The Remembered (Elements II)

Chapter 18

That night, Nahara again found herself returning to the earth elemental’s corner. This time, she stayed outside when she saw that he wasn’t there, studying the leaves of the plants curiously. She didn’t hear him come up behind her.

“What do you want?”

She yelped, and scrambled backwards, shaking. “Please…” she almost whimpered. Only then did she recognise him. Mortified, she went red, and dropped her gaze, turning away. She didn’t know what to do now.

He didn’t say a thing, only brushing past her to enter his space. She flinched away as he did, and felt his dark gaze rest on her. She was shaking, and turned to leave, unable to take it anymore. However, he caught her wrist; lightly, but she flinched away, freezing.

Slowly, he drew her closer to him. Her breath quickened, but still, he didn’t speak. Not until she finally looked up at him, frightened.

“Who hurt you?”

She flinched away, tears filling her eyes. She couldn’t speak. He shook his head, and gently pulled her further in to his space.

“Yn rhy 'n bert flodyn i gael ei brifo,” he murmured. “Come here.”

She obeyed, unable to stop the tears dripping down her cheeks. He touched her hand to the screen of leaves around the small space, and then let her go.

“What did that do?” she whispered.

He glanced at her, only a trace of his usual scorn in his eyes. “Why don’t you find out?”

She swallowed nervously, and took a step back. “I…”

He lifted an eyebrow, and she felt herself going red again, but not in embarrassment this time. She looked down, but he did nothing, moving away from her.

“You’re still scared.”

She nodded, and made to leave. She hadn’t come to be questioned.

“Nahara.”

She froze, and stared at him. He tilted his head to her slightly.

“Touch the plants, flodyn.”

She hesitated. “What did you call me?”

“Touch them, and I’ll tell you.”

She glared at him. “You can’t speak to me like that!”

He grinned for a split second. “I just did.”

She narrowed her eyes, feeling her fear drain away. Because of that, she stepped forward slightly, her hand lifting of her own accord. To her amazement, tendrils of the plants reached out for her, and twined around her fingers before parting, revealing the opening to the elemental’s glade. She turned wide eyes onto him, but he nodded his head, urging her onwards. She bit her lip, and stepped through. He followed her.

“Why would you do this?” she asked softly, spinning to look at him.

“Because it is what you need.”

“How do you know?” she pressed. “How do you keep understanding me?”

He stepped forward, and lifted her chin with one finger. “Because I’ve been where you are now,” he replied just as softly. “Just differently.”

She pulled away. “You can’t understand.” She made to flee, but his soft voice pulled her to a stop.

“I can.”

Slowly, tears coming to her eyes once more, she turned around.

“How?” she whispered, half pleading. “How can you understand?”

“Come.” He beckoned to her, and she followed him deeper, deeper that she had realised the clearing went. When he stopped, he motioned for her to sit. She shook her head. She couldn’t.

“How?” she repeated, barely audible.

He was silent for a long time, his eyes growing darker, and she shivered, not understanding.

“You know I lost my mother,” he finally said. She nodded slowly.

“She told me,” she whispered. “But I don’t know why.”

“She’ll have her reasons. I was ten, flodyn. I didn’t see her again until I was seventeen.”

She blinked, shocked. “What…”

He shook his head. “Dawelwch. I didn’t think I would see her again.” He glanced at her. “I know your fear, but not for myself.”

She took a step forward, wanting to comfort him, but he turned his back on her abruptly, disappearing into the night darkened plants.

Translations:

Yn rhy 'n bert flodyn i gael ei brifo – Too pretty a flower to be hurt

Flodyn – flower

Dawelwch – hush