The Naturalistic

CHAPTER 8

I get up and wish him night and leave his tent, Rick follows me outside. It's dark now, the stars spread in heaven look like tiny jewels adding in it's beauty. I gaze up to look at them.

"So your Majesty, huh?" He asks me, smirking.

I smile without taking off my eyes from the sky. "It's our little inside joke." And he joins me to gaze up.

"Evy?" It's Sam, she stumbles a bit while handling a pile of books in her hands.

"Hey, Sam." I greet her. "Oh my. . . Let me help you, what were you thinking?"

"Oh no, just a couple of books in case if it's a sleepless night."

"You call this couple of books?" I say glancing at the pile.

"Whatever, so how was your practise with . . ." She pauses shifting her gaze towards Rick.

"Well, It was amazing until-" Rick cuts me off.

"Until she broke her wrist." He completes.

"What!" Sam yells almost dropping her books on the ground.

"It was an accident and my wrist was dislocated not broken," I say turning to face Rick.

"Yeah sorry my bad, if that makes it better." He snaps.

"Blah," I say.

He glances towards my uncle's tent and says, "I forgot to give a message to Victor, I'll be back in a few minutes." And he walks backs towards it.

I turn back to Sam and seeing her expression makes me laugh. Her mouth is wide open just like her eyes are as if I ate her food without asking her permission.

"What?" I ask laughing.

"Did h-he just apologised?" She whispers.

"So . . .?" I ask now more confused. "He just said ' sorry ', what's a big deal in it?"

"That is exactly the big deal."

She thankfully understands my confusion, but I was not expecting this reason for her weird expression.

"He never apologises to anyone, whatever might be the reason." She says and after listening to it, I feel empty, it's like there is nothing inside me.

She continues, "And he said that so simply to you like he does that every day or you are someone special to him."

My heart skips a beat, I don't know what to feel. Does he really think about me like that? My head spins thinking about it. I glance back at the tent where Rick is talking with my uncle.

"That's okay, I mean people can change right?" I say not sure what else to reply.

"In a day?" She asks again.

"It's his problem, not mine, okay?" I snap, "It's better if we not talk about it and that seemed more like a taunt rather than an apology."

"All right, I have to get going now because my hands are giving up, see you tomorrow." I wave her goodbye as she leaves.

The thought still keeps coming back in my head, did someone choose Rick as my trainer? Or did he willingly choose it? and if yes, then why would he? As far as I know, anything about him, being with anyone would be the last thing he wants, especially me because all I give him is trouble. Maybe I'm overthinking a bit, someone might have chosen him and so he talks with me, that's all.

I bury my face in my palms. The cold night air around me makes me shiver. Someone places a warm hand on my shoulder and I drop my hands. Looking up I see those familiar deep eyes.

"Are you okay? Does it still hurts?" He asks so quietly, I almost couldn't catch it.

I sigh and give him a small nod, assuring him. But his hand stays firm on my shoulder.

"Evy." Again he says my name softly and it eases me.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you, after so many years I might have laughed or smiled and not in a fake way but this was from deep inside my heart. It seems like they were lost or forgotten somewhere inside me and you found them again, brought them back to life." He finishes and I go still.

"Also sorry about that wrist, I apologise for not giving you the right instructions, maybe I'm not a good teacher. I have informed Victor and he agreed on taking your training and I'll stick to my old schedule." He says and drops his hand.

Did he thank and apologised me at the same time? If Sam was here anymore, ten bucks say she would have fainted.

"To begin with it was not your fault, it's me who should be blamed, you never told me to lift my sword and I did it anyways like a dumb person, it was an accident, no one did it on purpose. Also, Victor is already taking my lessons, let's give him a break, he is going through a lot of me. Rick trust me, you are one of the best trainers I have known, although I only know Victor, you are as good as him, trust me."

"I don't think so. . . I can't do it, Evy." He shakes his head in denial.

"I know you can and I'm sure you'll do great, but just forgive me for my silliness, I go crazy sometimes."

"Sometimes?" He raises his eyebrows.

"Hey!" I snap.

He laughs and says, "I'm just messing with you."

"All right, I accept I go crazy all the time but see that smile looks good on you, you should smile more often."

Hearing it his smile fades away and his cheeks turn pink. He clears his throat and says, "There should be a reason to smile or else I'm just a stupid person."

"There are many reasons to smile."

"Okay then, give me one, I'll wait." He folds his hands.

"All right. . . You are alive, so many people around you were killed but you survived, you made it and because of which you are having this conversation with me right now, right here. Isn't this enough to smile for?" I ask him quietly.

His hand drops and he smiles again. "I give up. . . You win."

"Let's make a deal," I say.

"What kind of deal?"

"If you train me in war combat then I'll train you in. . . Smiling." I stretch my hand forward.

"What?" He laughs.

"Why? Are you afraid of smiling?" I raise my chin and ask him.

"Oh god, you really are crazy." He shakes his head.

"Thank you, I know." I dramatically place the other hand over my heart. "So . . . Deal?" I ask for the last time.

He stretches his hand forward, finally agreeing on it and says . . . "Deal."