"Absolutely not, " Zandrianna said, looking over at her daughter. The sunlight streaming in through the window accented her pale skin, the circles beneath her eyes standing out in sharp relief. Eyes that were now focused on Desiare, a mixture of anger and fear echoed in their depths.
Staring back, her chin lifted defiantly, Desiare bit her tongue as she held back what she really wanted to say. Instead she replied, "I wasn't asking your permission. I was simply letting you know wha ..."
"Ask it or not, the answer is no. I need you here, with me. You've already been gone too long. Besides, " she added, turning to study the petite blonde carefully, "you are no soldier. The battleground is no place for someone such as us. We aren't warriors, to go out and kill or be killed. Who would protect you?"
"Altheric will be there," Desiare started, only to be cut off again as Zandrianna waved her hand, a small scoffing sound emitting from her throat. "Altheric is a fine man, strong and honorable, but he'll be too busy commanding to look after anyone. And he has no right asking you to put yourself in harm's way. Desiare, I know you still love him, but ..."
"That has nothing to do with anything, " Desiare replies, her voice taking on a hard edge. "Besides, if he sees me as nothing but a soldier, then that's all I will be. To him ... to any man. I'm going to provide supp ..."
"You're not going, and that is final." Zandrianna lifted her hand as Desiare opened her mouth to protest, before turning to head to the bedchamber with Althessia for the baby's feeding.
Leaving Desiare to feel more frustrated than she had been in a long time ...
