Chapter 9

Revelations

Our encounter with that troublesome little man bothered me for several days as I used the herbs Wen and I had collected to replenish my depleted supplies. I, as the healer of the family, ordered the recovering Leander to spend those days resting on my mattress, still positioned near the fire. I would watch him, out of the corner of my eye, sleeping, eating, or staring out the window. I wondered what he was thinking about, about how he had come into our lives, into my life.

After about a week I decreed that he would be allowed out of bed and to my surprise he left it without any aid. He must have been stronger than I thought, but he did not protest my directions. He must have known his own strength, yet he still complied, I mused. I could tell it had not been easy for him. As soon as he was up he became a ball of suppressed energy, striding around the close-quartered room, poking into everyone's business.

The problem was that because of his mangled hands, there was not much that he could do around the house. He could not help mother with the washing, or Wen with her spinning or sewing, and I was still working on my herbal remedies. I had bound his fingers and palms so thickly with bandages, for the terrible gouges had still not ceased to weep, he could not move them at all. I felt my heart wrench as his face finally fell, in disappointment and uselessness. Standing, silently as always, in the middle of the room he closed his eyes and I saw his hands begin to shake with despair.

I took action immediately, I knew he was about to lose control completely and I knew he would not want to draw attention. "Leander," I called from the kitchen absently, casting my eyes downward to look at the worktable, pretending I had not seen. "I forgot I would need a certain plant for this mixture," I looked up, trying for a natural smile, "I thought you would like to come with me to fetch it. You have not been outside for a long time and it is a beautiful day."

He looked lost for a moment then gave me his usual slight nod of assent. I smiled truly at him and dropped my apron on the table. I crossed the room for my herb basket which had been set next to the small bookshelf in the corner, secreting one of mother's old books in the basket, I turned and grabbed Leander's forearm. I pulled him out the door and into the waiting sunshine, but paused when I saw Wen emerging behind us.

"Don't worry Lyn," she stated when I sent her a questioning look, "I need more flour from the village, apparently my frantic baking the other day has depleted our stores," she gave us both a knowing smile and started in the direction of Coedbryn.

I shook my head slightly, confused about her mysteriousness. But I quickly recovered and smiled excitedly at Leander. He returned it mischievously and met my quick strides evenly as we exited the garden and stepped into the green. I did not speak for many minutes and I did not let go of his arm. I had my eyes closed, as was my habit when navigating the various paths I had trod throughout my childhood, but I opened them when his free hand lightly tapped my shoulder.

I turned to him and he smiled shyly, pointing questioningly to my herb basket. I was confused for a moment and then remembered, "Oh that, it was just an excuse…" I paused not sure of the best way to tell him I had seen him in his moment of weakness. "I thought you might want to get out of the cottage," I suddenly felt the need to touch him, to convey to him that I understood. "I did not really need anything from the forest," I clasped both of his thickly bandaged hands in my own and lifted my eyes to gaze into his midnight depths. He raised a hand to graze my cheek, the linen bandage was coarse, but his touch was soft, sending shivers down my spine and a flush to my face. His lips began to move, as if he were going to speak, "Thank you," he soundlessly mouthed.

Suddenly unsure of what to do, I looked down again at our joined hands, unfamiliar feelings swirling chaotically in my head. I wondered if this was something similar to what had happened to Wen with Thanos. I looked up into Leander's eyes and suddenly realized, "Your eyes, they are like the Bear's." He seemed taken aback by my words, but I continued anyway, "In fact, you are very like Thanos. I know that sounds silly, and you must have no idea what I am talking about but…it seems you both are not accustomed to being idle. I remember watching Thanos watch Wen or Mother about the cottage and he looked as though he would cross the room and help…and then what happened with Wen and him…" I realized I was now babbling and abruptly ceased. He looked at me, curiosity and concern in his midnight gaze, causing me to moan in frustration, "Oh, Leander! You must have no idea what I am talking about."

He shook his head slowly, and he mouthed the words, "Tell me," as I become conscious of the fact that our hands were still intertwined. I pulled away from him quickly, not know the reason for my agitation.

"Well, we might as well make ourselves comfortable, it is a long tale," I began a short trek to a nearby clearing and settled myself underneath a large oak, not many years younger than the Duchess herself. I leaned against the great trunk, closing my eyes, trying to calm myself. I could not understand what was wrong with me. My heartbeat quickened when I felt him sit down on one of the trees many exposed roots. Oh, I thought to myself, how on earth did that happen? I've known him a week. Another part of myself countered, Why were you so concerned about him when he first came? What power drove you? Why did you weep afterward? An even deeper, ancient part of me answered, Love shows itself differently for each one of us. For your sister it was premonition and disorientation, for your Mother it was knowledge, for you it was strength. Now you must cope with it.

I tore my eyes open, disconcerted by the musings of my subconscious, and turned to him. He was looking at me expectantly waiting for me to begin, but his face transformed once again, expressing concern, when he saw the frightened look in my eyes. I began the tale before he could find a way to ask me what was wrong, "It was nearly midwinter, the night we heard a knocking on the door." And I finished with, "the next day was the day I found you in the wood."

The entire time I had been gazing at my tightly clasped hands, now I moved my eyes to his face. His expression was unreadable and I began fidgeting with my dress, the need to say something else, anything else, overpowering my baffling nervousness. I looked straight into the midnight depths of his eyes, "We have had two strangers in as many months, neither has spoken, but they have both changed us, Wen and I. She felt a connection to Thanos from the first night. I…I think the same thing has happened to me…I do not know what I would have done if you had died." Having stopped my speech, I realized that he was no longer on the root. At some point he had moved in front of me, and I had moved forward from the oak's trunk. We were both kneeling in the long grass and fallen leaves of the forest clearing, his arms about my waist, my left arm resting on his shoulder, my right hand pressed to his cheek. Our gaze was still locked and a feeling of certainty, of warmth, what I now knew was love, enveloped us both as I closed my eyes and our lips met.

They parted after a moment and I smiled blissfully, "Well, at least now I know how you feel, and I am wondering why I was nervous in the first place." He shrugged, smiling wryly and I threw back my head, joyously laughing as I tightened my arms about his shoulders. He pulled me closer to him, bending his head to kiss the base of my neck as something occurred to me, "Leander," I said hesitantly and he huffed loudly to let me know I had his attention, but he did not stop. I smiled, despite my growing concern, "I do not think we should go very much further, Leander." At that he pulled back, a disappointed frown marring his beautiful features, but I continued, reassuringly, "Until you are fully healed, of course," and he flashed me a foolish grin and went back to kissing my neck.

I closed my eyes and let the sensation flow over me, marveling at how things could have changed in only a few hours. "Hmmm," I began thinking, "We cannot keep doing this without it eventually getting out of hand. They will not expect us back for a little longer though. I brought one of Mother's books with me. Would you like me to read to you?" He reluctantly ceased, probably realizing I would not be convinced to let matters go any further, and nodded. I flashed him a smile and sat back down at the base of the oak, pulling him down next to me. He draped his arm around my waist possessively, and I pulled out the book from my basket.

"I didn't even check to see what book it was," I commented, then read the title, "Eisgairdian Folktales. It seems to be a book of fairy tales." Leander tensed beside me, and I turned to see his face. His brows were furrowed as if he were thinking hard, or trying to remember something. Swiftly, he took the book awkwardly in his bandaged hands and began trying to flip through it, desperation set in his features as he seemed to be looking for a certain story. He stopped finally, a pleased look transforming his face. He handed the book back to me. I saw that the bandages on his hands were laced with red in places.

"You are using your hands too much," I admonished, looking down at his hands. He just gazed back at me expectantly, "You want me to read this one, Leander? Bearskin?" I asked after a moment and he nodded solemnly.

I began reading the tale. It was not long, and concerned a soldier who made a deal with a devil in order to get riches. He had to go about for seven years wearing a bearskin and not bathing or cleaning himself at all. He became like a monster, but he was kind and wealthy so he survived. Four years into his journey he met an old man who promised him his daughter in return for a kindness. He fell in love her and she for him. He gave her half a ring and left for the rest of his wandering. He returned three years later and they were married and lived happily ever after.

After I finished the story I mulled over Leander's behavior, resting my head against his shoulder. "Was this story chosen in order to tell me something?" I asked him, quietly. He nodded solemnly and using his hand, moved my head to look at his face, "Thanos," he mouthed, "Bear."

I sat up quickly, "Leander, you know the Bear? He…he is a man? Like in the story?" At that he shook his head in negation. "No," I agreed, "It could not be like in the story, Thanos never spoke. He is…a bear and a man…transformed?" Leander nodded vigorously so I kept going, "And he made a bargain with a devil?" at that statement his face darken a bit, but he still nodded slightly. I reached out to him, moving my hands to caress his shoulders, understanding his frustration. I pondered all of the information I had to work with, "There must be something more to this. The Bear has left us. Why go to all the trouble of conveying this to me if there was not something I needed to know."

I tried to remember everything that had happened since Thanos had come into our lives, then Leander, then…I gasped, "That repulsive little man," I growled and Leander looked sharply at me, an urgent question on his face, "He met Wen and I in the forest, right after you came…" I trailed off. Leander took my face in both linen-wrapped, blood-stained hands, "Wen," he mouthed.

A shock ran through me, "That man is the devil that struck the bargain…and he is after Wen?" He bowed his head resignedly, sorrow and regret nearly emanated from him, "I knew we never should have gone near the little beast," I muttered darkly. I moved to raise his head to look at me, reassurance ready on my tongue, when I heard the terrible sound. It was something I had never heard before, but I identified it instinctively. I was the sound of my beloved Wen screaming.