Secrets Uncovered

Ideas Come Calling

        

                It’s good to get out of my room for a while. Being locked up in there every day except for the breaking sessions got me feeling a bit closed in. The courtyard’s engulfed in the Tulnag; they’re talking in amongst themselves, telling jokes and laughing at the other’s embarrassment. The happy aura exuding from them lifted my spirit a little, but not quite enough to make me smile. Of course, Amonost is right behind me, protecting me from nothing at all. After what happened the night before I couldn’t go see Caleb, it would be too suspicious to my father; I pray he won’t figure it out now for it will ruin our plan.

            “Um, miss, will you follow me now? We ought to be going somewhere.” Amonost yells from behind me. Rolling my eyes I turn around towards him and gesture for him to lead. He walks swiftly through the crowds, not even checking to see if I was behind him.

            “Would you slow down?” I yell, “It’s a bit harder to run in a dress than pants!” for the third time in a row I trip over the hem of the silky cream dress they left me. Amonost seems to slow down a bit but still kept his pace.

            “Sorry, but I hate being late” I frown

“Late for what exactly?” He opens a door to a flight of stairs heading down into a cellar, not waiting for me he begins to rapidly descend into the dark. Hesitating a while I finally descend the stairs after him, walking through the archway at the bottom and into a cramped room. Only a single candle is lit on a table at the far side of the room, everything else is black or faintly illuminated by the light. Even in complete darkness I can make out the shape of him, his muscled body, chiselled facial features. Caleb. Tripping over my feet I run into his arms, kissing his cheeks and lips.

            “Caleb, what are you doing here? I thought father had you under close watch.” His arms engulf me in warmth and strength, his breath hot on my neck.

            “I still am, I can only be here for a few minutes and then I must leave.” My heart sank at the mention of the limited time we are able to share. So little time to be with the one you love is agonising and torturous. I take a breath in; catching every last smell of him before we would have to be torn apart again.

“Father must not know about this.” I breathe, scrunching up part of his shirt in my hand. He just holds me close, kissing the top of my head every few seconds as reassurance that he is still here.

“I know, be thankful we have at least this time together.” I don’t want to speak anymore, I just want to stay within his arms, to feel protected and loved. He rubs my back softly which makes a tingle of lust run up my spine, sending a slight shiver through my body all the while. The time came for him to go; I feel lonely now, empty, and void of any happiness or love as he left. Amonost is at my side yet again, leading me up the stairs and into the courtyard, this time though, the cheery beat didn’t raise my spirit. Only moments ago I was in his arms, safe and warm, just thinking about it made me miss him. Depression hit like a ton of bricks, I sit in my room thinking about when I would see him next but even that did not lift my sadness. I bet this was a plan; Saeldir probably set it up so I could see him for only a few minutes and then never see him again, I hit my bed with new found anger.

            “Why…” tears fall from my eyes, “Why?” I clench my teeth to keep from fully crying out, screaming in pain and cursing in anger. In my rant I didn’t even notice my sister slip into my room, she creeps across the floor boards and climbs onto my bed, and sits there idly silent. Turning around and looking at her, my face softens and the tears fall more frequently, I sit down on the bed and cry into my hands. Gwenyth gathers me up in a hug and rocks gently.

            “Shhhh,” she whispers, “You will see him again, I promise.” She tries to soothe me with her words but it doesn’t help, the only thought that enters my mind was Caleb or I being killed during the Breaking.

            “I will never see him again, I will never love again, and I will never live again…” I hadn’t thought about my words before I said them; Gwenyth strokes my hair like she always has. My words replay through my mind several times, I was right though, I would never see him again or love him again, and if I had a choice to live or die for him, I would give myself up to death. If losing me once was bad enough for my father, wait and see how he feels by losing me again but this time, its forever.

            “Hey! I know what will cheer you up!” Gwenyth smiles, grabbing my arm and pulling me off the bed and out the door, she drags me down the hall and out into an open area I have never seen before. Targets and assorted moving dummies are stationed everywhere like a giant training field, a rack of bows and quivers off to the side, the room is well lit and candles flicker off the rock walls. Dirt rather than carpet and wood flood the ground; benches are gathered into a small circle at the corner of the room. Gwenyth sat down on one of them.

“Go on sis, have a little fun. You know you want to, and you know you need it.” Gwenyth giggles. A little fighting wouldn’t hurt would it? It would certainly let me blow off some steam that’s built up over the weeks. I grab one of the heavier bows and sight it up with my eye, pulling it back for practise before grabbing one of the quivers and heading into the middle. A target flips up behind me but is down within a second, another one shoots up and I take it down again. The pace increases and my shooting as well, to Gwenyth I must look like a blur of light; pulling out the arrows from the quiver became almost mechanical to me as I shot. Target up, target down and the process repeats. I had to admit, it was cheering me up a little, just a little.

“I hear someone’s a little sad. Mind if I help?” I spin around to see Lydia and Lyra standing at the door. I can’t help the smile that finds its way onto my face. Without any warning Lydia charges me, grabbing a sword in the meantime. She swings at my head, catching me by surprise as I duck she kicks me in the gut. I cough and hold my stomach, glaring up at her.

“That’s cheating.” She laughs and smirks at me.

“Do you really think your enemy is going to wait for you to grab a sword?” I huff at her and grin as I sweep her feet out from under her with my own. She falls with a loud thump. I stand to my feet and look down at her, she laughs and waves a finger at me, my eyes widen as her leg shoots up at me. I jump over her and run for the sword rack at the end of the room. I grab hold of duel blades and turn around just in time to deflect a blow from Lydia’s long sword. Defending my face with the shorter blade I pull the longer one back and jab at Lydia’s side. I miss. I growl and push her back with both blades, slashing and hacking fiercely without hitting her once. I’m getting annoyed, I’m not focusing enough! I have to focus! She swings her sword at me again; I dodge with the short blade and push her back again. She stumbles backwards and regains her balance, but there’s a flaw in her stance. She’s leaving an opening for an attack on her left side; I can easily get a hit. With the long blade in my right hand I force her sword out of her hand and swing the short with my left to her side. I stop short of actually cutting her but rather hit her bluntly. She looks at me surprised and I smirk.

“I haven’t lost my edge yet.” Our chests heave as we pant, both smiling

            “See? Didn’t that cheer you up sis?” I nod, it’s been successful at keeping me preoccupied, and somewhat less mad, but the sadness is still in my heart…deep in my heart and it won’t go away. Gwenyth looks at me with displeasure written all across her face, forgot to hide my emotions when I was thinking…

            “You are not happy yet; this is going to take some work.” She shrugs and sighs, “Good thing I have lots planned for today!” now that’s a scary thought, my sister planning an entire day for me. She grabs my hand again and pulls me to the door, hardly giving me time to put the equipment back in its place. Although, showing me this room…gave me an idea.