The Talons of a Dark Heart Ch. 08

Chapter 8

Five months later...

The pitter patter of rain hitting the metal roof of the castle gave way to the plops of puddles on the bedroom terrace. A breeze of fresh cool air made the curtains in the room float like phantoms. Lovers lay on either side of the bed, back to back, extreme opposites; not touching each other, allowing a chasm of bitterness separate them.

Novak dared not glance over his shoulder to check on Talyis. Her nightmares had ended five months ago, but it did not alleviate her unhappiness. Now instead of the night terrors thrashing through her sleep, she had become so sickly, always throwing up and with a cold. The stress and sickness had taken such a toil on her body that her body she stopped menses. She refused to let a healer touch her and charged daily him for her sufferings in silent glares. He ruffled his pillow taking out his aggravation and wishing the event five months ago had ended differently.

Novak had made love to Talyis and she made love to him. He was in love with her, there was no denying it any longer. It was deeper than his boyhood infatuation and willingness to do anything for her. If it weren't for his people, he would tear his royal robes from his body and escape with Talyis, giving her the life he'd dreamed of. But he couldn't force himself to send her away and instead tossed and turned, wrestling away his sleep each night trying to find a solution to keep her near.

He had held her so tightly and kissed her thoroughly that night five months ago. It was not a distant memory; he relived it every night with the hopes of waking up with Talyis reigning with him. She would be a great leader: she was exceptionally intelligent and had shown so much kindness to his people. Some of the villagers had avoided her all together and their faces showed their objections, but they trusted Novak and put up with the enemy sharing their king's bed. He was always watchful but relieved that most of his people took a liking to Talyis.

It was Umma's familiarity with Talyis when she accompanied him and Calena to the village that haunted him. During his visits, the rift between Talyis and himself did not seem as deep; they worked together to care for Umma. Talyis was strong and understanding when Umma had bouts of senility. Calena elected to stay outside after meeting Umma, she was too disturbed by the reminder of aging the older woman exemplified. Talyis was tender and nurturing with Umma. Only when Umma's slipped into the past did Talyis show her greatest strengths, comforting the grieving woman as the old woman dealt with the consequences of her father, King Aronich's actions.

Umma was steadfast in not allowing Novak to baby her and matched it with her determination to care for him instead. He was always a babe to her, and her tenacity sometimes tested his patience. Novak felt so inadequate in helping his Umma. It was only when he watched Talyis sitting at Umma's feet on the dusty floor, Umma patting the young woman's hands while telling her, "I may be old and my mind slips, but I am the mother here and always will be. Novak needs to stop his meddling and nursing me. I am my own woman," that Novak would burst into laughter. The ladies looked at him severely, their intimate moment disturbed by him.

It had become so apparent to him why he'd taken such a liking to Talyis when he was young. She was Umma. But the prospect that he'd be able to see Talyis grey and old, in love with him as his Umma, stopped his laughter to as reality broke in- they were star-crossed. He would not grow old with Talyis. Nor would they spend their nights reflecting over a happy life and family near the hearth as elders. He would soon have to send her away. All because of the morning after, five nights ago, all hopes and dreams of love and family had vaporized.

The morning after the night of passion- five months ago.

And Now The Cold Light of Day... Five months later

So, now lovers in the sense that they loved but allowed their pride to hide the truth, they only spoke to each other in passing and lay on separate sides of the bed, smoldering in bitterness .

The birds chirping outside his window welcoming the day brought him no happiness for the anticipation of dawn. Today would be his last day as a single man; tomorrow he would marry Calena, finally protecting his people from outside territories, and would be crowned King of his people officially. Talyis did not stir from her slumber; her stillness mocked the turmoil brewing within him.

He smoothed his face with his hand to refocus his thoughts; he did not and could not allow himself to think romantic thoughts about Talyis, especially not on the eve of his wedding festival. He forced himself to remember her words to him the day after they had made love and his anger easily returned.

Gareth was right, he reminded himself; Talyis could have ruined the stability of his people and their protection. He had to force himself to find Calena attractive. He justified Calena's hatred of Talyis as mere territoriality and she was right to, but she did not know who Talyis really was.

Calena was going to be his wife and she had to believe that he would be a good husband and king for her. He needed to send Talyis away. It was the only way he could manage this arrangement with Calena. It would end tomorrow and he would never see his beloved Talyis again. Reluctantly pulling himself out of bed he went straight to work to put his plans in motion by calling his advisors. He finalized the last decrees of the Navapa treaty after months of preparation and negotiations between the lands and sadly arranged travel for Talyis thus giving her freedom and protection. He would release her and send her off after the wedding, but he knew his soul already brewing would not allow him to send her off without final words of truth and honesty; apologies for the pain he caused and not fighting for their chance for love.

***

Bile built up in Talyis' stomach again and her vision of the green-eyed man dissipated into darkness behind her eyelids. She quickly dashed out of the bed to the chamber pot Novak had placed near to her side of the bed, vomiting violently. She cursed herself as she wiped her sweating face and mouth. She sat on the bed and wished she could fall asleep to continue her dream. The green-eyed man had visited her sleep more often in the past months and she loved those dreams; it made her day much more tolerable. She loved the dreams but hated to admit that the green-eyed man had changed into Novak.

She chewed on her lip in a slight chuckle looking at the empty imprint on his side of the bed,He thinks he can give me passion. I can take passion from him even in my dreams. I will win Novak.

As she did when she had time to herself in the morning, she investigated the pile of books. She spotted a new book that she hadn't seen before. It was one of her favorites as a child. She opened it and quickly slapped the book closed; she couldn't believe what she was holding. Quickly, she snuck it into one of Novak's saddle bag and slung it over her shoulder. .

***

"Aie, Princess, what brings you out so early in the morn." Delia yawned loudly. She was still in her fluffy robe and was wearing Gareth's big boots as she dusted snow off the step with a straw broom.

"His Majesty's wedding party is tonight and I have a basket full of tasks, as usual." Talyis griped.

"Well, come in out of the cold," Delia replied, "I'll fix you some porridge. You got any more juicy dreams to tell me of your green-eyed man?"

Talyis entered the empty pub behind Delia, and her escort took his usual spot near the entrance of the tavern, sitting as if he welcomed the opportunity to do nothing for the few hours of her visits.

"I'm not hungry Delia. Your cuisine doesn't agree with me and basically my own doesn't either. I have never learned to really cook well and although Novak allows me the kitchen, I have been making myself so sick lately," Talyis apologized. "I think I have a parasite too." She pointed to her small swollen stomach.

"Oh dear, you're still sick and stressed?!" Delia sympathized and then picked up her belly fat and jiggled it, "Look I got a parasite too, you think."

"Maybe?" Talyis laughed with her friend rolling her eyes and sat down happily, "Some bread would be nice."

"Alright." Delia smiled and searched the bar for a loaf of bread to serve Talyis. "Novak is going to make our marriage official today. Gareth is to be restored to the line of power so he is very pleased."

"Really?" Talyis remarked, feigning interest.

"So, Pigeon, maybe Novak will allow you to marry someone, too. Maybe catch you a nice Aricin fellow, maybe you'd start to understand our kind better and not want to kill us off so soon." She said jokingly wagging her eyebrows.

"Delia, you know that I was a babe when my father-" Talyis stopped taking her joke to heart; she couldn't bring herself to say the words. She adored Delia and indeed felt guilty for the ideas that her father instilled in her against the Aricin. They were not as she had been taught, and aside from Novak, were kind, considerate, masterful artists, and intelligent. Even Novak showed many of these qualities, though Talyis tried not to admit. "Maybe you are right."

Delia jumped up and down giddily clapping her hands, "I'll play matchmaker."

"Delia, is Gareth here?"

Delia's excitement was squashed, "Yes, why?"

"I have to ask him something important. I need his help."

"I'll get him, his porridge will get cold anyways." Delia dashed up the stairs.

Talyis sat in the empty room with her guard and she pulled the bag closer to her. Her fingers drifted up and down the spine of the book hidden inside, waiting for Gareth to come down. She smiled to herself as she heard Delia's voice booming as she pulled Gareth from bed too early, her buoyant energy peeling away his slumber as he trudged down the stairs.

"Good morning, Talyis," he croaked. Then he was seated across from her, Delia placing a bowl of porridge in front of him before he could blink.

"Eat, and help our princess with your cousin's tasks," Delia ordered him.

"Dear, thank you for breakfast." He kissed her cheek tenderly and Talyis blushed, wishing she had what they had.

"Gareth, how did the Aricin rebuild their kingdom?" Talyis asked, Gareth stopped eating and raised his eyebrow at her.

"Why do you want to know?" Gareth demanded more than inquired.

"I was curious about the artistry in the castle and wonder how so much has been so well preserved. And then I wondered about the Prince," she lied.

"You mean Novak?" he big blond arched an eyebrow. Why would she suddenly care to know anything about the tyrant in her bed read across his brow.

"Yes" she replied less confidently, her story was unfurling. "Yes, please tell me how Novak became Prince."

"Why do you want to know?"

"I am curious because I know that my father had your last king and queen killed."

"Actually, you father killed them himself, in front of Novak," he said with complete distaste. Talyis began to regret asking.

"I- I didn't know. What happened to Novak after that?"

Gareth sighed. His expression was the same one of hurt Delia had when she told her the story of losing her parents. Gareth put down his spoon and massaged his thighs. "Novak was made a slave in your castle. He was young and very impressionable. Our King and Queen were very kind and they raised a very empathetic and sincere boy. When he was under the care of your kingdom, he was abused and made to forget himself. He saw his parents die by your father's sword in front of him."

Talyis sat still, her mind searching the past for keys to the locks that would open doors to these secrets that were kept from her by her parents. "What happened to Novak? How did he become Prince?"

"Talyis, why do you wish to know all this now?" he sighed loudly with impatience.

"Because I must know, I need to know why I am here." Her pretenses of strength fading.

"It won't change what has happened, Talyis."

"I know that, Gareth." She swallowed her emotions and looked at her lap.

Gareth's patience warmed, he tenderly to her hands from her lap into his hands and spoke sincerely, "I am very sorry about what had happened to you in the forest."

"Please, Gareth, tell me the rest."

"Novak somehow escaped from your castle when he was young. He was trained in surveillance and took the opportunity to escape one night during duty. He wandered the forest and lands for days. Many of us who survived had to scatter because we were afraid that your father would find us and as you've said yourself,'completely hunt us'.

Talyis eyes dropped to her lap remembering her racist cruel words she spewed at the Novak's men that day, "Gareth, I am sorry. I was scared. I was-"

"Talyis, I know," he patted her hand sitting on the table. "I am sorry for bringing it up. We all still hurt so much, we've lost so much and you have as well." Delia sat beside him and massaged his neck, urging him to relax. He took a deep breath and then continued his story. "Novak had almost starved to death when my father found him on our farm. He recognized him right away. Our future king, as a boy had always a scraggly looking about him, he knew it was our lost prince.

"We brought Novak back to health and we reminded him who he was. I grew up beside hum, we tested our manhood in the wild together. My father found him quite queer after captivity because he didn't know how to fight, only clung to books and intelligence. The boy ran from your kingdom with only a few days food and books, right before the rainy season. Regardless, we learnt how to battle together and he changed, a bit for the worse as you see him today. But he was always occupied with his books."

"Novak never liked any girls though, only this girl he kept harping about from his years in captivity," Delia interjected and Gareth gave her a quick playful pat on her arse to shush her up.