The coldness of the underground stone stairs chilled her through her leather shoes. That wasn't what surprised her; it was the darkness of the stairway. When she reached the bottom of the flight, she froze at the threshold of his door. Forbidding air suffocated her, doubt clogged her mind, worry wrung her hands together as she clenched her chest in fear. What if her nightmares proved true? Could Hertz really be dead? Always she had clung to the hope of some other event having happened, but now as she stood before the wooden door, the aged creases and shadowed rings of the tree bark seemed to scry that her betrothed would never draw another breath. Gathering up her strength, she breathed in what courage from this sickly air she could and marched up to the door. Utter terror struck her and froze her raised hand before she could even knock.
" Come in," whispered a familiar rumbling voice beckoning to her. The voice woke her memories and a thin confidence gave her enough strength to pull the latch and push the door open with a silly creak. Into the room she timidly walked, feeling much like a flower who'd been planted in a forest. Then her very planter came and plucked her from her thriving spot, bringing her to dry out in his kitchen. Only her beautiful fragrence would remain in the withered, dryed out shell of what she felt. For more time, she turned and gently closed the door, whispering a prayer and hoping the gust caused by the door would be enough to send it to the fates.
When she turned around again, she opened her eyes and tilted her chin up from sorrow to amazement and curiosity. The room expanded cavernously. Wooden ceiling arches stood up as tall as trees, the rock ceiling their canopy of leaves. Tapestries hung along the walls as mats of flowering vines, demanding their beauty be acknowledged before any untword judgments passed made of the room. At the center of the opposite, longest wall, a brilliant fire burned deep in the belly of a massive fireplace. Just as much light poured over the room; smoke billowed up into the chimney. Absently, she wondered how they built a chimney so far below earth as her ravenous eyes devoured the room to sate her curiosity. Finally she managed to tear her eyes away to look at the distant table. Even before he spoke, she knew him.
" It has been too long, Darva," Varick began politely, but it gave her nerve enough to amble carefully to his table with stiff and almost-numb feet. He stood up and walked around the table, pausing just in front of her, almost as if he had intended to do something other than merely walk to her.
" Hello Varick," a mere squeek she managed before he grasped her in a tight embrace. She hugged him back and coughed when he tightened his grip. Immediately he let go of her and stepped back, taking all the comforting heat with him.
" Beg pardon, I forget my strength at times." she nodded and laughed a little in agreement. " So, Darva, to what do I owe the pleasantly surprising visit?" His kind, amiable words made her thoughts whirl. How could he be so happy if there was bad news? She berated herself for ever thinking he'd keep news of Hertz from her.
" I haven't heard from Hertz-" the momentary, guilty glint in her eyes stopped her. When he tilted his head slightly, that broke her state, " in seven fortnights. I was wondering if you had heard anything of him? "
" Well, I thought him to tell you himself, but. ." her breath caught in agonizing anticipation.
" Please! Don't hold back, in the name of friendship, tell me." blurted words from her heart before her mind could think to stop them. At the sound of friendship, the brief tug of his cheeks made her think she'd struck him by saying that. But how. . " I. . I know you've been stiff and cold to me lately, and with the way you welcomed me just now, I. . I thought your indifference was all an act. Please, if it wasn't, tell me what's befallen him." His face softened as he lifted her face gently by the chin.
" He hasn't written you yet?" silently she shook her head 'no', moving his hand with her chin. A frown creased over his features. " I thought he would have when he reached the frontier. . ." At this, her eyebrows shot up in shock and horror. She knew she must have looked betrayed because he was quick to explain. " I sent him there - no- it was because I found out that you two were betrothed and with the state expanding, I gave him a right to claim land for you two to live on, to own." he concluded.
Eastern and Southern frontier became known for two things, new land and life with it or death. The latter dominated as the prevailing one for any man sent out there. Anyone knew that. Then again, those who chanced all odds and lived. . Hertz had to be one of them, he was too virtueous not to be. . .Fourteen weeks was enough time to send word and it be revived, more than enough since they were close to the expanding border. But so far none had come, and so the only reasonable conclusion would be. . .Varick's sudden pained expression told her he had just reached the same conclusion.
" No," a horse whisper moved from her mind to voice. "No. . ." She defied the inevitable conclusion again, backing away from Varick at the same time; as if he caused Hertz death himself, or he had sent Hertz knowingly to the frontier, not having to bother with killing him himself. Varick moved to her, trying to reason wit h her. With the way his mouth moved, she could at least tell that. " No!" her voice shrilled with hysterics as she sensed him wrap his arms around her and soothingly run his long hand over her hair. Before she started fighting his hold, she experienced the shock of imobility when his body stiffened to hold her and keep her from hurting herself. Grief fueled her dementia as she twisted and tried in every scratching, tearing way to try to fight him off. Easily he lifter her up by her waist and carried her over to one of his chairs while she still fought, and curled his body around hers, restraining her foolish acts. Slowly the frantic cloud lifted from her mind as he drained her energy on fighting him.
" There, shuu. ." Again his powerful voice helped her, sending soothing, relaxing shivers through her body, making her mind and senses wake up. They were gently rocking back and forth, she found out; his rough wool robe brushing against her bare neck. As her eyes opened, she could see her honey plaits, undone somewhat, trailing down the from of her dress, tucked under strong arms. To calm herself, she followed those arms up, turning her head our from being tucked under his chin to his shoulder and finally to look into his face, his pale yellow-green eyes staring steadily and calmly at her. " I'll look over my messages again and see if I might have missed a letter." She nodded, feeling quite like a child who had just thrown a temper. But, she thought, wasn't that just what I did? Complacent, she walked with him to the desk.
((Hey guys, tell me what you think in your reviews, should I post the summary or not? Respond pleases ^^ And thank you 'Me Acorn And Sometimes Banana', Fivero, and 'no one' for reviewing! I'm really sorry about not getting anything new up sooner. . I'll work on doing a better job of it since life's not as hectic as it used to be. ))
" Come in," whispered a familiar rumbling voice beckoning to her. The voice woke her memories and a thin confidence gave her enough strength to pull the latch and push the door open with a silly creak. Into the room she timidly walked, feeling much like a flower who'd been planted in a forest. Then her very planter came and plucked her from her thriving spot, bringing her to dry out in his kitchen. Only her beautiful fragrence would remain in the withered, dryed out shell of what she felt. For more time, she turned and gently closed the door, whispering a prayer and hoping the gust caused by the door would be enough to send it to the fates.
When she turned around again, she opened her eyes and tilted her chin up from sorrow to amazement and curiosity. The room expanded cavernously. Wooden ceiling arches stood up as tall as trees, the rock ceiling their canopy of leaves. Tapestries hung along the walls as mats of flowering vines, demanding their beauty be acknowledged before any untword judgments passed made of the room. At the center of the opposite, longest wall, a brilliant fire burned deep in the belly of a massive fireplace. Just as much light poured over the room; smoke billowed up into the chimney. Absently, she wondered how they built a chimney so far below earth as her ravenous eyes devoured the room to sate her curiosity. Finally she managed to tear her eyes away to look at the distant table. Even before he spoke, she knew him.
" It has been too long, Darva," Varick began politely, but it gave her nerve enough to amble carefully to his table with stiff and almost-numb feet. He stood up and walked around the table, pausing just in front of her, almost as if he had intended to do something other than merely walk to her.
" Hello Varick," a mere squeek she managed before he grasped her in a tight embrace. She hugged him back and coughed when he tightened his grip. Immediately he let go of her and stepped back, taking all the comforting heat with him.
" Beg pardon, I forget my strength at times." she nodded and laughed a little in agreement. " So, Darva, to what do I owe the pleasantly surprising visit?" His kind, amiable words made her thoughts whirl. How could he be so happy if there was bad news? She berated herself for ever thinking he'd keep news of Hertz from her.
" I haven't heard from Hertz-" the momentary, guilty glint in her eyes stopped her. When he tilted his head slightly, that broke her state, " in seven fortnights. I was wondering if you had heard anything of him? "
" Well, I thought him to tell you himself, but. ." her breath caught in agonizing anticipation.
" Please! Don't hold back, in the name of friendship, tell me." blurted words from her heart before her mind could think to stop them. At the sound of friendship, the brief tug of his cheeks made her think she'd struck him by saying that. But how. . " I. . I know you've been stiff and cold to me lately, and with the way you welcomed me just now, I. . I thought your indifference was all an act. Please, if it wasn't, tell me what's befallen him." His face softened as he lifted her face gently by the chin.
" He hasn't written you yet?" silently she shook her head 'no', moving his hand with her chin. A frown creased over his features. " I thought he would have when he reached the frontier. . ." At this, her eyebrows shot up in shock and horror. She knew she must have looked betrayed because he was quick to explain. " I sent him there - no- it was because I found out that you two were betrothed and with the state expanding, I gave him a right to claim land for you two to live on, to own." he concluded.
Eastern and Southern frontier became known for two things, new land and life with it or death. The latter dominated as the prevailing one for any man sent out there. Anyone knew that. Then again, those who chanced all odds and lived. . Hertz had to be one of them, he was too virtueous not to be. . .Fourteen weeks was enough time to send word and it be revived, more than enough since they were close to the expanding border. But so far none had come, and so the only reasonable conclusion would be. . .Varick's sudden pained expression told her he had just reached the same conclusion.
" No," a horse whisper moved from her mind to voice. "No. . ." She defied the inevitable conclusion again, backing away from Varick at the same time; as if he caused Hertz death himself, or he had sent Hertz knowingly to the frontier, not having to bother with killing him himself. Varick moved to her, trying to reason wit h her. With the way his mouth moved, she could at least tell that. " No!" her voice shrilled with hysterics as she sensed him wrap his arms around her and soothingly run his long hand over her hair. Before she started fighting his hold, she experienced the shock of imobility when his body stiffened to hold her and keep her from hurting herself. Grief fueled her dementia as she twisted and tried in every scratching, tearing way to try to fight him off. Easily he lifter her up by her waist and carried her over to one of his chairs while she still fought, and curled his body around hers, restraining her foolish acts. Slowly the frantic cloud lifted from her mind as he drained her energy on fighting him.
" There, shuu. ." Again his powerful voice helped her, sending soothing, relaxing shivers through her body, making her mind and senses wake up. They were gently rocking back and forth, she found out; his rough wool robe brushing against her bare neck. As her eyes opened, she could see her honey plaits, undone somewhat, trailing down the from of her dress, tucked under strong arms. To calm herself, she followed those arms up, turning her head our from being tucked under his chin to his shoulder and finally to look into his face, his pale yellow-green eyes staring steadily and calmly at her. " I'll look over my messages again and see if I might have missed a letter." She nodded, feeling quite like a child who had just thrown a temper. But, she thought, wasn't that just what I did? Complacent, she walked with him to the desk.
((Hey guys, tell me what you think in your reviews, should I post the summary or not? Respond pleases ^^ And thank you 'Me Acorn And Sometimes Banana', Fivero, and 'no one' for reviewing! I'm really sorry about not getting anything new up sooner. . I'll work on doing a better job of it since life's not as hectic as it used to be. ))
