Crossroad

No matter how I feel about it Harry's right, could I ever do something like that even if I was forced to? I truly have been getting greedy lately, even with everything he does for me I still suggested putting myself in danger, I've just worried him for no good reason, even after telling myself time and time again not to.

"Your right... I couldn't." That deep blue gaze, peering out from that worn leather mask softening up, like melting ice.

"I know things have been hard, how lonely it can get. But please let me be selfish with this one thing, for now, you know I only want what's best for you." His embrace is warm and caring as ever, helping to calm these moments of unease.

The plates are now empty, this delectable meal I wonder how many more times we'll be able to savor it before it undoubtedly comes to an end.

"What were you thinking just now Khat?"

"Don't know it somehow drifted towards how much we have left of this."

"No worries, we'll have enough over a few weeks, most of it has to be dried but we should still have some fresh bites over the next few days. Anyway, I'll be taking these plates, since you seem a bit restless I will tell you a story once I'm done." A story, I wonder what sort, is Harry perhaps going to tell me a bit more about his past? My wings, they're are fluttering again, this excitement I hope it lasts for a while.

"Thanks, Harry." That glimpse is it of surprise? A slight glint in the depth of his eye.

"For what?"

"For everything, I feel like I can't say it enough." A blush, slight against the exposed skin. I'm sure it was.

"It's nothing, we're family after all." Family, my face feels hot, I must be blushing as well.

The time it seems to pass slowly, the silence, the anticipation, the constant beating of my own heart filling this one room behind the door with its low auditory presence. With every heartbeat, another moment passes with a slight building of this feeling. Any moment now and he will return from beyond, ready to share more moments and events with me, ah, there it is, the handle is turning.

"Took a bit longer than expected, seems like I should not have had you wait for this long." That tone, he sounded a bit mischievous just now, I'm getting teased, aren't I.

"You don't seem too sorry."

"You're right, I apologize." No matter, it's fine, moments like these and the time we're about to spend, I hope we can stay like this for as long as possible, to the end. Harry sits down by the side of the mattress, making himself comfortable, there's a lump forming inside my chest, expanding almost ready to burst, He's about to start.

"Did I ever tell you the story about my first love?" First love? It is a phrase I've seen a couple of times relating to somebody special, so it is about his past!

"No, you haven't."

"I know that I promised to share some stories about The forest king, funnily enough, I got to hear my first rumor about him around the same time as this story takes place, a bit after that I even tried to seek him out, but that will be a story for another time." Harry has sought out The Forest King before? I wonder if they met.

"Can't you tell me right after?" Is he teasing me again?

"No, some good things have to wait, ah don't look at me like that I will tell you soon enough." Fine, if I anticipate it for a bit it will feel better once he tells me.

"I'll hold you to that, keep going."

"Eager are we? Now, where was I, the story about my first love, let's start with the moment we met. I was young, no more than sixteen winters and I had just entered the military academy of Sol Tenebris in the capital of Luminus. I remember feeling so pleased being able to make it that far, I was inspired to make it big after I left the orphanage that raised me. It wasn't a bad childhood but money had always been tight to come by when you are an orphan from a small town, I had yearned for a change, an opportunity to escape those meager circumstances and to perhaps become able to give something back." Considerate even then.

"Anyhow, I had worked hard to get where I was and it was time to collect the first boon, a scholarship that would get me through the next few years. It was not much compared to what I would earn after graduating but it was still more than enough to make it by. Our meeting was shortly after the entrance ceremony, a pure coincidence really, after the mandatory speeches and the tours of the grounds me and the other newcomers were free to settle down in our dorms and prepare ourselves for the coming terms, I for one went out to the city to shop for a few supplies and it was there in one of several supply/book stores I met Katarina Burgworth." So her name was Katarina.

"You see her mom was out with a cold and her father was out on house calls for certain regulars so she was tasked that evening to look after the store. Well she did stick out, from the moment I entered my gaze was fixated on her, it was just something I can't really explain too well, it wasn't her modest appearance or stature, it was the air itself radiating with a positive demeanor like she loved every second of her work even the slow moments. I can still remember how many ticks of the clock fixed on the right wall left before our eyes met thirteen short moments and then it was like the world itself had fallen silent, just an absolute quiet as we gazed at each other not too sure how to take it all in. I can barely remember the short conversation we had after at the register but I feel like it left a good impression, it must have, cause she saught me out merely two days later, from me being in my uniform she figured out where I would be and approached me as soon as the opportunity arose. And from there on out we would meet whenever some time got freed up, we would go on talks, eat together, speak with each other about both trivial and important things... Katarina also enjoyed telling and sharing stories that she had either heard or come by, and that is where I first came to hear about the Forest King: A grand creature carrying a crown of its own bones that could see through any secret and grant any wish of knowledge to those who were deemed as worthy." Those who were deemed worthy and the gift of knowledge isn't that the same as stated in those accounts from that baron's son? If your out and about, vexed by curiosity or secrets or covet for truth you can pray for an audience. Same story spoken by different people.

"Why do you think that is?"

"The wish of knowledge or the worthy part?"

"Being worthy."

"I'm not sure, wish I knew how people were chosen." So even Harry doesn't know.

"Anyway, Katarina had a wish, she wished for some proof that these living folktales walk among us. And that is when I started contemplating seeking him out. But that should be it for today, it is starting to get late, you should rest up for tomorrow, to get the rest of your strength back." I want to know of the rest but Harry's right as always, the tiny needle fingers of the clock are pointing towards ten, even if the meal left me reinvigorated I should lay down and rest and Harry will tell me the rest of it tomorrow if I allow myself to pester him just a little bit.

My eyes are heavy, my body feels like it is floating within something, a lukewarm embrace similar to tempered water. I can't open my eyes, it is not that it's hurting or uncomfortable rather... relaxing, but in some places, some things just feel off, I am unsure of what will come if I open them. From the distance beyond my shut eyes, there is something pulsing, sending subtle vibrations through this floating darkness. And from that pulse, is that a noise? It almost sounds like bells drowned out by rain, *ugh!* That brand again, searing my right palm, before I noticed my eyes have already shot open from the sudden pain, around me an abyss drowned in stygian sounding the faint ringing of bells and with them the sense of something closing in. Why is this? It feels wrong, I need to wake up! The ringing is getting louder and between those clings, I sense something more... The beating of wings, more than last time, is it two or even more?

"Run, please I beg of you run." The same voice pitched in sorrow as last time.

"Who are you?" Wait there's another by my right ear, deeper but even this one seems cracked.

"There isn't much more time, escape while you two still can." Two? Is this one speaking of the other voice beside me? Or maybe... do they know of Harry?

That light... it is piercing, cracking through the shadows I'm back in the room, it is all so blurry wait something is terribly wrong! Harry's gone, the clock is pointing towards six in the morning but he's not resting his back against the dark wooden door, and what more this noise drawing chills through my very core, a crescendo of inhuman growling, on the cusp of drowning out another sharp whisper from the right.

"Run!"