The Tragedy of Renya

4.3 The Doomed Lovers

12th day of the 5th month, Viusi

“Why are you here?!” Erica wanted to shout at the man who had entered. And for a few moments her mouth went open and shut as she attempted to say something, but didn’t know what. Dame Pres obviously didn’t know what to say either. She just stammered a few things as the Wyndri who had identified himself as Nicholas Tusemi approached the two of them.

He wasn’t her fiancé. She knew the man she was engaged to, and this was not him. His name wasn’t even Nicholas. The Wyndri’s cover was as weak as could be. But one quick glance at Dame Pres’s face told her that she completely believed the story. She had obviously never met the real Tusemi. She would’ve been able to tell otherwise. But as it was, she completely believed the man’s story.

“Erica, dearest, why’d you run from home?” he smiled as he put a hand on Erica’s shoulder. Erica instinctively stepped back from him.
“Go along with it,” the man whispered in her ear, “I’m on your side.”

Erica tried not to punch the man in the face as he said that. He was on her side? After spending days making her life miserable he now dared say he was on her side? To say it was ridiculous would be an understatement.

“You’re crazy,” she snapped. The man frowned. Then the door opened again and a servant of Dame Pres came in, announcing that a visitor who had introduced himself as Tusemi from Ostia had arrived and what should happen.

Dame Pres looked at the Wyndri and frowned.
“Who are you?” she asked. He sighed and pulled Erica close.
“Look,” he said, “please let us go. I’m sure she didn’t tell you but we’ve been in love for ages but then her parents got her engaged against our will and…” he wiped away an imaginary tear on his face. The dramatic way he instantly brought up a second cover almost was enough to make Erica laugh. Almost. She somehow managed to keep up a straight face. Dame Pres seemed instantly enamoured with the idea of doomed lovers. How could she not be? Dame Pres was well-known for her love of the dramatic. Rumours had it she’d never married because she could never find a man as good as the men in the movies. Obviously, Erica thought, the Wyndri had heard of that too and used it to his advantage.

After all, Wyndri knew everything. At least they did according to the myths.

“Please don’t force us apart again,” the Wyndri said and before Erica could object he’d already pushed his lips on hers. She tried to push him away and realised it only made him smile.

“Forgive my dearest; she’s a very shy girl,” the Wyndri said. Erica growled and clenched her fists.

Footsteps in the hallway outside announced the real Tusemi’s arrival. He didn’t like to be kept waiting, Erica realised, and immediately wondered if the window she’d noticed earlier was a good escape path.

“Quickly leave,” Dame Pres interrupted her thoughts, and pushed away one of the carpets hanging on the wall to reveal a secret passage. Before Erica could react the Wyndri had pulled her along into the passage. She could hear the door slam open and her fiancés voice shout furiously, and then they disappeared into the long passageway that would eventually lead them outside.

The Wyndri seemed to know exactly where they were going. He didn’t bump into any walls, knew exactly where the bumpy bits in the passageway were, and pulled Erica along.
“Watch out; stairs,” he said. Erica barely had time to react as she missed the floor and fell over, on top of him.
“I warned you,” the Wyndri complained as he pushed Erica off of him and got up before taking her hand again and pulling her along once more. Erica wanted to object that she didn’t have time to react, that it wasn’t her fault, but in the blackness of the passageway she couldn’t even see a face to talk to.

She heard the noise of something moving and the next moment they were in the sunlight outside where she could still softly hear shouting in the distance; her fiancés voice.

“He sounds pretty angry,” the Wyndri chuckled. As if a spell was broken all Erica’s complaints came out.
“Why did you come? Why did you ruin my life? What are you even doing?” she shouted, letting go of his hand.

“You’re going to lead him here if you’re going to be loud like that,” the Wyndri smiled and disappeared into time again.

Erica frowned but then realised that this was no place for her to stay. She ran into the back alleys of the city again, only slightly more rested than before.