by Lisa Daniels
He lit a candle. Taja tried to see how he did it because there were no matches nearby. If he could light the candle without aid, that meant he was a wizard. Perhaps he was both a wizard and a diplomat. The stranger certainly seemed elegant enough to be either.
He walked back toward her. “Do you mean you don’t remember when you ate today, or it’s been enough days that you don’t remember when you last ate?” The concern in his eyes was real. She couldn’t help but notice that his eyes stayed on her face, never once flicking to her doll-like figure.
“Days,” she said looking down. Taja was accustomed to men leering at her and treating her like a possession – that was easy to deal with. What this stranger was doing was unnerving. The only person who treated her with such care was Braylon. She had trouble talking to him at first too, almost like her mouth could no longer work as soon as there was something at stake beyond survival.
“Good gods! What kind of a civilization starves – never mind. I’ve seen enough to know that this place does not qualify as being civilized. Come.” He took her hand and led her through several rooms. Stopping in front of a chair, he pointed. “Please sit down and I will make something for you.”
Taja stood there looking at him as he leaned over the oven. Soon there was a roaring fire and the man was busy breaking eggs into a skillet. “I can do that,” she murmured, stepping over toward him.
He turned and gave her a sad smile, “No, you need to relax. Although,” he paused, “there is fresh water in that.” He pointed to a basin resting a little distance from the stove. “If you give me a moment, I will warm it up.”
Taja wanted to do something besides stand there, but she didn’t know what else she could do. The man was quick. Before she knew it, the eggs were finished and he had toast for her too. She didn’t remember him placing the bread on a skillet.
He went over to the bucket and moved around a bit. “Okay, come here and wash up before you eat. The food will still be plenty warm when you finish,” he added, seeing her hesitation and the way her eyes darted toward the food.
She stepped over and looked at the water. He reached out and pulled her forward. The man dipped her hands into the water and started scrubbing her clean. He was very gentle as he worked over the cuts and scrapes covering her fingers and hands. “That must have hurt,” he murmured. “I wish I would have known sooner. You would have walked out of the door the same day.” Taja watched him as he focused on tending to her hands. Once he was finished, he stood.
“Hold up a minute,” he said as she started to turn to the food. Suddenly a cloth was in her face removing some of the dirt. “There. Much better. I’ll get a bath ready for you while you eat.” He gave her a little nudge toward the food. “Go ahead. I promise it’s fine.”
With that he left the room. No longer caring about the fact that she didn’t know him or his reasons for helping, Taja moved over to the food. Whatever he wanted, it would never be enough payment for what he had done for her.
Despite her hunger, Taja ate the food as slowly as she had eaten at the table of lords and nobles. Several times she closed her eyes as she savored the taste of the food. There was something in the flavoring that was unlike anything she had eaten before. The young woman had no doubt that the man was from a foreign land. Everything about him was stately and mysterious, from the way he looked to the way he prepared the food. Simple eggs and toast had never seemed so elegant. The fact that she had been starved was not the only reason the food tasted so good.
The stranger came back into the kitchen. His eyes met hers as she took a bite of egg. Licking her lips, she gave him a shy smile. “Thank you.” Her eyes tried to read something about the man, anything that would give her a hint as to why he would help her when no one else would. There were so many questions, but she felt it was rude to ask.
He gave her a genuine smile. “It was my pleasure. I suppose I should introduce myself. It would have been better if you didn’t get too close, but I suppose it is too late for that now. My name is Phelan.” He bowed to her. “I am only here for another day or two as my business here is nearly complete. But I am glad that I did not leave this morning as I had originally intended.” His eyes watched her as she ate. “When I found out about a petite woman who assaulted a stable boy, I really didn’t need to see who it was. In my time, I’ve only known a handful of people with luck as abysmal as yours. If you have time today, I would be interested in hearing what happened. You don’t seem like you would be strong enough to break a boy’s nose.”
Taja looked down. “I used a shovel. And the last few days have been considerably worse than my normal experience.”
His laugh was like music, and her eyes immediately looked at him. “I’m glad that I was of use, then.”
“Yes, you saved my life twice.”
He smiled at her, “And your honor once.”
Taja looked at him, somewhat confused. Then she remembered about the tavern. Immediately she bit her lip. “I have no honor.”
There was a pause, then he walked over to her. Taja knew that meant he realized she was not the pure creature he had taken her for when they met. He would now see a new option, and she knew that it would not be enough to repay him. Phelan’s finger was under her chin, tilting her head to look him in the eyes. “Just because you have had a difficult life does not mean you do not have honor. I saw you trying to do the right thing, and I know that sometimes the right thing is the lesser of two evils. Sometimes honor is nothing in the face of survival. Honor is about making the right choice when you have the luxury of a better option.”
Taja’s mouth was open a little as she heard the beautiful stranger talking. There was something in his eyes that showed a depth that she would not have believed – a hint of a much harsher life than she could have imagined.
He released her chin. “So don’t tell me you have no honor. It would mean…” He ran a hand through his hair and looked away.
“I’m sorry…” Taja felt she had done something wrong.
Phelan waved a hand, “It’s nothing. Just don’t be so quick to devalue yourself just because others can’t see your worth. Most people are idiots.” Something about the way he said ‘people’ struck a chord in her mind, but she didn’t feel she could ask.
Once she finished eating, Phelan took the plate from her hands and began cleaning the dishes. “The bath is ready. Please, go clean up and get comfortable. I’m afraid your hands will still hurt, but the pain will not last too long. And take your time. I want you to be comfortable while you are here.”
Taja bowed, “Thank you. I’ve no idea why…” Her voice trailed off.
His smile made her feel warm. “Because I wanted to.” He shrugged at her. She was about to leave the room when he spoke again, “I do not know your name.”
Taja turned and gave him a small smile. “Taja.” Her voice was soft and shy as she spoke.
“Taja,” he repeated her name.
Her smile widened. The way he said her name, with a foreign lilt, made her heart flutter.
“Well, Taja… please go take your bath before the water cools too much.” She bowed and headed back the way he had come.
Taja removed her dirty clothing. Despite their state, she folded each piece and placed them in a small pile in the corner so that they did not get the furniture dirty. The cool air gave her goose bumps as she moved toward the bath. It was elegant, including a small set of stairs leading up to it. The tub looked more like a small pool than a tub.
How did he heat up this much water? Taja could not help these kinds of thoughts as she placed her foot in the water. As soon as she felt the warmth, the young woman closed her eyes and sighed. Slowly she got in the water. Taja ducked under the water, and emerged with a satisfied smile and a slight moan. She couldn’t remember anything feeling so good. For a few minutes, she swam around the tub, enjoying the way the warm water moved around her. She had no idea how much time had passed, but at some point she realized that her hands were getting wr
inkly from her time in the water.
Peeking her head over the edge, the young woman noticed some clothing and towels near the small steps. Were they there when I got in?
Her mind pondered several scenarios. It was entirely likely that she had missed them in her hurry to get warm. Even if Phelan had come in as she washed, there was no way he would have been able to see her over the high lip of the bath.
Stepping out of the water, she reached down and picked up a towel. With a few quick movements, Taja wrapped her hair up. She then took the second towel and began to dry off. Now out of the water, the young woman felt cold. Slipping the shirt on, she wondered how it felt so warm. Truly, the man must be a wizard, and a very good one. Or perhaps he specialized in heating. Taja didn’t really know much about them as she had only met one in nearly 21 years.
It didn’t take long before she was completely dressed. Removing the towel and hanging it neatly, she moved into an adjoining room. It didn’t seem right that she would go into the kitchen.
“Phelan?” Her voice was uncertain as she looked for him.
As if her voice brought him to her, Phelan appeared in a doorway to her left, the opposite direction of the kitchen.
“I hope you are feeling better.” He moved to her and lifted her hands. Taja felt she knew what came next. He would want something from her now, and she was not going to resist. She kept her head raised so that she could watch him.
Instead, he looked at her hands, turning them over so that he could thoroughly examine them. “They don’t look quite so bad, just a little wrinkled.” He gave them a little squeeze. “It just shows how beautiful your hands will still be in thirty years.” His smile was stunning as he looked at her. “Come. You have your pick of rooms for the night as no one else is here.”
Taja wondered if perhaps this man was married. She had never met a man who was faithful, but then she hadn’t been around the kind who would be. Perhaps this was what they were like. Or maybe… her eyes watched the way the man moved. It was possible that she would not have anything to offer him.
Phelan held out a hand, “Your choice. Just not that one.” He pointed at the room at the end of the hall. The door was open. “That one’s mine, and it’s set up for certain… traditions I have before sleeping.” He gave her an embarrassed smile, “It would take too long to set everything up anywhere else, so I have to ask that you not choose that room.”
Taja looked at him, wishing she could ask. Instead she responded, “I won’t take your room. There are plenty of others. Thank you.” It was incredibly rare that she had to swallow so many questions, but she was not about to do something that could offend him. Before she got to look, there was a loud insistent knocking on the door. Her eyes moved to Phelan, who quickly masked a look of concern. “Go ahead and get some sleep. But you may want to hide… just in case.” He gave her a quick grin and left. He had not pointed out the obvious that it could be people there for her.
Without thinking, Taja went into his room and shut the door. She was cautious to make sure the door didn’t make any sounds as it closed. The room was directly above the door so she could hear what was going on below.
She sat still, holding her breath as she heard someone announce that they were the guard. Phelan let them in without hesitation. For a moment she was shocked by how reckless that was. Then she realized that a man who is innocent has nothing to hide – by letting them in without condition he was giving them a certain impression. Though she could not hear exactly what they were saying, Taja could tell they were there to search. Her hand went to her heart, and the young woman lowered herself to the floor trying to hear better. From what they were saying and Phelan’s response, it sounded like they were looking for something, not someone. Was it possible that no one had realized she was gone?
Her eyes went to the window where the black of the sky reminded her it was still night. Though little must have remained of the night, it was still far too early for anyone to have gone to her cell to check on her. The execution would be around mid-day so that as many people who wished to witness it could. Then the guards were here for something else. She could hear them making noise as they moved around the house.
Looking around the room, Taja knew that she could do something to help get rid of the guards faster. There were a number of strange things in the room that she tried to hide, her little feet making no noise as she went about it. She was removing her clothes as she heard the men coming up the stairs. Phelan had remained quiet over the course of the search.
One of the guards was talking to him, “I must admit, sir, you have been rather quiet. That isn’t exactly like you. Usually, you have quite the mouth on you. It makes me wonder exactly what it is you are hiding.”
“Why do I have to be hiding anything? Given the hour and an unexpected visit from the guard, my silence could easily be taken as anger.” There was a threat to his voice that caused Taja to pause.
The realization that she may have made the wrong decision flashed through her mind as all sounds stopped at the top of the stairs.
It was too late now. Quickly she pulled back the cover on the bed and climbed into it.
“Well, isn’t this interesting?” The guard sounded amused. “All of the doors are wide open, except for that one. Could it be that you are hiding something behind that door?” The footsteps were growing closer as Taja placed her head on the pillow.
The door opened and all noise stopped. Taja knew that her hair was visible from where they stood.
“Phelan? Is everything alright?” She made sure her voice sounded drowsy, as if they had only now woken her. Rolling over and starting to sit up, she gave a little gasp and clutched the sheet to her bare chest. “Oh.” Her eyes were wide as five sets of eyes stared at her.
Immediately, the guards began to blush. The one in front bowed to her, “I am so sorry, madam. Please excuse us.”
With that, everyone turned and left the room except Phelan. He remained a moment longer, his eyes taking in the changes to the room. Finally, he looked at her and she gave him a sheepish smile. His head tilted to the side and the hint of a smile tugged at his lips.
“I will return, my dear. Please continue to rest.” His voice was loud enough for the guards to hear as they hurried down the stairs. Phelan gave her a slight bow and left the room.
She could hear the men apologizing downstairs as they made their way out of the house. Clearly her presence had changed their mind about the likelihood that they would find whatever it was they were looking for. Swinging her legs over the bed, Taja picked up her clothing and began to dress. She still needed to pick a room for the night, but her eyes kept looking around the room. She should put everything back. Setting to work, the young woman tried to return everything to their original places.
The noise downstairs stopped, but she was too focused to notice. When the bedroom door opened, she looked over and saw Phelan enter.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, coming over to her. “I’ll take care of putting everything back.” He took something out of her hands just as she had lifted it. His hand brushed hers as he did, and Taja froze. He looked over at her, the friendly smile on his lips. “You can let go. I’ve got it.”
Taja let go of the large round item, her mind no longer wondering what it was. Phelan began to walk away with it when her hand reached out and stopped him. He stopped and turned to look at her. “Is something wrong?”
Taja gripped his sleeve tighter. “Are you married?”
Phelan’s eyes widened in shock. “What?”
Her eyes went up to his. “Are you married?”
“Uh, no?” It was the first time she had heard him sound uncertain.
Gently she placed her hand on his and she pressed down, indicating he should put the item down. His eyes looked her over. “Are you hurting? Is everything alright?” He placed the object to the side and stepped back to look at her.
Slowly she stepped forward and put her hand on his chest. “Why?” Her eye
s searched his.
He looked down at her hand, then into her face. “Why?”
“Why are you helping me? I haven’t seen you treat anyone else like you treat me.”
Phelan’s face relaxed. “Because you needed it. Most people can do better, but they don’t try. It was obvious that you try, but others get in the way. It’s not fair for people like us.”
Taja’s expression clouded over. “You are a foreign diplomat with money and power. I am no one. We are not alike at all.”
He frowned at her and took her hand. “We are far more alike than not. Come here.” He pulled her to the bed and sat her down. Phelan didn’t even seem aware that they were sitting on the same bed as he continued. “You are what, third generation pixie?”
Taja furrowed her eyebrow. “I do not know what you are talking about.”
His hand stroked her hair. “This is not the hair of someone who is fully human. These,” he picked up her petite hands, “are not something you find on a full grown human. They are not meant for the kind of work you have been doing.” His eyes shifted from her hands to her face. “No human could be so evenly...” he stopped himself as his hand moved to her check. Pulling it back, he looked at her and realized, “But you didn’t know, did you?”
Taja tilted her head. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Phelan closed his eyes, a clear look of anger crossing his face. “Your parents never told you.”
Taja shook her head, “My mother and I never talk about the past, or at least not that far back. I never knew my father.”
Phelan’s face flashed a look of anger, but he hid it quickly. “She was ashamed. Typical human.”
Taja fidgeted, something she had not done in years, not since Braylon had sat her down to talk about changing her life. “You talk as if you aren’t human.”
Phelan opened his mouth for a moment, then bit his lip. “No, I am decidedly not human.”
Taja blinked a few times. “You say it like being human is a bad thing.”
He lifted an eyebrow and looked down at her. “I loathe humans.” The expression on his face made it clear that he did not want to talk about it further.
