Chapter Sixteen: Above The World

         I never really had time before this to actually examine what was by the fountain. Kier’s face was really distracting from all of it, really. Despite how beautiful it looked now, it would be nothing again when he arrived (yes, for once I am earlier). The walls were a beautiful white as if the buildings were brand new. A deserted balcony decorated with bright green vines stood out from one of the buildings. I assumed that despite how beautiful it was, this part was more abandoned.

        In the center of the fountain there was a statue. I found it very odd compared to what I had just read in a Kaithronese history book. It was of two people kissing; I had to assume that they were married. According to the book I had read, kissing was not a common practiced amongst unmarried couples. It only came into practice amongst the unwed when they were engaged; very rarely otherwise. I found myself questioning whether or not Kier had really kissed me once or if it was something of my imagination.

        I seated myself, anxiously waiting for Kier to arrive. I wasn’t going to be so worried about the kiss now, but rather that he confessed love. Tonight. I can’t wait for that declaration much longer.

        After what felt like a lifetime of waiting I stood up. I paced like I’d seen him do the times before. Why was he so late tonight?

        I started to panic then. What if he didn’t think I’d come? Or what if he forgot? What if he suddenly realized who I am and he decided that he never ever wanted to see me again? Or maybe he’s gathered men to come kill me tonight, to get rid of me. Oh, all of the possibilities! Am I really such a fool to allow this to become my fate?

        I stopped in place, staring blankly at a white wall in front of me.

        I felt warm hands slip around my waist from behind, his warm nose sliding along the nape of my neck, slowly. I felt a sudden sense of relief. I sighed and relaxed myself, linking my scrawny hands with his strong ones that were pulling me close to him.

        “Your tense,” he whispered into my ear.

        “I was afraid you had forgotten,” I admitted in the same hushed voice. He chuckled. 

        “Aza…” he breathed, practically singing my name. It sent a warm chill down my spine and I closed my eyes.

        Then I was reminded of my dream. I opened my eyes then ruined the embrace by turning around to face him. His flawless smile was grinning at me perfectly and I felt a little faint for a moment but then reprimanded myself for being so weak.

        “Come with me,” Kier suggested, starting to tug on me as he said it. I willingly followed him.

        “I need to tell you about something,” I state.

        “You usually do,” he laughs, then puts a single finger up to his lips to motion me to keep quiet. I gave him a questioning looked but when he ignored it I figured that he’d explain later most likely. 

        We snuck through the streets. I kind of wondered why Kier was sneaking when he actually was Kaithronese but then I reasoned that possibly nobody exactly knew where he was at. On the way to wherever we were going I made sure to actually look at what was around me. Kaithron was so, so beautiful. Honestly it wasn’t comparable to Aynah, they both had their own different kind of beauty, but it was something I had never seen before. The streets were finely decorated with all sorts of arts; many of which had to do with the war but many were also romantic like the statue in the middle of the fountain. I didn’t understand that much and I promised myself I’d look into that later. Kaithron used a variety of colors throughout the town too- reds, yellows, light purples. I felt drawn to everything but I tried to remain inconspicuous so that Kier wouldn’t notice how fascinated I truly was.

        At one corner, we both heard a noise- the sound of a man talking. Just at the sound, and without realizing it until later, I darted away from him, hiding wherever I could think of around just another corner, my heart was beating wildly.

        But Kier had run too. Now that was odd, I had decided.

        Why was he hiding? 

        But his eyes seemed to be asking the same things to me. I had given myself away, hadn’t I? I scolded myself silently, then smiled. I had to say something.

        “If my father were to hear that I’ve been sneaking out from somebody I would never see the light of day again,” I lied. Kier nodded.

        “Nobody in the castle walls knows I’m out,” he explained. It was as I had assumed so I decided not to worry about it, only thankful that my excuse seemed realistic enough for him. He dragged me along further, going on lesser known streets to avoid the problem again.

        I wasn’t sure how long we ventured around or exactly how to get back but I resolved that I would ask him later as to not spoil whatever it was he wanted to bring me too. After long enough, he tugged me through some smaller trees decorated with a red fruit of some sort then he turned to me with a broad smile.

        “Look,” he whispered. I looked to where his finger was pointing and I couldn’t help the gasp that fell from my lips. He had taken my above the town where all the tops of the buildings were visible. It was just as remarkable as looking at the top of Aynah but somehow it seemed more comely, more unlike anything else I had ever seen in my life.

        “This,” he states. “This is my most favorite spot in the whole world.”

        And he was sharing it with me? I felt a small blush come to my cheeks, feeling slightly guilty that I’d never be able to show him mine.

        “Now,” he says, turning to me. “What is it that you simply must tell me about? And then it’s my turn,” he grins.

        I nod. “I dreamed about you the other night,” I whisper.

        Kier smiled in a prideful kind of way then nods. “I dream about you frequently. And so?”

        I shake my head. “It wasn’t good, Kier. You had poisoned yourself. And then my brother… the one who died told me… well he was disgusted of you. And until that night I never would have dreamed of my brother disliking you in any sort of way but he disliked you for poisoning your own soul. Kier, I’m just afraid…”

        Kier places one of his hands on my cheek. “Oh Aza…” he breathes slowly. Then he does something that surprises me. He leans forward, pressing his lips to my forehead and he holds them there. I don’t let the tears of my fear come out, I just close my eyes and feel his warm lips against my skin; wishing that they would be elsewhere but not worrying about it this time. By heart beat unsteadily. I wanted so badly in that moment to finally tell him the truth. But words would not emit from my mouth. I embrace him instead, my arms hardly fitting around his strong body.

        Releasing his lips from my head, Kier continues to whisper, speaking in that poetic song of his that I fell in love with in the beginning. “A puerile dream. Thunder coming from a jealous god who so envies your exhilaration; that is, if she considers her own bliss like so. But of small fantasies we can not say what path that lies ahead of their mind’s eye. Perhaps you’re frightened- but what soul breathes not their own alarm? Don’t let fate set in your youngest heart, only so young for a moment, but let the moment be young at every instant. And let the instant live your reverie; not a nightmare exist in your instant.”

        “You must think I’m so weak,” I sigh in response.

        “No.”

        “What do you think, then?” I question. Now was that instant of truth; did he love me?

        Kier grins. “I think I see a woman who created her own world of intelligence, that reasons wisely and speaks meaningfully. Full of insight, she finds good in everything around her and hardly finds the bad. I see a woman of forgiveness who has a soft adoration and passion for everything. She speaks what thoughts linger in her mind and I find them most fascinating. She believes in good; that it comes from everything. Anger is almost a foreign word to her.”

        It surprised me a little about how well he knew me. He knew things that not even my father or mother could have said about me. Only Vorion would have known things like that. I open my mouth to speak but Kier stops me by pulling a finger up to my lips. “Mmm. My turn to tell you something.”

        I felt like I had so many more questions but I allowed him to have his turn. There was a whole night ahead of us.

        “I know who you are,” he smiled. I froze, and I’m sure that my face became completely white. I stated to panic but I couldn’t do anything.

        “Kier let me-”

        He hushes me again, finding my panicking humorous. Did that mean that he didn’t hate me for being Callea? That he wasn’t angry with me for lying and that he still liked- maybe loved me anyway?

        “You must be the rumored daughter of the Baron Richard. I overheard men who had caught a glimpse of her beauty- the beauty that the Baron hides for just that reason and I knew it was you. Is it not so?” he questions.

        I had no other choice but to lie, and agree with him in that moment. If I had said no, Kier would have wondered why I said I’d explain to him. And I knew that it would be so much harder to tell him the truth one of these days but I nodded my head, lying, lying, lying again. Just like my dream. I shook the thought, trying not to worry about it.

        That and because as I nodded, Kier became suddenly ecstatic. “Ah Aza! That news… you have just made this the happiest day of my life!”

        I gave him a questioning look but he just smiled. 

        *~*~*~*~*~*~*

        Kier chuckled, his chest rising and following in rhythm under my head which was snuggled up next to it. I wanted so badly to fall asleep on him like that but I knew better.

        “I’d like to meet your sister one day. She sounds much like you,” he states. I flushed a little bit, not responded. I wish he could meet her, too.

        I move my head upwards so that my eyes meet his and he’s smiling, looking completely content. He brings one of his hands down to brush my hair with it, not taking his eyes off of mine.

        “It still amazes me how beautiful you are,” Kier flirts. “I can hardly believe that you’re real every time I see you.”

        It was the first time that Kier had directly called my beautiful; usually he just used a string of adjectives describing usually my silver colored eyes. I smile in response, not minding the compliment coming from him. I’d use the same words to describe him. Kier lets out a large sigh, then smiles broader.

        “We should probably start back down now,” I suggest, knowing that I had to be back at the fountain by the time that the sun started rising or else someone would find me and know who I am.

        “No,” he groans deeply. “One more day and one more night.”

        “And then you’ll want two more days and two more nights,” I laugh.

        “Most likely,” he agrees, nodding his head. “Two years wouldn’t be enough.”

        Then why wont he propose to me? I sigh then lift my head off of his chest, sitting up.

        “Aza, please,” he pleads. “One more. I’ll never ask for something from you again.”

        “Yes you will,” I smile as I stand up. He lies there still, stubbornly with a half smile on his face.

        “You’re not going to make me walk down there alone, unaccompanied are you?” I taunt. He groans again but then stands up.

        The walk back down was silent again until we reached the water fountain. The sun was soon to rise by then and Kier grabbed onto both of my hands with a sigh.

        “This is the part in which you tell me thirty days and leave,” he states.

        “Yes,” I nod. “This would be that part.”

        “Two weeks,” he tries.

        “Thirty days,” I sigh. Two weeks would be impossible.

        “Fifteen,” he says, “Two weeks.”

        I laugh and I recalled the past times where I remembered how the last week seemed tragically interminable every single time. “Three weeks,” I state, negotiating just this once.

        Kier opens his mouth then closes it. “Fine. Twenty one days. And then two weeks for the next time.”

        I shake my head, blinking a few times while smiling like a fool.

        “Goodbye Kier,” I say, letting my hands free of his.

        “Goodnight Aza,” he whispered. And again, without another kiss or any declaration of love we parted again. What I know now I wish I knew then because I didn’t realize that it would be the last entire night I would spend in Kaithron with him.