Dryads and Nymphs

Chapter 28-Decisions and Declarations

Salem looked out of the window at the sky, resignedly (Dylan had gone into another laughing fit) and saw the dark clouds begin to cluster together, darkening the already dark dusk. He silently thanked Ariana for suggesting that they come inside.

He sighed—he was finding it increasingly difficult to focus on what he had to do. Maryse kept popping up inside his head at random intervals. Maybe he should just see her…

He shook his head at himself. He had just seen her this morning, hadn’t he? After all, he had never missed her in all the seven years he had been away, had he? But the thought still nagged at him. Maybe he should just go and see her, and give Dylan a lesson for not being serious enough. He would gladly but it was raining now.

*  *  *

Ariana felt her smile freeze on her lips—in fact, it felt as if the whole world had frozen in time. The leaves had stopped rustling and only now, when heavy silence settled around them in its stead did she realize that the leaves had been making a whispering almost musical sound. Now they had stopped, as if shocked into silence. The silence around them echoed with Aron’s words.

He stood staring at her, half-expectantly, half-hopefully. He looked like an angel, his eyes a soft brown, flecked with gold, his mouth curved in a half smile, his hair falling out of place, over his forehead, partially concealing his straight black eyebrows.

She found herself unable to speak. What should she say? She couldn’t even thing straight. An instinct told her to run, to hide. But why—she didn’t know. All she knew was that she needed to think soundly.

Ariana opened her mouth and tried to find the right words.  “I—I need to think Aron, please,” she said in a low voice, pleading with him. Aron dropped his hand and looked down.

Now that she had spoken, the words came rushing out fast “I need to think. It’s a great decision and I can’t just jump into it blindly. I need to decide what’s best; I need time to think deeply. To think more seriously.”

Then she took a deep breath saying, “I’m sorry Aron.”

He looked up at hearing his name. “I understand,” he said automatically.

Ariana opened her mouth to say more but he raised his hand to stop her, smiling faintly. “Take all the time you need.”

“I’m sorry Aron, I really am,” she found herself saying again, because the look on his face was so heartbreakingly miserable—though she could tell he was trying not to show it.

“I think you forget,” he began to say then stopped before continuing, “that I have feline blood and cants have nine lives. That would mean that we can wait patiently.”

She bit her lip saying, “You won’t have to. I need only two days to think. Only two.”

At her words, Aron grinned brightly, putting his hand on her cheek. She felt the heat from his hand warm her face, or maybe it was the blush creeping up again.

“Then I’ll wait,” he said, just as the first drops of rain fell on his hand.

*  *  *

Maryse opened her window despite of the rain that was falling in earnest now. Wind slashed across her face and she squinted against the rain.

“Maryse,” a voice called from below and she felt a jolt run through her. She looked down to see a soaked boy looking up at her, his short dark hair plastered over his forehead. He was trying to keep the water out of his eyes, while looking at her steadily

“What are you doing down in the rain?” she called to him.

“I have come to confess my undying love!” he said dramatically.