Heart Song (3 page)

“F
ollow me, I’ll take you to your room,
” the man said, walking up the stairs. He wore black hooded robes with the hood pulled low over his head. Not a trace of him was recognizable. I knew nothing of this man and couldn't figure out how he could've known of me.

We climbed to the top of the stairs. A door sat to the left in the corner. It was slightly opened, letting the smell of flowers and soap fill the air. At the balcony, I looked over and sucked in a deep breath, surprised that I didn't see the large wolf head painted onto the floor of the entryway when I first came in. The details of it were so lifelike.
The wave of the fur.
The blends of the browns, grays, and whites
made him seem real
. His ears were perked high on his head as if he was intently listening to receive the slightest sound.  Even his eyes seemed to follow me along as I moved.

To the left of me were windows that overlooked a forest behind the palace. Tall trees of varying shades of green filled the horizon in waves against mountains that rose up in the distance. They were familiar, like a lost memory, but I couldn't recall their name.  Along the way there were a few doors that were sealed, sparking my curiosities. At the end of the balcony, another long hallway stretched out. The end was marked by the only set of arched double doors. They appeared to grow larger as I got closer to them.

My heart pounded nervously as I approached. The design on the door left me speechless, if not questioning the possibility of having gone completely mad. I watched the wooden flowers bloom from buds into beautiful rose
-
like blossoms. Even the vines they grew on seemed to move and twist right before my eyes, stretching along the edge of the door, bordering it in splendid wonder. 

The man in front of me paused for just a moment, gripped the handles, and pushed the doors open. Directly across from us was another fireplace, roaring with life, and fill the room with heat. It brushed my cheeks in a warm embrace.  The mantel and
hearth
were
carved from the wall and held a design that was strange and curious to me. I walked closer to get a better look
at
the images
and noticed wolves stood on their hind legs with their paws outstretched towards the mantle. Trees sprouted up from the background with their tops reaching out above the fire, daring the flames to lick them.  

My eyes fell upon the large canopy bed that sat to the left of the fireplace. The four posts were made from wood, carved to look like tree trunks that grew from the stone itself and the branches from each twisted together to form the top. Thin white sheers draped around the bed and lightly dusted the floor with darker, thicker drapes curving down, tied together at the foot and head of the bed. And as with the doors to the room, a head board that sealed the two posts, held the depiction of an extremely large tree that moved with a life of its own. Each delicate leaf, branch, and blade of grass moved with an unseen and unfelt force as the leaves fell from the tree to the surface of the bed, disappearing before they touched.  A small bench sat at the foot with a pile of clothing on top. It forced a thought into my mind that they were watching me, keeping an eye out for the perfect moment to grab me.

On the other side of the bed, a large patio stretched out over the ground, railed by the same stone the rest of the palace was made from, beyond glass doors that opened into the room.  The curtains were pulled apart. The view of what could be the last snow storm made its way over the mountains in the distance. Standing out against the snow dusted peaks,
was a bright,
green forest.

I turned to view the rest of the room to the right of the fireplace. It was a place where one would go to sit and enjoy a meal, read a book, or partake in a conversation. There was a large bench cut from the marble wall. Large square pillows of different shades of colors lined the wall and one solid red cushion spanned the entire seat.  A round table, large enough for at least six to sit at comfortably, was centered on top of a fluffy brown carpet. It made me
want
to take my boots off and walk on it barefoot just to feel the softness on my feet.  Two chairs,
with tall backs and arms, sat on either side of the table with seat cushions. 

Aware of my fascination and the apparent enchantment this place had on me, I turned towards the man whose face was still shaded under the hood of his robes. “
Magic no longer exists, how is this possible?
”

“Well, believe it or not, this is your room. The Master requests that you spend most of your time in here. As you can see, you have everything you might desire. But should there be more that you request, you will be given it. All you have to do is ask. My name is Enid.”

I felt my smile fade. I had just realized that I had been smiling in the first place. This was supposed to be safer, according to him, and yet it felt as though I'd exchanged one prison for another.
Given the circumstances, this place fared much better than with the Cyrs.
Finally, I nodded, wanting to collapse onto the floor and cry but praying my wobbling legs would hold out for just a while longer. 

“There is a change of clothes for you on the bench at the foot of your bed. Someone will be coming up momentarily to bring you food and take your old clothes.”

I nodded again, forcing the tears to stay at bay. Enid bowed his head slightly, “Enjoy your stay with us,
A'lainn.” He turned on his heels and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

“Yes, enjoy your stay in prison, A'lainn. What is A'lainn supposed to mean anyway?” I muttered under my breath and crossed my arms over my chest. I shifted my gaze to the clean clothes folded neatly on the bench. I decided to inspect them. I held up the first piece, a halter bodice. Not badly made, stained a dark brown. The next was a pair of pants, seemingly made from expensive black cloth. They tied with a black lace at the waist. Last
,
was a pair of soft boots, also dark brown, but they showed signs of age. Underneath them was a set of black robes, like those Enid wore, folded neatly. “Well, at least whoever he is knows what I like to wear.”

I slipped out of the long shirt, black leggings, and boots I was wearing for the new clothes. The bodice and pants laced up nicely and the boots were easy to slip on. I left my old clothes right where they fell on the floor. My eyes were drawn to the robes again. I wanted to feel how soft they were. To see if they compared to the softness of the hands that touched me. Just as I reached out my hand, a knock filled the room.

I looked at the door, waiting for whoever it was to come in. When they didn't, I called out, “Yes?”

The doors opened to a woman bringing in a rolling cart with a covered plate and mug. She was dark skinned, like the color one would be after spending their life in the sun. Her hair was black and short. The ends barely grazed her shoulders.  She wore a long dress that was plain but suited her curvy figure. The sleeves hugged her arms down to her wrists. She stopped the small cart next to the brown fluffy carpet and picked up the plate and mug, setting them on the table. Then she walked to the bench where my old clothes lay strewn on the floor. She picked them up, wadding them into a small ball and tucked them under her arm. She smiled at me and walked back towards the cart. The smile reached all the way up to her eyes, which were almost like looking into onyx orbs. They reminded me of Marren, of all people. He was the only other person I knew of, or had ever seen, with such dark eyes. She tossed the clothes onto the surface of the cart then pushed it back out the door.
L
eaving me, once again
,
in solitude.

***

The room had lightened up a little with a break in the clouds. The storm was long gone with nothing left but a few wet puddles that spotted the floor of the balcony. I walked out, stepping carefully on the slick, wet stone and looked over the edge.
A garden.
I deeply inhaled the air, wishing for the smell of the newly budding blossoms that had yet to release their aromas. I saw a small stony path that led from the garden into the trees. Overcome with the desire to roam and wander, I wanted to discover the secrets this place had to offer. I didn't even mind that I was currently held under its enchantment.

It felt good to be a part of something that I thought no longer existed. Magic was banned long before I was born and none of the creatures associated with it have been seen in so long that they've evolved into stories. Myths told to children at night before bed or to teach morals when they misbehaved.

“I hope you forgive the need for anonymity,” a familiar voice startled me. I turned around to see a man standing in the doorway, fully cloaked by the same black robes Enid wore. “Forgive my intrusion. I did knock but you never replied, so I let myself in.”

I worked to control my breaths so that my heart would ease back into its rightful position. “No, it's fine...” I paused, recognizing his voice with disdain, “Marren?”

His hood slowly dipped forward and rose back up. “I had hoped you wouldn't recognize my voice just yet. I know how much you despise me.”

I ignored the sadness in his voice. “What is going on here?” I asked as agitation replaced my previous enchanted state of being.

“I would hope that you would see this as me saving your life.”

“I don't need your help. I told you I wasn't going to buy into your charm. I can see right through that. What is it you really want with me?” My words came out sharp and cold.

“I just told you,” he replied in a flat tone.

“Why?” It came out shrill, almost like a child who was throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the market after getting told he couldn't have the sweet cake he set his eyes upon.

“I believed you about being set up.” He removed his hood while stepping out onto the balcony and leaned against the wall. His eyes reflected my image back at me. It felt almost intrusive, how intently he looked at me. I forced myself to look away. I couldn't think and I couldn't breathe. None of it made sense to me. I walked past him back into the room, passed the bed and to the center of the floor. When I reached the carpet I turned, heading for the bed, only to turn and walk towards the carpet again. I looked up at him, seeing him move from the corner of my eyes. He was watching me, taking in my state of confusion. It only made it worse.

“What's in it for you?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” He pursed his eyebrows together and, for a fraction of a moment, I found it cute.

Shaking that thought from my head, I continued, “I don't buy that you just rescued me for the sake of saving my life. Then bringing me here, dressing me, feeding me, setting me up in this lavish room—all for nothing?” I stopped pacing to watch his reaction and wait for an answer. I needed a sign, a flinch of a muscle, a clench of a jaw, even a flicker
of light in his eyes that would suggest that he was no better than the Cyrs.

He nodded. “Perhaps, in some ways, we are both wrong about our initial ideals of each other. Maybe this is my way of breaking the ice, so to speak.” He was cool and calm. The way he stared at me held me captivated.

That damned enchantment.

I felt a shift in my gut. He was telling me the truth, but there was more he wasn't saying. That much I was certain.

“Why do you believe me?” I had to know why he was willing to give me a chance when the rest of the world turned its back on me.

“I have my reasons.”

“But, why me?
Why not some other girl? I'm sure they would be more able and willing to do anything you wished.”

I saw a flicker of sadness cross his face. It pulled down at the corners of his lips, and then disappeared as if it were only a figment of my imagination. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall next to the door. “I wish nothing from you. I would never do anything, or force you into anything, you didn't want to do.”

“Why didn't you just rescue me yourself instead of sending Enid to do your dirty work?”

He chuckled, dropping his gaze to the floor and rubbed his toe on a spot in front of him in the shape of an arch.  The melodic sound caused me to react, very much the same way it did in the market. Only this time, it wasn't my imagination. “I was the one that rescued you. Enid just helped to make sure you stayed in the carriage.”

“But you were going to give me to the guards!
Why the change of mind?”
I threw my hands in the air with a grunt and stomped towards the balcony, in need of fresh air, but stopped right before I stepped through the doors. I felt as though something, his eyes maybe, were gently holding me. Urging me to stay and continue talking. Fear, once again, filled me. Only it wasn't for my safety, it was for something else entirely.

“Please understand that if I didn't do what was expected of me we would have a mob after us... Still may.”

I turned and walked towards the foot of the bed, keeping my eyes on him. Something about the way he said 'still may' had warnings inside me firing off. “What is going on Marren? Why in the world would there be a mob after us?”

He approached me, coming closer than I expected, which forced me to take a step backwards. My heart started to pound. “You will understand soon enough. Please just try to get to know me. Don't be so quick to judge me.” His voice pleaded as much as his eyes did.  He took another step closer.