Severed Destinies Read Online Free PDF Page B

alcohol and tended to avoid the tavern.
    They reached the centre of Tamriel, where several streets met in a large square, and saw children playing by the statue there. It was a splendid sculpture of a woman holding a young boy aloft. The woman was said to be the founder of Tamriel and the boy was allegedly her firstborn child. It symbolised the beginning of the town's growth. Bizarrely enough, the name of the woman and her child could not be found in any history book.
    As they passed the children, Gorric smiled at them. "It's getting late. Time to go home I think."
    With playful groans and yells, the children headed off down the street.
    "You'll make a good father one day, Gorric," said Khir.
    Gorric nodded and smiled. "I have to find a wife first."
    He had yet to meet a woman who caught his eye. Women seemed to be scared of approaching him and he believed it to be because of his status in Tamriel. He had kissed girls, but had never had the pleasure of sharing his bed with one.
    Khir chuckled quietly to himself. He found it awkward talking to women and considered himself not to be husband material. He was too much of a loner for that and enjoyed peace and quiet. Still, he too felt the longing inside when a beautiful girl passed him by.
    "You'll dine with us tonight?" Gorric asked Khir.
    "Of course," was the instant reply. Khir never passed up a meal as delicious as those at the Orgillian Estate.
    They headed to the north end of town, where they reached the outer gates of the estate compound. The guard on duty saw them approaching and opened the strong metal gates.
    "Good evening, my lord," he said to Gorric as they stepped through.
    "How are you, Varro?" Gorric asked as the guard closed the gate behind them.
    Varro grinned and shrugged. "I can't complain. Quiet night as usual."
    Gorric had always liked the man. He was the oldest of the estate guards at forty-two and, when Gorric was younger, he had spent many hours telling the noble's son tales of war and ages past.
    "When do you finish tonight?" asked Gorric.
    "At midnight, my lord. Then I'll be off home to the wife."
    "How is she? I understand she was not feeling well."
    "She's beaten the sickness now, thank you for asking. It won't be long before she's beating me around the ears for being late for supper again."
    Gorric smiled. "We must make time to talk soon, Varro." He and Khir began the walk towards the house.
    Varro watched them walk away and then returned to his post by the gates. He glanced back once to see them entering the large house and began wondering what wondrous meal awaited them inside.
     
    "So, Khir, tell us what you have been getting up to lately."
    Khir looked up at the intimidating figure of Celestius Orgillian at one end of the long dining table. He always felt that he should not speak in his presence and instead should be bowing to him.
    "I…well, I haven't been up to much, sir."
    Celestius raised one dark eyebrow and shook his head. "Come now, Khir. I know what you and Gorric get up to on a daily basis. I'm sure you have been causing more trouble around town."
    Khir nearly choked on his food. "No, sir. That's to say…I…well, we…"
    Celestius let out a bellowing laugh. "I'm not serious. I know that you two would never be a problem around Tamriel."
    Khir smiled nervously. He could not help the fact that Celestius made him uncomfortable. He had known the man for years, yet always felt beneath him. Then again, Celestius had been raised as a noble and his years of speaking at the council had made him a hard man to face in conversation. His eyes were always locked on the person he spoke with, unblinking. Celestius had always said that he could tell what another man was thinking just by maintaining eye contact with them.
    "Leave the poor boy alone, Celestius."
    Khir glanced to the other end of the table, where Gorric's mother, Elna, sat. She was a beautiful woman with an almost majestic grace.
    "Khir knows me by now," smiled Celestius.
    "I think that