Chapter 23 Testing the limits
Chapter 23 Testing the limits
“Lilith, please wake up”, I heard Alaric say as I felt his arms wrapped around me, caressing my face. My eyes were slightly open but Alaric’s face was blurry.
“Wha-what happened?”. How long was I out for? It was still dark outside so I couldn’t been out for long. Alaric helped me sit up, and he said something about getting me water. I held my head for it was pounding, then I remembered. Alaric kissing me, then me chasing after him. Then kissing him again, then….shit. Then I unwillingly transformed and Alaric saw everything.
“So you saw them?”, I asked Alaric as he handed me a pouch with water in it.
Alaric nodded, then quickly said, “we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t too”.
“I think I do owe you an explanation though. You are going on this trip with, even if you did volunteer you have to know just in case something happens”. Alaric nodded which made me continue, “I think you know I was born under the red moon meaning I was a cursed child. A hundred years pass before my horns and wings came out. My mother seeing as I resemble Bakaru, she forbade me from using my wings. Nobody knew about my wings and one maid did gossip about them but she was killed for that. I was still feared for being born under the red moon, but to resemble Bakaru would only ensure chaos in the kingdom. I was kept a secret until I joined the army in secret, to rebel against my mother. As I got promoted through ranks, I found out that I had a likeness for leadership.
Alaric sat in silence before saying, “So you can fly right?”. I nodded my in confusion. “Show me”.
“Umm no…last time someone see me flying, he treated me differently afterwards”. Stupid Levan.
“Yes but no one’s around, just me. You can trust me”. I still looked at him with hesitation. What if he starts to treat me differently too?
“How about this? You carry me. I trust that you won’t let me fall”. Fuck this nythari. I never carried anyone much less show anyone my wings, on purpose that is. He looked at me with pleading eyes.
O fuck sakes. My wings already out, I shot up into the sky wind blowing furiously at my face Then I scooped up Alaric in arms from off the ground, then said, “Remember you asked for this”. I never tested my limits, but we were far from any village to be seen and we had the coverage of the night so I thought tonight was the perfect night to test how fast I can go. We were both laughing and tears were forming in our eyes by how fast I was going. I flew down to the farm where I put Alaric down, for I had to rest.
“You could do that and you been keeping it a secret from me. We could’ve been at the desert by now”.
“Well that’s why I wanted to do this trip alone. And also I can’t carry you all the way to the desert. You are heavy you know”.
Alaric feigned a gasp, then we started to laugh. "In any case, I was telling the truth when I said I couldn’t bare the thought of being apart from you. So I would’ve still gone with you regardless if I knew that you could fly us there”. Alaric was quiet with a thoughtful expression. “I wonder if you ever had the chance to fly when the sun was out”. I shook on my head no, to which he nodded and said, “Exactly. You don’t know if you wings can withstand the heat of the sun. I already know you don’t do well in the sun for how exhausted you seem at the end of the day whenever you came from the outside. Why do you think I made us stop for lunch?”. I never thought about that and I never noticed. Even when I was up in the mountains, I was up most of the nights full of energy even with no sleep.
“How did you notice?” There was no way he been noticing everything about me when I only been in the Zaryth for less than three months now.
“I noticed everything, from the way you look down when ever someone gave you a compliment or how you like you tea before our training. Even how you treat everyone in the castle from the servant to the Queen with the upmost respect. I noticed certain qualities of you that made you special”. He walked away with his hands in his pockets, but he walked into the farm he turned around and quietly said, “You did look beautiful out there, for I saw that beautiful smile I love so much. Thank you for tonight. Good night Violet”. With that, he walked into the barn.
No one took the time to notice the little things about nor what I liked nor how tired I was after a long day in the sun. Not even I noticed that. No use figuring him out now. I needed to rest for we venture into the desert.
Coming into the barn, I found Alaric laying on the hay snoring obnoxiously loud which made me giggle a little. I tucked my wings, layed on the hay next to him and whispered to Alaric, hoping he was truly sleeping, “Thank you for tonight as well. For now I found something new to hold onto, you”. I turned over, closed my eyes and fell asleep.