STORIES
237 - A Favor
2018
Shichi Karanthir Zyfan
Friday afternoon ...
SHICHI:
How is he?
KARANTHIR:
Weak.
KARANTHIR:
... Have you come bearing gifts?
SHICHI:
Fin wouldn't let me come unless I promised to persuade you to eat.
KARANTHIR:
Why would I want to eat that?
SHICHI:
Well, it's here if you change your mind.
SHICHI:
… He's going to be OK Karanthir.
KARANTHIR:
So everyone keeps telling me, including Syrrah.
SHICHI:
She should know. It is her area of expertise.
KARANTHIR:
Yet she pops in here every twenty minutes to check on him.
SHICHI:
She did that when you were ill too.
KARANTHIR:
Really? No one told me. How very conscientious of her.
SHICHI:
I heard it was Es who attacked him. I’m sorry.
KARANTHIR:
Honestly ‘Chi, I’m having a very difficult time
processing this. It’s so not like her.
SHICHI:
Have you talked to her?
KARANTHIR:
Trust me when I say - I want to but she didn’t come home
last night,and her cell is obviously off.
SHICHI:
You think she's hiding?
KARANTHIR:
Either that or she’s not herself. Zyfan insists she was possessed.
I never should have left him alone, not for one minute.
SHICHI:
This isn’t your fault.
KARANTHIR:
I beg to differ. I was warned and if I had been there
I could have protected him.
SHICHI:
You have to stop doing this to yourself. Things happen. He’ll be OK
and that’s what’s important. And this Es thing, you’ll figure it out.
KARANTHIR:
Well thank you Dr. Phil.
SHICHI:
Have it your way. Go on feeling responsible for something
you had no control over. I’ll bet Zyfan doesn’t blame you.
If I know him the way I think I do he’s probably already forgiven Es.
KARANTHIR:
You may be right about that.
SHICHI:
Will you eat some of this, please? Otherwise Fin’s
never going to let me hear the end of it.
KARANTHIR:
Ah my dear brother, he’s going to make someone a
wonderful mother some day.
SHICHI:
… Karanthir I need a favor.
KARANTHIR:
Do you mean to tell me that this has been some feeble attempt
to butter me up? Bribing me this … sandwich?
SHICHI:
This is serious. Phae wants to see the prince.
KARANTHIR:
He needs his rest - as you can plainly see.
SHICHI:
Only for a few minutes. She loves him Karanthir. You’ve got to let her in.
SHICHI:
… Don't look at me like that. I'm not comparing her love for him to yours.
I know what he means to you but she's in this realm to be his wife. His
wife Karanthir. She respectfully asks to be let in. She needs to help.
KARANTHIR:
sigh
Zyfan will need some cool water when he wakes. Tell Miss
Phae I'd appreciate it if she could bring some. If she
chooses to stay, who am I to stop her?
SHICHI:
Thank you.
