Two Rivers Isle What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way

Gods damn him. Adylaide knew him too well; they had spent too much time together over the past three years. Of course she would know when he was lying. What had he expected? Once again, he had underestimated her, thought her too naïve to recognize that something was going on behind his words. He should have told the truth no matter his fear or how much it hurt. Now he had ruined everything before it had even started. How could they begin to form any kind of intimate relationship if it was all founded on lies?

N-No! he said, much louder than he meant to, and his head turned so fast to look at her that his neck complained. I--I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I... He inhaled sharply, his chest so tight he felt he might be having a heart attack. I'll tell if you if I don't love you, I promise. I swear. His eyes were wide and pleading as he looked at her, begging her to believe him now, for now he was so achingly honest that it hurt. I only... He looked away, squeezing his eyes shut.

I don't want to leave you. And how will we stay together if I don't... love you? Nothing will be the same again, and everything will be full of pain. But I must not leave you. It is my duty to protect you, even if we are far from home. I want to protect you, to stay with you. But if we do this... courtship, and I find that I do not feel for you the way you do for me... What then? How will we recover from that? I don't want to hurt you, Adylaide. And I don't want to leave you... His voice was barely even a whisper now as they lay there in the den, so close together. Not ever.

Now he had bared his soul and told the truth though it burned his throat.