[littlemanpoet]

Harreld heard the call, and the voice was unmistakable. Ginna. The general heaviness inside focused to a point of dread. It was time to say that which he had prepared, but he would not come to it with no preparation.

"I'm here," he answered. "Come in."

Ginna stepped cautiously inside, letting her eyes adjust to the light. She saw Harreld seated on a stool in the corner, but he stood when he saw her and set aside the mug he was holding. It took all her self-control to keep from coming to him with outstretched arms or charging towards him with closed fists - she was not sure which one she was closer to doing. There were a lot of words fighting to escape from her mouth but she suppressed them all, with a lot of effort. She had come to him, she had taken the first step. Now it was his turn.

She stood before him, arms folded across her waist, making sure as little emotion as possible could be discerned from her face aside from the questioning look in her eyes. She willed him to talk.

She was going to make him speak first. He realized that he should have expected this. It was not her way to be full of needless words; it was one of the things he loved about her. Thinking about his love, he almost broke down. With an effort he regained his composure, coughing into his fist.

"I am sorry for my hasty words this morning. Nobody deserves such shouting..." least of all, you, my love, he thought. He blinked, fighting back the moisture threatening to come to his eyes. "I apologize."

The sight of the Harreld nearly in tears was...almost impossible to believe. But there he was, showing his vulnerability in a manner he had never done before. Ginna's heart ached to extend forgiveness without delay. Instead, she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Tell me, Harreld. Have you read my father's letter?"

There it was. He was sure she could see right through him to the guilt in his eyes. There was no getting around it. He wanted to explain before he even said he had, but felt it would be cowardly. It would be the right thing to do, to simply answer with the truth.

"Yes."

As much as Ginna expected the answer, she realised too late that she was unprepared to hear it from Harreld himself. She pursed her lips tightly and felt herself tremble from restrained emotion.

"And what came to your mind after you did?"

She was angry and had every right to be. He had planned to tell her that he did not love her anymore. It was a lie, but it had seemed at the time that it would be the cleanest way to end things. Now he could see that it would not work. He had imagined telling her the terrible news, and she would flee in horror and pain, and he would double over in pain at what he had said, telling himself that he did not deserve her if he could do such a thing to her.

And maybe he did not deserve her; but that way was not a true way, nor a good way, and he was relieved to set it aside. All these thoughts raced through his mind in a moment.

"That your father has spoken his will. He prefers Thornden to me. You will, of course, obey your father's will?" His question had come out more smoothly than he had expected, but he winced.