The Boy with No Name (Part 1 of 'A Tale of People and Apples' Trilogy)

Chapter 2: Eeva

Present day.

Lleyton and Eeva made their way up and out of the shining winding staircase into a hallway of large chamber openings with golden doors. There was a slowness to her steps – purposeful, confident, unyielding. Her body language displayed apathy for him, like he was a problem rather than a welcome guest like Aimos made him feel.

How could he ever thank his saviour who couldn't care less about him? Exhaustion and stress and uncertainty again overcame him and he attempted to stifle these emotions. Sleep now, think later, he thought to himself.

The hallway before them was bright and blue seemingly even in the dark, with great windows between the golden doors. The furthest, smallest doorway down the hallway was the guest chambers where Eeva stopped, prompting Lleyton to enter. Food waited for him on a nightstand, and although he was still starving he felt even more tired. A guard with a large longsword stood outside his guest chamber donned in golden blue armor.

"My father's quarters are the largest door at the end of the hall," She said to Lleyton quietly as he sat on his bed. "If you need anything, speak to the guard and he will get my father if possible."

"Who usually stays in all of these rooms?" Lleyton asked her, looking out his new chamber at the array of golden doorways.

"My uncles, and aunt. Other Sixes when they visit," she replied matter-of-factly. Eeva turned to leave towards her chambers which were down the hall next to Aimos's.

"Wait," Lleyton called out to her, now regretting that he'd done so. Her green eyes met his unflinchingly.

"I just wanted to say that... I mean you no harm. And I am forever in your debt for helping me, saving me..." Lleyton's eyes drifted towards the floor, but met her eyes again, still staring at him. Her eyes almost glowing in the dark.

"We take our people's safety very seriously. Please understand that we don't know who you are, but also have a taste of what you're capable of," She said, referring to the men he attacked in the basement. He now regretted attacking them completely, breaking the trust of his keepers before he could even form it.

"But you do," He said to her, voice trembling, the emotion of everything bubbling to his vocal cords. "You found me. You know I was unconscious, and hurt, and alone."

The word 'alone' echoed in his mind, rattling around and reverberating new pain he didn't know was possible.

Eeva continued to look deep into his eyes, emotionless. She had no fear of this stranger before her. She could not hide her bravery behind her perfume and fancy robes if she tried. He was looking back at a fellow warrior, fiercely loyal to her family. Her people. Here sat an outsider in her guest room, and she was not about to blindly trust the words of a foreigner trained in combat and claiming to not remember anything.

"Listen carefully. You may have my father's trust, but you do not have mine. I am glad my father thrust you upon my daily routine, so I can keep a close eye on you myself." She spoke calmly, but her words stuck him like daggers. "If you so much as lay a finger on someone in this city in a threatening way, I will not hesitate to order you killed," She motioned towards the large guard outside Lleyton's room, who nodded underneath a metal helmet and grunted.

Eeva began to close Lleyton's door, when he cried out. Tears welled up in his eyes. Eeva was dumbfounded, eyes now filled with a dash of concern and a portion of caution, fearful it was some sort of ploy.

"Eeva, I..." his voice broke, and he regained his composure. How long has it been since tears filled his eyes? He would not let her see one fall from them. "I do not know who I am. It's the truth. I am alone, I am desperately alone." Lleyton was almost falling off his bed, weak with unloading these emotions, leaving him vulnerable to this girl who saved him. "I can never repay you for finding me and bringing me in. But whoever tossed me into that river, I have a feeling those same people are waiting for me. My memories are all I have to defend myself. And right now," he looked towards the guard outside nodding towards his weapon. "I don't have a sword."

Eeva understood the metaphor and her lips were pursed tight. She folded her arms, somewhat ashamed at injuring an already and obviously wounded animal. She still couldn't definitively tell if this was some ploy, and wouldn't let him manipulate her, but a piece of her knew this was no act.

"I swear, as soon as I remember, I will leave and tell you if there is a threat to your people. Not that it will matter. I will bury the people that did this to me," He said, anger now filled his voice as he trembled. His fists were clenched, Eeva realizing this was pure and unadulterated anger towards whoever did this to him.

They both knew, in this moment, that him falling in the river was no accident. He apologized to her for his outburst.

Eeva slowly backed out of the room and began to again shut the door behind her. She turned, and said softly, "My class begins early in the day, but I'd like to show you around the city. Get you oriented. We will wake you in the morning. Try to get some sleep. Goodnight, Lleyton. Sleep well."

She finally showed him some humanity that he desperately craved. She shut the door slowly, but gazed upon him as long as she could through the crack of the door, waiting to see his mask come off.

It never did. His face was in his hands as he sat on his bed. She clicked his door shut and glided to her chamber.

Lleyton crawled under his clean cool sheets, mind racing with thoughts. Exhaustion finally quieted them all.

In his darkness he dreamt of golden animals and great black trees. He was one of them, perched upon a branch, looking down into the vast chasm split by a shiny silver fortress and surrounded by a string of silver trees. He turned backwards along his branch. Many more approached him, their claws dug deep into the wet dark bark, and in an instant they lunged. Teeth and claws gnashed and grabbed, aiming for throats and eyes and limbs in a flurry of furor. The beast aimed for throats and eyes of his attacker's, but it was hopeless. The combined force and weight of the animals overpowered the valiant underdog. In seconds it was over. Sets of teeth sank into the beast's neck, blood spattered and matted his once golden coat. He was cast into the chasm, lifeless and limp, falling, falling.