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Behind their home in Rylestone, a covered bench rested on the edge of a hill. It overlooked the river whose soft current had become the sound to which Predian and Thrennoadae slept at night. Thrennoadae and Predian often came to their bench either alone or together. They would sit and think or talk or curl into each other's arms or simply take in the view, the view which touched Thrennoadae’s heart so deeply that she spent days raising the platinum to get it as her own.
Today, the bench was occupied by Predian, and he sat under the fading sun light recalling the events of the past few months. His forehead wrinkled as he tried to count how long had passed since his near marriage to Thrennoadae. It had been long enough for his heart to begin to heal. Long enough for him to return to Rylestone. Long enough for he and his love to find a new bond in friendship.
He could recall vividly the wedding, their second. Thrennoadae was a vision in her gown, her eyes bright with the warmth that touched Predian's heart so often. Milric, stoic as he always was, had himself even smiled upon seeing her. From the start, however, Predian could feel a dark presence. Their entwined souls had made that possible and the friar could feel Kaidric watching. When his bride ran, he knew it was his half-brother's doing. He would have chased her, but he left that task to Milric. Besides, he had no words to offer her. Kaidric's soul had darkened his own, and she felt it. He could not be the man she loved. And so he let her go, he would have to approach her later.
Her absence left a void in his heart, and for a time he stayed in the guild hall, or made camp in Lynn Barfog, where they had first shared their love. He avoided her, in part to spare her pain, and in part to spare his own. But they had gone too long and through too much to let things end. They shared a home, lead a guild, fought side by side and had been part of each other's hearts.
As the time passed, Predian could feel Kaidric's soul fading from his, he was becoming himself again, and it was time to move forward with Thrennoadae. They talked, slowly at first, but over time they found what they needed from each other in friendship. He moved home, making up a bedroom of his own. He still had a softness for her, and he still hurt, but this was the best way, and like all wounds this too would heal.
While Predian's soul healed, Kaidric could feel his half-brother's soul slipping away, leaving him empty once again. Predian knew it too, and that he knew that he would have to set aside his hatred of Kaidric, if he were to ever help him.
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Thrennoadae came home that night and found her Friar asleep, on their bench overlooking the river. She stood next to him a moment and took in the view as the moon stood high, reflecting upon the calm river. She draped a blanket over Predian and softly smiled at him. Before returning to their home for her own sleep, she bent over and gently brushed her lips across his cheek, cold from the night’s air.
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