Bridge of Worlds ( On Hold)

Chapter 14

Kiran

It was several weeks later. We had enjoyed our freedom despite our worries about how to help other Llyadorans. We had settled into a routine of sorts. I worked with the cows in the mornings. After that, I did work that allowed me to be with Silver. I watched her lessons and day to day running of the household. We had lunch together in her room, no different than before. In the evenings we had dinner with her father and whatever guests were present.

Today was different, however. Silver was invited to tea at House Lebbon. She was bringing me with her, which was much preferable to last time, when the separation had nearly ripped me apart, but I was nervous.

"Do they know you're bringing me?" I asked. Silver, Burnemarr and I were in the carriage, rattling our way towards House Lebbon estates.

"No. I accepted the invitation over a week ago, before I was allowed to take you with me. "

"So I'm not even invited?"

She laughed lightly. "Of course you're invited. You're my Matchmate. It's a given that you go where I go. They probably don't know what to expect as I did not bring you last time, but of course they know it is a possibility you will come. It is honestly more shocking to not bring you. "

I breathed out in relief but still couldn't shake the vision of them not being prepared for me. In general, Llyadorans weren't as humanlike as I was. They wouldn't have a place for me. I could be forced to sit at Silver's feet like a dumb animal.

Silver rubbed her hand over my arm, bringing me back to myself.

"It'll be alright," she promised.

I was still nervous. My reception at the hands of Llyadorans was not quite all I could have hoped for. I remained wary, but at least I was with Silver. And Burnemarr. Between the two of them, I was in good hands.

Burnemarr had really grown on me. He was no ordinary guard; he was my friend.

"What did you do before you became my guard?" I asked him suddenly. He and Silver both looked at me in surprise. One did not generally treat servants as familiarly as I did, I had come to realize. In Silver's presence, Burnemarr became very formal. She was not as comfortable knowing he was a person in his own right. Servants were part of the landscape in her life, only to be spoken to when you needed something. As she learned Burnemarr through my eyes, she seemed to have a greater appreciation for her servants. She had never treated them poorly, but as Ferri had told me, she was very distant with them. Seeing Burnemarr and me as friends shook her worldview a little, made her rethink how she saw the servants. They were people too, with every bit as many problems and feelings as her.

"I used to be in service to the king. I was a guard there. He gave me to Lord Theris for his loyalty to the crown, and I have worked for Lord Theris ever since. Lord Theris has less need of personal protection, but I ensure the estate is safe and the people are content. Lord Theris has me in charge of many aspects of the estate security and wellbeing."

I nodded. "Yes, I had the impression you were pretty high up. Lord Theris put much stock in what you said about me."

Silver's gaze bounced back and forth between us.

"I didn't know that," she said quietly.
"I honestly didn't think anything about you until you became Kiran's guard. And then I resented you a little for locking my Matchmate up like a wild beast."

Burnemarr inclined his head to her, low. "Forgive me for the disrespect to your Matchmate, but when Kiran first appeared, he did potentially seem violent. We could not risk any harm coming to your ladyship. And if I may say so, Lord Theris would be devastated if anything happened to you."