Every Little Memory

Entry #48: Granite Grey (Part 2)

Fuchsia stands alone in the empty corridor for some time, staring in the direction Kaiya left in. There is disbelief in her eyes, as though she is unable to admit that what happened…happened. Did she really leave? For good? Would there be a chance to give a proper farewell? Kaiya has few possessions, so it won’t take her long to pack up and take her exit. Within moments, she would be gone.

 The griffon remains with her feet glued to the floor, even when the doors to the meeting hall open and the assembly walks out in a group. They walk past her, saying nothing and giving her a blank stare if anything. They do not understand that she lost a friend in a matter of moments. Perhaps even a sister. The assembly strides by without bothering to discover the source of her unease. Kaiya said herself that most of the Hold dislikes her, so they would probably smile at the news of Kaiya’s departure. The only once to care is Kren, who breaks away to stand beside Fuchsia.

 “Hey, what’s wrong?” he says, waving a hand in front of her face to get her attention.

 “She’s gone, Kren. She left,” Fuchsia speaks, finally moving her eyes to stare at her feline companion.

 “Left? Who, Kaiya? Yeah, didn’t she just leave to get some rest?”

 She shakes her head and responds, “No. Kaiya left for good. She’s probably packing her things right now.”

 “What!? Why? What did she say?”

 “She said she doesn’t belong here and wants to go back to where she came from. She thanked both of us for being there for her. And then she just left.”

 “Well we should go after her and stop her!” Kren says, sounding very confident.

 “No Kren. Let her go. She’s miserable here. If we’re her friends, we should let her find her happiness.”

 The feline demon seems to get smaller as he sinks back on his heels. His eyes seem to form into glassy pools as water wells up in them. With his small build and young face, it is almost heartbreaking to see him like this. I suddenly want to wrap my arms around him and comfort him.  “I didn’t even get to say goodbye…” he mutters.

 Fuchsia wraps an arm around his shoulders reassuringly and says, “Don’t worry. She knows she has your blessing. Let’s go get some dinner and pray to the ancestors for her, yes?”

 "Y-yes,” Kren stutters. Together they walk arm-in-arm down the hall, supporting each other along the way. They lost someone dear this night, so I am glad they have each other as a source of comfort.

 I pause for a moment, watching them leave before returning to the meeting chamber. Did they reach a decision on what to do about the humans? Or did Kain just order the assembly to leave? I am betting that it is the latter.

 When I step into the chamber, Iza is still debating with Kain, as is her way. I’ve come to think of her as more than just an advisor to Kain. With how she lectures and questions his motives, she seems more the mother figure to him. He must see her in that light, as she is the only person I have ever seen him willingly place full trust in. I see that now more than ever in the conversation that takes place.

 “Perhaps we can deal with Fen later. There is sure to be outrage once they learn of this attack and no doubt they will find a way to pin it on us, but I think that is the least of our worries. There are still humans lurking around Talyyn. They must be dealt with first and foremost.”

 Kain slides into his seat at the head of the table, resting his chin on one of his hands. Sounding rather dejected, he responds, “Yes, we will have to send some troops to deal with them.”

 “Keep in mind that these are Esterguard elites. It will take more than just mere soldiers to eliminate them. Surely you know that, mi’lord?”

 “Yes, of course I do. So send out a griffon or something.”

 Iza raises an eyebrow at him. “Is something troubling you, sir? It seems as though your mind is elsewhere.”  Yes, normally Kain is rather passionate about defending Talyyn. This doesn’t seem like him.

 “It…it is…”

 “Allow me to venture a guess. You are thinking about the girl?”

 “I cannot stop seeing it, Iza. How that human nearly killed her with that oversized piece of metal. It…was unbearable, seeing her in that state while she was in here. Seeing it hurt her like that.”

 “I doubt it was her physical wound. I believe something else hurt her more than a scrape ever could.”

 He stares blankly at her while she allows him to ponder the heavy meaning in her words. Giving him time to think, she turns to her mirror and slides her fingers over the smooth surface. I try to peer in as well after seeing Iza’s face harden in reaction to whatever she viewed within. I manage to catch a glimpse of Kaiya slinking through the side gates of the Hold; a servant’s exit perhaps. A cloak is draped over her shoulders and she carries barely anything with her. She probably only took the necessities, storing them in her pockets.  

 “…And it harmed her enough to make her depart.”

He shoots up then, clearly surprised. “Depart?”

 “It appears she is leaving the Hold. And it does not seem she will be returning.”

 Stunned, he speaks, “Why would she…?”

 “You know why.”

 More silence follows as he slowly comes to realize the consequences of his actions. Iza had pointed it out to him before, his unwillingness to admit he cares for someone. His inability to convey his feelings leads to him sounding cold and distant. His intentions are misconstrued and only pushes people away. Iza warned him about it.

 When it fully hits him, he puts his head in his hands. “Oh by the ancestors, why have I done, Iza? I have been nothing but cruel to her, when she risked life and limb for me. She was sitting here, bleeding and half-dead, and I…”

 He immediately stands up, shoving his chair aside. There is a serious look in his eyes now, one that fills me with hope. “You are right, Iza. I am a fool. I can’t believe it took me this long to notice. I…I have to go after her. The humans are still lingering...With that wound, she is in danger...”

 True to his word, he hurries out of the room. I have never seen him move with such haste or such confidence. The look on Iza’s face is grim as she watches him leave.

 “Pray, do not be too late…” she murmurs to herself, appearing sorrowful as she removes the image from the mirror.