I don't know the steps. And you're not the first person who's fallen in love with my cousin."
Mel jerked and looked up at her. "I didn't...I mean..." Except he did, he knew full well he was in love with Isshiri, and Isshiri wasn't interested.
"He's..." She sighed. "He's oblivious. And...shy."
Mel stared at her, then broke away, flushing again, realizing how rude that was. "Isshiri's 'bout the farthest from shy I've ever met."
"Not about meeting people, but he doesn't get close," Lady Riluke said. "You're about the closest other than me and his sisters I've ever seen him to anyone."
Mel jerked a little. "What...?"
"That doesn't mean he's not oblivious that you like him. And...from what little I've seen, Isshiri likes women. I don't..." She shook her head. "He loves you, but...not the way you want."
Which was exactly how Mel had read Isshiri. He slumped a little. He'd almost...
But, no. Mel didn't deserve Isshiri anyway. "What do I do...?"
She sat down next to him. "I don't know. I just...I don't want you to get hurt. Either of you. So...you had to know."
"...don't tell him?"
She shook her head. "I won't. I promise."
He nodded, and before he knew what was happening he was leaning against her, and she was holding him and he was crying and...
Not since the Captain had he needed so badly to make someone happy the way he did Isshiri. And he couldn't do it the way he so badly wanted.
But his cousin understood and she wasn't angry at his presumption, and she said she didn't want him getting hurt, either. So he'd do what he could and...
"F'I see him again..."
"Yes?"
"...I'll keep him safe. I promise. So at least one of us is happy."
Lady Riluke nodded, but didn't let go, and he was grateful she was there. It wasn't the same as what he wanted, but it would have to be enough.
Year: 987 FY
Characters: Mel, Riluke
Warnings: Unrequited love and resultant heartbreak, background war
Mel saw Isshiri off, then trudged back up the beach to Lady Riluke's house. He was leaving tomorrow--exactly where he didn't know, but it hadn't worked out for him to travel with Isshiri, and not just because the desert would be as dangerous to him as the winter in Feredar was to his friend. She hadn't joined them down there--she'd had a meeting with the Lady, working to help her plan for whatever response the King of Glass was likely to make.
But she had gotten back before him, much to his surprise.
"He's off safely?" she asked.
"Safe as he can," Mel said.
"I thought you were planning on going with him?"
Mel winced a little. "Didn't work out. Plus, I can't go where he's goin'."
Lady Riluke eyed him. "But you wanted to?"
He flushed and dropped his eyes.
"I don't think anyone else has figured you out, Mel," she reassured him. "Remember where I'm from, though. Just because I don't dance doesn't mean I don't know the steps. And you're not the first person who's fallen in love with my cousin."
Mel jerked and looked up at her. "I didn't...I mean..." Except he did, he knew full well he was in love with Isshiri, and Isshiri wasn't interested.
"He's..." She sighed. "He's oblivious. And...shy."
Mel stared at her, then broke away, flushing again, realizing how rude that was. "Isshiri's 'bout the farthest from shy I've ever met."
"Not about meeting people, but he doesn't get close," Lady Riluke said. "You're about the closest other than me and his sisters I've ever seen him to anyone."
Mel jerked a little. "What...?"
"That doesn't mean he's not oblivious that you like him. And...from what little I've seen, Isshiri likes women. I don't..." She shook her head. "He loves you, but...not the way you want."
Which was exactly how Mel had read Isshiri. He slumped a little. He'd almost...
But, no. Mel didn't deserve Isshiri anyway. "What do I do...?"
She sat down next to him. "I don't know. I just...I don't want you to get hurt. Either of you. So...you had to know."
"...don't tell him?"
She shook her head. "I won't. I promise."
He nodded, and before he knew what was happening he was leaning against her, and she was holding him and he was crying and...
Not since the Captain had he needed so badly to make someone happy the way he did Isshiri. And he couldn't do it the way he so badly wanted.
But his cousin understood and she wasn't angry at his presumption, and she said she didn't want him getting hurt, either. So he'd do what he could and...
"F'I see him again..."
"Yes?"
"...I'll keep him safe. I promise. So at least one of us is happy."
Lady Riluke nodded, but didn't let go, and he was grateful she was there. It wasn't the same as what he wanted, but it would have to be enough.