Tell No One

Chapter 47

Today when Kiera entered the dining room, she was pleasantly surprised that Ramatee was there before her, seated quite comfortably. His eyes lit up when she entered, obvious excitement at her presence adorning his face as she took her seat at the opposite end of the table. Kiera still had a contented smile on her face, a smile she hadn't thought had left her since disembarking from the boat onto the black bank of the lake. Her mind seemed to drift weightlessly from her body, her thoughts trailing a hazy cloud, only loosely tethered to her head.

"Good evening Kiera." Ramatee's low rumble bought her back from oblivion, and she stared bright-eyed into those golden iris's across the table from her.
"Good evening, my Lord." Kiera's words came out as a purr, and Ramatee's smile only deepened. However, his eyes squinted somewhat apologetically as he moved his lips to say something.

"I can only profusely apologise for my absence last night. Your first night in my room should not have been experienced alone. I can only say that there was no other way."

Inside Kiera felt reality come back to her. A night in a bed with a stranger. Although...

Picking up her wine glass, Kiera swirled it distractedly in her hand. The crimson liquid cascaded against the sides, becoming an endless bloody whirlpool in her glass. Although, was Ramatee that much of a stranger?

There were so many blanks. So many unanswered questions. But, glancing up, so many missed opportunities to ask them. if she simply unbent her pride far enough, maybe her life here wouldn't be so difficult. Accepting his offer, what seemed like a millennium ago, was also accepting the life that was laid out for her after her death. And besides- the guy across from her may be the perceived king of hell; but honestly, she was in "hell" herself. Quite literally too.

Kiera was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of the kitchen doors opening behind her. She'd become accustomed to the sound by now, and sat up straighter in her chair as the servants came out with trays ladled with food.

A steamy broth was laid gracefully in front of her, the smell of chicken hitting her nose. Kiera watched as the pale arm of Shelia placed a spoon next to the bowl. Slowly, Kiera had grown accustomed to seeing Shelia serve her during dinner. Shelia, the girl before all of this, Kiera would've called her friend. A friend who on the surface, she had skinned by the dying firelight of her her homes own fireplace. Kiera gazed into Shelia's face as she worked diligently, stoically, to make sure everything for Kiera's dinner was perfect. In the dim lighting cast by the candles, she could almost believe they were back in that moment. Only this time, Shelia stood over her, with a face impassive and devoid of emotion.

Shelia finished pouring her wine and left, along with all the other staff. Their footsteps barely made a sound as they drifted over the carpet back to the kitchen, hours of training forcing them to be as muted visually and audibly as possible. In a certain way, it unnerved Kiera; they moved like spectres, leaving almost no trace of their presence ever having been there. Tucking into her food, Kiera realised that she was under no illusion as to why she was here- and looking back, she didn't think she ever had been. She deserved to be here. Kiera suddenly stopped chewing, an epiphany suddenly smacking her in the forehead. Yes, it was clear why Kiera was here- but what did Shelia do? What crime did she commit? What mortal sin stained her soul with such a black mark that it too was condemned to the Abyss?

"So, Kiera- What did you do today?" Kiera's eyes darted up, suddenly remembering that she was in the company of Ramatee. Chewing her food again, Kiera carefully thought out her answer.

"Oh, not much. I managed to get some more reading done, and I took a walk outside." Kiera swallowed past the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat. She wasn't sure why she lied but felt an urge to conceal her and Mera's small outing. Not to keep it a secret as such... But it was their thing. And only their thing. "So where were you last night?"

Ramatee chuckled, a sincere expression eclipsing his features. "Well, my position means a lot of work on my behalf to ensure that all the levels work smoothly as possible. Mainly I deal with reports with the going on and what's happing both in my reaches and in the realms beyond. Last night there was an incident on the second reach that required my direct presence and well... I can't be in two places at once." Ramatee launched into a thorough explanation of his duties, which Kiera only half listened to. She nodded at the right moments, gave a polite laugh when he said something satirical, asked questions when appropriate- but Kiera quickly realised she didn't really care. But at the back of her mind, something asked her why she bothered to put on a facade? But that was something she stored away in the attic of her mind. The question knocking at the front door of her head was a bemused wonderment of what Mera did. What activities occupied his days? How did he spend his evenings? What thought had the lights dancing in his eyes, that made her think he knew something she didn't? That forever present mischievous glint that made her want in on the joke as well. What secrets he had written on his lips. What depths his eyes held. What he saw when he looked at her.

***
When Kiera got up to leave, she was a little bit surprised to see that Ramatee stood up too. Leaving the dining room together, it finally dawned on her that they're both going to the same place. The door shut ominously loud behind them, the shadows playing across Kiera's face murdered as the light from the dining room was harshly cut off. She looked up at Ramatee by her frozen position by the door. She... didn't know the way.

Ramatee looked down at her and held his arm out, a friendly smile on his face. "My Lady." Kiera let out a laugh, a genuine one, and looped her arm around his arm.
"Such the gentleman."

Reaching the final corridor to Ramatee's room, Kiera took her time to study the stained glass windows as they passed. She pulled them to a slower pace, realising a picture there before was had been replaced. Kiera released her arm, running her fingers over the space where just before, there has been a blonde woman smiling back at her. Only now, there was a brunette standing on the edge of a towering skyscraper, facing away from her. She looked out across an urban skyline, the amber suggestion of a sun setting in the far corner. She could feel Ramatee watching her as she studied glass, running her fingertips over the contours of the buildings' edges. She traced the edges of the suns rays, across the bistered hair of a girl who could be no other than her. Hands still on the cold picture, she turned back to face Ramatee, a perturbed expression on her face.
"Is this me?" Kiera's words came out in a soft whisper. Ramatee nodded, face set impassive. "Who was the other girl?" At these words, Ramatee placed a gentle hand on her wrist, drawing it away from the window. Kiera allowed herself to be guided to the bedroom.

"Another time. I will tell you another time." Ramatee's words left no room for arguing, and he pushed through the doors to his room.

***
Getting changed and ready for bed was a little awkward, and Kiera insisted on getting changed in the bathroom, even through Ramatee's insistence that he wouldn't look. Well, Kiera had thought that was awkward, but then she had to get into bed with the man.

They both stood at the edges, Kiera blushing profusely as they both froze staring at each other. However, Ramatee only looked at her with a passive calm, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly in amusement.

"Cool so... let's just both get in." Ramatee chuckled at Kiera bashfulness.

"That would generally be how sleep would work." Ramatee pulled the covers back, sitting on the edge and swinging his legs in. Seeing Kiera's hesitation, he patted the bed next to him. "I don't bite you know."

Kiera rolled her eyes but timidly crawled into bed. As Ramatee shuffled down, Kiera could feel every movement reverberate through the bed. Ramatee laid down with his back to her, his horns slightly grazing the headboard as he shuffled about to get comfortable. The candles blew out, leaving only the faint starlight to bleed through the windows.

Kiera herself laid down, pulling the covers to her chin. The bed was big enough that she could go to sleep without having to touch Ramatee, but she could still feel the start of the divot that he made in the bed.

Sighing, Kiera decided she may as well try and go to sleep. Exhaustion chased her into a dreamless oblivion.