Here's chapter 4. This chapter introduces two new characters... sort of. One of them may be familiar to you. Read on.
Edit: Very minor, once again. Corrected two typos. I love to feed my inner perfectionist.
Chapter 4
Hesitation
Radiant Garden castle was by no means small, but by morning, word of the mysterious stranger had somehow spread to every servant, noble and child in it. In every corner, hall, nook and cranny the event was discussed, picked apart by citizens eager for news as exciting as this.
But Dilan had only one thing on his mind; escaping from Braig.
Braig had caught him in the garden early that morning. The sun had been shining, and Dilan had been content to simply sit beneath a tree, doodling idly on a small pad of paper. Dilan sighed. He supposed that, if it hadn't been for the doodling, Braig would have left him alone.
But, alas, Braig, being his usual nosy self, just had to look at the doodles over his shoulder.
The pad of paper now sat nearby on the bench, near to where Braig was lecturing Dilan. The pad was covered with writing, the same word over and over again: "Kayla."
"Kayla!" Braig shouted at Dilan. "Kayla! Dude, this is getting out of hand."
"It is not," Dilan said defensively.
"Dilan, you wrote the chick's name all over a frickin' notepad," Braig said. "Complete with little flowers and hearts."
Dilan turned red.
"So?"
He tried to map out his possible escape routes. No, the left exit was too obvious, Braig would stop him. Maybe the right …?
"So," Braig said. "Why don't you just tell her how you feel?"
Dilan looked up.
"That's none of your business," he said quietly.
"Oh, yes it is. If some other guy comes along and snaps her up, you'll be depressed. Then I'll get depressed, and where will we be?"
Dilan grinned sadly. It was hard to imagine Braig being depressed. He sighed and sat down on the nearby bench. Braig sat down next to him. Dilan found himself thinking, not for the first time, that they were an odd pair of friends. He, Dilan, was calm, introverted and thoughtful, while Braig was loud, impulsive, social and, more often then not, rude. Most of the other apprentices were repulsed by him, except for maybe Elaeus, who was nice to everyone. But, despite that, Dilan felt comfortable with Braig, and they had become friends.
"My relationship with Kayla isn't that simple," Dilan said at last. "We're friends, it would be awkward if I… told her. Plus, it hasn't been that long since her husband left her. She might not like it."
"Man, it's been like two years."
"It was difficult for her," Dilan snapped. "He left her with a child to raise."
Braig fell silent.
"Okay," he finally said. "Maybe that's true, but I'm worried about you, dude."
He stood up and stretched.
"Just know this; if you don't tell her soon, I'm takin' action."
Dilan jumped to his feet.
"Wh… what kind of action?"
Braig gave Dilan a mischievous smile, one that showed all his teeth and made his scar elongate. Dilan had a really, really bad feeling about that smile.
"Kairi!" Braig called. "Hey, Kairi, come over here a minute!"
Dilan's eyes widened in shock. He gaped at Braig, who just grinned.
"No," he said. "No. You wouldn't."
But he would. From behind a bush, a little girl poked her head out. She had bright red hair. Her little face lit up with a smile.
With a high pitched yell, Kairi ran over to where Braig and Dilan were standing.
Kairi was two years old, and she loved mud, unfortunately. She had just been playing in it, and her hands were covered with it. Despite his anxiety, Dilan clucked his tongue at the little girl.
"Kairi," he said, shaking his head. "You've been playing in the mud again? What a mess. Let me get that."
He pulled out a handkerchief, wet it, and bent down to Kairi's level. He wiped her face carefully. She squirmed.
"Mud," she said petulantly. She didn't know many words yet.
"Yes," Dilan repeated. "Mud on Kairi's face. Done."
He gave Kairi's nose a little tweak. She giggled.
Braig rolled his eyes. He would never understand little kids. He pushed Dilan to the side and bent down to talk to the two-year-old. Her eyes widened. She had never liked Braig.
"Braig," said Dilan, annoyed. "She doesn't like you. She won't listen to you."
Braig ignored him.
"Hey, Kairi," he said conversationally. "Where's your mommy?"
She blinked, then shook her head.
"See Braig?" said Dilan, feeling relieved. "Kairi doesn't know where Kayla is. Now leave her alone."
Braig glared at Dilan. He persisted.
"Kairi," Braig said. "Can you go find your mommy and bring her here?"
"Mommy?"
"Yes, mommy."
"For goodness sake, Braig she's not a messenger pigeon …"
"Ok!" Kairi said brightly.
"No, Kairi, wait …"
She dashed off to the castle before Dilan could stop her. He glared at Braig.
"Great, Braig."
He plopped down on the bench.
"That's just great. Send a kid to do your dirty work. That's really going to make me appealing to Kayla."
Braig shrugged.
"No harm done, no harm done. You see, I was never going to get you to talk to Kayla on your own, so I decided to just bring Kayla here to talk to you."
"I'll run away," Dilan threatened.
"And I'll send her off to find you if you do."
"Braig, you're a dirty sneak."
The two men glared at each other for a moment, before they heard the gate to the garden open. Dilan stiffened. They were coming back.
"Good luck," said Braig.
He jumped up and dashed out of the garden, leaving Dilan alone.
"Braig!" yelled Dilan. "Braig! Where are you going?"
He was already gone. Dilan moaned.
"I will kill him," he muttered.
"Kill who?"
He spun around. Kairi was back, holding the hand of a tall young woman who looked like an older version of her daughter, but with green eyes instead of blue. She cocked her head to one side.
"Who were you yelling at, Dilan?" Kayla asked.
"Dilan," Kairi repeated severely.
"Uh … nobody …" he said nervously. "What brings you here?"
She rolled her eyes in the direction of the little girl beside her.
"Little missy here wouldn't leave me alone unless I came out here. She kept talking about you."
"You!" Kairi shouted, pointing at Dilan.
Kayla gently pushed her daughter's arm down.
"Don't point at people, honey."
Kayla straightened and looked back at Dilan. She smiled and brushed a strand of hair out of her face.
"Kairi sure seems to like me," Dilan said, fishing for something to talk about.
"That she does," Kayla said with a nod. "Sometimes, I think she thinks you're her … well." She stopped talking. She looked suddenly sad.
Dilan scratched his head.
"Well, she's very special to me. I have known her since she was born."
"And you've been a great help," Kayla said brightly.
Dilan laughed nervously. He felt a bit sad. He shouldn't have to be this nervous around Kayla. She was his friend.
'Maybe I should tell her,' he thought. 'Just get it over with. I'm sure she'll understand.'
But what if it just hurt her? It was all so confusing.
He opened his mouth, not exactly sure what he planned to say, when Ienzo and Elaeus came rushing outside.
"Dilan! Dilan!" called Elaeus.
The boys ground to a halt, out of breath, their faces red with excitement.
"Hey, boys," said Kayla.
"Boys," repeated Kairi.
"Hey, Kayla," they chorused. "Hey, Kairi."
"What is it?" asked Dilan, both relieved and disappointed that he and Kayla were no longer alone.
"It's the guy they found in the Maw!" Elaeus cried. "He woke up!"
"Great," said Dilan absently.
"How exciting," said Kayla.
Ienzo spoke for the first time.
"Master said that once he's recovered, we'll get to meet him."
"I can't wait!" shouted Elaeus.
Kairi yanked at her mother's arm.
"Wanna go in," she whined.
Kayla scooped Kairi into her arms.
"Sorry," she said. "I've gotta go. Looks like it's time for Kairi's nap. Bye boys."
"B … bye Kayla!" Dilan sputtered. He internally kicked himself. He'd missed his chance.
Elaeus and Ienzo didn't notice his state of distress.
"We're spreading the word," Elaeus said. "Wanna come, Dilan?"
"Uh … no," Dilan said quietly. "No. Sorry. I … I think I'll stay here."
Elaeus gave Dilan a look of concern.
"You don't look so good, Dil," he said. "Something wrong?"
He shook his head quickly.
"No, no. You boys go have fun."
"Well … okay," Elaeus said hesitantly.
"Come on, El!" Ienzo demanded.
They left. Dilan sat back down on the bench, feeling worse then ever.
ooo
Kairi was uncharacteristically quiet as her mother carried her inside. Kayla put it down to exhaustion, and didn't think much of it. She gave Kairi a kiss on top of her red hair.
"Don't worry, sweetie," she murmured. "You're going to take a nap. It's okay."
Kairi buried her face in her mother's chest.
"No," she said, her voice muffled by Kayla's shirt. "No."
She looked up at Kayla, who was shocked to see that her daughter had a serious expression on her face, not the pouty one she usually had when she was grumpy and tired. No, her eyes were clear, and her gaze seemed to pierce Kayla.
"I need to see Grandma."
For a moment, Kayla didn't see her daughter. In place of her, she seemed to see a young woman, wise, beautiful and serious, her face framed in light. Kayla blinked, and the moment passed. Kairi looked like Kairi again, a two-year-old girl. It took Kayla a moment to compose herself before speaking again.
"Wanna see Grandma," Kairi whined.
"Gra … Grandma is very busy," Kayla sputtered. "She's taking care of a sick man."
"Wanna see!"
"No, we can't."
The little girl began to cry loudly. Kayla patted her back and carried her to her room for the nap. Yes, Kairi was just a little girl. Just a little girl.
But, even as she said it to herself, Kayla could not shake the feeling that her daughter, for a moment at least, may have been something more.
Thanks for the reviews! Chapter 5 will be up next Thursday...
