The Timeless House 2

I stared up at the ceiling as I was lying upon the bearskin rug that I used as a bed.  Everyone had left the house. Leaving it so quiet one could hear a pin drop. I had stopped crying some time before, yet I couldn’t bring myself to do anything productive. Every time I moved, the gash in my face would reopen leaving me cringing in pain where I lie.

 

I don’t know how much time passed as I stared up at the ceiling. I watched the light as it faded away casting deep shadows across the room.

 

When the sun was almost down, I knew I had to get up to start the fire so I a piece of pressed it to my cheek and then proceed to turn over and crawl to the fireplace. Once I was in arms reach of it, I stopped. I grabbed a piece of flint. I struck a nearby stone with it, and sent sparks flying. It took a few tries of doing this, but eventually I got the fire started.

 

 I sat there staring into the flames. They were like orange dancers flitting amongst themselves in a joyful jig.

 

I let my thoughts drift to other things. About what Gróa had said. I thought back on it and realized she did not mean that I got everything in the literal sense, but I couldn’t figure out what she did mean by it.

 

My thoughts were interrupted when; I heard a soft rustle in the leaves outside. The sound wasn’t like a noise the wind would make. I turned to see if someone was outside. I was only expecting the sound to have been rabbit or some other rodent. When I turned around, I was surprised to find the silhouette of a man sitting there in my window. I let out a loud yelp. When my eyes adjusted to the light my face turned bright red as I realized who he was. It was my friend Likn. A boy who seemed to have enjoyed my outburst, and was laughing.

 

 “Honey, you should have seen yourself, you jumped so high you head practically hit the ceiling!” he said between laughs.

 

I said nothing but scowled at him instead, he knew I hated that nickname. The name wasn’t meant endearingly it was just a reference to my honey-gold hair, personally, I would have preferred the name Goldie but that’s the fun of a nickname, you don’t choose it.

Even though I didn’t like the name that wasn’t the reason, I was mad at him. I was mad because he startled me. On a normal day, I would have stalked over to him and playfully pushed him backwards out of my window. After all that had happened today, I just didn’t feel like playing around with him right now. I just wanted to be in front of the warm fire and think.

 

After a moment to awkward silence, I asked in an icy voice, “Why are you here, Likn?”

 

He got down shrugging his shoulders “You didn’t go to the festival I was worrying about you.”

 

I smiled warming up to his presence, thankful that he wasn’t continuing to make fun. I was pleasantly surprised that he noticed my absence; usually he would be off chasing the skirts of other girls in the village. I didn’t think he noticed me enough to know when I wasn’t there.

 

“You don’t need to worry about me I am fine.” I said quietly trying to cover the cut across my face, but I could tell from his expression that it was too late. He had seen it. His hand reached out to my face and slowly bushed my hair out of the way. I tried to flinch away from his touch but the damage was done he had seen it.

 

“What happened?” he asked, in a very harsh accusing tone.

 

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” I said quickly.

 

“It’s not nothing! You have a giant gash across your face!” he said raising his voice.

 

I looked at him those deep sky-blue eyes were filled with such worry it surprised me. I didn’t want to lie but I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. So I did any way.

 

“Gróa was cutting… a small piece of my hair, and her hand slipped cutting my cheek.” I said softly, we both knew I was lying but I knew he wouldn’t try to push the subject any further.

 

 “I don’t know what you are hiding but I know you well enough to know you won’t tell me.” He said leaning back on the floor.

 

I muttered small thanks under my breath and an odd silence followed it. The silence let my mind wander back to Gróa’s outburst of violence earlier. The more I thought about what happened the more confused I got. After awhile I started replaying the whole scene in my head until I felt hot tears running down my face. I looked at Likn meeting his eyes for only a moment. I felt his embrace before the first tear hit the floor.

 

“Why would she say I have everything?” I asked leaning into him.

 

Likn pulled back and looked into my eyes. I could see there were a million questions flashing through them, but he stayed silent waiting for me to explain what I meant. I looked into them trying to resist, trying to hide what I was thinking, to no avail. After a few moments, I broke and told him. I told him everything.

 

When I was done with my story, I said, “Pease don’t tell anyone for now. I just want to know why she did it.”

 

He leaned close to my face and whispered almost laughing, “Honey, you don’t know why she would be jealous? It’s so obvious.”

 

 “Why?” I asked letting him pull me closer to his face.

 

To this, he whispered his lips almost touching mine as he spoke “Because you are a more beautiful than she will ever be.”

 

Then he pulled me in and closed the small gap between us our lips locking together in a warm embrace.

 

 

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Any critiques are welcome