A Poison Tree
Chapter Five
"And?" he replied with a smile.
"About him."
She noticed recognition in his eyes--he realized it had to do with Salazar Slytherin, and his smile faded. They were on their way to the evening Astronomy class, and she would have to face him again.
Rowena wondered why that strange dream had surfaced, long forgotten until that night. She took a deep breath and began to tell the story.
"I dreamt that I was at home, at Cnoc Liath in the Glen. My parents were away and I was alone. For a while, I sat on the silvery shore of the Loch on a summer day, but then I heard crying. It was the villagers, mourning the loss of a child--a little girl had disappeared in the forest. Elfrida, my nursemaid grabbed me and told me that it was a Dark Wizard who had taken the Muggle girl, deep into the heart of the forest to a castle there."
"I suppose they wanted you to rescue her?" Godric asked.
"Yes. I was afraid. I remember looking at the forest and it seemed to darken and grow larger, and I knew that I had to go after her. Then, a hand was on my shoulder and it was Salazar! He said that he was there to help me as a friend, and we would go together to rescue the girl. So, I began to walk and he followed, and we headed into the forest. The darkness was thick, more than usual in that forest. Despite all the times we had played there and it was pleasant, this time it felt evil and gloomy. It felt like midnight even though it was still day, and there were no sounds but the wind and water. That's another thing that was strange, as the little brook was instead a large, black river."
"Sounds like the stuff of a nightmare," Godric commented. "Like the River Styx in the underworld."
"In a way, maybe it was. I remember feeling very frightened, but Salazar and I tried hard to be brave. After a time walking, we found a raft in the river and took it. Salazar said that it would take us to the castle--that the wizard had left it there because he knew we were coming. So, we floated downstream and it got even darker as night came. At one point, there was a break in the trees and I could see the stars, and I felt a warning in my heart to fly away right then. I felt like I could have flown away if I had tried hard enough."
"Did you?"
"No. He told me that it was all right, as though he knew the fear in my heart. I believed my friend and I stayed. When we came to the castle, it was frightening--a monstrous fortress of black rock rose up from the forest, and there were giant carvings of serpent heads with their mouths open with sharp, stone fangs exposed. Salazar took my hand and he led us up to the portcullis, and then it opened. I reached for my wand, to have it ready in case the wizard was waiting to attack us--but it was gone. In fact, I realized I had forgotten my wand all together. I was shaking as we went further, through a moonlit garden and then into a dark chamber. We stopped in the center and it was black--everything was in darkness--and then torches lit with green flame, and I saw Salazar looking at me but he was...different..."
Rowena paused, choosing to keep that detail to herself--the difference between Salazar's eyes before and after that...moment. She knew the dream reflected that change between the Salazar she knew and the one she didn't.
"...he was darker, and he looked angry in the green light, even though he was smiling. He asked me if I was afraid, and I nodded. He told me that the Dark Wizard was there, and I jumped back, looking all around for him, but we were the only two people in the room. Then, he took my arms, pulling me close, looked into my eyes and said, 'It's me.'" Rowena glanced at Godric as she finished the tale, and he shook his head and thought quietly about it. She looked away and blushed, knowing she neglected to tell him one thing--he had kissed her. "That was the moment I woke up."
"I guess the little Muggle girl was done for?" Godric laughed.
"Well, you know how dreams change course. I woke up too soon for that, anyway," she replied as they made their way to the end of the deserted alleyway. When they stopped at the ivy covered wall, Godric stepped forward first and held the greenery aside, as Rowena stepped through the magical barrier. He followed after immediately, and Godric spoke again as they continued down Diagon Alley.
"The dream makes sense, in how you feel about Slytherin--at first he was your friend, and then he deceived you and became your enemy."
"I know, Godric," Rowena said sadly. "As much as I try and sort things out, I think that inside I will feel that way--that he deceived me and that he is my enemy."
"Yes, but you don't know that, Rowena," Godric told her.
Sinistra's house was in plain view, and Rowena began to feel her heart beating faster, and her palms began to sweat. The memory of the dream and the uneasy feelings of the day, and the thought of having to look into his eyes made her panic. "I can't do this," she informed Godric, stopping in the street. She shook her head. "I can't."
"Rowena," Godric whispered, taking her elbow gently as a few passing magical folk began to look. "We talked about this already tonight. It's not going to be easy, but I'm here for you as a friend. If you're going to take Sinistra's classes, you're going to have to face Slytherin. He was your friend once. Can't you at least try to look at him that way? You don't even have to speak to him. Just give it time."
Master Sinistra was atop his house, setting up some astronomical devices with Helga Hufflepuff. The red headed girl noticed Rowena and waved, though Rowena didn't wave back. She couldn't move as she stared at the place she was supposed to go, and tried desperately to make a decision. Helga stopped waving and began to study the pair of students standing below.
"I can't," Rowena decided, her eyes welling with tears. "I'm sorry, Godric. You go ahead. I...I have to go!"
Pulling her elbow from Godric's light grasp, she took off at a run and didn't stop until she was on the other side of the barrier. She stopped for a moment and caught her breath, feeling some relief mixed with disappointment in herself. However, she felt at this moment that disappointment was better than the alternative. After waiting for a moment to see if Godric had followed, she left for home alone.
The streets were emptying, candlelight brightening the wind holes and scarce glass windows of homes and shops, as moths and other insects fluttered around the frames. Watching and listening, it never ceased to amaze Rowena at how crudely Muggles existed in their world without magic. She let her mind wander there, and let herself become engrossed in watching the happenings around her. At least it was enough to push other thoughts from her mind--thoughts about Salazar.
The clang of a bell echoed from the river, catching her attention, and Rowena decided to go and think by the water instead of returning home early and having to answer questions. She walked through the dark streets, keeping her fingertips touched to her wand that was in the pocket of her linen dress, hidden under her blue tunic. After a long time walking, she came to Ebgate on the bank of the river, and climbed out onto the bridge above the water gate. The nearby oyster market was being cleaned and emptied, and she listened to the merchants talking as one by one they faded away. The moonlight shone down on the moving blackness of the Thames, and a few lanterns shone on the nearby massive wooden structure of the London Bridge. The way the Thames looked at night reminded her of the Loch at home in the Glen, though there was no silvery strand, nor a fair green isle in the distance. Lambethmoor was a poor substitute for the beautiful countryside that she missed.
"You don't fit in this crowded, filthy place among Muggles," a voice spoke quietly behind her, startling Rowena.
She whirled to see Salazar Slytherin stepping onto the little arcing bridge. The memory of the Loch and strand dwelled in her fore thoughts, more so then, with a link to that distant home standing before her.
"I...do...miss it," she spoke warily; feeling her heart pounding so fiercely that she could scarcely breathe.
"I suppose you find it my fault that you are here." His eyes were dark as he spoke.
"N-No," Rowena replied, feeling stretched between the urge to run away and the urge to linger. His eyes roamed down to notice the opal ring on her finger. She jerked her hand in response. This was the very situation she had tried to flee from by abandoning the evening class. Her face grew hotter by the second, so much that she began to feel light headed. Then, through all her jumbled emotions, a memory came to her. She saw Salazar that day in the field of bluebells, a darkening sky behind him. She saw his face--utter horror, indescribable sadness--a face full of dark tragedy.
"Rowena..."
Before he could manage another word, Rowena flew to him, compelled by her emotions. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she had done a thousand times. He felt different, yet he felt the same. Circling his arms around her waist, he pulled her close and she could feel and hear his deep sigh. Letting go of her reservations, Rowena plunged herself into the past and the present. She breathed him, touched him, remembering him and learning him. As feelings overwhelmed her, she began to cry. Rowena could feel Salazar experiencing her again--feeling her hair, breathing her in, and holding her tight.
Words would come later, she knew; for that moment, everything was much simpler.
A bell tolled, and a lantern swayed on the prow of a passing craft though it was blurry in her teary vision. She thought of the old bell in the small church echoing through the Glen, and the lights of the fairies near the shore; blurred, the dark of Lambethmoor seemed like the little isle in the Loch. Yet none of those things could compare to holding Salazar again in an embrace. Then, she truly felt at home.
Rowena could tell night was turning to morning by the subtle brightening of light coming through her window. She was lying in bed, tossing and turning. Even though she was exhausted, sleep would not come. Fierce emotions kept causing her eyes to dart open, making her stir beneath the bed covers and feel as though she just might burst into a thousand pieces.
All at once she was feeling relief, joy, and a tinge of fear, mixed with an onslaught of memories. As if the whole of it was coursing through her veins, she tossed herself, trying to set it free. Yet, with only a moment of quiet rest, the feelings and thoughts would come back again. And so the night continued for her into the early morning hours.
Seeing Salazar again caused Rowena's emotions to stir, for sure, but touching him again and being so close to him had brought a near madness to her. It made her remember. As she turned again onto her side, she ran her fingers over the opal ring. Did he remember? Rowena kept dwelling on it, hopelessly trying to recall if his eyes had shown it; but it was no use, as the whole reuniting had happened so fast. It was a fuzzy mess of feelings and tears and memory, as her past and present had come together.
Still, she wondered, did he remember that night?
"Hurry up, Rowena!"
"Ssh! She'll hear you. If she finds out I'm out here..." Rowena whispered hurriedly, emerging from within a tangled shrub. Her bare feet dug into the cold, silvery sand. She clutched her wand tightly.
"You're not afraid of punishment," Salazar said with a tricky grin. "You're afraid of The Thing."
"No I am not," Rowena said defiantly, though a bit too hastily to mask her uncertainty. "There is no such thing as...The...Thing." She wasn't sure what was more unnerving--the mysterious entity rumored to dwell on the island in the Loch, or Salazar in one of his more intrepid moods. Rowena looked direly at the island--a rocky, hilly, dark mass of dense forest. On a sunny, summer day with no darkness in sight, it was a fun place to romp. On a moonlit night, however, it sent a chill down her spine to think of setting foot on its shore.
Salazar laughed and shook his head. "You know, it eats eleven year-old girls, I hear."
"More like stupid boys--" Rowena was retorting, when a strange cry came from the direction of the island. Her eyes went wide and she froze, pulling her robe and nightdress closer around her frame. She shivered.
Salazar, who had been fiddling with a small dinghy, stood up straight and glanced toward the source of the cry. Upon his face lit an undaunted excitement.
"Get in, and hurry. The Thing only comes when there's a full moon."
Well, she couldn't just stand on the shore and watch Salazar sail away to adventure without her. Rowena sighed, and against her better judgment, scrambled into the boat. It wobbled, and Salazar then pushed it from the sand into the frigid, black water. Jumping in quickly, he cast a charm on the boat by tapping his wand on the bow. Quietly, the little boat began slowly cutting through the still water, urged on by Salazar's magic.
"It isn't...I mean, I just don't think..." Rowena whimpered as the island began to grow larger. The shadowy forms of the island's trees were outlined then, not just a dark mass in the distance.
Salazar looked at her over his shoulder, flipping his dark hair from his face. His eyes were intense, but he smiled. Then, he turned his gaze back around, keeping an eye on the island. Rowena slumped down, crossing her arms. She watched him leaning up solidly at the bow, his hair blowing a little, streaked with light. The skin on his hands and neck looked pale in the bright moonlight.
"Salazar," she pleaded. The island was close. Rowena could see a small strip of sand.
"Ssh!" he quieted her, turning around again. "Is it Kay or Rowena that's in this boat with me? And where are your shoes?"
"I didn't think we'd actually go," she told him. "And I am not scared, thank you." Rowena plucked up, having been compared to Kay. A change in the wind made that boy nervous, and she wasn't about to take his title of coward.
"Good. Though, you should be," Salazar smiled slyly, just as the boat ran upon the shore. He stood up and swung himself up over the side of the boat, and landed on the sand. Scanning the tree line, he whirled around and held his hand out to Rowena. Clutching her wand in one hand, and grasping his hand with the other, Rowena gritted her teeth and leapt out of the boat. The sand was damp and freezing beneath her feet. The island was eerily silent. Salazar pulled his wand from within his cloak.
"Come on, and stay close to me. I'm sure The Thing isn't the only creature to worry about out here."
Rowena whimpered again, hurrying along at Salazar's heels as he headed into the dark woods. He appeared to be going in the direction a small rock face that rose up from the trees. Another strange cry drifted in the night, this time much louder, as they were close to the source. "It sounds like a cooing," Rowena told herself. "The Thing cannot be all that vicious of a monster if it coos." Yet, her self-assuring was not doing much to stop her shaking. Salazar was still smiling, nearly laughing when he saw her so scared. She kept wondering how he could not be even the slightest bit nervous.
"I'll climb up first," Salazar whispered, pointing to the veiny wall of rock that rose about twenty feet above them. They had climbed it before, but in the daylight. Rowena wondered if her trembling hands would be able to get a good hold on anything. "Then, I'll wait for you and pull you up at the top."
She watched him climb, finding holds and crevices along the way. When he reached the top, he waved his hand, signaling her to come. For a moment, she felt something behind her in the darkness of the woods. She turned around timidly and looked. All was dark and quiet. Then, she heard a rustle and a twig snap. Rowena sucked in a breath, then rushed to the rock face to begin climbing as though The Thing was at her heels. Without shoes, she was able to wriggle her toes into smaller cracks, enabling her to climb steadily and quickly. Finally nearing the top, Salazar reached out and grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her up.
"That was fast, Rowena."
She was panting. "I heard something behind me. I thought it might be the--"
Another softer coo came this time, and Salazar stood up, scanning for the direction of the sound. "I think it's this way, to the east," he said, pointing. He smiled, but this time his smile was not bold or tricky. He took Rowena's hand and lifted her to her feet. "Let's hurry, but we cannot make any noise. It's very shy."
"A--All right," Rowena answered, letting Salazar lead her on. They moved quietly through the woods, negotiating around thick undergrowth and mossy rocks. The ground was prickly in some places, and trying carefully not to step too hard and hurt her feet, she ran into a rock, stubbing her toes. She stopped, biting her lip to stifle a cry, and hopped on one foot. Salazar came around, laughing silently, and then bent down. He motioned for her to climb on his back. Rowena wrapped her arms around his neck, and Salazar stood up. She then crossed her legs around his waist.
Salazar laughed a bit uncomfortably. "You're heavier than you used to be," he whispered.
"Well, I have grown like a weed," Rowena whispered back, her mouth close to his ear. They both laughed, as Rowena had imitated Lady Ravenclaw's comment the week before, though with a whole lot less disdain in the word, "weed."
"Your wand is poking my neck," Salazar said. "Put it in your pocket."
"I can't reach."
"Here, let me hold it then."
He slipped it from her hand and tucked it away in his cloak. "Let's go."
They moved closer to the sound, as the coo reached them again. Up ahead, there appeared to be a clearing after a dense cluster of thicket and undergrowth. Silvery moonlight was streaming down beyond, and there was a movement.
Salazar slowed down, then stopped and squatted down behind the dense growth. Rowena climbed off his back and hunched along side him. He put a finger to his lips before carefully parting a bit of the bushes in front of them. Rowena pressed her cheek against his, trying to see through the small opening.
In the bright light of the full moon, an awkwardly spindly creature was dancing on its hind legs. The Thing had smooth, gray skin, and was no bigger than a large dog. It had enormous round eyes on top of its head that glistened in the moonlight. Strangest though, was it's four large disc-like feet that looked like dinner plates. The dance was strange and rhythmic, captivating Rowena. She had never seen anything quite so alien.
Salazar moved his head back a bit, so that his mouth was near her ear. "Mooncalf," he whispered.
So Salazar had known all along! Rowena felt a bit hot from it, as he had led her to believe there was a vicious girl-eating monster on the island. Yet, it was such a unique sight, that she quickly forgot the teasing. The mooncalf stopped dancing for a moment, setting its fore legs on the rocky grass in the clearing. It reared its gray head and let out another coo. This time, the coo was returned. Was there another? Emerging from a burrow in the ground, another smooth skinned mooncalf came into the clearing, though it was a bit smaller than the other. Salazar pushed a little closer into the opening, terribly interested in the mysterious mooncalves. Rowena backed away some, allowing him room. That was when she heard something else. Was it a cackle? She sat up and looked into the tangle of growth behind and around them. Salazar did not appear to hear it. At first, having just seen a mooncalf rise from its burrow, her thought was that another one was rising, obviously stuck in the thicket. She turned on her knees and began to crawl to investigate.
Then, she heard the cackle again. In this instance though, all her thoughts seemed to evaporate. She was simply drawn to the sound, as she crawled deeper and deeper into the dark mass of vines and tangles.
"Rowena!" came a harsh whisper. Salazar was looking for her. "Rowena!" He sounded panicked. She heard him rustling the undergrowth, and came to her senses. What was she doing? She crawled forward a bit, and then, the ground gave way and she was falling. Rowena screamed, and hit a hard dirt floor, her legs crumbling beneath her. A sharp pain began to pulse in he right ankle. She was in a small hole about seven feet from the surface, and it seemed to lead into a cave. Rowena hunched down in the small space and relieved the pressure on her ankle. Leaves and sticks were under her. She realized she had fallen through a trap when the high-pitched cackling began again; this time, it was right next to her. Stunned, she tried to move and reached for her wand. Salazar had it! She clambered at the dirt wall of the hole she had fallen into, but she couldn't stand up. Rowena felt something near, and turned around slowly. A bit of moonlight shone down, enough to reveal a hideous face that emerged from the darkness of the cave--a blackish-green, elfish creature with large eyes, and a huge mouth baring rows of pointy teeth. An erkling! It cackled again, and she kicked at it with her uninjured leg. The erkling vanished back into the darkness, and there was a frightening growl. Then, it sprang viciously at her. She screamed again as its long fingers and sharp nails clawed at her. Rowena held out her hands, pushing away at the thing, trying to keep its dangerous mouth from reaching her neck, which it was apparently aiming for. The hole was so small; she couldn't maneuver around enough to stand up. The erkling seemed to be only about three feet tall, and she might have subdued it elsewhere, but there just wasn't enough room in the monster's trap for her to get a good swing or a kick at it.
"Rowena!" she heard Salazar shouting frantically. "Where are you?"
She scrambled, screaming, "Down here!"
But her pause was enough for the erkling to rear back and strike the side of her head. She slumped over, into blackness.
"Rowena!" an echoing shout made her open her eyes. A jet of red light hit the dirt wall above the low entrance to the cave leading from the trap. It showered earth down on her. She was aware then that something had a hold of her ankles and was dragging her into the darkness. The pain was excruciating where the erkling yanked on her injured ankle, and she let out a painful yell.
"Rowena!"
She reached her arms up and screamed. "Help me!"
"Catch!" Salazar cried, throwing her wand down the hole. She missed it, but kicked her good leg enough to loosen the erkling's grip so that she could twist and grab the wand. The erkling sprung forward to attack her again, but Rowena raised her wand so it pointed between the creature's wild eyes.
"Impedimenta!" she yelled, and knocked the erkling back. Rowena attempted to get to her feet, but cried out in pain.
"My ankle! I think it's broken!"
"Hold on," Salazar assured her. He waved his wand and conjured a rope, and it appeared with a bang. Lowering it, he steadied himself. "Grab on and I'll pull you up."
Rowena put her wand between her teeth and held on to the rope the best she could. There was a growl in the cave.
"Hurry!" she cried. Salazar gave a few great heaves and pulled Rowena to the surface. When most of her weight was on the ground, he dropped the rope and fell to his knees, dragging her the rest of the way out. As soon as Rowena sat up, Salazar had a hold of her shoulders and shook her.
"I told you to stay close to me," he said angrily. "You could be that thing's dinner right now, Rowena!"
She bit her lip, and tears started to fall down her cheeks. She was shaking from the ordeal. "I'm s-sorry S-Salazar," she sobbed.
He loosened his grip and gathered her to his chest, and she cried.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, wrapping his arms tightly around her. They sat together for a little while, until Rowena calmed down. "We should get back. Your ankle?"
"It hurts," Rowena replied, sitting up and wiping her tears with the sleeve of her robe.
"I'll carry you. Then, I can lower you down over the rock," Salazar said, pulling her up and then scooping her into his arms. He set his jaw seriously.
"The mooncalves?" she questioned, as Salazar began walking back toward the direction of the boat.
"We scared them off, I'm sure. This was foolish. I'm not sure of the proper spell for your ankle. We'll have to go to Elfrida."
"We can't!" Rowena argued. "You aren't supposed to be here! I'm restricted to my room! Father is going to whip me when he comes back from London, if my mother doesn't kill me first. Just try something!"
"I can't. I might end up making your ankle disappear altogether," he explained, slowing down to negotiate through a dense crop of trees.
Rowena despaired. Only a week before, following the weed comment, Lady Ravenclaw had managed to convince her husband with cold hard facts that Rowena was no longer a "little girl" as she existed in his view of things. Furthermore, her mother had gotten Lord Ravenclaw to agree that Salazar and Rowena should be chaperoned, if together at all. Rowena knew that it was just her mother's attempt at making her unhappy. Still, her father had maintained that in a few months, Salazar would be sixteen, and a young man with responsibilities, so it made sense for them to start spending less time together. The situation was worsened by the fact Lord Ravenclaw was gone to London for several days, and there was no reason for Salazar to be at Cnoc Liath in the first place, as lessons were canceled. They were going to be in serious trouble. Rowena had grown to learn, though, that consequences were not always on Salazar's mind; he had a penchant for disregarding rules. She had also learned that, when someone exercised power over him, he tended to go against them in any way possible. Was this one of those times? She looked up at him. His face was serious and she could tell he was thinking about a way around the mess they were sure to cause.
When they finally reached the boat, after a struggle getting Rowena back down over the rock face, Salazar set her in gently and pushed the boat into the Loch with a running start. He leapt in, and the dinghy rocked a little before his charm set it on a steady course for the opposite shore.
"We could go to the library," Rowena suggested. "Maybe there's a book there with the proper spell..."
She let her voice drift off. Salazar only nodded and watched the approaching shore. Rowena, having finally gotten a chance to lie still, was starting to feel the throbbing pain in her ankle. She was also beginning to feel a bit ill, so she leaned back and closed her eyes for a while. Trying to focus on the soft sounds of the boat gliding through the water, and taking deep breaths, Rowena was able to distance herself from the pain and nausea, but it was persistent.
"Is that Kay?" Salazar asked. "And that other boy--the Muggle--what's his name? Rowena?"
Rowena felt his hands on her, pulling her up. "You look pale," he said. "Rowena?"
She opened her eyes. "I don't feel so good. My ankle hurts a lot."
"Well, we're in luck. Kay can help me carry you to the village. I'm sure the healer can mend it in a minute."
"Won't she tell?" Rowena asked.
Salazar reached under his cloak and pulled out a small sack of coins, which he jingled. "No."
"Oh."
The boat was approaching the silvery strand, and Rowena could see Kay a tow-headed village boy standing there waiting.
Kay looked worried. "You went there? Tonight?" he badgered them, as soon as the dinghy ran up into the sand. "The Thing? Under a full moon?"
"It nearly ate me," Rowena said casually, and laughed at Kay's shocked expression. "My ankle's broken."
"You're going to help me take her to the healer," Salazar said in a commanding voice. With Salazar, there was never any guessing who was the nobility. He helped her out of the boat, and Kay was there, grasping her other arm.
"Nab," Kay said to the boy standing nearby, who watched with wide eyes. "Go and wake Erskina."
The boy took off at a run for the village. Salazar and Kay supported Rowena as they made the trek into the village. The roads were full of ruts, which they had to lift her over. Kay's one complaint of a sore shoulder was silenced by a serious glare from Salazar. The village was quiet, marked only with the sounds of a few animals in their pens. Erskina's hut was lit, and the boy came running out as they approached.
"Run along, you two," came a gruff voice from the hut. Erskina poked her head out, revealing her wild hair. Rowena wondered when the last time was she had washed it. The healer shooed Kay and Nab, and the pair took off into the night. Salazar picked up Rowena and entered the smoky hut, laying Rowena down on a mat before the small fire.
"Broken ankle, eh?" she asked Rowena. "Can't Elfrida mend this, Lady?"
"No, she'll tell my--"
"We're fully prepared to pay you well, Erskina," Salazar interrupted. "For your healing and for your keeping a secret." He pulled out his coin pouch and bargained with the healer. When they finished the money exchange, Erskina turned to Rowena and laughed.
"Out and about against the rules. I remember those days. Hold still, then." She pointed her wand at Rowena's ankle and said a quick spell. A warm glow surrounded her skin, and the pain went away.
Erskina stood up and went to a cluttered shelf, taking a wooden flask. Then, she poured its green contents into a cup. "Here. Drink this. It'll make you feel a bit better all over."
Rowena made a sour face and put the flask to her lips. She downed the potion quickly, surprised to find it tasted like honey.
"Thank you," Rowena said, moving to stand up. Salazar helped her to her feet, and took hold of her hand as they left the healer's hut.
"I'll walk you to the orchard, and then you can go home on your own," Salazar suggested as they left the village grounds. Salazar looked at her for a long moment, and squeezed her hand. They walked without speaking for a long time. The moonlight was still bright, and the fall night cool. In the orchard, Salazar stopped and Rowena noticed he looked nervous and a bit sad. He took her hand and touched the opal ring.
"Rowena..."
She felt a strange, fluttery feeling in her stomach. "W--What?"
"I would never have forgiven myself if you had been eaten by an erkling. No. That's not it exactly. I...I would be lost if something happened to you."
"Salazar?"
He seemed to tremble a little bit, as he came closer. They were the closest in height they had ever been, and Rowena laid her head against his neck as he embraced her. "Do you remember, Rowena, what I said when I gave you this ring? I told you my mother wanted you to have it when I...I mean to say, that she knew you and I would...always be friends."
Rowena loosened herself and leaned to look at him. His green eyes were serious. He put a hand to her face, and she blushed, turning her eyes quickly to the ground.
Why was she feeling shy?
"Whenever we might get separated, I will always find you," he said softly. "If you ever need help, I will find you."
"I know," Rowena whispered, as he pulled her close again and kissed her cheek. He dwelled there for a tense moment. Her heart was pounding and she felt nervous. Then, he let her go.
"You should get to bed before the castle wakes."
"Can't you come?" Rowena pleaded. "It's lonely without you."
"You know that isn't proper anymore, Rowena," he replied. "We aren't children. Go on, and hurry." He looked down at her feet. "And wash those before you go bed."
They laughed, and Rowena took off running into the night.
Rowena tossed again in her bed, though she smiled at the memory. At that time, she hadn't really understood. He had wanted to kiss her. He had been trying to tell her they were betrothed. Yet he never did either. They saw each other less and less from that night on--until the end.
Rowena sighed and sat up. Sleep was not going to come. Tossing off the bedclothes, she wrapped a robe about her nightgown and decided to retreat to the library. A reading of Joberknoll Journeys by Byrtwold the Boring would be the most likely route to sleep, she figured. So, Rowena slipped downstairs. The library was dark, illuminated only by faint light creeping through the small, high windows. Rowena startled. Someone was sitting in the library reading a book. His shoulders were too square to be her uncle's...
"Salazar?"
He stood up and set down his book. Rowena realized he must have never left after he walked her home.
"I...I've been reading," he explained. "I...I knew you were here, and I didn't want to leave."
He moved a little closer. "I told you I would find you. Do you remember?"
"Yes," Rowena answered, though the word caught in her throat. Her heart was racing.
"I just..." he came even closer. "I don't want to lose you again. I..."
Rowena fell into his arms. Salazar wrapped his hand softly behind her neck, catching her hair between his fingers. She remembered that night in the orchard, when he almost kissed her. This time, he was not going to hesitate. For a moment, they were still, and then they kissed. His mouth was warm, and her skin prickled, and she felt light in his arms, yielding. When they stopped to breathe, Salazar pulled away slowly, their lips peeling apart. Rowena remained still, her eyes closed.
"I love you," she whispered, then opened her eyes. "I didn't understand any of it, and I still don't understand it, but I never stopped loving you, Salazar." Her eyes welled with tears, and he surrounded her again with his arms.
"I was so weak," he said somberly. "So weak. I couldn't fight the curse. I loved him, Rowena. Please, forgive me..."
"I do," she cried, as he kissed her neck and face. "I do."
He found her mouth again, and they were lost in a long-awaited kiss.
--------A/NThanks for all the reviews. Sorry it took so long. I was waiting on a beta read, but couldn't get around to it. Hope there are any horrible mistakes! Thanks for reading.