Page 56 of Rhaz's Redemption
Everyone was so disgusted with Saludro for spilling blood that didn’t need to be spilled that they turned on him and slayed him.”
“Talakra was very brave,” Beatrice commented.
“Yes, he chose to be vulnerable even though it cost him everything. I’ve always thought that was the bravest thing a person could do.”
“Is that what it feels like being with me? Vulnerable?”
“Sometimes yes,” I nodded my head. “This is all new to me. It’s scary, but worth it.”
Beatrice tucked here hair behind her ear and shyly looked away. I put my finger on her chin and turned her head back toward me. “Don’t be shy about that. You are worth it, every second of every day.”
“Okay,” she whispered and a ghost of a smile played on her lips.
I gave her a warm smile of my own and she relaxed. Then she began writing the story I’d told her on the leaf.
“What is that word?” I pointed to the first word she’d written.
“That saysthe.”
When I stared at her not understanding, she chuckled and pointed to the symbols she’d drawn as the read them aloud.
“The sky is a clear today, and the ice crystals on the leaves make it look like a beautiful shimmering landscape.”
“Beautiful, where is that word?” I asked. Beatrice was beautiful. If there was ever a word I wanted to learn how to write it would be that one.
She writes all these stories about our history and what’s happening in our dekes, but who writes about her? I would learn what words I could. She would not be lost to history. She will be remembered as much as everyone else.
“Wait right here,” I requested then ran into the cabin to grab another dried leaf.
“Show me,” I asked as I sat back down next to her. “Show me how to write the word beautiful.”
“Okay,” she looked up at me with her glittering brown eyes that twinkled with joy. I think she liked that I was interested in her record keeping.
She took the raka leaf I had in my lap and slowly wrote the letters out so I could see the way her hand moved. Then she handed the leaf and writing stone to me.
“You try,” she suggested, and I was happy to do so.
I took the rock in my hand and tried to replicate the symbols she had written, but by the third one, it was clear that I wasn’t getting anywhere. My symbols, or letters as she called them, didn’t look anything like hers.
“Here, let’s do it together.”
Beatrice scooted closer to me then put her hand on top of mine. My tail thumped the ground as soon as we made contact and my heart started to race inside my chest.
Beatrice looked behind us at my tail and flashed me a coy smile. It made me wonder if she knew how much she effected me. Every look, every smile, even her very scent drove me wild. Being near her was heaven, almost like living in a dream.
She wrapped her fingers around mine then began to move my hand in hers. Together we drew the letters that made the word “beautiful”.
Her touch lingered longer than it needed to and I relished in her warmth. I wanted to stay like this forever, connected, for all of time.
“And that’s how you write beautiful,” she commented as she pulled away.
“Th-thank you,” I struggled to speak for a moment before I was able to compose myself again.
“I’ll keep this forever and think of you,” I replied truthfully, and I would. Beatrice was beautiful in every way possible.
“You’re quite the flirt when you want to be,” she laughed. I’d heard this word before.Flirt. It was a way to describe wooing a female.
“I am a flirt for you,” I purred and she tucked her hair behind her ear to hide the big grin on her face.
