We Fall Like Rain

Reflections as we fade.

"Well, let's see..." she put her finger on her chin and glanced past him out the small murky window that overlooked the courtyard. "There's st Georges tower and Chapel, the others are not important. I'm Kathleen by the way, nice to meet you."

"Kalen." He responded, smirking at the rather short girl. "Kalen. . ." She tried the name on her tongue. Kalen winced as he realised it must have sounded slightly odd for this time.

"Are you a maid, then?" He questioned.

"I am. You are not." She said looking him up and down. "I don't think we get many manservants, especially here."

"Well, first time for everything." He shrugged. "I'm new, just come here from. . ." he trailed off, not exactly knowing what he could say that wouldn't be suspicious.

". . . From?" She narrowed her brows. "Don't tell me your one of those freelance peasants. I wish I was that adventurous, but well, responsibilities."

"He sighed, I wish I was with my family. Be thankful you can still see them." He said thoughtfully.

"If we live to escape, then yes, I shall never complain again." She huffed a laugh. "There isn't much hope we can get out of this, most sieges last weeks, though if we are lucky, and don't slowly starve to death, they might be merciful enough to gut us quickly."

Kalen thought about leaving. Perhaps if he waits until nightfall, he could slip through the gate again and nobody would even notice. Plus Niklus was waiting for him on the other side. Kalen wondered if he had thought about him at all, maybe he would be worried, although, Niklus didn't seem like the kind of person who expressed his feelings often.

He sighed. Or maybe, just maybe, this was a well known historical event. Or at least, known to Maggie. Perhaps staying inside would be best, easier for Maggie to find him, rather than lost in a legion.

"Kathleen. Leave the poor lad alone." An older woman snapped from a table in the corner of the room. She was stern faced and brooding. Kalen decided he didn't want to get on her bad side. She reminded him of his old geography teacher from high school, and he immediately cringed.

Kathleen gave the woman a polite smile whilst cursing her under her breath as she turned back to Kalen. "Sorry, but it's true though." She backed away and went to sit at the table with her fellow maids.

Kalen did not escape that night. Or the next, or all the nights that followed. Guards were placed all along the perimeter, and when he did try, he would be caught, questioned, then kept a close watch on.

He was as trapped as the others. It had been a month and a half since he first walked through that garden gate. He regretted doing so every day.

The keep wasn't massive, but he often tried to sneak a few moments here and there by himself. It worked, for a bit. Kept him calm and collected, until the silence got too much and the nightmares of the boys' blood on his hands were too overwhelming.

So, Kalen busied himself with servant tasks and guard duty when suited.
He began to lose hope in his friends coming to his aid with each day that passed by.

So much so, that he became closer to Kathleen. She became a distraction, something good in this grim reality.
She kept him ticking, and he kept her safe.

"You're out here again?" She asked him, wrapping a blanket over them both, along with her arm around his waist as she came up next to him.

"Couldn't sleep." He responded, his throat dry and voice strained. It was in these moments he found solitude, looking up at the stars.

Because maybe, just maybe, Charlie was looking at the same stars right now. Having been chased from her own slumber by torturous memories of the recent past.

Perhaps Maggie was curled up next to Lia on the ground in whatever shelter they threw together. A half-assed job to protect them from the elements.

He tried not to let his mind wander to Niki, who was probably on night watch, making sure no harm came to her friends sleeping bodies.

He held Kathleen closer, tried to picture the trace of her body as Nikis, not hers. He knew it was wrong, to be stood next to someone who loves you, and not be there with them.

But he didn't think Kathleen loved him, he knew she liked him, just like he did her. Love was not something he felt if he had to picture someone else.

"It's freezing, you'll catch your death out here. You should come inside" she murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.

"In a bit, just a few more minutes." He whispered back, eyes still fixed on the stars twinkling overhead as he gave his silent prayers to the universe for any glimmer of hope.

Her only answer was to wrap the blanket tighter around them and nudge slightly closer to his warmth. He shifted, so his arm went over her shoulders as he brought her nearer to his chest.

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I took a break for Xmas and new year but we're back now! I hope this year is better than the last for everyone. Thanks for your continued support.

- Serendipity. :)