Signs in the Stars

One

"Lovely night, isn't it?" the girl started and quickly jumped to her feet to face the newcomer. Her orange eyes darted around the newcomer, taking in his bedraggled appearance. A cap was pulled over messy blond hair, and his shirt and pants were covered with dirt. He looked to be around her age and unintimidating, but if she learned anything from living in the slums, it was that looks can be deceiving. "Easy," he put his hands up in a calming manner and his blue eyes softened, "I don't mean any harm."

The girl was still uncertain and watched the boy warily as he slowly came forward to sit down on the rooftop close to where she was standing, "what brings you here?" he asked and looked up with a curious gaze settled on his features. The girl pressed her lips into a line and took a step away from him. "That's okay. I'll tell you about myself then, I came here to avoid the pressures on me. The expectations. I just want to relax for a little bit," he sighed blissfully and turned away from her to look up at the star speckled sky.

"I understand," she whispered and the boy once again turned his gaze on her, this time with a small smile on his face. "I too came to avoid everything."

He stood up and stuck his hand out to her, "Rowan."

She hesitantly looked at it before sticking her own hand out, "Emer."

"Pleasure to meet you Emer."

❦❦❦

"Back again?" the girl jumped and looked behind her to see the same blond from the night before. The tension in her shoulders released and she turned back to face the rooftops in front of her.

"I was here first." She replied softly as he took a seat next to her, "I should be asking you that." She turned to the side and looked at Rowan. She didn't recognize him. She had never seen him before, yet here he was, sitting with her on the rooftops in the middle of the night.

"Touche." He hummed in agreement, but he didn't elaborate.

She tilted her head in confusion at the new word, "what does that mean?" this boy was just full of surprises.

He looked back at her in shock, "what?"

"Two-shay."

"Oh," the boy faltered and she saw him gulp nervously. He didn't realize that it wasn't a common word, and he hoped it wouldn't blow his cover. "It's like in fencing."

Her eyes widened even more, "fencing?" she echoed in fascination, "like the fence posts around a hog pen?"

He gulped again and silently cursed himself for opening yet another weakness in his disguise. She was curious as to why he was acting so strange. Was he making up words on the spot? Or say something he wasn't supposed to? Is this some huge secret? "No, it's a game. You try to hit other people with a metal stick."

"Sword fighting!" she nodded happily, believing she made the connection. The wince on Rowan's face told otherwise, she sagged in defeat, "no."

"Well it's almost!" he told her consolingly, "yeah. Sword fighting," he nodded when she didn't look any happier, "except without killing."

"Then what's the point?" she asked and Rowan almost choked.

"What's the point?" he couldn't help but ask incredulously.

Emer looked back at him in confusion, "what's wrong?"

"Do you always kill people?" his mouth was agape and his eyes were wide open as he tried to subtly scootch away from her.

She giggled to herself, "I never kill people! But you solve conflicts with sword fighting. What do you solve with fencing?"

"It's a game!" Rowan was still looking at Emer in shock with his body leaning back on his arms as far away from her as he could, "you don't kill people so you can still play with them!"