Snow Heart

by Knight, Arvalee

  Nieves nodded her head briskly.

  Alric smirked, raising himself from the ground. He crawled forward, catching Nieves by surprise. She tumbled backwards, slipping off the blanket and into the grass. An animalistic instinct was fired inside of him at the site of her weak and stranded. Her hands in their awkward place above her head.

  “Alric?” she questioned his motives.

  He placed a hand on the grass, his body hovering above her. Alric noted her breathing was shallow, deep, and restless. Did she feel the same strange hunger as he did? He maneuvered himself until he was directly on top of her and lowered. His lips almost reached hers but he moved them to brush down her cheek and stopped at her ear.

  He whispered lowly, “You can tell me to stop.”

  Nieves swallowed down her butterflies.

  Alric slid a hand up and along her arm then slipped his fingers with hers, and intertwining them together.

  Nieves felt the weight of his body press against her core. Somehow her other hand knew just where to fall, as if it were destined to happen that way.

  “Alric!” Someone screamed from the path, a distance away. The tall grasses hid whoever it was from site. “Alric! Nieves!” It was Aunty; her voice was now recognizable as she made her way closer.

  Alric lifted himself from Nieves. He gathered her hands and helped her from the grass. Both their hearts were still flittering inside of their chests, hammering against the bones of the ribcage.

  “Alric?” Aunty climbed her way out of the grass. She breathed heavily from running, sagging over to grasp her knees. “Alric, its Mia.” Aunty swallowed down a breath of air. “She tried to kill herself.”

  The Head Macter stumbled, head swimming. “Where? Where is she?”

  “Wilhelm’s. He’s stopped her bleeding and stitched the wounds.” Aunty stood up straight now. Her body was still trying to get used to the extreme exercise and large dose of adrenaline.

  “Is she alright?” asked Nieves, frozen in her place.

  Aunty nodded. “Yes. Wilhelm says he’ll keep an eye on her.”

  “I knew this wouldn’t turn out well,” Alric muttered. He cursed silently to himself. “Someone should have explained this to her from the beginning.”

  “Alric, in all honesty…” Aunty began.

  He turned his gaze to her, hate spilling from it. “No. Monsun should have drawn the line long ago like I ordered.” Alric stormed off, back towards the main house. He was furious with the turn of events, unsure if he should hate Monsun or Mia. Or perhaps just himself.

  “Alric?” Nieves tried to go after him but Aunty held her back.

  She shook her head just lightly. “He needs to be alone for a while.”

  Every time Nieves closed her eyes more tears seemed to rise. Poor Mia. And poor Alric. Did the pain of the Macter family never cease?

  CHAPTER 35

  “Aunty,” Nieves said. “Can I ask you something?”

  Aunty leaned against the pole of the back porch that over looked what used to be a garden. The flowers had all wilted from the coming of winter. A winter that promised to be the worst Aunty would ever endure. She turned to the girl, wondering what question it would have to be to steal Nieves’s smile.

  “Sure, hun. What is it?” Aunty leaned her head back as far as the pole would allow her.

  Nieves hugged her knees, being careful to keep her skirt from being revealing. “Who are the Cursed-Ones? How many are there? And what does it have to do with Alric on the day it snows?”

  Aunty leaned forward. Her eyes heavy and tired from all the crying she’d done earlier that day. Mia was still in the hospital bed with bandages wrapped around her wounded wrist. Aunty couldn’t explain the overwhelming amount of stress that crowded inside of her at that very moment.

  “There are twenty Cursed-Ones this cursed-year,” Aunty said. “Last time there was fifteen. The cursed-year before that there were twenty-three.”

  “Twenty,” Nieves mouthed.

  Aunty gave a heavy sigh. “The Cursed-Ones you know are: Rusuto. Wilhelm. Eliza. Jacob. Mia.” Aunty started counting the people with her fingers. “The others are: Irene. Flora. Peter. Ralf. Frank. Leon. Michael. Abadon. Georg. Olivia. Bartolemé. Ria. Winfried. Timothy. Valentine.”

  “Bartolemé?” Nieves remembered that name. “I spoke to him.” She didn’t think he was that smart of a person. He seemed rather oblivious to her being chained to the bed by Alric.

  Aunty nodded. “Leon is the one who came during the family dinner to talk to Alric.”

  Nieves simmered. Leon was also the one who kidnapped her from her home that night when Alric was angry. Who was Leon anyway? She hardly ever saw him around the house. She couldn’t recall seeing him at the carnival though she did catch a glimpse of Bartolemé with a small little girl. She looked about eight or nine.

  “This place is like a small town,” Nieves commented.

  Aunty nearly laughed. “I guess you’re right. Not everyone here is Macter blood. We have outside people married into the family all the time. Alric, of course, has to agree to it but he hardly ever says no.”

  Nieves lowered her eyes a bit. “Alric…” She was just about to ask about finding an end to the curse when a white bird fluttered into her lap. It gave a few chirps, tilting its head every which way.

  “Zeit?” Nieves moved her finger to its feet, letting the small creature hop onto her finger. Its small black beady eyes had a strange intricate design in them, carved out with red. “What are you doing here?” asked Nieves.

  Zeit took flight out across the barren garden, landing onto a dying stem.

  “I think he wants you to follow,” said Aunty.

  Nieves waited a bit, unsure if she should leave Aunty at a time as this.

  Aunty must have read the girl’s mind because next she was saying, “Go ahead. I’ll be fine.” She was waving her hand, nudging the helpless Nieves.

  “Okay.” Nieves chased after Zeit, curious and anxious.

  †

  Nieves had never been to this part of the garden before. She took short glances around at the rows of thick conifer trees. It was a place that reminded her of Christmas. Trees that would look beautiful with a soft layer of snow. The concrete path she took was jagged with age, cracks and protrusions from the movement of soil and the growth of plants.

  Nieves found Zeit perched on the wood of an arched bridged that looked like something from Japan. She approached him only to watch him fly away into the darkness of a tall gazebo. Sitting there with his back to her was Alric. He was sitting on his calves with his head lowered.

  Softly she crossed the bridge as to not disturb him. A sudden feeling of sorrow took her heart and ran with it. She remembered this position when she kneeled before her mother’s grave, head lowered and sobbing.

  She got down onto her knees and wrapped her arms around Alric.

  Alric gasped, his hands capturing her arms.

  “I’m sorry,” Nieves whispered. “I wish there was something I could do.”

  Alric slid his eyes closed. “Mia is like a sister to me, better than the one I have. We were always able to understand each other. She loves solitude like me. I just…” His grasp on her arms tightened. It hurt but Nieves dealt with it. “I tried to protect her as much as I could but… no one listened.”

  Nieves nodded her head, burying it in the center of Alric’s back.

  “There is too much pain in this place,” Alric muttered.

  “Yes.” She absorbed his warmth. The world was cold, a chill in the air.

  He pulled her arms from around him and turned to look at her. “You are all I have,” he said. “You are all I have to keep me from drowning.” His body trembled. Alric leaned forward to rest his head on Nieves’s shoulder. He held on to her as tight as possible, as if she might float away if he didn’t.

  Nieves wrapped her arms around his head. “I know what you mean.” For her entire life she had been alone. Distancing herself from the entire world. Her friends barel
y understood. She tried her best to smile until the point that it came as easy as switching on a light.

  But here, sitting here with Alric, Nieves had never felt more alive. He made her laugh like never before. He made her heart twist with delight and expectation. No one could ever love her like he could.

  Her eyes widened. Yes, she had finally understood her emotions and her mixed thoughts. She was in love with him. She was desperately in love with him. Without his existence she would have never understood that her pain wasn’t endless. It had an end. It had a purpose. Mostly, she finally understood that she wasn’t alone.

  She slid her hands down his head, raking the dark ebony strands of his hair. His skin felt like rose petals, smooth and delicate. Nieves lightly guided his head until her lips could firmly press against his.

  His tears felt warm against her skin as they trailed between the two of them. She could even taste them on their lips.

  Nieves pulled away while shaking with apprehension. Her eyes lowered to the ground. She hadn’t expected to kiss him but she did.

  Alric’s lips parted in awe of her. He cupped the side of her face, feeling the tips of his fingers caress her skin. Just enough, Alric pressed her chin up till she dared to look at him. It astonished him that her eyes were the color of gray winter skies.

  He smiled just before capturing her lips. Slowly they pried their mouths open, tasting the sweetness of drunken delight. Alric took down a deep breath of Nieves’s skin while kissing her urgently. Never in all his years had he wanted something that much. He needed her. He craved for her. Desperate in every way Alric wanted nothing but Nieves.

  Alric pressed against her, his lips capturing her more intensely. He enjoyed Nieves clasping the collar of his shirt and pulling to her heart’s content. It urged him to want her even more. He pushed her back against the arched bridge.

  Nieves fought to keep up with Alric’s pace. His breathing was rapid. His hand was a pillow behind her head.

  Alric sighed into her mouth. He pulled away from her, lips sliding down her neck.

  Nieves released a sound she’d never made before.

  He lifted off of her, his hand pressed into the wood beside her head. Alric breathed heavily, starring into those soft gray eyes Nieves had. “I am sorry,” he said. “I did not mean to get carried away.”

  Nieves laughed turning her head to kiss the sensitive skin of his inner arm. She slid her eyes closed while saying, “It’s not your fault. I kissed you first.”

  “I should have controlled myself better.” Alric took her hand and held it against his face, feeling her warmth. It burned brighter than any fire ever could.

  Nieves watched him slide his eyes close. “Does this mean you’ll come inside now?”

  “Inside?” asked Alric.

  She nodded. “You’ve been gone most of the day. I was worried about you.”

  He opened his eyes, linking his fingers with hers. “What time is it?”

  “Time to eat,” Nieves said with a smile. “I’m starving.”

  Alric was already pulling her to her feet and racing over the bridge. “Then let’s go,” he laughed, speeding around onto the path. He enjoyed holding her hand and knowing that someone was finally with him. He wasn’t completely alone in the world anymore.

  CHAPTER 36

  Alric leaned his head on Nieves’s shoulder as she read the next sentence of the story. She had told him it was her favorite fairytale as a child and that her grandmother had read it to her on stormy nights when she couldn’t sleep. Alric listened to her voice, trying to memorize it to the very last detail.

  “Alric,” Aunty said, tapping on the shoji door and sliding it open. She poked her head inside ready to speak but the site of Alric sitting on the floor next to Nieves seemed out of the ordinary. And reading a book was definitely not normal.

  He lifted his head and waited for her to continue.

  “Er…” Her eyes lowered to Eliza and Jacob who were clinging to her legs. “Oh, yes. Can you watch Eliza and Jacob while I run a few errands in the city? I think it’d be best if they stay with you.”

  Alric gave a nod of his head.

  “Great.” Aunty slid her sunglasses down over her eyes and headed down the hall.

  Eliza stood in the doorway clutching Jacob’s hand. Both of them were silent, their eyes nearly lifeless. Both Alric and Nieves could tell that something was bothering them to shredded pieces.

  Nieves quickly put on her smile. “Would you like to hear a story?”

  Eliza led Jacob over and sat down on the floor.

  She closed her book, leaning forward. “Is there something wrong? You can always tell me, you know that.”

  Eliza lifted her eyes. “What’s going to happen to Mia?”

  Alric furrowed his eyebrows completely not in the mood to talk about Mia.

  Nieves motioned the girl forward with a few flicks of her finger. Jacob leaned forward as well, ready and eager to listen. “Well, don’t tell anyone this because it’s a secret. But I know for a fact that Mia has a fairy godmother watching over her at this very moment.”

  “Fairy godmother?” whispered Eliza.

  She nodded her head. “So, don’t worry about Mia. She’s going to be fine.”

  Jacob tugged on Eliza’s shirt.

  Eliza somehow understood. “Can we see the fairy godmother?”

  “Not really,” Nieves replied. “She only showed herself to me so I could let everyone know that everything’s going to be okay.”

  Eliza gave a wide smile. “She only shows herself to princesses.”

  Nieves would have protested but it seemed everyone had made up their mind on the topic. “So, what would the two of you like to do?”

  “Hear the story,” mumbled Jacob.

  Eliza repeated, “Jacob and I want to hear the story you were reading.”

  Alric knew that Jacob never spoke unless he trusted someone with his life. His quietness seemed to evaporate with Nieves which was a very good sign. Perhaps he’d start talking without doing it under his breath.

  Nieves opened her book and flipped to the first page. “On nights that are filled with stars, tiny little soul collectors will fly…”

  Eliza moved to lie out on her stomach and Jacob did the same while filling the space between them. Alric laid his head back down on Nieves’s shoulder and closed his eyes. All three of them began to memorize her voice to the nth degree.

  †

  Mia fluttered her eyes open. The brightness of the room burned her eyes until her pupils adjusted. It was the smell of a hospital that made her realize where she was. She moved her eyes about the place, from the yellow curtain to the IV drip.

  “Finally awake,” Wilhelm said, closing his folder that held more paperwork than she could ever imagine.

  Mia slowly sat up but the needle in her arm jostled and it made her stomach cringe.

  “You should lie down,” Wilhelm informed. “You almost died Mia. Do you understand that?”

  Mia turned her head away and stared into the yellow curtain.

  “Of course you do.” Wilhelm’s tone was stern and irritated. “You worried a lot of people including me.”

  Mia began to wonder who had visited and who had cried. She remembered hearing Angel scream, and Angel’s warm tears dropping against her cheek. She considered the idea of Monsun and his reaction. She varied it from caring to stoic.

  A hand forced her to look at Wilhelm who was now standing by her bed. She didn’t hear him move from the chair to her side. “Mia, Nieves called someone who can help you—”

  “Good evening, Wilhelm.” The door to the office clicked open letting a small brisk wind of winter come inside. “I came to drop off some food for you.”

  Wilhelm rounded the bed and moved out of Mia’s site behind the curtain. “Thank you. She’s awake now if you want to see her. I was telling her about what you did.”

  “Great.” Nieves pulled back the yellow curtain with a smile and climbed onto the stool at the foot
of Mia’s bed. “How are you feeling?”

  Mia nodded her head, not in the mood to talk.

  “Hm.” Nieves let out a breath of air. “I’ve been in the same position as you. Well, it wasn’t exactly the same but it was similar. I tried to kill myself when I thirteen. I thought it would be better that way.

  “But my grandmother, who was a doctor, she helped me understand that there are better things than dying. She made me see that I have a place in the world. And that my parents’ death was not something I could have prevented.

  “For you, I guess understanding that Monsun isn’t around won’t be the worst thing. See, my grandmother used to work with phobic patients and I think if you let her, she’ll be able to help you. Then you’ll be able to go into the city. We could go shopping and see movies together. I have so many places I want to show you and Alric.”

  Mia turned her eyes to the curtain again. “Do you promise?”

  “What?”

  She turned and stared at Nieves in the eye. “Do you promise she can help me? Promise you’ll take me to the city?”

  She gave a mischievous laugh. “You bet. I’ll take you everywhere. We’ll see so much you’ll get sick of the city and want to come back here.”

  Mia laughed. “That’ll never happen.” Mia reached up with her free hand and grabbed the pain in her chest. “Do think it’ll ever go away?”

  “No. But it’ll soften until it hurts only when you think about it.” Nieves knew the ache—the empty feeling where her heart was beating. “But you’re not alone. Angel is here for you. I am here for you. And Alric. He was very upset and worried about you.”