Riddle

As hours wore on, the three of them had grown quitter and eventually fallen into an exhausted silence. Melian trudged along beside Evangeline wordlessly. “You know.” Evangeline said in the growing silence. “I’ve been wanted to ask you this.”

Melian finally looked directly into Evangeline’s eyes. “What is it, Lady Evangeline?”

“What did Prince Hayden throw at you?”

Melian rummaged her hand inside her trouser, drawing something out from it. Melian held out her hand. A small golden acorn glimmered on her pale skin.

Evangeline looked surprised. “Why did he give you an explosive item?”

Melian shrugged her shoulders and she ducked a branch ahead of their heads. “I’ve been wondering the same thing as you too.”

“That’s a fair gift.” Said a voice behind their back. A woman with a raven hair drifted up to them. She wore grass-green filaments and her eyes were sapphire. “Should you crack open that acorn, he will be summoned and give you aid. I’m Istarnie.”

“Pretty convenient it is.” Said Luan who was coming behind Evangeline as quiet as a cat.

“My Lord.” Said Istarnie. She gave Luan a low bow. “You have come in disguise.”

Melian’s hand had gone to her weapons belt, but Evangeline made a quick settling gesture at her. She shook her head. “Don’t.”

“Do you know why he give us that acorn?” It was Evangeline who spoke despite the growing tension between them.

A ghost of smile touched Istarnie’s mouth. “That’s because he admired her.”

“Prince Hayden has a crush on Melian?” Evangeline inquired, her hazel eyes brightening.

"In my recollection of him." Replied Luan with a wide smile plastered on his face. "Yes, he did. I told you so."

“I have never thought Prince Hayden could admire a woman before. I thought his heart was closed for love.” Istarnie’s voice tinged with sadness, but she masked it back with cheerfulness. “May I know why Lord of The Selene would come hidden to Cerro Mountain?”

“If I can trust you to keep my secret, I will tell you.” Luan said.

“I am quite trustworthy.” Said Istarnie.

“We’re heading to the Queen’s court.” Luan said. “Now, if you don’t mind. Please let us proceed unhindered.”

Istarnie raised her hand. “Not if you solve my riddle.”

“No riddle.” Melian said firmly.

Istarnie’s mouth widened into a smile. “You have to.” Her eyes darted over Evangeline and then Luan.

Luan threw up his hands in exasperation. “Okay. What’s the riddle?”

Istarnie smiled. Her expression was sharp with a sort of cruel delight. “Well, now.” She said. “If desire can be bestowed like a favour to those who most deserving it and only then she could be free from the cage of her heart, what would it be?”

Luan said nothing. He looked at Evangeline for a brief second. “By which mean she, who does you mean?”

Istarnie’s smile was wide and terrible. “It’s Princess Evangeline.”

“Lady Evangeline?” Melian said, bewildered.

Istarnie burst out laughing. Her laughter was kind of bizarre and inhuman mixed with of hoots, squeaks, and cackles, like the high shrieking of animals in pain. “No need to be surprised.”

Melian seemed to say something, but Evangeline could not hear her. Her ears were buzzing, as if a swarm of bees were trapped inside her head. Luan turned to look at Evangeline. Worry swum in his cerulean blue eyes.

“Are you okay?” Luan asked, but Evangeline stood still like she was being mortified.

“Are you one of The King’s people?” Melian inquired, but Istarnie ignored her. “If this is a trick, I swear I will-“

“This is not a trick.” Said Luan. “It’s a test.”

“Ah.” Istarnie said. A smile slipped from her mouth. “This is why you charmed me, Lord of The Selene. Your cleverness and you are as handsome as a faerie lord.”

“That.” Luan gave Istarnie a defiant smile. “I could agree more with you for the second part.”

Melian rolled her eyes. “Could you be more serious in this, Mr. Winterlight?” She sounded angry.

“I’m just agreeing with her good judgement.”

“If she doesn’t let us through, we will be in the greatest pit hole.” Said Melian.

“While this is all very amusing,” said Istarnie coolly. “it’s much better if you answer my riddle. Only that if you don’t want to draw more attention on you.”

“If the answer for that riddle is what you are seeking for.” Evangeline clamped down on her voice so it would not tremble. “I will give the answer to your riddle.”

Everyone turned to look at her. Even Istarnie looked at her with her eyebrows arched. Evangeline wondered if her answer was not what Istarnie wanted, she would only bring discomfort to everyone. “My answer to your riddle is love.”

Istarnie’s lips curved into a smile. “As much as it is a brilliant answer, but I’m afraid that’s not the right one.”

Evangeline stunned. Her heart splintered into tiny fragments.

When Istarnie saw Evangeline seemed to lose her ability to talk, she spoke instead of her. “Indeed, it is true love can free her from the cage of lost, but what could bestowed her from it?”

“Don’t tell me.” Melian trailed off before she went on. “It’s a kiss?”

Amusement reflected in Istarnie’s sapphire eyes. “How deftly you figuring this out.”

Luan’s face flushed. “I suppose your riddle has been solved.” He said to Istarnie. His previous gentleness gone. “And since there is nothing left to answer your riddle, perhaps you could do us the favour of letting us go?"

Instarnie shook her head delicately. “I’m afraid not, My Lord.” Her eyes gleamed as she took in Evangeline’s discomfiture. “Not until you have really completed my riddle.”

Melian made a gagging noise. “You want Luan to kiss Lady Evangeline?” She said, bewildered.

“That doesn’t seem hard.” Said Istarnie, in a voice like tinkling crystal.

“Why are you doing this?” Luan demanded. His blue eyes flickered to Evangeline. She looked as if Istarnie had hit her. Luan wanted to reach her out, but she stood frozen to the spot. Too mortified to move. “What do you want from us?”

Istarnie’s voice was soft as spider’s fur. “The sunlight claps the earth. The moonbeams kiss the sea. What are all these kissing worth, if thou kiss not me?”

Luan’s lips twitched at the corners. “Love’s Philosophy.” He said. “By Percy Bysshe Shelley.”

Istarnie’s smile had gone wide as the green glade. “It’s only a kiss and you’re doing a favour for her.” Istarnie stretched one hand out to indicate Evangeline. “Don’t you want to free her from her cage?”

Evangeline looked at Luan with a puzzled surprise. “That’s right.” Luan said and Evangeline saw him at blurred edge of her vision. Her head spun, and she could see Luan moved toward her in a perfectly slow motion, as if someone has played with the time speed.

Luan put a hand on her shoulder, turning Evangeline to face him. “It’s only a kiss.” He said and bit his bottom lips at the harshness of his tone. He did not mean it. But if this was the only way of freeing her from her cage, he would do it even if she hated him for that.

Evangeline let him turned her to face him, His hands were inexplicably gentle. She looked up at him. His eyes were very dark, and she could see her reflection in each of his dilated pupils just like the night in Prince Cassian’s revel.

“You can close your eyes and think of garden of roses, if you hate the sight of me.”

“I don’t hate you.” Evangeline said, but she shut her eyelids. She could not help, the sight of Luan getting closer to her was making her went fluid and pliant. She could feel the dank heaviness of her clothes, cold and itchy against her skin. The cloying sweet air of the Cerro Mountain, colder, but the weight of Luan’s hands on her shoulders were warm.

Within the ticking time, Luan kissed her. Evangeline felt the brush of his lips, light and soft. Almost against her own will, she felt her arms stretched upward to twine her arms around his necks. The way the roses in her garden twisted toward the light. Luan’s arms slid around her, his hands knotting in her hair.

Evangeline lost in the rush of her blood through her veins and the dizzying noises of weightlessness in her body. Luan’s hands moved from her hair, slid down her spine. She felt the hard press of his palms against her shoulder blades, and as if she was pulling out from her dream, he pulled away. Gently, Luan disengaging himself and drawing her hands away from his neck. He stepped back and held her gaze for a split second. After feeling like eternity, Luan looked away from Evangeline.

For a moment Evangeline thought the ground beneath her split apart and she fell into it. It was as if something essential had been torn away from her. Whether it was her heart, eyes, an arm, or a leg.

“Now that you have your fun.” Luan said, feeling the muscles in his throat working. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. “You should grant us the favour of leaving here unhindered.”

“Oh.” Istarnie had a hand across her mouth, half-covering a smile. “I’m entertained enough.” Istarnie said. “Remember, love can derive from a kiss.”

“I can only assume,” said Luan. “You have your fun because mortal emotions amused you because you lost your own.” His voice was polite but cool as water.

Seeming to feel the growing tension between them, Evangeline caught his sleeve, pulling him back toward her. “Easy, Luan.” Her voice soft. At that a small smile slipped from Istarnie’s mouth and she drew back, winking. She disappeared into the fretwork of white smoke.

“You didn’t need to do that.” Said Melian. “We could have gotten rid of her.” Melian’s hand went to her weapons belt.

“And what?” Luan inquired. “Creating a fuss over it?”

“I think my option is the fastest way.” Melian muttered.

“Not without a fuss.” Said Luan. “And I suspect The King’s men are here somewhere.”

“Luan is right.” Evangeline said. “We should go before it’s too late.”

“It’s already too late.” Luan said and Evangeline looked at him, startled.

“I mean, the sun has settling down.” Luan said, pointing at the orange gold stretches far and wide, the colour of fire hearths and tangerines.