The Offering

Chapter Fourty - Aeris

I couldn't take this any longer. She was hiding something from us, refusing to spend time with us because she said it was for the best. There had to be another reason and I intended to find out what it was.

It was driving me mad not knowing, her excuse at the ball cannot be the entire truth. Alvaryn had said she was telling the truth which only made him angrier, though he wouldn't say it, or do anything about it.

Me? I couldn't keep walking around my rooms in endless loops while driving myself mad thinking about her and being helpless to do anything about it.

Surely there had to be more, a real reason why she just changed so suddenly, why she has pulled away from us. She was quiet and reserved, referring to me as Your Highness, only adding insult to injury, pouring salt into the gaping wound.

After everything she has just changed. Like she stepped out of herself and become someone new and I didn't much care for this new version of her, I wanted the true version of her, the Daella I would tease relentlessly until she erupted into a fiery ball of insults and angered expressions where she would put me in my place without mercy.

This new version was dull and lifeless, dancing each step with precision, a small utterly fake smile plastered on her face, her eyes holding no spark or fire. It had been difficult to stand by and watch the other night without getting her out of there and demanding what was wrong with her, and now, after waiting for as long as possible and avoiding a large scene, here I am, about to do just that.

I wait until she finishes her afternoon class and she starts walking back to her room. Once she is alone I grab her elbow and push her to the side, she lets out a small squeak as I push her into an alcove and pull the heavy curtain behind us.

"Aeris!" She whispers looking up at me with wide frantic eyes. "What are you doing?"

There are dark circles under her eyes and she looks pale, paler than normal, those once bright blue eyes are dull and it takes everything in me to not combust.

"I'm here to get an answer, a real answer, not the one you told me and Alvaryn." I tell her and she presses her lips together.

"It's for the best Aeris, there isn't anything else to say." She looks at the floor and I reach for her chin, lifting her face to look into my eyes.

"You're lying." I tell her quickly. "Was it because of me, because of the afternoon in the kennels, did I scare you? I know you said it wasn't the other night but now I don't know what to think." I ask quickly, the kiss that haunted me and filled me with doubt played over and over again in my head, had it been a mistake? Was it the catalyst that set all of this into motion? Her eyes soften as I stare down at her and she shakes her head.

"I, I don't want to take anything back." She says quietly. "I just think it's safer if we just stop spending time together."

"Safer? What does that mean? Did Varis do something? You said you haven't spoken to him." I ask, feeling my fire flicker inside me at the idea but she quickly shakes her head and I pull back in relief.

"No, no he hasn't done anything. I just think it is smarter if we listen to Demwyn's advice and" Her words rush out, stopping suddenly. I stop and stare down at her.

"What?" I interrupt her and she looks up at me suddenly with wide eyes. "What about Demwyn?" I ask, leaning over her, my voice low.

"He just, he said, well he explained that it would be better for me to stay away, to stop being a distraction." She whispers and I feel every muscle in my body tense.

"That overly entitled piece of shit!" I nearly scream then rip back the curtains.

"Aeris!" Daella whisper shouts after me. "Aeris, don't do anything!"