STORIES
253 - Opinion
Karanthir Zyfan
Monday afternoon…
KARANTHIR:
…My prince, why the frown? I thought you'd be happy to
finally be out of bed. Has something happened?
ZYFAN:
I received a letter from home.
KARANTHIR:
Please tell me no one there knows about the attack on your person?
ZYFAN:
Oh no. Syrrah and I agreed to never tell them.
KARANTHIR:
I concur. So what do they expect of you now?
ZYFAN:
Phae. The Council is demanding an answer. They say if I do not plan
to wed her, then she is to be sent back and another will replace her.
KARANTHIR:
Sent back? Replaced! What is she to them - a fish to be
tossed back in the ocean? Really, that seems quite unfair.
ZYFAN:
Such is my life.
KARANTHIR:
What are you going to do?
ZYFAN:
I have been thinking of nothing else all morning. Karanthir, it
would truly help me if you would tell me how you feel about her?
KARANTHIR:
We've been over this, I refuse to sway you one way or another.
ZYFAN:
But I am only asking my best friend to give me his opinion.
KARANTHIR:
All right - this is my opinion; I think it's highly unfair of
you to ask me to help you choose the woman who will
share your bed and outrank me in every official
capacity in your life. Quite simply, I won’t do it.
ZYFAN:
Oh Karanthir, I had completely forgotten about …
I never thought of it in that way…
KARANTHIR:
Hush my prince, I want you to completely understand me.
I love you. I love you in a way I never thought possible.
KARANTHIR:
… I knew who you were when we first met, and although I never
expected our flirtation to turn into … this, I knew what was
expected of you. I walked into this with eyes wide open.
KARANTHIR:
… I'm truly honored to be on this journey with you, but this is your
decision to make. I am confident you will make the right choice.
ZYFAN:
Thank you and forgive me. It never occurred to me what I was asking you.
KARANTHIR:
There's nothing to forgive. And now if you’ll excuse me, I have a
lot of reading to do. Before I go, do you need anything?
ZYFAN:
No. I only need to gather my thoughts. I want to speak with Phae as
soon she gets home from school. I will not draw this out any longer.
KARANTHIR:
A wise decision.
KARANTHIR:
…Oh, and remind later to tell you how I manipulated Racolo today.
ZYFAN:
Karan, I hope you did not hurt him. You tend to tease him so.
KANANTHIR:
Not at all, but I did succeed in securing a purple crystal when any
color would do. I had forgotten how easy it is to get a rise out of
him, and how delightful it is to watch. I’ll check on you later.
