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May 24, 1257
Kiera had made it home and stepped through the door, a stream of tears stained her face.
Johan looked up from his late night snack, “Kiera are you all right?! You look terrible!”
She reached out and embraced Johan, crying into his chest. “I’m so confused…” she sobbed.
Johan was a little shocked at Kiera’s emotion, he had never seen Kiera cry since she was very young. He wrapped his arms around her and patted the top of her head. “Everything will be all right,” he reassured her.
Kiera stood there for a long time hugging Johan, letting everything out without saying anything. Wind outside blew on the moonless light.
December 25, 1257
“So Kiera, I noticed you didn’t go out last night. Is there something you want to tell me?”
“What? I haven’t been out to steal in over six months. Besides, we have enough money to last us the rest of the year, why would it matter if I rob people or not,” her voice had the slightest edge to it. The snow outside floated down as if they were bits of the clouds descending upon the earth, forming a layer of white on top of everything.
“Hey, I got you a Christmas present,” Johan changed the subject.
“Really?! What’d you get me?” she pestered, automatically intrigued.
“Now, you’ll be happy to know that I bought this, I didn’t steal it or kill anyone for it.” Kiera’s smile broadened. From behind his back Johan pulled out a shiny black dagger sheath. “I brought in your dagger to the local blacksmith and had a custom sheath made for you.” Johan’s pride in his gift was overflowing.
Kiera appeared to be overflowing with joy but she was hiding her disappointment. She never used her dagger anymore, to her it was almost a disgrace, a reminder of her violent and dark past. Whenever she looked at it she could almost see the blood stains and victims beneath it, it made her sick to her stomach. “You got me a sheath?! Thank you Johan.” She took it and wrapped her arms around Johan, “I really appreciate it.”
“Well I’m glad.”
“I’m going to go for a walk.”
“Okay, but don’t stay out too late, it’s freezing outside."
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back before the sun sets.” She stepped out the door into the cold, the snow crunched beneath her feet. Kiera saw a woman struggling with a heavy present. “Oh Shanette, let me help you with that.”
“Thank you Kiera. Hey, why had I never seen you before just a few months ago?”
Kiera paused, “I.. didn’t really get out much. There was always work to be done around the house.” Kiera lifted the box into a wagon.
“You shouldn’t be out in the cold wearing only a vest, wait just a minute.” Shanette entered her house and came out with a two black sleeves. “You’d be amazed at how warm these are during the winter.” She handed the sleeves to Kiera.
“Oh no, I don’t need this, really,” Kiera refused.
“But I insist, you’ve been helping me out around town for a while now. You deserve something.”
“Thank you.” She pulled the sleeves onto each arm.
“I never wear them anymore anyways so…” her voice trailed off, unsure of what to say next. “Kiera you don‘t seem yourself, is something bothering you?” She asked.
“No no, I’m fine,” Kiera forced a chuckle to mask her true feelings.
“If you say so…” Shanette started pulling her cart. “Well have a nice day.”
“You too,” Kiera called after her as she headed towards the forest.
She left out the same gate she had when she had just began escorting the prince. “I can’t believe that was the first time Saeran had been out of the city,” she mused. The forest was so desolate and empty without the leaves to fill it with life. A tear rolled down her cheek in memory of him. “Humph,” she chuckled. “There is the bush I shoved him under when the hawk came.”
Kiera heard a familiar voice behind her, “Why would a girl like you be walking all alone at the forest edge. You’re not crying are you?!” Kiera turned to see Saeran, the same as before with his messy hair and calm blue eyes. Her face filled with joy, but just as she was about to wrap her arms around him, he vanished in a puff of imaginary sparkles.
She instantly broke down sobbing, “…Okay,” she managed to whisper. “I admit it… after two months of protecting you and six months apart from you, I admit it.” She paused for a second , “I have never loved any one as I love you, Saeran!” Curled up beneath a tree, Kiera cried and cried. “I just want to see you again, to talk to you again,” she blubbered in a barely audible voice.
Johan walked down the streets bathed by the light of sunset and saw one of Kiera’s new friends. “Hey Theo!” The man turned to face Johan. “Have you seen Kiera? I don’t want her staying out in the cold this long.”
“Sorry haven’t seen her.”
“Ever since she got back from her…vacation, she hasn’t been the same. Being the old man that I am, I can’t tell what it is.”
“She may be at the forest. I’ve seen her walk off that way a bit.”
“Thanks Theo, you’re a life saver.”
“No problem.” They waved and went their separate ways.
Johan stepped out the west gate, and saw a figure curled under a tree. He jogged towards it to find Kiera sleeping, though her face seemed anything but calm. “Poor girl, I can’t imagine what you must be going through,” he whispered. Johan picked Kiera up off the cold snow and cradled her in his arms as he had when she was very young. “Everything will work out, you’ll see.”
Still asleep, Kiera murmured, “Johan…”
 Ember1257 · Sun Jun 07, 2009 @ 07:07am · 1 Comments |
