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“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to push, but if it’s about me I think I have a right to know. Don’t you think?”
Alzerion sighed. “I do.” He quickly glanced at her and continued. “When you were little strange things would happen to you or around you. Back there by that area was one of the places I found you, after you were kidnapped for the second time.”
Aironell's eyes narrowed. She knew that she was sent away for good reasons but, wow. “Alzerion, why? Why would someone hate me so much? I was just a baby. What could I have done to make people dislike me?”
He patted her fingers as they walked hand-in-hand. “It wasn’t anything you did. It’s the rebellion. There are forces out of our control and they wanted you gone.”
Aironell gulped. “Do they still want me gone?” She spied him biting his lip. In seconds he resumed his stony expression. She looked away and then back.
“I would assume. They didn’t get what they wanted all those years ago.” She sensed that there was more he wanted to say, but he didn’t.
“Alzerion,” she paused. “Should I worry about this rebellion?” He said nothing. “Alzerion, please. I’m not that little girl anymore.”
He opened his mouth and then closed it. He smirked. “You’re right. You’re all grown up now.”
They walked in silence. Aironell occasionally turned to look at him but his face was unmoved. His gaze was fixed on the path ahead. She noticed the ground shifted—changed. The dirt path eroded into grey cobblestones. The stones felt smooth under her feet—no gashes or cracks. Whoever laid them out had an eye for precision. The stones were placed in this circular pattern that never seemed to end. She caught a scent of what smelled liked cinnamon bread.Mmmmmm. They would be in the town soon enough. She had to get her answers before then. She knew Alzerion would not want to discuss it once they got to town.
“Alzerion, I don’t mean to dredge up the past or any bad memories. I-I—”
“But you still have questions.” He cleared his throat. He flexed his hands and his grip gave way. Each of his steps sounded heavy, like he was taking out some sort of frustration on the ground. His gaze didn’t waver, still he focused on the ground as they strolled, a bit slower.
“Aironell, I, um, well,” His voice was a bit shaky. It worried her that he wasn’t being up front. This time she would lead the way.
She rushed over and stood before him. She rubbed his upper arm. “Alzerion, please.” She knew she sounded like she was pleading, but she didn’t care.
Finally, he brought those cinnamon-red eyes at her level. They stood silent. Just gazing— at least she was— his felt more like a probe. Like he was probing to see if she really wanted his reply. He shifted his legs and then grasped her hands and squeezed. “You are so stubborn, you know that?”
She swore she detected a slight smirk, but it was gone just as fast as it was there. He tightened his grip on her and pulled. She went soaring forward until she was right up against him—chest-to-chest. She bit her lower lip and gulped.
“Aironell,” his voice sounded like a deep whisper. She felt the warmth of his breath against her as her own breathing quickened, just a bit. “It really isn’t wise.”
She blinked, quickly. “Huh? What’s not wise?”
Alzerion bent his head lower. “We shouldn’t be talking about this, especially in such a public place.” Her eyebrows arched as she tilted her head a bit. “You never know who may hear us.”
He was still whispering. Defeat playing across her face. “Don’t do that.” His expression softened. “I will say that you should be on guard.”
“Alzerion, I’m sorry, I just don’t understand.” She took a slow breath. “I just want peace.”
“I know,” he sighed. “The rebellion has been causing problems for years. It isn’t your fault.” She swallowed as her eyes felt this biting feeling.
No, she wasn’t sad. If anything, she was annoyed. Alzerion grazed his fingers up and down her hand. It tickled, just a bit; but mostly it was soothing. The way his fingers danced along her knuckles.Ahhh. The warmth that emitted when they rubbed at her skin.
“Your parents have been struggling with it since you left. I’ve been helping, but now you’re back—"
“So, now it’s my problem?” Her voice trailed off.
She forced her hands free and crossed her arms as she took a few steps away. It wasn’t right. Each step she took was firm, against those cobblestones. She noticed that Alzerion didn’t follow her, good.How could she be expected to solve the issue of this rebellion? She hadn’t been in the kingdom, long.
She closed her eyes and stopped. Focused on the feel of her sleeve as she took slow breathes. In. Out. In— ah a breeze. It felt a little crisp against her face but it helped to steady her nerves. Her eyes darted open at the sound of Alzerion’s boots against those stones. Her hands still gripped her arms, firm. She whipped around. He ambled toward her. She glowered at him and he froze— like an insect that was spied under a magnifying lens.
“Aironell, I hope you don’t think that I was trying to put it all on you?” His eyes looked pained. He lowered his head as he bit his lip. “I-I. I knew I shouldn’t have said anything.”
She lost sense of anything but him. Her eyes softened as she stepped closer. Then her hand rested on his forearm. He looked down into her eyes. Neither broke eye contact. “Alzerion.” Her voice cracked, once. “I’m not upset at you, truly. I’m just feeling—”
“Overwhelmed?”
Aironell nodded. “Exactly. How can I do something that you all haven’t been able to achieve?”
