The Deceiver

Chapter Three

"Soo.... how have you been?"

Edward walks beside me, his hands folded inside his coat pockets. His back is stiff, his breathing trying to be controlled. It makes sense. Not everyone in Oneria is used to climbing the steep valleys that lead to the chapel. It is a beautiful sight to see, one I often find myself gawking over and admiring when I am here alone. After years of hiking up the valleys, I have become more able to climb up the steep hills, I'd like to think I can do it with even a bit of grace. 

"I've been excellent Edward, how about you? You're right, I haven't seen you since the last meeting."

"Oh, you know... just like you said, this and that."

"Aha." I draw out. I try to suppress the rising question, but it finds it way bubbling out. "Edward, why are you here? I know you were sent to the chapel with me because of your father."

"No," he starts. Turning to look at him, I can see his eyes wander down to the village around us.

I wait for another response. One that would assure me that he came on his own because he wanted to get to know me. A response that would make my heart melt from the ever so carefully chosen words. But we both knew that wasn't going to happen.

"I know." I take a deep breath, trying to release the awkwardness around us. "You know it has nothing to do with you... right?"

It is now his turn to take a deep breath, gathering his words before he answers me. "I have drawn my own conclusions, yes. Though your thoughts don't align with the way that our parents would like them to, I hope we can still keep a good relationship."

"Totally," I say a bit more excited than I should have. "I like you, I really do, but well... you know."

"I know."

And that was that. Edward dropped the subject, not mentioning our arrangement again. There has not been a date set, partly because of me. I have been trying to occupy my schedule as much as possible so that there would be no free time. It is upsetting to know that I won't be honoring my mother's wishes, but it's my life. Not only my life, but Edward's too. Being stuck together when we don't want to is only going to cause division. I don't know if my mother truly knows that.

"What do you think about the falcon?" Edward asks still trying to catch his breath. "I mean, do you think it means what the legends have said?"

It's not legend. It's real. My mother was there when it happened. 

Kairos was different thirty years ago. It was a land consisting of dreams and sweet memories. It was a place for the festivities of the present, where all creatures would gather in celebration of the gift of life, and then the clouds became dark. Blackness filled the skies, and shadows loomed at every corner. For three days' time Kairos remained in darkness, light only being held by the burning of candles.

On the third day when the sun rose over the land of Kairos, it was obstructed by a bolder. Not just a boulder, but a mountain. No one knew where it came from. A dark bird swept over the sky of Oneria. Flying North to the foreign land. City of Deorcaya. The Land of Nightmares.

Since then, falcons have been seen as a bad omen. A messenger of destruction that is to come, and now upon us again.

"Like my mother said," I start, keeping my head held high and my voice under control. "If it arises to be a problem later, it will be dealt with. Until then, the best thing to do is to stay calm. Your father is right. The last thing we want is for the people of Oneria to be in a panic."

"I didn't ask what your mother thought... I heard that from the meeting. I asked what you thought," he said looking at me. 

I stare at him a bit longer trying to bumble up words that sound like something I should say, but instead, "I... I don't know."