The Light & The Dark

Chapter 1 - First Impressions - P2

Author note: Sorry for the delay on this update. I will post two parts to ask for forgiveness for my delay. 

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The blackness of rest was uneasy for Hycien. It was never the peaceful sleep everyone talked about. There were never dreams, only ghostly faces of those they sent into the cloak of Silent Goddess.

In this darkness and amidst the ghosts of their pasts Hycien cried out, "Please, Great Nxyne, tell me why you have blessed me."

There was only silence in the darkness of her realm. The dreams, the night, everything dark and quiet belonged to the Silent Goddess; and to Hycein, silent she remained.

Hycien cried and screamed for the goddess to appear. Begging for her to give them answers but they never replied.

Slowly the black void of nothingness started to fade away. The empty void became the ground that they were laying on. The ground was made of grass that was springy and vibrant. Soft bird noises were in the distance as the silence started to break. The light faded in but it was filtered through branches heavy with leaves.

The world came back to them slowly and it was peaceful. They always found themselves in a garden full of life when they came to. The gaps could be minutes or days long but it always was in a garden where they woke up. Gardens were Hycein's safe havens, there was always a little spot for them to read or rest in... or apparently have a blackout of memories in.

"Excuse me," the voice was shaky, "who are you?"

Hycien rose to their elbows, taking in their surroundings fully. They were under a willow tree in a garden, and it didn't look like the castle gardens. "Surely you know of me," they said now looking at the young lady in front of them.

Her face twisted in confusion, "Why should I know a trespasser?"

Hycein sat up fully now, the sudden movement startling the young woman to grab something in her flower basket. 'Clean slates for first impressions are hard to redo,' the voice in their head whispered. She really didn't know them, or at least their face.

"I didn't mean to trespass miss," Hycein offered their hands as a show of peace, "I am," a breath, "Hycein."

A puzzled look crossed her face as she dug in her basket, "Hyacinth?" she showed off the named flower to them. "I am too named after an unusual flower for a name."

"No, it's Hycein. Hi. Sin." They enunciated each syllable.

"It is still pretty even though the temples probably don't like that you pronounce it as if you are welcoming sin in," she gave a little chuckle and they noticed her start to relax.

"I don't find myself in the temples often."

"Me too, the mistress keeps us busy," she rocked on her toes, "I am surprised your master lets you wander."

Hycein chuckled now, "I am sure if he knew where I wandered he would be more upset, but I do enough work to earn my free time."

"I wish I had that freedom, Lady Astra keeps us busy all the time." She twisted her brown hair between her white fingers.

"I am sorry, at least you have a pretty workplace," Hycein now noticed the fragrance of the garden, clearly beyond the willow's curtains, there was a plethora of flowers that created this wonderful perfume.

"I do." She sighed with a smile but then it was gone. "Come now, Hycein, you need to return to your master before you are fired."

"I highly doubt-" Hycein caught themselves, "that he would fire me. I am too valuable to him." Rising to their feet they found they were only an inch or two taller than her.

"I have seen my mistress fire people valuable to her for not being on time and where she wanted them," she peaked out of the willow's protection. "Besides, I don't want to be fired if I am caught with you."

"Surely that-"

"Lady Astra does not employ matrons, nor anyone she deems a matron" she cut them off and got in their face, "I like my job, and as nice as you seem I am not letting you ruin my chance of keeping it."

No one had ever gotten in their face like that, even Atrophin didn't want to risk being that close to them. Yet here she was calling them nice and being just a breath away from touching them.

"Follow me," she beckoned them out and into the garden.

It was gorgeous. The castle gardens were of course more expansive but there was something about the wild nature of the back of this estate. It wasn't as perfectly maintained as the castle and the flowers were growing in their beds wherever they pleased. Hycein followed her down the old pathways. Along the wall they went, passing by the grated windows in the wall that showcased the King's Forest the estate lay against.

Finally, she stopped in front of a massive wall of ivy and white flowers. "Since you clearly didn't walk in the front gate, this is probably where you came in."

"I think I could have climbed over the fence at any point along it." Hycein smartly returned.

Without a word she pulled the ivy back to reveal that they hid a grated window that had no grate on it, it was just a hole in the wall. "How do you not know how you got in here?"

Hycein rubbed their flushed neck, "Look, I get really forgetful sometimes." Biting their lip they got bold, "Like how I forgot to get your name."

She blinked and her white and olive cheeks flushed this time, "Cal-Callicarpa" she stuttered out.

"I thought you were named after a flower." When she narrowed her eyes they offered their gloved hands again, "I said I was forgetful sometimes, not all the time."

"No master would employ you if you were forgetful all the time." They both chuckled now, "Callicarpa is normally not used like a flower, but rather a decorative berry for fall bouquets."

"I can't wait to see them in the fall then," it slipped out before they could stop themself. Flushing again they turned towards the opening that Callicarpa was still offering. "You are right though, I should leave before my master goes looking for me."

Her blue-green eyes met their brown ones as they passed under her arm and through the opening. That close to one other the black stains that they always try to hide felt like fire. Painful and entrancing all at once. It was only a moment before it faded with the growing distance.

"Hycein," it was a whisper-shout.

"Yes," They had never spun around so fast.

"Do you want to meet again?"

The world stopped. Someone wanted to see them. She didn't know they were the Knight Odallam with the deadly touch, she just thought of them as a forgetful servant to another noble. 'Take a chance,' it was that same voice of pure light that sat in their head.

"Only if you want to."

She paused and their heart felt like it stopped.

"The day after tomorrow."

"Under the willow?" their heart now raced like a herd of horses.

"Unless you forget." A flash of pain wiped across her face like the white markings that speckled across her skin.

"I would never." Hand on their heart and the other on their sword, they gave a bow; the Listaveilan knight's salute that had been drilled into them came out with a second thought.

She didn't seem to recognize it, just covering her giggle with those white speckled hands. They both waved each other off. It would be nearing the dinner hour by the time Hycein returned to the castle but that just meant they had a few hours to plan how they would ensure they could return to this willow.