Chapter 10: Pinvey's Threat

Lumenovus's ease in defeating Simon is explained, but Lavender finds out things may not be so easy for him after all.

 Lumenovus accepted the gift gratefully, and I was happy to get him the basin of water he humbly asked for.  I watched as he wrung the cloth in water, and dabbed at his cut.  “Simon didn’t hit any of my main vessels, at least.  It shouldn’t bleed too long.”

 “It’s so weird to hear you just talk about bleeding like that,” I said.

 He laughed.  “Well, now you know how I felt when you nonchalantly mentioned I might get my hand lopped off, no big deal.”  Then his smile faded.  “What was that about other challengers?”

 “I saw your face when he said that.  I’m sorry, all we ever talked about was you fighting Simon.  I was so afraid for you, I didn’t even explain trial by combat.  That’s what you’re going through.  One by one, you have to fight any soldier in the army who wishes to challenge you.  I only saw one before, ages ago.  It took weeks, maybe months.”

 His face fell.  “I’m going to be locked up here for months now?”

 “Don’t worry,” I said.  “No one else challenged you today.  I don’t see that changing, I think you scared the hell out of all of them.  Simon gets to challenge you again if he wants, since he was first, but even he must have learned his lesson.  How did you learn to move like that?”

 Lumenovus smiled again.  I was beginning to like when he did that.  He rinsed the cloth and ran it over his cut some more.  “Where did Simon learn to swing a sword?  I don’t know if it comes from being immortal and not having to care, but his swordplay was just awful.  He telegraphed every move, he had no control or balance...  Me?  I despise violence.  Still, a traveler must know how to defend their self.”

 After some hesitation I asked, “What did he say to you before fighting?”

 He paused.  “Some things.”

 “Oh,” I said, my stomach twisting a little.  “About me?”

 Lumenovus just nodded.

 Well, he already heard whatever it is anyway, and you’ll have heard worse.  “What did he say?”

 He sighed, and wrung the cloth into the basin.  He laid the damp cloth over his wound.  “Do you want me to repeat it?  It wasn’t very flattering.”

 “I want to know,” I said.

 He sighed again.  I watched him tie a loose knot around his wrist, then tighten it with his good hand and his teeth.  Why is everything he does so fascinating?  “He said you are one of his favorite...  F**k-toys was the word he used.  And that you kept him busy all day yesterday, in preference of visiting me.”

 My face flushed.  I hadn’t wanted him to hear that about me.  I didn’t want it to be true about me...  My eyes started watering.  “I wanted to visit,” I choked, pulling his attention from his injury.

 “Hey, hey,” he said softly.  “I’m sorry, you asked.  I thought...”

 I shook my head.  “It’s okay,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.  I wiped my eyes.

 “You said he’s always tormented you, Lavender.  Would this at all be related?”

 I nodded.

 “I don’t know if you saw, but I gave him that poke in the throat you asked for.”

 I laughed, which actually made me burst into more crying.

 When I settled a bit, he said, “Another thing is, I believe you wanted to visit me.  I’m not going to believe a word he or Pinvey ever says about you, okay?”

 “Thank you.”

 “So, anyway, what happens now?  If there’s no more challengers, why am I still here?”

 “It’s official tomorrow.  At lunch time, they’ll take you to the arena again.  If no one challenges you then, you’re released with a little ceremony.”

 “Then I’ll be off...  To starve or go get arrested somewhere else, I suppose.”

 “I’ll make sure you have food.”

 “Gods, Lavender...”  He put his face in his hands, and grunted at some frustration unknown to me.  He looked back at me.  “You have been such a complete sweetheart to me, throughout all of this.  I really wish I could help you in some way.  Any way.”

 “You have,” I said.  “You’ve listened to me.  You made me feel useful for the first time in my life.  And I promise I will never forget the sight of you beating up Simon.”

 “I’ll never see you again, I guess,” he said very quietly.

 I had the impression that he was saying it to himself, but I didn’t pretend not to hear him.  “If you don’t, will you remember me?”

 He gave me that powerful eye contact of his when he said, “Always.”

----

 That night, I didn’t want to do anything but stay in my room, thinking about him.  I would never see him again.  I wanted to burn his face into my memory.  I wanted to revel in the sound of his voice, before it changed and faded over time.  Even his smell...  There was something so natural about it, I would remember it fondly as well.  For as long as I could, anyway...

 If he stayed, it could only be because there were more challengers.  And he’d have to stay in the briars the whole time, anyway.  I laughed a little as the old saying came to mind, if you love something set it free.  I didn’t want him to be trapped here...

 I let myself have a cry at the thought of not seeing him again.  He was the best friend I’d ever had, and he would be leaving after being here only four days.  One of which...  Didn’t count.

 Then I let myself laugh.  Maybe it could be enough just to be happy for him, and to have the memory of him.  After all, being mortal, any time he did stay would still be over far too fast...

 It was during one of the lighter moments of my thought cycles that a knock came at my door.  “Come in,” I said, expecting a messenger.

 It was Pinvey...  “What are you so happy about?” she asked, wiping the smile off my face.  She strutted in farther, shutting the door behind her.  She leisurely walked around my room, picking things up and putting them down somewhere else.  “You think it’s funny your wildman got the better of Simon?”

 “N-no.”

 “Ugh.”  She gave me a piercing look.  “Don’t lie, Lavender.  You’re terrible at it, I told you.  Tell me how funny it is.”

 “It’s not funny, okay?”

 “I saw you laughing, you little doe,” she said with an iciness in her voice that made my throat clench.  “I told him you laughed.  You think you won’t ever end up in the stocks again?”

 “I’m moving, remember?”

 Pinvey smirked.  “Spring is a long way off, sister.  We’ll get you in there.  So anyway, are you excited to see your friend leave?  Aren’t you going to give him a goodbye romp?”

 “Why are you so sure I...”  I trailed off.

 She smiled, knowing I didn’t want to say it.  “Sure of what?”

 “I didn’t sleep with him, I told you,” I muttered, looking away.

 She laughed.  “Oh right, I remember now.  Not even an animal would touch you.  I’m sorry, I keep forgetting.  Because I’m sure you would take it if you could get it.  Well, you may get your chance yet.  He’ll be here for awhile.  I hear not having a woman for too long makes human men insane for anything they can get.  Maybe even purple-winged harpies like you get their day.”

 I was biting my lip.  “What are you talking about?”

 “Oh, I’m just saying you might have a chance here, to enjoy the only male anything that will ever...”

 “Not that!  What do you mean he’s going to be here awhile?”

 “Oh, that.”  She gave an infuriatingly fake giggle.  “There will be more challengers, Lavender.”

 “Who?”

 “All the men of Father’s army.”

 “No way, no one wanted to even try it.  Why would they all have changed their minds?”

 “They haven’t,” she said, walking toward me.  She leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “But they will...”

 “What?”

 She drew away from me slowly, silently, smiling.

 “What!” I repeated.  “Why will they, then?”

 She backed out of my room smiling.  “Every sword will be sharp enough to split hairs.  Every soldier will try to cut him in any cheap way, even through cheating.  He’ll get worn down, Lavender.  Right in front of your stupid little eyes.  Finally, when he can barely lift that stick of his, Simon will fight him again.  He’ll do it slow, just like he promised.  See you tomorrow...”

 I threw a pillow and swore when the door shut.  I hated Pinvey, and there was always some trick to anything she said!  What was she up to?

Reviews

[Sarah]

Good chapter. Really left me wanting to read more and find out what exactly Pinvey is up to. I have a feeling she could be right about Lumenovus getting worn down. Going up against a hundred fairies? Even though he is stronger and more powerful, it would still take a toll on him.

I really do sympathize with Lavender. She's such a sweetheart, and doesn't deserve to get treated the way she does. I'm also wondering if anyone else has purple wings like her. I think it was said that no one does, but how could she be the only one? Doesn't really make sense to me.

[Christopher Miller]

I'm glad some suspense made it back into the mix, after the fight was so easy.
Her mother had purple wings as well... Apart from being a rare trait (and unattractive so it'd rarely be passed on), there is another reason it's so rare.

[Sarah]

I know her mother had it, but it still leaves me wondering. Especially because Pinvey refers to Lavender as a "purple-winged harpie," but she said it in the plural sense, which made me think there were more like Lavender.