Yavanna swallowed nervously as the tall, intimidating man left the small room. The cabin—from what she could see—was made up of two rooms, the main room, where she sat, and the bedroom, which was obstructed by a door across from her.
She jumped when Mirella's arms wrapped around her, "I'm so sorry. I don't think you'll ever believe just how sorry I am."
Yavanna only sat still, she was still comprehending exactly what was going on. What was Mirella doing here? Was this… was this… She couldn't puzzle it out.
"Well," Mirella started as she leaned back, "You're probably wondering how I got here." Yavanna simply stared at her. "Well—wait. How come you're still wearing the veil? He's—he's not slept with you yet?"
Yavanna shook her head and looked down, feeling the embarrassment she always felt when she thought too deeply about the veil.
"Oh, that bastard. Why couldn't he just man up and accept that this was a reality?" Mirella growled and Yavanna raised her brows at her ferocity. Mirella met her eyes, "Come on now, surely you've thought that before. Don't say you haven't."
Yavanna sighed and thought that their conversation was almost identical to the ones they'd had in the past. Mirella tended to talk more and overshadow Yavanna. But she was used to it, and she didn't mind listening to her prattling sister; she would hopefully mention something important.
"Well… I suppose I should explain everything now. And then…then I'll storm down to Harkburg and give Amory a piece of my mind." The anger in her voice was enough to elicit a small smile from Yavanna. Mirella began, "The uh.. the evening before the wedding I was all ready and excited to finally be marrying Amory. Did he tell you—no, no he wouldn't have. Well, we knew each other before. We'd write and meet secretly, so he probably knew it wasn't me the moment he saw you."
Yavanna's heart sank and she felt her lungs collapse. He had known? They had known each other? Why—why hadn't he said anything?
"But… something happened." She whispered and Yavanna watched as a glimmer of shame appeared on her sister's face, "I was planning to sneak over to Amory's guest quarters to surprise him, but," She took a breath, "Rune was there."
Yavanna tilted her head as confusion and a bit of anger appeared on Mirella's face, "He still hasn't told me why or how he was there, but he was and…" She bit her lip, "He and I," Yavanna's face twisted in annoyance, "Well, to put it simply, we uh.. well we did it and we were caught."
Yavanna looked away and asked herself what they'd done before it clicked. Her head spun to look at her sister and she felt her anger flare up within her, before she could control herself she blinked and Mirella was thrown across the cabin.
Her sister… had just slept with a man? The night before her wedding?! Yavanna grasped her veil in her fists, wanting to scream. The hysteria was rising in her throat. She needed out of there.
Mirella's cry of pain reached her frayed mind belatedly and Yavanna barely registered her whisper of disbelief. Yavanna shook her head and tore the veil off. She couldn't breathe.
"Mirella!" The sound of the door being thrown open behind her was muffled in her mind and the world seemed to sway. Her eyes were beginning to swarm with spots and she could feel unconscious tugging on her mind.
People rushed past her and she only sat still with her hands in her crazed hair.
"Get her out of here." She felt herself lifted off of the floor and thrust into the cold outside. She inhaled deeply, trying to stop the dark spots but it only made it worse and the breathing increased.
"Yavanna! Snap out of it!" The grip on her shoulders clamped down harder and she whined in pain.
'I can't!' She screamed mentally and felt the grip release. She began pacing with the cold air piercing her free face. 'I can't make it stop.' She thought frantically as her delicate boots crushed the snow, 'Did you hear what she said? She had—she betrayed me and she just expects me to forgive her? What is wrong with her—? And you…'
She turned and stared at the king. Amory. His name felt strange but her eyes burned with fury as she stared him down. Her skin felt hot and the black spots were replaced with red.
'You knew.. the entire time..' She stalked towards him with each word, her hearing catching a hissing sound, 'And you tortured me, hurt me, frightened me and abused me all because of why? Why?' When she was but a step from him she stopped and stared him down and saw in the reflection of his blue eyes that hers were glowing.
But the strange phenomenon didn't dissuade her and she continued staring into his immovable eyes; asking the question she needed an answer to.
Finally, she watched as his lips parted and his eyes hardened, "I have no excuse." His lips thinned and she raised her chin, suddenly feeling naked without the veil. He had always been able to see through her, but this time she felt more exposed than ever.
She blinked and she felt that emptiness envelop her and she allowed it to swallow her energy, her breath, her everything. Her legs left her and she sat in the melted snow with her palms face up on her thighs. She watched with a numb expression as a glow faded from them.
The numbness took everything; the shock and anger of Mirella's truth, the king's answer, the frightening men and the strange village. It took away her concern over the general and replaced it with indifference. She blinked tiredly and stared at the black lake at the base of the slope.
'No excuse?' She lowered her eyes and shook her head, 'I feel as though you've had too many excuses, your majesty.'