Keepers of the Moon

Chapter 9. We meet again (3)

Hlér

Indigo was sipping on a hot coco, while the little raven-haired girl fell asleep on her lap. We were sitting underneath a large tarp in the middle of a crowded park. Rain was softly tapping on the white fabric and drumming in the rhythm of the many songs that were played. I had exchanged my beer for a steaming cup of coffee, while Tane was on his third sausage roll. He hated babysitting me and that feeling was mutual. Indigo however had reacted quite strongly to his presence and she kept glancing toward him with a mixture of fear and suspicion in her eyes.

I could’ve asked her what was wrong, but I just knew I wouldn’t get an answer. Just like I never got an answer to the question as of why she ran off yesterday. She was so full of mysteries and I just wanted to destroy her protective wall. But I also wanted to protect her and her walls were there for a reason. I couldn’t even imagine what it must’ve been like to live on the streets. I wouldn’t have been able to survive. But she did, though the little girl on her lap made me think that she had to do some heinous things to be able to survive at all. And I felt angry toward all the people that took advantage of these vulnerable girls on the street and I was grateful for Caledonia who had let her inside their hearts and given her a job. I knew very well that my father would never do that. If he knew where she came from, he would forbid me to ever talk to her again. Tane however couldn’t care less about formalities or ranks, he therefore didn’t mind my frequent escapes from the high-society to get a taste of real living. As long as he didn’t have to join me.

‘She’s not my daughter.’ Indigo was looking at me with kind, grey eyes. I couldn’t read them this time, just two pools of bottomless silver. Her voice was calm, soft and yet carried easily.

‘You were staring.’ She shrugged apologetically and absently stroked the little girls’ hair.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply.’ Now I felt guilty for making her feel like she needed to explain herself. Like I would think less of her if it was her child. But I would never ever do that. Life happens and sometimes you don’t have a choice in the things that come toward you. Especially not if it is your life on the line.

‘It’s okay. People have asked me before. But she’s the daughter of my friend. She died when Abi was still a baby. There were no relatives to take care of her, so I took her in until someone more capable would come along. But that someone never came and now I cannot imagine my life without her. It’s a nice thing to hold onto when you are new. It gives a sense of direction I suppose.’

I just nodded and felt a warm fuzzy feeling growing in my stomach. I couldn’t place it, I didn’t know what to do with it. I just knew that I wanted to hold her and shield her from whatever the world would throw at her. The kindness she still possessed was something worth protecting and she was the prime example of a heart so pure no one could ever destroy that. Not even the mystery of her dark past had defined her, not in a way that it could’ve at least.

In her I saw hope.

Hope in its most primordial form. The hope of kindness and a helping hand. The hope of a better future, not for yourself, but for the ones who come after. Hope of life.

‘Don’t forget your coffee, it’s better when it’s hot.’ I shook my head so violently my hat flew of. Indigo snorted and Tane looked at me in despise, yet a hint of amusement played around his lips. Like he was saying: ‘smooth, muttonhead.’ He was in an exceptionally good mood today because he even picked it up for me and then threw it in my face. Which was an improvement from the last time I dropped something. He threw an apple at my head. I then had to explain to my father why I had a black eye. Tane however got away with that quite easily. If it had been one of the security guards he would’ve been lucky if he was fired.

‘Your mind does wander, my young Prince.’ Indigo laughed at her own wit and threw her hair back.

I wanted to kiss her so bad.

Was this how it felt to be in love?

Thunder rolled across the sky and some startled people yelped. The little girl woke up with a start and then started crying, both hands pressed against her ears. Her screams pierced through the crowd and everybody looked around to see where it came from. Indigo’s reaction was swift and soft. She put the coco down and pressed the girl firmly against her body, while blowing on her forehead. The little girl still pressed her hands into her head and seemed to be in physical pain.

Indigo blew again on the girls’ forehead and folded her fingers around the little chubby hands.

‘I’m right here sweetie. It’s just a thunder, you can come out now. I’m not going anywhere.’ She kept repeating the words in a soft whisper and even I calmed down. Her voice was soothing and almost singing, resonating with love. Even Tane looked at us with an incredulous look, unsure how to behave in such an intimate display of love.

After a couple of minutes passed by of me getting more and more uncomfortable, the girl finally released her hands. Her sobs had drawn the attention of some people, but Indigo didn’t notice. She was wiping away the snot and tears from the girls face and placed a kiss on her forehead.

‘Look Abi, see. Safe. Wanna see the lightning?’ The girl nodded and they both walked from underneath the tarp and stood there in the rain looking up. A lightning bolt struck across the sky and it was immediately followed by a very loud thunder. The girl whimpered but seeing the cause and hearing its effect seemed to take away her dread and the second thunder barely resulted in a reaction.

I walked over to them and was soaked within seconds.

‘That’s was… something.’ I wasn’t sure what else to say.

‘Yeah, I’ve been working on a way to deal with her fear of loud noises. This time it worked particularly well.’ Indigo was smiling, though her face betrayed that she was thinking of a very painful memory. She too had tensed up at the first sound of thunder. Not in a way that most people reacted, it was a much sharper response.

The girl’s hazel eyes glazed up to the dark swirling clouds above us and I could see the calm set over her. She then looked at me, while laying her head on Indigo’s shoulder. She gave a short wave and I waved back. Indigo stared into the street where people were walking with colourful umbrellas or running toward a drier place. Such as a pub. She blew out a shaky sigh and buried her head into the girl’s black hair for a moment.

‘What’s your name?’

The girl looked up with still swollen eyes.

‘I’m Abi.’

‘Well, nice to meet you Abi. My name is Hlér.’ I gave her a curtsy and kissed the top of her hand. She giggled with glee.

‘Weird name.’ It was just a statement, no question. I burst out laughing when Indigo looked up shocked. ‘Abi! You can’t say that to people.’

Abi stuck out her tongue and Indigo started apologising to me. I ignored it, I was still laughing about the innocent honesty.

‘Don’t bother, I agree with her.’

‘No! Don’t say that. How else am I going to teach her that she cannot burst out anything she thinks?’ It sounded very serious though her eyes were filled with light. She didn’t truly mean it.

‘I wish I’d never learned that.’ She chuckled and ducked back underneath the tarp. Her hair was now sticking to her face and her bright yellow coat dripping wet. She put Abi down who then proceeded to skip puddles. The thunder long forgotten.

‘I wish I could stay, but I have to work this afternoon.’

‘Are you sure you are not running off again?’ I laughed nervously.

‘No, not this time.’

‘Good, because tomorrow afternoon there’s a sailing competition in the bay and would you like it if you came with me?’ The words poured out too fast, my voice strained with the effort that it took. My heart was pounding in my chest and my palms were suddenly sweating. Indigo’s face went from confused to bewildered in a matter of seconds.

‘With you? On a boat?’ She looked so shocked that I wanted to apologise for even asking. Then she smiled at me.

‘Yes I would very much like that!’ The words came out a little strained as if she had conflicted feelings about it. But I was just glad that she said yes and my heart made a loop-d-loop.

‘Okay, I’ll see you at the docks at four then.’

‘Yeah, great!’ And without any more words she and Abi took off into the rain. And the grin was permanently plastered on my face. I had just asked a girl out and she said yes. Not because I was a Prince, but because she genuinely liked me.

‘Very smooth. I doubt your father is going to like it if you brought a girl to his yacht.’

I shrugged. I really didn’t care this time, I was done with his negativity. He dragged me along on this stupid trip for no other reason than to be pretty, if I wanted to have some fun, he couldn’t stop me.

‘Better to ask for forgiveness, than permission.’

‘You think too highly of your father.’