Below the Peak (Sola)(98)

Nara chewed on her bottom lip before nodding. Calemir strode past her. The boy’s eyes as those of a frightened prey watched him warily as he approached and sat on the chair. Wanting to be close as he broke the news to the poor lad, Nara stood beside Calemir, lips pressed into a thin line.

Sympathy had flashed in Calemir’s eyes before they turned emotionless, as was the rest of him. He commanded the boy to look at him with his eyes, then said the words that ripped his weak heart. “Your father is dead.”

The boy’s eyes narrowed, unconvinced. Calemir just looked at him as the boy searched his eyes, searching the lie he wouldn’t find no matter how much he dug for it. Wúlf froze, his mouth hanging open as the shock wore off and the truth he didn’t want to believe sank in. The creatures had killed him. Chin trembling, tears slid down his cheeks as everything turned blurry. The room seemed to spin and turned coldly dark. His face flushed with dizziness as pain pierced his breaking heart. He whimpered. “Father” he sobbed, his body shaking, violently. “Father no!” he cried, his voice breaking, overwhelmed. He clutched his chest as his pinched his eyes shut, tears streaming like a river. Oh, gods! It hurt so bad! Snort flew from his nose as he sobbed in agony. He was all alone!

“Do something” Nara spoke, unable to watch the poor boy suffer. She touched Calemir’s shoulder, making him look up at her. “Do that thing you do…please lessen his pain” She knew he had the ability to sort of alter moods. He had done it on her on a couple of occasions. Perhaps he could do it on the boy. “Please” she begged him when a muscle in his jaw twitched. Her pulse gave a leap of gratitude when he relented and turned to the weeping boy. He didn’t lay a finger on the kid, he just looked at the kid. Slowly as time ticked, the boy’s loud cries turned to choked sobs. She felt the slight numbness too that was settling over the lad as his sobs regressed to whimpers then silent tears. She glanced at Calemir. His green eyes had turned a richly gleaming color.

“Sleep,” Nara told the boy. Sadness, hurt and the pain was still visible on him but not prominent. He still ached beneath the numbness that overtook him. Deciding to find solace in sleep than from the two strangers, with a grimace from exerting his weak body Wúlf leaned back on the pillow and closed heavy lidden eyes. His chest rose and fell weightily as tears managed to slip under his wet lashes.

“You should rest too” Calemir’s voice pierced the silence once the boy finally fell asleep. He stood so that they were both on their feet, him towering over her by few inches. Nara sighed. She was tired, she hadn’t slept a wink as you know, but she also hadn’t bathed. She could smell her own sweat. Nara scrunched her nose. “I have to bath first.”

Calemir looked around her room, then back to her, “You can sleep in my room.”

Nara blinked. “That wouldn’t be necessary, I’ll use the chair.” Like Calemir had suspected, she chose the chair that was far from comfortable. Sleeping on the floor looked more welcoming than that old chair.

Calemir gave her a pointed look. “The boy seems fine, he just needs to rest, as you do. You won’t be much help to him if you are exhausted. And both you and I know you won’t be able to sleep on that chair.”

Nara sucked on her bottom lip before releasing it. “Where are you going to sleep?”

“I’ll sleep on the couch downstairs.”

“That won’t be fair. We can share the bed.” She said. It was Calemir’s turn to blink. “I’ll be fine.”

“Is your bed big?” Nara asked.

“Yes,” he replied skeptically.

“Then it would be okay. We both had tiring days. Let’s not fuss about this” Nara waved her hand dismissively.

“Okay.” Calemir agreed.

“Okay,” Nara repeated.

******

After agreeing to share his bed, Calemir had excused himself and left her room. Not wanting to make any unnecessary noise that would disturb the boy, Nara had decided to take her clean clothes to the bathing chamber. She took her time bathing and thinking how bold she was to suggest the two of them to sleep together. She rolled her eyes after a minute of useless thoughts. She had slept before in poor conditions with some of the Elite members when they were on missions and had to compromise in difficult situations. She would be able to tolerate sleeping with an elf. Nara plunged her hands into the sleeves of her nightgown, then wore the loose pants. She folded the dirty clothes and placed them on the small stool nearby.

Nara looked at the boy one more time before extinguishing the candles and heading out. Her stomach knotted as she walked toward his room. Nara halted at the slightly ajar door. She rapped her knuckles against it and waited.

“Come in.” the voice invited from the daunting room.

Taking a deep breath, Nara entered the bedroom, leaving the door as she had found it. Her eyes raked over the room, illuminated by the moon and lamps burning. She hadn’t bothered to study his room the first time she had been in. The room was spacious with simple furniture, a closet, shelf of scrolls and books and a bed. She eyed the large bed, covers stretched neatly over the mattress and the pillows positioned near the base of the headboard. It was certainly large enough for two adults. “Go ahead.”

Nara cocked her head to the direction of the deep voice. Calemir emerged from the bathroom, his hair damp. He was cladded in an undertunic and trousers, his feet bare.