Slenna's Story

"You aren't serious." Jorden's face was cold, he didn't want to let on how much it hurt to hear Slenna talk like this. "You can't be serious."

"I am," she insisted. "I... Jorden, I know why he was saved. I know why She doesn't want him to die."

"Why?"

Slenna shrugged helplessly. "Because I love him."

"That isn't good enough."

"Because he loves me."

"He's a Warrior."

"I know. But—he and I—it was Her decision, not ours. Please, Jorden, you're the only one I can turn to..."

"You'd really turn traitor for that man?"

She nodded.

"And you'd ask me to do the same."

"You wouldn't be blamed. If they ask, tell the truth. It was me; it was my idea. I'm the one who won't lock the cell, I'm the one who'll give him the sword and the coat and turn my back..."

"If you're willing to do all of that, why are you bothering to tell me? To ask my help?"

"Because..." she trailed off. "He won't leave, not if I'm standing there. He wouldn't leave, and he wouldn't hurt me. He'd never hurt me."

"He gave you that scar on your face."

"That was before," she said. "Before we knew... Please, I'll take all the responsibility, I can take care of myself. I just need you to..."

"To throw a fight. To throw a fight that will likely cost me my life."

"No!" She shook her head emphatically. "No, he would never go that far."

"He's a Warrior, I'm a Knight. That's what he's been trained to do."

"No." She crossed her arms. Slenna could be very stubborn when she chose. "No, he knows you're my best friend, he knows that it would kill me. He won't."

"Slen, if you're caught—and I don't see how you could possibly not get caught—if you get caught, what'll happen?"

"I don't know. Probably... They'll probably send me back to my family. They can't kill me."

"All right, so they send you back home in disgrace. Then what? What about your son?"

She swallowed hard. "I'd take him with me."

"No, you wouldn't." Jorden could tell she was bluffing now. Slenna's would never allow her son to grow up the way she had. She'd barely survived it with her sanity, and... She would never put him through it, plain and simple. She loved her child too much for that.

"What else could I do?"

"You could give up this ridiculous idea."

"No."

"Then your son—"

"You'd care for him, wouldn't you?" she asked.

Jorden's heart wrenched in two. He loved Slenna, he always had. If she knew, she never let on; she cared for him, respected him, loved him as a friend—but that was all. He loved her so much it hurt to think that she cared for someone else... Especially a Warrior. She was willing to risk everything for this Warrior.

But he loved her so much, how could he say no?

"I would," he agreed finally. "But Slenna—this is—it's stupid."

She smiled. "I know."

He sighed. "I'll do it. Goddess save me, I'll let the damn Warrior win."

She hugged him. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear.

She hadn't offered him anything but her thanks. No reward, no incentive, no promises. But he knew her, and he knew she was grateful. He loved her, and so for Jorden, 'Thank you,' was enough.

-fin-