Surprised at how Tariel spoke to him, Avtandil could not help but laugh. He did not expect his new friend to be so eloquent or pleasant, having seen the destruction he was capable of.
“How is it one worthy of praise from the tongues of the wise, finds reason to compliment me? I am no more than a Knight of Arabia and servant to her who holds my heart. What did I do to deserve these words from you, who it seems none can stand against or disobey? To me, you are an image of the sun above, a light from heaven. No misery I suffered or tears I cried can change this.”
“Your grace is so great it could make me forget her who my life has been so long dark without. Though the ruby of her lips is preferable to me over anything else, I would sacrifice it a thousand times to serve you until my death. Should you but ask, I will renounce my service to she who carries the cup of my life. This is how deeply you move my spirit.”
When he heard Avtandil’s affectionate and kind words, Tariel smiled, momentarily forgetting his sorrow.
“It is with pleasure and amazement I hear this from you. Your soul warmed to me, and I wonder what service I did for this attachment. Yet, I think this is the law between men such as us. Lover pities lover. You are separated from the woman you love, as I am severed from my own. But what can I offer to you to justify separation from your heart’s desire, and why would I rob you of this?”
“Your journeys have been long and difficult. In service of your lady, you searched years to find me. Surely these endeavors and deeds are worthy of song, and now God has given you what you sought. I am with you and will tell you of my own sorrow, which is the cause of my wandering.”
“Though, I am not sure how to begin. The thought of sharing this tragedy sets my soul ablaze. I feel the flames of misery and agony will consume me when I tell this tale. It may be that I will become no more than smoke as the words leave my mouth, but I will do my best to share my woe with you.”
His shoulders shook as he spoke, visibly disturbed at the thought of telling his story. He remained silent, inflamed with the difficulty of giving voice to his pain. He turned to Asmath, tears teasing the edges of his dark eyes.
“You have been a sister to me all this time and witnessed my every joy. I am sorry you have spent so many years forced to watch sorrow heaped upon me until the light of hope was extinguished. Quite often, I wondered how you did not understand there is no cure for what ails me. Yet, here sits this Knight you brought to me, and I am burned anew by his tragedy. Truly, I am his debtor for tears.”
“I was lost earlier today, asking how I would be able to find what God had not created, and then you showed me this man. My heart is born again as if in the embers of a glowing furnace. Before now, my path was cut off. When I heard of your sacrifices, I felt like a bird caught in a net or a hare bound by the snare. If I do not aid him, nothing will remain of the feasts I once enjoyed, except straw for a bed and an old goat hide to cover me.”
“Yet, God is truly merciful, as this moon before me showed now. He gifted me with two blessings. First, my hand will reunite two lovers, which is a joy I have no words for. Second, perhaps his appearance will save me from being lost to the fires which nearly ruined me today.”
“Of you, Avtandil, I can say only when a man takes a brother or a sister to himself, he no longer cares for his own death or trouble for their sake. Undeniably, I accept you as my own, giving my life for your life and blood for blood. I believe God must not refuse to save one if it would cause the other to perish.”
“Now, I will tell you of my tragedy. For as duty has bound you, it equally compels me. When I am done, you must return to the lady who awaits you and share my story. Perhaps through this action, Heaven will allow my own salvation and that of the woman I die for each day.”
“When I speak, dear Asmath, please sit by my side. If I faint, bring water, and bathe me, so my burning heart does not consume this flesh of mine. Should the telling of this tale leave me as a corpse, let the earth cradle me. Bury me in this cave with no other marker than a stone for the man God did not comfort these many years.”
With this, he sat down and unbuttoned his shirt, baring his shoulders. He was like a sun hidden behind clouds, without a single ray of light spilling forth. At first, he was unable to open his lips to speak. He clenched and unclenched his jaw but still formed no words until, at last, he drew a long and shuddering breath. Hot and fresh tears burst from his eyes as he cried out in anguish.
“Oh, my beloved! Love of my own but lost to me! I do not know who cut you from me, but I have made fires thousands of times in search of you!”
With slow and halting speech, he began recounting his tale of woe to Avtandil. He did not fight his tears or turn away from them. Instead, he let each fall where it would. Asmath sat beside them, bearing witness to the truth of all Tariel and his beloved suffered.