Tea

Merlin sat in the dark illuminated by a single candle. He had a writing feather in one hand and his head rested against the other. He made no motion to write, but simply stared down at the page. I walked slowly over to Merlin and tapped his desk to let him know I was here. He looked up with eyes that could only be reddened by a loss of tears.

He set his pen down. "Sister."

"Are you all right, brother?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same." His eyes then fluttered to my hand. "What have you there?"

"Oh," I handed Merlin the letter. "Aurelius wanted me to give you this letter."

Merlin took the letter slowly, as if he was unsure of whether the letter was safe or not. Once opened he read it in front of the candle to himself and with each second that passed his expression grew graver. After he had finished it, he folded it slowly and set it down. He then picked up his candle and rummaged with his herbs and medicines, leaving the letter and I in the dark.

"What did the letter say?" I asked, running my finger over the words I could not read without light, imagining Aurelius' pencil writing softly and gracefully across the page.

"It is just a few orders to be done during Aurelius' absence." Merlin did not turn to me for some moment, and in his tone I felt him to be hiding something from me, but I let him continue with his business without walking over there.

"What is it that no one will tell me?" I asked, trying to remain calm and kind to my brother whom seemed very troubled.

"It is nothing, sweet sister." He handed me a cup. "Here, drink this tea. It will help you to relax and sleep well."

"Will you promise to wake me up tomorrow, if I do not wake, so that I may say goodbye?" I asked, giving a yawn after a few sips of the tea. If the room could get any darker, I felt that it had.

"Do not worry..." He said, leading me through the dark to my bed.

I woke up the next day and the sun was high in the sky, and everyone attending to their business in the town square.