A Time for Goodbye

Susan paused, her hand gripping the banister of the stairway, the cough stealing her breath away from her, closing her eyes and wondering if she would even make it the rest of the way down the steps. Her sister, Elizabeth, hurried up the stairs to meet her, "here Susan, lean on me” with that she helped her down the last steps into the sitting room and onto the sofa.

"I am growing weaker Elizabeth, have you found anything?"

Looking away, her sister shook her head. "I have tried everything I know, there is nothing left..."

"Then I am dying"

"We do not know that Susan, I have just never seen an illness such as yours."

"I know Beth. The weakness, the weight loss, the cough, the blood..."

Elizabeth looked at her sister, pain in her eyes, "I don't know what else to do or say" her voice a hoarse whisper.

"I ... I cannot put Corwin and the children through a long drawn out death, I won't. I need your help Beth. There is a nunnery where I can go to die but I want my family to think that I am already dead."

"Susan! No! Think about what it will do to them. They will be heart broken."

"I have thought long on this Beth, it is the only way, I would rather they be heart broken now, that will heal but I don't wish their last memories to be of me in this condition or worse, if you will not help I will find someone that will."

Finally, knowing Susan's determination, Beth nodded. "I will help you."

"Thank you, you must send a message immediately to Amber and to Keera, tell them that a sudden illness came upon me and there was nothing that could be done. Tell them that the clerics insisted you destroy my body because the nature of the illness was unknown and they were afraid of it spreading. I will leave for the nunnery tonight."

"I will send the message tonight."

"And Beth, please.... tell them my last words were words of love for them."

Elizabeth nods and goes to her task, her heart heavy for those in Camelot.