Arranged

by Spears, Jessica

  The puppeteers walked the human and Vidarian off the stage and Ahanu disappeared, trees, appearing where she was.

  "That is a sad story," Alison commented, turning her eyes to the small child that was sitting in her lap. He was holding onto her finger with a good grip as he watched the puppets. He was a small and stout, black skinned and bald. He had large ears and red dots where eyebrows should have been.

  Immediately the puppeteers switched to another story, this one comedic. The children laughed, including the little one she was holding. His laughter caused her smile to grow. The town had seemed like such a threatening place to her a few hours ago. Other than the stares she got and the young man who made her afraid, she hadn't expected any of this. She hadn't expected to find herself in the center of the town, watching puppets with Qwinn, and holding onto a Vidarian child.

  Suddenly she heard someone yelling in the hissing language. Obviously, that someone was very angry. She lifted her eyes and looked around to find a large woman pushing her way through the crowd toward them. She instantly stiffened. Qwinn stood, speaking calmly in Vidarian to the lady. The woman hardly listened as she reached around him to grab at the child in Alison's lap. The child reached toward the woman, who picked him up and muttered something at her. Alison swallowed down her fear as the woman glared daggers at her before turning into the crowd and disappearing.

  Qwinn sighed and shook his head, turning toward her. By now, everyone in the square was looking at her again. She fought to keep her tears back. She had never seen such a show of hatred toward her. She hadn't been doing anything wrong. The child had come to her!

  Qwinn held out his hand to her, his face as smooth as stone. She accepted it, glad for him to rescue her from this. They walked to the edge of the town, where their Ou'tani's had been tied.

  Adalia ran to meet them. "Are you alright?" she asked Alison.

  Alison shook her head, not meeting her eyes. Adalia muttered something to herself as she pulled Alison into a hug. "Don't feel bad. Mothers get protective, that's all."

  She was still quivering as she hugged Adalia back for a second. "I'll be fine."

  Qwinn helped Alison up, climbing on after her. He said something to Adalia then clicked his tongue, causing the Ou'tani to move forward.

  As they rode, Alison couldn't help but replay the look the mother had given her as she ripped the child from her arms. She slumped without noticing until Qwinn cleared his throat. "Are you alright?"

  "I'll be fine," she repeated the same answer she'd given Adalia.

  He slowed the Ou'tani and directed it off the path. For a moment she felt uncomfortable, not knowing where they were going, but then again, she didn't know where anything in Vidar was.

  Neither said a word until they had reached a line of trees. Now Alison was very uncomfortable. Qwinn clicked his tongue and the animal listened. They headed straight for the trees, which had black trunks, dark blue leaves and glowing moss on them.

  As soon as they cleared the trees, Qwinn stopped the animal and climbed down, helping her down after. Her eyes were taking in her surroundings. There were small insects flying around that glowed and it seemed that the plants themselves glowed. He tied the Ou'tani then took her hand, intertwining their fingers.

  Alison was bombarded with so many emotions, she was heady. They walked the rest of the way through the trees. She watched as Qwinn looked back and forth cautiously, to make sure nothing dangerous was around. As they continued to walk, the light from glowing vegetation increased, until they reached a clearing.

  The sight before her caused Alison to pause and take everything in. They were in some sort of grotto. Grass grew tall, to about her knee. Glowing insects danced through the clearing, making it look like the grass moved to a rhythm unheard. In the center of the clearing was a single tree that grew different from the rest. The trunk grew tall and sleek. It also emitted a brilliant light from veins of blue that ran up the trunk and to the leaves. A majority of the insects flew around the leaves and flowers that grew on the tree.

  "Palnus tree," Qwinn said.

  She vaguely remembered him telling her that the palnus flower was his mother's favorite.

  "It's beautiful," she breathed.

  He smiled at her as he urged her toward it. The ground was soft beneath her feet as she walked across the small field to the enchanted tree. Qwinn bowed his head to the tree in reverence then turned to Alison. "This tree has many powers. My people rely on it. There is only one like it in all of Vidar."

  Alison studied the glowing tree. The blue veins had a transparent sheen. If she looked closely, she could see fluid flowing through the veins to the pace of a heartbeat. It was almost as if the tree were…alive.

  Qwinn took her hand in his and guided her flat palm toward the trunk. Fear lit her heart for a split second, then when her hand touched, immense calm. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply for a moment. The sweet smell of the trees flowers filled her nostrils and swirled in her mind. She could feel that the tree was warm and that it did seem to have a heartbeat.

  "Ahanu lives here."

  Alison opened her eyes and looked at the tree again, in a new light. When she pulled her hand away from the tree, a sticky layer of blue remained, causing her hand to glow. She smiled and laughed slightly as she tried to wipe it off, only to get blue on both hands.

  Qwinn chuckled at her, until she turned and placed a hand on him, leaving behind a complete glowing impression of her hand on his collarbone.

  He dipped his finger into it and wiped the blue onto her cheek. She laughed as she pulled away, moving carefully so as not to harm her leg. He playfully smiled at her.

  Her heart lightened, the woman from the town almost forgotten. Qwinn's smug smile caused a playful mood to come over her. She pretended to walk away, before turning back and lunging, her palms aiming for anything that she could mark.

  She managed to catch him by surprise for a split second. A smear of blue covered his bicep before he grabbed her arms easily. He chuckled as he tried to bend her arms, forcing her to mark herself.

  Alison squirmed, only for him to smear her opposite arm with blue. He laughed victoriously as she continued to fight. Though she knew he was much stronger than she was, he was only holding her firm enough that she wouldn't escape.

  Before she knew what she was doing, she growled at him before lunging and throwing him off balance. Qwinn let go and danced away, taunting her. She chased after him, her palms out to paint him. He remained still until she was a few inches from him then darted away. The more he teased her, the more determined she was to paint him.

  When she realized that chasing wasn't working, an idea popped into her head. She pretended to stumble and hurt her ankle. She fell to her knees, groaning in "agony". Immediately, Qwinn was by her side and falling right into her trap. As soon as he was close enough, she grabbed him with both hands, succeeding in covering him in blue.

  A victorious and slightly evil sounding laugh burst from her mouth. Never had she felt so accomplished before, and all over a silly game. He looked at her painted handprints in surprise. "You are sly."

  She smiled proudly, just before he knocked her onto her back. She gasped in surprise as Qwinn pinned her arms over her head and smiled mischievously down at her.

  A million emotions and thoughts raced through her head at that moment. She was embarrassed for being caught off guard after just doing the same to him; she was also embarrassed about the fact that her legs were completely exposed. Her heart lit with fear at her vulnerable position. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she struggled against him and awareness rocketed through her at how his body was pressed against her in order to keep her pinned.

  His smile grew as he dipped a finger into the glowing paint on his arm and proceeded to draw designs on her cheeks. She flailed her head, only managing to get even more blue on her. She laughed in frustration as she tried to break free. Now he was doodling on her neck. She was sure that he would be able to feel her pulse jum
ping.

  When his hand brushed her collarbone, she shivered. His hand froze in mid-stroke, as if just realizing the position they were in.

  He swallowed hard and slowly released her hands, as he moved away; however, not very far. He sat up, quickly looking away from her. When she was free, Alison also sat, covering her legs as much as she could while brushing her messy hair out of her face. She didn't know what to do about the awkwardness that was like a wall between them now. He sat quietly beside her.

  She wasn't angry at him for what he'd done. In fact, she was surprised at how she'd reacted toward him. But how did she tell him that? She studied him for a moment, thankful that she was slightly behind him, so he couldn't see her curious eyes. Her heart was still thundering in her chest at how close he'd been. She could barely form a complete thought in her mind. Therefore, instead of think too much, as she had a tendency to do, she dipped her finger into a smudge of blue paint and slowly wiped it on his arm.

  His eyes immediately followed her finger, but he didn't try to stop her. When she was satisfied with the long line she'd drawn down his arm, she pulled away. His eyes met hers, questions swirling in their deep black depths. She didn't know how to answer his questions, she didn't even know how to answer her own. So, she gave him a kind smile, and laid back down in the long grass, looking up at the bubble in the center of the cavern.

  WITH ONLY A MOMENT'S HESITATION, QWINN lowered himself into the grass beside her. Even though he wasn't touching her, he could feel her heat. It was making his mind go crazy. He had never reacted to her this way, even when she was in his arms as he carried her. He wanted to speak to her, but he had no idea what to say.

  Every thought was racing at light speed through his mind. When he glanced at her, out of the corner of his eye, he saw that she was smiling upwards. It put a few of his thoughts at ease. He didn't want to scare her, but now more than ever, he couldn't get enough of her. He knew he should keep an emotional distance, but he hadn't felt this way in a long, long time.

  Deciding to shut his thoughts off, he tucked his arms behind his head and sighed, enjoying the moment. Alison held her hands up in the air, studying them. "What is this?" she asked as she rubbed her fingers around in the blue goo.

  "Sap from the palnuss tree," he answered.

  "I've never seen sap like this," she said in wonder, bringing her hand closer to her face. He felt the sudden childish urge to push her hand into her face; instead, he took it into his own and held her palm before his face. He gently dragged his finger across her palm, his heart leaping at the hitch he heard in her breathing. Perhaps, she was growing to like him.

  "The sap has many powers when mixed with other plants," he said as he traced his finger over hers, fanning her five fingered hand over his four fingered one. Her hands were still smaller than his, even with the extra finger.

  He could feel her shivering slightly and rolled partially onto his side, facing her. "Are you cold?" he asked. He was a fool and didn't even think to bring a blanket. Alison took her hand back as he shifted and shook her head. He noticed she was no longer looking at him.

  "Tell me of your life on the surface," he asked, determined to get her out of her shy bubble and grow to be comfortable around him.

  "There isn't much to tell that I haven't already told…" she mumbled.

  "I don't mean about your family. Tell me about you."

  She looked at him in confusion. He smiled down at her. She was absolutely beautiful, her hair a cloud of fire against the dark grass. She was so close that he couldn't help but gaze at her mouth, wondering what it would feel like against his. He blinked hard. "Tell me what you like to do, your favorite places to be, things like that."

  She took a deep shuddering breath. It seemed that she was nervous. "I loved to walk through the woods surrounding my uncle's manor. Even when it was snowing outside, the trees looked so beautiful with snow," she said, steadily growing more comfortable with his closeness. "My uncle said there were wolves in the woods, but I never saw any." A smile bloomed on her face as she shifted to face him better. "I used to lay out by the pond after a swim and let the sun warm my skin. That's when I felt the most at peace with my life…in the sun…" her smile disappeared as she realized what she was saying.

  Qwinn frowned slightly and she quickly backpedaled. "I didn't mean it like−"

  He shook his head, quieting her. "It's alright. I can only imagine how much you miss the sun. I wouldn't know, because I tend to stay away from it." His black eyes met hers. "I'm sorry you cannot go back. If I could…" he trailed off.

  She smiled sadly up at him. "Let's talk about something else." Suddenly there was a rustling in the grass beside them. Alison gasped softly, quickly moving closer to Qwinn, who was now propped up on his elbow, gazing into the grass. He hadn't heard anything unusual moving around them until that moment. But then again, he had been distracted by Alison.

  He put an arm protectively around her quivering body as he scooted her closer. The rustling continued and he growled low in his throat. The rustling stopped. He growled again, his body tensing to spring. Alison tucked her face into his chest, trying to hide herself from whatever was out there. She gripped his sash in fear.

  Qwinn narrowed his eyes, trying his best to see anything through the long grass that hid them. The bushes rustled once more, but this time as something ran away. As he spotted the animal he chuckled, his body relaxing.

  Alison pulled back enough to see his face. She looked confused. "It was only an animal," he answered softly, lowering himself to a more relaxed position on his elbow. Alison cleared her throat and unclenched her fist from around his sash, scooting away while blushing. "I…"

  Before she could get too far, Qwinn grabbed her hand. She stopped. He couldn't help his smile even if he wanted to. He kissed her hand and laid down again, his hand still in hers. After a moment, she laid again, staring at the bubble.

  He could still feel her warmth against him, even though she had only been touching him for a few seconds. Perhaps he should have her scared more often. He almost chuckled aloud at the thought. There was nothing to worry about in the grove. No one knew where they were. For the moment, he could just be Qwinn.

  Alison remained quiet for a while by his side. He wondered what she was thinking about. It was only a week and a half until his wedding. Would she be ready? Was she falling in love with him? She did seem more comfortable around him, but was that enough? For a moment, he wondered if any of the kings previous had thought as he was. He knew that the most one could hope for from a "taken" woman was her respect. The thought didn't sit well with him. He wanted more. He wanted something more than duty. He hoped that Alison would learn to see past his race and into his heart, which was beginning to ache for her.

  When they returned to the palace, Alison napped. All of the walking they'd done had taken a lot out of her. Qwinn saw to a few details around his room while she rested. He took out the gifts he'd bought for her the day he'd gone to the market alone and decided he would give them to her today.

  The aroma of dinner wafted through the air. Qwinn finished tidying, straightening an oil lamp in his room before heading off to Alison's room.

  She was awake when he knocked. He found her sitting before her vanity, combing her long hair. He couldn't help but notice the smile that bloomed on her face at the sight of him. She stood, gripping the chair lightly for balance. "Hello."

  "How did you sleep?"

  "Well. I feel rested," her smile turned to one of amusement. When he looked at her questioningly, she made her way toward him, her eyes trained on his lips. For a moment, time seemed to slow to a crawl. He held his breath, his eyes took her in, from her freshly combed hair to her sweeping skirt that complimented her figure. When she stopped a few inches in front of him and reached her hand toward his face, his heart stopped all together.

  Her fingers lightly swiped at something beside his mouth. When he realized that she hadn't meant to kiss him, he snapped himself out of it. On her fin
gers was a light trace of paalnus sap, glowing gently.

  She giggled slightly and wiped her fingers clean on a cloth beside her bed. He forced himself to chuckle in order to stifle his disappointment. "I thought I had washed all of it away."

  She tucked her dark red hair behind her ear and looked up at him shyly under her lashes.

  He cleared his throat and pressed on in the conversation. "I was wondering if you would join me for dinner."

  He watched in amazement as her smile bloomed once more. It seemed so easy and looked so natural on her face he would have never guessed that she had lived such a hard life.

  "Yes."

  He offered his arm, as a human would, and she accepted it, smoothing her skirt with the other. "You look…beautiful," he said, refraining from all of the things he wanted to tell her.

  They walked through the halls until they reached his room. She frowned in confusion, remembering that during their tour, he'd shown her the dining room to be down stairs.

  "I hope you don't mind, but I thought we could dine in my room."

  She shook her head and he opened his door, letting her in. He had lit a few candles, along with the lanterns, in order to add more light. The lounge pillows were arranged around a small table that already held dinner. His room was not as intricately designed as Adalia's, but he too had good taste. He had a few expensive rugs hanging from the walls. As far as lamps and vases, he had long since stopped buying them due to the fact of his fits of rage. He shook his mind from his thoughts as he helped her onto a cushion.

  She sank down with a sigh and eyed the plates displayed on the table.

  ALISON'S EYES TOOK IN HER surroundings. His room was simply designed, but nicely decorated. Intricately weaved rugs hung from the walls. The pillows she was sitting on was made from the softest fabric she'd ever felt. He had one large window that was covered with a blue sheer curtain. Strangely enough, she noticed that there were no vases or pots with plants as she'd seen in the other rooms. There weren't even mirrors. His bed was huge and took up most of the nook it was placed in. She swallowed hard as she pulled her eyes away from the bed. She knew she had nothing to be nervous about; it was just dinner.