Chapter 329: Farewells (1)
Not long after the group began searching for him, Garrett arrived. Although he’d hobbled back to the others, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Arawn scolded him in Muranthian, and he grew suspicious upon seeing that small smile, something he’d only seen from him after he’d spent some time with that spymaster. That Fiza hadn’t been around, so Arawn presumed Garrett had enjoyed himself slaughtering those Faceless monsters.
Once the bodies had been located and retrieved, they began their journey back to Direwood. Along the way, the party split. The elves led by Garrett returned to their homeland first whilst Evanna, Arawn, and their small group stopped by Dunhurst. Evanna wanted to see the King after he couldn’t make it to her wedding day. Osian was exuberant at her sudden visit and discovering the problem to the North had been resolved.
A mighty feast and days worth of celebrations followed their visit. However, Evanna and Arawn, much like the others, would leave early in the evening or once they’d eaten so they could recover completely. Her ’knights’, Ger, Ronan and Axel, also recovered in luxury, enjoying their rooms more than the celebrations. King Osian understood and spent more time with Evanna and Arawn away from the social events.
Evanna’s cousins, however, did not wish to see her outside of the compulsory family breakfast. William and George appeared confused and switched between despising Evanna and wanting her attention. Surprisingly, at breakfast, they conversed with Evanna and Arawn; the youngest was warmer towards them. Evanna expected this; after the Queen’s execution, they were bound to discover what happened and who was responsible. They weren’t yet old enough to fully comprehend all the details, but her cousins no longer smiled at her, and their gazes concealed a lot of pent-up hatred.
Isabel seldom ventured outside her room and faced an impending arranged marriage. Since Evanna’s departure, she held her brothers close, yet the princess could only speculate about what Isabel might have conveyed to the children. Though it pained her, there was little Evanna could do once she set out for Direwood Forest.
While Evanna grappled with family issues and spent time with the King, Ger returned to his mother’s estate, a residence secured with the savings from his monster-slaying endeavours. Whether or not she desired his presence, Ger was determined to ensure her well-being for the remainder of her life. Still, he had some hope in his heart his mother would not turn him away.
Ger didn’t know when he could visit next or if he would survive what was about to come. However, he found solace in knowing he could depart Dunhurst without worrying about his mother. Unexpectedly, as soon as the door to the drawing room swung open and his mother appeared, she burst into tears and pulled him into a tight embrace.
She did not care what he was or was not as long as he was safe. The money never mattered to her, but Ger told her he had to leave; he stayed by her side while she accepted his fate. Despite having servants now, he spent days assisting around the house, driven by his desire to do it for his mother.
That was until Ronan popped up one day, introducing himself and charming Ger’s mother. Immediately, he was alert to Ronan’s ways and started pushing him out of the front door.
"It was a pleasure to meet you!" Ronan called over Ger’s shoulder from where he was being dragged away down the field. Ger continued shoving him as his mother called after Ronan, telling him to drop by whenever he wanted a cup of tea and a chat.