The Lost House

Part 9

Terrin worried as they all went to their rooms to get dressed for supper.  Ordinarily he would trust Quin to be able to take care of himself, but he was still in pain, no matter how much he insisted that he was all right, and he worried that the other students would jump him if he wasn’t there to prevent it.  On the other hand, if the other students wanted to have any sort of chance at getting back into his good graces they would leave Quin strictly alone, and he smiled.  Sometimes, he thought, being the Crown Prince wasn’t so bad after all.

Terrin was already seated when the others filed into the dining room.  For the first time since the opening banquet none of them approached him or spoke to him and he wasn’t quite sure if he was amused, hurt, or relieved, so he fell back on his training, keeping his expression carefully neutral, keeping his thoughts and his feelings strictly to himself. 

“May I join you, Your Highness?”

He looked up and smiled at the teasing glint in Quin’s eyes.  “If you wish,” he replied, “although I should warn you that I seem to have become some sort of pariah this evening.”

Quin shrugged and sat down.  “After dinner,” he said softly, “come to my room.  You have questions that I promised to answer.”

Terrin felt his heart beat faster and he could only nod.  He felt as if he was on the verge of discovering great secrets – at the very least he was going to learn more about the mysterious House Eldoran. 

And, even more importantly, he was going to be spending the evening with a friend, and he suddenly realized that he had spent most of his evenings alone, that the others had split up to study or to visit each other.  He had never been truly included, never invited to their rooms.  Quin was the first to do so – and he was also the first person that Quin had ever invited to his room. 

Dinner was unusually quiet, the others barely speaking to each other and not at all to him, although, as at breakfast and lunch, many looks were exchanged and Terrin could not help but wonder what they were thinking.

But, as at breakfast and lunch, Quin paid no attention to them and gradually Terrin ignored them as well.  Only, he realized, Quin was not ignoring them.  Quin, he had a feeling, was noting every nuance of their eyes and body, every inflection of voice.  He didn’t know how he knew that, but he found the thought reassuring, comforting.

“I’ll be there as soon as I change,” Terrin promised as they left the dining room.

Quin nodded.  “Take your time,” he said.  “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know, but…” Terrin hesitated, suddenly feeling shy. “But I… I like spending time with you.  It… feels good.”

Quin smiled and touched his arm lightly before leaving him to go to his own room.

Terrin changed out of formal clothes and made his way to Quin’s room.  He knocked nervously, then hesitated, suddenly realizing that the others had gathered and were watching him. 

“Come in, Terrin.”

“I… I can’t,” he said quietly, hoping Quin was close enough to hear him.  “The others…”  He looked toward them, wishing he had never gotten caught up in their group.

Quin opened the door.  “What about them?” he asked.

“Your room. You didn’t want the others to know…”  Terrin’s voice trailed off as he turned to look at Quin and past him into his room.  There was no forest, just a normal room and he turned bewildered eyes to Quin.

Quin opened the door wider and stepped aside, grinning as he bowed low, one arm sweeping out in invitation.

Puzzled – and slightly disappointed – Terrin entered… a forest.