Excerpt Confrontation 2
He had been avoiding me again. I was having a hard time reading his emotions over our bond. Confusion - pity - hope - insecurity - guilt - and fear. I knew where he would go to think and sort it out, so I went to ambush him there.
The walk to the meadow was a quick one, tho not so quick as it had been when I alone made it without a passenger. He was sitting there, with his back to me, just as I'd known he would be. Had I known the news he would tell me I might've been a bit kinder to him.
"Geren, I..." I didn't know what to say, what did he know? As it turned out I didn't have to worry, he said it all.
"I know 'Chite." His words stopped me short. I felt like I couldn't breathe. "Didn't you think I would sense it? The pure rapture - the night of Lapis's Wedding. Then there was the oddness that camein the following weeks. Tijer wouldn't meet my eyes. His not coming around as often - your paranoia. Do you know why he's not been around? He started learing masonry in addition to working at his uncle's. He's been building a home on his land. Trying to be good enough to ask for your hand. He's driven! He's been beating himself up over it. He feels he was a thug - taking you like that when he couldn't provide for you. He is sick of his own weakness, not having the strength to resist. He is afraid he will be too late - that you'll take another. He's afraid to face you - afraid that you will think him weak. He's been away because he loves you so much that he feels unworthy of your love. So you've got to tell him. Go to him at his clearing... He needs to know."
I was speechless. Tijer loved me! He was building us a home. He still wanted to marry me! He didn't think me a fallen woman... But, what would he say about our child? Geren said he needs to know, but wait...
"What do I need to tell him? What does he need to know?" I could barely get the questions out. He couldn't have sensed that over our bond could he?
"You need to tell him about the child. He deserves to know he is going to be a father. At the least he needs to know to add another room to the manor."
"How do you know? You couldn't..."
"Sense it? No - but I didn't need our special connection to see the changes in you. All I needed was my eyes. You changed your routines. It was obvious your flows had stopped" he blushed at this, "you stopped your crazy daily bath routine. If Lapis were still home everyone would know, not just me and your chamber maid."
(cont.)