Secrets Intertwined

XXIII

After everyone calmed down, and Aislyn had composed herself, they moved into the seating from and sat around the fire.

"Hey Ais, I've been meaning to ask you... what's up with your eyes? I mean they used to be, like, a golden colour and now they're, uh- well they look black," asked Tamani

"Um, yeah it's strange, I mean they're actually dark brown," she lied," if you look at them in the right light but I think they went that colour after I fell over one day and, uh, hit my head."

"That's strange. Your hair used to be brown and now it's black too."

"Uh, well, when I lived here, I saw always outside so I think the sun made it brown. I think it must have always been black."

Tamani nodded and the room fell back into silence. Slyly looking out of the corner of her eye, Aislyn could see Jackson staring at the scar on her face and could practically sense the question that was about to leave his lips.

" Ais," he said, just as she thought, scratching the back of his head, "how did you get that scar on your face?"

"In a fight," she replied, "about seven months ago. Uh, my-my... Nikolas was attacked. I was with Galen on look-out and when he got attacked I stepped in but we were outmatched. Galen managed to pull me out but not before I got this scar."

She rubbed a hand gently over it and lowered her gaze.

"Was that when you were working as a bodyguard?"

"Yeah. There should have been more of us... I was lucky Nikolas didn't make it," her voice cracking on the last word.

She masked it by subtly coughing, face turned away from the three pairs of eyes watching her.

"Who was Nikolas?" asked Tamani, bracing his arms on the table.

Aislyn looked up at that and gave a sympathetic smile, "he was my companion."

Tamani sucked in a breathe and leaned back in his chair.

"Awkard..." muttered Logan, earning a stern look from Jackson as Tamani averted his eyes.

"Actually," he said, rubbing the back of her neck, "you met his mother a few months ago. She was that woman who I had to leave with at the training session. She's called Minerva."

"Where is she from?" asked Jackson, "she looked... strange."

"Arcadia. She's the... well I guess you could call her the Leader."

"Never heard of it. How did she get in here? The guard at the gate said no one went through that way."

"Uh, well Arcadia had a beach, like ours. She travelled by boat."

"But shes a Leader. She should know that its... uncustomary not to enter unless invited."

"I said shes like a Leader."

"Still."

"Hmm. Well, with that," started Aislyn, getting to her feet, "I have to tell you guys something. I need to leave for a few days to take care of some business."

"More business?" Asked Tamani, getting to his feet.

"Yes, and no I can't tell you what it's about... but I'll be with Galen. I'll be safe."

With a quiet grunt, Jackson pushed himself away from the table, "You can't just keep sneaking off Ais, it's not fair. Is it always going to be like this?"

"It is what it is," was her reply.

Walking over to her brother, she wrapped her arms around his neck and braced her head upon his.