Whisper of Waves

20

28 Alturiak, the Year of Maidens (1361 DR)

SECOND QUARTER, INNARLITH

Willem could tell his mother didn’t like the house. Still, she knew enough not to embarrass him in front of the master builder. The look on her face when she first stepped into the confines of the dark, narrow townhouse on the eastern edge of the Second Quarter was one of polite disappointment.

“I know you must be proud of your son, Lady Korvan,” Inthelph said.

Thurene looked at Willem, who cleared his throat and said, “It’s not … in Cormyr, you see …”

With a smile Inthelph said, “She will always be Lady Korvan to me, Willem, whether or not the Royal Court of Cormyr recognizes the title.”

It was Willem’s turn to blush, but it was Thurene who answered, “The Master Builder is most charming. Thank you.”

“Please, call me Inthelph.”

There were smiles and nods all around, and a silence stretched past the point of being bearable.

“We should sit,” Willem said, his mind moving in a sluggish, unsure manner. Looking between his mother, whom he hadn’t seen in years, and the master builder who seemed so much a part of his new life in Innarlith, he thought the two of them couldn’t possibly coexist in the same room at the same time. “This way, please.”

“Perhaps I should go,” Inthelph said, glancing down at the trunks that had been stacked in the tiny foyer. “I can only imagine you must be tired after so long a journey, madam.”

“Oh, no, no,” Thurene replied. “I couldn’t possibly run you off.”

“But if you are tired, Mother….” Willem said. He felt tired himself.

“My son looks after me,” Thurene said to Inthelph, “but I’m sure you know what that’s like.”

A strange look came over Inthelph’s face, then one that made Willem uncomfortable.

“You have a daughter,” Willem offered, cringing at what felt like a presumption but was a simple enough statement of fact.

“Do you indeed?” Thurene asked, beaming just enough to be polite.

Inthelph all but squirmed, then said, “My daughter and I are often … at odds with one another.”

Thurene tipped her head and smiled in a sweet and genuine way Willem could tell was anything but.

“They all go through those times,” she said. “Never fear. It doesn’t last. Look at my boy here. All grown up, a responsible young man who’s found so accomplished and impressive a mentor.” A conspiratorial look came over Thurene then and she added, “Perhaps if the two of them were introduced, my Willem could be a good influence-”

She stopped short when Inthelph turned to leave and Willem practically jumped to open the door for him. The hot, humid night air blew into the tight space bringing with it a hint of sulfur. Thurene put a dainty hand to her nose.

Inthelph smiled and said, “One does get used to it.” Thurene’s smile was gracious but unconvinced. “Good night, Master Builder.”

“Good night, sir,” Willem said.

With a shallow bow, the master builder went off into the night.

“You haven’t met his daughter yet?” Thurene asked once the door was closed.

“No, Mother,” Willem answered, just getting the words out felt like a titanic struggle. “I had held out some hope that …”

“If she’s such an embarrassment to him,” Thurene offered, “perhaps it’s just as well. Still, a man your age….”

“You must be tired,” he said, glancing at the narrow staircase that would take his mother to the room he’d prepared for her.

With a sigh, she said, “Good night, my dear. In the morning perhaps you’ll show me this city of yours.”

“I will, of course,” Willem replied. “Good night, Mother. It’s good to have you here finally.”

She touched his cheek with cool, dry fingers, smiled, and went upstairs to bed.

Once he was certain she was asleep, Willem crept out of the house as quietly as he could, met Halina at a tavern they often slipped away to on nights her uncle was at home, and because his mother wouldn’t want him to, he asked her to marry him.