The Weapon, The Crown and Spring

16

There was no lock, and from the outside it looked like any ordinary room. Except it just, wasn't. I opened the door and invited her in. She seemed to hesitate. It resembled something mischievous. I was the wolf, and she was the innocent passerby, simply attempting to make her way around.

As she made her way in, she looked in every direction the same way a child would if she was just taken to a theme park for the first time.

It was a simple office space that over time I transformed into a quiet solace for myself. There was a small crammed kitchen in a booth to the left of our entrance; followed by a small lounge to the center and right. The view overlooked the barren garden of the house' back field. It wasn't anything special at all, just something I minded myself to do. Something in me was quizzically amused having sharing this space with her. I just didn't understand why.

"Ah. This is so cute!" She squeaked happily.

Cute? Definitely not what I had in mind.

I couldn't help but chuckle. She wasted no time in bowing her head in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry. That's not what I meant. I didn't mean any disre—"

"You didn't." I repeated once more. A piece of me felt uneasy. I felt as if I had to watch my words, anything derogative with any kind of negative connotation could hurt her feelings; and for whatever reason, that's the last thing I wanted. I smiled for a while, something I really wasn't used to anymore. Slowly but surely, her worry melted away.

I eyed the resting area in front of us, nudging my head a bit forward. She took the hint, following my gaze and smiling once more in confirmation. Off she went happily, taking a seat in one of the large plush arm chairs.

The floor beneath my feet was as cold as ever as I made my way into the small kitchen. The copper pot I reached for wasn't a sight for sore eyes either. This was something I repeated often throughout the week. It felt very different tonight. Tonight, there was someone else with me, tearing down the walls I spent centuries building.

I heated some water, just enough for Kailah and myself. Normally, I'd get through this part of my night as quickly as possible; tonight, I wanted anything but that. Every now and then I had to poke my head out of the kitchen, just to be sure Kailah was still awake. Every time, she was, watching the stars through the glass window.

I made my way over to her frame sitting comfortably on the couch, handing her another porcelain cup. It wasn't a tea cup, just a regular white mug, but she received it like a royal treasure. She held the mug with both hands as carefully as she could, moving as slowly as molasses. I wanted to beg her to stop, to implore her with reassurance. But I knew I only had myself to blame, me and my 'smart mouth' Karin would say. I couldn't help but reprimand myself for embarrassing her yesterday. If I had known that she was so fragile, I probably wouldn't have said a single thing around her for fear of her hating me.

And how is it possible to change overnight? I'm starting to believe in these little specks of hope, knowing better than anybody, not to.

Her fingers were little imprints on the cup, she was a minute figure. She carefully touched the cup again and again, debating whether to risk burning the buds on her tongue. "Don't worry, it's warm, not hot. You can drink it comfortably."

She gave me a glance full of hesitation in the most innocent way possible before taking a drink. As soon as she did, she smiled. "This is so warming, it's delicious, what is it?" She questioned all at once, eyes beaming in the moonlight.

I sat beside her, not too close, but not too far either. "It's chamomile tea, Karin makes it herself. Don't ask me what the magic is behind it, I can't figure it out myself. If you're stressed, or unable to sleep, this will definitely do the job." I smiled.

For a while, there was some silence. Not strange or uncomfortable, just, enjoyable. There were quite a few questions in my head; why was she up? What kept her up? What was she thinking right now? I was intrigued by her. I felt as though she was one person that doesn't simply come around often. What was her past like? I didn't want to be any more insensitive that I already had been, but my curiosity got the best of me. I looked over to my right, and lost myself in her image. She was small, yes; and fragile, yes; and Karin was right, nothing that has ever happened in her life had been under her control. Yet there she was, as still and calm as a willow after a rainstorm. She was happy at the end of the day, and that was all that mattered. "You—" I began, attempting not to overstep my boundaries as best as I could. "—you really don't know anything about your mother?"

The corners of her lips withdrew after my inquiry, and if I hadn't felt regret from ridiculing her yesterday, I definitely felt it now. Don't do that. Don't be upset. Please smile.

"No—I—" She faltered. "I really don't." It grew quiet, for just the shyest of a second, this time it was uncomfortable and terrifying. "Growing up, I always wanted something. Anything. I wanted a reason, a story, a picture. I would pester Salem, again and again." She chuckled weakly. "But she always said there was nothing to give. That anyone knowing anything was just too dangerous."

Dangerous? "Dangerous?"

She crowded the warm cup close to her chest before answering. "Yes." She said, almost regrettably. "My name, it's all I have of her. It was the last request she made before she passed. She asked Salem to name me Kailah, and graciously, Salem followed through with that request."

Thinking about it now, when I had first asked that woman for this girl's name, she only told me Kailah. No last name, no middle name, nothing else. Why?

"What about your father? Do you know anything about him at all?"

"I know less about him than I do about my mother." She answered, this time very quickly. "Salem told me, that he was a dangerous and horrendous person. My mother wanted me hidden in the most unimaginable place in order to keep him from ever finding me. My mother believed that if he ever found me...he'd kill me." She said almost in a whisper. "That's why...I don't carry his surname. My mother feared that any connection at all would put me in a death sentence."

Something in my blood churned when she mentioned the possibility of this man coming for her to kill her. "I promise you, if he ever even came close to finding you, you'd be safe. I—We—we wouldn't let him, or anyone else hurt you. Karin adores you, and if anyone even made a derogative comment to you she would attack without a second of doubt."

She smiled again. "What about your parents? What are they like?"

My parents. "My parents are a very long story."

"Please, I'd love to hear it, I want to know about the people I'm living with." She insisted.

And of course, I just couldn't say no. The concern was, how to tell a story that's human enough to believe.