“No.” How could she possibly think that? “It is so much more with you. Everything is so much more with you.”
“How many others were there?” she asked.
Percival hated answering this question. He did not want to hurt her. “Besides Caron, there was one other woman, but we were very young and foolish. It was once.”
“I see.”
Fleur would not turn around to face him, so Percival grew concerned. Did this confession make her think less of him? He could not bear that. However, Fleur deserved to know the truth. If she asked him questions, he would endeavor to answer honestly.
“I am …show more content…
“You will be my wife. I can feel it.”
Chapter 17 – The Breakdown and the Building Up
A week passed, and Percival spent a good number of evenings teaching Fleur how to touch and touching her in return. He never took things too far, and whenever she tensed at all, he stopped immediately. But all this touching had required a good number of late-night cold-water scrub downs after she had returned to her own chamber. Still, every divine touch of her hands and lips was worth it. One day, they would touch without restriction. Until then, a little creativity, extra physical training, and lots of cold water would do the trick.
However, Percival was through waiting for Taffi’s response to his letters requesting to visit Dee. He was on his wat to ask King Arthur for the few days’ leave time he was owed when a young merchant approached.
“Are you Sir Percival?” The young man held out a sealed letter and a small item wrapped in parchment and twine. “You must be… sort of hard to miss.”
Percival accepted the items. “Who’s this from?”
“I don’t know… some fellow from the village of Hayford north of here.”
“Ah, yes. I’m expecting word from Hayford.” That was the village where Rion’s sister now …show more content…
“And I have gone to extra trouble to find you… Gone out of my way and all.”
Percival frowned and withdrew a few coins from his belt pouch. He was sure this merchant had already been paid by the sender to deliver this message; however, these young ones were always after extra coins. The merchant accepted the coins with a grin and rushed off.
While leaning up against the wall, Percival first tore open the small package. It was Dee’s little unicorn. That was very odd. Why would Taffi return Dee’s gift? Probably just to be mean. He tucked the carved toy into his belt and unsealed the letter. When the read the words, his heart started beating a rapid staccato and he broke out in a cold sweat.
“Oh, no. Oh, gods, no…”
“Morning, Percival,” said Gwaine, approaching with a smile on his face. “What’ve you got there?”
Percival could not speak. Trembling, he handed over the letter and Gwaine read it, and the moment he finished the missive, he let out a groan. “That is the worst news I have ever read.”
“This is unreal,” said Percival. “Impossible. Read it aloud, please. I have to make sure I read it right.”
“Oh, you read it right…”
“Read it