by Juliet Lili
“Well, you saw him,” Calemir said, rubbing his neck feeling suddenly embarrassed.
Nara sucked in her bottom lip. He had drawn her pointing to the elk and with all minute details. She looked at him again. “It’s beautiful”, and she said it not because he had drawn her, but the drawing itself was good. He skills were impressive.
“You can keep it” the corner of his mouth twisted upward.
“Oh, thank you,” she said. “Mind holding it for now?” she had no place to keep it. And she really didn’t want to fold it and cram it in her quiver. Nodding, he took the drawing and the others from her and put them back in the satchel.
****
Chapter forty-three
In a very long time, Calemir had the urge to be reckless. To just forget everything, all the good and bad and just enjoy the act of being alive even for just a short while. He closed his eyes briefly and breathed in, chest rising and falling. His eyelids fluttered open, his green eyes sparkling. His wife warily looked at him. Calemir responded with a crooked, mischievous grin. He bent over and started with his boots, pulling one then the other off. The coldness from the wood prickled his feet, sending a tingling up his legs.
“What are you doing?” Nara asked.
“Going for a swim” Calemir gave her a lazy grin as he untucked his shirt from his waist and shrugged it off from his body. Her eyes widened by a fraction, surprised by his sudden decision. He didn’t miss the way her eyes slid down from his face and down to his shoulders and chest before going back quickly to his face with a faint pink coloring her cheeks.
“Want to join me?” Calemir offered, cocking his head to the side. If he had been alone, he would’ve taken off his trousers too, but he didn’t want to shock her.
Nara’s breath hitched at his invitation. “Uhh, no.”
“Alright,” He turned, giving her the view of his defined back before diving in. Nara jerked back as the water splashed, a little of it getting in the boat. She wiped small droplets that had landed on her face and watched as his dived back up and met her whilst floating. He gave her that lazy attractive grin again before flipping around. Her eyes fixated on his shoulders, flexing back and arms as he stroked and moved forward.
Nara smiled and shook her head. He was making it difficulty tempting to just give in and jump in the lake the way he was swimming languidly. Letting a contended sigh, she scooted closer to the edge of the boat. She folded one sleeve of the blouse she wore and dipped her hand into the lake. Goosebumps broke over the skin on her hands. The lake was cold. She swirled her hand in the water absently. It was when she stopped her little play and straightened that she noticed Calemir was nowhere to be seen. Poking her tongue in her cheek, she unrolled her sleeve. Probably he just dived in. She sat there for another five minutes and still no sign of Calemir. She frowned. Nara glanced around again, her stomach knotting. The lake was calmly still with its small natural ripples and the boats. She moved again to the end of the boat, eyes scanning the water extra carefully. “Hey” she called, worried.
Nothing.
“Calemir”
Silence.
“Calemir!” Nara called louder. She nibbled on her lip, eyes searching. He couldn’t have swum back to the land for her not to notice. Could he have drowned? But he knew how to swim. Nara’s features morphed into worry. She could swim, but she wasn’t one you called an excellent swimmer. As you all know her favorite hobby, swimming was at the bottom list. She had only learned to swim when she joined the military, and that’s because it had been part of training. Standing, she was just about to take a deep dive and search for him when his familiar voice called. “Hey.”
Nara spun around. Her heart leaped into her throat as her face broke with relief. There, not far away, Calemir floated without an utter care in the world. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Where did you go?”
Calemir lifted one hand from the water. “To get this.” In his hand was green, blue and red strange looking flowers with their roots still on them.
“To get flowers?” Nara asked incredulously.
“They are not any flowers” he replied and explained no further. Nara huffed. She couldn’t believe she had worried for nothing, she had been about to risk her life for nothing. Nara shook her head as he swam toward the boat. Nara looked at flowers as he deposited them inside first. They were belled shaped with translucent petals giving a glassy reflection and black stems. They were gorgeous, but still, she couldn’t help but be slightly irritated. The least he could have done is told her before he disappeared. She was probably overreacting, but she did it anyway. As he was hoisting himself over the boat, she pushed him back to spite him.
Big mistake.
With incredible reflexes, Calemir had his grip tight on her hand, pulling her back with him. Her eyelids flew wide, brows hitting her hairline as she sank in.
“Oh! my goodness!” Nara shouted. “Oh! my goodness!” It was freaking cold. Her body shuddered as the coldness slipped under her clothes into her bones. The chill robed her ability to think or process anything for a moment. As her body adjusted to the temperature, she became aware of the steely arm around her waist, keeping her steady. She tilted her head and looked at him. “Why did you do that?” Calemir asked. Nara huffed, pushed back, wanting to get back to the boat. The arm around her only tightened more and tugged her closer to its owner. If he pulled her any closer, she would be pressed against his chest.
“Let me go” Nara demanded.
He didn’t.
She glowered at him.
“Why did you push me?” the chill riding the words sent a shiver down her spine. Calemir’s features hardened. If she didn’t speak up, things might turn ugly. She felt it in the tensed arm shackling her.
“You scared me” Nara admitted. “You just disappeared without a word. I thought you had drowned or something terrible happened.”
Calemir’s face softened. “Forgive me.”
“Just let me go” Nara said. She wanted to leave the place and go back home. She was tired, and they had overstayed here already. Calemir pulled her even closer that his face was just inches apart from hers. Her chest brushed against his. She let out a light gasp. Calemir’s eyes smoldered, their intensity sending a bolt of warmth to her chest and stomach.
“Forgive me for not telling you,” Calemir said again, his voice a murmur. Nara read the determination in his eyes. He wasn’t going to let her go until she had forgiven him and said it loudly. It bugged her that he saw the need to hear her forgiveness for something she was starting to brush off.
“Okay,” Nara blurted.
Calemir’s hand eased then dropped completely, but he didn’t move back. His eyes burned in hers, flitting to her mouth and back to her eyes. The air between them hummed. Hot and charged. Palpable that you could touch it.
Kiss me the thought popped into her mind from nowhere, shocking Nara. As if he had heard it too, Calemir’s eyes narrowed. Bringing one hand up, Calemir rested it on the curve of her neck. Her heart thrummed violently. Her mouth grew dry, as he tilted her head a little down. Brushing the tip of his nose against the side of hers. Calemir heard the hitch of her breath, feeling her nerves skitter along his wet skin. Her neck had grown stiff whilst her brown eyes fixated on him, tracking each of his movement. She wasn’t the only one affected. His own pulse was going wild, his breath shaw finding it hard to breathe as his mouth got closer to her pink luscious trembling lips. Only the last second, with the control he had to dig deeper for, he didn’t crush his lips to hers. Instead, Calemir brushed his mouth near her ear then pulled back. “We should get back,” he said and already swimming back to the boat. Nara shuddered, feeling her whole face flame particularly where his lips had touched her skin. Turning she kicked to the boat and got in. Once she sat, and he wore his tunic again, they started paddling back to the land.
“Carry this, and I will take the fish,” he said, handing her his satchel.
“Okay,” she mumbled, hurriedly taking it from him. It ha
d gotten awkward between them. His features had turned unreadable. They mounted their steeds and began to ride down the road they had come from. Nara couldn’t stop her body missing the heat of his body when the breeze hit her wet clothes and caused her to slightly tremble. She had enjoyed his closeness and his touch. Nara wanted to feel it again. She was a little greedy for his touch again if she was honest. It made her feel good without making her feel she needed to tolerate as most other touches did.
She blinked. What am I thinking?
Chapter Forty-four
Days harmoniously passed by. Nara took notice of Calemir being home more than before. He would leave at dawn, sometimes she witnessed him leave when she went to unlock the door for Izza and sometimes she didn’t. His returns were irregular though, some nights Calemir came home early, and other nights he came back midnight. When he was early, they ate dinner together. They would ask how each other’s day went. Their answers were consistent, she would say nothing out of the ordinary, and he would say in similar lines, reading reports, giving commands and patrolling. One night she had asked him if the issue that had sent him to Ontophen had been resolved and he had replied, “For now it is.” Nara had nodded, it wasn’t an absolute answer, but it gave her some peace and especially when the number of patrolling guards reduced at night and when he had told her it was safe for to ride anytime of the day. Well except at night for obvious reasons.
One night they had just finished eating dinner, and they were just catching a break with a sip of wine (she was drinking grape wine and none of the strong stuff) in the sitting room when he asked. “Have you started writing in elvish?”
“No, I haven’t yet.” She replied, placing a book she had retrieved from the small shelf at the corner on the table in front of her.
“Haven’t asked Izza?”
“No” she shook her head.
“I could teach you but?” he began, putting his goblet down.
“But what?” Nara looked at him.
“But you will have to write the words in Nyr by yourselves. Like you I can mostly speak your language and not efficiently write it.”
“Oh.” She said.
“So, are you willing to do that?” his brow rose.
“Yes, I can do that” she agreed.
Calemir stood. “Then let me grab what we need.”
“We are starting tonight?” she asked, tilting her head to look at him.
“Yes, nights are probably the times I can teach you” his lips twisted.
Nara nodded and watched him leave. As she waited for him, she took the book back, run a finger of its column before flipping its old pages. It was written in elvish, so she didn’t understand, but she focused on the illustrated drawings. They depicted various scenes. Scenes with dragons flying and breathing fire on cities. Scenes of two elves facing a dragon. She turned few pages and fell in another scene. It was a war a scene, elves against dangerous giant creatures. The curiosity to know what the text below it said gnawed her mind. She had never heard of another war of elves against other beings. That old excitement and interest she had growing up returned with a spark. She would really like to know. Perhaps later, she told herself, not wanting to get to consumed by it that she would end grilling Calemir about it and not learn a thing.
Out of sight, out of mind, she thought. Standing, Nara returned the book to the shelf and sat back down. She was staring at flames of the lantern when he came back empty handed.
“I think writing in the dining room is much more comfortable” Calemir suggested.
“Alright” Nara followed him into the room. On the long table were several blank papers, an ink bottle and two quills.
Nara took a sit first, and he sat beside her.
“Probably let’s start with something simple. Name first and greetings” Calemir spoke. “Then later proceed to much more complicated things.”
“Like what is your name?” she voiced.
He nodded. “Yes, something like that with the answers below or it would be tedious going back and forth.”
He slid her a paper and a quill. “You should go first.”
“Alright.” She said.
And that’s how her writing lesson had started. It was easier said than done. It was tough to tell which word ended and another began when the letters were connected, some written above and others below. Within three days she wondered if she should stop. However, when she grumbled, Calemir offered her a hopeful smile. He had even said, he was also learning. They were both students and teachers to each other. He teased that if she stopped, she would be setting a bad example as a teacher. That had brought a smile on her face.
*****
“Do you miss being in combat?” Calemir asked, stopping her by her bedroom. It was night, and they had called it goodnight after their lessons. The sound of the heavy rain outside made her contemplative eyes look even more melancholy.
“Sometimes, it’s all I think of” she sincerely said. Her mouth curled ruefully, “I know a sane person would rather have a life of peace and quiet…but…I-I personally prefer being on the front line.”
Calemir made a noncommittal response, finding her honesty refreshing for a man who lied and kept secrets that one day was going to take their price for his deceit.
“You should come to the base one day” Calemir suggested. “You could train there. Just you know to make you feel your still part of it” he trailed off. It was the only succor he could offer.
“I’ll think about it” she replied after a beat.
“Sleep well” he wished in elvish. Nara glanced at him and entered her room.
Chapter Forty-five
“Where is everyone?” Nara asked Izza as they stopped at a stall selling, vegetables. The market that was frequently crawling with people was scarcely empty with even less opened stalls. Izza gave her clueless look before turning to the farmer. Nara studied the almost empty square, and at the merchant at the far closing his stall. It was too early too close shop in this afternoon. She suspected something was up. She turned her attention back to the other two. Izza had just won the merchant over to reduce a price of cabbage was smiling as she put it in the basket she was carrying.
“Let’s go,” Izza said, and sighed. “there are no good spices I want today.”
As they turned and headed back, the sound of cheers rang in the air. They echoed again as she took another step. She made a face at Izza. Abruptly stopping, Izza smacked her forehead lightly, and as if a bright light shining in her eyes, she said. “Tournament.”
“Where?” Nara asked.
“Military base” Izza replied. Looking at her she asked, “Want to go and see?”
Nara nodded.
That’s how they found themselves, walking another three minutes from the market toward the garrison. The cheers and boos grew louder when the station came to view. Nara noted the similarities of the place as it was back in Vessener. A wall surrounding the base with a wide entrance. Now she knew where everybody was she mused as the two of them entered. Women, men and children stood, making a full circle around the field in the middle that had been transformed into an arena. She and Izza weaved and squeezed themselves through the throng to get a better view. Mercifully it didn’t take her long to find a good spot. Six pairs of elves faced against each other. Both men and women were dressed in simple clothes, tunic and leather trousers paired with boots. They carried no weapons. It seemed to be a hand to hand match. Looking carefully at the elves in front of the crowd, she saw Leena and Finn. They both wore grim expression as their fellow competitors.
“What’s the tournament for?” Nara asked Izza who was standing beside her. As Izza was about to answer, the crowd cheered, dragging her attention back to the arena. A man had just been subdued to the ground by another opponent. The victory was short lived for the man. Leena like a ferocious feline attacked him. Nara watched mesmerized as the female warrior bended and twisted, blocked her opponent’s charges before striking her own. Nara’s mouth gaped when the she-
elf used the opponent’s fist as a ladder. She nimbly jumped on it, flipped in the air and gracefully landed behind him. The crowd broke into applause at the dramatic move. Like lightning, she kicked at his legs then grabbed with his both hands and pinned them behind his back, holding him to his knees like a suppressed criminal.
Cheers roared.
The vital energy and excitement inside the walls rose to new heights. Nara found herself smiling and cheering with the crowd.
“You came” he whispered into her ear. Nara bit her lip as she felt his heat against her back. She cocked her head to the side. “Yes,” she whispered loud enough for him to hear against the hollering. Then looked forward again.
“Are you enjoying” his warm breath fluttered against the shell of her ear, causing the fine hair on her neck to erect.
Nara nodded.
She felt him still behind her as she continued to watch the spurring. As she looked at a child who had been standing in front of her stumbled back from being pushed by a woman passing. From it, the child pushed her back as he struggled to find footing.
“I got you,” Calemir said, his hands grabbing her arm.
“Thank you,” Nara told him. Even though she had recovered, his hands remained on her. They started gliding up and down over her arms in an almost unconscious manner after few minutes causing her skin to break into goosebumps. She stiffened when they moved to her shoulders. Only relaxing when he only rested them there for a minute before removing them.
“What’s the tournament for?” she asked, hoping he was still there and hadn’t left. Because one thing Nara had come to know about him, his steps were soundless, like a thief in the night.
“To entertain the people” came his reply.
“That’s it, no prize?”
“Title of being undefeated in Uruloki” She heard his amusement, and even though she wasn’t looking at his face, she knew his mouth was curled at the corners.
“Why are you not there?” Nara wanted to know, seeing his friends were in the ring. Calemir shifted behind her, the movement so subtle but she picked up on it. “It wouldn’t be fair to the opponents” he stated.
