Chapter 7
Though Luna would remain asleep and she developed a fever once more. Lindel got her medicine down in her mouth thanks to Merituuli helping him and the man was full of conflicted emotions. The words she had said still rang through his heart and mind and he realized what he had done was indeed cruel. He had been indirectly toying with her feelings this whole time. "How could I do this to the poor girl Merituuli I am a horrible person. I need her around… I want her around the fact she could potentially want to leave me after this situation is scary." Lindel said softly his voice shaking. He reached out and held Luna's hand saying, "I love her…"
Four days went by and Luna remained out cold in her fevered state Lindel didn't sleep or eat as his focus was caring for her. On the fifth day, Luna's eyes finally opened and she looked around in a groggy manner. Though feeling a weight on her waist she looked down and saw Lindel slumped over her finally passed out. Merituuli had come in with wood and he said, "Oh you're awake except Lindel finally passed out on you it seems." Luna looked at him and then at Lindel she saw the red patches on his face and he looked quite pale. Merituuli tossed logs into the fire pit and Luna said, "I broke our promise Merituuli… I'm sorry…" "Not entirely there's still hope Luna he's been up for five days now diligently caring for you neglecting his own needs. And during those four days, he took in the words you said to him and poured his heart out. I don't even think he's taken time to even eat. He's practically punished himself for what he did so when he wakes up go easy on him and hear what he has to say." Merituuli said. "I guess I can try," Luna said as she sat up. Her stomach growled and Merituuli said, "Sorry he didn't get a chance to even prepare a meal before he passed out let me check our rations for you okay?"
Luna looked at Lindel and saw Merituuli was right the man looked awful like he had been crying. Luna played with his hair drawing her fingers through it as she found herself rubbing his back. "You're such an idiot Lindel… but you're my favorite idiot so you better have some good things to say when you wake up…" Luna said softly. Lindel squirmed suddenly and sat up rubbing his eyes confused the man saw Luna awake and his eyes went wide. Almost immediately he felt her forehead and his own and saw her fever was gone. The man sighed relieved and Luna just lowered her head feeling bad for what she had about him earlier. He had been nothing but kind and she said those hurtful words calling him cruel.
"Luna I… I am so sorry can you ever forgive me." Lindel said his voice shaking. Luna looked at the man and her eyes became misty with tears and she said, "I'm sorry as well. You've never harmed me in any way and I said those selfish words and threw a child's tantrum all because I wanted you to like me." "But I do like you… It's strange your presence has done nothing but brighten my days the time you've been here. And there has never been a dull moment… But these feelings are foreign to me so I got scared and I pushed you away because I never had a woman have such strong feelings for me before. I lived for a long time alone and as such, I never understood the feelings of someone's love." Lindel said his cheeks bright pink. "Dummy you're making my heart race," Luna said as she hid her face in her hands.
Lindel held her close saying, "Same here I just can't stop my heart from racing. I want you to teach me something though Luna. Something only you could help me learn. I want you to teach me about loving another person. Just be yourself and I am willing to give you a chance and learn how to return such feelings okay?" Luna hid her face in his chest and said, "I will and I promise I won't let you down. You are a fossil not even knowing when a girl loves you." "I hate to butt in on you two but we have a guest," Merituuli said popping his head in.
Both Lindel and Luna pulled away from each other quickly and Luna hugged the blankets around herself as Lindel said, "It's Dimitri yes send him in." The tent flap opened and Dimitri came in holding a few books. Looking at Lindel he said, "My god you look like death himself Lindel those dark circles what on earth happened?" Lindel waved him off saying, "Luna was sick so I didn't sleep for five days that's all but she's better now and I take you come for a reason." "Yes, here Luna you'll need these," Dimitri said sitting down and handing her the books. Looking at the titles Luna said, "Oh contracts and spells. This is for me to study to gain a familiar right?" Dimitri nodded and said, "I had those suggested to me now usually a contract comes based on trust and integrity but if you can read this you'll know what you're getting into okay." "Thank you, Dimitri, to go so far for me, after I showed you such distrust," Luna said. "I want you to trust me so I did this for you. You'll be in good hands Luna I promise." Dimitri said with a smile.
He then stood up and said, "Once again I shall be off study hard Luna you have great potential if Lindel chose you." He pulled out the device and once again Luna jumped when he just warped out and was gone. Lindel was exhausted as he flopped onto his side next to Luna and his head was on her lap. Luna said, "He's right you do look like death. Look I'm hungry but you've been up for nearly almost a week I'll cook for us okay?" Lindel sat up and said, "No allow me, and I think after I eat I'll sleep for a bit." The man got up leaving their sleeping space after that. Luna meanwhile lay back down and stared at the tent roof still wondering how she was going to teach him about love between two people. The woman figured she'd just be herself at this rate as she curled up hugging a pillow close to her chest.
Lindel had returned and Luna just lay there while he was working away cooking. Sitting up she grabbed a knife and wanted to help but Lindel plucked it away and said, "You need to rest and let me handle this." Luna pouted but did as she was told knowing he did it out of concern. Watching him work was calming and she felt loved and safe the man smiled at her when he saw she was watching. "Say Lindel what's your favorite animal?" Luna asked with a smile. Lindel seemed to be in thought for a moment before he smiled saying, "Without a doubt, I love cats, especially the fluffy ones." Luna laughed and said, "You had to think hard to answer though I see that's nice."
About an hour had passed and their food was ready Luna had a major appetite as she had eaten down two big bowls of the soup that was made. Lindel cleaned up and it was easy to see he was exhausted. The man just had folded some extra laundry lying around when Luna yanked him down beside her making him gasp. Luna made sure the blanket covered them both and she said, "You're exhausted please sleep next to me." Lindel blushed but Luna rested her head against his chest and he sighed unable to refuse the girl. "Is this a personal lesson on love?" Lindel asked softly. "Yes, people who care about each other do this. I want you to sleep the chores can sit for a day everything will be okay let's just cuddle." Luna said as she got comfortable. Lindel wrapped an arm around her as she buried her face into his chest. The man was so embarrassed his heart was racing.
But hearing Luna's soft breathing he calmed down and felt himself becoming drowsy as well. He ended up falling out asleep not long after and would remain asleep until the morning. He had woken up to racket the next morning and heard Luna laughing and Merituuli was heard as well. Lindel stepped out and saw snowballs flying back and forth and a crunch was heard as he got nailed right in the face. Luna froze realizing she had nailed him and Lindel was staring at Luna. A crunch was heard and Luna squealed as she got nailed in the neck with a snowball from the man. Merituuli let out a laugh as Luna cried, "That's cold!" Lindel smirked and said, "Now you know how I feel you're quite lively this morning aren't you Luna?" Luna whined and came over hugging the man saying, "You're so mean I just wanted to play and have a snowball fight!" Lindel placed a hand on her back and said, "You need to dress warmer where's the shawl I handmade for you?" "Oh it's dirty I took a fall into some mud earlier and I need to wash it still," Luna said blushing as he held her close. Lindel removed his outer shawl and placed it around her saying, "Then wear mine I don't need you getting sick anymore your immune system is frail it seems."
The woman hugged it around herself and she said, "Are we going to train me today or not?" "The chores seemed to have piled up I need to make my rounds but you're free to practice as you wish just don't overdo it, Luna," Lindel said as he tugged the hood up over her head. "Understood I'll work a little bit on my magic and then start reading those books Dimitri got me on contracts," Luna said pulling out her wand and going toward the water. "I'm going to do some ice fishing for your breakfast you two," Merituuli said as he dove right into the water.
Luna had been practicing manipulating water with her magic when a fish was flung out. She ducked as several more whizzed over her head and Merituuli popped out laughing. Luna dropped a soft pile of snow dust on his head and said, "Take that." She dodged a splash of water and Lindel who was walking by got hit instead and yelped. Staring at the two he said, "You guys?" "He started it," Luna said pouting. "I got us breakfast what are you blaming me for," Merituuli said climbing out and grabbing their fish. "Leave them by the cooking pot and I'll gut and clean them in a few minutes here," Lindel said before he went back to what he was doing. Luna crystallized some more water into various shapes until Lindel appeared with the wash and said, "I could use your help then I'll start breakfast.
Luna made a rather weird face at the fact she had to do laundry and she got to work washing everything and tossing it to Lindel who dried it. Her shawl came last and she washed and wrung it out before tossing that to him. Lindel had it dried and folded before he set the basket aside and Luna stood up rubbing her hands as the water was cold. "My fingers are numb!" She whined softly and she couldn't warm them up. Lindel took her hands in his and his eyes closed as he held them. Luna felt her arms and hands warm up and she leaned into him. "You're so warm…" Luna muttered softly and Lindel patted her back. "Luna I can't stay like this all day I need to get our meal started can you take the basket back and grab some rice," Lindel said. Luna nodded and pulled away taking the clothes and soon came back with a bowl of rice to go with their meal.
Lindel was gutting their meal and Luna set the rice down before sitting down with her book by the fire. Lindel smiled as he worked watching her read as she sat on the tree stump. The woman was tapped on the shoulder a short time later as her breakfast was served. "Smells amazing…" Luna said as she started to eat. "You've lived here for a while right Lindel? Didn't it ever get to be lonely before I came around?" Luna asked. "Yes but I'm not feeling that way anymore, I mean people come and go and I didn't think you'd want to remain here. So of course I expected you to flee the nest after your training. But I'm not going to force you to do that seeing as you have such strong feelings and all I'd miss you if you left." Lindel said smiling. Luna blushed and she was glad she was able to at least fulfill her promise to Merituuli. "I can't see myself going off alone so you're stuck with me whether you like it or not. I finally have a home and that was something I wanted for years now." Luna said.
She then smirked saying, "Maybe I can teach you old fossil about the trends of us kids today. Like how to be hip and all." Lindel just stared at her and he laughed saying, "I'm far too old to be acting like you Luna. But I'll take any other outside lessons about feelings and stuff seems I've become out of touch for so long that I never understood what love is." Lindel smiled and Luna set her food down moving over to him before he could react she yanked him over and kissed him right on the lips. The man was frozen at first but as he melted into it Luna pulled away her face slightly red. "Um… what just happened and why was that enjoyable." Lindel choked out red in the face. "That was my feelings for you Lindel hopefully you'll return the favor when you feel comfortable to do so…" Luna said. She then leaned against him and closed her eyes unable to believe she just did that but it happened and she hoped over time he'd understand.