The Lost Harvestmere

The camp fire was burning low and the conversation was sputtering. Elissa smiled across the embers at Nathaniel. Despite everything that had happened, friendship was growing between the pair. His hatred had been ripped away by the revelations from his sister about their father. She had forgiven him for wanting to kill her. She probably would have felt no differently, she reasoned. She couldn't imagine her father doing something like his did, but perhaps he had felt the same way.

Nathaniel was a handful of years older than her. As children of nobles they had a lot in common and knew something of each others histories. The tales they told each other of their childhood amused them both. There was one subject though that never came up and Nathaniel's curiosity burned. Perhaps it would be impolite to mention it, but maybe the trust that had been building between them could sustain such an invasion of privacy. Nathaniel considered a moment longer then plunged ahead.

"Liss, would it reawaken too many bad memories if I asked about the kidnapping?" he ventured tentatively.

Her eyes grew unfocused for a moment as she stared at the smoldering embers. "No." She shook her head. "I hardly ever think about it. It seems like it happened to someone else. It almost doesn't seem like it was real."

"You were lucky you were returned. Some of the children that disappeared never came back," Nathaniel commented. "I remember you were gone the entire month of Harvestmere. Everyone thought you would never return."

"Yes, I was lucky," she replied. There was something detached about her response.

"Did you ever see any of the other children? What happened to them?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I didn't see any other children."

"Did you ever wonder why they took you?"

"Not really. I always seemed obvious they wanted a big ransom. My parents were very wealthy. They treated me well. I wasn't harmed. I was given a nice room and toys. A man came to tutor me everyday, so my studies kept up. It was a little boring because they wouldn't let me outside to play, but not entirely unpleasant." She hesitated a moment, looking like she was searching for a memory.

"There was a card..." her voice trailed off and suddenly the distant, far-away look in her eyes was replaced by her normal expression.

"A card?" Nathaniel asked.

"Hm?"

"You said, 'There was a card', what were you going to say?" he asked.

"I did? I don't remember now."

"Why don't you go to bed. I'll be fine until the watch is over. You do look very tired," he suggested.

Elissa smiled at Nathaniel. She gave him a quick, friendly hug. "I... well, thanks," she struggled with the words. "I just want to thank you for forgiving me." She pulled away from the embrace but he stopped her, his arm snaking around her waist and pulling her back to him.

"No," he protested, "I should be thanking you." He gave her a moment to pull away and when she didn't his mouth came down on hers, gently, in a tentative kiss. He felt her respond. Her lips relaxed and she returned it. When she pulled away her cheeks were flushed.

"I'd better go to bed," she mumbled.

"Good night, Liss." He watched her retreat to her tent. When he was certain she was gone he smiled into the embers.