Nentarli [COMPLETE]

~ Forty-two ~

I reached the door and extinguished my light. I was about to open the door to step inside when someone came barrelling into the side of me. I fell, they fell, I felt an elbow in my side and my leg connected with something like a hip. I looked around in the midst of untangling ourselves and saw that it was Blaike. He looked sweaty and agitated, until he realised who he had banged into.

With wide eyes he pulled himself up quickly and held a hand out to me. "I am sorry, I was not watching where I was going. I did not expect anyone else to be out here."

I let him help me up and brushed the dirt off my clothes, "It's alright, I was on my way inside anyway."

All of the courage I had built up on my way to find him had completely dissipated upon seeing him.

I straightened up and noticed that he was staring at me, it took me a few minutes to realise he had spotted the necklace dangling from my neck. I didn't recognise the expression on his face but he wasn't smiling, it couldn't have been entirely positive.

"What were you doing out here in the dark alone?" He asked but he didn't take his eyes off of me or the necklace.

"I was... I was looking for you, what were you doing out here?"

I was stalling for time, I couldn't bring myself to say why I was looking for him.

"I needed to run off... some problems, I am fine now. Why were you looking for me? Is everything alright?" He seemed genuinely concerned, he glanced back to the house and then to me.

"Everything is okay, I, uh," I couldn't make myself say it. "I wanted to thank you for this necklace, it's really extravagant and beautiful, Blaike." My voice quietened on his name and I looked down at the necklace as I held it in one hand.

"You are welcome, I am pleased you like it so much."

He sounded nervous and when I looked up at him I could see that the agitation had been replaced with something else.

I let the necklace drop and stood staring up at him while he stared back, neither of us moving or speaking.

"Why did you really come to find me, Cassandra?" Blaike asked after some time had passed.

I shivered as the cold night air grabbed at me, "I told you, to say thank you... for the gift." My words came out hesitant and I knew he detected it.

He stepped closer, "You could have done that tomorrow at breakfast. Why did you come to find me now?"

I felt my pulse quicken when he took another step closer, I could see myself in his eyes again. "I... I needed to talk to you... after what was said at dinner. After seeing the necklace, I knew we needed to talk."

Blaike scowled when the conversation at dinner was mentioned, "Dinner was fine, you are allowed an audience with whomever you wish."

His mood changed drastically and I smiled, he seemed just as clueless as I usually was in these matters.

"Didn't you hear what we said? We don't want any more audience requests."

But this didn't have the desired effect, Blaike frowned and stepped back.

"Yes, I heard and I understand all too well."

I blinked in confusion until I realised what he heard in that comment. I clenched my fists, how he frustrated me sometimes.

"You aren't as smart as you think you are, do you know that?" It came out a little abrupt but Blaike just nodded.

"I know, are we done now? Because this is difficult enough, I thought it might have been possible but you made it clear it is not."