Moonchild

2

Scarlett and Ivan walk in silence for what feels like hours. He seems completely focused on his thoughts and Scarlett has to concentrate on not falling over her own feet, so the lack of conversation works for both of them. The probably over two-foot height difference means one stride for him is three for her and the pace has her off-balance.

The moonlight from the clearing faded soon after they left the grass and the dense trees of the forest made for an impenetrable blackness as far as the eye could see. The darkness made her uneasy, it was unfamiliar to the kitchen maid who had spent her nights in the torch-lit servants' quarters. The lack of lighting didn't seem to bother Ivan as it bothered Scarlett, she could barely see his back as he walked a few strides Infront of her, but he did not struggle to find his way through the shrubbery he moved with a confidence and grace that she could not hope to match.

As she followed and considered how odd it was to follow this stranger into the forest Scarlett considered thanking the man for his guidance so far and going off alone but the memory of that faint beating of horse hooves on soft ground kept her lips sealed. She felt comfortable in his company, he had given her no reason to doubt his intentions and she did not feel inclined to judge his honour.

While deep in her contemplation Scarlett failed to notice that Ivan had stopped and with another unladylike "humph!" she collided hard face-first into his back. Ivan didn't lurch forward as she had expected considering the force of her clumsy action. Instead, he turns his head observing her over his shoulder and laughs? Scarlett's cheeks flame red. "Sorry!"

He is silent once more. In a fluid motion so fast, she could have blinked and missed it he grabs her wrist firmly tugging her away from the path they had been following and into a wilder area of the forest, pulling them both into a crouched position out of sight of the pathway. The confusion must have been apparent on her face as Ivan whispered almost inaudibly "We have company little Scarlett." His statement was monotone or distant, he keeps his eyes on the path as if waiting.

"Company?" Scarlett's whisper matches his. He nods once and had she not been riding the wave of adrenaline that his sudden shift in attitude had ignited she may have asked him what on earth he meant.

In another one-eighty change in demeanour he stands to his full height. Scarlett does not follow him; she stays hidden and ready to bolt if anything untoward happens. Her eyes strain in the dark but she can see no more than a few meters from where she hides, who or what is coming? Ivan no longer seems to be concerned; he steps out of the impromptu hiding place.

"Emmanuel" Ivan's tone is cold, his voice deeper and much more formal. He knows this person? Scarlett finds herself raising to stand timidly behind Ivan, curious now at this new company.

"My Lord" Another male. Smaller and thinner than Ivan. He is pale too, with fairer features. "You bring a nomad my lord?" the smaller male, Emmanuel, cannot contain his surprise. Scarlett works to calm the blush on her cheeks as the new male gawks at her. He glances at Scarlett, clearly trying to recognise her. "And they are a female sire?" Emmanuel looks like he might just collapse, mouth opening and closing three times before he settles on a deep frown.

"Hmm, a female indeed" Ivan turns to Scarlett and winks? She can feel herself going beet red again. "Emmanuel, could you inform my brother of our new guest, I do not have a horse and she does not travel like us so I expect we shall not arrive until tomorrow morning"

"Sire, your brother sent me to ask if you had been successful in your journey." Emmanuel clasps his hands behind his back as he addresses the much larger man again.

"Aye, go to my brother and tell him as I told you, and ask that he meets me in private I will tell him myself that which I have learned" Ivan is dismissing him, and Scarlett can tell that this smaller paler man has no intention of overstaying his welcome.

"My Lord." He pauses "Miss" he bows to them before he turns leaving Ivan and Scarlett alone in the darkness once more. "Who was that?" the question tumbles from her lips before she can stop it. "He is a friend" Ivan's previously playful tone returns, and Scarlett looks at him bewildered. "A friend?" she pauses letting the statement settle before adding "who calls you, My Lord?" He smiles.

"who are you?" Scarlett is serious again as they continue walking.

"Ivan Nilsen"

There is a pause and Scarlett reels, wide-eyed, mouth agape. Nilsen. "Nilsen" she says, trying the name out herself, "Nilsen like the King Nilsen?" she stops walking.

"Nilsen like the king Nilsen" he repeats, mocking.

"But you are not the King?" she questions

"No little Scarlett I am not the King" the sun is just low in the horizon and a pale-yellow glow paints the sky; it is bright enough that she can see the humour on his face, he finds this funny, she is embarrassed? Scarlett searches her mind trying to recall the name Ivan Nilsen, but nothing comes to her other than the realisation that she had been borderline disrespectfully informal when speaking with this male.

"I do not know much of your family Sir" She admits, the embarrassment is boiling over as she speaks, unsure now how to address him. He doesn't reply straight away, instead he turns and begins to walk again. It is lighter, Scarlett can see where they are headed now, and it is much easier to navigate the maze of tree roots at her feet.

"I am Ivan Nilsen, second son of Late King Roman Nilsen, but I'd much prefer you to use Ivan" Scarlett considers his request before he adds "Just Ivan, I am not in the practice of formalities with friends". Second son. Friends.

"If you are the second son then your brother?" her question is open, but it is clear he understands what she is asking. "Is the King" he confirms. An awkward moment passes where Scarlett does not know what the appropriate reaction to discovering the random-male-she-is-following-in-a-forest-happens-to-be-second-in-line-to-the-throne is.

"I am not well read in the history of your family I am afraid" she is tentative but the look he gives is calm and questioning. "My king- Old King." She cringes, will his brother be the king she is sworn to serve now? "Was keen to ensure that we servants did not waste time on education as it was not useful in our service."

"Your old King?" his tone makes her think that he is questioning her allegiance to his family "Ah! I'm sorry I assumed that I would- "he interrupts "No little Scarlett, I mean to ask, you served a king in your homeland?" his intrigue is laced with confusion. Does he not know of the king of the south?

"Yes, his highness has ruled in the south for many years, but I am not old enough to remember the days that many of our stories are from." She had not had the time to study the legends of her home with being a servant came full days and often nights of service, stories of the past would be of little use to her cooking or cleaning.

"I see, and how old are you?"

She turns to him, a bright smile on her face "Nineteen summers as of last week." He simply smiles and nods in response as though her reply was both satisfactory and the end of the conversation.

**