Broken Circle

Chapter 7: A Goodnight Kiss

“A kiss is a secret which takes the lips for the ear.” ― Edmond Rostand

Mahalla:

    I made my way to the library. I knew Arlotto would be keeping watch there today. I wasn't able to find a moment alone with him in the past two weeks, and I was dying to know which templars would be overseeing my harrowing. Mainly I just didn't want him to be one of them.

     I would be lying if I said that it was just for his benefit. Truthfully I did not want him to deal with the possibility of having to slay a friend, but part of me knew his presence would make me nervous and I was worried it would cause me to mess up. I'm not sure exactly what it was about him that made me nervous after all this time. Maybe it was the way he talked to me so easily since the first day we officially met. Maybe it's the way he watches me so intently when I study in the library. Or maybe it was the way his dark hair curled so perfectly. Or the silly half smile he gives me when no one else is looking. No, it's definitely just because he is a weirdly friendly templar who has an obsession with sweets. Nothing else.

      I head to the section of the library that I know is never busy in the evenings and I thank the gods that Arlotto is standing there in the same spot he was three years ago when he first spoke to me. I sit down in my usual spot and start reading a book about the mysteries of the Fade. I don't want to talk straight away since the library is still busy in the nearby sections. After about an hour I hear him walk up to the table and sit in the chair next to me.

      "How are you feeling?" He asked quietly. I turn to look at him and see the worry behind his emerald eyes.

     "As well as I can be. My harrowing is tomorrow and I have no way to even prepare for it," I responded with a sigh. "Do you know which templars will be overseeing it?" I ask barely above a whisper.

      "Uh-yeah it was actually quite the turn of events," he started, scratching the back of his head nervously, "They assigned Bartrand, Geoffrey, and me-"

      "You're going to be there?" I whisper yelled at him in shock. He was rarely ever assigned to harrowings and it was just my luck that he got mine.

      "If you let me finish talking you would find out that no, I will not be there," he said, chastising me for interrupting, "I don't know if you heard but last week we had a transfer here. He's actually an old friend of mine from when we were recruits. Apparently he had a bit of a hard time in the field and they thought he needed a breather, so they stationed him here. He knows how uncomfortable I've always been about harrowings, so he volunteered and said it would be a good way to jump right into his role here."

       "Oh." I was shocked at the weird turn of events. Bertrand is a bigot, always calling me rabbit, but he is easy enough to ignore. Geoffrey is fine as far as templars go, he kept to himself and did his job. And I guess whoever this mystery guy is, he has to be alright if Arlotto considers him a friend. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.

      "You're going to be fine," he said as he reached out and put his hand on mine. I blushed at the sudden physical contact. I reveled in the feeling of his warm skin and calloused hand. "You are the smartest mage I know, you'll be fine. Just use that big brain of yours" he poked my forehead with his other hand as he said that. 

      I smiled at him, and as small as the gesture was, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders.

      "Thank you Arlotto, it really does mean a lot to me. I better head to bed, I need my rest for tomorrow." I gathered my things and got up from my chair. As I turned to walk away Arlotto quickly got up as well, grabbing my arm lightly to turn me around to face him.