TheFallenHer0: She does get lonely. She's actually been pretty lonely since Parker died, but she tries to harden her heart to prevent from getting hurt, because in her mind, a warrior can't show weakness. But Luca's actions about the buddy thing made her realize something. She realized that Luca did have a heart hardened against getting close to people, and saw how miserable he really was about it. She then became determined to not let it get so severe for her, and help Luca soften his heart a bit. As for the healing thing, I literally came up with it as I was writing. It made sense to me that when a person with magic isn't conscious that their magic is still active, like their subconscious is. It's how people can have dream divination, and children who can't control their magic yet cause things to happen, entirely unintentionally, when they're sleeping. I'm glad you liked it!

Chapter 9

Luca's POV

The first thing I felt was cold. On my face. I grunted and moved my hand up to push it away, but something caught it.

"Don't." said a familiar voice, "It's helping with the swelling."

My eyes fluttered open to see Marelda. I'm so confused. What happened...? A second later it clicked.

After I left the headmaster's office, I heard angry footsteps and turned around. Then it was lights out. I think I got punched.

"The nurse stepped out a moment ago. She said she'd be back soon." I glean much of anything from her tone of voice, other than it was carefully chosen.

"You hit me." I said, sounding as if I really was stupid.

"I did. And I am sorry about knocking you out. That was not my intention."

"What was your intention?" I asked.

"To knock some sense into you."

"Pfft." I started laughing, and it hurt. My cheek, I mean. But I was laughing too hard to stop.

"W-what's so funny, huh?!" Marelda sputtered in confusion.

"Life!" Another Selene-ism, right there. It was a minute before I could calm down. "I probably should have remembered that cats are curious, and have claws. You, bella, are a majestic hunter cat of the wilds!"

She leaned away from me with a look that said she was questioning my sanity. "I think I may have hit you harder than I thought…I'll go find the nurse. You probably need immediate medical attention." She got up and turned to leave, but some sort of impulse made my hand dart out to grab her wrist before she could dash away.

"Don't go."

She froze.

"I am sorry about back there. I'd tell you why I did it, but I'm not even entirely sure myself." I sighed, loosening my grip on her wrist. What turned the confusion back on me was that she didn't pull it away.

"I think I do." she whispered.

"Really, now? Pray tell."

She rotated slowly on the heels of her feet to face me, looking me right in the eyes with a sudden intensity, "You were scared."

I raised an eyebrow, "Of what?"

"Being in a position where you're made to trust someone, get closer than just acquaintances. As personable and social as you act, you're scared to let anyone past that shell of steel you've built up around yourself. You being completely alone for so long caused you to be unable to let others know you. Not the you everyone sees, but the real you no one knows."

Now it was I who was frozen, heart slowly, loudly thumping in my chest. Ba...thump. Ba...thump. Ba...thump. It made too much sense.

She continued, "Honestly, while it's not as severe and for different reasons, you've caused me to realize that I do the same thing. I keep people at arm's length. I'm hesitant to let people get close to me, because I don't want to end up hurt. Losing Parker and Pa, especially Parker, hurt me somewhere I couldn't see, somewhere I didn't want to see. I distanced myself from the people I should love and care about because I'm scared I'll lose them, too, and it'll hurt. You're scared to let others in because you've never had someone to trust. I'm scared to let others in because of the possibility I'll end up hurting." She inhaled, slowly, slowly. Then exhaled, slowly, slowly. "And I think it's time to start changing that. Someone gave me some advice this morning to not miss any time, to not let it go by without living. I've not really been living since Parker died. When he was suddenly gone, I stopped letting myself live. I was so focused on the end goal that I neglected to pay attention to the present. So I'm going to go out on a limb and extend the white flag. I'm going to trust you, Luca. And I hope some day you'll find it in you to trust me."

She fell silent, and gently removed her wrist from my hand as I stared wide-eyed at her. "I really am going to go and find the nurse and tell her you're awake. She'll fix your face. Again, I'm really sorry about that." She turned and left.

I didn't even know what to say. I, for the first time, was completely speechless. I had absolutely nothing to say. No witty comeback, no tease. I was entirely taken back.

I felt my lips tug into a smile. Marelda Kramer. That girl was something else.

…. …. ….

Marelda's POV

While I did have to leave to find the nurse, it was really just an excuse. The real reason was because as soon as I turned around my face turned as dark a red as my hair. What's wrong with me? I manage to say all that (completely unplanned and unrehearsed), and then as soon as it sinks in I'm suddenly a mushy pile of flustered.

Unknown Voice (*whisper*): You like him…!

"Gah!" I screw my eyes shut and yank on the ends of my hair. Get out of my head! I do not!

UV (*continued whisper*): Yes you doooooo…

What are you, a ghost or just the voice of insanity?!

UV: Nope. I'm the force that controls everything in your existence and I got stuck on what to write so I decided to speak. I talk to the other characters all the time, particularly Luca and Elias. Eli always yells at me to butt out and stop being annoying, but Luca just welcomes me and moves on. He's a good guy, Mara. ;) Besides, you two are going to end up married one day with at least two daughters—maybe more, but at least two. I haven't decided yet.

It's official. I've lost my mind. No sane voice in my head would even come close to suggesting such a heinous thing.

"Marelda?" The voice of Nurse Asta brings me out of my head, "You're a little red, are you okay?"

"Not at all. There's this voice in my head—not my thoughts or my conscience, an outside voice—that claims to be the 'force that controls everything'. I think I may have gone mad." I was genuinely worried, but Nurse Asta just laughs.

"Oh, don't worry, dear. That's just Authoress, and while she is entirely mad, she tends to know what she's talking about." Nurse Asta smiled, "Now, seeing as you're out there, red-faced and flustered, I'm going to assume Mr. Orlem woke up?"

I nodded stiffly, quickly composing myself. I refuse to go in looking anything but collected.

"Wonderful. Let's go take a look at his impressive bruise." Nurse Asta teased. I rolled my eyes and she flicked my forehead. I followed her back to the nurse's office.

And we found Luca trying to leave.

"And where might you be going, young man?" Nurse Asta said coolly.

"Uh, back to the dorms?" Luca said.

"Nice try. Sit yourself down and let me heal that mark on your face." She turned him around and plopped him in a chair, pulling out her wand.

"There's really no need. It'll heal." Luca flicked some of the hair out of his face. Now that I think about it, he could use a bit of a haircut. His green locks were longer than mine. "Besides, it makes me look manly, ya know? Like I can be in a fight with a warrior mage and live."

I couldn't resist snorting at that, "Yeah, a female warrior-in-training who knocked you out with one blow that wasn't even at full power. Very manly. Now shut up and let her fix you before Sir Vargas learns of it and yells at me for several hours upon his return."

Luca laughed, grabbing my hand, "Well, I guess I'll let her do it. Can't be getting my bella into trouble, now can I?" He winked and kissed the back of my hand.

I yanked it away, walked over to the sink, and washed it with way more soap than necessary.

"Ouch, bella, I'm wounded that you would treat me like some terrible disease. Now it is my heart that is more bruised, not my face!" He pressed a hand to his chest and pouted, making me roll my eyes. "Alas! I'm rejected! Whatever am I to do?"

Nurse Asta was getting a kick out of this, I could tell. She was barely restraining her laughter as she pulled out her wand. She held the tip to Luca's face, "Santio aura." A few seconds later, the bruise on his cheek faded, going from a purplish color to a yellowish to Luca's normal skin tone. Nurse Asta put her wand away. "And you're free to go."

"Thanks." He replied, standing up, then he looked at me, smiled cheekily, and said, "And since you're the reason I'm here, I think you should entertain me for today. It get's so boring when Prince Elias isn't around." He slung his bag over one shoulder then grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the nurse's office.

"Hey! Let me go! Jerk! Tosser! Let me go!"

I could hear Nurse Asta break into laughter before we left earshot.

Dang Luca. Dang you!

…. …. ….

I found myself dragged to the clearing where we'd been talking the other day. I yanked my hand away and rubbed my wrist. That jerk is stronger than he looks.

"Seriously, I just can't seem to understand you!" I huff, "First you're all joking and teasing, then serious and thoughtful, then completely evading and ignoring me, and then you try and dissolve the buddy contract, and then you're back to being an annoying moron! Choose one persona, will you?"

He looks at me with his typical smile-smirk thing, "I thought about what you said, and honestly, I realized you were right. And I'll accept the white flag and extend another white object in return." He pulled out his wand, flicked it, and a white camellia* blossom came out of the tip. He grabbed it and reached over and, before I could react, stuck it in my hair.

"What in heck are you trying to pull?" I backed up from him, taking on a fighting stance.

He chuckled, "You really don't know? Well, in the words of Selene that she was quoting from something or other, 'If you don't know then never mind.'" He sat down and started digging through his bag, "On an unrelated note, our conversation the other evening got cut off."

*In the language of the flowers, one of the meanings of the white camellia is "you're adorable" and yes, Luca knows that very well. ;)

A gift Marelda received from her stepfather the previous Midwinter (as most of Marelda's gifts tend to be weapons or other gear, and it's towards those where most of her pocket money ends up) is a necklace. It looks like an Angel with a sword behind it. The whole thing is probably two inches wide and four inches tall. The sword is actually a little dagger made to looked like part of the design, when really, it can be pulled out. And like most of Marelda's small, and/or concealable weaponry, it can coated in poison or other substances.