Chapter 11: A Fictional Narrative
That night, Taran was insistent he would sleep in his own bed. Bili and Asla fretted, and tried to convince him otherwise, trying to lure him to stay with promises of delicious meals and friendship, but Taran insisted he needed to be on his own for the night.
“If you change your mind, even in the middle of the night, come here,” insisted Asla, her eyes full of concern.
Taran assured he friends he would and went home. He entered his cottage to the sound of stillness and the scent of the peat fire having recently burned out. For a time, he busied himself starting the fire back up, then lighting candles and torches. He needed light, lots of light. He then scoured the cottage for signs of Leese. The women had done an excellent job of cleaning up his home, but Taran was certain he’d …show more content…
Was that Leese? It sounded like her, as if she begged for him. Is that what she’d sounded like as the men raped and beat her? Taran broke down into sobs. He was the weakest king who’d ever lived. His father had been right all along.
Chapter 11 – A Man Becomes a Monster
Back in the present, a deep-predawn purple claimed the sky. Taran still had time to remember the final events that made up the last month of Leese’s life with him, and recall the day he’d turned into Kahl’s son, a man of vicious violence. Yet deep in his heart, he believed his actions were justified.
He thought about it all one last time
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It had been four weeks since Leese’s attack, and she’d made little progress emotionally. While she could now walk on her own, dress, and feed herself, she still looked terrible. She never drank or ate enough, which was concerning. She’d been tiny before, but her frame had become skeletal. Due to lack of food and drink, she’d often have to lie down before she fainted.
And still, Taran could remain only at the door and speak to her. One day, she asked him to try and move closer, but when he did, Leese said she felt ill and had to turn away from
“If you change your mind, even in the middle of the night, come here,” insisted Asla, her eyes full of concern.
Taran assured he friends he would and went home. He entered his cottage to the sound of stillness and the scent of the peat fire having recently burned out. For a time, he busied himself starting the fire back up, then lighting candles and torches. He needed light, lots of light. He then scoured the cottage for signs of Leese. The women had done an excellent job of cleaning up his home, but Taran was certain he’d …show more content…
Was that Leese? It sounded like her, as if she begged for him. Is that what she’d sounded like as the men raped and beat her? Taran broke down into sobs. He was the weakest king who’d ever lived. His father had been right all along.
Chapter 11 – A Man Becomes a Monster
Back in the present, a deep-predawn purple claimed the sky. Taran still had time to remember the final events that made up the last month of Leese’s life with him, and recall the day he’d turned into Kahl’s son, a man of vicious violence. Yet deep in his heart, he believed his actions were justified.
He thought about it all one last time
XXXX
It had been four weeks since Leese’s attack, and she’d made little progress emotionally. While she could now walk on her own, dress, and feed herself, she still looked terrible. She never drank or ate enough, which was concerning. She’d been tiny before, but her frame had become skeletal. Due to lack of food and drink, she’d often have to lie down before she fainted.
And still, Taran could remain only at the door and speak to her. One day, she asked him to try and move closer, but when he did, Leese said she felt ill and had to turn away from