Heart Song (5 page)

“At least the bleeding stopped.” His words matched his look of confusion. He walked to my sword, picked it up and brought it to me. “She's yours.” He smiled a blazing, heart racing smile. One I couldn’t resist returning.

I took the sword, feeling unworthy of such a beautiful gift. “Thank you.” It came out meek and sounding like a question.

“Enid can take you to the blacksmith to have the nicks forged out and then you can sharpen it to your liking.” He stopped, as if to consider his next words. “You are a wonderful fighter. I'm surprisingly impressed.” He smiled again, more to himself. As he walked away from me a flood of heat rushed my cheeks.

“I will take you to the blacksmith now,” Enid said, walking towards the door.

“Okay,” I replied automatically as I slowly stepped behind.

***

The weather turned pleasant. The cold was only noticed in the slight, lazy breezes that blew by. We stepped onto the road in front of the marble palace. The front of it looked like a normal building made of marble with pillars holding up the roof to the half circle porch. The trees were just as thick in the front as they were in the back, but the land remained even in the front whereas it rose and fell in large hills towards the mountains behind the palace.

It would be impossible to know th
e
place was
t
here, but also incredibly easy to forge a strike against it. The trees provided the perfect cover for anyone looking to start trouble, despite th
e
place being secluded and peaceful. An attack seemed very unlikely.

Enid walked silently next to me. His sword swayed in rhythm to his steps. The metal caps on the handle glinted in the sunlight. There was more to him than met the eye and I wanted to know more about my new found friend.

“What does A'lainn mean?”

“It means thing of beauty in my native language. It's a compliment.” He twisted at his waist towards me with a grin pulling at his lips.

“There's nothing beautiful about me,” I muttered. I felt flattered and embarrassed at the same time. If he only knew what happened, perhaps he wouldn't feel so willing to
dote
compliments on me.

“No? You have the most wonderful shade of brown hair, the color of cinnamon, and when the sun strikes it—it makes you glow. I think that is quite beautiful. You also have the most beautiful brown eyes and fair skin. A combination that is rare nowadays and said to be a symbol of beauty. So, tell me, what makes you think you are otherwise?”

I knew I had to answer his question. It seemed only fair, but I didn't want to share my nightmare, the thing that scarred me. But I could give him a little of what he may already know. “I guess it's the way that people treat me. The names they call me. I've never had a reason to see beauty in myself.”

“It's also what I used to call my daughter. I would like to think she would have looked like you, had she grown to your age.”

“What happened to her?”

“She and my wife were killed, a long time ago.” I heard the pain in his voice as if they were killed just yesterday. Guilt forced a lump into my throat.

“Enid...I'm sorry...”

“Don't be.” His words were free from pain. “It was a long time ago. Shortly after their deaths, Marren found me and gave me a new purpose in life. It gives me a sense of pride and honor defending him.”

I became incredibly curious about that bit of information and quite interested as to what I had been brought into the middle of. “Defending him?
From what?”

He glanced at me, then back to the road. “I'm sure you already know Marren has a certain reputation that follows him. It tends to bring him more trouble than he cares to deal with. But you should know he's quite the opposite.”

I raised an eyebrow. Maybe that was the point of this morning's routine.
“Uh huh.
Was that the point of the
duels?”

“It was to gauge your ability to wield a sword.”

“Why is that important?” He ignored me. “If you’re impressed with that, just wait till you see what I can do with a bow.” It was meant to be bitter and sarcastic.

“Marren will be pleased to hear of more abilities.”

I’d had enough of the coy banter. I needed some real information. “Okay, that's enough.” I stopped in the middle of the road.

Enid paused in his walking to turn and face me. “Is there a problem?”

“Yes, there is. I'm spinning my mind trying to figure out what is going on here and for the life of me I can't! As soon as I get one theory down, there is another one that completely replaces it. Why is my ability to fight such an important need?”

“Your questions are best kept for Marren.”

“Wonderful,” I spat, throwing my hands up into the air and stomping forward.

The top of a small stone house came into view just as we climbed the crest of a hill. The roof was made from twigs and straw. Behind it, just a short jaunt away, was another small hut with black smoke billowing from the chimney.  The sound of a rhythmic clank-
tink
floated on the air.

“Raden,” Enid called out, “we have need of your service.”

In response, a short man with a long beard and hair pulled
back,
strutted out from the smoking building. His skin and clothing
were
covered in a fine black dust. I nearly gasped when I realized he looked exactly like the dwarf statue in the room with the weapons—only not made of stone, w
earing armor, or wielding an ax
.

“Ne'er seen a dwarf before, have ye?” His bright green eyes twinkled under the layers of soot that covered his face.

I shook my head and stammered, “N-no, sorry, I thought the stories were all myths.”

“N
o worries, lass.
Ye
'll
soon discover there are things about the world
ye
live in that the books didn't cover.” He winked at me and held out his arms for the sword. I handed it to him, and watched as he turned and started for the small building he came out of. From that angle, I saw that his hair was not only covered in black soot but
was
black. I felt my mouth gaping open and forced myself to close it.

“Marren would like for you to bring it back once you are done. Don't sharpen it, A'lainn wants to do that.”

The dwarf paused long enough to turn around and say, “It'll be a while. Y
e
really dinted the girl.”

“Why is the sword considered a girl?” I asked Enid.

He shrugged with his arms crossed over his chest. “Everything has an essence. That one seems to like being handled like a woman...” Enid started walking along the road back towards Marren's marble palace.

“Oh really?”
I asked sarcastically. “And how exactly does a woman like to be held?
Because, I have yet to meet one that likes to be smacked against another repeatedly.”

He continued walking without a word. I followed behind, more slowly, taking as much time as was stubbornly possible.

I stepped into the
corridor, my mind preoccupied with trying to figure out the puzzle my life had become. As I made my way to my room, I fell deeper and deeper into my thoughts. So much so that I hadn’t noticed Enid’s voice calling out to me—until he shouted.

“A'lainn?”

I turned around, concerned about the reason for his tone. “Yes?” I asked.

He had a worried look on his face. The sadness in his eyes made them a darker blue. “Would you like anything brought to your room?”

I shook my head. “No, thank you.”

“Very well.”
He nodded then turned on his heels and walked back into the dining hall.

I finished the trek to my room, stopping in front of the door to watch how the vines and flowers moved and grew right in front of me. “How is this done?” I asked myself, reaching out my hand to touch the door.

“It's magic,” Marren whispered in my ear. I pulled my hand back and turned around to an empty hallway.

Shaking my head with a sigh, I pushed through the doors and then slid them shut behind me. I walked over to the sitting area of the room and took a seat facing the fire. I draped a leg over the arm of the chair and bounced it mindlessly as I stared at the lapping flames, mulling over my thoughts once more. I saw the doors open from the corner of my eye and someone step inside. I reluctantly stood and faced Marren.

“Relena,” he greeted, lowering his head slightly towards me.

“Marren,” I said and returned the same gesture.

“Enid tells me that you have questions for me?”

I chuckled under my breath, “None you'd give answers to, unfortunately.”

“Try me.” His words came out hypnotically.

I considered my recent experience with thinking he was behind me and chalked it up to the enchantment that had come over me since being there.  I walked to the balcony and stared at the mountains that I had come to realize were the Peaks of Domar.  Marren joined me, leaning against the top of the stone railing. I glanced in his direction, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the way he was staring at me so intently, waiting for an answer. I felt my cheeks start to warm and quickly decided to go with one of the most press
ing questions first, since he was
so bent on answering them.

“What is your fascination with me?”

“Next question,” he said coolly.

“You didn't even answer that one,” I replied almost too fast.

“Next question.”

I sighed. “I still don't understand what is going on at all, or the importance of me, or your interest with any of it. It's making my head spin.”
So does the way the sun glints off your black hair like starlight and the way it makes your skin sparkle.
I couldn't help but think about how much had changed with me, and uncontrollably so. It had something to do with th
is
place. This enchanted palace.

“That wasn't a question.”

“No, it wasn't.” I turned around and sat down with my back against the stone. “Will you explain what is going on?”

“No. Not yet.” He sat down with me and pulled up a knee to his chest, resting his arm on it, allowing his hand to dangle limply.

“Figures,” I muttered sourly.

“You're still convinced that I'm trying to seduce you.” He smiled.

“I never once accused you of trying to seduce anyone. So, I have no idea where you go
t
that idea. I simply think that you are conceited and you think you can woo any woman into your trap with a look or a smile. You think you're charming and actually you're arrogant.”

He chuckled.

I sighed at my body's reaction to his laughter. It was partly out of annoyance and partly out of surrender. When I lifted my head to look at the sky, I banged it against the stone railing with a loud thud. “
Ow
.”

Marren's chuckle grew into a laugh. I tried to not let it sing to me, but it was far too hard. It controlled me, completely taking over my will. I joined in, laughing loudly. I hated to admit it, but it felt really good.

“You should laugh more often,” he commented.  His eyes held mine for a moment and I caught the slight pull of his lips. The soft lips… my heart did a strange flip and then sank lower. The sudden shift in me...it scared me.

I looked away and cleared my throat. “So, am I wrong?” I asked to change the subject.

“About which part?”

“My observation of you.”

“Yes,” he said more seriously.

I shifted, facing him with my knees curved around me. “Then tell me about yourself?”

“What do you want to know?” It almost sounded too willing.

“I'm not falling for that again. You have a habit of avoiding or disregarding my questions.”

“I won't avoid or disregard your questions,” he promised.

“Sure you won't,” I teased.

He took in a deep breath and let it out heavily. “I don't believe the things you say about me because I don't see them. I don't think I'm all that great looking, so I can't really see how I use my
charms
to get my way. I feel extremely alone in this seemingly overcrowded world and I'm completely fascinated with you for reasons I can't explain.” His eyes fell on mine with the last words he said.

I sucked in my breath, caught by the way he just laid it out there for me to see. I got that same feeling in the pit of my stomach as the night before. He was telling the truth and I believed him. Even more so, I related to him. I, too, felt alone in this world and never considered myself a thing of beauty. Both of us
had to
deal with a haunting reputation. Then he
admitted
he was fascinated with me which brought on a whole other flux of emotions.  I didn't know whether I wanted to take flight from elation or cry as the pun of a cruel joke. Then it became clear that he had knocked down the walls I built to protect myself.  I was confused as well as scared.