The Remembered (Elements II)

Chapter 15

Fighting her tears and her memories, she fled to the garden, making for the one person she knew wouldn’t try to make her open up. She slowed down as she reached the flower house, not wanting to seem like she wanted to be there. The drizzle hadn’t gotten heavier, although the dark clouds blotted out the night sky, hiding the stars that she loved to look at.

Making sure she didn’t bump into any of the elementals who still worked in the flower house, she threaded her way through the rows of plants, always heading for the back corner. To her surprise, the plants covering the entranceway seemed to be sickly, their green leaves no longer as vibrant as she remembered. However, she wasn’t sure if it was because of the way she was seeing the world around her now – full of misery.

With a small sigh, she hesitantly entered the enclosed space, feeling peace creep over her for the first time since the incident. For once, Dvalin was nowhere to be seen, and she explored a little, being careful not to touch anything for fear of invading his privacy.

“What are you doing?”

Caught, she spun, her hand flying to her mouth as she took in the hate in his dark eyes. “I was just looking.”

“Interfering humans,” he sneered, coming closer. He stopped right in front of her, forcing her to tilt her head back to keep his face in sight. He studied her for a long time, and then turned away from her, moving to the far corner of his little place of peace.

“Come here.”

Stunned, she stared at his back. “What?”

“Hurry up!” he snapped, and she jumped. Hurrying over, she stood beside him.

“What?”

“Be quiet,” he muttered irritably, and she fell silent, unsure what he was doing. Around his hands, the plants began to move, and she fascinated as they moved apart, revealing an opening.

He stepped through it, and she hastened to follow him, not wanting to be left behind. The plants closed behind her, and when she glanced back, there was no trace whatsoever of where the opening had been. Swallowing her fear, she looked around her.

It was a beautiful little clearing, still on her father’s grounds, but one that she had never seen before. Wildflowers grew rampant over the ground, and as she walked, she stepped carefully, not wanting to crush the beautiful blooms.

“Why have you brought me here?” she asked, breaking the silence between them. He was crouched, gently touching a wildflower’s delicate petals. At her question, he rose, only to move on to another plant.

“You’ve been crying,” he observed over his shoulder. She stared at him, confused.

“What does it matter to you?”

He shrugged. “Nothing,” he said off-handedly. “But it’s peaceful here. You never know how it affects you.”

Chastened, she dropped her head, not knowing what to say. She had come to expect insults and sneers from him, not these kind words and gestures. She didn’t know how to react to them.

“I was riding,” she began softly, not caring if he was listening or not. She just needed to let it all out. “A few weeks ago. I was alone. I always ride alone – it’s how I relax. I rode my usual path, not thinking.” As she spoke, she turned her back on him unconsciously, not even realising that she was doing it. “He…he came out behind me. He followed me. I tried to get him to leave, but he wouldn’t. After a while, he came up beside me, and snatched at the reins of my mare. She spooked, and he got a firm hold of her bridle. I tried to get him to let go, but he still refused. That was when the other man came out. He dragged me off my mare.” She trailed off, not sure if she was even able to continue, let alone if she wanted too.

“You were frightened.”

The soft voice came from behind her, but she refused to turn around. He wouldn’t care about a noble like her. “Yes,” she whispered. “I was very frightened.”

Unexpectedly, strong arms came around her waist, and she jerked. However, they were gentle, and didn’t tighten as she moved. Slowly, she relaxed into them, leaning back onto him as he held her, silently comforting her. She closed her eyes, spilling tears over her cheeks.

“I tried to fight them,” she whispered brokenly. “But I couldn’t. They didn’t let me go. Not until they were finished with me.”

He didn’t speak again. Very gently, he rocked her in his hold, letting her cry until she had no more tears left. At length, she wiped her face, and looked up at him.

“Why are you being nice to me?” she murmured, not really expecting an answer. However, he did, surprising her.

“Because that’s what you needed just then.” He let her go, and she felt a flare of regret as he moved away from her.

“So what do I need now?” she challenged, almost playfully, and then bit her lip, retreating into herself. “I…I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

“Oh, be quiet.” He glanced at her, and she was astonished to see that his eyes were dancing. She immediately liked him better, and resolved to try and make him laugh more.

“You need sleep,” he told her bluntly. “You haven’t been. I can feel it in your life force. Go to bed, Nahara.”

She almost smiled herself. The way he said her name made her feel warm all over, and she felt a tingling sensation all through her body. She reached out to him, but he turned his back on her, and she recoiled, perplexed at the sudden change in his demeanour.

“Thank you,” she whispered, turning to leave. She didn’t expect a response, and she didn’t get one. He stayed silent, not even moving as she left the peaceful clearing.