Chapter SIXTEEN: Grim Hope-TALIA

...

Talia and Aydan arrived back in the same magic storage room in the castle. It had only been a few hours since they had left the High Realm.

"Aydan...thank you for taking me to Aveyond," Talia said appreciatively as she gave him a slight kiss on the cheek.

They began the walk to the western towers towards her room.

Aydan nervously patted a small item in the depths of his robe's pocket. Now more than ever, he felt he should tell Talia of his true feelings for her. After today, he would not let her slip away like a certain oaf once did. If anyone could make her happy it was now up to him; yet, he knew that rejection was all too likely.

Talia sensed that Aydan was anxious about something, but did not know what. She was still thinking about everything that had happened that day and wondered why he had bothered to take her to Aveyond with the risk getting into trouble, or worse, waking her up in the Dreamworld. It meant so much to her that she had been able to visit the world, despite the possible risks. She had missed it so much and was indebted to Aydan for his kind efforts.

They arrived in the quiet hallway of the western towers where they stopped a few feet from Talia's door. Talia waited for him to leave, but Aydan stood in place, silent, staring at her tenderly. Suddenly, he did the unexpected and leaned forward, pressing his lips gently against hers.

"...Please, don't say anything...I have loved you since the day I met you, Talia Maurva," Aydan began. When he moved away to pick up her hand, Aydan pulled out a shiny gold ring from his pocket, and placed it on her palm.

Talia's heart jumped. He had kissed her and now he wanted to marry her? His actions were almost unreal. It all became so clear to her at this point: the countless gifts, his eagerness to be with her during every second of her free time, and obviously today with the trip to Aveyond. But had he gone mad? Didn't he know that she wasn't in love with him? At least not now. Any feelings she had for him were too premature to be love, if anything, it was a subtle attraction. The kind she had for Devin for a long time. Yet, all of this confused her. Could I love him but not know it? Talia asked herself. She blushed fiercely from the shock and embarrassment. It was just too soon to know how I feel, she thought through at last.

"I want you to have this...It was my mother's promise ring from father. They never married, but it is an important heirloom in my family. You do not have to wear it, but please hold on to it for now. Talia...no matter what you decide, I want you to know that I am first and always your friend," he went on as he closed her palm into a fist.

"Aydan, I'm really sorry... I can't take this right now. I don't want to give you any false hopes... This is just too soon for me!" Talia answered as her eyes filled with tears. She did not want to hurt him. He had been her dear and only friend from the very first day, but he was asking for too much.

"No, Talia, it's yours to keep. Do what you will with it. There is no other I would ever give this ring to," Aydan stopped, now regretting everything that he had said. He never wanted to upset her like this; he had wanted the opposite: to make her happy.

She kissed him on the cheek again as she turned to enter her room, still holding the ring in her hand. It was the most she could do for him, but it meant nothing more.

Over the next few days, Talia spent them by herself. She normally had Aydan keeping her company, but under the circumstances, he had given her space.

As usual, she left for the Tear Shrine at sunset and returned at dawn, tired after her long night in the Dreamworld. When she stepped into the corridor, she was surprised to see Trin waiting near the Oracle's quarters.

"The Oracle told me to meet you here, Dreamer. She sent Leana to the world on your behalf," Trin said with a rather cruel smirk on her face. Talia looked at her, unsure what she was talking about.

"On my behalf? Why?"

"I was asked to tell you that your grandmother passed away."

"What?!" Talia gasped frantically, suddenly losing her sleep. She didn't understand why Trin was telling her this news. Why not someone else other than the person that seemed to loathe her?

"You heard me!" Trin retorted smug as usual and walked away.

Talia ran past her, straight to her room. She fell on her bed and began to cry silently. After a minute or so, she forced herself to sleep in hopes that what Trin had said had been false.

...

On her way out the castle, Trin saw Aydan who sat aimlessly, looking out at the rising sun as it was almost time for him to leave for Aveyond. She seized the opportunity to talk to him.

"Aydan! It has been so long since we have talked, Sun Priest," Trin said, smiling cheerfully as she went towards him, wondering how her day could get any better than it already had.

He was surprised to see her out so early. Normally, he would avoid her; she made him feel uneasy. Their history was all but normal, she had practically watched him grow up and had been a sister to him. But when his father died, she made her feelings for him be known once he had become the Sun Priest. That alone made him want to laugh, but also wary whenever she was around. No, she had wanted something, and had sacrificed their friendship for it.

"It hasn't been long enough!" he said defensively.

Trin became angry at his response.

"Well, I have some news that may interest you, Sun Priest...But seeing that you are not wanting to chat, I will simply head on my way then..." she trailed off and began to walk away in no particular direction.

"What are you talking about?" Aydan asked her, puzzled.

"Hmm...Where should I begin...Oh yes! The Dream Priestess has just lost her poor, dear grandmother, and I had the honor of telling her," Trin said spitefully, her harsh words left a bad taste in her mouth.

Without saying anything back, Aydan got up immediately to find Talia.

The Star Priestess, however, went the opposite direction; lost in her own thoughts and insight.

As Aydan inched closer to the western castle towers, he stopped short several corridors from Talia's room. He suddenly had an idea. Instead, he turned the opposite direction and hurriedly went straight to his own room to find his mother's old spell book.

Once he had it, he went straight to the magic storage room to get ingredients.