Emerald And Aharon

Chapter Seven

I had to admit, when he said he wanted to have a word with me, I was very interested in what he had to say. 

“I am leaving Desiree,” he said, “I’ve been ignoring the fact our marriage has been falling apart for a long time, but last night was the final straw. My children deserve better than a harsh home and a w***e for a mother.”

I stayed quiet, letting him finish what he had to say. His eyes never left my face and he continued, “but they still need a mother,” he frowned, shaking his head slightly.  “When I go home, whether it is tomorrow, or 3 months from now, I am renouncing my marriage vows and leaving Desiree behind.”

At that point he hesitated, and I could see in his eyes why, what sane and cautious man would admit to falling in love with a woman he had just met and didn’t know? I found myself smiling slightly and looked him in the eye.

“I love you Aharon, fate must have brought me down that path that day so we would meet. There is a connection and sense of rightness I have never felt before,” the words came out of my mouth in a fluid motion and it felt right. I held my hand up to pause the protest I saw building in the way he was holding himself, “I know you feel it to, but no male warrior worth his sword will admit to love at first sight.  A female warrior can, they are expected to have a bit more romantic tendencies and ideals than their male counterparts.”

I tilted my head to the side, studying Aharon and his reaction to my words, and said, “Let's just get to know each other and find out where this goes.” Deep down I had hopes where this would go but had long learned not to be foolish with emotions.

He stared at me, a shocked look on his face but it faded and he nodded his head. He turned and headed back into the house, and I followed him and Aurianna was finishing up serving breakfast. As Aharon and I both sat down he said, “I’m leaving Desiree.”

Everyone at the table paused and looked at him and he continued, “I’m moving the girls and I out and  into a house nearby.”

Aurianna’s eyes went from Aharon to me, and I made a slight nod and she smiled. Of the many things we talked about, the feelings I had where it concerned Aharon had been one of them. She had also mentioned that though she loved her sister, she hoped that her and Aharon would separate.

Auron opened his mouth and said, “About damn time, you should have...” but was silenced by a look from Aurianna and all 10 pairs of young eyes focusing on him.

I quickly finished eating and stood, “excuse me,” I said and headed outside in case the family wanted to talk without the outsider hearing what was said.

I headed into the barn where Ember was and smiled as she stuck her head over the stall door. “Mornin’ girl, did you enjoy having a warm stall and good company?” I opened the stall door and let her out. She nuzzled my shoulder and I patted her neck.

Aharon’s horse snorted and I looked at him, “I didn’t shut the stall door, what are you complaining about?  I’ve known her longer.”

A few minutes later Aharon came into the barn and glanced at the two horses and shook his head. He climbed onto his horse’s back and looked at me, “come with me?”

I nodded my head and quickly placed Ember’s riding gear on and followed suit in mounting up. He started his horse off and I followed close behind and rode back to his old home, what was now to be only Desiree’s.

He pulled his horse to a stop not far from the house and dismounted.  He looked at me, “there is a cart in the barn that we can hitch up to your horse to carry the furniture, and I’ll start gathering up the girls’ clothes and things.” 

I nodded my head and rode Ember over to the barn and dismounted.  I found the cart Aharon was referring to and quickly started getting Ember into the harness and rigging to be able to pull it, which she wasn’t too happy about.

I finally got her into the rigging and harness and started to lead her out when I saw Desiree standing in the doorway. “Aharon is leaving me,” she announced.

“You are surprised with that announcement Desiree?” I countered back.

“I know he’s leaving me for you Emerald, you’re the one who convinced him to come home that night at that time so he would see Yarov leaving.” Her voice raised a pitch and tears started streaming down her face, “he’s taking my babies away from me Emerald, and you’re going to let him! This is your fault!”

I shoved past Desiree, “this is no one’s fault but your own Desiree. The fault I play is I was fool enough to leave you alone to f**k another man while I watched one of your precious babies.” I continued past her and once I did she lunged after me with a pitchfork.

Ember yanked the reigns out of my hands shrieking and I whirled to see Desiree almost on top of me. I stepped aside from her charge and grabbed the pitchfork, yanking it out of her hands and knocking her off balance.  I shoved her and we both fell to the ground, me straddling her and pressing the handle of the pitchfork against her throat. “Don’t start with me Desiree. Killing is not something that is foreign to me.”

She grabbed at the handle, trying to lessen the pressure but I held it for a moment longer before letting go and stood up, pitchfork still in my hands.  As I looked down at her, coughing and gasping for air, her face red and swollen from crying the bruise from where I had hit her the night before dark against her fair skin and her hair matted from a restless night sleep I felt a wave of pity wash over me. She knew she was losing everything she held dear, and was lashing out cause nothing she could do or say now would change that. I stabbed the fork into the ground and grabbed the reins again and led Ember back to the house so we could load Aharon’s and the kid’s stuff into the cart.

I found a pile of clothes and furniture outside and started lifting the items I could into the back of the cart and when Aharon came out with more, loaded the rest of the furniture into the cart. When we finished I climbed onto the driver’s bench and saw Desiree approaching.

Aharon was putting a few last items into the cart and passed Desiree. As he did, she reached out and touched his arm, “Aharon,” she whispered and he jerked his arm away like a hot brand had touched him.

He mounted his horse and he looked down at Desiree, “goodbye,” he said coldly, “I won’t stop the girls from seeing you, you are their mother. However sad a fact that is.” He turned and faced me, his eyes meeting mine and I was surprised by the emotions I saw there, and felt them mirrored in my own. 

I also saw Desiree wince and again I felt sorry for the woman, “Goodbye for now Desiree, I will bring the girls to see you after things have calmed down some.”

Aharon trotted off and I brushed the reins across Ember’s back and she started forward.  Desiree waved as tears continued streaking down her face, but I didn’t look back, there was no point to it and I knew it.

Aharon led the way back to Aurianna’s village, which I knew now to be the village of Seran. We stopped in front of a house that looked to be empty, and glanced over at Aharon.  He seemed to know the place so I figured this was where he was going to live now. 

He and I worked at unloading the cart, my mind drifting over the past 2 days and what Aharon and I had said to each other.  While he didn’t admit to loving me, it was clear something was there judging by what I saw in his eyes earlier.

After we finished unloading all his stuff he glanced at and asked if I would come with him while he finished some other business.  I nodded my head and we rode back to Selllan and Desiree.

We reached Desiree’s, where she sat sobbing. I had wondered when the finality of her actions was going to hit her, and it looked like it was in full force. Aharon scooped her up and placed her on his horse’s back much to the horse’s annoyance it looked like.

Ember’s muscles tensed, her ears plastering flat against her skull and I patted her neck, “easy girl,” I murmured softly.

We rode not back into the village center but off to the side where there stood a church that housed the local clergy and a few of the druid priests. The druid priests lived outside the church, in one of the surrounding buildings, never understood the whole not entering churches thing druids had.

I watched as Aharon talked to one of the druid priests and Desiree and he were separated. I guess for druids they need a priest to oversee the proceedings of separation.  For immortals it was a lot simpler, they crossed swords, declaring only one will be and walk away. Usually it took place on holy grounds, the only safe place for an immortal.

When it was finished Aharon turned away from Desiree and climbed back up onto his horse and made a fast start back towards his new home.

I turned Ember to follow him when I heard Desiree, “Emma?”

I paused and looked at her, and Desiree swallowed hard, “Take... Take good care of him,” tears welled up in her eyes again and I nodded my head.

“I will Desiree, till next time,” and squeezed Ember’s sides and she started off at a trot to catch up to Aharon.