A Song of Silence

Chapter 39: Apologies in the Dark

Azazel found me the next day in the gardens. I did not think my morose mood would be very good company, so I avoided Karasi and ended up here as a result. He sat sullenly next to me on the bench and we sat there in silence for several moments before he finally spoke. "I assume you know why I am here?"

I would hope it was to apologize.

"That you are correct." He pauses a moment before continuing, "I am truly very sorry for how I acted the other night Aerilynn. I was rash and angry and said things that I wouldn't have otherwise. I apologize for hurting you and leaving you in the village in the way that I did and I hope you can forgive me."

Damn. That was an apology alright. Though I wouldn't let him know that I had already forgiven him, I could let him squirm a little more. We waited in silence, enjoying the fresh air before I finally signed my response. Why wait almost a full day to come to apologize.

"I needed a clear head. My anger would have led up a senseless apology and I am not one for such things."

Did Adonis telling you of our conversation last night finally give you the courage to speak up. I'm assuming he told you everything that was revealed. I'm surprised you don't regard me with caution and severity.

"I know nothing of your talk last night other than the fact that you did talk. Nothing else."

Well that's new. Hmm. I'd have thought that Adonis would have insisted you be informed.

"He wanted to tell me some things, but I insisted that he keep them to himself. Any information about you, I wish to learn by spending time with you. If you'll let me."

Well I'm obligated to spend time with you. I'm part of your inner court.

Azazel turns to me with a sincere look on his face, "No, Aerilynn. I want you to spend time with me because you want to, not out of obligation."

Strange. He sounded as if he truly meant what he said. We'll have to see about that Azazel. I'm not a very forgiving person and I am very busy.

A conspiratorial look appears on his face as he says in a low voice, "Well then, I guess I'll have to persuade you to spend more time with me."

Oh, so that's how he wants to play it. I let an equally conspiratorial expression cover my face. I wouldn't count on it, Azazel. I can be very stubborn if necessary.

His stupidly effect lips morph into a smirk, "Well see about that, Aerilynn. We'll see." With that he slowly gets up off the bench and walks away. I can't help but notice the mouthwatering curves of his ass as he saunters away. Stupid Azazel and his stupidly perfect body.

Once Azazel had vanished from my sight, I began to walk around the gardens. The gardeners do a well enough job taking care of the flowers and their scents waft over me with every step. A comforting feeling. Hard to find and even harder to keep. The crunch of gravel alerts me to new arrivals. Noble ladies of the court by the sound of it. They are not used to walking on gravel in heels and it shows. I on the other hand thought much more practically and wear my riding boots under my skirts. It's easier to walk that way.

The footsteps pause behind me, but I make no move to turn around and acknowledge them. One clear her throat, trying to get my attention. I merely smile and move on to another patch of flowers. They follow and the same woman clears her throat louder this time. Knowing these women, they won't go away until they e said their piece, sighing quietly, I turn around and face the gaggle of vipers that await me. They all have pointed, poisoned smiles that don't do much to hide the cunning, cutthroat personalities hiding underneath. I merely give the women a raised eyebrow in question of their antics. The leader speaks up first, "Funny seeing you here Aerilynn. I'd have thought your antisocial tendencies would make it impossible to leave your room."

I don't deign that thinly veiled insult with any recognition and sign, Any of you know sign language?

The leader clicks her tongue in a false sense of pity and says, "Ah, yes. I brought a servant along to help translate for you." She gives me a pitying look as her servant steps forward carefully. I give the servant a kind smile before returning to the ladies in front of me.

As much as I appreciate your concern over my "antisocial tendencies" I very much doubt that is not the reason you've come all this way. The servant translates my words for me.

"What? We can't just come over to try to make a new friend and enjoy your company, Aerilynn!" The leader admonishes.

As much as you'd like me to believe that to be true. It is not the case. No matter my inability to speak, that doesn't mean my mind has been unable to discern why you are bothering me.

The servant reluctantly conveyed my message to the noble ladies. Disapproval and snark morph their faces once they grasp the no-nonsense meaning of my words. I'm not someone to fuck with right now and they notice, but don't seem to care. "So rude, Aerilynn," one mocks, "didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?" She pauses for a moment to add dramatics to her statement, "Oh, wait. She us dead!" With that the flock of shallow, overdressed noble ladies dissolves into a fit of tisking and hushed giggles, all the while I let nothing show on my face. How would they know such a thing? The only person I'd ever told that to was...Brynn. So, she had decided to betray my confidence by telling the noble ladies things about my past. Things very few had knowledge of. Oh, I'd be paying her a visit very soon to make it clear that if any more secrets were shared, Brynn would find her most embarrassing and confidential secrets known by everyone.

Snapping back to the tittering noble ladies in front of me, I merely shrug and sign, What a shame your mothers trained you all to be. All show. It's quite sad really, how all of you had to come out here to confront little ole' me. With that, I turn my back to the ladies and make my way down the path once more, touching and admiring the flowers as I go.

"How dare..," one scoffs horrified as I walk down the path, ignoring their horrified and embarrassed tittering. Stomping steps approach me from behind, I tense and move quickly to the side as a hand reaches for me. Dodging out of the way, my foot "accidentally" trips my attacker straight into the thorny rose bushes in front of me. She flails on her heels and totters into the dirt after ripping her dress and scratching her delegate skin on the rosebush in front of me. I smirk at her mortified expression as she pokes her head up from the thorny brambles, covered in dirt and face beet red.

I merely shrug and move on, giving the rest of the ladies the hint to leave me alone. They don't take the hint. "Hey! You! Come back here you filthy septicemia!" I pause at the insult. Meaning dirty blood, the insult is meant for those who are not noble born and who have undesirable parents. The undesirable parents part is true, for my father us and assassin and my mother a common whore, but it is no excuse to not take offense at her words. I shouldn't take offense. She is an uneducated bitch who has known no hardship, but the term she used rankled me all the same. She notices my sudden stop and the stiffness in my shoulders and chuckles, believing she has finally hit her mark. "Oh, you don't like that name, Septicimia? Seeing as your mother was a common whore and your father unknown, you are deserving of the title."

Ah, so Brynn gad told them everything. Except my power. It was lucky that I hadn't told Brynn who my father was, or who I considered my true mother, otherwise I would be exiled from court faster than I could speak. Oh, Brynn and I would definitely be having words later. I shrugged off their words and continued walking. "You've made an enemy out of us, you freak!" One screams, "You'll regret this disrespect!" Oh I'll regret it, will I? Well if I'm going to regret it, I might as well make it worth my while. The noble ladies are hobbling, ever so slowly towards the exit. Grabbing some freshly turned soil, I give it a quick static with my lighting and throw. It sails through the air and hits the leader of the group directly in the back of her perfectly curled locks. She screams in outrage as the slush slides down the back of her dress and the static I added to it makes her hair stick up in spikes. The group gasps in horror as they view my work. With nothing left to say to those primpering bitches, I quickly turn and leave out the other exit, not looking back at the stares that bore holes into my back.