Chapter 8

Cathryn perched on the edge of her chair in the living room of the town house she shared with Ailona in Fœna, close by the castle walls. She looked around at the oil paintings on the walls and ornate statuettes dotted around on sundry pieces of furniture. Ailona stepped through the door, clad in two towels, one covering her wet hair, and the other wrapped around her body.

“I have to go back, Allie.”

“Cathie, it’s only been three days since you were exiled, and anyway, why would you want to go back to Gilhœd?”

“Not Gilhœd, don’t be mad. I have to go back to Elshaw. The boy I met there could be useful.”

“You met a boy.” Ailona’s tone was full of shock, disappointment and a certain amount of disgruntled unhappiness. “A boy? What about me? And you’re too old for a boy anyway.”

“Not a boy, and not like that, you know I love you. He was, what, nearly eighteen? And I’ve never liked men in that way.” She slipped off the chair and wrapped her arms around Allie’s waist, “Stop being daft.”

“I wasn’t, you said you met a boy. And you know what that normally means. So who was he?”

“A boy, a...miller’s son.”

“A miller’s son. So you already met the family Miller then. Oh, Cathie. What have you done?”

“Nothing! Not yet, anyway.” Ailona stepped away.

“Not yet? You aren’t going to do anything, ok? If you get yourself locked up, killed or whatever, I won’t be there to get you back.” Cathryn winced at the veiled threat.

“I’m not going to do anything that’ll get me killed. Or locked up.” She muttered

“Good, because I’ve had it up to here with you and your disasters. I love you, Cathie, but I can’t stand your irrational behaviour anymore.”

“Irrational behaviour? MY irrational behaviour? What about yours? Coming running after me wherever I go? Making threats to leave me if I put my life at risk again – without me would you even have a life?”

“Cathie! For crying out loud! Why are you so mean? I only do it because I care, but if you don’t want me to love you then fine. I’ll leave right now.” Ailona moved away even further and grabbed a slender figurine from the bookshelf, “you can take your stupid birthday presents and stuff them!” she hurled it at the floor, grabbed her cloak and stormed out of the door. Cathryn took one deep breath and ran after her into the street.

“ALLIE!” Ailona stopped mid stride, and Cathryn saw her frame shake with sobs. She ran up to her and took her by the arm, “I know it’s because you care, but I had to help mother.”

“By getting yourself arrested? By nearly dying yourself? Oh, Cathie, for goodness’ sake, look after yourself. I think we’ve proved that I’m not good at it.”

“Yes, you are, don’t you ever say that. Come inside now, come on.” Ailona blinked at her wetly.

“Not just now. I think I’ll go for a walk. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Oh...ok, then.” Cathryn bit her lip as Ailona brushed past her and stared down the street in a daze as she turned up an alley. Cathryn hardly remembered going back into the house, but when she came to, she was kneeling in front of the shattered remains of the beautiful ceramic statuette she’d given Ailona for her last birthday. A statuette of two slender figures wrapped around each other. The sculptor had called it ‘forever one’. Ha. As if.

When Ailona finally returned late that night, she found Cathryn curled on the hard floor, staring at the empty fireplace.

“Cathie?” Cathryn didn’t move, so she crept closer. “Cathie, I’m sorry.” She realised Cathryn wasn’t blinking. “Cathie? Cathie, what have you done?!” Cathryn shivered and glared at her.

“I haven’t done anything.”

“Good.” Ailona sat beside her, not quite touching. “I’m sorry about what I did. And what I said. It was wrong of me.” Cathryn huffed and frowned harder at the grate. “Cathie, please...” She struggled to keep the wobble out of her voice. “I know I was wrong, and I’m sorry, I really am. Please don’t ignore me.” Cathryn shifted to look at her.

“I was wrong too, you know. But if you don’t like me helping mother, then...I don’t think there’s a future for us.” Neither of them spoke as Cathryn watched the tears well up in Ailona’s eyes and spill over, trickling down over her cheeks and dripping off her chin. She looked so...vulnerable.

“Allie, I –”

“You want to break UP with me? But...we never argue about anything...that was the first time...I was trying to tell you how much I love you, and you took that to mean I don’t support you? I just want you to always come back to me, you silly woman. I don’t want...” she tailed off miserably.

“Don’t be daft. I didn’t mean we...I...I didn’t mean I don’t want to be with you. I just meant I need know I have you behind me one hundred percent, that’s all. I need you.”

“Oh...” Ailona blushed. “Well, that’s not what you said, but that’s ok.”

“No, but I’ve never been much good at saying what I mean, have I?”

“Mmm, no, not really.” They smiled tentatively at each other, the recent fight still too close for comfort.