The Hanes Enigma

Chapter Two - Estrangement

Euclea Hecklby

"It's a week. Maybe two." I roll my eyes, pulling myself out of the chair I had sat on as I laced up my boots.

"I know but.."

"You'll be coming back! It's your choice to be leaving in the first place." I chuckle slightly and poke Nova's pouted lip.

"It's just.. What if Tae loses interest when I'm gone?" She nibbles on her lower lip and looks away from me.

"Did he last time?" I raise an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"Well.. No..."

"Then I'm sure you'll be fine." I shrug my jacket over my still aching shoulders.

"But last time we had been honest with each other. This time... He's keeping something from me. I know he is." She purses her lips and clenches her hands into fists.

"You're keeping stuff from him too..." I frown.

"Exactly! Last time we fought it was because we weren't honest with each other. And now we're not being honest with each other and I'm going away for two weeks!" She sighs melodramatically and collapses onto the chair I'd just vacated.

"Well, then stop keeping stuff from each other?" Brynn shrugs from the other side of the room. Nova and I both jump, having forgotten she was there. "This is my dorm room, you know..."

"Right! Sorry... And it isn't that easy. He won't like what I'm hiding..." Nova purses her lips again.

"Does it affect him?" Brynn frowns and Nova looks up worriedly, remembering how close the witch is with Taehyung.

"Not... Directly... And hopefully, this trip will fix the issue entirely!" She nibbles at her bottom lip again.

"Then tell him. If it's gonna change soon anyway, why not?" The witch shrugs.

"But what if it doesn't?" The princess looks up at her new friend and I can't help but feel a little jealous. Did they really bond so quickly? Nova never bonds quickly with people...

"Nova. Trust me. It's better if you tell him and sooner rather than later. When I found out what Jungkook had been hiding from me.. I almost couldn't forgive him. He'd known for months and didn't tell me..." She shakes herself out of the almost trance she'd put herself in and laces an arm through Nova's. "I've been telling Tae the same thing. Kook has too! He regrets not being honest with me as soon as he found out."

"But he isn't listening?" She glances up at the witch who now perches on the armrest of the chair.

"Well.. No... But maybe if you're honest with him then he'll-"

"Or maybe not." The princess pushes herself away from the chair and the girl perched precariously on the side.

"God, you're being more childish than me and Jungkook were when we hated each other. And that's really saying something!" Brynn sighs and shakes her head. "What if he finds out from someone else? Then how will he feel?"

Nova gazes at the floor but makes no attempt at reacting let alone answering.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." The witch huffs and goes to leave mumbling some complaints about mental blocks and building mazes in her brain.

Nova grabs her wrist and bites her lip nervously. "Can you keep a secret from Tae? I'd really appreciate your thoughts on the subject, actually..." They're seriously that close already?!

"Honestly, I can't promise that. I'd rather not know. Sorry." The witch looks down almost guiltily but, frankly, I admire her honesty of her incapability. It's hard to admit you can't do something, especially to a friend. "Just... Just do what you feel is best. I trust you. Plus, you'll be having to make decisions for the entire faerie race eventually! You as well start that good decision making now." Then she shrugs and hops out of the room with a smile on her face.

"At least someone has confidence in me..." Nova mumbles to herself. I pretend not to hear.

***

Nova Theasphreyei

As I tighten the strap on my bag, I glare at Taehyung's back. It walks over to Euclea and picks up the knife she had just dropped.

"I know it's your job, but please keep her safe." He grimaces slightly.

Euclea chuckles. "I always do."

He smiles and nods. "I know..."

"I'm still not happy with this. Your wounds won't heal as well on the road! You haven't rested long enough." Laila purses her lips and glares at me.

As I chuckle at the angel's comment I almost miss Euclea pulling Taehyung slightly closer. My blood boils even as I try to calm myself. Euclea doesn't even like guys, calm down.

"Do something for me?" She asks worriedly and Taehyung frowns, leaning down slightly as the faerie whispers something in his ear. This angers me even more. They're specifically keeping something from me. Both of them.

"I'll do my best, but that's not my decision to make..." He squeezes her shoulder slightly and gives an attempt at a smile.

"I know.. Just do what you can." They nod to each other and wish each other a safe journey. That confuses me. Taehyung's going somewhere too? He's keeping even more from me?

The boy turns to me and begins walking in my direction but I turn pointedly on my heel and nod curtly to Brynn and Jungkook before storming out of the gates. Orin chuckles as he skulks behind me, and Euclea jogs to catch up.

"Really, Lea?" I growl.

"Hmm?" She blinks innocently but that just angers me more.

"I hate when you keep things from me, especially things to do with Tae. Don't do that again." I barely even look at her. I feel like my brain is curdling and I hate it. I need to calm down. But I've always struggled with that. Once I get emotional, that's it. That's how I'm feeling for the next hour or so.

"Nova!" I feel a hand on my upper arm and suddenly I'm being spun around until my hands collide with a chest. Taehyung. I can't help the breath that leaves my lungs just at the sight of him this close to me again.

"Can we please not leave it like that? We're not gonna see each other for a few weeks, and after that who knows? I don't want either of us to be bitter that whole time." He strokes my cheek and my heart slows slightly, airflow steadying. He calms me. Only Ash has ever had that strong an effect on me before.

"I'm so-" I start but he immediately places a finger on my lips.

He doesn't say anything. He just leans down, fingers running through my hair like the wind as it races through the treetops, stroking every leaf. His lips meet mine and I swear the world stops for a moment. As my eyes flutter closed, his hands find my waist and mine cling onto his cotton shirt, pulling him even closer before sliding up to the nape of his neck. Our lips mould together and his warmth seeps through me like water on a tissue.

"Please be safe." His body leaves mine, his hands slide away from me. I'm cold. As I begrudgingly open my eyes, I see a sad smile adorning his otherwise perfect features. He doesn't need to say anything else. I know. My expression mirrors his. He knows too. His back turns to face me and he trudges back through Pharaway's gates, further and further away from me.