The Silent Letters

Chapter Six.

"Alice?" Esme asked, almost passing out with relief, she looked down at her feet quickly to keep herself steady. The whistle echoed through her brain as her heart slowed, shit... She had let the notched arrow go.

She held her breath for a few seconds before deciding to finally look up, Alice stood at the base of a tree holding the arrow in her hand. She was also wearing a pair of black tights and a sports bra, Esme couldn't tear her eyes away from Alice's decorated collarbones and her shoulders. They stood out against her skin, perfectly. On the right side a tattoo, a black snake ran over and under the visible bone of her collarbone, the snake's tail disappeared around her shoulder while the head was tilted towards her neck. Esme wanted to touch her collarbones, wanted to run her fingers along the scaled body of the snake. Her fingers that were clutched at her side twitched with the thought, her hand almost lifting on its own but Alice's silky voice broke her thought process.

"Esme, you should know my full name." Alice slowly inched closer placing the arrow back down on the tree stump the rest were scattered on, as she reached Esme a smirk raised her mouth, "My full name is Alice Romiage."

"You? You're the owner of these weapons?" Esme shrieked, dropping the bow that was clutched in her hand quickly.

Alice laughed softly, "Indeed."

She leaned down, grabbing the large wooden bow from the ground. Esme took the opportunity to notice another tattoo, one that wrapped around her wrist. A circle of thorns, with a single red rose among the inked thorns. Esme couldn't stop her fingers as Alice placed the bow on the stump next to them, Esme's fingertips touched the tattoo. Alice froze, watching Esme's fingers softly move along the black thorns. The tips of Esme's fingers stopped on the rose, "What does it mean, the thorns with a single rose?"

Alice looked up at Esme from where she was stopped, half bent over. Alice grabbed Esme's wrist quickly and stood to her full height. She gripped Esme's wrist and placed her hand on the snake tattoo that decorated her collarbone. "This one means my rebirth, my new life." She led Esme's fingers over it, allowing Esme to feel the bump of her collarbone gently, before moving her hand down. Esme's hand was now resting above Alice's chest. "This one between my breasts was my sister's favourite flower before she passed, Star of Bethlehem. She dared me to get a tattoo on my chest a single day before she was taken from me. I got it for her, for her alone."

Alice moved Esme's hand to her wrist finally, removing her hold on Esme's wrist. Esme wrapped her fingers around Alice's wrist softly. "Thorns, they symbolise how I was trapped in my childhood. Trapped in the brutal way I was raised, the single rose represents the person who set me free."

She drifted her hands up to wrap around Esme's wrist again but Esme held onto the thorn tattoo, soaking in every meaning. "I also have a small dagger on my ankle, it just represents my training. Do you have any tattoos, lovely Esme?"

Esme's brain raced as she held onto the meanings of the tattoos, she traced the outline of the red rose with a single finger. When the question finally registered she dropped Alice's wrist and stood back. "I have one. Wings... Angel Wings, with my mothers death date written underneath. I got it the day I left my father to rot."

Alice stepped forwards, lacing her fingers with Esme's, connecting their hands. "I understand, trust me. It's okay."

Esme drifted her gaze to land on Alice as her vision blurred, Esme fought with herself as she felt the tears prick the edge of her eyes. Alice stepped forwards and wrapped her arms around Esme, pulling her into her chest gently. Esme felt her control break as tears ran down her face, causing small droplets to land on Alice's chest. She continued to hold Esme, allowing her to cry as she stroked her fingers up and down Esme's spine. Her hands drifted against her back until they stopped to rest against the back of her neck. Against Esme's tattoo.

Esme's body shook softly as she sobbed into Alice's chest. When Alice's hand started its movement against her spine once more, she snapped out of the emotional breakdown. She hated the vulnerability filling her as she held onto Alice like an anchor. She couldn't do it... Esme suddenly took a step back, wiping the tears from her face as she stared at Alice. "I just wanted to come for a run, to push my limits. Not discover this massive secret forest training arena."

Alice stood silent as she watched Esme break from her sobs within a blink of an eye. She shook her head softly, "I understand that, but after this morning. I believe deep down the training arena is what is best for you."

"Don't- do not make assumptions."
"Well is it? Will you train with me, allow me to help you."
"I-" Esme stopped as she thought back to the events that took place this morning, the threats that now contained Alice's name. Even if she did train, even if Alice was capable of protecting herself, Esme couldn't risk it. Not yet. "I can't. I'm going home."
"So you can attempt to kill yourself again, I'm not stupid love."
"No, stop. You don't understand. I can't risk you."
"Risk me, I'll be fine against your boogeymen from this morning. Trust me. Let me help you, please."

Esme stayed silent as she stepped forwards to wrap her hands around a pair of the throwing knives she had grown up with. "Fine."
She turned and threw them, tapping into the training she had buried deep down as the sharp metal of the knives dug into the wood of the tree standing metres away from her. Alice twisted her body, wrapping her fingers around Esme's wrist as she walked towards the tree currently holding the knives. "Stop, you need to slow down. You can't rush into this Esme. Even if you have previous training, what I'm trained to do is dangerous. Everyone has limits."

"No, no, no." Her defiance rises as she closes her eyes. "I will not slow down." Esme tugged herself out of Alice's hold and walked over to the tree that held the knives before continuing to talk. "Not while he is still out there threatening my friends, my only remaining family. You just, you don't get it. And trust me anything you are trained to do, I was doing at half that age. Dangerous doesn't even begin with the stuff I was trained to do. You just can't understand."

"Then make me. Make me understand Esme, I can't stand here and watch you drive yourself closer to the grave because you are scared of-" Alice threw her hands into the air as she stood in the middle of the clearing, turning to face Esme as she moved around. 

"I am not scared." Esme responded as she gripped the knife in her hand. Alice attempted to come closer but Esme held the small knife out, clutched in her hand. "I am not scared." Her voice was barely audible as she shook, making the knife fall from her hand and hit the soft dirt ground between them. Alice moved forwards but not fast enough. Esme was in the trees and running before Alice could touch the tree Esme was just holding, she stopped at the edge of the clearing and watched her go, she would be back. Soon...