Fantasy. Poetic. Just awesome ^_^
The waves kissed the shore softly. There was a passion within the sea, the way it lures you to it, the way it engulfs you as you fall... it is truly beautiful...
I lifted my head to the sky. There were no more tears, no more sorrow. No more love. I was numb, unable to feel the cold night air. I could lose myself like this, just leave and never return. What was left but my own fear? Oh, how easy it would be to lose that as well. But therein lies the problem. I am afraid, terrified even. The village elders spoke of a land beyond life, a land of peace and love. But I never believed them, I didn't have their faith, their passion.
The waves below brought me back to my present self. How do I leave a world that I never truly knew? And how do I live in a world that can never truly know me? I sit here, on this cliff, overlooking the cold unforgiving sea, pondering these thoughts. I could throw myself in right now, I could just leave and never come back. I stood up, determined. There was nothing left for me here. I had no family, no village, no life. I stepped closer to the edge, such a long way down, what thoughts I would have falling such a distance ... A gust of wind blew from the east, the forest bowing to it's presence. It lifted me, and it pushed me off. A sign, I had thought, I closed my eyes, preparing for the impact... but nothing happened.
"Careful lass, you might fall in."
I opened my eyes to a slender man holding me up. He was young, but older than me, maybe 17, 18 at the most. He wore a thick cloak and swords were sheathed at his sides. He had a beautiful face, but it was obvious that he was prepared to kill. Wrinkles lined his eyes and his hair fell messily over his face. "Th..thank you." I managed as he put me down.
His smile widened. "Now, what is a sweet little lass like you doing out on such a cold night?" He patted my head like I was a child, and I was tempted to tell him just how old I was, but thought better of it.
"I was just watching the sea, mister." I gave him a cute smile, hoping he would leave. I couldn't kill myself in front of someone, especially not someone like him. He walked to the edge and looked down. The wind blew around his face, the moonlight illuminating his crimson eyes. There was something feral in those eyes and something profound. "Do you like the sea?"
He wasn't going to leave apparently. I walked up next to him. "It is beautiful ... passionate. there is a calming power within the sea." Why was I telling him this?
"Yes, but she can be harsh can she not?" His smile deepened further.
"Yes, quite." Why is he still here?
"She can provide man with life and love, or take them away in one fell swoop."
"I ... I" I couldn't respond. Tears began to stream down my cheeks. What did he want from me?
"But some lives are not worth living are they?"
"No ..." I fell to my knees, sobbing. Why was he speaking to me?
"There is comfort in knowing that you don't have to continue, isn't there?"
"Yes ... yes" I whispered looking up at him through watered eyes. But he was not looking at me, nor speaking to me it seemed.
"But I think it is best to leave such worries to God." He looked down at me and I felt his words. I truly felt them, in my mind and heart. "Don't you agree?" I collapsed. Why? Why would he say such things? Who was he to say such things!?! Why ... why ...?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why indeed? I bent down to pick up the little girl at my feet. She was younger than I had originally assessed. Cute little thing though. Definitely didn't deserve to die quite yet. I took her back to the campsite and laid her by the fire. "I will return you to your home tomorrow, lass. But for now, sleep, and forget your pain, whatever it might be." And sleep she did, well into the next day. And as she slept, she dreamed, of many, many things. I sat at the edge of reality, overlooking her mind. I watched her dreams, but did not interfere.
She dreamed of a house, a hut actually. Children ran around outside on dirt streets, scarcely clothed. Her sister. I watched it through her eyes, as she watched it in her mind. She was not in the dream, she was not a part of this home. Inside sat women weaving, cleaning, bathing. Her mother. It was unlike anything I had ever seen, but she knew it all too well. Far in the distance she watched men train. They were of the church, soldier-priests and their apprentices. Her father and brother. She watched the boys in the school-house, scholars and traders-to-be. Her friend. It made me happy to see them.
And then there were flames. I felt their heat, I heard their crackle and whip as they consumed her village. As they engulfed her life. We were in the orchard, reading. We weren't supposed to read, we weren't even supposed to know how. But we found a way. We heard the screams and ran to the village, but we were too late. The wolves were already there. I was paralyzed. I couldn't move, but I wanted to, I wanted to run down and kill them all. But I was too weak to fight, so I watched. I watched as they killed my family, burned my village, and then left. As if nothing had happened. Tears ran down my cheek, I ran and ran and ran until I knew not where I was. And I collapsed, unsure of what else to do.
I opened my eyes slowly. Momentarily unsure of who I was. I saw faces in my memory, men, women, children. But it wasn't my memory, they weren't my people. I sat up, my blanket falling to the side.
She was gone.
Had I fallen asleep? I'd never lost control before, I never interfered. Why did I feel it, as if it were me? Why had I screamed and cried with her, as if they were my friends, burning, and being eaten. This girl is different, of that I was certain. But why? Why indeed?
"G ... good morning." She said, walking back into the clearing. "Have you been awake long? I'm sorry I left without saying anything, you just looked so peaceful, and ... and ... What?"
I just sat there, smiling at her. "I'm glad you decided to stay."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I blushed and looked away. Whether he meant with him, or just in generally, the thought that I'd pleased him made me happy. Too happy. "Well," I began, still blushing, but looking at him now. "You're kind of the only person I know. At least, the only one alive." I felt the tears coming, but I held them back, I didn't want to cry in front of this man. "M ... my ... my family ... my village, it was ..." I couldn't speak, I couldn't think, his presence made me want to tell him everything, but I couldn't do it. I fell again to my knees, crying. And he was there. "Hush now, my child, all is well. You needn't say it. You needn't think it. I am here, I will protect you now. All will be well."
And I believed him, strangely, I believed him.
"Who ..." I took a deep breath. "Who are you? How can you say such things?" I tried to look into his eyes, but I turned away from their knowing gaze. Such beautiful eyes ... I didn't deserve to look into them, not after what I did.
"Laef." He said without hesitation. "And what is your name? If it's not too much to ask?"
I felt his eyes boring into me, I felt as if he knew me, inside and out. I wanted to tell him my name, but I couldn't. What if he would know, what if he would know what I was and what I had done? "I ... Sahar ... my name is Sahar." I waited for him to show some sort of disgust, surely he knew what I had done now. Surely word of the cowardice of Sahar had spread. Of how she had watched as her family and friends were torn apart, how she had saved her own life and left them to death.
"Sahar." He said quietly. "Sahar." He repeated it. I looked at him, but he was staring off at something far away. I could not even begin to know what he was thinking. "You are hungry I suppose."
It wasn't a question, but I responded anyway. "Not really. Just a little tired." I felt safe with him. And I felt foolish for feeling safe. There was something about him that made me feel completely at ease, but at the same time I couldn't help but feel wary of him. At any moment his knife could be at my throat, or his hand at my breast. I blushed at that last thought. And quickly pushed it from my mind.
"Then sleep," he said, still smiling. "I will watch over you." I felt myself smiling. I trusted him completely, though I didn't even know who he was.
He is Laef. I thought to myself.
I laid back down by the remnants of what was once a fire and pulled the blanket over myself, I really was quite tired. I hadn't slept in days, not since ... I closed my eyes tightly and forced myself to stop thinking, I needn't think about that. I said to myself. "I needn't think about that, I needn't think about that, I needn't think."
I woke screaming. Visions of fire and blood racing through my mind. His arms were around me. He stroked my hair and calmed my thoughts. "Hush child, it was only a dream, all is well now. You needn't think such things." His voice was smooth, controlled. But he was covered in sweat and his breathing was only just coming under control. "You needn't think such things." He repeated.
"I needn't think such things." I echoed. I tried to control myself, but my entire body shook. My breathing was laboured, my thoughts a mess.
"It's all well now." He said.
"It's all well now." I repeated. I could feel myself calming down.
"You needn't think such thoughts."
"I needn't think such thoughts." I got my breathing under control. My body stopped shaking, my head cleared. "I'm alright." I whispered. I wasn't sure if I spoke to him or myself. "I'm alright." I repeated. His arms slid off of me and I realized how could I was. "What time is it?" I asked shakily. I couldn't tell.
"Early. Too early, go back to sleep."
"Was that an order?" I asked jokingly.
"Yes." He smiled, but I could tell he wasn't joking.
"Sorry." I whispered, curling back up under my blankets. But I couldn't escape the cold.
"No need to apologize." He whispered in my ear. He curled around me, one arm across my waist, the other he slid under my head, created a warm, living pillow. I tensed for a second, then relaxed. He was warm, very warm, and soft. "Sleep." He whispered to me, and I did.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She slept until morning. And didn't wake until I pulled away from her.
"Good morning." She whispered, blushing.
"Don't worry, I didn't do anything to you while you slept." I said jokingly. Her blush widened and she looked away. "I didn't ... I mean ... I know. I didn't think that ..." She stood up, stretching. "What's the plan?"
"What plan?" I asked, honestly unsure of what she meant.
"Well, you saved my life, so I think that means that I belong to you now. Where you go, I go. I am yours to command." She smiled brightly. Poor girl, she didn't even realize ... she didn't even know. "So?"
"I am going to Myridon, you may do whatever you like." I knew what her answer would be, even without reading her mind, and I hated it.
"Then I'll go with you." Her smile had gone, but she seemed happy, excited even. "I know ... I know you probably don't want me around, being an annoying little girl and all, but I swear you won't regret it! I can cook, and clean, and work. I can even read and write!" She looked at me hopefully. "And I'll do anything. Anything for you ... please." Her eyes gleamed. She would accept whatever answer I gave her. And I knew I should tell her to go home. But she had no home, she had nothing. She has me. I thought. And I can protect her. But would she even want to be with me, if she knew what I was?
"Please?" She repeated softly, quietly, hopeful.
"Alas, all the power in the world couldn't save me from a cute girl." She immediately smiled and began rolling up the bedding. I watched her in silence. So used to watching, never interfering. Not until now, at least. And what a time to interfere, at that.
Wolves had taken everything from her. And now she was in the presence of the worst wolf of all.
