at the
base of the massive tree trunk. Watching him fly was like
watching something from a dream. It just didn’t seem
real to Tru. She thought Airi looked beautiful, but watching Edyn made her feel as though she was watching the
tiny flakes of the season’s first snow falling in slow motion through the sky. He floated on the air with such
grace, landing smoothly on both feet as his wings folded
together gently behind his back.
Slowly, Tru made her way out of her hiding spot, and
placed a hand on the bark of the trunk beside her. As
Edyn walked toward her, Tru noticed how his head and
shoulders barely bobbed up and down with each step he
took.
“Well, I guess that means I should probably get you
back home.” Edyn put his hand on the tree so that it was
almost touching Tru’s, and held his other hand ⎯ palm
up ⎯ in the air, waiting for Tru to grab it. “She may come
back.”
Tru removed her hand from the tree and crossed her
arms over her chest. Though she was slightly angry, she
tried to keep calm. Tru knew she had no right to be so
angry. She had only just met Edyn today. He didn’t have
to share his entire life story yet.
And why should I care? He isn’t mine. We aren’t dating.
But Tru couldn’t help but feel the sudden sting of jealousy rising in her chest.
“Are you engaged to her?” Tru wasn’t afraid of asking
blunt questions anymore.
Edyn looked her straight in the eyes, leaning down towards her so that they were at eye level. Tru couldn’t help
but blush a little, but she was still focused on her question.
He squinted, examining Tru’s face. “You heard all of
that?”
Tru looked at him with a confused expression on her
face. “Yes. It wasn’t like the two of you were being quiet
or anything.”
“I mean, you could
⎯” he paused, looking away as he
took a deep breath. “Never mind.”
“Never mind what?” Tru asked quietly.
“It is nothing.” He turned to look at her again. “Airi
and I have been engaged since we were very young. My
father announced it the day before he was murdered. If
we do not go through with the marriage, I would feel as
though I am disrespecting him.” He shrugged his shoulders. The way Edyn said the words made it seem like he
really wasn’t too worried about the fact that he was supposed to someday marry the girl.
“So, it was,” Tru paused, unable to say the word without a touch of resentment, “arranged?”
“Yes.” Edyn continued to stare.
Tru looked down at her feet, and then back up into his
glassy green eyes.
“And, you’re okay with that?”
“I have to be. Airi and I are meant to bring our colonies
together. She is the princess of Riventalis.” He pointed
over to a spot through the trees behind Tru. She turned
and looked in the direction he pointed, but saw only the
dense, blackened forest.
“How old is she?” Tru didn’t really want to know, she
just didn’t know what else to ask.
“To you?”
Tru nodded.
“About fifteen.”
“So, when are you getting married?”
Is it soon? And when they become husband and wife,
will I lose my new friend forever? Maybe it doesn’t have
to be that way. Maybe we can all be friends.
Yeah right. Tru, get a grip. Don’t you remember how
she talked about killing you the first time you ran into
these people? She hates you. She hates humans.
Tru watched Edyn as he raised his hand to his chin. He
reminded her of The Thinker, the famous sculpture by
Auguste Rodin, that she had remembered seeing on a
fieldtrip once.
But watching him only made her realize that something was bothering him, something he would probably
never share with her.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to
⎯” Tru let her voice trail
off, mumbling the last few words quietly to herself. She
felt like she was constantly saying that sentence, like a
broken record.
“No. Do not feel sorry. I am just worried about certain
matters. I should be the one apologizing. I am frequently
forcing my problems on
base of the massive tree trunk. Watching him fly was like
watching something from a dream. It just didn’t seem
real to Tru. She thought Airi looked beautiful, but watching Edyn made her feel as though she was watching the
tiny flakes of the season’s first snow falling in slow motion through the sky. He floated on the air with such
grace, landing smoothly on both feet as his wings folded
together gently behind his back.
Slowly, Tru made her way out of her hiding spot, and
placed a hand on the bark of the trunk beside her. As
Edyn walked toward her, Tru noticed how his head and
shoulders barely bobbed up and down with each step he
took.
“Well, I guess that means I should probably get you
back home.” Edyn put his hand on the tree so that it was
almost touching Tru’s, and held his other hand ⎯ palm
up ⎯ in the air, waiting for Tru to grab it. “She may come
back.”
Tru removed her hand from the tree and crossed her
arms over her chest. Though she was slightly angry, she
tried to keep calm. Tru knew she had no right to be so
angry. She had only just met Edyn today. He didn’t have
to share his entire life story yet.
And why should I care? He isn’t mine. We aren’t dating.
But Tru couldn’t help but feel the sudden sting of jealousy rising in her chest.
“Are you engaged to her?” Tru wasn’t afraid of asking
blunt questions anymore.
Edyn looked her straight in the eyes, leaning down towards her so that they were at eye level. Tru couldn’t help
but blush a little, but she was still focused on her question.
He squinted, examining Tru’s face. “You heard all of
that?”
Tru looked at him with a confused expression on her
face. “Yes. It wasn’t like the two of you were being quiet
or anything.”
“I mean, you could
⎯” he paused, looking away as he
took a deep breath. “Never mind.”
“Never mind what?” Tru asked quietly.
“It is nothing.” He turned to look at her again. “Airi
and I have been engaged since we were very young. My
father announced it the day before he was murdered. If
we do not go through with the marriage, I would feel as
though I am disrespecting him.” He shrugged his shoulders. The way Edyn said the words made it seem like he
really wasn’t too worried about the fact that he was supposed to someday marry the girl.
“So, it was,” Tru paused, unable to say the word without a touch of resentment, “arranged?”
“Yes.” Edyn continued to stare.
Tru looked down at her feet, and then back up into his
glassy green eyes.
“And, you’re okay with that?”
“I have to be. Airi and I are meant to bring our colonies
together. She is the princess of Riventalis.” He pointed
over to a spot through the trees behind Tru. She turned
and looked in the direction he pointed, but saw only the
dense, blackened forest.
“How old is she?” Tru didn’t really want to know, she
just didn’t know what else to ask.
“To you?”
Tru nodded.
“About fifteen.”
“So, when are you getting married?”
Is it soon? And when they become husband and wife,
will I lose my new friend forever? Maybe it doesn’t have
to be that way. Maybe we can all be friends.
Yeah right. Tru, get a grip. Don’t you remember how
she talked about killing you the first time you ran into
these people? She hates you. She hates humans.
Tru watched Edyn as he raised his hand to his chin. He
reminded her of The Thinker, the famous sculpture by
Auguste Rodin, that she had remembered seeing on a
fieldtrip once.
But watching him only made her realize that something was bothering him, something he would probably
never share with her.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to
⎯” Tru let her voice trail
off, mumbling the last few words quietly to herself. She
felt like she was constantly saying that sentence, like a
broken record.
“No. Do not feel sorry. I am just worried about certain
matters. I should be the one apologizing. I am frequently
forcing my problems on
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