Cael
755 Words
Elera p.o.v
I saw him for the time when he was arguing with a fish vendor. The vendor was a man with red face and arms like ropes. He was saying that the price of the fish was not going to change. Cael was standing with his arms crossed looking like he was really enjoying the argument.
He said to the vendor that the price of the fish had been the same for fifteen years.. The eastern docks had not been working properly since the flood. So the vendor was selling the fish at the price even though the situation had changed. The vendor just stared at him.
Cael said he would take two fish. He wanted to pay the new price. I was watching him from a stalls away. I was trying not to be noticed so I was wearing a dress and trying to look like a normal person.
I do not know why I kept watching him. He was not particularly handsome or impressive. He was a normal-looking man with dark hair and a coat that had seen better days.. There was something about him that made me want to keep looking.
He paid for the fish. Turned around. He almost ran into me. We both stepped back. He caught a display of ceramic bowls that I had almost knocked over. He said sorry. It was not his fault.
He looked at me for a moment like he was trying to figure me out. Then he. Walked away.
That was the time I met him.
I am thinking about this now because I am sitting in a carriage watching the rain outside. I just got. I am on my way to a new kingdom. I do not want to think about my husband so I am thinking about Cael instead.
The second time I met him was two weeks later. He was arguing with a woman who was selling spices. She was very loud and stubborn. He was not afraid of her. I bought a bowl just so I could watch him without being noticed.
He saw me when he was leaving. He came over to talk to me. He said I had been looking at the bowls for sometimes now like the last time we met. I said I had bought one now. He asked me if I had bought it because I wanted it or because I did not want to look strange.
I told him the truth, that I had bought it because I did not want to look strange. He. Said that was honest of me. He told me his name was Cael.
I said he was not supposed to tell me his name before I told him mine. He said he knew that. He had done it anyway. I told him my name was Elara.
He said it was nice to meet me. He seemed to mean it.
I should stop the story here. I am not going to. I met Cael seven times in the market. We. Argued and I felt like I could be myself around him.
One day he asked me if I wanted to see the part of the city that was not the market. I said yes. We walked around for two hours. We talked about everything and nothing. He bought me some food from a street vendor and I ate it even though it was bad.
One evening I told him who I really was. We were sitting on the steps of a warehouse watching the sun set. I had been keeping it a secret for a time but I felt like I could trust him.
He was quiet for a moment. Then he said okay. I asked him if it changed anything. He said no. I said it did not change anything for me either.
Then he left. He disappeared without a word. I did not know what to do. I told myself it was fine that people leave all the time, I knew it was not fine.
I thought about him a lot. I tried not to. I tried to move on with my life.
Then I saw him again three days ago. He was in a receiving hall. He looked at me like I was a stranger.. I know his face. I know that he was trying not to show me anything.
That is not the same, as not feeling anything.
I keep thinking about it trying to figure out what it means.. I do not know yet.
- Writer
