Gone With The Harp's Echo by Narya

Epilogue

“You seem happier, my darling.”

Robin smiled at his mother as Laurie passed her a cup of tea. “What makes you say so?”

“I don't know. You seem...settled, somehow.” She half-lifted her hand, as though to touch his forehead, and then drew it back. “Though for a while I was worried. You were quiet all summer; I thought, perhaps...”

Robin thought of Nielikki, dancing in the rain. He felt a kind of dark, hollow aching under his ribs, and then he pushed the memory away and looked at Laurie. His flatmate gave May a gentle nudge, and the two of them withdrew to the living room.

“That it was like when I was younger?” Robin asked when they'd gone.

“Well. Yes.” His mother stirred her tea.

“You see, Mother, the thing is...” Robin took a deep breath. “I've decided to quit my job.”

“Oh?” She did not sound surprised – or entirely displeased.

“I'm going to be a writer. At least, I'm going to try. I have enough saved to keep me going for a year, so I'm going to make my living telling stories.” He pulled a notebook from his pocket. “And I'd like you to listen to my first one.”

She smiled. “Not Laurie?”

“What?" To his astonishment, heat rose in his cheeks. "No; why should I ask Laurie instead of you?”

“He seems like a nice boy, that's all.”

“Mother.”

“And not May?”

“Mother.”

“I'm sorry. I'll listen; I promise.”

Robin shook his head and cleared his throat. “There was once a young man who could move between worlds, and he fell in love with a fairy...”