Ebony Mist -Original

Part XIX: Fog of Loneliness

Yay, another part! Took me long enough, eh? Sorry, I got a full time job. But here it is! For all of those that have been waiting so long to find out what the druid had to say!

The waves lapped the beach, turning the white sand dark in color not far from where the horses stood. A breeze picked up, tugging at hair and cloths alike. The druid's long cloak rippling in the wind as he stood in silence for a long moment, staring down at her. Then suddenly he looked away and off to the distant horizon with a strange and lonely expression. The look caused Alaura's breath to catch in her throat.

"I know I have not been the most kind to you. If anything, I have abused my power here. I wrongfully imprisoned you, and that I regret," he said so softly Alaura had to strain to hear him over the wind and waves.

"But if you hadn't, I never would have discovered-"

"Don't interrupt," he cut her off harshly, his eyes going back to her, causing her to shrink back in her saddle. Xavier sighed and ran a hand over his face, his expression softening. "Forgive me. You see, I have had a very long and lonely existence. Since my birth people have shied away from me, even she who borne me. When I was among people, I was spat upon and despised. For what reason, I never understood, and to this day, that is one thing I still don't know. Of all my vast knowledge, I cannot understand why people had such a strange reaction to a child, even a babe. It was a miracle, or perhaps fate being cruel, that I should survive to adulthood.

"Those few who reside here and aid me are each outcasts in their own right with nowhere else to go. They thank me for a place to call home, but even they despise my existence, so I speak to them rarely. Because of all this, I have little skill when it comes to how to act and treat others accordingly. Having always been shunned, I could only learn by watching, but watching is different than talking. So I overreacted many times."

There he stopped, and sighed. He had been watching her, but now looked away with a rather dejected look. Alaura felt her mouth trembling, filled with sorrow at his confessions of loneliness. Now everything made sense. She reached out before she could stop herself and touched his hand, which gripped his steed's reins tightly. He flinched a moment, surprised by the sudden contact, but did not pull away.

"In my lonely existence I heard about a princess whose birth was heralded by a Fae, one of the most elusive of creatures. Whose existence was the opposite of mine, who was loved by all who crossed her path, instead of loathed. In a moment of desperate loneliness I... I took advantage of the plague upon Everim."

He looked back at her, his great stature suddenly felt smaller, child like even. A young boy, awkward and fumbling seemed to be sitting in his saddle, even as he still sat much taller than she.

"You were the first person in all my life to reach out to me. I still remember clearly that little hand that compulsively reached out to brush my hair aside," he said with a small smile, looking down at her hand that she had placed upon his. Alaura's eyes were wide as she listened, hoping her trembling would be dismissed as the movements of the horse she sat upon.

"Still, there is no excuse for my actions. I just knew not how to handle myself," he said, then lifted his head in a laugh, though it wasn't filled with joy. "You must be in a whiplash. One minute I might appear gentle, but for the most part I'm harsh. I must admit, this is the first time I've truly opened up to anyone, and I'm being round about by it."

Alaura was taken back by his laugh, but didn't flinch away, if anything, hearing him finally open up allowed her to understand. She pulled her hand away as Xavier gathered his reins, and expected him to gallop off, so did the same. But instead he dismounted, and turned to hold the reins of her horse. Startled, Alaura clumsily followed suite, her feet crunching in the white sand as she came to stand before him.