A Tale Of Time

Fifteen

                                                                                                                                                        Age of Ayznver

                                                                                                                                                        Year 750B

                                                                                        ARIANA

"VAEL! VAEL!" I called out in the dark.

He'd said that he was going to find one of the creeks that flowed through the forest to take a bath after I told him that he was smelly.

I almost regretted it.

He'd left me with a small candle, promising furiously that he would not be long. But the candle had long burned out and I didn't want to move from where he'd asked me to stay -which was our tree- for fear of getting lost and having to sleep alone in this forest.

Or getting hurt by one of the things that crept around.

"Vael!"

Where was he? The air was getting colder and colder by the minute, so chilly that my thin sweater was barely enough to keep me warm. If I spent any longer this weather, I'd get a cold...

I began to search though Vael's knapsack for the worn, checkered blanket he always brought with him. We'd share the old thing at the start of the night, but somehow by morning the whole thing would be on me and Vael would be shivering from a night spent cold.

I loved him a little more for that.

A sound stopped my search.

It could've been anything, ranging from a small critter to a larger animal. It could Vael himself. But I couldn't relax. Not being able to see what was coming your way was one of the worst things to face in the forest.

"Vael?"

He was fond of playing pranks, I knew. He loved scaring the hell out of me. It could be him, lurking about...

I found the blanket and ripped it out from around his other clothes, stuffing the ones that spilled out back inside. While listening for anymore noises. But the unknown intruder had not made another sound since, "Vael?!"

What if it wasn't him? What if I was sitting here like willing prey to some huge predator?

I should move...

Right now...

Right...

"Boo!"

My entire body stilled for a second before an unabashed scream rented the air. I knew my mouth had made such a terrible noise because my throat berated me for it afterwards.

Vael was clear in the dark; he was holding a half-used candle, face white with fear, "Why did you scream like that?"

I hated that I was tearing up from the lingering dregs of fear, "Why did you do that?"

"I just wanted to scare you a little." He narrowed his eyes at me, "And what happened to your candle?"

A tear slipped down my cheeks, "My candle burned out."

His lips formed a guilty 'oh' and he winced with the realization of what he'd done. "I'm sorry. I got distracted. You know how much I like watching the river go by. It's so thought-invoking-"

He was trying to make a joke, to lighten up the situation. But I was too scared, my heart hammering too hard to laugh. 

He swore, "Ah, I'm sorry I left you for so long. I shouldn't have... but on the bright side, I'm squeaky... clean...? Ariana?"

"Goodnight, Vael."

"Ria...? Ria, Oh come on, I said I was sorry!"

I turned from him and wrapped the blanket around over my body. Now my heart was no longer racing, I found the humor in what he had done.

I would've done the same.

Immediately, I forgave him.

I would forgive him for anything.

He just needed to suffer for a bit.

I WASN'T SURE that that would apply here. 

I wouldn't be able forgive him for this deception, would I?

The whole foyer looked up at me, eyeing me from head to toe. To be honest, my first reaction was to shrink back. I was wearing a bedspread, after all.

But Vael's gaze and the anger building from years of being lied to, kept me steady.

I raised my chin, "Are you ordering me about in my own kingdom, Tahjan?"

He raised a dark eyebrow and his eyes lit with something else than the ice from earlier.

Familiarity and amusement.

He was enjoying himself.

I hated it immediately, because he had known who I was... and he hadn't had the dignity to extend the same courtesy to me.

Suddenly unable to look at Vael, I searched the throng of onlookers, finding Rook's blond head in the midst of the Retrieval Army. Relief filled me completely. The gods, if they existed, had answered my most fervent prayer. His eyes were trained on me, filled with fatigue and apprehension. I understood why. Being rude to a king I was indebted to could never bode well in a normal situation.

But this situation was not normal in the slightest.

Because Vael would never hurt me.

Are you sure?

The elders were mumbling something undoubtedly pleasant to their Tahjan. Probably something about how unruly I was. But his eyes were on me, paying them no heed like he'd done earlier. I was starting to think that doing so was a habit for him. 

The familiar forest green was melting slowly from amusement to apology.

Vael was sorry.

And the knowledge of it tugged at my heart, so hard it was painful...

Because that heart was so happy that he was alive and well. To it, the technicalities were white noise. 

But still...

He'd hurt me with his lies.

he clicked his tongue, "How do you suggest we solve this problem, Princess?"

"Problem?" What did he mean by that?

He took a step forward, the singular movement silencing the entire room, "You know what I mean, Ariana."

My cheeks reddened. Was he actually referring to that here? In front of all these outsiders? Or maybe I was the only one in the out? Maybe his elders knew all about our forest escapades. Maybe I was the butt of a joke between them. 

But the elders looked confused too. In fact, everyone looked confused. Only Vael with his steady, imploring gaze and I were aware.

He hasn't told anyone.

Or they are excellent actors.

I met his gaze briefly then lowered my eyes, "A walk. Along the grounds. We have many things to discuss, don't you think?"

"Acceptable." He announced with a slight smile, looking me over. I shivered from the attention. "But... you may want to dress first."

Okay, I may just hate him a little more now.

I FOUND a violet dress in the closet of the red room and fitted myself into it. It was odd, clumsy, too big and dressing lasted forever because I'd never worn anything as fancy in my life. The silk gown was fitted (as fitted as something loose for me could be) around y torso and the pleated skirts billowed gracefully and softly like rose petals around my legs. The white petticoats underneath lent a bell shape to the regal ensemble. I found silk slippers under one of the drawers -how ill-mannered of me-  and rushed (gracefully, of course) back down to the foyer.

The room had not moved and Vael was waiting by the door with a small smile. His eyes were twinkling with laughter.

Can't dress quickly, can you?

Shut up. I said with my gaze.

As I walked down the staircase, the eyes of soldiers I'd known for almost six years were filled with confusion and betrayal. It was true... I'd lied to them for a very long time. They probably felt the same way about me that I did about Vael. Most probably could not recognize the girl who was w***e turned princess.

I'm sure quite a few of them were now regretting how they had treated me.

Like Edgar whose face was red with embarrassment.

And some were undecided on how to feel...

Like Garreth who looked at me with awe.

And Rook who was worried.

I sent him a small smile as I approached Vael. He straightened as I got to where he stood, looking at me like one would an old painting. I wondered what he saw. We were face to face again in another life with an age-old secret between us. This man and his mischievous smile was no longer my wild forest boy but a King...

And I was no longer a poor, abandoned child...

But the leader of a kingdom.

He took my hand in his, "Shall we?"

VAEL WAS quiet as we surveyed the damage the Beserkers had done on the castle grounds. If he was proud of their efficiency or mourning murdered beauty, I would never know. And even if I wanted to there were a thousand more important questions I had to ask.

The only problem was that I had no window to ask them.

He broke the silence, "You must be confused and upset with me."

His voice was deeper, more polished and mature while I... I felt like a child draped in clothes twice her size. And like always, he was right.

"I am."

Vael glanced at me briefly before plucking up a rose from the cobblestoned ground. His finger colored red with blood from the thorns that pierced his skin. 

My body itched to slap the injuring object out of his hands. 

And the feeling was so familiar, I chuckled, "You still have that bad habit."

He looked at me, "What habit?"

 I snatched the rose from his finger, ignoring the pain and threw it away. It landed atop a piece of discarded armor, "Picking up things that injure you or things that are disgusting or-"

His laugh cut through the silent, death filled air. And this laugh was so familiar I was grateful for it.

"You always hated it."

I rolled my eyes, "Of course I did. Because you would put all manner of things down my shirt."

"And then you'd scream at me for hours."

I laughed despite myself, heady with the memories. "Then I'd slip in an orange in your pack whenever I snuck back home to steal food, knowing you hated them and that you'd get upset."

"And I'd do it all over again to get back at you."

We laughed again. Like we were living in a bubble where we were free. I'll admit I loved this easy rapport between us and wished it would never go away. But it had to. This was just an interlude before we asked the big questions.

And those big questions needed asking.

I stopped in a small secluded bench in the midst of the rose garden and took a seat, waiting for him to follow my lead.

He remained standing, "Do you want to confront me now that we'd just had a wonderful reunion?"

He was joking even now.

"Yes."

Vael stared at me, gauging how serious I was, if he could sway my decision. He was fond of doing that back then.

At least that hadn't changed.

He took the place beside me and breathed out loudly, "What do you want to know?"

I intended to be kind with my questions (Vael didn't like being ambushed) and to ask them as the mature woman I'd become.

But they came out in an embarrassing rush, "Why did you lie to me? Your name is Stellan? Where did you go? What were you thinking? Why didn't you confide in me? Why did you agree to-"

"One question at a time, Ria." He chided softly.

I took a deep breath, reinforced with the confidence that Vael would answer. And so I started from the top. "Why did you lie to me?"

He huffed and sighed, leaning forward to place his elbows on his thighs. "I guess I'll have to start this story from the beginning then. "