The Crimson Claymore

The Crimson Claymore: Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Starlyn sat on the front porch of her cabin and watched the sunrise. Hummingbirds flew all around her, sucking nectar from flowers; she smiled and held out a finger. One bird looked at her sideways, only inches from her face, before it settled down on her outstretched hand. Not many people could calm animals like her. Even many kheshlars couldn't keep a busy hummingbird still for long, but Starlyn had learned from her friend Anaela. Wood kheshlars seemed much more a part of nature than high kheshlars. She wished she knew more, but as far as anybody knew, Anaela was the only one.

The air was calm and her surroundings clear. Peace. If anything, Sudegam represented peace. Although she was just outside the gates of the city at her cabin, she was still close enough to enjoy the serenity that surrounded the city. She realized how guarded the kheshlars were from the outside world. The king didn't let them stray to the human territories or to any common foes. He seemed to keep his people contained and oblivious to anything outside their own realm. Starlyn wished everything were simple again, without threat, and only stillness. Yet she wondered how boring such a life would seem now.

She looked up as the scarlet humming bird leaped from her finger and fluttered into the air while her dearest friend approached wearing a white dress. A pearl necklace hung around Anaela's neck, and a single azalea was tangled in her hair. Starlyn still remembered the day she found Anaela: alone, bloody, and scared surrounded by the mangled corpses of her brethren. She had been the only survivor of her race. At least, that was what everybody believed. Her memories were lost prior to waking up and seeing Starlyn, and her company that stalked the draeyks searching for her sister. That had been a long time ago, and ever since the two had remained close.

"Anaela, what brings you here?"

"Does one need a reason to visit an old friend?"

"Yes, one does."

"Very well...it's about your charming friend Searon," Anaela admitted.

Starlyn could hear the way she rolled his name off her tongue. A clear compassion, yet fear shook the wood kheshlar's speech. She coughed before looking away and turning scarlet.

"Do you like him?" Starlyn raised an eyebrow.

She knew her friend well and could see the interest in the woman, but Anaela remained so caught up in the rules of the high kheshlars. Starlyn didn't blame the woman since she remained under study after arriving as the only wood kheshlar seen in hundreds of years; the last one seen since their falling out with the high kheshlars. She looked into Anaela's eyes and saw that they didn't look at her, but through her, swirling in galaxies of memories and passion.

"It does not matter whether I do or not. We are kheshlars. It cannot be. In time, he will pass from this world to his creator as the mother continues to give me life until time itself stops."

"What if things were different? If we could choose...haven't you ever wondered?" Starlyn asked. Memories of her own swirled through her mind, of times spent with Noraes.

"Every day...what is your fascination with the human?" Anaela asked.

For a long time, Starlyn had wondered what it would be like to be with a human. She pursued Searon for a short time, intrigued by him since he was the first she had ever seen. Yet she soon realized he was too damaged for her, and his interest wasn't there. Elsargast had forbidden any such activity, and yet there had been no logical reason for it. It seemed only foolish because humans had such short lives. Still, it should be a choice.

"It's not him, it's...nothing," Starlyn paused. "Searon is a good friend to me; he's saved me, and I care about what happens to him as much as I care about what happens to you."