Chapter 99
The night passed strangely for the Horned King. After a while the feeling did not cause him to claw at his chest anymore, but it was such an alien sensation. . .
His heart had lain dormant for centuries, lifeless. And now that it was back, he didn't think he'd ever get used to it again. He felt it would break right out of his chest, although the Invisibles told him he had a much slower, dimmer heart rate than most mortals.
But he had one.
He couldn't even remember when he lost it originally, it had been too long. But this feeling. . .
Thump. Thump. Thump.
He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, feeling it. His heart was beating. Beating! Pushing the sluggish lifeforce through his veins that had lain dormant for only the stars knew how long. In a way, he felt as if he were burning, but it was not unpleasant. Rather, it seemed to fill him with the warm fire his chest had contained for quite some time now. Every inch of him.
'Is this what it is like,' he pondered silently, 'To feel alive?'
He understood now how Avalina's eyes always seemed to dance. How other humans' eyes always carried a light in them of some type while they breathed. It was Life they carried.
The beating sensation was making him heady.
Gracefully sitting down again, he placed a hand to his chest in wonder, feeling the faint but steady rhythm inside.
He understood now where Avalina's energy came from. He felt like he could run forever, although he simply sat there, unmoving.
'How can this be?' He thought to himself.
'I do not understand. What has happened to me? I am. . .or was. . .heartless. The very epitome of the word and it's definition. I remained so for century upon century. I do not even remember when I first lost it. But now. . .it has returned. How is this possible? Once something becomes heartless they remain in that state. Or so I have believed all of this time.'
Leaning back in his chair he continued his silent musings, his hands coming down to rest on the chair arms.
'For the first time, I feel like a new creature. I am no longer heartless.'
It was strange even thinking that.
'I wonder if Avalina always feels this warm inside?'
His mouth twitched faintly upwards.
'She will be so pleased to hear of this.'
When Avalina opened her eyes the next morning, she felt better than she had in a while. Her feeling of being safe in her dream had carried over into the waking world, and she didn't realize until her constant state of living in fear was gone how heavy it had been.
Mitternacht felt the change too and greeted her more cheerfully over the door, his excitement obvious in every movement.
After breakfast Avalina wandered through the castle looking for the Horned King. She wanted to see him before she took Mitternacht out for his morning run.
Slipping into the library, she found him reading the spines of the books on one of the shelves.
She thought she had entered silently, but the Horned King turned to her as she approached.
"Good morning!" She told him cheerfully, unable to keep the grin off her face.
"Good morning, Avalina," the lich replied, with a faintly warmer tone than usual, and Avalina could see now that she was closer that he carried a faint smile on his face. To anyone else it would have looked like the beginnings of a snarl but she had become accustomed to reading his all but unreadable countenance.
"How are you this morning?" She asked him happily, and he turned away from what he was doing to devote his attention to her.
Avalina had rarely been the recipient of such a rare and wonderful thing, when someone gave you their complete, undivided attention. Her family had done so rarely, as there was simply too much work to do to simply sit around and talk. She understood perfectly, but sometimes she felt ignored.
He never ignored her, but when she first came she had wished he would. That was no longer the case.
"I am well," he rumbled, clasping his hands behind his back.
"You seem to be likewise."
"I am!" Avalina said happily.
"I feel like today is going to be marvelous, although it's hardly started!"
She saw the Horned King's mouth twitch faintly as he gave a tiny nod.
"Indeed."
"What are you looking for?" She asked him.
"A book."
"I guessed that!" Avalina laughed, "But which one? Maybe I can help you find it."
The lich gave a soft noise that may have been a faint chuckle.
"I do not recall its title, but it contains many maps of the world, Prydain included."
"Are you planning on traveling?" Avalina teased, giving him an almost impish look.
"No. The maps are for you."
"Me?" Avalina asked, surprised.
"Why?"
"Because you need to further your education," the lich replied.
"And knowing your way around your home country is the impeccable place to begin."
"I know my way around!" Avalina protested.
The Horned King arched a brow ridge at her.
". . .Mostly," she finished, a bit lamely.
"Precisely. You must learn to find your way back to a place of familiarity if you were to lose your way in a place you do not know. Maps will help."
"I suppose."
After a few minutes of helping him look, Avalina asked, "Do you have a favorite place?"
The Horned King glanced over at her.
"What?"
Avalina repeated it.
"You know, a place you really like to be, more than anywhere else?"
He thought for a moment, before shaking his head.
"Not particularly. I'm assuming you do?"
"Yes," she told him a bit shyly.
"Go on."
"Well, it's kind of hard to explain," she admitted.
"It's high up in the air, so high you can see everything, and it feels like you're sitting on an island in the sky!"
By now he had a vaguely puzzled look on his face.
"Elaborate."
Avalina wondered how to describe it better.
"I can't really," she finally admitted, before brightening.
"But I can show it to you!"
The lich inclined his head slightly.
"You can?"
"Sure!" Avalina answered.
"Are you up for a ride?"
"Where is it?" The Horned King asked, suddenly wary.
"Oh, it's not too awful far from here."
Seeing he was about to provide a mild protest, she urged, "The book can wait. Mitternacht wants to go!"
The lich's mouth twitched upward again.
"Very well."
"Yes!"
Avalina jabbed a fist skyward before racing from the room.
"Come on!"
The Horned King lightly held Mitternacht's muzzle and watched as Avalina slid the straps around the horse's girth and tightened them.
Mitternacht would sometimes blow his barrel out like the card he was but today he refrained, sensing all the excitement in the air.
The lich stepped away to keep his aura from suffocating Avalina as she came up to the horse's head to slide the bridle on. Mitternacht lowered his head obediently.
"We are riding double?" The Horned King asked in surprise.
"Well, yes," Avalina answered, puzzled.
"How else did you think we could get there?"
The Horned King tried to pull his thoughts together, which had suddenly become scattered at the realization of what she meant.
"I'll be fine," she told him.
"We can teleport instead of ride. . ." he tried to protest, but she cut him off.
"You won't get to see anything that way!" She protested, pulling the reins down Mitternacht's neck.
"You don't have to worry."
Swinging into the saddle, she pushed herself up to the front of it before turning back to him.
"Ok, mount up!"
"You will not be able to breathe," he told her, looking resigned.
Avalina opened her mouth to say something, but he continued.
"I cannot have that."
Avalina sobered slightly as she noticed his face had taken on an almost regretful expression.
"I am sorry."
After a moment, Avalina dismounted and walked over to him.
"Hey," she told him softly, causing him to look up at her, "I'll be alright. I don't know if you've noticed, but your aura's not as. . .well. . .it's different than it used to be. Sort of. It doesn't bother me that much anymore."
The Horned King looked faintly puzzled.
"It has?"
"Yes," she told him.
"It doesn't bother me like it used to. I wouldn't have suggested you come today if it did. I'll be fine."
Seeing he still looked hesitant, she added, "I promise."
She smiled when he finally dredged out his reply.
"As you wish."
Swinging back up, she kicked her feet from the stirrups so he could use them, before leaning to the right and forward, out of his way.
The Horned King carefully mounted behind her, noticing he was still a great deal taller than she. With nothing else to hang onto, he reached around on either side of her and held the saddle's pommel.
Mitternacht shifted, a bit surprised at the extra weight, but did nothing more, except look around to see his two passengers seated on his back.
Avalina forced herself to take easy, relaxed breaths as the Horned King's aura settled over her, trying not to think about how her back was pressed directly up against him. She had forgotten about the close proximity required to get to her destination, but she wasn't going to back down now.
"Are you experiencing difficulty?"
His voice rumbled right behind her head and directly beside her ear, making her stiffen in momentary fright, before she nervously shook her head.
"No," she managed.
"Leave your feet in the stirrups, I don't need them."
"Very well. If you begin to have trouble breathing you are to let me know immediately."
His voice rattled deep in his throat. She could feel his chest vibrate with the sound, and she nodded to acknowledge his words.
"Walk on," was all she managed to Mitternacht, who eagerly started walking.
"I can see what's happening," the third Invisible commented as they flitted about Avalina's room, cleaning.
"What?" The first Invisible asked.
"And they don't have a clue!" the second exclaimed.
"Who?" The first Invisible queried.
"He cares for her and here's the bottom line," the third continued.
"He may just save his soul in time," the second finished.
"Oh," was all the first Invisible could manage out before the third one started up again, answered by the second.
"Reading, riding, music too. . ."
"There's progress everywhere. . . .
"He's a monstrous murderer, it is true. . ."
"But now. . .
"Thanks to Ava. . ."
Here, the two of them chimed in together, making the first Invisible cringe at the noise.
"We can see something there!"
The first Invisible groaned as they picked up volume.
"CAAAAAAAN YOU FEEEEEEL THE LOOOOVE TONIGHT?"
"THE PEACE THEIR FRIENDSHIP BRINGS
"AND NOW, FOR ONCE HE'S NOT SO COLD
"CAUSE HIS THOUGHTS TO HER, THEY GOOOOOO!"
"So many things he's told her," the second sang.
"He swore he'd never say," the third added.
"She's bringing back his past now. . ."
"Before he became this waaaaay!"
"She's still afraid of him, but certain. . . .
"That he still has some hope. . ."
"She hates to see him empty. . ."
"So she's trying to fill the hole!"
"CAAAAAN YOU FEEEEEEEL THE LOOOOVE TONIGHT?
NOTHING LIKE IT IIIIIIN THE WOOOORLD!
HE STILL HUNGERS TO CONQUER EVERYTHING
BUT HE JUST MIGHT GIVE IT UP FOR HEEEERRRR!"
"I'm gonna go deaf," the first Invisible grumbled irritably.
"Sing quieter or you'll be cleaning this room all by yourselves."
"What?" The two of them exclaimed.
"You don't like our karaoke?"
"Wassa matta witchu?"
"Baby, we are pitch perfect."
"Hmph," the first Invisible snorted.
"With a couple of dying cats, maybe."
The duo cackled.
"Don't hate us cause we're beautiful!"
Before they went into full swing again.
"CAAAAN YOU FEEEEL THE LOOOVE TONIGHT?
HE WAS NOTHING BUT HEARTLESS
BUT THEN SHE CAME ALONG, AND GAVE HIM A SONG
AND NOW HE'S NOT SO HOPELESS!
"You two are hopeless," the first Invisible bit out.
"CAAAAN YOU FEEEEEEL THE LOOOOOOVE TONIGHT?
SHE'S DONE WHAT NO ONE ELSE COULD DO
AND HE'S STILL IN DENIAL, BUT HE'LL SEE IN A WHILE
THAT SHE MAY CARE FOR HIM TOOOOO!"
"That's enough!" The first Invisible shouted.
"You can caterwaul to your utmost content when this room is clean and I am *gone* from the premises!"
"Aw, come on!"
"You ain't got no sense of fun."
The door came open as the fourth Invisible slipped in.
"What's going on in here?"
"...You really wanna know?"
The first Invisible asked irritably.
"We're singing!"
The second Invisible said happily.
"Wanna join?"
"It's tons of fun!" The third cackled.
"We even get to sing *bad*!"
"Please tell me you came to swap Boss Duty shifts with me," the first Invisible nearly pleaded.
"No, the master and Avalina went out riding," the fourth Invisible replied.
Shouting ensued as they all raced to the window to see the black horse packing double disappear into the trees.
"Sorry Dusty," the fourth Invisible said apologetically, although there was not much regret in it's voice, "Looks like you're stuck! But seriously, you two, give Dusty a break."
Groans ensued from the duo.
"Thank you!" The first Invisible nearly shouted.
"Aw, come on, why do we have to be quiet?"
The twins groaned.
The fourth Invisible snickered.
"Cause it's my turn now."
The brief pause was only filled by the first Invisible's realization of the fact.
". . .Oh no."
"CAAAAN YOU FEEEEEEEL THE LOOOOOOVE TONIGHT?
THAT WARM FEELING IN HIS CHEST?
IT'S ALMOST SAAAAD HOW THEY'RE SO OBLIVIOUS
SHE BLINDLY BRINGS OUT HIS BEEEEEST!"
The first Invisible fleeing the room was all the encouragement the others needed. Chasing their comrade out into the hall, all three of them bellowed the last stanza.
"AND IF HE CARES FOR HER TODAAAAY
IT CAN BEEEE ASSUUUMMEEEED
HIS CAULDRON DAYS ARE NOW IN HISTORY (SO IS HIS HEARTLESS ERA)
AND THERE THEY JUST MIGHT STAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!"
To the people who reviewed, thank you so much! I wish you'd do it more! XD
The Invisibles' little parody/song type-thing is only unknown to people who live under rocks. I have nothing against people who live under rocks, I myself live under one. It just has a VCR installed XD.
Hope y'all are still liking the story!