Snow Heart

by Knight, Arvalee

Rusuto smirked as Dan headed for the door. A deep bass bark stopped them all in their tracks—breathing ceased, smiles faded, and attention turned to the thick bamboo forest lining the east side of the house.

  Rusuto turned around in his seat on the steps of the porch. “Hm,” he considered deeply.

  “What is it?” asked Dan.

  Rusuto got up and headed down the steps. “It appears he wants us to follow.”

  The young and jolly Angel jumped at the chance—she raced to Rusuto’s side and linked arms with him. “Ooh. We’re going into the spooky forest at night.”

  Rusuto laughed, patting Angel paternally on the head. “I’ll protect you.”

  “What?” barked Dan. “I’m going with you.” There was no way he’d leave Angel alone with Rusuto—not because Rusuto was dangerous but because Dan didn’t want any other man alone with her.

  “We’re here,” Rusuto told the dog.

  Its black coat shined mystically as it let out a bark and darted between the bamboo poles. It raced forward, stopped and barked over its shoulder. “Come with me,” it told Rusuto. “She needs the help of her own kind.”

  “Take me to her,” Rusuto replied.

  “What did he say?” asked Angel, tugging his arm. “What is it, Rusuto?”

  Rusuto gave a charming smile. “It’s a secret, dearest. You will just have to wait and see when we get there.”

  Dan shoved Rusuto’s shoulder. “This better not be anything sexual, old man.”

  Rusuto gave a smirk and lifted his hand to his mouth. “You know I’m not into woman like that. I prefer my partners to be male.”

  Dan quivered. “Do not remind me.”

  Angel giggled loudly but was silenced by another bark.

  “Here. She’s over here.”

  Rusuto heard the calling loud and clear. “I see you.”

  “Hey,” Dan interjected. “Is that… a person?”

  “Precisely,” Rusuto replied while pulling from Angel’s grasp. “You two stay here. I’ll investigate, understand?”

  Angel nodded her head and Dan gave a pouting look, crossing his arms as if he didn’t want to be there, in the bamboo forest, in the first place.

  Rusuto kneeled down next to the girl’s icy cold body—he couldn’t tell if her skin was naturally pale or if she was dying. He picked up on the sound of her heartbeat and relaxed. She wasn’t dying, at least. He could tell she was gaining a fever and it would need a doctor’s help.

  He looked over toward the waiting Dan and Angel—the black lab had disappeared into the shadows of the bamboo forest.

  “Is it okay?” asked Angel with concern.

  Rusuto didn’t bother responding even though he was smiling about it. He gathered the pale, unconscious girl into his arms and carried her past his waiting children.

  Angel, as usual, was intrigued while Dan was reserved.

  †

  “Wilhelm,” Rusuto greeted. “It’s your old friend.”

  The doctor took a while to respond and then finally said, “Hello, Rusuto. Is something wrong with Dan or Angel?” The doctor seemed disengaged.

  “Oh, yes,” Rusuto said, nodding his head subconsciously. “Angel has come down with a terrible fever and she could die at any moment.” Rusuto, as usual, was overdramatic but Wilhelm had grown used to his tendencies.

  Wilhelm gave a heavy sigh from the stress of being a doctor. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Hm? Is something wrong?”

  Wilhelm said in a low voice, “No. Nothing is wrong.”

  “Well,” Rusuto said, “I expect you to be here in under half an hour.”

  Before Wilhelm could protest Rusuto was dropping the phone onto the receiver. Dan and Angel could be heard bickering upstairs. Rusuto, wishing to join in on the fun, headed up the steps to the bedroom.

  “She doesn’t need that,” Dan hissed.

  Angel gave a stubborn growl. “Yes she does. The poor girl has a fever.” She slid a wet cloth over the girl’s head, patting it neatly into place.

  Dan huffed as usual before catching sight of Rusuto. “Hey, old dude, is she part of our family or not?”

  Rusuto smiled, sitting down on the opposite side of the girl. “No, I am afraid this young lady is not a part of the Macter family. However, we will show her generosity.”

  “What?” barked Dan. “She shouldn’t even be here.”

  Angel smacked Dan across the arm. “Can’t you see she’s sick?”

  “Sick or not, if Alric finds out we’re housing someone who isn’t a part of the family,” Dan argued, “then it’ll be our asses in the fire.”

  “Dan, don’t curse,” Rusuto prompted.

  Taking orders was Dan’s least favorite hobby. He got to his feet grumbling under his breath. “I’m heading to bed.”

  “I’ll stay up with you,” Angel told Rusuto as Dan was heading down the hall to his room. “She is so beautiful.” Angel ran her fingers down the girl’s smooth face. “Alric would take one look at her and be awed.”

  Rusuto laughed wholeheartedly. “I believe it is possible.” In actuality, Rusuto believed that such a thing could never happen. Those cursed, as Alric had been, could never have the heart to love.

  CHAPTER 4

  Wilhelm headed up the stairs without bothering to knock on the door. He practically lived there anyway. Besides, Rusuto was family whether he wanted to admit it or not. Wilhelm preferred not to let people know they were related. Rusuto had always been a little overdramatic of the calm, serious Wilhelm.

  Rusuto was his cousin, yes, and they had grown up together, but Wilhelm ignored Rusuto altogether for his childish behavior and his kindness to others—and other reason he’d rather not think about.

  “Rusuto!” Wilhelm called out when reaching the top step. “Where’s Angel?”

  “In here,” Rusuto replied from the last room down the hall.

  Wilhelm reached the last room, turning the corner to the perfectly healthy Angel. She gave a cheerful smile over the sleeping body of the girl—the very same girl Alric had been so enraged with.

  The doctor began recalling Alric’s words. “I’ll give her a little taste of nightshade with that cup of tea.” Alric must have followed through with his plan, yet… why was the girl here in Rusuto’s house?

  Wilhelm pushed aside his worries. “What is this?”

  “In common terms: a girl,” Rusuto smiled widely.

  Rusuto couldn’t have been any older than twenty-five. He sat kneeling over the sleeping girl with an innocent gleam in his green eyes. He knew very well that he had done something against Macter law.

  Wilhelm turned his attention away from them arrogantly. “You told me Angel was the one I needed to see.”

  Rusuto smirked and said with a sense of deliberating, “It’s not like I enjoy lying to you.” The smirk told otherwise.

  The youthful doctor cursed incoherently. “Angel please go downstairs and bring me a cup of tea and a wet rag.”

  The girl nodded while darting for the door humming a lovely tune.

  As soon as the girl was from earshot Wilhelm began to tell Rusuto his mind. “Do you realize how bitter and torturous this will end if Alric ever found out? You know very well he hates us spending time together.”

  Rusuto sighed childishly. He gave a pouting look and said, “Fine, then. But how, as a doctor, can you dare to leave such a young child in this condition.”

  Wilhelm gave a hate-filled gaze. “Rusuto, please,” he whispered. “Don’t place me between a rock and a hard place.”

  Rusuto leaned forward over the girl’s body. “The only person who is doing that to you is yourself. Treat the girl, or don’t.” A wide adventurous smile perked its way on Rusuto’s lips. In an overdramatic manner he yelled, “Wilhelm you heartless beast, how could be so cruel to such a poor helpless soul!”

  Wilhelm sat down on the floor and began to open his medical case. “I can hardly stand you, Rusuto.”

  “Oh?” Rusuto wasted no time takin
g Wilhelm’s hand in his own. “Don’t you love your cousin?”

  Wilhelm gawked for a moment then calmly said, “Not in the least.”

  “Surely you haven’t forgotten our younger years? We were inseparable close friends, Wilhelm.”

  A moan came from between them as the girl began to move. A raspy cough lurched from her slightly blue lips. They waited for her eyes to focus. Finally, she looked from Wilhelm to Rusuto.

  “Hi?” she whispered, her throat bare and in agony.

  “What were you doing in the forest so late at night?” asked Wilhelm with a demanding tone.

  “Escaping,” she replied with a laugh. “I was just about to be tortured when Sneeuwbal saved me.”

  “Sneeuwbal?” asked Rusuto who appeared to be much more sympathetic than Wilhelm.

  The girl nodded her head gently. “Yes. He’s a black Labrador that follows me around sometimes. Have you seen him?”

  Rusuto raised an eyebrow. “A black dog named Sneeuwbal?”

  The girl laughed—but something was lodged in her throat. She began to cough viciously just as Angel was bringing up the tea and the wet rag.

  “You’re awake,” Angel said excitedly. She quickly made it to the girl’s side and sat down with a bright smile. The wet rag, drenched with water, dripped puddles from the kitchen to the bedroom.

  “Angel,” Wilhelm commented dryly. “You’ve got water all over the place.”

  “Uh-huh.” Angel overlooked Wilhelm easily.

  Rusuto simply laughed—amused and carefree as usual. “Angel you were supposed to wring the rag out before brining is to us.”

  Angel pouted. “He didn’t tell me that.”

  Wilhelm took the tea out of Angel’s hands and placed it onto the floor. “Can you tell us your name?” asked Wilhelm, though Alric had already informed him of the girl’s position.

  “Nieves,” she replied.

  Rusuto gave a romantic sigh. “Oh, what a beautiful name for such a fine woman.” He placed his hands on the sides of his face, daydreaming. “That horrible Alric really has lost his mind to treat you so cruelly.”

  Nieves gave a small laugh being sure not to hurt her throat again.

  “Sit up so that you may drink this tea,” Wilhelm commanded.

  Nieves nodded her head, and then with a weak arm she pulled herself off the ground. Rusuto leaned forward and slid an arm around her back to help stabilize the girl.

  “What the hell?” Dan yelled from the hallway.

  Rusuto laughed under his breath. “I suppose he has seen the puddles.”

  “Yep.” Angel giggled getting to her feet. “I better go clean it up before he slips.”

  In that very instant a loud crash came from downstairs along with a loud scream that could only belong to Dan. “Angel! Why the hell is there water everywhere?”

  Angel sighed. “Be right back.”

  Wilhelm shook his head inconspicuously. “How do you put up with her?”

  Rusuto’s smile became weak—he seemed to be dreaming. “She’s my sister’s daughter. I could not turn her away nor could I turn Dan away.” His eyes shimmered slightly of tears, Nieves noted.

  “Don’t cry,” she said in a whisper. “If you cry then I will cry too.”

  He nodded saying, “We’d cry for hours. A vicious crying circle of the art of sorrow.”

  “Drink the tea,” Wilhelm nudged. “It’ll help with your voice.”

  The girl took the warm cup in her hands and took down a shaking swallow. Her face distorted at the awkward taste—this couldn’t possibly be tea, she thought. “What is this?” her hoarse voice forced.

  “Tea,” Wilhelm explained, “With medicine.”

  Nieves shivered involuntarily. “I hate medicine.”

  Wilhelm gave a small smile. “Would you prefer the needle instead?”

  “Oh, no.” Nieves quickly shook her head. “No, I hate shots.” She even took down a quick large gulp to prove she’d drink the medicine. “Mm. Delicious.” Her disgusted face proved her to be lying but this only made Wilhelm laugh.

  “I suppose.” Wilhelm gave in. “Stay in bed for a while. I’ll come back tomorrow and check up on your condition.”

  Nieves gasped. “Tomorrow? You mean I’m staying here? Won’t Boris get upset? Or maybe Alric will come here and be angry with everyone?”

  Rusuto laughed wholeheartedly—a laugh that dared Alric to be bold. “Alric means nothing to me, little one. He can come but I will not let him take you without your approval.”

  Nieves smiled, her eyes brimming with tears. “Thank you.” She leapt into Rusuto’s arms and hugged him. She hadn’t been hugged in years. Rusuto felt warm around her feverish body but Nieves didn’t want to let go.

  Rusuto whimpered. “Don’t cry.” In a sudden burst Rusuto had tears streaming down his face and small gasps of sorrow. “You poor abandoned child! I’ll protect you from the cold cruelties of the world.”

  “Oh, dear God,” Wilhelm muttered.

  †

  Bartolemé lounged in the comforts of a recliner. The taste of nicotine calmed the shakes of his nerves. “Nothing like a good coffin nail,” he said to Alric’s backside. The impatient youth hadn’t left his spot since Bartolemé walked into the room.

  “Stopped by to see Danzig,” Bartolemé stated.

  Alric lifted his hand and peered down at the color of the veins in his wrist with deep concentration. “I’ll be twenty-one this year.”

  Bartolemé nodded his head—a sign he was listening.

  “The first snow,” Alric muttered, resentment staining his tone.

  Bartolemé smirked with the cig stuck to his lips. “Do you want us to morn for you? Cry in the house after the funeral?”

  “No,” Alric blurted. “I don’t want your pity.”

  Bartolemé’s laughter icily thickened the air.

  “I want you all to die,’ Alric answered.

  His laughter continued only until his desire for another breath of nicotine called his name. He pulled the cig from his lips and let out a fog of gray smoke that wisped in the air wildly. Bartolemé rubbed the smooth paper between his forefingers.

  “Feel like ending all of it?” asked Bartolemé.

  Alric finally turned to Bartolemé. “Do you know the cure?” the youth inquired.

  “Not at all,” he smirked.

  “And you think I do?”

  Bartolemé leaned forward and in his usual gruff voice replied, “I think you know—you just don’t want to accept it.” He slid the cig back in his mouth and, while taking another breath, closed his eyes.

  Alric made no effort in an emotion.

  “Sir?” The paper door slid open an inch.

  Alric glared at the servant from the corner of his eye. “What?”

  The servant swallowed his fear. “Wilhelm has knowledge of where the girl is.”

  Alric smiled a devil’s smile.

  CHAPTER 5

  “It’s so pretty here,” Nieves muttered to Wilhelm who was checking her diagnostics yet again. “Where I come from there are no stars in the night sky.”

  He put away his equipment into the medical bag. “Yes, it is a beautiful place.”

  Nieves turned her head to look out into the starry field of sky. The darkness was not quite thick while the moon held power at her strongest peak of the month. She was so beautiful that Nieves found herself wanting to cry.

  “How do you feel?” asked Angel who was stepping out onto the porch.

  Nieves smiled. “Much better.”

  “I’ll be inside if you need anything.” Wilhelm grabbed his bag and headed into the house where it was warm. He warned Nieves that it was too cold outside for her but she refused to listen.

  Angel sat down on the steps next to her. “Why are you living here?”

  “Boris,” Nieves replied. “He took me away from my grandparents and made me come live here. He plans on sending me to an all-girl’s college so that way I don’t get in the way. He hates me. I only came becau
se…” Nieves didn’t have the heart finish her sentence.

  Angel nodded. “I see.” She was about to ask questions when Nieves spoke first.

  “Is Rusuto your father?”

  Angel laughed an innocent noise—like wind chimes. “Oh, no. Rusuto is like… a distant uncle. I used to live with my aunt until she got sick. No one would take me except for Rusuto.”

  “He must love you,” Nieves told her. “Rusuto is very kind to Dan and you.”

  Angel nodded her head, smile now faded. “Our family can be cruel sometimes. Rusuto is very generous, though. He’d take anyone in even if it meant defying Alric.”

  “Alric,” Nieves muttered.

  Angel turned her head to look at Nieves who was watching the sky.

  “I’d like to help him.”

  “What?” Angel’s mouth dropped open with astonishment. “He is so evil. For what reason would you want to help him?”

  The young woman’s eyes softened with something pure. “Alric is a person just like you. He feels pain and suffering just like all people. Doesn’t he deserve kindness like the rest of the world?

  “If I could help him… then maybe his suffering would end. Perhaps he’d be kind and good.” Nieves nodded her head as if she were making the thought complete. “Yes. I wish to help him heal his wounds.”