Valerian | Magi

II

Getting out of bed proved to be a lot harder that it should have been. Mariam knew it was probably because she'd spent so long lying down on a log raft with no food or water, but that didn't remove her annoyance at all. Yunan tried to help at first, allowing for her to put her weight against him, but it didn't help. She was confined to the bed and was only able to move when she tried to walk.

It took three days of practice for her to be able to walk on her own without too much trouble. On that day, the birds around her danced proudly and she could no longer dismiss the look that came onto Yunan's face every time the birds reacted to how she was feeling.

Over the past few days she had gotten closer to the mysterious man, though neither of them had let the other in on anything person. However, now that she knew he wouldn't call her mad even if he didn't see the birds. He wasn't that kind of man.

"Mister Yunan, sir?" She began, and his attention that was focused on the wooden staff on his lap turned to her.

"I told you, Mariam, you don't need to–"

"You call you by a title, I know." She smiled but it feel slightly as she continued. "I need to ask you something."

Yunan tilted his head and his hat flopped to the side.

"What do you need?" He asked kindly, his attention on her completely.

Mariam took in a deep breath to prepare herself for what she was able to say.

"Can you see them too?" She asked, her voice rushed and barely understandable, even to her. Yunan blinked in surprise.

"See them–?"

"The birds. The white birds always around us. Can you see them too?" She knew she was pleading with him, knew this was too much of a risk to take. She had told herself that she was fine if he couldn't, but the question had been pressing on her mind since she met him and she couldn't help but hope.

Yunan's eyes widened, but he didn't seem all that surprised.

"Yes, I can."

She stumbled back, shocked by how easy he had admitted that. She shouldn't have stood while she asked him that. Mariam crashed into the side of the bed Yunan had let her use, dropping down onto the covers.

Yunan looked alarmed by her reaction. He jumped off his chair and kneeled in front of her, staff in hand.

"Mariam? Are you alright?" Without waiting for a reply, his eyes lit with a sudden revelation. "Did you not know others could see them too...? You thought you were crazy because everyone said they weren't real."

Only Cassim, she had only ever told Cassim. But he was her everything, yes. He had said that she was imagining things and that she would hopefully grow out of it. His words had been only a step away from calling her crazy.

"Yeah," she whispered, more to herself than anything, "I thought there was something wrong–" she was cut off when Yunan suddenly reached up and wrapped his arms around her, his head sitting on her shoulder.

"There is nothing wrong with you." He spoke, his words clear and truthful. "They're called the rukh, and they only appear to those with a natural talent with the obscure. You're special, Mariam. I could tell from the moment I first saw you." He pulled back and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You will be amazing, Mariam. I can feel it."

The birds, the rukh, around him hummed loudly. They glowed so brightly that she could barely see Yunan through the light. Then they stopped, fluttering around the man calmly like they usually did.