The Soul’s One Word
By Shaila A.
Canson
“Painful,
yes?” asked the first voice, young and vibrant.
Her
own was dull and empty. “Yes…”
“Incomplete
is your soul,” another stated, just as young but understanding.
“Yes…”
“So
once more shall you travel this path,” the third and most mature voice of them
stated. In the distance, she saw a light appear and hesitated reaching out to
it. “…with one word in your heart, never forgotten.”
“Choose
wisely,” the first chimed.
“For
it will be your only link to this past,” said the second.
“It
can be anything you wish,” added the third.
One
word, they said; one word for her soul to remember when she next opened her
eyes. How was a girl to choose just one word to hold onto of this life which
had gone past? So many memories, yet only one came to her head like a beacon of
light through the darkness and chaos that had become her thoughts. “Kali…”
“That
shall it be,” the first chimed again, and her consciousness felt heavy.
“Close
your eyes and fall into your new life,” told the second.
“And
repeat the word your soul shall always know as you fall back to your fate,”
finished the third as she blanked out, the word tumbling quietly from her lips…
“Much
sadness, yes?” asked the first hooded woman around the well of water, a picture
on its surface.
“Much,”
confirmed the second, her head shaking slightly as her hands continued to move
like her other two sisters’.
“The
soul is heavy with grief even without the knowledge of things gone past,” noted
the third, and the first and second nodded in agreement.
“Tis’
the path her soul must take,” chanted the first.
“And
must bear the pain and sorrow thrown her way,” added the second.
“For
her to reap the fruits of the seeds of sadness we have sown,” ended the third,
staring at the pictures in her well.
Part
1
1692
The
echoes of outrage could still faintly be heard beyond the cold stone, and if
she closed her eyes she could see the faces that were there. Samuel Nurse,
Mistress Rebecca’s husband; and nearly all of
In this
life, Runa couldn’t say she liked many people. Her own accuser, Bridget
something-or-other (she never could remember the girl’s name), hadn’t been the
least bit of a surprise. The other maid at the Nurse farm hated her like
nothing else. But Mrs. Nurse whom Runa actually liked – Rebecca Nurse who the whole damn village liked – being a witch? Of all the asinine
ideas…
Sitting
back against the cold wall, Runa shut her eyes and let out a sigh. She was
surrounded by prisoners, one to a cell, with a barred window on three sides of
her. One that led to the outside and let the angry shouting float in to her
ears; another on the door itself; the third was on the other cold wall, lively
green grass tumbling over through the bars. The other wall was solid,
separating her from whoever was on her left, and Runa had never felt more
trapped.
She
hadn’t known what to expect, sitting here now with her knees drawn up to her
chin. Because of lack of space she was with the common criminals instead of in
the ‘witch barracks’, as she’d gotten
to call them. She was the ‘least likely’,
supposedly, to cause a ruckus. She had the least amount of evidence against
her. But since no one ever noticed her, she’d stay here. No one on the outside
knew she even existed to fight for her release.
Perhaps
she should’ve married. At least then she’d have had someone to fight for her.
Runa was 20, well past the age a girl married, and she’d been happy with her
life as a servant on the Nurse farm. Samuel & Rebecca Nurse were kind
people. They always remembered she existed.
But how
could she have foreseen this sort of thing? It wasn’t possible. Sure, people
hated her because she wasn’t a girl with the traditional values, but she hadn’t
thought Bridget hated her this much.
If she survived, Runa vowed, she’d take up witchcraft just to make the bitch
jump off a cliff. This was utterly mortifying.
A clank
against the wall behind her made Runa look up with a frown of confusion. What
was that noise? Scooting away from the wall that adjoined her cell to the next,
she narrowed her eyes as she saw one of the huge blocks get pushed out. Then
another came away…and then 2 more. 2 more followed it, and she tilted her head
to see the profile of a young man a few years older then her.
His hair
was long from not being cut and dark as soil. When he turned she could clearly
see his liquid blue eyes, sparking with life as he gazed at her.
“I was
wondering who they put here.” With a rueful grin, he bowed his head slightly in
greeting. “I must say, it’s a pleasure. I haven’t seen a good looking female in
ages.”
Runa
brought her legs up closer, staring at him searchingly. “Thanks?”
His face
lit up in an amused smile, and he chuckled. “Don’t take compliments very well,
hmm?” His gaze was sad as he looked her in the eye and said, “For what it’s
worth, you don’t look like a witch.”
Oddly,
it was worth a whole lot. It made her feel better about the strange prisoner.
“Means a lot, but doesn’t mean anything. I don’t think anyone in the outside
world knows I’m alive.”
“No
husband?” He seemed genuinely shocked. “I don’t believe you.”
“Never
found a man I liked enough to marry,” she admitted. Why not bear her soul to
the man? The chance of her leaving this place alive was slim. And talking was
making her calm down a little. “I’m a servant at the Nurse farm. They brought
me here with Mrs. Nurse.”
The man
snorted his disbelief. “What bastard was evil enough to accuse Mrs. Nurse?”
Runa
shrugged. She hadn’t heard who it was. All she remembered was the lawmen
busting into the ranch and hauling her and her mistress away stating they were
accused of being witches.
Paraded
down to the jail in shackles, stared at by those in the streets as outrage sunk
in once they realized who it was, she could remember their faces as they
realized it was the widely loved Rebecca Nurse. Disbelief followed by outrage,
and the angry shouts of appalled villagers as they followed them to the jails
where she and her mistress had been separated.
“So tell
me,” she said, “what is your name?”
“Will
you tell me yours?” he smiled, shifting so he could lean forward on the open
window, chin on his arms. He was tall, she noticed, since he was still kneeling
on the floor.
Runa
scooted closer. “Sure.” Sitting beside the window, she stuck out her hand. “I’m
Runa.”
“Beautiful,”
he said, kissing the back of her outstretched hand. The action made her face
heat, and he grinned as he told her kindly, “I’m Kali.”
Runa
shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. “Nice name. I feel like I know you already,
Kali.”
“That’s
anxiety talking,” he informed her, and Runa didn’t argue it. He was probably
right.
“Anxiety,”
she repeated. “Right…”
* * *
“Son of
a…!”
Crack!
Kali
blinked awake as the gun shot echoed in the midst of the continual outrage. It
was night and some people were still yelling about Rebecca Nurse’s arrest
outside.
For a
moment he’d thought…well, never mind what he’d thought. It couldn’t change the
facts none.
Leaning
forward more, he looked to see if his new neighbor was awake. It was refreshing
seeing a pretty young thing like her. Haggle-tooth Henry had been good for
entertainment, talking away and keeping them both occupied, but sitting in
silence for half a day wasn’t bad either; especially when he got to look at
such nice scenery now.
It was a
damn shame he’d never seen Runa before he’d seen Mary. Both had killer bodies,
true, but Runa had a softer appearance then Mary, he noticed. And she was
single, unlike Mary who’d been ‘unhappily’
married.
Unhappily his ass.
In
Thomas’s position, Kali had to admit he’d be mad too. What normal man wouldn’t,
seeing his wife in bed with another man? Perhaps he’d have gone after him if
he’d run away like he had, too. But attacking with a rock? Well, that he
wouldn’t have done. Could he be blamed for defending himself? It was
unfortunate, too, that Thomas had died when he’d shoved him off him and he’d
hit his head against a rock hard enough to split his skull.
It did not excuse that bitch Mary for accusing him of murder though. It was
self-defense!
It
mattered none, though, when it was the word of a drifter against a
well-respected (regardless of how misplaced it was) woman of the town. It was a
matter of time before he was tried and convicted, and then he’d be executed.
Kali
shut his eyes, pushing those thoughts away. Being afraid of the inevitable was
pointless. It would just make him a wreck. Getting the wrong end of a stick was
nothing new to him. He’d known it would kill him eventually.
Looking
down, he focused on just as pointless but strangely wistful thoughts.
Honestly…if only he’d met Runa first. She seemed kind enough. He’d have taken
her to bed in the blink of a second, but somehow he doubted she’d go that fast.
From what he could grasp of her from the conversations they’d had, she wasn’t
as aggressive as he would’ve guessed. She had more bark then bite, so to speak.
He would’ve had to actually woo this
one.
That
would’ve been such fun.
Lots of
fire, this one had. Runa just had no place to direct it. Frankly, she could
direct it at him any damn time, but again, it was a pointless fantasy. He’d be
lucky to see another week. She’d be
lucky to see another week.
Kali
toyed with her hair, the baby-fine ash black threads so soft against his
calloused hands. Such a pity, really…
“Do you
have some kind of hair fetish?” Runa mumbled, and Kali looked to see her
staring sleepy eyed at him. She’d moved her piss-pot excuse for a bed so she
could sleep under their small window between cells.
“Not
normally, really, but with yours, yes.” He smiled at her disarmingly – the
smile all women had always melted under – and tapped her scrunched nose.
She
swatted his hand away and muttered as she turned to go to sleep again, “This is
anxiety acting up, you know.”
Kali
ignored the mocking in her tone as she spoke his own words to her during the
first conversation they’d had.
“It
can’t have been that long since
you’ve seen a female before.”
Kali
looked at the ceiling and sighed. “3 years.”
Runa sat
up with a jerk. “What?”
He
nodded ruefully. “You’re the first female I’ve seen at all in 3 years. Forgive me if I’m just a little distracted by you.”
He felt
an irrational swell of pride as she blushed. Runa didn’t swoon, but she still
blushed like any other damn female. She felt the same reactions others did to
him, too. Good.
“I don’t
believe you.”
He
motioned to the virtually sealed prison around him. Runa sighed. “OK, never mind. I get it. You’re celibate.”
“Not by
choice,” he had to add, and he saw her glare at him dully.
“I
figured as much.” Glaring lazily, the image was ruined when she yawned largely,
rubbing her eyes. “If you don’t mind, I’m going back to sleep. Stop playing
with my hair.”
She was
down and snoring in the bat of an eyelash.
Smiling,
his hands were playing with her hair again in a fraction of a second. After
getting the shitty end of the stick for so long, he deserved a small indulgence
by now…This small indulgence, to be
precise.
* * *
“What?”
Runa blinked, sure she hadn’t heard right.
Kali
smiled, not at all perturbed. “I asked, haven’t you ever wondered what it felt
like; the touch of a man?”
Her
mouth opened and closed, heat crawling up her neck as she sputtered
indignantly. Of all the things to ask! Kali had no shame! “No!”
Alright,
so maybe that was a small lie. She’d be damned if she told him that, though. Years of living single did make a girl wonder.
Why was
she hiding it though? For what reason did she have to not tell him? She’d die
sooner or later, and that just sucked.
“You
lie,” he sang, obviously not believing a word.
She scowled
at him before turning away sharply. What the hell? He was probably going to be
the last person she ever spoke with, anyway. “Fine, I do. Are you happy now?”
“Strangely, no.” He shuffled a bit, and when she felt him
put an arm on her shoulder she tensed. What made Runa nearly shriek was feeling
Kali pressed against her back. She whirled around in his arms that had wrapped
around her with wide eyes. She hissed in a panicked squeak, “What the hell are
you doing?!”
His
smile was even more disconcerting up close. His eyes seemed ten times as
sharper, and the heat was itching to crawl up her neck as those damned hands of
his relaxed loosely on her right shoulder. Kali’s fingers never stayed put,
either, always fidgeting and occasionally brushing against her neck.
With a
gentle smile though, right on his handsome face, she relaxed slowly and rested
her head in the nape of his neck. Strange as it was to be held by a man, Runa
had to admit it was nice. OK, so she had no idea why he was here in the first place (Kali could be a rapist for all she knew), but at this
point it really didn’t matter. He could
kill me after having his way with me and I wouldn’t give a damn. Anything is
better then being hung to death.
Runa
couldn’t hide her shudder as she recalled it. More women had been hung – Martha
Corey and Alice Parker among them, both women she vaguely knew. She’d watched
it last night from her cell window. By what she could see from the numerous lit
torch lights, they’d been left there to hang and moan until their necks gave
out and broke; hung limply there until morning like rag dolls. I don’t want to die like that…
Gentle
lips caressed her forehead, and a sob escaped her lips despite herself. I wanted this, she thought in despair. I wanted the love Rebecca and Samuel had all
those years. Why didn’t I find this comfort when I wasn’t in danger of being
hung to my death at a moment’s notice?
“I’d
love to flatter myself and say you’re shuddering with lust for me,” she heard
Kali muse and Runa gave a clipped laugh into his shoulder, “but I like to
believe I know better. Go ahead and cry it out, Runa…Neither of us is going
anywhere just yet.”
“I wish
I’d met you sooner,” she muttered, shutting her eyes. He was warm and strong
and felt like nothing would shake him. Nothing could chip away at the strength
he had in his lanky but firm form.
Kali
caressed her arms, not saying a word when he felt her tremble under his hands.
It wasn’t from passion as he wished it were, but fear. He, too, had stayed
awake and watched from his own cell the latest witch executions. He’d lied
awake all night wondering if he’d have to watch Runa be hung, too.
I don’t want that. It was the only clear
thought he’d had all night. The executions had never bothered him before – he’d
watched with a perverse fascination previously – but last night had disturbed
him so much it’d scared him. It was as if it had only just sunk in. I don’t want that to happen to her. Runa
trembling with fear he was sure she’d never show otherwise didn’t help him at
all, either.
As she
curled closer, into the comfort of his arms and the warmth of his touch, Kali
whispered quietly into her ashen hair that was disarrayed, “I wish I’d met you
sooner too, Runa…” You don’t know how
much I do…
* * *
“Inside!”
Runa was
sick as she was shoved back inside her cell, the wooden door slammed and barred
behind her. That morning when they’d come to take her to her trial, she’d been
mildly afraid they’d say something about the big hole in her wall. But they’d
said nothing and she was glad for it.
As soon
as they were gone, Kali squeezed through, just as he always did every night
after their meager dinner was given. He’d stay with her and hold her, and Runa
had to admit she liked it. She’d felt infinitely more calm, even when she’d
been told she was to go to trial today. But now she felt sick to her stomach.
From her
grim expression and the shaking of her now unbound hands, Kali must’ve known
how it went. He wrapped her in his arms without any of his usual quips or
comments, his lips kissing her head as she sank into his embrace and sobbed.
Runa
hated sobbing. It’d always been a girly kind of thing to her, and she hated anything
girlish like weeping and curtsying. She hated the dresses, the bonnets, and the
roles they were expected to play – the wife, the mother, the homemaker, the
servant to her “dutiful” husband.
But what
did it matter when she wouldn’t live to see another day? By sunrise tomorrow,
she’d be a doll on the ropes. Mrs. Nurse, too; she’d been the one on trial
before her. The uproar there was! How Runa wished the executions would be
delayed. No one was happy with these witch hunts anymore; some never were, just
more so now.
Now they
vocally made their protests known. Mrs. Nurse, a convicted witch? Absurd!
Like
always, she’d somehow become a shadow. No one knew she was there. Her trial and
conviction was met with silence, and she’d steeled herself enough so she
wouldn’t break down into a shuddering mess until she was alone. Why give them
the satisfaction? Heartless murderers…
The
shouts of outraged protesters filled the air, and she heard Kali mutter, “Mrs.
Nurse was convicted?”
“There
is a large uproar,” she confirmed once she’d found her voice again, “and they
protest these trials now. I heard the governor, or one of those big shots,
might get involved now.”
“Perhaps
the executions will be delayed,” he offered, but neither dared to hope.
“How did
your trial fair?” she asked, but his following silence said it all. You will face death too…
“I will
go for another trial tonight,” he said slowly after a short while. But Runa
could feel the tension still in his arms tighten as he spoke.
“You’re
no murderer,” Runa stated. He’d told her of his supposed crime and she was sure
of it. They both noticed her lack of assumption on the sentencing though. The guiltless aren’t always found innocent.
Rebecca
Nurse was proof of it.
“When…?”
Kali couldn’t even say the words to ask what he needed.
“
His jaw
tightened in tune with his grip. “Runa…”
“What?”
Her voice was hollow, void of much emotion. Her mind was still dazed by the
grossly unfair conviction.
Runa
didn’t move as he gently laid her down, nor did she react as she would’ve when
he lied down beside her. His arm wrapped around her kept her close to his body,
but Runa just curled close, her fear clouding her mind.
“Runa,
don’t fear it. I don’t like seeing you afraid.” He ran a lazy finger down her
cheek, grinning slightly. “Somehow I find it unfitting. You don’t strike me as
the type who fears much.”
“I’m
not,” she agreed, some gusto coming back to her voice, “but who doesn’t want to
avoid death?”
“Point.” Kali held her tighter, relieved that life was
entering her tone once again. A lifeless
Runa is something I shall not live to see.
They
stayed in silence for so long; neither knew quite how long it was. They talked
mindlessly, a silent moment never passing between them, and they told each
other their lives – their lost hopes and dashed dreams.
“I
wanted to explore the world, discover new territories,” he told her, his eyes
shining in earnest.
“Don’t
think it silly,” Runa warned behind a glare, “but I wanted to be just a mother
and wife.”
“Not
silly at all, but I thought you hated such things…?”
“I hate
the presumption of obligation, not the acts themselves,” she corrected, and he
laughed at her fondly.
“You
would’ve been a wonderful wife, I’m sure,” Kali murmured, and was startled he
even said next, vocalizing his quiet thoughts, “I would’ve liked to be that man
– your husband.”
She
stared at him, as if he were struck with dementia, before resting her head down
again with a sigh. “I might’ve liked that too, you know. It’s quite comfortable
here with you.” Like it is not the first
time I’ve been here, held in your arms. It is as if I’d been waiting to return
to them again. A small smile curled her lip as she looked up coyly and
asked, “Could we have had it all?”
His eyes
rolled to the heavens. “That goes without saying. Would it be any other way?”
“I
suppose not.” Hooking her pinky in the neckline of her dress, she pulled out
her only treasure – a shiny stone hung from a tattered but sturdy cord – and
set it in his hand. “Will you take this? So you may keep something of me. Perhaps, if rebirth is true, for me to find you again as well.”
He
touched the smooth surface and smiled with a nod. “Of course,
milady. I’ll take it with much fondness.” Kali undid the headband
wrapped around his forehead and carefully tied back her hair with it. “So long as you take this of me.”
Runa
nodded with a broken sigh, burying her face in his chest as the embarrassing
tears started to swell. Kali soothed her to sleep, wishing her pleasant last
dreams, his chest pounding erratically as he climbed through the window when
hearing the footsteps in the hall. Runa’s treasure about his neck, he tucked
the stone under his shirt, surprised, however, to see his hand shaking
slightly.
“…who
doesn’t want to avoid death?”
You are right, my dear Runa, he thought
ruefully, the door to his cell coming open and his feet walking without
prompting. It seems even I wanted to
avoid death, as you. But like you, this is a fate I cannot escape…
* * *
In the
early January morning of 1693, as the nooses were set and the convicted lined
side by side for execution along the high-set bar, Runa’s last sight was not of
the sunrise as she had thought, but of Kali’s broken and blood crusted body,
now flat from the stones, being pulled from the pit. Pressed to death, just
meters from where she was eventually hung, his headband in her hair, she caught
the glimmer of light off her necklace about his neck before her world went dark
and the pain just eased away.
Neither
ever knew that only one other execution came after that fateful day before
ending the witch hunt that had cost so many, freeing the many who had been
accused of witchcraft in the early months of 1693.
Part
2
1878
BANG!
CRACK!
The
bottle in Runa’s hand dropped as she jumped – or rather, fell to the floor. When she was sure no further shots would be
fired from anywhere, she slowly
peered over the bar in the saloon and glanced at the table now short a player. Damn it, not again!
“Try and
hustle me,” huffed the cowboy twirling his gun right back into his holster.
“You figure nothing else from one of damn Murphy’s men.”
“You
could’ve waited until we finished the hand,” the cowboy’s friend laughed, not
sounding at all mad as he set down his cards. “I had a good one, Kid.”
Billy
the Kid – The Kid – shrugged. “I
didn’t. Neither would he if the varmint hadn’t had that ace up his sleeve.”
“Amateur
trick,” Runa muttered, irate at having to clean up after yet another one of the
poor souls stupid enough to try and cheat at cards with Billy the Kid. “Don’t
they know not to play you of all
people by now? You with the damned
third eye when it comes to cards, Billy?”
The man
barely older then her flashed Runa a kind smile most would find strange. For
such a person with a ruthless reputation, Billy the Kid was quite charming. Mannerly too. He tipped his hat to her as she scowled – only
Runa the saloon girl ever dared to scowl at The Kid. “You give such scum too
much credit, my dear.” He kissed the back of her hand and asked with his face
so close to hers, “Are we still on for later?”
“Like
every past week since I’ve been here.” She smiled and ignored his friend’s
irritating grin that was nothing less then perverted. “So long as I’m not
getting shot at, that is.”
“I
guarantee no harm shall befall you because of me.” He flashed that grin again
before turning back to his friend. “Now where can we find another man to fill
the empty chair?”
“Mind if
I do?” some other man asked, and Runa left as she saw Billy motion to the seat.
A full card table once again, the just murdered cheater completely ignored.
Runa
hauled the body out back with a grumble. Damn, but she hated when The Kid did
that. She’d only been here a few months, but it’d become clear Billy just shot
down any varmint who dared to try and cheat him at cards. Ruthless he might be,
but The Kid valued fair play in cards. Nothing was fair about cards up the
sleeve.
It was a
pretty amateurish trick against someone as damn naturally good at gambling as
Billy the Kid, too. Just for the underestimation of his opponent, Runa figured
the man was better off dead. In this day and age, underestimating an opponent
would mean the death of you. She’d learned that fast enough from watching Billy
when he came into the saloon.
Washing
her hands of the blood in the water bin out back, Runa looked at the darkening
sky with a groan. She had to go join the other girls and get ready. It was
degrading prancing around in those horribly skimpy outfits with feathers and
stuff, but at least she didn’t have to sell herself like the others. Runa
thanked whatever powers that be that she’d met BILLY instead of someone else that first night. He had as much
interest in scoring with her as she had of sleeping with any man for money. He
staked his claim for her, however, and no one else could buy her services for
fear of him gunning them down. He’d done it as a favor that night because he’d
taken a liking to her. That made the saloon’s keeper unhappy, but he let her
work other jobs to earn her keep instead.
Like dragging out Billy’s victim’s bodies.
Going up
the stairs to the second floor where all the girl’s rooms were, Runa went to
hers and locked the door behind her. They were small rooms with just a bed,
table, and a small bedside stand with an oil lamp on top. It was all crammed
with little space to walk. A mirror hung on the wall, and Runa dressed herself
in the outfit on her bed with her eyes screwed shut. Crap, how the hell was she
expected to squeeze into the monstrosity…?
When the
sky grew dark outside her window, Runa heard the opening and shutting of doors
and the start of music on the piano. The girls were beginning, but Runa
wouldn’t join them. Her routine was different from the rest.
The
knock came in another 5 minutes and without waiting for it to open or for her
to answer, Billy came strolling in, tucking his money
away and tossing his hat to the side without a care. His hair was naturally
disarrayed all the time, and it shifted from the wind the shutting door
created.
“Did you
see that guy who replaced the Murphy lackey? Doesn’t cheat for nothing – smart
man – but can’t play cards worth a spit.” He held up half the bills he had in
his pocket. “This alone from the few hands we played.”
Billy
promptly took half that wad and stuck it down her front.
She
tensed with outrage. “Hey!”
“I
actually feel guilty if I keep it all,” he snorted. “Take it and buy something
for yourself. A decent set of clothes, maybe, since you detest these get ups so
much.” Kicking back along her bed, arms behind his head, Billy arched an
eyebrow and said as an after thought, “Personally, I see nothing wrong with
it.”
“Don’t
go there, Kid.” She glared at him soundly, scowling when he laughed. Sitting on
the edge of her bed by his feet (de-booted, of course), Runa counted the bills
and sighed, “Well, geeze, how much did this lout lose?”
“A
couple hundred,” Billy told her with the devil’s twinkle in his eyes.
She knew
that glint.
Runa
decided she didn’t want to know how many a ‘couple’
was as she got out the drinks. “Come on, Kid, you promised me another card
lesson and a rematch.”
Unhooking
his collar, Billy’s grin was almost feral as he sauntered on over to the table.
“Alright, but remember: you asked me for it.”
* * *
Kali was
not amused.
Well, he
conceded, maybe he was a little
amused by the skimpy costumes of the girls performing. And a little aroused,
too, but these blundering drunken fools rather ruined it for him. And they got the girls. Handsome they may
not be, but with that much money waving in their faces, he doubted the women
cared.
Well, it
was just as well. He didn’t need to wake up tomorrow tied to some gold bed
post, stripped of everything (clothes included) and bared to the wind.
Not that
it’d happened before – oh no. He’d just heard. And his money?
Well, the woman had a debt to him. It was not
hot money.
Not.
…Well,
maybe some. Just a little.
“How are
you, stranger?” a real southern bell drawled as she flirted up to him. Kali
smiled, opening his mouth to say something when he looked past her to the
second floor.
Well,
hot damn. They did have things
hidden.
At first
glance there was nothing special about the ash haired girl. Her costume was
actually tamer then the rest, and her physical assets were no less stunning
then the rest. She had nothing that should’ve even grabbed his attention. But she did, and he dismissed the southern
belle who would’ve probably put out if he did with a pretty chunk of change.
Forget southern sweets; he wanted that.
But
wasn’t that the Kid, speaking with her intimately before he left? Well, hell,
it figured she’d be claimed. He just hadn’t figured on it being by the Kid
himself. Anyone else he might’ve fancied fighting with, but the Kid? Certain death.
Oh, but how she seemed to
glide down those steps. She looked like royalty, and Kali couldn’t tear his
eyes away. Such a beautiful thing. People parted for
her like magic, it seemed – a perk of being the Kid’s ‘girl’, perhaps.
Maybe it
would be worth it. Sure, he’d die at the hands of the notoriously ruthless Kid
himself, but damn, did she affect him. Or was it all the rounds he’d had…all
the liquor he’d consumed tonight? Either way, he was affected alright.
“Ms.
Runa!” someone shouted in a drunken slur, and he saw her tense and pick up pace
just slightly. She obviously wanted to get away from whoever it was.
Runa…why
did that sound familiar? Ran nicely over his tongue, though.
Without even thinking he got up and followed her, staying in the shadows as she
went outside and started dragging…something. Curiosity piqued, Kali followed at
a distance, arching an eyebrow when he caught a glimpse at what it was in the
light of her torch that she held. A dead BODY?
“Don’t
stand there gawking,” he heard Runa say, obviously irritated at being followed.
“Either you go squeal to Murphy or you come help me dig.”
Kali had
no idea who Murphy was, but he had a feeling it might’ve been that man from
before – the one who’d called her as she went out. “What if I want to do
neither?”
She
turned to him, slowly, her crystal gaze sharp and clear. “Then I will toss you
into this pit with this dead fool. Do you help, squeal, or join him in the
dirt, kind sir?”
Well,
gee, that was sure a tough choice. He picked up her shovel and dug. Then he
helped her toss him in and cover him, too, and quite cheerfully let her lead
him up to her room in the saloon. Well, didn’t that just beat all? Kindness
really did pay off.
“So
why,” Runa said casually once the doors were shut tight, “did you help me, sir?
Murphy certainly would’ve rewarded you largely to be told I was burying one of
his men.”
“What
did the poor sap do, anyway?” he couldn’t help asking.
“Tried
to cheat at cards with Billy,” she said simply.
“He
deserves to be dead if he’s dumb enough to try and swindle him,” Kali snorted.
He’d only played with him one night and he knew as much by the end of hand one.
A tiny
smile cracked her face. “My thoughts exactly.”
“As for
why I assisted you…I don’t know.” It was the truth, too. He’d known he’d
probably get a good sum if he told someone of what she was doing. Kali also
knew she probably hadn’t been kidding about him joining the idiot they’d just
finished burying. He of all men knew just how formidable women could be
regardless of appearances.
“I owe
you, I suppose,” she frowned, pouring him a drink – from habit he guessed. He
hadn’t asked her for one, though he was
a bit parched. “Is there something I could do for you to thank you, sir?”
Well,
this was something. Kali could say
the obvious, but why did he get the feeling she’d slap him if he said it?
Instead, considering his options, he grinned, quite jovially, and told her, “A
kiss from the lips of such a beautiful woman would be nice.”
Runa’s
face screwed up so tight he was glad he hadn’t asked what he’d originally
thought to say. She’d have killed him for sure, by either her own or the Kid’s
hands. “There are women down stairs who would gladly do so for you – all much
more experienced then me, kind sir. I’m afraid I could not do so.”
“But not
for free,” he informed, and he saw her twitch in admission. He was right, of
course. “And no other caught my eye,” he felt compelled to add, smiling his
disarming smile.
She
blinked once, then twice and a third – was she honestly that surprised? “There
are others down in the saloon much more beautiful and better endowed then me,
good sir.”
“True,”
he conceded, “but for one reason or another you appeal far more then the rest.”
Well,
didn’t she just look pretty blushing so darkly? Kali smiled in satisfaction,
leaning forward on his arm that was lying on her table. “My
request, beautiful lady?” He tipped up the brim of his hat, his
twinkling eyes shining in amusement. He’d never met such a funny young thing.
Runa’s
eyes slid away, gazing off to the side as her lips thinned tightly. She was
grasping at straws. “I have never kissed anyone before; I do not know how to do
it.”
Surprising
as it was (she was damn beautiful after all – how could that be?), Kali refused
to desist. “Wouldn’t you care to change that then, little lady?”
“It
would not be good.” Now she was picking at hairs – pretty desperate.
His grin
was about as wide as it could possibly go. “I would not mind.”
“May I
know your name first?” Now she was stalling, and Kali inwardly laughed loudly.
“Whatever for?”
She
shrugged, embarrassed at not being able to come up with a reason. “I’d feel
better about it if I at least knew your name.”
Why not
humor her? It was quite fun watching her delay what he’d inevitably get. Taking
off his hat, he took her hand and kissed it, grinning. “My name is Kali, little
lady. I come from a place called
“A soldier?” Runa asked, looking honestly interested.
“In a manner of speaking.” It was true, too – he wasn’t really a soldier. He had done his fair
share of fighting for some soldiers there, though. “I am a drifter and happen
to have been staying there for a while. I have some friends there now, so I
have some roots planted there you
could say.”
“Where
have you seen?” She sat across from him, her eyes wide and intrigued.
How
could he resist? The stories came tumbling out easily, eager to be told to such
a captivated audience. Her distraction to delay the fulfillment of his request
lasted quite a few hours, not what he’d intended at all, and when he was done
relaying stories Kali shook his head amusedly. “I do admit, I admire your
cunning – you have delayed my request successfully for a good 5 hours.”
Her
smile in return was slightly coquettish. “Are you mad with cunning ole me,
Kali?”
“Oddly,
no, not even a bit frustrated.” It was a surprising change – normally he would
be. “But I would still like to collect on my favor for helping you before.”
“I meant
what I said,” Runa muttered, eyes down to the floor. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Then
allow me to show you,” he offered, and smiled when she nodded. A girl of her
word she was, Runa declared, and he stood from his chair and came closer, his
lips moving slowly to taste hers.
She
tensed tighter then a bull ready to charge and Kali smiled before going west
and kissing her cheek.
Runa
blinked up at him, confused, as he pulled away. “What…?”
“I will
collect a real kiss another day, perhaps more,” Kali smirked, quite enjoying
her suddenly flustered face, “but for now that will do; your word was kept and
my request fulfilled.”
It
probably pained her to ask, but he heard her say, confused and curious, “If you
don’t mind my asking, why?”
With the
sexiest of grins, Kali looked over his shoulder, plopping his hat back on his
head as he opened her door to leave. “I most definitely wish to show you how –
believe me, I do. But when I do you will want my touch; not feel obligated to
put up with it.”
Kali
turned and got one foot out the door before he felt her tug on his shirt.
As he
turned around to see what she wanted, his
eyes widened slightly and blinked as Runa kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” she
whispered gratefully with a small smile, and then, seemingly on impulse, leaned
over and kissed the other. “And welcome to
Welcome
to
* * *
Lying in
her bed, face buried in her pillow as she crawled in to go sleep, Runa was
still remembering the softness of his skin when she’d kissed Kali on his cheeks
last night as he’d left. What had possessed her to do such a thing? Honestly,
she’d never done something so bold before.
Runa had
to admit, she liked the guy. He was fun and certainly all male, but quite kind.
He’d let her stall and delay kissing him with a smile on his face before
cashing in his favor, only to walk away with a kiss to his cheeks instead.
Now,
Runa was not dense in the least – she knew he wanted a kiss on his lips but he’d
been kind and settled for less. He wouldn’t leave it there, either, if what she
guessed about him were true. And if she were honest, Runa had to admit it
didn’t scare her all that much when she thought about it. It made her downright
giddy.
Sighing
with a smile, her nose twitched as she got a whiff of smoke in her nose. One of the bad points of living in the saloon’s upstairs – the
smoke. Runa hated the smoke. It bothered her nose like nothing else. But
she was just so tired…she’d complain about it later.
“RUNA!”
Drowsily,
Runa groaned as she stirred awake and hacked as she got a lung full of smoke. What the hell…? Opening her eyes, she
shrieked at the room full of heavy smoke that greeted her. “Oh SHIT!”
She
barely missed getting nailed by her door as it was kicked off its hinges. It
was then she saw the inferno outside, and Runa barely managed to see the women
scrambling out among the hot and scalding red-orange flames. Consumed in smoke
and a fit of pained coughs, her chest hurt from all her hacking and her head
was hurting like hell. This smoke is
making me dizzy and the burning wood gives me a headache…
“Damn, I
didn’t think you were one to be slow,” what sounded like Kali hissed, a wet
cloth shoved over her mouth as she was swept off her feet and carried out. Runa
felt each step as they descended to the first floor, followed by the crash of a
falling beam and his quite loud and foul expletive. Flames nipped at Runa’s
feet and it was so intense it was hard not to pass out, her head still drowsy and
pounding like hell.
“If you
know another way,” she heard him mutter, his voice muffled by his own cloth, no
doubt, “I would much appreciate you telling me. The main entrance is blocked
and we have about 3 more minutes before we become barbeque.”
Another way? Runa
forced her headache to the back of her mind, thinking of the layout of the
saloon in her mind. “The store room,” she mumbled into his ear. He was off as
she told him and pointed out the hidden trap door in the floor.
Down she
went and then he followed, taking her up in his arms again once they were
sealed in and walking the tunnel below, the shabby wood frames spotted with
unlit lamps.
“Where
does this go?” His voice was much clearer now – definitely Kali.
“Next
door to the inn,” she coughed, the fresh air making her hack. How long had she
been asleep in the fire? “We’ll come up in the back office.”
“Right.” He pretty much lifted her up through the door and
through the trap door, hidden by the large rug on the office’s floor. Once he
was through, Kali fell back on the floor beside her, wincing, she noticed, from
burns he’d gotten. “How did you know that was there?”
“I know
all escape routes,” Runa laughed, turning onto her side and hacking. Oh, hell,
her throat hurt; nearly as much as her head! “How did you know I was there…?”
“I asked
when they cleared out the inn – I’m staying here.” He motioned to the emptied
inn around them.
“No one
else came for me.” It was a wry statement, punctuated by the rueful curl of her
lips. “They would’ve left me to die.”
“I
didn’t,” he reminded gently but firmly, “and wouldn’t.”
“Why?”
“I don’t
know.”
They
stayed there, reclining in silence, the pains slowly subsiding and his feet
still hanging into the tunnel below. It was how the owner found him when the
fire was out, the inn deemed safe for the occupants to return.
“You
sleep like a damned rock,” Billy scoffed, irritated beyond words when he
visited Runa in the inn where the doc had ordered her to stay for the night.
She was in Kali’s room, said man having taken the floor like a gentleman. “Damn
fool woman!”
She
watched him pace the floor with large strides, her normal attitude back at full
force. “Oh shut up…Now what did you do? I heard disturbing rumors of why that
fire started, Billy. They say Murphy did it because he heard people there were
helping you.”
The
Kid’s face was hard and he growled something foul. “One of his men saw you bury
that hustling fool.”
She
exhaled loudly. “I knew someone would see eventually. It’s not like I can bury
the men very quickly by myself.” She turned as the door to the room opened,
Kali coming in and another good looking man, well dressed, followed. “Hello.
Who are you?”
“Alexander
McSween.” He smiled a kind smile that made her return
the gesture on a smaller scale. “I’m a friend of Billy there.”
“Oh, the lawyer.” She nodded her head in recognition. “Nice to finally meet you. But I always pictured someone who
looked a bit more like Satan.”
Billy
turned his head to the side and snorted. Kali coughed and refused to comment,
his lip twitching.
McSween just smiled kindly. “Sorry to disappoint you Miss
Runa.”
She eyed
him slowly. “Not a disappointment at all, rest assured Mr. McSween.”
His
smile widened. “Well thank you, and please call me Alex. Billy tells me you are
out of work. I came to ask if you might want to work for me at my home.” He
grinned sheepishly as he admitted, “I’m afraid I have no time as of late to
tend to such small matters as cleaning and what not, nor has Susan been feeling
well enough to do it all alone.”
Runa
resisted the urge to snort at the understatement. From what she heard, ‘busy’ didn’t come close to describing
Billy’s ‘gang’ as of late. “That’s
mighty kind of you – yes, I am out of a job since I can’t dare go back to the
saloon. I’d like it very much, if it would not trouble you, Alex.”
“No
trouble at all; it would be my pleasure.” Tipping his hat, he bent and kissed
her hand before smiling at her warmly. “I will come tomorrow and bring you to
my home then.”
“He’s a
good man,” Billy noted once McSween had up and left.
“You’ll like it.”
“You
asked him to take me on,” she accused fondly, and he shrugged noncommittally.
“I broke
my promise to you,” he grumbled in irritation, glaring out the room window.
“No, you
didn’t,” she grinned, “you promised I wouldn’t be shot at because of you and I
wasn’t. They tried to burn me alive. The promise didn’t cover that.”
Billy
grunted and muttered something inaudible, turning to look at Kali who stared
back at him, unblinking. “I owe you, stranger, for saving her life. I’m rather
fond of Runa, so I am glad she is safe.”
“I’m
fond of her myself; there’s no need to thank me.” Kali grinned slightly, his
hands shoved into his pockets.
“You
ever need anything,” he persisted, getting up to go, “just ask me.”
Kali
blinked, surprised. “Alright…thank you.”
“It’s I
who needs to thank you.” Then Billy
was gone too, no doubt to retaliate.
Runa
sank into her bed for the night with a groan. “He’ll be the death of me.”
“Undoubtedly.” Kali kept his eyes on the shut door with a
blink. “He thinks highly of you.”
Runa
shrugged. “I’m straight with him. Not many are anymore since they fear him.”
“And you
don’t?”
“I don’t
fear much, let alone Billy.” She turned and looked at him as Kali stared at
her, a weird expression on his face. It wasn’t anger, but almost looked
somewhat similar. Stormy. “What?”
“Nothing.” He got up and went to go change behind the
dressing screen in the corner.
“That
look wasn’t nothing,” she stated quite firmly, sure of her deduction. “It meant
something or else it wouldn’t have been so intense.”
“You’re
very annoying; do you know that?” He came out in just some baggy pants,
obviously old and well worn with rips in the knees.
“So I’ve
heard.” She wasn’t deterred in the slightest.
“…I’m a
bit…jealous,” he finally said with a shrug that contradicted his statement. “I
wasn’t aware you two were so…close.”
“Billy’s
kind to me; teaches me to play cards.” Runa looked confused as she stared at
him oddly. “I don’t fancy him, if that’s what you think.”
“None of
my business,” he shrugged, settling in along the side of the bed.
“It’s
not,” she confirmed, “but I want you to understand that.”
A smile
tugged at his lips as he bent his head back to look at her. “Why is that?”
She
looked down at him blankly. “I don’t know; I just do.”
Kali
smiled, long and leisurely, as he watched her face flame seven shades of pink.
“I’m flattered you find me important enough to tell.”
“I just
don’t want you misunderstanding anything,” she huffed, crossing her arms and
glaring at him. She didn’t like that look he was wearing – not one bit. It made
a chill shoot through her spine and something in her pulse speed up. Nothing
she could recall feeling in her lifetime. Leaning over so they were nose to
nose, she scowled, “Don’t go misinterpreting things. Billy’s like a brother to
me.”
“A
potentially dangerous brother,” he reminded gently with what could only be a
fond smile.
Though
the expression certainly confused
her, Runa didn’t bother retorting his statement. Billy was a dangerous guy to think of like that. To be close to The Kid
meant you were subject to harassment. But Runa liked Billy, and nothing would
make her not be his friend. Staring
into liquid blue eyes that seemed to have darkened, Runa ignored the running
water she could hear in her head and tried to slow down her speeding pulse.
She
would’ve succeeded, too, if it weren’t for Kali.
She’d
been leaning forward, nose to nose, so it hadn’t taken more then a simple tug
with his arm that he brought up to curl about her neck. With a gentle motion
he’d brought his lips to hers, gentle and soft but slightly demanding. They
nipped at her lips, and Runa could feel her head spin slightly from the
feelings the man was making her feel.
However
long they were there, Runa didn’t know, but she did know she made a
disappointed sound when Kali eventually pulled away looking more then a little
mind-whacked.
“Goodnight,
Runa,” he muttered, quickly settling back and bundling up in a blanket.
She stared
at his head before settling in for sleep as well, a hand to her lips as she
flushed just slightly. “Goodnight to you as well, Kali.”
Though I doubt I’ll get any sleep at all
now, thanks to you…
* * *
Runa bit back the surprised yelp as
the window just inches from her head shattered. It’d been the only damn panel not broken yet, but any hope of it
surviving this gun fight was now shot to pieces by the rifle bullet that was
now lodged in the McSween’s kitchen wall.
“Stay
down, woman!”
Kali
gave the man beside him a glare that made him pale. “Don’t talk to her like
that and keep shooting at those idiots, damn it.” When he hastily did so,
ignoring Runa with just a grumble, Kali took a shot from where he was on the
other side of the window and smiled when he ducked back, “Ignore him.”’
“Like I
can do anything else?” she scowled, and he laughed before quickly moving to the
window and firing another 3 rounds before coming back again to avoid getting
hit.
It was
irritating, this fight. For close to three days now, siege upon McSween’s by Murphy’s men went on, Kali among the “Night
Men” since he had better night vision then some. Billy was a “Day Man”, but she
doubted he slept more then an hour or two before going back to the windows
again. Susan McSween was somewhere hidden with her
husband in the house (Alex was a lawyer, after all, and not nearly as useful a
shot), and despite protests from both Kali and the men in general, Runa hadn’t
joined them. Something inside her said she needed to be here. Despite the danger, her place should be here.
“Go,”
Billy said as he pressed against the wall beside Kali as rays of sunlight began
peeking over the horizon. “Rest up. I’ll take over this spot.”
Wordlessly,
he did as asked, crouching and joining her in the private corner she stayed in
when she wasn’t preparing easy breakfasts for them.
Without
even a word he kissed her, long and frustrated but no less wonderful then the
others he’d steal when he was relieved. Kali seemed to do it more often lately,
Runa had to note with a smile. She really couldn’t truthfully say she minded
it. He kissed just so nice.
“I wish
you would join McSween and his wife.” They were
always the first words from the gunslinger’s mouth when he stopped and pulled
away just slightly. One arm was lazily draped around her shoulders as they
ducked down, the gunfire loud and obtrusive yet seemingly unheard.
“Over my
dead body,” she scowled. “I’m staying right here with you and Billy. Someone
needs to keep an eye on you reckless gunslingers.” She poked an old injury –
where he was grazed on the arm by a bullet – to prove it.
“One
error,” he grunted.
“One
error too many,” she just grunted right back. Where stubbornness was concerned,
they both were on even ground.
As
usual, however, he tried once more. “It’s dangerous for you, Runa, who knows
nothing about firing a gun.”
Again,
as usual, Runa rebuked him quite squarely. “I do not have to fire a gun to be
helpful. I make sure the gunman down here have ammunition ready to fire and food
to eat as they stand ground at their posts.”
Wisely,
perhaps, Kali just let it drop with a sigh and pulled her close. “You’re
insufferable, you realize…?”
Runa
just shrugged and grinned, simply content to be in his arms. Kali was always so
much more pleasant when he shut his mouth.
Kali
awoke to the yelling of McSween, his voice talking to
some official once he was able to make out a little of what they were saying.
Runa was still where he remembered her – in his arms, held close – and was
listening closely to the unfair words. It wasn’t them who started the fight. Murphy’s men had started firing on the
home first! And Kali would be a poor man if he allowed them to shoot at Runa.
It was 5 times too many that she’d nearly gotten hit, the dummy. “When did the
cavalry come in?”
“A few minutes ago.” Hesitantly, she stood, stretching her
body that, for a few pleasurable moments, he watched with intent fascination.
Such a nice body, she had. Sure, she was short, but so was he compared to men
his age. And she was perfectly proportioned which was all that really mattered.
The disarrayed ash black hair was just so silky smooth, and Kali didn’t even
let himself think about those crystal blue eyes. They made him start thinking
poetic stuff that made him cringe. He was no
poet. Runa just made him think or do crazy things like that.
With
cautious movements she walked a little along the house floor, though he tensed
without realizing every time she was in the window line of sight. Kali noticed
with a frown that she kept staring out one in particular, and she moved closer
to one, his heart pounding harder with each step screaming “STOP!”
It just
all went to hell from there.
The
cavalry left, but he saw the flames of a fire at the back of the house at the
same time he saw the blood dripping on the floor and the knife shoved into
Runa’s side. Her screams seemed to shatter something in him, shaking his entire
being to the core. Without thinking he drew her back to him, cursing Murphy’s
men as Billy became aware of this, too, and murder flashed in his eyes.
The Kid
was not happy.
The fire
was spreading quickly. McSween being who he was, he
grabbed a bible from a nearby table and held it up as he walked out front,
hoping to settle this as the cavalry wanted – peacefully. No more gunfire. The
firing of rounds and the sickeningly loud thump outside that followed made
their answer pretty obvious. You’ll have
to fight through us or burn to death.
“They
were setting it on fire,” she hissed, her eyes burning as powerfully as the
flames were now. Some fools tried to run, but they were shot down before they
even left the porch. “It hurts, Kali…the bastard saw me and stabbed me.”
Billy
was at her side by now, checking the wound and muttering curses the whole time.
When he finished, he looked up and spoke to him squarely. “Kali?”
“Yeah?” He only half acknowledged him, his focus on the
blood gushing from the wound.
“I need
some favors from you.” His eyes and tone were so serious, Kali stared at him
fully, attention caught. Leaning forward to his ear, the Kid said so Runa
couldn’t hear, “First, I need you to save her one more time…”
“Of course.” His answer didn’t even need thinking – it was
reflex for him, it seemed. It was a little disconcerting, but Kali pushed it
away to think about later.
“I also
need…” He glanced at Runa who was clenching her eyes shut and gritting her
teeth in pain. Kali saw a flash of sadness, but mostly what seemed like regret
in his dark eyes. “Make her happy.”
He
paused at this momentarily before he could answer. “If we can
get out of here alive.”
A small
smile crept up the Kid’s lips. “Good, then this is what we’re going to do…”
He was
lightheaded and woozy, but he was alive for now. Kali kept that thought in his
mind as he lay on the ground, bloody and hole punched but alive with Runa by him. She was as bad as he was having been
carried out in his arms behind a gun-shooting Billy for cover, but they still
didn’t get away entirely unscathed. One man could only dodge and block so many
bullets.
His body
was so numb…he wanted to sleep…but Runa wasn’t awake yet and Kali had so much
to say…
By a
pure stroke of good fortune (a little late, but good fortune never the less,
however much of a double-sided blade it was) he saw her eyes flutter, the pain
so apparent in them once they opened he briefly wished she’d shut them again.
The usually clear gaze was glazed over, and he could tell he was losing her. Or
was his vision just getting blurry?
He didn’t know. Kali just reached a hand for her, and wordlessly he felt her
gently pull his head into her lap. Sticky in her own blood and in pain, she was
still the most stunning of sights to him.
I would’ve spent the rest of my life with her. It was the only clear thing in his
mind at the moment. Something about Runa, the insufferable woman with the
disconcerting eyes, made him crazy. Every inch of him couldn’t stand being
without her at least near.
“Why,” she started quietly, “does it
feel I’ve been here before…?” Her voice was so breathy it would almost be sexy
if he couldn’t hear the pain in it. I’ll
lose her soon. She’s leaving me.
“I don’t
know; you tell me.” He could hear his own shallow tone and it made something
tighten in his chest. I’ll leave her even
sooner.
A dry
chuckle bubbled from her throat, accompanied by a little blood that she spit
out to the side. The sight made him angry even as he felt his mind slipping
away. “What…can I do?”
Kali
understood her partially unsaid question. What
can I do for you before you go? “Hold me,” he whispered, unable to speak
louder anymore as she blurred more. He wanted to yell for it to stop, for him
to be able to see her clearly once more, but Kali knew well enough that it
would be pointless. Hold me as if you
loved me like I think I might love you…
“Regrets?”
Breathing seemed to be harder for Runa, her voice softer too as she asked him
yet another partially said question. Do
you regret anything?
His
final words slipped out as his mind completely shut down. “I can’t hold you as
you hold me now…”
He never
realized she slipped away as he spoke his final words, so lovingly, to her.
Part
3
1912
“YOU
CAN NOT BE SERIOUS!”
Regrettably,
as it happened, she was, and Runa Van Darling couldn’t help but want to cry as
the corset was yanked until she could no longer breathe without pain. “Ellie!”
The girl
causing her distress, a fairly good acquaintance of hers, gave her a hapless
look. “I’m sorry Runa, but you know how Lady Chesterton is. She’ll bite off my
ear if she sees it was done sloppily.”
Runa
muttered foul things no lady should know, but Ellie remained unfazed and simply
continued with her work. More then Runa hated the dresses she was forced to
wear she hated the damn corset that
went under. Wasn’t the fact that she let them pull and tug and tie her hair
into on of those ridiculously elaborate styles enough? No, unfortunately, and
Runa cursed – loudly – as something definitely cracked. “ELLIE!”
“All
done,” she announced, too cheerfully for Runa’s taste, so she scowled at the
girl who again remained un-wavered by the death glare sent her way. She held up
her dress now, a light blue satin thing that fell to the floor in draping
layers and would follow her around with a foot long tail.
Runa
cringed and yet again cursed the vile thing’s creator as she glared at the
ceiling. WHY?!
Much as
she loved Josephina Van Darling, her mother, Lady Chesterton, was just too damn
uptight to be healthy. At least, that was Runa’s opinion ever since she’d been
taken in. She’d grown up abandoned in one of those old warehouses that leaked,
huddled with a dozen or so others and splitting pieces of bread. But then that
one day Josephina happened to come along, walking among the homeless and giving
out food for the holiday. She still had no idea what the woman with the big
heart saw in her, but she’d brought her home, dressed her, and declared she
would be her very own daughter.
How
could she turn down an offer like that?
But damn,
what a nuisance these dresses were. Every year at Christmas Josephina had a
party, though, and Runa made it a habit to at least attend that. Josephina, after all, never minded that she never went to any
of the others. She never spoke a word and was always so pleased that she at
least attended this. Christmas, after all, was her holiday to give joy. It was the least Runa could do since the
holiday was so important to her. The only important one, it seemed.
“Come on
now,” cajoled Ellie, looking perfectly at ease. She remained oblivious to
Runa’s obvious discomfort.
“Sure,
sure…” sighed the girl. With one last glance at her mirror, her ash black hair
curled and done up, Runa cringed one last time before screwing on a smile and
descending the spiraling steps with Ellie leading first. It is for Josephina who I owe – only for Josephina.
The
moment she saw the crowds though and the attention naturally beautiful Ellie
drew, Runa contemplated just running back upstairs and barricading her door.
She was in no mood to deal with so many young men, all hands and no soul, but
it seemed the entire ground floor of Josephina’s home was littered with them. For Josephina, she thought as they began
flocking to them (Ellie, actually, she was relieved to note), and was mildly
relieved to only have to deal with one.
But that
one was trouble enough for 20.
“Wallace,”
she smiled, straining not to hit him as he touched her arm. For one reason or
another, Wallace Hanesly seemed to think he had some sort of ‘claim’ on her. A persistent lout but
the son of Josephina’s closest friend and thus not someone she should wallop. Smile, smile, SMILE.
“How are you?”
“Much
better now that I have seen you.” It was such a sweet thing to say, but with
the way he said and with that gleam in his eye, it made Runa run cold.
With
harshly practiced patience – she’d asked Ellie to near beat that into her
soundly as it was not something naturally in her when men were concerned – Runa
smiled at him tightly. Go away, she
prayed, let me go help the staff or
something. Josephina never asks I play hostess at these things. At least she gets that I don’t feel comfortable at these
darn things. “Thank you Wallace, that is very kind of you.” GO AWAY so I can regurgitate you bloody damn
fool!
“Ah!”
someone shouted beside them and they both jumped a mile apart (nothing but good
fortune in that, Runa cheered). Smiling
eyes and a slightly cocky grin on a youthful face met hers in befuddling
delight. “I was looking all over for you, dear Runa! How mean for you to get
lost on me.”
Runa
could only just stare, for the moment bemused at what to do. She caught on
quickly as the glint in his eyes shifted, and a wide smile broke out as if she
were just so happy to see the handsome stranger. “Why of course, I’m so sorry,
but this crowd is so tough…I do apologize, darling Kali, for losing you so.”
For a
moment he was genuinely surprised – and for that matter, so was she. Was that
his name? She supposed it was if his shock had anything to do with it. But he
recuperated quickly, and slightly angry Wallace looked red in the neck. “So you
remembered my name,” he spoke softly, a smile touching his lips. “I’m honored.”
“My mind
is not that shot,” she huffed. Runa whacked him on the arm, glaring at him
indignant.
It was
near damn impossible to remain so straight-faced until Wallace took his leave,
obviously irritated.
Runa broke out laughing. She cared
not that she was leaning on the stranger, Kali, who’d just saved her butt from
a night’s worth of grief.
What was
it, Kali had to laugh, was it about him that went for the strange ones? By far
Josephina’s girl was the strangest yet, laughing like a loon even after a good
hour had passed since toad-faced Hanesly had left, irate. Yet another enemy,
probably, but he didn’t really all that mind. The girl, Runa, had seemed pretty
damn desperate to be rid of the toad. He would, too, if he’d been stared at the
way the toad stared at her. It’d irritated him for some reason when he’d caught
sight of them.
But how
had she known his name? He certainly wasn’t that
infamous. OK, so he’d made his way through most of the ladies of
“You are alright, are you not?” he asked once
they were outside, taking in the scenic view from the home’s grand porch. It
was strung with lights and surrounded by the beautiful garden as far as could
be seen. A most spectacular sight to behold and a good place to seduce if she
weren’t still laughing like a hyena.
“I’m so
sorry,” she chortled. “I just can’t help myself. His expression was priceless!”
That was
certainly true.
Kali’s lip quirked. “You enjoy flustering people so?”
It was
her turn to pause and flush pink. “Well, I suppose…”
“Such a
charming girl you are,” he smiled and watched in mute satisfaction as she
relaxed and watched him cautiously through her lashes. They weren’t plucked or
touched at all, left natural and almost unseen, actually, and it made her look
so refreshingly nice. Kali didn’t all
that like the girls who primped with rouge and all that junk. He rather liked
the natural look, though it was rare to find one such as Josephina’s daughter
who didn’t.
He
smiled as she waved and bid him a farewell, something about her just calling to
him even as she disappeared from his sight. Kali ignored it, pushing it aside,
as Louis Hanesly, Wallace’s newest step-brother, came up and slammed him on the
back.
Kali
himself nearly fell straight into a bowl of punch head first, and he fisted his
hand, counting to ten. I will not kill
him – he is my friend. Louis is the ONLY person I have even close to that.
“Yo, James!” His grin was jovial, but something in his tone
made Kali pause in his desire to strangle him to death. “Was that Ms. Van
Darling’s girl? Don’t tell me you’re going after her now you old wolf.”
21 and
virile, Kali rather considered himself young.
The old part irked him, but he ignored it…FOR
NOW. “What’s wrong if I may?” Which
isn’t completely a lie…she’s certainly got a body.
“She’s
common, man,” he said, as if it explained it all. “She was a gutter kid taken
in. Your old man will have a fit.”
Kali’s
snort was nothing short of derisive. “I could utterly care less you old goat.”
He laughed mentally in satisfaction as he saw Louis’s eyes narrow in irritation
at the ‘old goat’ bit. “He has no
say. Who I chase after and who I don’t concerns no one but me and the little
pretty whose beauty happened to catch my fancy.”
Louis
regarded him strangely before shrugging. “So I take it you will want two.” He held up some tickets and Kali arched an eyebrow
at them curiously. “I got them for that new boat that’s setting sail in
April…you know, the Titanic? Take her along – they say it’ll have a good
atmosphere.”
Kali
pocketed them and shrugged. “We’ll see, but thanks.” Glancing to the right, he
saw 3 beauties, straight ahead, approaching him with one of them being the Van
Darling child. Good day so far…good day…
It was not a good day when Ellie arrived. Nor
was it any better with the new one, Fiona, standing there staring at him
strangely.
But it
was Ellie Horton who pulled him aside, stern faced but calm as she crossed her
arms coolly. “Do you know much about medicine Mr. James?”
Kali
shook his head – medicine was never his thing.
“My
family is a long line of doctors…” she said casually, staring ahead without
looking at him. “I know as much as my father and my grandfather before him from
cures to balms.”
“And
you’re telling me this why…?”
Then she
turned to him, facing him squarely. “Would you care to learn about poisons, Mr. James? If not, leave Runa
alone.”
He
blinked from the sheer left-fielded nature of her declaration. “People can not
speak at a party Miss Ellie?”
“Not
with you,” she grumped before stalking off, irate. Glancing to Runa, she looked
as exasperated as he was. So the young
lady did not put her up to this?
The
cheerfulness he felt at that was so large it was startling.
For the
whole night he watched her, intrigued by her idiosyncrasies. Opinionated but
fairly silent…Listening to them speak but speaking only if spoken to. She
didn’t seem uncomfortable being seemingly invisible, but then, she probably hid
that too. From what Kali observed
from how she behaved, Runa Van Darling gave little away through actions or
words.
Finally,
he saw his opening. The woman in his eye went for a breather outside, and with
slow, subtle steps he weaved his way right towards her too. Ellie and Fiona
were off who knows where, but so long as they weren’t near him he was fine.
Ellie was a wee bit poison happy and he’d had enough of people trying to kill
his ass for the moment, thank you. He still hadn’t dealt with Johnny Boy yet,
but that was for another time. And that Fiona girl was just plain freaky.
“Oh, hello.” She smiled slightly as he approached but didn’t
move. She won’t run away. “I’m sorry
about Ellie…she really isn’t usually like that.”
It was
such a blatant lie they both stared at each other blankly and silently agreed
to ignore it.
“Quite
alright, but I see you have friends among all.” He’d noticed her friend Fiona
hadn’t been dressed up at all. A commoner no doubt.
“Yeah,
Ellie’s nice and that’s all that matters.”
For a
few moments, Kali hadn’t understood what she said. But then he nodded,
surprised.
“And
Fiona is…” She stopped and searched for the right word as he joined her in
leaning along the stone railing. “…Fiona. No fakes acceptable. So why are you
here with me again, Kali? I thought Ellie had scared you off.”
He
smiled, amused. “Now what gave you that silly idea?”
Runa’s
answer was so matter of fact he was momentarily surprised. “You never came to
speak with me at all tonight.”
“I have
now.” Mentally, he sighed and cursed his own unease. Ellie and Fiona had
hovered until just now. “But I am surprised you would want to. I seem to have a
reputation…”
“…for
being a playboy?” she finished with a grin that was too jovial then the
conversation called for. “I’ve heard, and it is a reputation well deserved,
no?”
He
tugged at his shirt collar and undid it more. This was not how conversations usually went. “I suppose…You are not
appalled?”
“Amused,
mostly,” she grinned, leaning against her palm. “But I can see now why they
fell.”
Kali’s
smile widened. He could get used to conversations going like this. “Oh really? And what do you see when you look upon me?”
“I see a
man with an insatiable hunger,” she noted, “and a man with such confidence it
could rival the size of
“Is that
bad?” he queried, thought Kali didn’t really care.
“Normally
yes…but somehow, not with you.” She scooted closer and he more then happily
obliged.
“Well
then,” he grinned, drawing out a ticket from his pocket with such grace it made
him momentarily blink. When had he gotten into the habit of that? He usually
never was graceful. Smooth but not graceful – never graceful. “Would you
perhaps be brave enough to chance a trip with a scoundrel such as me?”
“So soon?” She was honestly startled, staring at the ticket
like it were some alien life form.
He
shrugged. “Why not?”
“I don’t
know you, for one.” Now Runa looked at him
as if he had no head.
“And I
do not know you,” he countered. “No one does. But hanging out is how strangers
become friends.” He gave her his disarming smile, the one that had gotten him
into the beds of many. “Do you not want to be friends with me?”
Her
answer, when she finally thought of one, wasn’t what he’d expected.
With her
eyes narrowed challengingly, she slipped the ticket from his fingers, and
leaned over close. She didn’t touch him, but the proximity made his head go
off-kilter. “Maybe and thank you.” She tucked the
ticket in her front and disappeared before he’d even collected himself, simply
staring numbly after her and trying to regain his brain cells. What was that…?
He
wasn’t all certain he even wanted to know.
* * *
The ship
was gorgeous. Admittedly, the overly splendorous setting was something new (The
things Josephina could buy after pawning just a plate setting!) but Runa had to
admit it was very nice. Despite her sour mood, it was very, very nice.
“John is
a good man,” Lady Chesterton had said to her once everyone had left the party.
It’d been a few weeks ago, but Runa still felt as if she’d been punched in the
gut. “Go on this dalliance Josephina insists you can go on, but remember who
you are. You are my child’s daughter, blood or not, and you are now promised,
Runa.”
It’d
been the driving force behind her decision to come. She’d seen neither hide nor
hair of Kali James, but he’d sent her a note a week before saying he’d wait in
the room to see if she came and that he’d be most pleased if she did.
Walking
down the sparkling white corridor, carpeted in the richest of red rugs, it took
a good 20 minutes just to find the darn room. Runa put a hand to the handle,
glancing at her watch that Josephina had given her. It was a man’s pocket
watch, but it was much more convenient and easy to hide. The ship would leave
in a mere 5 or so minutes, the fact backed by the last boarding call, Titanic’s
horn whistle blaring loudly through the first class cabins.
As the
boat rocked a little she’d pressed down on the door, and in Runa went as she
lost her balance, barreling into the wall with a groan right beside Kali who
had just been about to get up.
He
stared at her long before bursting out into laughter.
“Haha.” Runa’s dry tone made him laugh harder, and he fell off and into the wall as it
rocked again. He didn’t stop laughing, though, only holding his side once it
started to hurt.
Runa
whacked him with the thing nearest to her – a pillow. “Shut up!”
“I’m
sorry,” he laughed, not sorry at all. Kali became serious though as he sat up
beside her and said, “I’m really glad you came.”
“Promised, Runa.”
Lady Chesterton’s words echoed in her head and she cringed. He noticed, but
said nothing as he mutely helped her up and they began to unpack her things.
“So
where are your friends?” He’d mentioned others were coming, and it rather
helped ease her nerves while considering his offer.
Kali
tensed, and he seemed almost sheepish as he smiled at her. Runa glared at him,
tensing as he began laughing in short breathes. Oh don’t even tell me he…
“That
was…err…kind of a lie…”
“WHAT!”
His eyes
crossed as her pitch of voice became painful. “Now, Runa…”
She was
already re-packing.
Kali
would’ve stopped her. Every cell in his body reacted on instinct and grabbed
her, but the jolt and the departing whistle would’ve stopped her soon enough,
anyway. Her eyes widened as they were both tossed to the side, tangled together
in a position that would’ve made Lady Chesterton red in the ears.
Runa was
red too, but for reasons she rather not think about. “Let me go!”
“Oh,
now, don’t be so hasty,” he grinned, but regretted it once she slugged him in
the gut. “You’re no light weight…damn.”
“You lying scoundrel~!”
She tried to look angry, she really did, but the laughter bubbled up despite it
all and Runa soon found herself collapsed in helpless laughter. Kali stared at
her strangely, bemused, but she just ignored him and buried her face in the bedding
that was criminally soft.
At a
loss, he could really think of nothing else to say. “So you’re stuck with just
me for the trip, Runa.”
She
stared at him, tears of mirth in her eyes. “Just…you…?” She burst out into all
new gales of laughter.
They silenced
immediately when she felt the warmth of his lips against hers, but instead of
being appalled Runa instinctively held on to him, the vague feeling of déjà vu
slowly just evaporating. Neither heard the cabin boy checking to see whether
everything was to their liking. Nor did they hear him leave, quite embarrassed
with walking in on them.
When
both came up for air they were both a little light-headed, his eyes glazed and
hers wide as saucers.
“Alone…”
he breathed, blinking.
“I’m
alone with just you…” she repeated, completely straight-faced.
Then, as
one, they turned to the side and muttered, “Shit…”
* * *
Kali
smiled wanly as Runa continued to stare at him as if he were insane. It wasn’t so ridiculous a suggestion considering
where they were, but somehow he was a certified nutcase for suggesting such a
thing. “It’s just a dance.”
Her look
was clear. So as not to leave room for error she punctuated each syllable in
her words. “You, Kali James, are IN-SA-NE.
I DO NOT DANCE.”
“Now who
has ever heard of a debutante who can’t dance?” he mused, sitting across a rich
wood table clothed in the finest of linens from her. They were having dinner,
listening to the four piece band play some waltz, so he’d wanted to sweep her up into a dance but…well, apparently, he’d
chosen a lead foot for his latest infatuation. “I don’t believe you.”
“It is
true, it is!” She glared at him, feet firmly planted to the floor. Runa was
still unhappy about his deceit and this was NOT
helping him any.
Kali was
a man who did not take no for an answer. “Well, we shall have to change that,
now won’t we?” Then up she went, no warning given, brought into his arms and
spun onto the dance floor.
Runa
sputtered indignantly but found it hard to fight him. He was just so
compelling, and for a moment she could swear she heard the crackling of fire
and smell the burned wood, though that was ridiculous. There was no fireplace
around.
“It is
not so difficult,” he whispered, ignoring his own increased pulse. This was
most definitely a strange difference, but he chalked that up to their strange
everything. Nothing seemed to go how he planned it, yet it came out
surprisingly good never the less. Kali wanted to put a name to this, but the
more he thought about it the more his head hurt. Attraction just didn’t cut it,
though it could most certainly apply. His hands roamed her outlined curves
without thinking, and though she glared he was surprised she didn’t
automatically smack him away.
“Shut
up.” Runa had to gather her wits before she remembered to pinch his hand –
harshly. Of all the nerve!
Bells
chimed in the faint distance, and they both stopped moving as the waltz music
ended.
“Dinner,”
he mused, collecting himself first and escorting her towards the dining room on
his elbow. Runa was still a little out of it so she blindly followed, trusting
he’d steer her around anything she might otherwise just walk right on through.
They ate
in silence. It was a mildly uncomfortable feeling that fell over them, neither
contemplating the source of it. They were just fine eating in silence, not a
word passed between them until dessert when Kali finally spoke again.
“Would
you walk with me?”
Runa
would’ve refused – it was the smart thing to do – but she just muttered a
small, “Sure,” and followed him outside, the cool night air nipping at her
cheeks. He offered her his coat, but she declined with a small grin. “I feel
better in the cold.”
He
returned the look slightly. “Funny…So do I…”
“Do you
think,” Runa asked, “that people are reborn? That you’re brought into life
again around the people you know?”
Kali
leaned against the railing and stared at the dark Atlantic waters. They were
almost ominous yet somehow beautiful. Wind nipping at his face and rustling his
hair, it was almost impossible to see his nod. “I do. I’d like to believe I
knew you before, Ms. Van Darling.”
“Runa,”
she corrected. “I don’t really deserve the formal title. Besides, I like it
better.”
“Runa.” He spoke it with a wistful smile, not looking at her
just yet. “It feels as if I’ve known that name forever.”
Though
she didn’t understand why, Runa felt
suddenly embarrassed and looked anywhere but ahead at him. “You probably say
that to all the girls you seduce.” And a
damn fine job you do. He almost had me!
“No.”
Kali didn’t even hesitate, turning around and leaning back against the rails.
“No line. None would work on you, you know. It’s the god honest truth.”
She
snorted. “Yeah right.” As soon as she did so Runa felt
him tilt her face, and on instinct she leaned up into his kiss that she found
she rather liked. It gave her warm feelings and created hell with her pulse,
but it was a good hell that she could probably get used to.
I hope John’s like him, she thought
inanely as he pulled away, never letting go but not kissing her anymore. He
actually looked a little frazzled, if not frustrated as he stared at her in
wonder about something. I could get used
to this.
“What is
it…” he began slowly, “about you that messes me up, Runa?”
“How
should I know?” she shrugged.
“Can I
do that again?” he grinned, bewilderment replaced by a teasing look.
Runa
never even got the chance to shrug before he bent down again. And up in the
look out’s nest, vague whistles could be heard, cheering the couple below who
kissed through the night, lost in their own world.
* * *
“In
the night’s shadow he lurked, watching from afar the lady fair who filled his
being with the will to move…”
Leaning
on his side, dressed in his large shirt and baggy pants that were ripped in a
thousand spots, Kali only listened to Runa read with half an ear. The words, he
mused, were a little like him he supposed. In such an absurdly short amount of
time he’d grown fond of the strange debutant who seemed as drawn to him as he
was to her. It was to the point where he was almost anxious if she weren’t in
his line of sight. It was something new; that was for sure. Kali just wasn’t
used to this sense of…comfort. Many times he found he just wanted to lie in bed
and just stare at her. It was a rare time when she sat on his bed like now,
reading to him as he’d asked even though he was otherwise distracted.
She
noticed and thwacked him with the hardcover book solidly. “Kali, really…”
“I was
listening,” he grinned, not caring that she probably knew otherwise. “He was
stalking the woman he’s obsessing over and…?”
Runa let
out an aggravated sigh and hit him with a pillow. “You’re hopeless!”
Shrugging,
he just pulled her over so she was lying across him, face inches from his. Kali
let his hands slowly roam her silky robe clad form, and she just shook her head
at him as if to say, “You’re incorrigible,” before resting her head against his
chest and ignoring his hands. It was a silent agreement it seemed: she didn’t
smack or pinch him and he didn’t do anything beyond that.
Kali was
more then willing to comply with such wishes.
“Ne…”
she muttered, “I should probably mention that Lady Chesterton promised me to
someone.”
Without
thinking, his grip on her tightened in tune with his lips that turned down into
a frown. “Who?”
“Some
guy…John Westmire or something.”
Kali
tilted his head back to scowl at the ceiling, unseen by Runa. Johnny Boy gets my Runa? Over my cold, dead,
and bloody body. “And do you fancy him…?”
A hard
fist hit his chest and Kali winced at the impact. Runa had a killer punch.
“Lord no!”
“Then
stay with me.” As soon as he said the words, his eyes widened. Where the HELL did that come from? He
looked at Runa, but she was just as run over by them as he was.
“You’re
insane.”
He
grinned sheepishly. “So you’ve told me time and again…but I’m serious.” And he
was, strangely enough. The prospect of committing to her wasn’t nearly so
frightening as it was when he’d pondered it in the past with other women.
She
looked like she wanted to bolt. Lord knew she had every reason in the world to bolt from the room, but she just lay
frozen on top of him, honestly considering it. He was a complete stranger and
had the worst reputation, so it didn’t look good to him. She could probably
have anyone she wanted if she tried (as far as he could see, she never tried at
all), so why would he stand a chance?
Runa
lowered back down, head lying on his heart and listening to the beat of it as
her eyes lowered. “OK.”
Kali’s head
jerked to stare at her head in confusion. He couldn’t possibly have heard
correctly. “What?”
“I said
OK,” she said more clearly, her hand fisting into his shirt. What was it that
was making her pulse pound like a beating drum? Intense didn’t begin to cover
just how powerful her own words were affecting her. “I’ll stay with you.”
He
tilted her head back and kissed her hard, his grip so tight she thought he
might snap her in two. “You don’t know,” he whispered, “just how happy that
makes me to hear that.”
Runa’s
eyes shut and she nodded vaguely. She did – she really did. “Kali…?”
“What?”
His lips trailed to her neck, the feelings he was arousing in her so strange
and oddly familiar they didn’t even scare her.
She knew
he’d never deny her anything, let alone what she wanted now. “More,” she
whispered, and he froze, looking at her with a look that made her think of snow
for some reason. A snow covered forest and them both alone. “Please…”
“I’ll
deny you nothing…” he whispered, and down fell the book Runa read, forgotten on
the floor as his shirt fell right on top of it, discarded. “Runa…”
* * *
A crackling fire in an old cabin barely
fitting one sat there in the snow covered forest before her, and as Runa went
inside she could see the familiar setting. She’d never seen it before in her
life, but it was familiar, and the bed was so inviting. She felt so tired too…
But
someone joined her. As she cuddled under the warm animal skins and blankets,
someone joined her, an arm wrapping around her waist and a face pressing into
her neck as she just smiled. Why was she smiling? She didn’t know who this was
now holding her.
“You
took too long,” he chided, and she could swear it was Kali because the voice
sounded like him. Something was different though…something in the tone. It made
her warm all over, yes, but there was something else…a tight feeling. Something
he wasn’t saying in words.
Her
own tone held that quality. Something she should say in words but wasn’t, even
as she laughed and felt him turn her around so he was over her with that look
plus the edge of possessiveness that flattered her so and made her smile more…
“Runa?”
The
sleep which clouded her mind broke away and her crystal blue eyes fluttered
open at the concern in his voice. Just when the dream had been getting so good
too! Turning to the side, Runa smiled softly at him as he gave her that grin
which now only made her warm all over. “What?”
“What
were you dreaming?” he teased, his tone clear. “You’re all red my dear.”
My dear. The
endearment and affection in his voice made something bubble in her chest as she
smiled. “Nothing I shall tell you about,” she stated primly, and he just
laughed at her.
Kali let
his lips kiss the bare skin of her shoulders and neck, a guttural sound of
purely male satisfaction coming from him when she came closer to him. “How do
you feel?”
“As well
as I should I suppose,” she murmured, holding onto him tightly. Don’t go, she thought, her chest
tightening. I don’t know why I feel so
afraid right now, but don’t go…I’m afraid, Kali…afraid you’ll leave now and
I’ll never see you again.
His
stomach grumbled and Kali dropped his head onto her shoulder, mortified. “I
think I should probably satisfy this hunger first before anything else.” He
didn’t sound particularly thrilled about the idea of stopping what he’d
started.
“I’ll be
here when you get back,” she smiled. “Go get something to eat.”
He
adorned his ratty pants and tossed a shirt on lazily, all while staring at her.
“I’ll bring it back here,” he stated.
Runa’s
smile widened, though a chill of icy fear remained. “All the
better then. Go.”
He
nodded, but Kali backtracked to kiss her thoroughly with a smile. “I’ll be back
soon,” he said gently in a tone that made her doubts disappear.
Then he
was gone, out the door to go get food.
She
could only sigh as she threw on one of his spare shirts, long and cheap
looking. In the mirror, she looked at herself, bemused.
What did
he see in her? Runa didn’t get that. What had he seen in her that first time
they met? Normally, she was always just passed over. Ellie was the one who drew
attention because she was so pretty.
Runa
stood in front of the mirror for so long contemplating it she barely heard the
knock on the door before one of the ship hands came in and shoved a vest in her
hands. “Excuse me,” she interrupted, “but what is going on?”
“The
captain requests all 1st class passengers go above deck and wear
vests. It’s just a precaution, miss,” he assured. Then he was gone, too.
Runa did
so, hooking the vest on and tossing on a pair of warm pants before making her
way up to the deck. Something was wrong, precaution her butt. The pants were
loose, but the belt was holding them up so Runa didn’t worry about it too much.
She was more concerned with the huge numbers of people above deck and the
lifeboats the ship hands were readying. Abandoning
ship? Icy cold dread returned like a wave.
She
didn’t even hesitate as she moved to search for Kali.
Had he
known about this? If he did, would he not say anything?
He
wasn’t in the galley. He wasn’t anywhere she looked, and when she returned
above deck she could clearly see the tilt of the ship. The deck was filled with
panicked people all scrambling for the boats and Runa couldn’t even push her
way through them to get even close.
“Out of my way!” One man shouted, shoving her back. Runa
fell back with a yelp, and a shaking of the boat nearly sent her overboard if
familiar hands hadn’t caught her.
“Why
aren’t you gone already?” Kali demanded, panic in his eyes as he got her to her
feet and held her.
“I was
looking for you!”
With an
irritated grunt, he grabbed her tightly and started walking towards the boats.
“The ship’s sinking, Runa. They’re putting women and children first, so you can
go.”
Her eyes
narrowed suspiciously. “And what about you?” she demanded.
“They’ll
allow me to go later,” was all he said, but he refused to meet her eyes.
“I’ll go
with you then.” The icy fear stabbed at her ten fold.
Kali
shook his head at her in frustration. “No. Go.”
Now she shook her head, un-budging. “I’m
afraid…”
“Well
obviously…”
“I’m
afraid,” she said louder to cut him off, “that I won’t see you again.” Like
sometime before, though she didn’t know how that was possible.
Runa
hadn’t even realized she was crying until he wiped her tears away with his
fingers. “I didn’t know you were so emotional,” he chuckled with a grin that
didn’t reach his eyes. “I did promise we would stay together, didn’t I?”
I did, but I didn’t hear it from you until
now. It made her feel infinitely better. “Yeah, you did.”
“Let’s
go then,” he smiled, and they wove their way as best they could to the boats,
hands firmly clasped despite the resistance they met.
How long
was it? Debris was everywhere and the night sky was still so dark. The
It
seemed like just moments before that they got tossed over board…moments since
he’d lost her hand and lost her somewhere in the cold sea. She was alive, Kali
knew. Runa would never die so easily. She was a fighter through and through.
But not having her in his sight was killing him. The frigid water and biting
wind didn’t help, but having her somewhere unprotected was killing him.
Kali
vaguely picked up voices calling. Images of Runa, waiting for him with them
were the only things that kept him from just staying there to die, but he felt
so cold even as he was pulled out and piled with blankets. She wasn’t there.
But then
she was, pulled from the water looking so cold and frost covered and pale but
there and breathing.
…And
looking at him with such relief and happiness it broke his heart.
Soundlessly,
Kali opened his arms, and Runa crawled into them while dragging the blankets
she was given with her. The men rowing through the dead bodies glanced at her
then turned away with rueful smiles, but he ignored them and instead held her
until he thought her spine could no longer take it.
Neither
could speak even as a few more were pulled from the water. Nor as they just sat
and waited with the wind making them so cold it was near unbearable. She
shivered in his arms, holding onto him like death. She was so cold and probably
sick. It scared him to think he may lose her to pneumonia instead of the hell
they’d both miraculously escaped.
Aboard
the Carpathia she was better – she could speak at least. Softly, but she was
speaking none the less.
“You
didn’t leave me,” were her most audible words as they sat amongst the 3rd
class passengers saved. Their clothes had made them get mistaken for steerage
class passengers, but he didn’t care. So long as Runa was safe in his sight.
The sun was high and warming them slightly, mugs of warm drinks being passed
out as other officials retrieved names from the survivors.
“Of
course I didn’t,” he snorted. “I won’t ever…I’ll never let you out of my sight
again you damn woman.”
She
cracked a small smile and shut her eyes to rest. She was just so tired.
“Name,
sir?” a man asked, clipboard in hand, as she slept in his arms and he stroked
her hair.
Kali
opened his mouth but stopped. “Kali & Runa Scarlet,” he lied, staring at
her with a soft gaze full of love he’d never know how to show. “She’s my wife…”
* * *
“She’s
deathly ill with pneumonia Mr. Scarlet,” the doctor told him. Kali wanted to
punch him, but the sickly appearance of his “wife” made him not. “I’m sorry,
but all that can be done was done. It’s up to her now.”
He left,
but Kali ignored him. He held onto her hand, kissing her pale lips that were
parted slightly as she slept. “You’re beautiful, you know that?” he mused out
loud with a lighthearted grin. “I thought so the first moment I saw you. I
didn’t know why I was so affected by you either. Cripes, I still don’t.”
It was
surprising that Runa’s eyes fluttered and a smile cracked her partly blue lips.
“You really…mean that?”
Just
seeing her awake lifted his spirits. His grin became slightly more truthful.
“Damn straight, so you better not think of doing something stupid like going
away on me now.”
Slowly,
she shook her head, eyes shutting again from fatigue. “Always by you,” she
whispered. “I’ll always be by you no matter what…Kali…”
“Always,”
he mused lowly, holding her hand tightly and bringing it to his lips to kiss.
“I swear I’ll always make sure you’re by me, Runa…” No one but you will do anymore.
“You’re
so sweet, James,” drawled someone from behind him, and Kali went rigid. “It
took me a long time to find you, but I did. You weren’t very creative with ‘Kali Scarlet’, you know.”
He
smiled tightly as he turned and greeted John Westmire. Johnny Boy greeted him with the barrel of a pistol to his
face. “Always a pleasure,” he lied outright.
John
smiled falsely. It was filled with hatred and malice and scorn. “Thank you for
helping my future wife, but I will take care of things from here.”
“I’m not
going anywhere,” he said tightly, the look in his eyes and the tone of John’s
voice making his blood run cold. “You’ll have to kill me first.”
John’s
smile became a sneer. “I thought you’d say that…”
Runa
felt woozy as she woke up, the loss of weight on her hand confusing. Where was
Kali? Had he left? Forcing her eyes open despite the uncomfortable pain she had
all over, her eyes stared at her unknown surroundings blankly. Kali, where are you? Why do I have a sinking
feeling in the gut of my stomach?
Bells
were chiming outside as Runa forced herself up to look out the window, her head
heavy as she finally let it rest along the windowsill.
“Pain has been bared from death’s painful grip…”
“A price for past sins, paid…”
“Find him once more and reap the happiness from sadness sown, lonely soul…”
“…May you seek out your missing half and find the blessing of your
forestalled joy…”