Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale ` 11 Summary
In “Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows,” Avery grapples with guilt and shame over neglecting his sister Margaery while focusing on Tessa’s illness. The story opens with Avery’s frustration towards the servants for not providing coals to Margaery, who has been suffering in the cold. As he and his brother Dominic discuss the situation, Avery’s internal conflict grows; he realizes that Margaery has endured much more than he acknowledged, leading to feelings of regret for having overlooked her needs.
Margaery, once the heart of their family, now feels distant and proud, which adds to Avery’s turmoil. He reflects on how their family dynamics have shifted and expresses his desire to reconcile with Margaery and seek her help for Tessa. However, pride holds him back, and he feels the weight of responsibility for Tessa’s condition, prompting him and Dominic to prioritize fetching coals for Margaery before asking for the remedy.
As the brothers rush to Tessa’s side, they find her weak and in pain, highlighting the emotional stakes of the situation. Tessa’s frail condition contrasts sharply with Margaery’s coldness, and Avery’s guilt deepens as he witnesses Tessa’s suffering. The brothers’ concern for Tessa’s well-being reveals their familial bonds, yet it also underscores the growing rift between Avery and Margaery, who remains steadfast in her pride.
When Avery finally approaches Margaery for help, he is met with her icy demeanor and refusal to offer any remedies, which leaves him feeling stunned and frustrated. Her response reveals her awareness of his manipulative tactics, and she stands firm against his attempts to regain her favor. This interaction encapsulates the emotional tension between the siblings, illustrating how past grievances and current struggles have shaped their relationships. Avery’s desperation for Tessa’s relief clashes with Margaery’s resolve, setting the stage for deeper conflicts as the story unfolds.
Continue Regular Chapter Reading Below
**Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale**
The recollection of the remedy gnawed at Avery’s conscience, an unwelcome reminder that left a flush of shame spreading across his cheeks. To mask his discomfort, he feigned indignation, his voice rising in mock outrage. “These servants! They lack all sense of decency! Stinting, your cok! I’ll have them—”
With a firm grip, he seized Dominic’s arm and strode purposefully out of the room, his mind racing with thoughts of their sister, Margaery.
Margaery, who had been a constant presence in their lives, sighed with relief as she bolted the door behind them, a small act of security in an otherwise chaotic world. Yet, as she cast a wary glance back at Avery, her eyes were sharp, as if to ward off an impending curse. A bitter pang twisted in Avery’s heart, heavy with the weight of guilt that threatened to consume him.
“Amidst all this chaos surrounding Tessa, we’ve neglected Margaery,” he lamented, his voice barely above a whisper. “Winter’s been merciless for weeks, and not once have we sent her coals. How has she managed to endure this bitter chill?”
“Everyone else has had fires for forty days,” he muttered, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “She’s been at our throats daily, and I think she’s taken to picking fights with Tessa just for sport.”
“But—”
He hesitated, grappling with the realization that he had overlooked something so crucial. He couldn’t bring himself to admit that he had taken her remedy and done nothing. Instead, he grumbled, “That girl is far too proud. No coals in her room, and yet she never uttered a word!”
Then it hit him like a cold wave—Margaery had endured forty days in the icy halls of Gracewind, shivering through nights that seemed endless. She had knelt in the snow for a day and a night, only to be locked away in the woodshed. Avery felt like a wretched fool, the weight of his neglect pressing down on him.
Once, Margaery had been their dearest sister, the heart of their family. How had it come to this? he thought bitterly, his mind churning with guilt and regret. He had intended to ask Margaery for her help in reconciling with Russell and to share the remedy for Tessa, but the words remained lodged in his throat, unspoken.
Dominic frowned, his brow furrowing with concern. “The servants need a firm hand. If we don’t deliver those coals today, we have no right to ask for the remedy.”
Avery rubbed his brow in frustration, feeling the weight of responsibility settle heavily on his shoulders. “Yes, Tessa’s illness won’t wait. Let’s sort the coals first, then we can figure out the rest.”
They stormed to the storeroom, their anger palpable as they scolded the steward soundly, demanding that coals be prepared at once.
Dominic lingered at the door, his expression clouded with worry. “We’ll wait to ask for the remedy until we have the coals ready,” he said, his voice low.
Avery nodded, urgency in his tone. “Yes, we’ll bring the coals soon. Poor Tessa—can she wait another half hour?”
Truth be told, he yearned to plead with Margaery for the remedy, but his pride held him back, a stubborn barrier that kept him from reaching out.
—
**Chapter 11**
Avery had always known Margaery to be generous with her remedies, offering them freely to those in need. In the past, a few days of his coldness would have prompted her to come to him with gifts, eager to win back his favor.
But Tessa’s illness was not something that could afford to wait. They would bide their time until the coals were ready, but Avery’s heart was heavy with worry.
He glanced at Dominic, determination flickering in his eyes. “Let’s check on Tessa. She must be heartsick, waiting for us.”
Dominic nodded solemnly. “She’s not like Margaery. Tessa has known such hardship. To return home to neglect—it’s too much for any heart to bear.”
They hurried to Tessa’s room, the air thick with unspoken fears. Avery stood by her bedside, guilt etched into every line of his face. “Tessa, dear, there’s a slight delay tonight. Just a half hour more, and I promise I’ll fetch your remedy.”
“Thank you, brother,” Tessa whispered, her voice frail yet kind, a gentle light in the midst of her suffering.
Her hands clutched the quilts tightly, though she forced a fragile smile. “It’s so cold. You and Dominic have worked so hard. Please, rest. I’ll be fine.”
Her brave words masked the pain that creased her brow, and she pressed a trembling hand to her stomach, as if struggling to conceal her discomfort.
“How can we rest when you’re like this?” Dominic’s voice cracked with emotion. “Tonight, I’ll stay with you.”
“No, please,” Tessa murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “If Margaery hears, she’ll be upset…” Her words were interrupted by a fit of coughs, and she reached for the cup of water, nearly toppling over in her weakness.
“Tessa!” Dominic caught her gently in his arms, taking the cup from her trembling fingers and guiding it to her lips with tender care, his eyes filled with concern.
“Dominic, my stomach aches,” Tessa whispered, tears glistening in her eyes, a heartbreaking plea for help.
“Let me help,” he said softly, his voice soothing as he set the cup aside. He warmed his hands and eased them beneath her gown, hoping to soothe her pain with his touch.
—
In the chill of her bed, Margaery lay sleepless, the cold gnawing at her skin like a relentless predator.
She lit a candle, its soft glow illuminating the shadows that danced across the room. With a furrowed brow, she pored over a worn chart of healing points, her fingers tracing each mark on her body as if committing them to memory.
Murmuring the day’s lessons, she sought to fix them in her heart, but sleep eluded her, slipping away like sand through her fingers. Eventually, exhaustion took hold, and she slipped into a heavy, restless slumber.
But deep in the night, a sudden commotion shattered the silence. Avery arrived, flanked by servants hauling charcoal, their raucous pounding on her door jarring her awake from her troubled dreams.
Margaery steadied her breath, pushing down her irritation, and rose to open the door, bracing herself for whatever awaited her.
—
Avery stood there, a sly smile playing on his lips, his demeanor a mask of warmth laced with cunning.
“Margaery, my dear,” he began, his voice smooth but tinged with an underlying agenda, “if you need anything, you only have to ask. We’re family—why this distance between us?”
A faint shadow of regret flickered in his eyes, softer than his usual sharp demeanor. If she didn’t know him—if she hadn’t seen how far he would go for Tessa—Margaery might have believed that he genuinely cared for her again.
But she saw through his facade. His kindness felt like a baited hook, designed to draw her into doing his bidding.
She was done playing his games.
“Thank you, brother,” she replied coolly, a yawn breaking her words as she turned back to her room, her face devoid of even a polite smile.
Avery stood there, momentarily stunned. Just ‘thank you’? Nothing more?
He had expected her to soften, to fawn over him as she once might have for a scrap of his favor.
With a few warm words, he could have easily asked for the remedy he so desperately needed.
But this Margaery—cold, unyielding—left him at a loss, and he felt the weight of Tessa’s pained cries haunting him. He had promised her the remedy that evening, and now, ready or not, he had to ask.
He signaled the servants to light Margaery’s hearth, hoping to warm the chilly room, before forcing a smile. “Margaery, your apology to Tessa today set things right.
“We’re a family again, aren’t we?”
Margaery sat on the edge of her bed, her gaze steady and silent, offering nothing in response.
Avery shifted uncomfortably, unease creeping in, but he pressed on. “Tessa’s ailing tonight—her stomach is in knots. I’ve tried every cure I know, but nothing seems to help. Do you have any old remedies? Something to ease her pain?”
“None,” Margaery replied, her voice sharp and final, leaving no room for discussion.
Avery stiffened, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. “Truly? Not one?”
In his mind, her reply had come too quickly. It didn’t sound honest; it sounded like defiance.
Conclusion
In the dim light of the hearth, the weight of unspoken words hung heavily between Avery and Margaery, a chasm forged by neglect and unacknowledged pain. Avery’s heart raced as he faced the stark reality of their fractured bond, the warmth he had once taken for granted now replaced by a chilling distance. Margaery’s refusal to offer even a glimmer of compassion in the face of Tessa’s suffering struck him like a dagger, forcing him to confront the consequences of his own arrogance. No longer could he rely on her unwavering kindness; the sister he once knew had transformed into a figure of quiet resilience, one who would no longer bend to his whims. The emotional arc of their relationship had shifted dramatically, leaving Avery grappling with the realization that love must be nurtured, not taken for granted.
As he turned away, the flickering candlelight casting shadows on the walls, Avery felt the full weight of his choices pressing down on him. The urgency of Tessa’s condition fueled a desperate resolve within him, igniting a spark of determination to mend the rift with Margaery, even if it meant swallowing his pride. He understood now that true familial bonds required humility and vulnerability, a willingness to acknowledge one’s failings. The path forward would not be easy, but as he stepped away from Margaery’s door, he resolved to seek her forgiveness and rebuild the trust that had been so carelessly shattered. In that moment, Avery grasped the profound truth that the whispers of the past could shape the distant tomorrows of their family, urging him to act with sincerity and compassion as they faced the uncertain future together.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
**What to Expect in the Next Chapter?**
As tensions rise within the walls of Gracewind, the fragile bonds of family will be tested in ways that could change everything. In the next chapter, readers will witness Avery’s desperation as he grapples with the consequences of his past neglect toward Margaery, all while struggling to secure the remedy that could save Tessa. With time slipping away and Tessa’s condition worsening, Avery’s determination to mend the rift with his sister will clash with the cold reality of her hardened heart. Will he find a way to break through Margaery’s defenses, or will his attempts at reconciliation only deepen the divide?
Meanwhile, Margaery’s own turmoil will come to the forefront as she confronts her feelings of betrayal and resentment. As she wrestles with the memories of a once-close relationship with Avery, the reader will be drawn into her internal conflict, torn between her pride and the love she still harbors for her family. The chapter promises to delve into the complexities of sibling dynamics, revealing hidden fears and unspoken truths that threaten to unravel the very fabric of their family. With the stakes at an all-time high, the chilling winds of winter will serve as a backdrop to the emotional storm brewing within Gracewind, leaving readers on the edge of their seats, eager to discover the fate of Tessa and the future of Avery and Margaery’s relationship.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
