Authors: Samantha LaFantasie
We made our way
back, taking our time, trying to enjoy the time alone. Marren was unusually silent, except for the occasional whispered thought. I felt something in him, something off and heavy on his shoulders. I desperately searched for ways to lighten his mood, but always fell short of keeping a smile on his face.
When we got home, he remained cold and distant. It wasn't until later that evening that I heard Marren speaking in his native language. His words were harsh as they filtered into my room where I was dressing into my robes. The level of anger within his words frightened me. I strapped on my sword and quickly walked down the hall to see who he was yelling at.
Marren stood on the stairs in front of about fifteen servants gathered in the corridor. There was one servant that stood in front of the rest, closer to Marren.
The same woman that had served me since my arrival.
She had her head bowed with her hands folded in front of her as she faced the other servants. Everyone stood completely still, too afraid to move.
I slipped behind Marren, taking a seat on the stairs. Enid stood with his hands in front of him at the end of the railing. He turned his attention towards me on my approach for a quick nod and returned his gaze back to the servants.
The difference in Marren and the way he spoke set me on edge. The enchanting buzz that normally filled my head when he spoke was barely noticeable. Whatever the servants did wrong to deserve this lecture, I really doubted they‘d do it again.
Marren shouted one final command and gestured with his hand a dismissal. Each and every servant dispersed and quickly moved on to their necessary duties. Fear of further retaliation written clearly on their faces. Only one servant remained standing—the woman.
Sitting that close, I could see the cloth of her fabric trembling. I could only wonder what she had done. She seemed so nice and polite to me, I couldn’t imagine her doing something so terrible that it affected Marren so deeply.
Marren looked over his shoulder and gave me a wink. Instantly my lips pulled into a smile. It helped me to feel better about his mood. His simple gesture made me giddy. He approached the woman, speaking more calmly to her, though his words still came out sharp and quick. She nodded a few times and kept saying something over and over in her native language. I imagined it was an apology. Then she dared a look towards me, something which promptly got her smacked. She fell to the ground, sobbing, with her hand covering her cheek.
“Marren!”
I stood up and walked to her side.
“Relena, you don't know what she's done. If you did, you wouldn't be so quick to protect her.”
“I don't care what she's done. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this.”
Marren's eyes turned cold and fierce.
I'm trying to protect you.
I helped the woman to her feet. She trembled and refused to look me in the eyes.
Then do it honorably. Banish her, don't beat her. You are a man, not a boy. Do the right thing.
My gaze shifted to Marren. His nostrils flared and his chest exaggerated each breath. His hands, clenched into tight firsts, were stiff at his sides. For a moment I feared he was going to strike me. His breath caught and his eyes grew wide with alarm. He relaxed his hands and lowered his gaze to the floor. I realized then I had actually spoken my fear to him.
It took several moments of him taking calm, deep breaths before he said something in his language. The woman ran away from the room sobbing loudly. I watched her disappear through the dining hall doors.
“You have a lot to learn about my world,” Marren said, pulling my attention back to him.
“Maybe I do. It doesn’t change my stand. That woman didn't deserve to get hit for looking at me. You should exercise mercy where others exercise fear.”
“She—”
“I don't care what she did! She didn't deserve it!” My voice echoed loudly through the walls.
“Fine,” he muttered then stomped up the stairs without a look back, sealing himself behind the doors to his study.
I stared at them, waiting for him to open them. He never did.
“A'lainn, there is something I want you to do,” Enid said.
“Anything, Athair.”
I smiled.
“Take a walk with me. There is someone I want you to meet.”
I raised an eyebrow as my smile widened and followed him to the door. Before we walked through, my eyes fell to the wolf on the floor. Sad eyes met mine, and they held the light of a fire behind the sadness. I couldn't keep my heart from sinking slightly.
I love you, Marren.
I whispered in my mind as we walked out the door.
The winds blew strongly around us, whipping our clothes around our bodies in tugs and pulls. The sun played
peek-a-boo with the earth each time it hid behind thick puffy clouds. As it broke free, its warmth would pour down then fade away as another cloud moved over.
In the distance
,
a storm brewed, lighting up the sky with the bright flashes of purple and blue.
The clouds were at their darkest just along the horizon, beyond the line of trees and the long dirt road that lead me there. Enid kept his arms around his chest and walked with his head bowed, taking steady steps. The fold of his elbow held the hilt of his sword to his body.
We walked towards the stable made of marble walls and a thatch roof. Branches tied together
formed the
doors. It looked as though there was a chimney that poked out from the top, made from grey round stones and meant to keep Marren’s horses warm.
A pang of guilt struck me hard in the gut. I had upset Marren and accused him of being merciless when I was unable to see that he was doing what he thought was right in order to protect me. I still didn’t agree that she deserved to be hit for it. That was harsh. But, I was wrong to have interfered.
“You are very quiet today,” Enid's voice took over the break in the wind.
“Do you think I was wrong to jump in like that?” I asked.
He exhaled a heavy breath. “What I think is, both of you have a lot to learn about the other. Both of you thought you were doing what was right. He was trying to do his duty to protect you, which sometimes entails not showing as much mercy as you think he should. While you were doing what you thought was right, which was saving Farrah from unnecessary punishment.”
“That was Farrah?” It came out disbelieving.
“Yes. Now you understand?”
“Not really.”
The crunch of the gravel filled my mind in an even rhythm along with Enid’s words and echoed like a chant. The more it played, the more I understood I had reacted hastily. I jumped into the middle of something I didn't understand. Inside a world I could see but didn't know enough to grasp the customs. My heart lunged in my chest, adding to the guilt.
A faint whisper, carried on the wind, “Turn around,” it said.
I turned, removing the hair that had blown into my face from my vision. Marren was walking towards us. His arms swayed with his steps. I smiled as he
approached,
slowly making my heart pound a beat faster with every step he took. His lips curved slightly and his eyes took in all of me, taking my breath away.
“You didn't think that you could leave me after saying something like
that,
did you?” His voice hinted at playfulness.
“You heard me?” I was surprised.
“I did.” He wrapped his arms around me and held me to him. I didn’t miss the sun anymore.
“I wasn't sure if it would work in my human form, considering the distance.”
He pressed his lips to mine. I took the chance to deeply take in his sweet kiss.
I can always hear you. I'm sorry.
Me too.
Enid cleared his throat. “I don't mean to intrude on this
private
, tender moment, but there is the matter of the stables to take care of…” As an afterthought he added, “Which, you’ve charged me with doing, Marren.”
“That's right.” He smiled. “I will take my leave.” His eyes dropped to me with a glimmer of bright light,
Gvgeyu.
You are going to have to teach me your language.
I sighed, watching him walk away from me. It never ceased to amaze me, the affect Marren had on me. Impossibly changing the darkest, most stormy skies into ones painted bright blue and filled with the light of the brightest and warmest sun. Enid held his bent arm for me. I slipped my hand through and continued walking with him.
The wind blew into my nose the smell of hay and the thick bittersweet scent of the horses. I smelled the oil for the leather that bound the horses to the carriage and the grains from the oats they ate. I picked out the burned wood of a fire that had long grown cold. The air also had a heavy metallic smell, carried by the wind as the storm grew closer. There was even a twinge of sulfur. But there was also a smell that I couldn't place, a familiar floral scent that once brought me comfort but now brought a fear that clawed at my stomach and clenched it tightly. The pain increased as we stepped through the doors into the shelter of the stable.
“Are you alright?” Enid's voice reached me as a distant echo becoming clearer and louder as the last syllable was spoken.
I tried to find reason for his question as soon as I noticed his jaw tightly clenched and lips pressed firmly in a line. But there was no hint of anger in his sad blue eyes. He gave a firm nod towards his arm. I followed his gaze, shocked to find my fingers were tipped with wet blood from my nails digging into his arm.
“Gods!
I'm so sorry!” I released his arm and pulled the sleeve of his robes up to see that the blood had already dried. I watched as the skin mended itself, erasing the punctures as if there was never any intrusion to begin with. I found myself captivated by the way his arm had just healed in front of me.
“It is quite alright, A'lainn. You clearly don't like surprises.”
“What surprise? I thought I was meeting someone?” I asked, completely forgetting about the feeling I had. I searched the four stalls, which were about the width of both of my arms stretched out from my sides. Each one had a black steed standing inside, with a wooden door keeping them in. They stared at me with their beady black eyes and tails lashing back and forth. Their ears were perked but slightly pointed towards the back of their heads.
“This surprise,” I heard Danst's voice fill my ears, forcing me to turn around.
“Danst!”
I rushed to him, wrapping him tightly in my arms, squeezing in the tall, lanky boy with long stringy brown hair and green eyes the shade of clovers under thin arched eyebrows. His face still looked childlike, never aging. And I knew why.
“I heard about what Tarn made you do. I'm so sorry!” I pulled back from him, happy to have my closest friend back. “You never told me about your heritage. You and I have never kept secrets before. How did Tarn know?”
“It's nice to see you too, Relena.” He cleared his throat.
“Oh sorry.”
I stepped back, realizing I had him in a strong-hold from my new found strength. He stared at me, fear had widened his eyes.
“It's okay. It's just...odd, Relena.
Very odd.”
His use of the term confused me. I thought he was referring to my new life. “What do you mean?
Me
being a werewolf is nothing. I’m still
the me
you know and love.” I added a smile for good measure.
“No, I mean the um...” He pointed to his eyes quickly and dropped his gaze and hand.
“I don't—”
“Your eyes are as black as onyx,” Enid added.
“Really?
I thought they would stay the same? Especially since yours aren't black.”
“It may have something to do with the fact that your eyes were dark to begin with and you’re Marren's heart song.”
“Oh,” I mused, then turned to Danst and said with my most maniacal voice, “The better to see you with!”
He stared for a moment, as if he was shocked, then relaxed and chuckled.
“I will leave you two to catch up,” Enid said and excused himself. He stopped just past the doors of the stable then spoke over his shoulder, “You may want to head indoors soon. That storm will be overhead before you know it and it seems to be a very angry one at that.”
“Thank you, Athair.”
“Athair?”
Danst asked.
“It means father in his native language,” I replied.
He raised an eyebrow at me. “You never even called Tarn father but, you're calling him one?”
“It's a long story. Come on, let's start heading back.”
“Well, start explaining, 'cause I have all the time in the world.”
“
Nuh
-uh, you tell me first how my father knew about you.”
“To be quite honest, I don't really know myself. And I'm really sorry about that. I didn't want them to come looking for me. Do you know what humans do to races that get caught over here?” He shuddered. “It's nothing good and I had already known that Marren wouldn't let you go to the Cyrs.”