Page 45 of A Simple Truth

The mighty blue waves crashed into the small boat, a few splashes making their way onto my light cloak and the nice dress I wore. Lord De Villiar effortlessly rowed, propelling us further from the pebbly shore, towards the large craggy islands scattered in the Northern Ocean like haystacks in a field on a late autumn day.

When Aurelia interrupted me mid-laundry as I crouched over large buckets of water and coerced me to go to dinner with her, I had already done all the possible chores and more. I had also trained more, read more, and even tried a bit of wood carving. But no matter what I did or how hard I tried, I still found my mind drifting to the morning where, once again, I found myself intertwined with the General in a passionate embrace.

One kiss? A desperate measure, needed in the moment for a win.

Two kisses, two days in a row? A set precedent.

And the worst part of all this? I had very much enjoyed the feel of his lips on mine. The obsessive, all devouring kiss or thesmall tender peck, it didn’t matter. I had taken pleasure in all of it.

It’d been years since I had kissed anyone, or since anyone had kissed me for that matter.

Maybe that was why it felt like a volcano erupted within me, gradually melting everything at his touch.

It’d beenyears…And even then, it’d always been Ollie before.

Ollie, who was killed by Destroyers; who died protecting me from them.

He died…so I could now make out with the Destroyer General? Was I, truly, that pathetically lonely?I fought back a frustrated grunt as I caught myself amidst the tangled-up threads of my feelings.

Besides, attraction, loneliness, or the mere fact that we simply spent too much time together didn’t matter—I joined the Rebels with a clear purpose. Each moment I spent pining after the General and not dedicating my time to training, was squandered. All time simply wasted, while Viyak was chained up in the Rock Quarries, waiting for me.

The boat hit a small strip of sand lining up the tall mountainous cliffs of the island where humans resided. I jumped out, picking up the skirts of my elegant dress, trying not to think of the man who gifted it to me only a day prior. Aurelia was adamant I wore a dress for dinner, and perhaps, if I didn’t leave all my dresses and skirts back in Svitar, I would have found myself wearing something other than a handpicked dress from the General.

The first stars flickered high above us in the soft, lilac sky. We hiked the carved stairs to the top of the rocky cliff. I had never been to this island before. It was much smaller than Dragon's Island. The settlement was smaller too, but the houses were bigger and not as colorful; mostly built out of stone with wooden roofs, now covered in moss.

I pulled my cloak a bit tighter; though the days were getting warmer with the returning spring sun, the nights still held their wintery sting. We had walked down a narrow, pebbled path to one of the larger houses on the island. But it wasn’t the size of the house that made my mouth drop, it was the sphere-like tower made of nothing but glass that sat atop it.

“That’s my room,” Aurelia whispered as she noticed me staring at it in awe. “I like to watch the stars to help me sleep, it also helps me see all the birds flying by. Daddy built it for me when I got sick of my old room,” she explained as we approached the house. “The other one only had one window! How would I ever see any birds through that?” She shook her head at the audacity of her parents that put her in a room with only one window in the first place. “Though cleaning those windows is one hell of a chore, I’ll tell you that much.” She released a dramatic sigh as we walked into the craftily built house.

“Mom! We're back!” Aurelia shouted. A tall and slender woman appeared at the end of the hall.

“Oh finally, my little angel! I was getting worried,” Lady De Villiar sweetly spoke, giving her daughter a warm embrace. Fleur De Villiar was strikingly beautiful; she had dark, chestnut hair with a small silver streak, neatly fashioned into a beautiful updo. Her dress was modest though well-made, and tastefully embroidered. She wore only a few pieces of jewelry, highlighting her slightly darker undertone and prominent collar bones. She was a woman of great taste, grace, and beauty.

“We’ve brought a guest, my love, I hope you don’t mind.” Her husband gave her a welcoming peck as he gestured to me, and we exchanged friendly nods.

“Welcome, Finn. It’s been long overdue to have you come to dinner.” Lady De Villiar smiled, and I felt a bit guilty for taking so long to accept their invitation to dine.

“That’s exactly what I said too!” Aurelia exclaimed, running up the stairs to her room.

“I am glad to be here,” I politely replied, hanging my cloak on a small line of hooks by the door. “It smells amazing,” I added as the delicious aroma of food filled my nose, making my mouth water. I took off my boots, setting them beside a few others. The warm air in the house prickled my cheeks with heat, turning them a bit flushed as my eyes wandered around. The walls were made of rock, the dark stained wood paneling decorated the bottom half, complimenting the beautiful oriental rug that covered the hardwood flooring.

Lord De Villiar gestured for me to come further down the hall, and I followed him. My eyes admired the beautiful oil paintings hung on the walls, bringing color and warmth to the house. Golden frames of various sizes were filled with scenic landscapes, and beautiful flowers, accompanied by portraits of their family throughout the years and Aurelia. So many portraits of Aurelia.

Lord De Villiar noticed as I paused in front of one picture that tugged painfully on my heart. The grand building of Svitar’s famous city library. The painting portrayed it perfectly. It wasn’t just the highlights or the perfect brush strokes against the canvas that warmed my heart, it was the familiar feeling it depicted of the busy streets of the city, the tall, wide columns of the library, the long shadows on the steps from the many flirting students.

“My wife is quite an artist, isn’t she?” Lord De Villiar softly chuckled near me.

“These are breathtaking,” I whispered, my eyes still unwilling to look away from the painting of the library.

“That one is Svitar’s Library. A grand building, made from ancient stone, it is rumored they mixed gold with clay while laying blocks for the extra sparkle.”

“Did you live in Svitar?” I asked, eyeing a couple more miniature paintings, making a beautiful mosaic on the wall across from me.

“My wife did. She is a Svitarian born and raised,” he responded. “Have you ever been to the city?”

“Yes, I lived in the city for a short while before I came here,” I answered.

“Oh, then you and my wife will surely have a lot to talk about.” He smiled as we turned down the hall to the dining area.

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