Disclaimer:All characters belong to Isobelle Carmody.
The fire crackled steadily, and the two men stared at it as it danced. Without glancing away, the first man, dark-haired and green-eyed, began to speak.
"Dameon..." he paused, then sighed. "It may sound foolish, but people talk, and I-" he stopped, then continued. "Am I really selfish?"
Dameon turned blind eyes on his companion. "Some may say so-" Green eyes widened "-but not I. You may be able to hide the emotions on your face, but not those emanating from your heart. I know you to be a wise and caring man, who perhaps hides his emotions too much."
Rushton gazed long at Dameon, then nodded. "I know... I suppose I deserve my reputation, concentrate perhaps too much on my work here at Obernewtyn..." His gaze returned to the fire, uncertainty clear in his eyes, since he was in the presence of one who could not see his face. "But, I'm afraid. Afraid of caring for people lest I lose them." An ironic smile twisted his lips. "I lost my mother to death, and I lost my father before he even met me." His face saddened, a pout on his lips. "Rejection is something I don't think I could deal with again. After my mother died, I thought I'd never care for anyone again, I didn't want to, because of the pain death caused. But."
Dameon smiled. "Who changed your mind?"
Rushton settled a green glare on Dameon. "You are Guildmaster of the Empaths. You of all people must know."
"I think most people know, Rushton. But Elspeth is blind to many things, talented as she may be. Especially where emotions are invloved. I suppose because she is so talented in all other respects, her lack of empathy means she must function as a normal human in discovering emotions - something she is not used to. Perhaps she has forgotton how to deal with things without using Talent." Dameon smiled. "When did you realise you love her?"
Rushton looked up, startled at hearing the truth said so plainly. Then he sighed deeply. "From the moment I saw her. And once I realised I cared for her, I started to care for others, and here I am, a fool behind a mask, selfish, cold and stubborn."
Dameon laughed aloud at that. "There are few at Obernewtyn who feel that, and if they do, it is because they do not know you. And as for Elspeth... I doubt she herself knows how she feels, and she may fear you."
"Fear me? I would never harm her!"
"No, I mean perhaps she fears of her feelings for you. She is still young."
Rushton sighed, and sat back, running a hand through his hair. "I know. Everyone here is still young! I want freedom for you, yet I fear if we were encountered by soldierguards, that dream would be shattered. What I do simultaneously puts you in danger and gives you freedom, and I sometimes feel it would have been better had I just thrown you all out of Obernewtyn."
"And that is what I mean." Rushton frowned at his blind companion. "If you were 'selfish, cold and stubborn', that is what you would have done, for you were free, you have a Certificate. You were generous enough to give us our freedom and a home, wise enough to organise for what must come, and caring enough to give us time to grow, thwarting all contact with the Council before then. Though I have often wondered why."
"Just because."
Dameon's eyebrows rose, and he laughed again. "Master of Obernewtyn, you need not - cannot - hide how you feel from me. Let us see. You would not do it for power, for what power could a rag-tag bunch of Misfit's such as us hold? Wealth, then? I think not. You must, then, have done it out of the goodness of your heart." Dameon stood." "Do not dwell so on others' opinions. In any case, most know how you truly feel, hide it as you may. And as for Elspeth, give her time. Goodnight, my friend." He placed a hand on Rushton's shoulder, his aim accurate despite his blindness. "You have done us well, and we should not forget that. On behalf of all Obernewtyn - I thank you."