23
Ruva walked through the palace hallways, remembering every twist and turn. The last week at Akarnae had flew by, and now she spent every day in the summer sun.
Each morning Ruva would wake up early, just before the sun had risen. She would creep out of her room, almost running to the stables. Dancer would always be waiting, and they'd ride into the forest together.
Ruva found her breakfast by foraging, dillyberries being her favourite because of the energy boost they gave her. But there were many fruits in season at the moment, so she often asked other animals for advice on where she could find some of the best fruit.
The animals were all too happy to help her, excited by the fact of meeting Ruva Equine Speaker, who stopped ten hunters with her bare hands…
…Or so they thought.
Ruva's celebrity status amongst the animals had skyrocketed, her whole life was legendary, with rumours increasing more and more. Ruva had snorted the first time a creature asked her how her assassination mission went, you know, the reason she hadn't been here for most of the year.
Ruva tried to correct the rumours, but in the end she realised it was a lost cause. The creatures here believed with all their hearts that she had near-mythical dregs of power, and even Ruva couldn't convince them otherwise.
Around noon, when it became blisteringly hot, Ruva rode Dancer back to the stable, making sure to give her plenty of water and to brush her down well.
Then, Ruva would spend the afternoon with Sela, helping her with patients in the Palace Infirmary. When there were no patients to treat, Sela further extended Ruva's knowledge about all things medical. Ruva learnt much more than she did in Luranda's lessons, if only because she got more practical experience.
Ruva would have dinner with both her adoptive parents, before going back to the stables with Corbin. They'd feed all the horses, brush them, and tended to whatever else needed doing.
It was the perfect rhythm for the holidays, relaxing Ruva more than anything else could have.
Then again, Ruva still became very nervous when an invitation arrived for her. An invitation for a sleepover.
An invitation from Leo.
…
Ruva unpacked her bag again, making sure she had everything she needed. She knew she was being paranoid, and whenever she stopped moving her hands went straight to her Myrox necklace. Sela noticed her nerves and gave her hand a squeeze. Ruva smiled at Sela, her nerves easing ever so slightly. She helped Ruva pack her bag, reminding her of things she might need. Once she had packed her bag once more, Sela made her organise one of the first-aid kits. Ruva was grateful for the distraction, but it helped the time pass much too quickly.
But, when it was finally time to leave, Sela was unrelenting. She all but pushed Ruva through the bubbledoor, not letting her doubt. While Ruva was grateful she wasn't given time to second-guess herself, she wished she had more time to prepare herself for what was coming.
When Ruva came out the other end of the bubbledoor, she froze to the spot. Ruva was in the right place, at least, judging by the multitude of kids outside. They didn't notice Ruva, as they were all immersed in their own activities. Some of the older kids were playing a ball game, actively dodging the toys that littered the lawn and the smaller children, too.
She could hear people yelling from the house, and Ruva realised it was larger than she thought. When Leo said three bedrooms, Ruva had imagined he lived in a terrace, something similar to Arra's house. But the house was two storeys, and of decent quality. Ruva looked to the second storey, seeing kids run past the windows and onto a small balcony.
Ruva took a step forward, hesitating. What did she do now? Ruva wanted to find Leo, as she didn't know what sort of reception she would receive from Leo's siblings. Ruva looked around once more, trying to catch a glimpse of Leo's face.
When she didn't see any sign of Leo, she slumped. Ruva didn't have the courage to ask any of the kids that ran past her – even around her – without noticing. Ruva had one idea left, but Leo would have to be close by for it to work.
'Leo? Can you hear me? It's Ruva… I'm here now.'
Leo's response was instant. 'Ruva! You've arrived! Stay right there, I'll come and get you.' Ruva had to only wait ten seconds before Leo came running out the door. He came to a stop in front of her, giving her a quick hug.
Ruva's cheeks heated from the hug, despite the gesture being normal between two friends. "It's good to see you, Leo." Ruva stopped, not knowing what else to say.
But before the silence between them could become awkward, Leo smiled. 'It's good to see you too.' Leo grabbed Ruva's hand, 'Come on, I want to show you everything!'
Leo pulled Ruva into the house, helping her dodge the toys and smaller children. Everyone was constantly moving, and Ruva had to put active effort into where she stepped so she wouldn't bump into anyone. Leo moved around the people perfunctorily, and Ruva marvelled his skill. Leo led her all through the house.
Firstly, showing the kitchen, which had a pile of dishes so high Ruva wondered how they didn't fall over. Ruva asked Leo when the dishes had last been cleaned, and he shrugged, saying this morning.
Next Leo led Ruva into the dining room, a large room with two long tables taking centre stage. A few people were finishing their lunch, while others were drawing and colouring.
Leo led Ruva across the hallway, into a giant room that took up the other half of the second storey. Leo introduced her to the rumpus room, and warned her to watch where she stepped. Ruva looked down, realising that the floor was littered with toys. Looking at the kids doing various things, Ruva realised that this was the Wendyl house's equivalent to the rec room.
After the rumpus room, Leo pointed out a small room adjacent to it. 'That's the silent room,' he explained. 'It's where we go if we're studying or need some space.'
Peeking through the door, Ruva saw only one girl, reading what looked like a medical textbook. When Ruva pointed her out to Leo, he explained. 'That's Tia. She's about six years older than me, and she's studying to become a doctor.'
Ruva looked to the staircase at the front of the house, wondering what was on the second storey.
Leo followed her gaze. 'All of the bedrooms are upstairs, I'll show you where you're sleeping tonight.'
Ruva followed Leo up the stairs, and into the first room on the left. The room was large, probably twice the size of Ruva's dorm at Akarnae. Two bunk beds took up most of the room, and Ruva saw various belongings on five of the beds. A large wardrobe covered the entire wall to Ruva's right, with a decent sized window on the far wall.
'This is the Girls' Room, where you'll be sleeping tonight.'
Ruva nodded, spying a made bed that she guessed was hers for the night. "Where is everyone's stuff?" When Leo looked at her questioningly, she elaborated. "I mean, this room is pretty bare. Where are the toys? Books? There's barely any personal possessions here."
Leo's eyes lit with realisation. 'These are most of their possessions, all of the toys and other activities in this house are stored in the rumpus room. The things you see here are just personal items, that they don't want anyone else using.'
Ruva nodded, Leo's explanation making sense. In the Wendyl household, everything was shared with each other, resources were used equally, and everyone was given what they need.
Leo showed Ruva the Boys' Room only quickly, with Ruva realising it was similar to the girls', only it had three bunk beds instead of two.
Leo showed her the room that seemed to universally be called 'Mum and Dad's room', even though Leo's father was barely home and baby Milly slept there, too. The room had more items than the last two rooms, with a double bed in the centre and a cradle for Milly on the side.
Leo pointed to a door at the end of the hall, saying that the bathroom was through there. After that they went back downstairs, and Leo told Ruva he was going to introduce her to his mother. Ruva had froze as soon as she heard that, already full of nerves about meeting the woman who had raised Leo and all of his siblings.
'Come on, Mum is great. She's really kind, and she knows that visitors can feel awkward in our house. She'll be able to help you settle, Mum's been having kids here for sleepovers for about fifteen years.'
Heartened by Leo's support of his mother, Ruva followed him down the stairs and back into the kitchen.
Ruva's first impression of Mrs Wendyl was a middle-aged woman with a round face. She looked very soft-hearted, like she'd put her trust into every person she met. Ruva felt herself warming to her, watching her cook a gigantic feast, a baby in one arm.
Ruva's impression, however, was very wrong. A young child ran through the kitchen, accidentally knocking over a jug of water. The jug didn't smash – it was plastic, thankfully – but Mrs Wendyl grabbed the child by the wrist as he tried to run off. "Matt! Where do you think you're going?" asked Mrs Wendyl. "Grab a tea towel and clean up that mess."
Matt sighed, but he picked up a tea towel and cleaned up the mess anyway.
Ruva was surprised, the boy, Matt, looked like he was only five or six, but he still had to clean up the spill anyway.
Mrs Wendyl watched Matt for a few seconds, making sure he was actually cleaning up, before turning to Leo. "Ah, Leo. I didn't see you there. Is this the friend who is sleeping over with us tonight?"
Leo nodded, but Mrs Wendyl was already turning towards Ruva. "What's your name?"
"I – my name is Ruva," she said, slightly flustered by the woman's pushy nature.
"It's nice to meet you, Ruva. I'm Mrs Wendyl, the mother of all the children infesting this house," she said, giving Leo and Matt a look.
Leo gave a sheepish grin, and Ruva smiled back. They might have looked for a bit too long, as Mrs Wendyl gave a knowing look.
"So, you two are friends?" she asked, the hidden intent seeming all too clear.
'Mum!' said Leo. 'You said you wouldn't embarrass me.'
Mrs Wendyl gave Leo a sidelong look. Then, seeing Ruva's eternal embarrassment, said, "Leo, go set the table for dinner, I want Ruva to help me finish cooking."
Leo reluctantly left the room, leaving Ruva with Mrs Wendyl, someone who Ruva now realised was a woman with a steely core.
Mrs Wendyl was stirring a giant pot of soup, something that was giving a delicious aroma. Ruva watched on, unsure of how she could help. Mrs Wendyl turned around, noticing Ruva's awkwardness.
"Can you hold Milly for me? I need two hands to finish this off," said Mrs Wendyl.
Ruva stepped closer, unsure how to hold the cute, wriggling child. Mrs Wendyl noticed her lack of surety, and instructed her. "Use your right arm to hold her – yes, that's right. Just beneath her nappy. – now use your other arm to support her head, she should lean onto your shoulder."
The baby squirmed in Ruva's arms as she adjusted her grip, her tiny hands grabbing at Ruva's shirt. But once Ruva became still, the baby relaxed, leaning her tiny head into the crook of Ruva's neck. Once Milly was settled, Ruva found herself relaxing. Milly's small body fit perfectly against her, and her small hand wrapped around Ruva's neck.
Mrs Wendyl nodded. "You're good with children, have you got younger siblings of your own?"
Ruva shook her head, careful not to disturb Milly. "No, I'm an only child."
Mrs Wendyl smiled. "You're a natural, Ruva." Ruva smiled at her praise. "What about animals? Are you good with them too?"
Ruva nodded. "Yes, I am. My gift is animal speaking, and I spend lots of time with them."
Mrs Wendyl turned back to the pot. "I thought so."
Ruva wondered how she could have known, "Are you gifted?" she asked. Ruva could have checked the woman's ribbons, but it wasn't polite to look without a person's permission.
Mrs Wendyl laughed. "Unfortunately, no. The gifts come from my husband's side of the family. I just have years of experience when it comes to reading people."
"What can you tell about me?" asked Ruva. Her embarrassment over Leo was long gone, with Mrs Wendyl making her feel right at home.
"About you? Let me see… You move with uncommon grace, which tells me you are quick on your feet and are very flexible. Your hair is full of twigs and leaves, which tells me you like to explore. Your hands are calloused, which means you are dedicated to a physical activity." Mrs Wendyl looked at her closer, finally saying, "You handled Milly very carefully, respecting a being that was smaller and much more vulnerable than yourself. That is very commendable, as most would unconsciously see themselves as superior."
Ruva smiled at Mrs Wendyl, she truly was an observant woman. She made Ruva feel at home, something that very few people could do.
Mrs Wendyl finished her giant pot of soup, hauling it off the cookpot. She carried the pot into the dining room, where she placed it on the island bench to the side. Ruva saw that both tables were set with bowls and spoons, enough for all twelve people. Mrs Wendyl walked towards Ruva, and asked for Milly. Ruva nodded and handed the calm child over, only just realising how hard it was carrying the extra weight.
"I'll call everyone in for dinner now," said Mrs Wendyl, "Just make sure you're not standing too close to the soup, or you'll end up in the middle of the stampede."
Stampede of what? thought Ruva. She must have unconsciously projected the question to Leo, because he answered her.
'She's talking about my siblings. As soon as Mum calls out, they'll all come streaming in for food.'
"Ruva?" Mrs Wendyl asked, "Can you help me serve everyone dinner? I need someone to hand out bread to everyone."
Ruva nodded, despite the fact that she'd rather sit down at the table. But Ruva didn't want to turn down Mrs Wendyl's request, not when she didn't know how she would react.
Leo moved to the far table, and Ruva felt a twinge of nerves. 'Leo?' she called, unsure if Leo would hear her mental call from a further distance. When Leo looked up, Ruva knew it had worked. 'How does everyone know when dinner is ready?'
Leo's chocolate-brown eyes lit up. 'Just wait and see.'
That, thought Ruva, is really reassuring.
Leo had an almost devilish look on his face, something that Ruva had never seen before. She would have gazed at Leo for longer, but Mrs Wendyl had other ideas.
"DINNER!" yelled Mrs Wendyl, so loud that Ruva put her hands over her ears. But even with her ears blocked, she heard the resounding call of every kid in the house, all of them yelling as loud as they could.
Suddenly, the house went silent. There were no more shrieks of laughter in the background, no more arguing voices, something that had been constant up to this point.
Mrs Wendyl chuckled. "You had better get behind this bench, Ruva. I can hear them coming."
Ruva hurried behind the bench, then she heard them too. At first it was just a rumble, like some machine was starting up. It got louder, and louder, until the dining room doors burst open, and in swept a wave of kids.
Ruva was very happy that she was on the other side of the bench, especially when she saw the wave sweep across the two tables, with every individual kid grabbing a bowl, before changing direction and heading straight to the pot of soup Mrs Wendyl was making. They all stood in front of the island bench, with eager looks on their faces.
"Everyone," said Mrs Wendyl, "this is our guest for the night, Ruva. When I'm getting your soup, I want you to introduce yourself to Ruva. Is that clear?"
All of the kids nodded, some mumbling their confirmation.
Mrs Wendyl took the bowl from a girl who looked around ten. "I'm Libby, and I really like your hair. It's so pretty."
The next kid was a boy with stains on his shirt, who was definitely younger than Libby. "Girls are stinky! I'm not talking to a girl!"
The boy next to him rolled his eyes, and Ruva guessed he was around eighteen. "He's Matt and I'm Greg. Sorry about Matt, he's just going through a phase."
The kids continued to come, each introducing themselves to Ruva. She knew that she would never remember all the names, not when there was so many. Rob, Tia, Lisa, Greg, Milly, Matt, Libby, Nick. She would remember Leo, but everyone else was too much.
Ruva stood there as everyone else started their dinner, continuing to hand out bread rolls while Mrs Wendyl was serving soup. Finally, once everyone had been served, Leo came over with two bowls, filling them up with the delicious soup.
The three of them sat down at the table in the last spots available. Ruva looked at the chaotic table, noticing how there was way too many conversations happening at once. The younger kids were all talking about what they had done that day, while others were arguing about the latest Warriors' game. But the group closest to Ruva was talking about what they planned on doing once school had finished for them. This interested Ruva very much, as she had never thought of what she would do once she finished Akarnae.
"I want to work for the ISDS, I still can't believe I finished the third year exams at the specialist school!" said Nick, "Our teachers have been promising that next year we'll go on an excursion and I can't wait!"
Greg snorted, "You'll never get to see other races – let alone their cities – I highly doubt that they will let you go on an excursion, especially since you're only fifteen."
"That's not true! There's this one guy, Blake Ronnigan, who's been liaising with other races since he's started, and he's only nineteen!"
As always, Ruva found it difficult to join the conversation, so she imagined what she might do when she left Akarnae.
She could work for the ISDS, like Nick, where her animal speaking gift would be perfect to use. Although, the most important negotiations would be with Flips, Jarnocks, Shadow Walkers and Dayriders, all tongues that she found hard to pronounce.
Ruva couldn't think of where her second gift could be used, but its ability to interpret people's mental state could be used in prisons – not that she was eager to work there.
She definitely liked helping people, and Ruva knew she enjoyed being in the Palace Infirmary with Sela, maybe she could work in a hospital.
Now there was an idea, and she could use her second gift to gain a deeper understanding of her patients.
"Ruva?"
Ruva blinked, paying attention to her surroundings once more.
Mrs Wendyl laughed. "You look tired, Ruva. I think it's time everyone here gets some rest, I'll get Tia to show you your bed," she said. Then, standing up to face everyone in the room, she spoke. "You hear that, everyone? It's time for bed. Pyjamas, teeth, curtains shut, no TCDs in bedrooms – yes, I'm looking at you, Nick."
Everyone around Ruva started moving, all seeming to know what they were doing. Ruva froze in the middle, overwhelmed by the sudden amount of movement. Someone grabbed her hand and pulled her into the hallway.
Ruva looked up and saw Tia, the oldest in the family. "Come on, you need to get into your pyjamas before everyone else comes up. I saw how panicked you were in the middle of that, so you need to hurry or you'll be run over by everyone trying to get to the bedrooms."
Ruva nodded, surprised by the girl's abrupt instructions and the way she got straight to the point.
Ruva went into the girl's room, grabbing her pyjamas and then changing in the toilet. She heard the thundering sound of everyone running up the stairs, and Ruva decided she didn't want to come out just yet. It wasn't until everyone ran past that Ruva jumped out and went to quickly brush her teeth before everyone came out of the bedrooms.
Tia was in there too, apparently excluded from whatever everyone was doing downstairs. They brushed their teeth in silence, with Ruva finishing first.
Tia spat out her toothpaste, then she spoke. "You didn't brush properly. You missed your back teeth on the left."
Ruva's head swung towards her, and she wondered how Tia could possibly know that.
Tia smiled, and explained herself. "My gift is being able to evaluate people's physical condition, like sensing how and where you're injured. That's the reason I could tell you were overwhelmed downstairs, because I sensed the adrenaline flooding your system." In a wry tone, she added, "That's also how I could tell you missed your back teeth."
Ruva smiled, but then she heard footsteps down the hallway.
Tia heard them too. "You had better leave now, Ruva. In about thirty seconds everyone will be in this room, and you'll barely be able to move."
Ruva heeded Tia's advice, walking past the bedrooms and onto a balcony that she hadn't noticed before. It was just behind the stairs where Ruva had walked up. The night air was warm and calming, and Ruva took in a deep breath. She hadn't realised how overwhelmed she was inside, but she needed this silence.
There were less animals here than at Akarnae or the palace, but this part of Tryllin had other sounds. Ruva could hear many dogs and cats, and there was a smaller variety of birds. She could hear people, too, laughing and chattering echoing into the night.
Ruva was concentrating so much on the city that she didn't hear Leo come onto the balcony, didn't even notice him until he placed a hand on her shoulder.
Ruva's insides fluttered at the light touch, but she didn't outwardly react.
'I come here when I'm feeling overwhelmed,' said Leo. 'It's always so quiet up here, quiet enough that I don't feel out of place.'
Ruva turned to face him, a silent question in her eyes.
Leo looked into her eyes, and Ruva saw herself reflected back. 'They all talk and laugh, not realising the gift they have. I will never be able to do that, never talk like a normal person.'
Ruva wanted to tell Leo that just because he couldn't talk, it didn't mean he had no voice.
She wanted to tell him that he always listened, always heard exactly what she wanted to say, even if she couldn't find the words for it.
She wanted to tell him that he mattered, especially to her.
But, as always, Ruva couldn't find the words she needed.
'But out here, it's silent, but also filled with noise. I feel like I'm part of something up here, and no one expects anything of me.'
Leo put his hand in Ruva's, saying 'Thanks for listening to me, Ruva. I don't think I've ever told anyone what I told you.'
Ruva flinched slightly at the almost intimate touch, but then she knew what to say. "After my parents died, I didn't speak for half a year. I – I guess that taught me to listen."
Leo's chocolate eyes darkened with the mention of her parents. 'It's terrible that they died, especially when you were so little. I know that I would never be the same if my parents died.' –Leo took a step closer to Ruva– 'I think you're so strong, but you always seem insecure.'
Leo tilted Ruva's head up. 'When will you start believing in yourself?'
His hand rested against Ruva's cheek, and Ruva started to panic. Is he going to – to… Ruva's thoughts were interrupted when Leo slowly leaned forward, his eyes closing. Panicking more, Ruva took a step back.
"I have to… to go to bed. I'm…" Ruva wanted to say sorry, but the words just wouldn't form. "I'm tired."
She walked back across the balcony, keeping her eyes trained on the door in front of her. Just before she stepped through the doorway, she looked back, and Leo's turbulent eyes met hers. Ruva held his gaze, trying to tell him how she felt.
Then she stepped through the door, running all the way into the girls' room.
Ruva didn't remember choosing a bed, didn't remember a single thing the three girls said to her. All she could think of was Leo, and how upset he was when she pulled away. Her ribbons appeared, and Ruva took comfort in their gentle glow. One ribbon became brighter than all the others, drawing Ruva's attention. She touched it carefully, not wanting to get drawn into a memory. A light shade of pink filled her vision, before clearing to show an image Ruva had witnessed only minutes before. It was her and Leo holding hands, the sky above them filled with stars.
Ruva blinked, the image fading into the darkness of the bedroom. A wave of guilt washed over her, as she realised how much she'd hurt Leo.
She willed her ribbons back, but Ruva was afraid to touch the pink ribbon once more. Instead she just looked at it, trying to ignore the tightness in her throat. Was it just her, or did the ribbon seem more pink than before?
Ruva remembered the first time she saw the ribbon, on her orientation day at the start of the year – how long ago that seemed! – It was definitely a paler pink then. She remembered comparing it to a spring blossom, and how it was so pale she would've called it white. Now it was definitely a more substantial pink, like the colour of a sunrise.
Ruva shuddered, something about her ribbons made her feel sick. She looked around, expecting to see some obtrusive ribbon, but there was nothing. The ribbons swayed as peacefully as ever, but while that would normally put Ruva at ease, it made her stomach churn.
She tried to deactivate her ribbons, and – this time – it worked.
Laying in the dark, Ruva played the scene of her and Leo over and over until tears silently rolled down her face. One question rolled through her mind, a question that she would sell the world to know the answer.
Did I make the right choice?
