The Divorce

I arrived back in the village. Miriam was pleased to see me. She wasn't expecting me. We argued about how long I was away, the argument ended when I deposited a bag of gold on the table. I needed to stay away so I could earn this gold, had I not earned the gold then we wouldn't be able to survive. How could we move forward in life living on a chef's income? If we were to progress into parental roles, she would be out of work having just birthed children, she could not be able to feed them on savings alone. My absence was a terrible necessity. However, it did prevent arguing on other matters.
 
Miriam disagreed mostly with my relationship with Tommy, she couldn't understand how I could trust someone with two names. She never understood when to use them. She also disagreed with the nature of his job. My jobs were needed to protect others, monsters are no simple threat. Tommy's jobs were more complicated. Sometimes he would regale me with stories at the campfire, other times he would tell me nothing other than his need for new equipment. Tommy's jobs were always dangerous, sometimes in towns and sometimes in the wilderness. The ones in towns were always the most dangerous, he claimed that he would sometimes collect bounties on dangerous men and their allies would be the ones chasing us out of town. Others, he gave no reason, just he now has enough money to pay for my new cloak and that he cannot be seen at Ravenspeak until everyone forgets his name.
 
Miriam didn't trust Tommy, she heard the lies that his many enemies told about him. They called him a cheat and a thief. I admit that sometimes he would try to exaggerate the details of a job to get more coin, but a thief is a wrong characterisation. Tommy did what was needed. He needed that money and he worked for it.
 
Miriam didn't like that I stuck up for my friend, she didn't understand how I could trust the man who saved my life, the man who taught me another way to appreciate nature and the life that only travelling could provide. She didn't understand that I was more good outside of the home, that a village was just holding me back. The longer I stayed with her, the more people died. Our relationship was not a normal one, I am not a normal person, for the relationship to work we needed compromises:
 
She needed to accept that I need to be away.
This home, this love, was a comfort to me, her arguments made it a chore to come back. She should understand that sometimes I might not make it home, her reaction should be glee, not anger.
 
She refused to compromise. She believed that my demands were unreasonable and came from a position of resentment that I chose someone "mundane" instead of a woman in my lifestyle. She didn't understand. She told me that if I push forward with this ultimatum that our relationship would be over. My mind was in a position of anger and I told her that I would not back down. I slept in a tavern that night. I left the next day.
 
The next time I came back to the village I went home to see if we could discuss the argument. I wanted to apologise. She was having dinner with the butcher. She moved on. We hadn't yet divorced, we only threatened it. She had no right to move on. She could have given me a chance to apologise.
 
I went to a priest and demanded a divorce. He gave his blessing. Our relationship was over. I was alone.
 
I tried to drink myself into happiness. Alcohol brings others glee, if only it could serve me this one pleasure. In a certain tavern, I was approached by a fighter-woman, her knuckles were bruised and she stank of alcohol. She asked me to brawl, brawls weren't my interest - no weapons and close range, I have no tricks. I declined her and sat down. She saw my sword and started to demand it, I refused. In her drunken state, she claimed it was hers. It has been in my family for generations, she was a commonplace swindler. I noticed that she had already stolen a necklace that bears my crest, I accused her of being a looter, that she stole it from the wreckage.
 
It occurred to me seconds before it did to her. Perhaps she is of relation to me? I don't remember seeing her body, perhaps she was also saved by a kind man. She has the same cheeks and the same eyes, is this Colette?
 
Having found each other, we would not let any force, be it devil or divine, separate us again.
 
I am Elias Dumont. I am not alone.