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Heathen
Part IX
by Nicola Evans
16/08/12
16/08/12
“When do you leave?” Haron asked, the bitter disappointment in his voice too plain to miss.
“The day after tomorrow,” replied Evelynne, clearly this was no time for teasing. “Darraen wants to head north through Borderlands.”
“Why?” he demanded. They had been walking through the formal gardens, many of trees now missing half their leaves, squirrels and birds darting through their bare branches, when Haron unexpectedly stopped, forcing Evelynne to do the same. He looked horrified at the very thought.
Evelynne shrugged. “‘Cause that’s the way he plans to go.”
“If it was not bad enough you’re going to Dariel-Ilan, you decide to go through Borderland’s! Two of the most dangerous places in East Arrvan.”
Not wanting to argue with Haron, especially since they had become so close these last few weeks, Evelynne continued walking. “So long as we go north, I don’t care.”
“But I do!”
Evelynne smiled to herself. He was following.
“I’m going with you.”
The smile abruptly faded.
“No you are not!” she exclaimed. “You are still recovering and in no fit state to go running around the country.”
“Don’t baby me, Evelynne.”
She looked over her shoulder. “Don’t baby me.” She raised her eyebrows, daring him to challenge her. “It’ll give me a chance to practise my powers.”
“Which make you ill!”
“And magic is linked to the primitive. The Heathen are primitive. I don’t know, maybe I’ll pick something up along the way.”
“Evelynne please don’t go,” Haron pleaded.
“I have to,” she said gently.
“I don’t want you to go.” Something in his voice made her stop. She looked back at him, stood several paces behind, taking steeling breaths and with a strange expression in his eyes. “Evelynne I think I’m - ”
“Haron please don’t,” she said quickly, walking a little further. She knew what he wanted to say. The idea had crossed her mind too. Well, maybe it was more than an idea but…She couldn’t. Not now, not when there were so many things she was unsure of. Her own feelings being one of them. If he said he loved her, then she would need to say something but what if she didn’t love him in that way? What if he’d mistaken his own feelings as something more than what they were? She needed to work out her magic not start a relationship.
“Evelynne?”
She turned around and almost collided with Haron’s chest. When had he gotten so close to her?
He was looking at her so intently, studying every inch of her face. It was like he was reading her mind, she couldn’t look away.
“Haron - ”
“Why do you not want me to say it?”
“Are you certain?”
“Are you?”
Evelynne was about to speak when he gently placed his fingers over her lips, silencing her. Then he moved his hand to cup her cheek, his thumb, roughed by years of weapons training, stroking her tanned skin and making her shiver. He took a step closer, until she could feel the beating of his heart, the warmth of his body. They were breathing each other’s breath. They were so close she could just see, in the blue irises, streaks of violet.
She felt the tip of his nose touch hers.
“Haron please don’t do this,” she begged, her voice barely a whisper, stopping him with a hand pressed against his chest. “After what – what happened that night – when I found you, we might be confusing this for something else.”
“We?” he questioned. She said nothing. “Evelynne, what do you feel for me? Because the Powers know there’s…something, there when we’re together.”
He was right. In every look there had been something hovering between them. But was it really what they thought?
She managed to escape his gaze and was staring resolutely at his shoulder. But, he noticed, she hadn’t pulled away. He wound his fingers around the hand that still rested against him.
“Evelynne. Look me in the eye and tell me honestly you want me to stop.”
He waited.
And waited.
Each second stretched out until, thinking this was her answer, he began to step back.
She suddenly raised her eyes to meet his.
“I can’t.”
Her words were barely out before the space between them was closed.
Their lips touched, shyly at first. Butterfly kisses that ended as soon as they’d begun. Evelynne’s arms snaked around his shoulders and Haron’s closed around her waist. The kiss grew bolder. Lips and tongues met and neither retreated until the need for air forced them apart.
Their eyes locked on each other.
“Uh - ” Evelynne struggled for something to say.
“Did you - ?” Haron asked, tentatively.
“No,” she said slowly.
“Hmm.” Haron’s arms loosened around her. “That’s not what it’s supposed to feel like.”
“No,” she agreed. She too unwound her arms until they rested against his. All of a sudden, now she was sure. “I do care for you, Haron. But…”
He nodded. “I care for you, too. But…”
They stood there, blinking, in an awkward silence for a long moment.
“Haron?” Evelynne ventured.
“Mm-hm?”
“You’re a really good kisser though.”
They looked at each other.
And laughed.
“The day after tomorrow,” replied Evelynne, clearly this was no time for teasing. “Darraen wants to head north through Borderlands.”
“Why?” he demanded. They had been walking through the formal gardens, many of trees now missing half their leaves, squirrels and birds darting through their bare branches, when Haron unexpectedly stopped, forcing Evelynne to do the same. He looked horrified at the very thought.
Evelynne shrugged. “‘Cause that’s the way he plans to go.”
“If it was not bad enough you’re going to Dariel-Ilan, you decide to go through Borderland’s! Two of the most dangerous places in East Arrvan.”
Not wanting to argue with Haron, especially since they had become so close these last few weeks, Evelynne continued walking. “So long as we go north, I don’t care.”
“But I do!”
Evelynne smiled to herself. He was following.
“I’m going with you.”
The smile abruptly faded.
“No you are not!” she exclaimed. “You are still recovering and in no fit state to go running around the country.”
“Don’t baby me, Evelynne.”
She looked over her shoulder. “Don’t baby me.” She raised her eyebrows, daring him to challenge her. “It’ll give me a chance to practise my powers.”
“Which make you ill!”
“And magic is linked to the primitive. The Heathen are primitive. I don’t know, maybe I’ll pick something up along the way.”
“Evelynne please don’t go,” Haron pleaded.
“I have to,” she said gently.
“I don’t want you to go.” Something in his voice made her stop. She looked back at him, stood several paces behind, taking steeling breaths and with a strange expression in his eyes. “Evelynne I think I’m - ”
“Haron please don’t,” she said quickly, walking a little further. She knew what he wanted to say. The idea had crossed her mind too. Well, maybe it was more than an idea but…She couldn’t. Not now, not when there were so many things she was unsure of. Her own feelings being one of them. If he said he loved her, then she would need to say something but what if she didn’t love him in that way? What if he’d mistaken his own feelings as something more than what they were? She needed to work out her magic not start a relationship.
“Evelynne?”
She turned around and almost collided with Haron’s chest. When had he gotten so close to her?
He was looking at her so intently, studying every inch of her face. It was like he was reading her mind, she couldn’t look away.
“Haron - ”
“Why do you not want me to say it?”
“Are you certain?”
“Are you?”
Evelynne was about to speak when he gently placed his fingers over her lips, silencing her. Then he moved his hand to cup her cheek, his thumb, roughed by years of weapons training, stroking her tanned skin and making her shiver. He took a step closer, until she could feel the beating of his heart, the warmth of his body. They were breathing each other’s breath. They were so close she could just see, in the blue irises, streaks of violet.
She felt the tip of his nose touch hers.
“Haron please don’t do this,” she begged, her voice barely a whisper, stopping him with a hand pressed against his chest. “After what – what happened that night – when I found you, we might be confusing this for something else.”
“We?” he questioned. She said nothing. “Evelynne, what do you feel for me? Because the Powers know there’s…something, there when we’re together.”
He was right. In every look there had been something hovering between them. But was it really what they thought?
She managed to escape his gaze and was staring resolutely at his shoulder. But, he noticed, she hadn’t pulled away. He wound his fingers around the hand that still rested against him.
“Evelynne. Look me in the eye and tell me honestly you want me to stop.”
He waited.
And waited.
Each second stretched out until, thinking this was her answer, he began to step back.
She suddenly raised her eyes to meet his.
“I can’t.”
Her words were barely out before the space between them was closed.
Their lips touched, shyly at first. Butterfly kisses that ended as soon as they’d begun. Evelynne’s arms snaked around his shoulders and Haron’s closed around her waist. The kiss grew bolder. Lips and tongues met and neither retreated until the need for air forced them apart.
Their eyes locked on each other.
“Uh - ” Evelynne struggled for something to say.
“Did you - ?” Haron asked, tentatively.
“No,” she said slowly.
“Hmm.” Haron’s arms loosened around her. “That’s not what it’s supposed to feel like.”
“No,” she agreed. She too unwound her arms until they rested against his. All of a sudden, now she was sure. “I do care for you, Haron. But…”
He nodded. “I care for you, too. But…”
They stood there, blinking, in an awkward silence for a long moment.
“Haron?” Evelynne ventured.
“Mm-hm?”
“You’re a really good kisser though.”
They looked at each other.
And laughed.
They had bid Telibron a formal farewell. Oron had asked she write when she could. Celofir had demanded she come back soon. She and Haron had shared a secret smile.
Darraen was mounted and half way down the path, but Evelynne was still stood by Haron.
“No more solo scouting trips,” she ordered. “I don’t want to have come and rescue you again!”
“Well what else is a guardian angel supposed to do?” he retorted.
Evelynne looked at him in surprise. He had been in serious pain, how had he remembered that question?
He took her hand and kissed its back, never taking his eyes off hers. Finally she realised exactly what her was saying. His guardian angel. She liked the sound of that.
Blinking back tears, she smiled and enveloped him in a tight hug that was eagerly returned.
“Until next time, Haron,” she whispered, before breaking the embrace and mounting Tulu. Raising a hand in farewell she rode after Darraen, pointedly ignoring his teasing smile.
Darraen was mounted and half way down the path, but Evelynne was still stood by Haron.
“No more solo scouting trips,” she ordered. “I don’t want to have come and rescue you again!”
“Well what else is a guardian angel supposed to do?” he retorted.
Evelynne looked at him in surprise. He had been in serious pain, how had he remembered that question?
He took her hand and kissed its back, never taking his eyes off hers. Finally she realised exactly what her was saying. His guardian angel. She liked the sound of that.
Blinking back tears, she smiled and enveloped him in a tight hug that was eagerly returned.
“Until next time, Haron,” she whispered, before breaking the embrace and mounting Tulu. Raising a hand in farewell she rode after Darraen, pointedly ignoring his teasing smile.
