Authors: Eli Harlow
The forest canopy, she soon realized, was too thick to allow light through. She continued pulling Marcus deeper into the dark woods, feeling her way along with her toes and the palm of her hand. Each tree trunk felt different, and she had remembered them all. She didn’t know the names of them, but each was an individual, slightly different than the last. The river gurgled gently off to her right. Marcus’s boots were almost silent amongst the lush mosses.
Finally she came to the spot she was looking for; a small nook along the river. It had been where she had tried to read and write. And from where she and Solara had spotted Marcus practicing with his sword. Alyssa sat down gently among the tangled roots of the old tree. She pulled Marcus down beside her. Her eyes met his in the darkness.
“May I ask about her?” she said, her voice barely audible.
“Jasmine?” he asked quietly. Alyssa nodded and snuggled in next to him, her eyes shifting to the blackness of the river. “She was a proud woman who loved animals, especially dragons. She was kind to people but could have a harsh temper every now and again. As I said, we really weren’t lovers, but she was a warm companion. In my job I had to do a few things I was not particularly proud of, but she would always be there, not to offer forgiveness but to simply sit next to me while I stared at the stars. I suppose I do not know much more of her, we both had our own lives.”
Alyssa wanted to ask what things he was forced to do, but thought better of it. Part of her was strangely angry at this woman for being with him before her, but there was nothing that could be done about it now. She hugged her knees to her chest and sighed. His past history shouldn’t have mattered to her. It never did before. But then again, she had never felt this way about someone before.
“How long were you married?” She asked. It made no difference really, but she wanted to know.
Alyssa rested her head on her knees and continued to stare blankly at the river. The night was warm and she found herself wishing for the cool comfort that the water would provide.
Marcus stared into the clouds for a moment in contemplation. “It was a long time ago so I am not quite sure to the day, but I would say it was about two cycles of the seasons. I really did not spend much time with her in that time though, perhaps an hour or two every day until I had to return to my duties.
Please do not think badly of her Alyssa, she was a good friend in her way, but lover she was not.”
Alyssa nodded softly and relaxed a little. She felt better knowing that they weren’t husband and wife in the way she had originally thought. Her mind traveled to the dress he had let her wear. It was hers, she was sure of it. The style was outdated though which might mean that they were married quite a few years ago. She liked that explanation. Marcus was rich. He wouldn’t have allowed any wife of his, lover or not, to run around in an outdated dress. “I know that the dress was hers,” she found herself saying. “Was the brush hers too?” Marcus had acted strangely when she had used it. She was sure that it belonged to her. “Oh, and did you have any children? I know that you said that you two weren’t lovers, but I was just wondering.” Her voice trailed off into the night.
Marcus smiled happily at her questions and began to answer. “No, I do not have any children, to be honest, I’m not sure if I even can. As to the brush, yes it was hers. You both have a very similar way of flipping your hair and humming as you brush. You would have liked her, Alyssa, at least you both seem to have the same innocent glow and joyful demeanor. I really regret not getting to know her better; I hope I do not make the same mistake with you.”
“I know that I can’t be her, but could you find room in your heart for me?” she asked quietly as she held his eyes. The question needed no answer. She already knew it. He had admitted his love for her, and that gave her a place in his heart. No one had ever told her that they cared so deeply for her and meant it as much as he seemed to. He was being kind when he called her innocent. She was far from it in truth, but she still enjoyed his compliment. All jealousy had melted away. He and Jasmine had been friends, good friends. And that was all. Alyssa no longer cared that this other woman had been his friend before her. He had probably had many female friends. None that he had been married to of course, but that didn’t matter. It wasn’t a conventional marriage, and that was the only thing that had made her jealous to begin with.
An idea came to her. It was an idea like nothing she had ever considered before, but something inside of her was telling her that she should go through with it. As her resolved hardened, she tugged on
Marcus’s white sleeve, pulling him to his feet. She silently motioned him to follow her.
Alyssa vaguely remembered a conversation that she had had with Solara. The dragon was talking about a waterfall along the river, Alyssa remembered that much.
She walked alongside the river, keeping as close as possible to the sandy bank. Solara had said that she might miss it, if she wasn’t careful. So Alyssa was cautious and took her time, especially around the gnarled roots that seemed to be everywhere. Marcus stayed close beside her, often steadying her when she would lose her balance. The path, if it could even be called one, was narrow and twisted often. Solara had said it would take her some time to find the waterfall. It wasn’t the distance that took
so long; but rather it was the sudden detours away from the river and navigating her way through the thick underbrush in the dark with barely any moonlight to guide her.
Once in a while she looked over her shoulder to make sure Marcus was still there. He always was. He even looked comfortable in the forest, although it was nighttime. She had to keep reminding herself that he probably knew these woods well and had most likely been to the waterfall many times.
She wasn’t used to the complicated terrain and so each step needed to be navigated carefully. Her life had been spent on floors of stone, or more commonly, wood. Ever so often her feet would touch grass, but never to the extent that she had enjoyed with Marcus.
Alyssa took her time, not wanting to seem as eager as she was. Marcus was silent behind her. She liked him that way, for the moment at least. If he said the wrong thing, she might lose her nerve and turn back and that would be the end of it. She didn’t want the night to finish like that. If she didn’t do this now, she might never have the courage to again. And so she pressed on.
She heard the waterfall before she could see it. As the sound of it grew louder, she knew that she was almost upon it. And as the trees cleared, she suddenly was. The waterfall was in the open, without trees to cover it. This allowed the moon to cast a pale, eerie light on everything around them. Alyssa stared in open awe for a few moments before regaining her senses and moving to the rock formation that served as the entrance to the cavern behind the waterfall.
Alyssa was careful as she pressed her body against the rocks. Solara had told her which were dry and where to step to avoid falling in the river. The angel hoped she could remember her advice now that she needed it. When they had been talking, she had only been half listening at the most. She had no use for a waterfall after all. But it had presented an inviting opportunity, just as Solara had said it would.
She managed to slip behind the waterfall without getting wet. Marcus followed silently behind her. Their eyes met in the darkness of the cavern, the mist swirling around them. The noise from the waterfall became a soft murmur as she took his hands in hers and moved toward him.
“Marcus.” She ran one hand down his sleeve, the soft fabric yielding gently under her touch. Her breath was hot against the nape of his neck. “Make love to me,” she pleaded. Her aching need for him was obvious.
Alyssa took a step toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her fingers entwined against the back of his neck as she stared longingly into his pale blue eyes. She could get lost in his eyes, and she wasn’t entirely sure she didn’t want to. Her heart was racing in her chest as she leaned toward him and pressed her lips to his.
When they recovered from the kiss, Marcus closed his eyes and thought for a moment. “Alyssa, I love you so much, you are the most special person in the world to me.” He looped his arms under hers and embraced the angel closely. Marcus released her and slowly took her hand into his and looked deeply into her soft eyes. “You offer is the kindest anyone has ever given me, and even though accepting it would make me extremely happy, I cannot. I cannot in good conscience allow you to go through with your offer because I am not sure if you are really ready to. Ruben did terrible things to you Alyssa, and I never want you to see me in that light. Besides, I want you to know everything about me before we ever together, for you really deserve to. I am sorry to say that I cannot reveal all about myself to you this day, but I promise that soon I will and then I will allow you to make your decision.”
He gave her a soft kiss on the lips and again took her into his arms. “I love you, and I know that will never change, but your opinion of me may, but for now, would you do me the greatest pleasure and rest aside me this night? The stars and moon radiate beauty, though theirs pale in comparison to you, not only the beauty of your face but the beauty of your heart.”
Alyssa smiled but could only nod, too close to tears to speak. Her wings folded across her chest. As she looked from him to the waterfall, her eyes were wet. Never before had anyone said no to her. It was the first time she had wanted a man’s company, and he had denied her.
“Do you really love me?” she asked in a broken whisper. Her chest heaved with every breath as she stared blankly into the waterfall. The stars were just visible beyond its shimmer. A single tear cascaded down her pale cheek. She made no effort to brush it away.
Marcus leaned over and whispered into her delicate ear, “Alyssa, never could it be said that I loved any as much as I love you. Nar the trees of my forest, the elves or the morning sun can withstand your radiant beauty. Your kindness has the power to quench the chilled darkness of the underworld and your passion ignites flames that burn in my heart. I love you Alyssa, and not even the creator of this world has the power to change that.”
Her gaze shot to him. Her eyes were cold and demanding, sending chills through his body. “Then kiss me like you do,” she demanded.
He reached out his hand and cupped her delicate cheek. Her skin was soft and smooth to his fingers as Marcus stroked her tenderly. He pressed his lips to hers and was amazed by the sweet taste that flooded his mouth. The kiss was soft and gentle, but filled with passion that inflamed both of their hearts. Again Marcus regretted that he could not be with her this night, but it was not fair to her. No, he would wait until all of himself had been revealed to her so that she may make the decision without any reservation.
As he pulled away, Alyssa found herself staring once again into those pale eyes of his. The moonlight made them seem even lighter, almost unreal. They took her breath away before she had even found it again. She brought a trembling fingertip to her lips and smiled. “I will lay beside you tonight, and nothing more. If that is still your wish,” she told him as she forced herself to look away. She lay down on the smooth stone beside him and spread her dress around her legs. Stray wisps of her hair brushed against his hand in the soft breeze. Her fingers curled around his as she pulled him down beside her.
Marcus brushed a few tendrils of golden hair from her pale face and smiled. The moonlight made her skin glow softly, making her look as if she should be a resident of heaven. The ever-present hum coming from the curtain of water in front of them soothed his racing mind, his pounding heart. The smooth rock underneath his body was somewhat damp but surprisingly comfortable. Marcus removed his black cloak and draped it over the body of the angel, and soon fell asleep in a state of complete ecstasy.
Alyssa opened her eyes slowly, unsure at first of where she was. Strong arms were wrapped around her. As she inhaled the man’s scent, she knew exactly who it was that held her. If she could, she would have chosen to lie next to Marcus forever. But her body already ached for the new day. She had never been one to stay still for very long.
Marcus’s breath was warm on her cheek as she slipped out of his arms. She took her time, moving as slowly as possible so as not to wake him. She pulled her wings from around his body and rose to her feet. She had never put her wings around anyone else, not even Sage. It was the most intimate thing she knew of, and the only thing she had been able to save for Marcus. As she pulled her skirt around her legs, she kneeled down next to him. His breathing was deep and rhythmic. He was still sound asleep.
Alyssa brought a delicate finger to his chin and traced his jaw. His skin glowed in the early morning light. She would have liked to let her hand linger, but she didn’t want to wake him. He deserved his rest, there was time enough for all that later. Alyssa brought her lips to his for an instant before disappearing through the waterfall.