I've been known to take my time
And I've been told that I'm all right
But I don't know if I'm you're kind
All I know is that you are on my mind
"On My Mind" Kalai
Chapter 10:
Elizabeth had a good fire going. Normally she didn't build a fire in the spring, but as it turned out, she had something to burn this evening.
After reading the letter she had quietly made a fire in the hearth and had put it in without ceremony. She was used to this sort of thing and very rarely made a big deal out of it. She found it didn't much help.
Three years back it had been a forty-year-old man who was called Mills. Jarred Mills, he was a farmer…if he could really be called a farmer. He hadn't owned much land and was only able to grow a few sad turnips in the land he did own. Most of the men who proposed to her didn't try much in the ways of romance, but every once in a while you got the sort who were bright enough and also, when it came to it, dumb enough to try to romance her.
Walter May had invited her to dinner…no doubt his son would be there as well. Well, one thing was for sure. Elizabeth would not. She never accepted invitations from anyone these days. In the letter, Walter wrote that he would send over someone tomorrow morning to receive her answer.
Elizabeth scowled and went to making herself some tea. She then sat and sipped at it for a while until the light of dusk began to fade. When the last of the rays disappeared over the grassy hills, she lit a candle and uncovered her painting. It was easier to work on it in the dark. This was not because she was trying to be dramatic or romantic, but because the darkness and the daylight each put people in a different mindset, and in the dark, certain things became easier for the human mind to comprehend.
XXX
The dew lay on the grass, freezing her bare toes. It was dawn and the sun would soon rise and in a couple of hours it would almost be warm, but for now Elizabeth was cold in that annoying way that suggested if she only had a light jacket or a long sleeved shirt she could be content.
Up in the sky the clouds covered the moonlight, making it look milky as it filtered through them.
Elizabeth cast a look around; she was in her own front yard. From her house, a light flickered faintly. Candlelight. She felt a cold heavy drop land on the back of her neck. A few more hit her shoulders. Then it began to rain. Elizabeth crossed her arms and turned towards her house, towards the warmth…then she heard hoof beats.
She turned slowly as a great black horse came out of the night. A shrouded rider held the reigns, it's cloak billowed out as the creature neared her. Then, the horse stopped. The rider looked down at her, regarding her as someone might regard a small meaningless insect.
Elizabeth took a step back, shivering.
The figure on the horse raised a gloved hand and pulled back it's hood.
"I have some business with you."
As she watched this in mounting horror, something was suddenly thrown over her shivering shoulders, this and a voice cut through her dream like the wind on an autumn day
XXX
"Wzfgt." Elizabeth said as she came out of her sleep.
PARDON?
She was sitting on the bench on her porch. For a moment she wondered about this until her memory came back to her, then, with her paranoid alert fading she looked up into the faint blue glow deep in Death's eye sockets inquiringly.
"What?" She asked, still half asleep. She noticed that the slightly worn blanket she usually kept draped over her bench was now draped over her shoulders and out beyond her porch it was raining.
WHAT DOES WZFGT MEAN?
"Huh?" Elizabeth asked as her mind tried to catch up.
YOU SAID IT AS YOU WERE WAKING UP.
"Oh…er…it was just a general waking up sound." She said as she pulled the blanket around her tightly. In one corner, the cat was sleeping in what appeared to be the only dry spot on the small porch. She couldn't imagine how he had found it.
AH.
"How long have you been here?" She asked as she sat up.
NOT LONG.
"Good…er…what time is it?"
I BELIEVE IT IS NEARLY TEN O' CLOCK. WHAT FOR ARE YOU SLEEPING OUT IN THE RAIN?
"When I came out this morning it wasn't raining." She said as she stood. "Do you want a cup of tea or something?"
TEA WOULD BE NICE.
XXX
After she had the tea made she returned to the porch, where Death appeared to be staring out into the rain.
"Unfortunately I only have ginger and orange. I ran out of all of the other kinds. Um…you can come inside if you like."
THAT IS ALL RIGHT.
Elizabeth blew on her own tea and then took a sip. Even the flavors that everyone saved for last were nice when it was raining out.
WHICH FLAVOR IS THIS? Death asked after a moment of rain filled silence.
"Ginger."
IT BURNS.
"Yeah…ginger tends to…"
I THINK I WOULD HAVE PREFERED ORANGE.
"Sorry…"
IT IS ALL RIGHT. YOU SEEM TO HAVE A VISITOR. He said as he motioned towards the path.
Elizabeth blinked and looked up. Sure enough, a horse was slowly making its way towards the house. It was a sad thing, especially next to Binky, who was eating grass and ignoring the rain (It seemed as if the rain was ignoring him as well) It was skinny and soaking wet from the storm. An equally sad man sat in the saddle.
"So it seems." Elizabeth said wearily.
SHALL I COME BACK LATER?
"This won't take long." There was an edge to her voice.
When the man finally got to Elizabeth she saw he was quite old. He was hunched over the sad soaken creature and was gripping the reigns with white wrinkled hands. He peered at her nearsightedly.
"Is this the residence of Miss Elizabeth Shaul?"
"Uh huh…" Elizabeth said as she crossed her arms.
" Mr. Perch at your service, lady, I'm here about Mr. May's invitation for dinner." As he said this his eyes traveled to Death, who was regarding him with interest. Even if he couldn't see Death clearly, something must have come across because he grew visibly nervous.
"You're his manservant?" Elizabeth asked.
"Well…his neighbor actually…he gave me a dollar to pretend to be his manservant." Mr. Perch said.
"Ah…"
"I'm not entirely sure I was supposed to tell you that." He cast another nervous look towards Death and cleared his throat.
"I imagine not."
"Um…right…your answer?" He said as he tore his eyes off of the seven-foot skeleton.
"Tell him 'no.'"
"Oh…er…just no?"
Elizabeth didn't say anything.
"You wouldn't care to elaborate?"
"Not really."
"Just no then…he will um…be a bit upset…I should think." This did not seem to have an effect on Elizabeth, so he turned back towards his horse. Something seemed to come to his attention as he climbed back up into the saddle. "Um…I-is that your horse, there…er…he's er…"
HE IS MINE. Death said, as he leaned nonchalantly against the side of Elizabeth's porch.
"Right…right…uh…very nice…I've never seen one like that…raise horses myself (At this point Elizabeth cast the man's horse a sympathetic look)…um…is he…uh…supposed to be floating like that?" Elizabeth frowned and shared a brief look with Death before turning back towards the wretched looking man.
"Horses don't float, Mr. Perch." Elizabeth said, with a straight face. It was all she could think to say.
"Right…course they don't, course they don't…must be tired. I'll just be on my way then."
"Yes."
Looking worried, Mr. Perch eased his horse back onto the road. He ignored Binky in case he saw something that upset him.
DINNER? Death asked as he motioned for Binky to approach the porch.
"Yes…er…a request from a local man…it isn't important…"
Elizabeth gave him a sideways look and then tipped the rest of her tea onto the lawn.
"Are you ready to go?"
YES. Death said, a hint of curiosity still in is façade.
"Good. I'm just going to get my cloak." Elizabeth said as she went back into the house.
XXX
They spent a couple hours in town, moving around different shops filled with curious things. Occasionally, Death would ask an odd question about something that most people would just ignore.
Finally, when they were finished, and Binky was loaded with a lot of, in many cases, useless junk, Elizabeth turned to Death.
"Well…I suppose that's about it for today…" Elizabeth said with a sigh. It had stopped raining earlier and the temperature had become very comfortable.
YES.
"There doesn't seem to be a lot of room left on your horse…I suppose I shall walk home?"
HE CAN HOLD A LIMITLESS AMMOUNT OF WEIGHT. Death replied. He seemed to think about something for a moment. NEVERTHELESS…IT MIGHT BE NICE FOR YOU TO WALK…
"Yeah…the sun's even coming out." She said distantly. He's still upset…because of yesterday. There was an uncomfortable silence. Then, Death moved towards Binky and broke the silence.
I SUPPOSE I SHALL BE…She interrupted him. (This was something he was unaccustomed to)
"Would you like to walk with me? Er…I mean…if your not too busy?"
I AM ALWAYS BUSY. He said, sounding a little bewildered. BUT I WOULD LIKE THAT. ER…ARE YOU SURE?
"Yes…it would…er…be nice to have some company."
XXX
They walked through the town for several minutes in silence. Death had sent Binky back to his house and was watching the scenery with quiet interest. There seemed to be a lot of activity in town aside from the regular bustle related to the marketplace.
"They have a festival every year for the coming of spring, dancing and food and so on."
AH YES, I UNDERSTAND THIS SORT OF THING IS CUSTOM. DO THEY DANCE THE MORRIS? I HAVE SEEN IT ON A COUPLE OCCASIONS AND HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED IT.
"Not until May 1st. But the party always comes a few weeks before. Actually I think it's tomorrow night." She smiled a little. "My dad used to take me to dance when I was younger."
ARE YOU GOING TO ATTEND? Her smiled faded a little.
"No…I haven't been to one since my…er…my dad died…"
AH. A SHAME.
Once they got out of town Elizabeth relaxed a little. She was always a bit uneasy in the settlement. She felt often that people were watching her.
HAVE YOU TRIED THE CLOCKS? Elizabeth looked at him curiously, then followed his gaze to the dandelions, which, were in fact everywhere.
"That's just a child's myth." She said as she shifted her cloak from one arm to the other (She had taken it off earlier when the rain stopped) Death nodded.
AH. SO IT DID NOT WORK. She smiled a little.
"No…not once."
PERHAPS YOU WERE NOT BLOWING RIGHT.
"Well if it's a matter of how hard you blow then it can hardly be accurate. Anyone could blow just hard enough so it matched the time of day perfectly."
I SUPPOSE SO.
"I'm curious…" She said after another long period of silence.
HUMANS OFTEN ARE.
"About you I mean. You've not given me a proper answer since I've started working for you, and I should like one now."
OH?
"Why are you doing this? Why does Death need a bed that's soft…or a hairbrush that works for that matter?"
AH. WELL…WHY NOT?
"Er…"
WHAT I MEAN TO SAY IS…WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HAIR BRUSH THAT WORKS AND ONE THAT IS STUCK TO THE DRESSER?
"Well…it works for a start."
YES…BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE WHEN I AM NOT GOING TO USE EITHER.
"Nothing…I guess." She said. He nodded, and apparently that was meant to clear things up. Elizabeth frowned. She felt as if she had missed something.
"Wait…if neither matters then why have either?"
BECAUSE, IF I HAVE NO HAIRBRUSH THEN I WHAT AM I?
"Er…"
WELL…WHEN I MEAN HAIRBRUSH OBVIOUSLY I DON'T MEAN THE HAIRBRUSH NECESSARILY…OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT IF I HAVE A HAIRBRUSH…
"I shouldn't think it would matter at all."
NO…I SUPPOSE NOT…THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT…AND IT SHOULD NOT BE…IT IS A HUMAN THING. He seemed to think for a moment. Elizabeth also thought for a moment, then, after a while she turned towards him again.
"Your Death…"
YES.
"You'd be Death without the hairbrush."
YES.
"Now…your Death with a hairbrush."
I'M AFRAID SO.
"And that's important to you?"
I SUPPOSE IT MAKES LESS SENSE THEN I THOUGHT.
"It makes no sense at all."
Now Elizabeth could see her house. She leaned down and picked a dandelion, for no apparent reason and brought it up to her eyes.
"Filling your house up with things you don't need…" She said. She handed the dandelion to him as they reached her house. "Almost human. Although the hairbrush is a bit silly."
Death eyed the dandelion for a moment before looking up at her.
ELIZABETH.
"Hmm?" She said. He seemed to be thinking something over very carefully.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TO THE FESTIVAL?
"Pardon?" She asked, suddenly confused.
THE FESTIVAL…WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TOMORROW NIGHT?
"W-with you…you mean?"
YES…I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME. He became suddenly nervous. IT IS…OF COURSE, ALL RIGHT IF YOU WOULD RATHER NOT.
"Er…well I… mean it has been a long time and…I suppose the reason I haven't gone is because it would be sort of awkward to go myself…I don't exactly get along with a lot of people in town…but…er…" He seemed to be growing uncomfortable.
"Yes?" She said, still a bit perplexed.
EXCELLENT. I SHALL COME AT SEVEN THEN…ER…YOU MAY HAVE THE DAY OFF, OF COURSE.
"Right." She answered in a far off voice.
I WILL SEE YOU THEN ELIZABETH.
"Uh huh…" She answered. He snapped his fingers and was gone.
XXX
All right…I figured it was about time to get things moving along (Not necessarily the romance so much as the story) From here on out…I basically have everything planned…it may change a little as I go along, but most of it has been set in my mind since the beginning.
Ah yes, I drew a picture for this fic and although, Elizabeth did not come out quite as well as I hoped (Too pretty I think) if anyone's interested, theres a link to my deviant account in my profile (Not the website link)...it should be the most recent image. It's not a big deal, just thought I'd mention it.
Thanks you for all of your reviews!