Highland Bear (Book 4)

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

"Artair, we have to say goodbye now. You know that it has been longer than it should have been already, you have to give her the peace she requires. She had been through so much in her short life, yet you made it a little better for her. I can admit that much, she lit up inside whenever you were near, and as much as I hated it, I can see that you were good for her. Yet, as much as it hurts me, we need to put her to her final rest." Alfred stood just behind him, and it was taking everything with Artair to not hit him as hard as he possibly could. For in that moment, he most definitely wanted to hurt Alfred as much as the male's words were damaging him.

"Of all the people, I was sure you could understand Alfred. It does not feel as if she is gone. She is still here." He turned and gestured emphatically, his voice raising to levels which his mother would have told him were disrespectful in the presence of a lady. For he refused to accept Rohesia was gone, it did not feel as if she was, he had followed his gut instinct for as long as he could remember. It has never served him wrong so far, why Alfred could not feel it too had him bemused. He claimed to care for her, had tried to protect her to the best of his ability this far, yet he could not agree that she was still here. How could he not feel it? His breathing was a little harsh, his hands clenching to fists at his sides and releasing in a rhythmic pattern.

Artair watched as Alfred swallowed hard, looking a little lost in what to do next. Knowing there had to be a reason Alfred was pushing for this he waited for the real reason. Alfred, after all had cared for Rohesia, nothing would cause this if not for something pushing him towards it. The more he thought along those line, the more he agreed with himself over it. Taking up a strong stance before Rohesia, he crossed his arms and let Alfred know he would have to go through him to do anything with her.

Wiping a hand down his face, Alfred sighed loudly, "Artair, you have to realise that it is long past time. There is a priest in the village who is very willing to entrust her soul to God, and with that allow her the final rest. The rest you are denying her at this very moment. It hurts me, do not think it does not, for she did not deserve this, but Artair you are currently making it worse. You need to admit that she has gone, only then can you start to work through what you are feeling, and allow her to finally rest in the peace she deserves. You cannot carry on like this. The people here are already starting to wonder why you have not asked for the priest yet, and the more they talk the less you are going to want to know that they are saying. They understand your grief, as I have told them she is your wife, but you cannot, and will not carry on like this. I will not allow you to carry on in such a way. No matter your feelings the one person I am thinking of in this moment is Rohesia." Alfred was red in the face, and shouting loudly by the time he had finished, his finger pointing directly to the centre of Artair's chest though he had enough sense not to touch the male.

Taking a step forward, Artair looked up the few extra inches it took to fully meet the males gaze. His voice was whisper soft, and all the more violent for it. "The one person I am thinking of right now is Rohesia. She is still here, can you not feel it? How can you want to lay her in the cold, harsh ground, alone, when she is still here? She just needs us to believe in her and know that we are waiting for her. Yet you are giving up on her before she has a chance."