Excerpt: Haven

Saril left the lax and wandered again. She didn't go far before she
realized where she was.

At the prison holding the soldiers who lost the war.

She stared long at the structure. She would never understand why she
entered.

"I have a brother who had joined Sefhril," she explained to the guards.
They understood. A lot of people had been friends or family with those on the
other side, before the war.

One led her to a large chamber. She waited patiently until her brother
was brought to her.

"Cambril," she gasped. The sight of him was both a poison and a balm. He
had matured a good deal during the war, himself. And not all well.

At first he didn't recognize her. Once he did, though, it was like all
the time melted away, and he was just her older brother again. "Saril!" He
rushed to her, but in the middle of the chamber was a barrier. He still tried
to push through it, to reach his sister. Saril wanted to do the same. She'd
not seen him in so long. She hadn't realized how much of her soul-ache was
because of that.

"What are you doing here?" Cambril asked, harsh but joyous. Genuinely
curious.

"I don't know." She really didn't "I really don't." She told the truth.
"I had some free time and didn't know what to do with it. I ended up here."

"It's good to see you. I . . . I never thought I would again."

Saril held her look for a time. "Why did you do it, Cambril?"

He looked away. He looked forlorn. "I wanted a better life. For me, for
you. We never had much, but I thought, when Sefhril won, he could give it to
us."

"Except he didn't."

"Because we were betrayed. If he hadn't been captured--" He didn't
finish. He knew, as did she, that Sefhril's final victory was never assured.
If he had not been captured, the war simply would have lasted longer.

"It's good to see you," he said again.

"I wish I could say the same thing. You look older."

"So did you," he laughed. "I almost didn't recognise you. I'll bet
you're turning heads all over." He said it without the harshness he'd had
earlier. It seemed to have melted.

Saril wished it hadn't. Then she wouldn't have been so embarrassed by
the remark, perhaps.

He caught it easily, "You've caught someone, haven't you! Who? Or would
I not know them?"

"There's no one, really. I wouldn't know what to do with someone if
there were."

"Well I can't help you there. You'll always be my little sister." He
went silent. When he spoke again, it was without mirth. "I just want you to be
happy."

"I would've been happy if you hadn't joined Sehfril!" It came out hotter
than she'd intended. "All I really wanted was my brother!"

He looked lost. "I'm sorry. I thought it was for the best."

"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come."

And she left.

And this time, she made no effort to hide her sorrow.