Anaria - Part 4 - Awakening

Awakening


It was nearly dawn when Anaria felt a hand on her arm gently shaking her awake. She refused to open her eyes. She still felt exhausted and her muscles ached from sleeping on the cold ground The hand shaking her became more urgent. Anaria brushed it away and curled up trying to fend off consciousness. She didn't want to wake up. "Goway," she mumbled as she pulled her cloak tighter around her. She felt a hard pinch and a voice hissing in her ear.

"Anaria! WAKE UP!"

Anaria shot upright to find herself staring into Imoen's face. Imoen jumped back a little in surprise but her expression quickly resumed it's expression of great distress.

"Imoen, what in the Hells?..."

Anaria looked down and realized why Imoen looked so upset at her. Underneath her cloak she was still naked. Anomen was lying next to her. For the moment anyway.

He turned a little and open his eyes. "Anaria my love, what is the- Helm's beard! Imoen!" Anomen leapt up as if someone had just lit a firework under him. He desperately fumbled for his clothing struggling to maintain his decency. "For the love of the Gods girl, what do you think you're doing?"

"Wha- what am I doing! What are YOU doing?" Imoen was utterly aghast. "Both of you! Anaria, I was worried sick last night when you didn't come back. And now I find out you were two were together.... What is going on?"

Anaria couldn't answer. Anomen stopped struggling with his shirt, his anger getting the better of him. "What does it look like? Do you know nothing of men and women? Bah! Go away and let us have some privacy, for Helm's sake! Why did you disturb us?"

Imoen stared at them in shock. "I can't believe this! You.... slept with him?" A look of horrible realization came over her face. "That's why Kelsey was so upset last night!"

Anaria felt the words strike her like a lightning bolt. Imoen went on, words tumbling from her lips.
"He- he went looking for you and we were all wondering where you had gone. He said he'd find you but he came back without you and he wouldn't speak to anyone. I could tell he was crying but he just went to your tent and wouldn't tell me anything! I thought you'd had a fight or something, but he saw you didn't he?! He saw you here together!" Imoen looked as if she wanted to cry too. "Anaria, why are you doing this?"

"Damn the sorcerer!" Anomen burst in furiously. "He had her and yet he cast her aside! Why should he think that he deserves another chance? Why should she not seek the love of another if he says that loves her no longer!"

Imoen stood a bit stunned. "I....didn't know.... Anaria, did he really.... say that? Then.... why was he so upset?...."

Anaria said nothing. A dead silence settled over them. She felt a burning sensation in her throat. She had closed her eyes tightly, unable any longer to meet Imoen's accusing gaze. Kelsey, what have I done? Her tears stung her with their admission of guilt. She had betrayed him. He loved her and she had betrayed him. How could she have been so blind? What was she thinking last night? Oh Gods, what had she said? Anomen. What had she done to him?....

As if in answer to her thought, he spoke. His voice was suddenly confused and quiet. Her silence had told him more than she had guessed "Anaria....what....why was Kelsey so upset? I thought.... you said he did not love you any longer. My love, did he not end things between you?"

No. No he hadn't. Anaria looked into his eyes. It was all the answer she could give. It was enough. Anomen seemed to go deathly pale as she stared up at him. She hadn't said it was over between her and Kelsey, but she had made him believe that it was. She didn't do it intentionally, but she had known that Anomen had believed it was so. She had lied to him. And she had told him she loved him. Now he understood that. The look of anguish in his face was more than she could bare.

"I'm sorry." The words were barely audible above a whisper.

Imoen turned without another word and ran from where she had come.

Anaria looked down and realized why Imoen looked so upset at her. Underneath her cloak she was still naked. Anomen was lying next to her. For the moment anyway.

Oops

He turned a little and open his eyes. "Anaria my love, what is the- Helm's beard! Imoen!" Anomen leapt up as if someone had just lit a firework under him. He desperately fumbled for his clothing struggling to maintain his decency. "For the love of the Gods girl, what do you think you're doing?"

That must be sooo embarrasing.

Imoen stared at them in shock. "I can't believe this! You.... slept with him?" A look of horrible realization came over her face. "That's why Kelsey was so upset last night!"

Time for some guilt.

No. No he hadn't. Anaria looked into his eyes. It was all the answer she could give. It was enough. Anomen seemed to go deathly pale as she stared up at him. She hadn't said it was over between her and Kelsey, but she had made him believe that it was. She didn't do it intentionally, but she had known that Anomen had believed it was so. She had lied to him. And she had told him she loved him. Now he understood that. The look of anguish in his face was more than she could bare.

Now he has hurt a friend as well.