By Moonlight Wrought (Bt Moonlight Wrought)

by Crandall, John

  Melissa never felt so relaxed when touched by anyone. Dirk made her tingle all over, so relaxing at his touch was impossible. She had always despised the approach of suitors, except for Dirk, which confused her, because she could not deny they ‘made love’ but it seemed so unlike what she imagined being courted would be like. Their friendship seemed to complicate the love; or was it the love complicating the friendship? Could both exist together, and if not which would she rather have from him? For Dirk, she had a fond eagerness for things she had wanted only once in her life and never thought she would again, until she met him: Melissa had thought she loved a man earlier in her days, but now with Dirk she knew that earlier feeling not love, perhaps simple infatuation. But her love for Dirk was so different. It was not as eclipsing as it had been for her first ‘love’, where even concentrating on simple tasks was impossible. With Dirk there was a warmth, a need to be near him, and to know even when not near him that he was never far away, and forever would be.

  Fiona’s touch was noncommittal. Fiona was always touching her, whether it was pinching, pushing, hugging, rubbing, even punching lightly on the shoulder or arm. Though sometimes it hurt, Melissa didn’t mind, relishing the attention of a friend; a simple friend as compared to her whirlwind with Dirk. Melissa never had to give anything back or respond. There was no pressure and this let her feelings for her friend grow naturally, more deeply. Melissa was thinking, half-asleep, of how much she actually trusted Fiona, when the young woman began to speak.

  “Well, what do you think?” Fiona asked, gingerly squeezing the tension from Melissa’s shoulders.

  “About what?”

  “What we talked about last night: you worshiping with me.”

  “I don’t know. It sounds pretty weird. Pain and that kind of stuff,” Melissa said sleepily as she lay motionless, her eyes closed. “I never took much stock in the gods…Daddy would pray to the god of growing and all that…and I tried praying a few times…but it all seems so pointless. You hear of all these miracles and powerful priests doing big things…but you know, I never saw any of that in Stoneheim.”

  “Well the goddess I worship can be seen every day. Pain is a part of life; a big part. Suffering pain allows one to overcome it; to live through it to the joyful times. After pain, happiness is more exalting. The more extreme one’s pain, the more extreme one’s pleasure.” With that, Fiona pinched Melissa’s neck roughly, but Melissa felt her muscles become more relaxed and a warm, soothing feeling passed through her.

  “It’s still pretty weird. I mean, I don’t like pain and I don’t want to hurt anybody else either.”

  “You don’t have to. You just need to understand pain. Understanding will make you stronger.”

  “You mean, that’s why you’re so confident?” Melissa asked.

  “One of the reasons. Understanding makes one confident. Ignorance breeds fear, Melissa. Knowledge gives you a sense of security because you know exactly what you face, and being a warrior, if you understand pain, a great deal of fear can be assuaged.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “It means to ease it; to make the fear of pain not be so bad. It is as much a study as it is a religion.”

  “Like those funny robed guys who walk around chanting?”

  “Monks?” Fiona asked, laughing. “I don’t think we have any monks in our religion, but yes, I see your point. Monks do generally look deeply at things to try and gain understanding. We aren’t quite so ambitious: understanding pain is all we care about.”

  There came a knock on the door, followed by Donagee’s voice. “Melissa, there’s someone here to see you,” he said through the door.

  “Okay,” she yelled out. She tried to rise from under Fiona, but the girl’s legs were strong, especially for someone so thin, and Fiona squeezed them together while tickling Melissa’s ribs. Melissa screamed in agony, hating to be tickled, and after a few moments, she had had enough. Melissa reached around and grabbed Fiona’s head and pulled it down. Her body followed and Melissa rolled on top of her, sitting on Fiona’s belly and holding her wrists above her head.

  “I don’t know,” she continued the earlier discussion. “I will see.”

  “You remember back home? You felt pain and you wanted to hurt them back,” Fiona said, trying to wriggle free from Melissa’s grasp. Melissa let her go, thinking about her past, then rose and donned on her blouse, having only been wearing a cut-off undershirt for her massage.

  “I said ‘I’ll see,’” Melissa answered fervently as she tied her pants with a rope belt. She went to the door and with one last look, stuck out her tongue at Fiona and ran out the door.

  Dirk had stepped back in slight deference when the door opened; Donagee was there, well over six-and-a-half feet tall, though thin of build. Dirk was admitted then directed to wait in a small room to the left of the stairs while Donagee went in search of Melissa. Dirk walked where requested and gazed around nonchalantly: the room contained a fireplace, a few chairs and a couch on which Dirk promptly sat. Soon, after not too long a wait, he heard softly running feet on their way down the stairs, and he stood just in time to see Melissa leap down the last few steps. Looking around, Melissa opened her mouth to call out then she turned and saw Dirk. Her eyes grew wide and a large smile came over her face as she walked hurriedly to him, stretching up and giving him a quick, friendly kiss on the cheek.

  “Wow,” she said with her hands on her hips, standing back to look at him as if they had not seen each other in years. “What brings you ‘round here stranger?” Her eyes sparkled and Dirk could not help but return her smile, seeing Melissa so delighted. She stood there looking at him and after a few moments of his silence she spoke again. “Would you like a beer?”

  “Sure. That would be nice,” he said, his inspiration no more than the normal docile attitude he had shown her their entire relationship. “I like your hair.”

  “Oh this?” she asked, touching her ponytail, having forgotten it was there, “Fiona just put it up. It’s nothin’. Well, sit down. Don’t be in a hurry to run off.” She pushed him; hard. Dirk almost fell unintentionally, but let himself make a controlled landing back onto the couch while Melissa walked through a door at the back of the house behind the stairs which led to the kitchen. Dirk, left alone, then noticed a pretty young face peeking down at him from the stairs. She grinned, came down the last few stairs, and walked over intently, sitting down next to Dirk, and facing him while placing a hand upon his knee.

  “Hi, I’m Dirk,” he said with equal parts politeness and curiosity.

  “You must be,” the girl answered quietly; strangely. “I’m Fiona.” Dirk took her hand, stroked it a few times and placed it reservedly in her own lap. He had noticed during their brief touch that her hands were soft and slender, like Cinder’s, but stronger, and the short nails were painted a lustrous, shiny black. Just then, Melissa came back in and Dirk rightly turned his attention back to her.

  “What are you doing down here?” Melissa asked with a touch of jealousy. Fiona shrugged her reply and slyly put her hand back on Dirk’s leg. Melissa introduced the strangers and Dirk shook Fiona’s hand gently; mannerly. Without delay, Melissa jumped, butt-first, down between them, knocking each uncomfortably aside as they pulled their hands out from under her backside. She then grinned wickedly at Fiona, presenting a kind smile when she turned to Dirk.

  “Don’t want to hurt anybody, huh?” Fiona asked her.

  “I haven’t seen you in days,” Melissa said to Dirk, studying his handsome face and ignoring Fiona’s badgering.

  “Oh, I’ve been busy,” he said turning away guiltily.

  “Well, that doesn’t matter. You’re here now,” she said happily.

  “He sure is,” Fiona said with an enticing voice and smile. Melissa looked at her impatiently. “Are you mad because I’m flirting with your boyfriend?” Fiona asked, punctuating the word ‘boyfriend.’

  Melissa scoffed, “He’s not my boyfriend. We’re just friends.” Then sh
e thought about her answer; why was he not her ‘boyfriend’? She had lain with him and felt for him more deeply than any other person in her life. Dirk seemed to like her, besides. Why weren’t they more than lovers? Fiona would know and Melissa made it a point to remember to ask her later.

  At the momentary silence offered for introspection, Dirk looked down the couch at the two dissimilar sisters: tanned, healthy skin, blonde hair (Fiona’s was lighter and much shorter), brown eyes (Melissa’s were dark and soft while Fiona’s were lighter with tiny dark speckles and a penetrating stare, as if she could read Dirk’s very thoughts).

  “Mel tells me that you’re in security at Bessemer’s?” Fiona asked. Dirk wondered at the name “Mel,” but answered nonetheless.

  “Yes.”

  “Interested in a job?” she continued. “Free housing and food? Easy work and hours? Lots of companionship?” She raised her brows and Dirk did not know if she meant Melissa or herself in the department of companionship.

  “No, I like my job,” he said, proud in the progress he had made at Bessemer’s. “For as long as I’ll have it.”

  “Do you think you’ll get fired?” Melissa asked, concerned, wondering if something had gone amiss.

  “No,” Dirk chuckled. “I just want to do something else. I’d like to go adventuring in the Wild.”

  “Oh yeah?” Fiona asked, sounding particularly intrigued. “We should all do that,” she plied eagerly. “Part time, I mean,” she added, not completely ready to give up her easy life.

  Dirk was horrified. He had only ever imagined going alone or maybe with a group of surly men, out taming the fierce wilderness. “Well, I don’t think so. I’ll probably never go,” he added quickly, clearing his throat. Fiona looked at him, studying his face. Her intensity made him nervous.

  “That’s not it, not it at all! You don’t think we can do it,” Fiona said.

  “I didn’t say that,” Dirk lied timidly. Melissa sat between them, watching and listening, satisfied without adding her own thoughts. Melissa was comfortable at such times when she was allowed to be quiet, as she naturally was, without being prodded to participate.

  “I bet you’ve never seen a better archer, and Mel knows life outside the city. She could find food and water. I know the art of healing and ancient lore, too. That’s pretty damn important if you’re trying to explore some of the ruins that lie all over this kingdom.”

  Dirk had never thought about it. What if he did get hurt? He was lucky if he could care for an ingrown nail or stop the bleeding garnered from an errant knife blade while opening crates, let alone some weapon-induced wound. And then there was food to worry about. How many dried rations could he carry, and how long could he live on such stale fare? So Dirk agreed to at least talk about the possibility for a joint adventure for an hour or so, and though he then may have been more convinced of their abilities, he still was not ready, at least not yet, to make any real plans: that part of the journey would all be up to Vandelar. He said good-bye to Fiona and took Melissa for a few drinks and some private conversation. After escorting her back home, Dirk left quickly, and Fiona was waiting downstairs for her friend’s return.

  “Where’s Dirk?” she asked, running up to the door. Melissa hurriedly shut it, jealous of Fiona and not wanting her to see Dirk again that night.

  “He left,” she said.

  “Where did you go?” Fiona took Melissa’s hand and led her upstairs and into Melissa’s room. Fiona jumped onto the bed, bouncing up and down excitedly several times like a child, waiting for her friend to answer. Melissa undid her ponytail and brushed it out unemotionally as she sat on the edge of her bed. “Well?” Fiona pressed. “Tell me all the details.”

  “Of what.”

  “Did you do it?”

  “Do what?”

  “Sex,” Fiona blurted.

  “No, and if I had, I wouldn’t tell you anything. That’s not why we see each other.”

  “I would,” Fiona said, rolling onto her back and drawing her knees up to her chest, pulling Melissa back to lie between them. Melissa grew angry; the first time Fiona had ever seen her that way. She spun and pressed her fist into Fiona’s breastbone, pinning her to the bed, and raised her other fist as if she were going to punch her in the nose. Fiona flinched momentarily then regained her composure.

  Melissa released Fiona and stood up. It was none of Fiona’s business. That’s what Melissa kept telling herself. But she wondered why Dirk didn’t seem to want to have sex recently, or at least press her for it, so that she could deny him. Should she have not given into him sexually? Was she already conquered and no longer a challenge? She wondered if he didn’t like her any more, but that did not completely convince her since he did travel the length of the city to visit her that night. They had had a nice evening and that was enough for her. She didn’t really like sex anyway, or so she told herself. So it was all the better that Dirk didn’t want it all the time. She hoped that maybe in that respect, Dirk was just like her. Fiona could read much of Melissa’s distress, even though she did not mention any of it. Fiona’s knack for reading people did not come through magic, but intuition.

  “I’m sure he likes you. He just seems shy,” Fiona said softly. Melissa wanted to pretend she didn’t know at what Fiona was hinting, just ignore her, but she needed someone to talk to: she was so confused.

  “Why don’t you think he wants to marry me?” she asked solemnly.

  “Whoa! You’re going too fast: country fast. There’s no hurry to marry here in the city, Mel. You don’t need kids to secure your future or to help you get the crops in. Here life is secured by money. You can buy security and food. People have children for fun, or love, or who knows what, but it’s not for free labor. There is no hurry. If you hurry, you’ll drive that man off. He’s born and bred city-folk, Melissa.” Melissa had told Fiona everything about Dirk. He was her favorite subject and she talked about him almost exclusively. “Give him a chance.”

  “How long? He’ll find someone else,” Melissa said sadly.

  “Then he really wasn’t meant for you, or doesn’t deserve you either, frankly. Besides, you can’t know him after one month. Give it a year or three.” Fiona rose walked over to her. “Give him a chance to know and appreciate you. Remember, he’s an orphan. He’s probably a loner and needs to find himself and his dreams before he can find a wife. Really,” Fiona said reassuringly. “Give him a chance. You can’t hoard what you don’t have. There is a bond between you. I can feel it. And I bet he can too.” She rubbed Melissa’s back, and to her surprise, Melissa turned around and hugged her, nearly squeezing the breath out of Fiona. They stood there several minutes; Melissa clinging, Fiona stroking.

  “I’m tired,” Melissa finally said, breaking away. “I think I want to go to bed.”

  “Sure, Mel,” Fiona said. Though it was early and Fiona had wanted to take Melissa back out on the town, and hopefully talk religion, she left, smiling a comforting smile for the confused farm girl. Melissa undressed and went to bed, sobbing softly over her unsteady life that she saw getting more and more out of control everyday, and she just knew that it was going to get worse before it got better.

  Cinder walked down the street. It was late in the night. There was no moon, and even if there had been, the fog would have prevented any sight of it. The conditions made the street seem as if a tunnel with walls made of gray, swirling mist. It was warm and damp, as well as quiet, deathly quiet, so Cinder tried to whistle, but the tune died inches from her lips. The only sounds available were the ‘whoosh’ of her dress and the ‘click’ of her heels against the cobblestones. Then suddenly, solemnly, breathing could be distinguished: soft, slow breathing. But then it changed, it was no longer soft nor slow, but heavy and panting; hissing. It wasn’t her breath at all.

  She stopped.

  There was not a sound in the world and Cinder’s super-sensitive ears throbbed at the silence. She felt something and spun around, thinking then that she caught a glimpse of a shadow f
litting through the mist. A breath of cold, musty air blew across her face and behind her Cinder felt It: something blacker than night. She could feel Its dark icy fingers reaching for her throat. She twirled back again and there It stood; a large black shape. She caught the glint of steel in Its shadowy limb, the steel of a small blade, and then It caught her. It flashed out and stuck her in the abdomen and Cinder couldn’t even scream. She couldn’t breath. As the monster moved against Cinder, she felt Its blade rip her tender flesh. Her world spun as she was no longer on the street but lying on her bed, looking up, the ceiling whirl-pooling above her as she bled out.

  “Cinder come home!” a feminine voice screamed in her head.

  Cinder sat bolt upright in bed, her heart pounding so fiercely she thought it would burst through her chest and she sucked a long, deep and loud breath, like someone who had nearly been drowned, into her heaving lungs. Her hands tightly gripped her stomach and she looked down expecting to see herself covered in blood. With the relief that there was none, Cinder brushed the dark locks away from her face and fell back onto her pillow, terribly afraid. The sheets were wet and cold from perspiration, so she rolled over and put her head on his chest, but he pushed her back and rolled away. Cinder clung feebly to him, laying her head then on his back, peering cautiously around the room. It was vaguely familiar; she had been drunk when she arrived and all memories after her arrival were still sketchy to her.

  The only things she could firmly remember were the ceiling with its large mirror, and the bed; especially its four posts. She looked at her wrists, the leather thongs were still wrapped about each one. She reached under the covers and loosened the straps of her shoes and kicked them off and down into the corner of the bed. She took her silk encased feet and placed them between his calves, but again he pushed her away and she lay there motionless the rest of the night afraid and staring into the darkness until she briefly fell asleep just before sunrise, and the terrible dream was pushed from her memory.