“Thank you Kallem, it was nice of you. I will stay out of your way and try to enjoy it.” I sigh as I go and get comfortable sitting down in the corner.
After flipping through the magazine to see its condition, only a single page has been ripped out from the binding. Not to long after there is a knock at the door.
“Do you want me to get that Kallem?” I ask getting up from the floor.
“No Raelia, stay and continue what you're doing, I got it.” Kallem says as he drops everything to answer the door.
“Ok, then.” I murmur as I sit back down and open the magazine back up to the page that is missing and start to contemplate what was on that page. Then my eyes shift up from the magazine as I watch Kallem standing in the doorway adjusting his clothes before opening it.
“Krista, I'm glad you could make it. Thank you for coming over tonight. It's nice to have some company.” Kallem hugs her as she comes into the door.
“No problem, I could certainly use the company myself Kallem, oh and I brought you a gift as well that I had saved for a special occasion.” Krista says handing Kallem a bottle of what looks like wine.
Wine, how did she get her hands-on wine!? I sat there staring at her and I am pretty sure I let out a groan when I saw that bottle in her hand, because Kallem turned his head around to just glance at me and then returned to his conversation. Jerking my head back down to pretend to focus on the magazine again, flipping the page to quickly as I hear the edge tear just a little
“Seriously, how did you get your hands on this? This is amazing, I haven't had a glass of wine in so long.” Kallem smiles and looks over the bottle.
“I have had it for a while, I got it in a trade, and I thought it would be a great way to repay you for preparing us a dinner tonight.” She giggles as he shuts the door behind her.
“Well thank you, it most certainly will be a treat to have with dinner; which is almost done if you want to just come in and have a seat at the table while I get it served.” He walks Krista to the table and pulls out a chair for her then goes back to the kitchen to dish out the food.
She looks over at me, and I wave at her with a wistful smile and then go back to my magazine as she smiles back at me with understandable discomfort.
“Oh, That's Raelia, I gave her the night off so that she could relax since she did a great job today with cleaning while I had so much to get done today.” Kallem lays down the plate of food in front of Krista and his own plate down then takes his seat.
I sat there looking over everything in the magazine and when I am done, I just start all over again at the beginning; not really focusing on anything enough to read as I am distracted by their date or whatever this is. Honestly, I am trying hard to ignore their conversation and give them some privacy, but she is clearly flirting with Kallem. She seems nice enough, but I don't know why but the entire situation is making me restless. It's weird seeing someone gaze at him the way that Krista does.
“Okay, I'll clean up these plates really quick and then join you if you want to sit down on the rug in the floor and we can crack open this wine and give it a try while we take a look at what herbs you have to offer.” Kallem said to her as dinner concluded.
“Great, I'll go ahead and crack this open then.” Krista says as she takes a seat on the rug and starts to pop the cork out of the wine as the bottle fizzes.
Kallem joins her on the rug and this is where I think the magazine suddenly was pointless for me to pay attention to; I plan on visiting Coven tomorrow to tell him he owes me a meal. This is most certainly a date, it's impossible to not feel weird about watching so eventually try to sneak into the bathroom to avoid watching. They don't even seem to notice as I do. I am in there about 15 minutes while I can hear Krista explaining what herbs she grows, showing him the quality as they go over what uses they are good for. They seem to have a lot in common by the sounds of it. Guess that's why she is interested in Kallem, he does get kind of charming when he goes on about his work and teaches me about herbs sometimes. Then my thoughts are interrupted by sudden silence in the living room for a moment. I've got to know what's going on, so I peer out the bathroom door quietly to see that Krista has made any moves on Kallem and they are downright sucking face right now! He said this wasn't a date, he owes me, and while I am getting a free meal out of proving this to Coven. I still find myself incredibly annoyed with Kallem right now. “Figures.” I huff to myself. I guess he didn't like me in the way Coven had suggested before. Not that it matters to me anyhow; Raveer did say I am just a servant.
Then there is banging on the door that makes all three of us jump. Kallem gets up to get the door excusing himself as he puts down his glass of wine on the floor.
“Kallem sorry to bother you, but my son isn't well, and he is running a high fever. Could you please come and check on him for me?” A mother stands at the door with an exhausted and worried look on her face.
“Uh, yeah sure…I will be right there, give me a minute to grab my supplies.” Kallem says looking back at Krista and myself.
“I will show myself out, you go ahead and take care of that boy. I will catch up with you another night.” Krista says, as she gets up and grabs her bag.
“I'm sorry Krista, we can finish this another night. Be safe walking home and I will speak to you tomorrow.” Kallem says as he grabs her hand to assist her up from the floor.
They both rush off leaving everything where it is. I get up and come out of the bathroom and go to the kitchen to find some left over cut up fruit. Bonus! I may have eaten all of what was left. Then I turn to notice the wine sitting on the floor. Hmmm, I haven't had but one glass of wine in my life. My parent's never kept alcohol and I didn't get out much, besides I came of age to legally have alcohol during all of this. Why should it go to waste; I go collapse down onto the rug and take the glass of the red wine that Kallem was drinking from.
“A toast to myself. To a bet won and a free meal.” I say clanking my cup against the other jokingly. Taking a sip as I realize this wine is a lot stronger than that sparkling wine I had once, it is dry with hints of fruit. I decide to go digging though Kallems cabinets, he must have something to write with around here somewhere. While digging under his bed I find my bag of belongings, that he had never given to me. He told me that he hadn't found them; I can't believe that he would do that. Inside was my journal, my pen, a shirt, and some pants that I had been carrying with me for a change. Why did he lie to me? I drag the bag over to the rug and grab the glass and wine. I don't care if he gets upset, if he can take my stuff without returning it then I can drink his wine. I was just going to try it so he wouldn't be angry with me, but I make myself at home laid across the rug.
Looking though my journal, I get the pen and start to write about everything I have experienced over the time that is missing. Eventually I start drinking straight from the wine bottle as I continue to write. Then as my eyes get tired, I stop writing and start drawing some of the people I have encountered along the way from memory. Eventually the wine is gone, and I put the journal back into my bag. I notice it is starting to get dark out and Kallem hasn't returned. So, I decide to go out to see Coven and tell him that I won the bet.
I find myself staggering a bit as I stand up and everything goes to my head. Maybe I should not have drank the entire bottle. I make my way out the door and over to Covens window and tap. He is sitting having some food, when he sees me and comes to the window.
“Raelia, why are you back? Isn't Kallem home right now, it is late?” Coven whispers cause his master is already asleep.
“It was a date, I caught them sucking face, so you owe me a dinner. I just wanted to come over and tell you since no one ever listens to me.” I brag as I trip into the plants below the window.
“Are you okay? You smell of ….” Coven asks as he leans out the window tilting his head closely to mine, inhaling deeply.
“I am such a klutz; a little wine and I have like no balance at all.” I chortled as I keep trying to i
dentify what plant I may be standing on.
“Wine, what?! Stay right there. I am coming outside to speak with you.” Kallem shuts the window and sneaks out of the house quietly shutting the door behind him.
I decide to just set down in the grass beside the garden for a minute since it's so pretty out and look up at the stars.
“I am going to get in so much trouble if he wakes up and finds me gone so you better start talking. Where did you get wine?” Coven asks as he stands over me trying to help me up off the ground.
“Kallems date ended and she brought him wine, but they didn't get to drink, because he had an emergency and they had to leave. He was hiding my bag, with my stuff… did you know?! I drunk it all, because he doesn't care.” Slurring my words.
“What, why in the world did you drink all that wine? Hiding what bag; you are making no sense. Kallem is not going to be happy with you.” Coven informs with a scowl.
“Well I'm not happy with him; he said this wasn't a date, but it was. He even bought a new shirt for the date with what's her name…. Krista. Oh, and you haven't even heard the best part!” I say leaning on Coven to keep my balance.
“What more is there?” Coven asks me as he looks around nervously that I may draw attention to us as my tone loudened as I recounted about my bag.
“I went looking for a pen, because I was bored. I found out that Kallem had my bag of stuff that he said he didn't find when he went to see his brother. He had it hidden from me, he lied to me Coven all this time, he lied. It was under his bed!” I exclaimed with a chagrined expression.
“Why would he lie to you about something like that, unless…it doesn't matter. He is going to be so upset Raelia because you are clearly drunk. There is no excuse to ever behave like this.” Coven holds tightly to my arm.
“Unless what?” Curiously I ask him to continue.
“It doesn't even matter, let's get you to Kallem before anyone figures out your out alone and intoxicated like this.” Coven pulls on my arm to follow him and I deflect.
“No Coven, unless what? I want to know why everyone is acting like I don't need to know anything. Why did he lie to me about the bag, and about the date? Do you know and are you lying to me too?” I try to stop as he keeps pulling on me to go.
“Raelia, I don't lie to you about anything. You know you can trust me, but the rest of this is a conversation that you need to have with Kallem yourself, if your alive to have that conversation after he discovers what you have done.” He resumes pulling me to leave.
“Fine, but he was dishonest, and I am not sorry for drinking the wine regardless” I declare as I start to wobble along beside coven.
“Fair, just keep walking and try to be silent until we find Kallem. Whose house did he go to, do you know?”
“A mother came, said her son was sick and running a fever.” I tell Coven as I stop walking again and try to sit down.
“Oh, I know who you're talking about. I delivered to her yesterday and she told me about her son. Just keep moving, you can rest when I get you there.”
We make it to the other side of the village when Coven helps me down on the grass outside of a tiny little shack of a house.
“Stay right here and do not move an inch, I will be right back.” He demands leaning over staring at me with disapproval.
“Okay, but hurry, It's cold.” Crossing my arms and rubbing them.
Coven leaves me sitting there as I lay backwards onto the grass and resume looking at the stars with a sigh of relaxation.
“What in the world are you both doing here Coven?” Kallem says to us both as he followed Coven outside to talk and notices me laying in the grass.
“I am sorry to come over here and bother you because I know you are working Kallem, but Raelia…”
“Raelia, get up, you're going to attract attention.” Coven nudges me with his foot on the side of my leg.
“Fine, I will but can you help me up though? Oh, Kallem I didn't even notice you were here.” My eyes widen as I attempt to set up and realize my dress is up a bit too far as I brush it back down.
“Kallem, Raelia appears to be drunk, and I apologize but I thought the best thing to do was to bring her to you since I can't babysit her right now and she came to my house like this.” Coven says putting one hand out towards me.
“Seriously, Raelia are you drunk? How much of that wine did you drink that Krista left?” Kallem squats down looking at me as he asks while I am still trying to grab Coven's hand, but I miss a couple of times before I manage to get a grip.
“I drunk all of it, the entire bottle and it was the best, give Krista my thanks.”
“You have to be joking with me, the entire bottle. I am so displeased with you right now, let me run back inside and get my supplies. Then you and I are going home and you're going to explain what in the hell you were thinking by pulling a stunt like getting drunk and running off into public.” Kallem snapped.
“Thank you for bringing her to me Coven, let me grab my things and I will be right back out and then you can head back home before you get into any trouble yourself.” Kallem tells coven as he runs back in to retrieve his supplies and comes back out.
“Go home Coven, I will get Raelia home.” He pats Coven on the shoulder.
“Good luck Kallem.” Coven sighs as he lets go of my hand and leaves to head home.
“Come on you, get up.” Kallem grabs both my hands pulling me up as a stumble trying to stand up straight.
“Okay then, let's do this another way.” Kallem grabs me and throws me over his shoulder as I grip onto his clothing and he carries me back home dropping me off at the front door as he opens it for me.
As soon as I walk in and he shuts the door, Kallem starts unleashing on me and I don't think I was ready to process anything he could say in my current state. I just wanted to lay down and not think about anything.
“What in the world were you thinking? Have you even had a drink before, because you would have not been old enough before all of ‘this'!
“I don't want to hear it Kallem, you lied to me. Just to make you aware there is no laws anymore, not that it matters.” I shout leaning as I try to stay up.
“I told you a million times Raelia, I did not think that Krista was interested in me in the way she was. I didn't lie to you about that, but yes you were right about her attraction to me.” Kallem says holding my upper arm so I won't topple over.
“Well I know I was right about that; I saw you kissing her. That isn't what I am referring to Kallem.”
“Then what exactly are you talking about?” He questions as he looks at me like he has no idea what I am talking about.
“That!” I turn and point to my bag of stuff laying on the rug. Looking back at his face to see his reaction.
“Where did you find that? Have you been digging through my stuff while I was away?” He insinuated as he glanced at the bag.
“I was looking for a pen, there wasn't anything to do and I found my bag. Why did you lie to me?” I rebuked with frustration.
“At first, I didn't give it back because of everything that happened, and I just felt like it could wait.” Kallem explained, trying to get me to sit down.
“Well you never did tell me you had it. Why would you keep everything I own from me like that, for this long?” I pull away from him.
“Just sit down, before you fall down.” Kallem attempts to help me sit down on the rug.
“You are not answering my question Kallem.” I demanded; I wanted an answer.
“Honestly after a while when things did calm down when Raveer left, I didn't want to give them back. I thought if you had this stuff you would be reminded of the things you miss and start fighting me to leave again.” Kallem says sitting down on the floor beside me.
“So, you lied to me because you didn't want me to remember what it was like to be happy outside of being here with you?” angerly I say backing away from him.
“Raelia, it isn't just about me. Yes, I want you to
be here, and I want you to be happy, but I still feel that you were starting to be happy here with me finally and here I can keep you safe.”
“I don't want to be here with you, I want to leave, and you were dishonest with me. You are making excuses Kallem. Why do you want me here other than to just be your servant? If you're on a date, then I am not even good enough to be your servant; you wouldn't let me help you. You just want to keep me out of the way.”
“Are we really going back to the date? Okay then, I didn't know it was a date, and she did make moves on me; once again you were right. How would you have even known it's a date, have you even ever had a date, or a boyfriend…. still doesn't change anything between us does it? You despise me for making you be here. I did realize that Krista was interested, I was happy to have someone not trying to run away from me for once.” Kallem jabbed in retaliation.
“For your information, I did have a boyfriend and his family moved away about a year after the war started, not that it's any of your business. As for you and Krista, I hope you both will be happy together. I just want to leave, and you to stop forcing me to be here and watch you be happy with someone else.” I yell as I start to crawl across the floor to my corner and away from Kallem.
“Wait, what do you mean by that?” Kallem processes that last sentence as he gets up and starts to walk over to me.
“I don't know; everything has to always be so complicated. Just go away and leave me alone.” I hissed at him as I backed up against the wall and put my head between my knees.
“Fine Raelia, I am just done with you right now. You drunk the wine, you went out into public and risked getting caught. You made it worse by dragging Coven into the mess and I had to come back and babysit you. So fine, have it your way. Don't deal with your feelings and blame everything on me for trying to even talk to you. You are such a pain in the ass sometimes.” Kallem comes over to pick up the cuff on the floor and put it on my ankle.
Revelation of Raelia: Book One Page 10