Intertwined

Enne ignored the numb pain, hurriedly walking toward her brother’s office. Her loosely tied hair was coming undone, and her red kimono barely clung to her shoulder. She ignored the pleas of her maid as she reached the door. When the doors slammed open, Mathias sat behind his wooden desk, setting down his book next to the cup of wine. Her eyes of discontent met his apathy.

“Rita wants to talk with you,” he grinned as her stern expression crumbled.

“Dammit,” she sighed. “It’s about the fields, isn’t it?”

“Oh, she was mad. Oh, very mad.”

“I’ll just avoid her for the time being. She’s so—Overbearing.”

“Avoid her long enough, and she’ll probably break down your door, too. And we’d foot the bill… Give a human an ounce of power, they become ravenous.”

“So, you just let him go?” She cut to the chase. He leaned into his chair with his chalice in hand. “You gave me your word!”

“I couldn’t force the man.”

“Do you have any idea where he’s staying—”

“Yes, yes, some old, dirty shack at the edge of the city! Remember, wanderers don’t mind living in shit. Not everyone wants comfort like we do.”

“And no one ever says to themselves, yes, I want to live in such a state… They get used to it.”

“Oh, spare me the moral arguments! The man has made his choice. You can’t force him to your whim.”

“Why do I get the impression that you barely pushed?

“I didn’t think I’d be able to change his mind.”

Mathias became visibly disgruntled when Enne sat against his desk. She reflected on what she wanted to say while casting a gaze toward the city’s faintly glowing lights. The knife, the alcohol, and Alejandro’s overall disposition were his cry for help. The subtleness of the sadness behind his eyes evoked more than words could provide. Enne felt along the silk material, finding the source of the tight pressure she felt. The numbness of the ever-expanding crystalized flesh served as a reminder of her delicate state.

“You should rest, Enne,” he insisted.

“I should, but how could I?” she questioned, her eyes remaining downcast when she looked over.

“Well, that’s simple. Go to bed, cozy up—Eh, are you really worried about one man? A wanderer, at that?”

Enne exchanged a melancholic gaze as she leaned away. Mathias dismissed Iscah with a subtle wave, to which she responded promptly, closing the doors behind her. Enne glimpsed the silent exchange, trying to keep a tight lip. The maid’s footsteps fell silent in the backdrop. Mathias saw his sister’s expression, seeing she had much to say.

“You should treat her better,” she suggested. “She’s served us for so long; she practically raised us. The very least you can do is speak to her like a familiar.

“Why do you get up in arms about everything I do?” he asked. “Iscah is fine with how I address her, so there’s no need to fret.”

“Is all you do is think about your bottom line?”

Her brother scoffed as he took another sip. He could feel her pressing glare.

“She’s served our father and his homeland for decades, and she still has a duty to those ideals.

“Fuck their ideals! we’ve prospered without them for centuries—”

“We’ve prospered because of father’s unique position. If this were any other dwelling, we’d be blown back to the stone age. You know better than anyone else the delicate balance we hinge on.”

“We get refugees from all over, and I’ve heard their stories. The Ethoxians are nothing more than imperialists, and our privilege comes from that fact….”

“Rambling on as always.” he massaged his temporal.

“Gardenia and the people that inhabit it are our people,” she reminded.

“Enough of this! Iscah also made her choice, just like your dear wanderer.”

“Imagine dedicating your life to someone else doing nothing for yourself? We grow accustomed to old habits. Not everyone knows what to do with freedom, but sometimes you have to show them.”

“Some people don’t know what to do with freedom, Enne. That’s why many need to be led.”

Enne turned away, rolling her eyes. She walked toward the wide window, glimpsing the crescent moon. She leaned against the windowsill, looking toward the peaceful city. Taking a deep breath, her brother stood, walking over lethargically with his drink. Mathias glimpsed emotion in her eyes when he stood next to her. She kept everything close to her heart; An artificial wall of thought showing different sides.

“What was it you saw in him that makes you so concerned?” he asked, his question met with prolonged silence. Mathias was about to sit down before hearing her heavy breath.

“Pain,” she said, glimpsing as she chained her thoughts together. “More pain than anyone should endure, like your own private hell.”

“Enne, really? A wanderer goes through much more than the average person, so their tolerance for pain—”

Mathias stopped mid-sentence, realizing her sincerity. He didn’t want to step on her toes at her most vulnerable moment. His sister redirected her gaze out the window again, thinking, hoping, trying to find some peace in the matter.

“It’s not fair to say whose pain is more valid than the other,” Her voice cracked. “Pain will always be pain.”

She quickly regained her composure. She wondered what drew her to a hapless wanderer. His melancholy was familiar, as was his wit, a missing piece of the puzzle she sought. Her brother was right since Alejandro was otherwise like any other. Perhaps she was irrational, but she sensed something about him that provided an itch to her curiosity.

“Our city prides itself on acceptance,” she continued. “Regardless of creed… Or species. This is what mother would’ve advocated.”

Enne turned around when he chuckled, observing his subtle cues as he walked back to his desk. A wide smirk crawled along his face while he poured another cup. The moonlight outlined her silhouette, reflecting her steely eyes when he looked back. He tried not to shutter from her ghoulish presentation.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he answered, pouring another drink as she proceeded toward the double doors. They stood on shaky ground, disputing Gardenia’s future over the many decades. She understood change was inevitable, whereas her brother believed maintaining order was all that mattered.

“I’ll set out for him in the morning,” she said.

“Not that I could stop you,” he replied. “But, I don’t understand. He’s just another haggard old man with nowhere to go.”

Enne clenched her fists before reaching for the door handle.

She’s as soft as ever, he smirked.

“I can tell he’s drowning in himself,” she brought her tone under control.

“Wanderers choose what they become. You start believing you can save everyone; you’ll just disappoint yourself.”

“How can you be so dismissive of another’s plight?”

“The world would eat you alive otherwise.”

Enne looked over her shoulder, seeing his cold eyes.

“Am I wrong?” he raised the question with a nod of his chalice.

“No—No, you’re not,” she conceded.

Across the city, Alejandro drank the remaining liquor he had from last night. The wanderer thought about the day’s events while downing another shot. Memories of an unconscious Enne remained fresh in his mind, leaving him to wonder how she fared. His heavy eyes would trail toward the knife in the far corner from time to time. Yet somehow, remembering her face in a peaceful slumber brought him peace of mind. He rolled his sleeves to see his healed hesitation marks, wondering how she knew.

The wanderer couldn’t help but compare her charisma to another; Someone from long ago that pressed into his thoughts at every waking moment. After so long, Enne stood out in a bleak world, the smidgen of hope in a cruel world. Even their fated meeting seemed like a whimsical thought. His insecurities lingered while considering her offer. The maiden saw right through his cloud of darkness. However, it was more than he deserved after centuries of solitude.

“Better to be alone than to disappoint,” he muttered.

His amber eyes reflected the dimming flames before laying on the withered couch. His thoughts sunk him further within himself. The decayed ceiling served as a constant reminder of so many places he’d been. Abandoned, ruined, and far from habitable, but it always felt like home. His eyes closed with memories of lost love.

Over 200 years.

Alejandro relived the memories of his exile centuries ago; That pain never subsided. Despite his advanced age, he appeared to be someone in their mid-30s. His youthfulness betrayed his body’s internal degradation. Aches and sharp pain became a common occurrence. For so long, he grew complicit with the possibility of an uneventful death.

Why the hell am I still alive?

The wanderer felt he was far beyond saving. With every drunken night, he longed for death, but he’d wake up to fight another day. This wasn’t what he imagined or wanted as years turned into decades. Despair replaced the hope he once held, eventually committing to a life of solitude. He laid his forearm across his eyes, blocking off the glowing flames before falling asleep.

Maybe I’ll see her again someday.

* * * * *

Alejandro awoke by warmth upon his eyelids from the broken panels of the cabin’s walls. His eyes adjusted to the dark setting while blocking it off the peering sunlight. His knocked-over bottle of whiskey dried to the long-extinguished fireplace. He struggled to sit up while grasping his surroundings. He wrapped himself in his tattered cloak after shivering to a cold, passing breeze

Damn, that was some good whiskey, he thought.

“Uh, mid-morning already?” His stomach growled after uttering the question. “Shit, I should eat.”

The wanderer walked through the woods and into the open plains. Rocky formations disrupted the impression of the endless plains as they towered in the distance. A flowing stream cut through the plains’ lowest point, where a beaten bridge arched toward a dirt road surrounded by the tall grass. He approached cautiously, knowing where there was shelter, there were likely subhumans in the vicinity.

The formations were a suitable place for them. Subhumans were powerful but lacked intelligence since their former human lineage deteriorated from prolonged exposure to necrobyte hives. However, where they lacked in intelligence, they compensated for their meager social intelligence.

He found a peculiar sight in the clear skies. He strained his eyes, making out a gigantic bird soaring hundreds of feet above. After seeing its shape and feathered coating, he couldn’t identify it as a condor nor a turkey vulture. Even then, those large birds were uncommon in the region.

“A thunderbird?” he muttered.

Alejandro watched a little longer before descending to the stream. He observed the gentle flow, finding fish push against smooth riverbed rocks. He glimpsed his rippled reflection, frowning at his rough appearance. This is what the half-elf saw when they met that night, yet she welcomed him with open arms.

“I look like shit,” he admitted.

He summoned a bubble, guiding it toward the fish. After picking a straggler, he enveloped it, carefully raising it out of the water. He brought the bubble closer, smiling weakly at his meal. The striped, gray fish flopped around its circular captivity, quickly prompting the wanderer’s guilt.

“Sorry, buddy,” he sighed. “But a guy’s gotta eat.”

The wanderer glanced at the tall, rustling grass ahead. A subhuman sprung at him with a massive tree branch. Its muddied body blended into the monotonous field, playing tricks on the wanderer’s eyesight. The ghoulish, malnourished figure towered above him, with noticeable gashes along its body. He fumbled the bubble into the stream, freeing the fish as the wanderer stumbled back against the wet hillside. Alejandro closed his eyes as the massive branch swung in motion. But a familiar scent followed the bone-crunching thud.

Citrus? he thought before slowly opening his eyes.

“You got careless, wanderer,” the familiar voice spoke.

Enne stood atop the subhuman’s shoulders with an arrow lodged in its head. She looked upon the wanderer with a brimming smile as her silver hair settled. Her bow vanished as she tossed it in the air. She hopped off, knocking the corpse into the stream. He took a deep breath, soon finding her hand reached out. Looking toward her, he accepted her hand out of shame.

“Where the hell did you come from?” Alejandro muttered.

“I’m your guardian angel now,” she winked.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Enne chuckled while watching the fish pass between her feet.

“I’ve never seen anyone apologize to a fish before,” she continued. “You’re a real softie.”

“You could hear from that far?”

“I’m all ears,” she pointed toward her pointy ears.

“That’s just horrible.”

“Oh, please! You should be kissing my feet by now! You looked so—Defenseless!”

“Thank you?”

Alejandro blushed, looking away as an awkward silence set in. Enne kicked a rock into the rocky riverbed, feeling unwelcomed after her swooping save. Once their eyes met, she hid her hands behind her back with a mischievous smile while she paced along the shallow shore. She had a relaxing quality about her, even though he found her to be intrusive. Through aesthetic alone, she evoked that familiar feeling. His heart raced, reluctant and confused; Alejandro didn’t want to entrench her within her bleak views.

“Why are you here?” he asked.

“I wanted to check up on you,” she responded.

“Well, you’ve done that.”

She frowned at his blunt response.

“You were friendlier with the fish than you are with me.”

The wanderer realized there was nowhere to go to evade the persistent half-elf. Her piercing gaze scrutinized his every movement, peeling away layers of his cocoon. Though withdrawn and frigid, there was more to him he hid. His haggard appearance reminded her of their difference in lifestyle. But she could never fully grasp the things he’d seen.

“Does it bother you I came out of my way to see you?” she asked. She tried to hide her offense the best she could, especially since she was concerned about him.

“You’re wasting your time,” he answered. He kept his distance, avoiding eye contact.

“My brother would like to believe I enjoy killing time, but little does he know why I do the things I do.”

“Why then? Hm? An ever-powerful being such as yourself can do anything, but here you are prancing in shallow water.”

“Because I want to, my dear wanderer,” Enne smiled to mask her inner wound.

“No, you’re persistent,” he grumbled.

“So, I’ve been told.”

Enne took a closer look at the subhuman’s weapon, examining its intricacies in craftmanship. Knowing the wanderer was equally aware of the larger group, she splashed water to get his attention. With an enticing bite of her lip, she hoped he would take the initiative. She wouldn’t take no for an answer, and he knew the deed had to be done.

She strode toward the wanderer, playfully splashing water in his direction. Alejandro wasn’t sure whether the sunlight played tricks on him as a familiar sight stricken him. The warmth and grace she exuded, and the enthusiasm laced with groundedness and a whimsical attitude nearly made him teary-eyed before glancing away to distract himself.

“How about we go on a date?” she suggested teasingly.

“What the hell are you on about?” he winced.

“W—What? You don’t like the idea? We’re doing a public good!”

Alejandro kneeled down to check the wounds. Because of the sudden fear, he hadn’t realized how large its wounds were when he flipped the body over. Its gashes covered the width of its waist. The subhuman had already lost a lot of blood leading up to the stream. Enne looked from his side, seeing the same thing.

“What the hell could’ve done this?” he muttered before looking for her reaction.

“It’s not from any animal I’ve seen,” She stroked her chin, looking up the grassy incline. “But… I have a hunch I know what it could be.”

“A hunch?”

Again she gestured her hand toward him, and the sun created the illusion of the red-headed woman who wasn’t there. It was as though the past masked itself in the present. Enne reminded him so much of her. The wanderer stood without her help, avoiding eye contact with her.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Great!” her voice lightened the mood, but he wasn’t receptive. “We can get to know each other better!”

Alejandro walked past her when she attempted to give him a high-five. His heavy footsteps dragged along shallow water to climb the incline. She balled her fists, keeping calm as she watched him reach the top. Enne wasn’t sure what she could do to reach him, sensing that he was clamming up at every opportunity.

“Are you coming or not?” he called out without looking back

He’s probably… Just playing hard to get, Enne smirked.

This was the first of the added chapters!
The chapter doubles down on our heroes' respective personalities.
The go-getter and the recluse whose perspectives clash.
Yes, our boy Allie is a jerk, but you'll understand in time; Enne's resilience is something.
Let's be honest his behavior would put off most, but she sees right through him.
What do you think? And leave a like!
Thanks for reading!