Adrian Silvercrest's Arc

Chapter 18 of 23

Adrian woke on the rug before dawn. Eric was still curled against his chest. The fire had burned down to coals. Aldric's boots were by the door, but the blanket was gone from the chair. Adrian understood then where the blanket had gone, and who had needed it more than him. He eased Eric into the cradle and stood. His back ached. He did not look for words. He looked at the kitchen instead. The bread crock was empty. The kettle was cold. The floor had two days of tracked-in dirt on it. He started with the fire. Then the bread. He mixed the dough the way Elara had shown him and set it to rise near the hearth. He fried eggs and cut the last of the ham. He carried a plate out to the stone at the edge of the clearing where Elara sat wrapped in the blanket, Hope asleep against her. He set the plate beside her. He did not speak. He went back inside. All morning he worked. He swept the floor. He hauled water. He washed the linens in the tub and hung them on the line behind the cottage. At noon he brought Elara stew and bread still warm from the oven. She ate. She did not look at him. He took the empty bowl back. Aldric watched from the doorway once, arms crossed. Adrian met his eyes and kept moving. By supper the cottage smelled of bread and onions. Adrian set the table for three. He carried Hope's rattle in from the rug and put it in the cradle for morning. Then he went out to the stone. "Come inside," he said. "Please. I made supper." Elara stood. She followed him in. They ate. When the plates were cleared, Adrian knelt on the floor beside her chair. Aldric sat across the table with Eric on his knee. "I blamed a baby for a thing a baby cannot help," Adrian said. "I blamed you for loving her. Both were cowardly. I was tired and I was scared and I said the worst thing in my head instead of the true thing." He looked at Elara. "I love you. I love our family. All four of you. I will not put that down again." He leaned up and kissed Elara's forehead. He crossed to Aldric and kissed him on the mouth. He kissed Eric's hair. He went to the cradle and kissed Hope's forehead where the white hair was soft. Elara let out a long breath. "All right," she said. Quiet. "All right, Adrian." Aldric did not answer at once. He held Eric tighter. "She is a baby," Aldric said. "You said it like she chose it." "I know." Aldric looked at him a long moment. Then he nodded, once. "Then we go on," Aldric said. The cottage was quiet. The four of them were inside it together.