Remembered (26 page)

The annoying man prattled on about getting more beer and
seeing her later.
‘Not if I can
help it,’
Kellus thought. Perhaps
he could convince Annie that she should head home early. Maybe he’d even
volunteer to walk her.

He smothered a gasp as those big, beautiful, brown eyes look
up into his face, wearing the strangest expression, like they were peering into
his very heart.

He put his hand on her waist and felt an instant spark. He
took her hand in his and reveled in the feel of her soft skin.

“I hope you don’t mind me taking you away from your friend,”
he said,
‘Or beating his face in for touching you.’

“Not at all,” she answered kindly

Remembering to be calm and charming he said. “I heard a
rumor that you would be drunk as a sailor by now.”

“Really? Cora said that?” she asked in horror.

“Oh, yes, and that’s not all, she told me one or two of your
darkest secrets.”

“No, she didn’t,” Annie laughed—a sound that reminded Kellus
of wind chimes in a summer breeze: heavenly.

“No,” he laughed along with her, looking into her eyes. “But
you looked scared for the briefest moment,”
‘and beautiful beyond words.’

“It’s hard to tell with Cora. She has a very uncommon sense
of humor,” Annie informed him.

“She sounds like a girl I would get along with,” he replied.
He looked out at the crowd, scared that she would read his expression, fearful
that she would see the emotion on his face.
‘Pull yourself together, Kir,’
he scolded himself. He forced another smile to spread across his face. “I must
admit, though, I would like to see you tipsy. I’m sure you’d be adorable.”

“I don’t know about that,” she answered shyly.

“Shall I take you over to the kegs, so that I can see for
myself?” he asked teasingly.

She rolled her eyes. “So, apprentices are allowed to dance?”
she questioned, changing the subject.

“Yes, Annie, I’m not in prison. The peacemen approve of us
getting to know all the townsfolk; they encourage it.  I don’t think I’d be too
comfortable with the Master watching me, though,”
‘he’d read the emotions on
my face in a heartbeat.’

“I know the Master,” she informed him. “He’s kind of a
friend of mine.”

“Nordorum?” he asked.

“When my parents died, he came to inform me. He stayed with
me for over twenty-four hours, helped me break the news to Max and Cora, and
made all the funeral arrangements. I would have fallen apart if it wasn’t for
him.”

“Really? He’s a great man, but I’ve never heard of him doing
anything like that. Usually a less ranking peaceman, possibly even an
apprentice, would be dispatched to make the arrangements, and to see to any
minors left orphaned, although, I can’t blame him for wanting to stay with you.”
‘
Lucky, lucky bastard.’

“He visits with me often,” Annie said. “He comes to make
sure we are doing well, and he brings me things, sometimes materials to make
clothes for the twins.”

“He does?” Kellus asked, and against his better judgment, he
was feeling envious of the Master now. This was clearly getting out of control.

“Yes, but I must admit, it’s been a few months since his
last visit,” she answered.

“That is most unusual,” Kellus replied. “Why?”
‘Besides
the obvious reason that he’s a warm blooded male.’

“I suppose he feels it’s his duty to check on us. I’m not
really sure.”

“I don’t think so, Annie. You must have left an impression
on him,” Kellus said. ‘
Kind of like the bizarre and terrifying impression
you’ve left on me.’

They danced without speaking for some time. Kellus hummed
along with the music, trying desperately to think of something to talk about,
sure he was boring the life out of the poor girl.

“Is the man you were dancing with special to you?” he asked
when the music changed.

“No, not at all,” she answered. “We went to school together.
I haven’t seen him for years.  But I got the impression that he wanted to be
special.”

Kellus envisioned both his hands tight around the man’s
neck, squeezing the life out of him; the thought made him feel oddly satisfied.

He pursed his lips momentarily, trying to think of something
more to say, but, unfortunately, all he could do was babble. “I’m surprised
that I haven’t had to pull men apart yet. I was convinced that many fights
would break out because of you, of course, the night is still young.”

“What do you mean by that?” she asked.

“Only that your beauty is matched by no other,” he replied
softly, looking down into her eyes. “I imagined many men rivaling for your
attention.” True, but he didn’t have to let it come pouring out of his mouth
like a fool.

“That’s ridiculous—”

Kellus cut her off. “You’re much too lovely for any man in
Vistira.” Maybe it was best if he didn’t speak at all.

She blushed, and Kellus had to fight the urge to touch her
cheek, to run his finger down her pink tainted skin. He squeezed her hand
tighter, still looking into her sad, expressive eyes. In them, he saw reflected
all that was good in the universe: kindness, bravery, wisdom, but most of
all…innocence.

Suddenly, something stirred in him, something dark and
seedy, a badness that wanted nothing more than to savagely rip the innocence
from her.

The savage longed to have her naked and spread out wide
beneath him as he pummeled into her. The savage wanted to hear her scream his
name in wanton ecstasy as he ravished her body and claimed her utterly.

“Would you excuse me?” Annie said awkwardly. “I need to find
Max and Cora.”

“Of course,” he answered, smiling casually. Oh shit! Oh
fucking shit! She’d seen the savage in his eyes, known what it wanted to do to
her.

But at that moment, her brother came along and changed the
course of the night.

It was more than a reflex that made him volunteer to watch
Cora until morning. He didn’t want any of the other apprentices near Annie, and
he wanted to spend some time with her, plus he’d taken an instant shining to
Cora. But the savage wanted something entirely different. Kellus bit his lip
and pushed the savage away.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such a great
night. Annie was smart and sweet, she was funny, but also kind enough to laugh
sincerely at his stupid jokes.

By the time he found himself seated on a chair with her
wrapped up sleeping in his arms, he knew the truth. He had strong feelings for
this girl, feelings that he shouldn’t have.

And then, the savage reared it’s ugly head, and before he
knew what he was doing, he ran his hand over her hip while she slept. He felt a
surge of lust so strong that he had to swallow a lump in his throat.

It was time to leave before the savage resurfaced. He woke
her gently and urged her to bed, telling her that he needed to get back to the
Citadom, which, of course, was a lie. Saturdays were usually laid back for the
apprentices as their instructors didn’t instruct on the weekends.

He walked down the hill feeling oddly unsettled by the whole
encounter with Annie. She was beautiful of course, but she was also a
contradiction. Her lovely face still held the roundness of youth, that, coupled
with her big innocent eyes, give her a girlish demeanor, but her body was all
woman. Was it any wonder he and the savage were at odds? He cared for the girl,
wanted to protect her, wanted to take care of her, a fact he knew was
impossible. The savage, however, wanted her body only, wanted to taste her
luscious breasts, feel her thighs wrapped around him. He shuddered. It would do
no good entering the Citadom this hot and bothered.

Like a sixteen-year-old boy with a crush again, he found
himself spending the following days scanning the town center whenever he
stepped foot outside the Citadom, but to no avail, she was never around.

By Friday, he was trying to come up with excuses to go to
her house again. He had leave starting in a couple of hours. Maybe he’d have
Sara bake her a cake or something, and have to deliver it. Pathetic and stupid.

Just then, he saw her following his father into the shop. He
raced across the street, nearly knocking an old woman off her feet in the
process. He straightened the woman up with a string of apologies and kept
moving.

He slowed down as he approached the shop, watching her
lovely body lean forward over counter. The way her hips jutted out and her back
arched, he had to push the savage back down forcefully.

“…he’s a thoughtful young man,” he heard his father say as
he leaned against the door frame.

“Who is?” Kellus asked as casually as possible. Meanwhile,
his heart was doing an imitation of a thunderstorm.

She turned to look at him, and he saw her face light up,
causing the most delicious thrill to pour through him.

“Son, look who came to visit?” his father asked.

‘The most beautiful woman in the universe? The girl who
has, against my better judgment, managed to capture my heart?’
he thought.
Instead, he regurgitated some nonsense about threatening to tell his mother
something.

“Are you jealous, son?” his father asked.

‘You have no fucking idea. You, father, just might end up
on the list of men I want to strangle, along with Nordorum.’
“Very,” he
replied, nodding.

She blushed, causing his heart to pound faster.

“What are you doing here again?” his father asked along with
something else, but Kellus was too busy ogling the beauty before him to pay
attention.

“I had no intention of coming back here so soon, but I saw
an angel walking through your door. I came to see her for myself,” he answered.
‘Shut up, just please shut up.’
Why the compulsion to spew every thought
in his head out of his mouth?

He asked if he could walk her up the hill a little. Just
before he turned to leave, the strangest urge took over him. He found himself
asking permission to visit her the following day.

He ran back down the hill, after saying goodbye, and up the
steps of the Citadom.

After signing out for the weekend, he made it to the shop
just as Tol was locking up the front doors.

Kellus was deep in thought as they rode along the Ocean
Road, forming a plan for his visit with Annie.

“You look like you’re about to pop a blood vessel with
whatever’s going on in there,” Tol teased.

“I was just trying to organize something,” Kellus replied.
“Father, do you think I could use one of the spare carriages tomorrow?”

“Of course,” Tol agreed. “But can I ask you what you’re up
to?”

“I want to take Annella to the Inn,” he answered.

“You’re taking Annella to the Inn?” Tol questioned,
astonished.

“For dinner,” Kellus amended, shaking his head, “only for a
couple of hours, for dinner.”

“I see,” Tol answered, laughing. “Do you think it’s a good
idea? I mean, it sounds like you’re trying to court her.”

“No, father, I’m just taking a friend to dinner. In fact, I
was planning to bring her brother and sister also.” That was a spur of the
moment decision, but Tol had a point, maybe dinner alone would seem too
intimate.

“Why the Inn, though?” Tol questioned, “Won’t that seem like
you’re showing off?”

“Well, I thought we could spend the day at the lake then
have dinner after,” Kellus explained. “And no, I don’t think it would seem like
I’m showing off because I have every intention of paying for dinner. And I’m
not going to mention that we own it.”

Tol nodded. “Kellus…” he trailed off and sighed. “I think
you might be falling in love with that girl.”

“No, I’m not,” Kellus argued. “I just like spending time
with her. Besides, I’ve taking a vow to serve the public only, so I can’t, even
if I wanted to.”

“What you’re not supposed to do and what actually happens
are not always the same thing, son,” Tol said. “I’m just giving you a little
warning: if you spend much more time with her, you’ll find that you’ve lost
control of the situation. Believe me, these things have a way of sneaking up on
you.”

“I’ve chosen a noble life,” Kellus replied. “I considered my
decision to enter the Citadom for many months before hand. I’ve chosen my
path.”

“It is an extremely noble life,” Tol agreed. “But there are
other ways to live a noble life. Your mother and I raised three beautiful
children. I consider that to be a noble thing to do, if I do say so myself.”

“That was your choice, not mine,” Kellus stated. “I’ve made
my decisions, so don’t worry, I’m not going to fall in love.” It was getting
harder and harder to deny his feelings, though, and nearly impossible by the
following evening.

He and Annie rode along in almost complete darkness, the
following night, after spending a perfect day together. Kellus knew that he was
well and truly addicted at this point, but continued to do his best to push
that thought away.

He took her hand as they approached the East-West Crossing
in a comforting manner, the place where this poor girl had lost her parents. He
remembered the funeral clearly. The beautiful girl with the mane of curls stood
stock- still, not a tear shed, arms around each of her siblings. He knew, even
back then, that it wasn’t that she was ashamed to cry, but that she was being
strong for the two children. He remembered how impressed he was with her
bravery.

A tugging pulled at his heart as he realized how hard her
life must have been: no more school, no more friends, just day in and day out
of playing mother to the twins, all alone with no one to lean on, when she was
still only a girl. He took a deep breath and blew out air through his lips.

He didn’t relinquish her hand once they’d cleared the area.
Though she needed a lot more comforting than this small gesture could offer, it
made him feel good to be the benefactor none the less. At least that’s what he
tried to tell himself. Somewhere inside, the truth was plain, however: he liked
the feel of her little hand in his.