Zinc 01 - Altors, page 15
part #1 of Zinc Series
I was pulled out of my quiet thinking when his hum turned into sung words, a small shiver breaking out over my skin since it allowed me to hear how beautiful his voice truly was. I didn't understand the language, but it fit him. The words seemed stuck together, as if there was no real breathing space between them.
“What is it?” I dared interrupt. He didn't seem surprised I was here.
“Tongue of the Dead.” He answered, yet again proving to me that he'd answer any question. He wouldn't sprout a word unless you actually asked though. I wanted him to elaborate on his answer, but he wasn’t done speaking. “Do you sing?” Stepping close to the couch, I was too startled to move back when he leaned down, his face suddenly all I could see.
Eyes fixed on his, I felt like I was stuck. “Not really.” I couldn't help but grimace at the idea, being rather sure I sounded like a chicken when I tried producing a musical note. I was about to tell him that thought out loud when he reached up with a hand, my eyes darting in his fingers direction.
“What are you doing?” It was a nervous question. He made me nervous. His fingers grasped my chin, the hold tight enough to make clear he didn't want me to move, yet he didn't hurt me. When he chuckled softly, I felt this rush shoot through my body I wasn't sure I could explain, and I frowned in confusion next as I realized it wasn't a feeling of displeasure. I hadn't forgotten what I'd wondered out loud to Solenum. I knew that my liking boys rather than girls was a big possibility. But was I ready to explore it? When his thumb stroked my jaw softly, I swallowed, willing my eyes not to hood over as I finally pulled away.
“Don't do that.” I muttered, the frown on my face deepening. Why would he try something like that? I was angry with the possibility of me wanting him to try something.
“I'm not contagious.” He said softly, clearly not bothered with the rejection.
“I'm not like that, Datura.”
He raised an eyebrow and straightened. “I can accept it when someone is not attracted to me, but don't lie about your preference.” How had I offended him? I was the only one who was allowed to be upset about what had just taken place! “It's insulting to me, to others, and more importantly, to yourself.”
Glaring up at him, I pushed off the couch and stood. “You don't even know me! Don't assume me to be into guys just cause-”
He laughed, cutting me off. “I don't need the gift of foresight to know that the connection we share is more than simple bromance.”
What happened next wasn't something I'd seen coming or could have stopped. I didn't even realize what I'd done until the act had already taken place. The sting in my knuckles wasn't as painful as the shame and guilt that washed over me when my wide eyes took in Datura's expression. Teeth gritted, his eyes were closed tightly shut, and he swallowed whatever initial response he had to my action with some difficulty. I'd expected him to punch me back, instead he reached up to rub the spot I'd hurt. I quickly retrieved my hand, tucking it behind my back along with the other.
“I'm not sorry.” I said. “You pushed me too far.” I kept telling myself that he did. “I’m not who you think I am.”
He offered a tight smile. “Clearly.” And then after a curt nod he turned, his long braid nearly whipping me in the process as he walked away.
* * * *
Solenum,
As far as kidnappers go, these aren't so bad. Of course that doesn't really change the fact that they are keeping me here, away from you. I'm in the Meadows of Serenium. I haven't been able to explore or see much of it as every time I try to leave the house, one of them drags me back inside. Alright so ‘drag’ may be a bit excessive. They kindly ask me to return within their line of vision. I'm at one of the two training bases the Altors have. They're still around. The Regius haven't gone either. All this time while we were living our lives in LV, an underground war was taking place. I might just start missing Brass Farrow. There is one guy here that I know if I asked him questions, he'd tell me the truth. He's called Datura Lovelace. Anyway, I ended up being kidnapped by relatively nice people. Makes it harder to hate them.
Cali.
* * * *
"How did you and Jaja meet?" I asked Dandelion as she handed me a towel so I could get the apple pie out of the oven.
"My name is Jatrop." The man corrected absently, his eyes glued to a book placed before him on the bar. His looks didn’t fit the bookish at all. When I thought of a studious person, I instantly envisioned a skinny dude with pale, pasty skin, pimples covering his forehead in a war zone type way, decorated with huge glasses and an annoying pinched nose type voice. Kind of the way I looked and sounded a couple of years back. Jaja though, he was tall, broad, clearly worked out a ton and his hair was so much cooler than mine, it made me want to pet it or pull on it in jealously.
Dandelion giggled, patting her husband's hand before she reached for the wooden board. I carefully slid the pie onto it. The blue headband kept the shorter front locks from falling in his face. He had this very wide potato shaped nose that Dandelion was always pressing soft kisses against whenever she could. She was an insane amount shorter than he, but then again, it wasn’t hard to look over Dandelion’s mop of hair. Even I could.
Looking at Jaja, he kind of reminded me of Lupinus and Acacia. He had the same skin color and his face had the ability to look both stern and completely goofy like Lupinus. They weren’t related though, I’d asked him.
"It's beautiful, Cali." Dandelion murmured, leading me to look at her instead of Jatrop. Although she was twenty-six years old, like Jaja, Dandelion looked to have just turned twenty. She was always smiling, which was one thing I greatly appreciated in her, and I knew it was one of the many reasons Jatrop loved his wife so much. Dandi had the ability to make you feel better with just the touch of a hand or saying just the right thing.
Not that that was clear now since she slapped my hand with the wooden spoon she was wielding. "Bad." She glared at me with her unusual bright blue eyes. Retrieving my hand, I stared longingly at the apple pie, knowing she wouldn't let me have a piece until it had properly cooled.
"Jaja and I met at the Altor Coliseum eight years ago. We were both new to the group, eighteen and it was pretty much love at first sight." Dandelion finally answered my question.
"Love at first sight." Jatrop scoffed, his eyes detaching from the page he'd been reading. "Liar. I had to come up with the most ridiculous romantic gestures to get you to go out with me." He shook his head at me. "I was forced to pick up a romance novel for inspiration, when everyone knows I only read non fiction. The woman just wouldn't give in! Kept telling me I could do better than I did." I grinned as Dandelion stamped her foot to get our attention, her eyes narrowed as she pinned a look on her husband.
"All we did was train! Iris never gave us a break. I had to entertain myself somehow." Iris was the Altor soldier in charge of the Coliseum, the second base of the Altors in the Meadows of Serenium. "And it was love at first sight, because I loved you the moment I first saw you." Dandelion smirked my way. "I just didn't tell him right away." Jatrop shrugged, returning his attention to his book but then seemed to remember something.
"Did Datura kiss you yesterday?" It felt like I was hit by a sudden heavy fever; that's how out of place and embarrassed I felt. Before I could stutter out a response, Dandelion smacked me with the wooden spoon again.
"What was that for?" I growled at her.
"He didn’t kiss him, because Calycanthus Esquivel decided to punch him instead.” She explained, giving me a pointed look, waiting for me to give her a reasonable explanation for my actions.
"Things aren't as simple as you make them out to be." I returned because that was the truth. I just couldn't ignore the nervousness that settled in me when I was around Datura. I'd never ignored my instincts and I wasn't about to do it just so I could be pleasant and well behaved in his presence.
"Yes, they are." Oh, she was stubborn. "That you didn't want him to kiss you is your own business and you were more than allowed to turn him down. The punch was severely unnecessary though." She dared me to argue that. "Datura is a good man. For you to believe he has ulterior motives behind that move is ridiculous. We don't have agendas." How did she know what had happened? She was supposed to have been asleep. Maybe Datura had ratted me out. I hadn’t even thought about him having other motives than simple attraction. Not that it mattered. I realized that he’d tried to flirt with me and then when I'd declined, he’d pushed me to my edge and I’d been forced to make it very clear I wasn’t interested.
"Don't be too hard on him." Jatrop said, his eyes glued to that book again.
I smiled. "Thank you." Finally someone was taking my side.
He looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Don't be hard on Datura. You don't know his story."
"He pushed me!" I declared, the slight hiccup in my voice informing me that I may be wrong to believe this. But I wasn’t about to explore, instead I made my way around the bar and then marched past the living room, in the direction of the front door.
Dandelion's voice called after me; "Remember! We'll fi-"
I cut her off. "Yes! You'll find me! I know. I won't go anywhere!" I shouted, slamming the door on my way out.
* * * *
I'd apparently stretched everyone's limits with my behavior. I had no idea that they believed I was testing them. I could admit that I'd grown restless these last couple of days, my mood somewhat dark and hard to be around. But they had to understand. I didn't want to be here, it hadn't been my decision. I was not their guest! How was it they didn't see it as I saw it?
Groaning in frustration and swinging my legs off the side of the bed so I could stand and march through the room, I flung the door open angrily as I'd been doing for the last couple of days. Running down the stairs, I didn't even look in the living room or kitchen's direction, simply made my way out.
"I'll be back when I get back." I growled.
I isolated myself. I didn't make dinner with Dandelion anymore. I ran alone instead of with Ilex. I avoided Datura. Or he avoided me. I ate my food in my room, nodding only as form of thank you when I came to grab my plate in the kitchen before the other men would come down. Dandelion didn't stop me from closing up. None of them did, because when they forced me to speak, all I did was bark back at them in annoyance. I didn't ask for permission to go out and take my walks over the many kilometers the meadows offered me. They seemed never ending, it felt like I was stuck in this secluded part of Zinc. There was nothing here but the house, the mail box, and grass. The place was forgotten because the civilians had no idea the Altors were still in their midst. Their studies, their never ending training, it was all done unnoticed; they weren't appreciated for what they knew, they weren't thanked for what they kept safe. How did they not go insane? How did the Altors manage to fight for something, a something that wasn't even aware? Whatever motivation they had, whatever their faith was, I simply couldn't see it. Everything they did frustrated me. This war was all words. I'd seen no darkness, no threat, no malice. They were safe here. I had lived with the civilians, I knew they were safe too. Where are the Regius? What did they do in order to have Lupinus send me here for my own safety?!
* * * *
Solenum,
I think I know what's wrong with me and what is messing with my behavior. I feel sick and it gets worse with every day that passes by. It's like I'm cold and tired all the time, yet my appetite is growing larger for some strange reason. I'm hungry even after I've eaten. Yesterday I had three plates of pasta and I was still hungry. It seems to affect my nightmares, they are longer and more regular, but I don't seem to be able to care anymore. When I wake from them, I don't feel afraid. I'm worried enough to know I need to apologize to these people so they can help me find out why I'm sick.
I miss you.
Cali.
* * * *
I made my way slowly down the stairs, looking in the kitchen's direction to see if Datura was there. I'd only crossed paths with him twice in the last two weeks and every time I'd looked away. Today I'd decided to talk to him. I was ready to ask him questions I needed the answers to. But if I didn’t apologize to him first, then the others wouldn’t believe me to be truthful and honest about my need to be part of what it was they were doing.
I couldn't find him in the kitchen or living room, and figured that maybe he'd be in the training area. I hadn't been there since Dandelion had scolded me for being such a baby.
While Datura wasn’t there, Caltha and Ilex were sparring in the boxing ring. They might know. Taking a deep breath, I made my way over to them, standing by the edge, trying to see when would be the right moment to interrupt them.
"You prat!” Ilex accused. “Tickling isn't a recognized battle maneuver among the Regius. Stop it." Caltha laughed joyfully in response, blocking a mean looking attack his partner threw at him. The bigger man managed to shove him away forcefully, and Ilex landed on his ass a couple of steps away.
"Stop playing nice, it's insulting." Caltha taunted. That had been playing nice?
"I don't want to hurt you." Ilex muttered and he resumed his battle position, waving the heavy looking sword in Caltha’s direction. The blade had a simple design. While many weapons I’d seen so far were decorated in some way, Ilex’s wasn’t. The thing was entirely grey, different shades around the hilt and blade, but otherwise it was relatively monotone and not too special. Caltha’s weapon on the other hand, was a sight to behold. It was very, very thin and long. I’m quite sure it was at least half of his size. The hilt was decorated with metal swirls that encased his hand, kind of like a shield that protected in case someone decided to slap their weapon onto his fingers.
"I can handle it, love." Caltha returned with a flippant gesture, informing Ilex to attack again. I'd never really seen them being a couple. The endearment Caltha had used openly had my neck heating in embarrassment as I felt like I was intruding on some intimate moment between them.
Ilex took one large sweep forward, swinging his saber from left to right, the movement creating a swishing noise through the air and the tip of his blade nearly touched Caltha's chest. But Caltha only grinned before he jumped back, clashing his thin sword against Ilex's saber. This apparently was their opener because suddenly they were fighting without pause. When Ilex would take a step forward, Caltha would oblige by taking a step back. When he'd step to the side, Ilex would step the opposite way. Their swords connected with each movement they made, creating a dance, I guess. Step, attack, step back and block, is what their routine was, and although it looked relatively simple, the blows of their attacks were harsh, and blocking seemed to be somewhat on the painful side. They were testing each others endurance; that's what this training session was about. I realized this when I started to get bored watching them.
When I sighed, Ilex paused the battle.
"What do you want, Esquivel?" Ilex sounded annoyed and he slowly detached his eyes from Caltha, who also turned in my direction. I swallowed at the stern looks on their faces. I'd noticed their lack of appreciation in me these last couple of days, I'd just ignored it. Not only did I need to apologize for my behavior and my exaggerated reaction to Datura because it was the right thing to do, I wanted to apologize because I felt alone. I didn't know when Solenum would come, or even if she would at all. It had been weeks, and while my feeling sick may be spurring my need for human contact on, they weren't bad people. As much as I didn't want to be here, I'd realized that they had tried their best to make me feel welcome and all I had given in return was my grumpy mood and constantly accusing them of keeping me here against my will. They had an entire new world to offer and I was ready to let them show me.
I cleared my throat. "Have you seen Datura?" Caltha raised an eyebrow, but instead of pointing out the unlikeliness of my question, he simple unlocked his gaze from me before walking over to the opposite side of the ring to pick up a bottle of water and gulp the half of it down.
Ilex was the one who answered. "He's gone to get groceries." He turned then, intent on doing the same Caltha had done, but I inhaled, hoping what I'd do next would show them I was going to behave. I remember that time when Aram had dropped me off at the boarding house and had ordered me to behave. He'd known what had been best for me at that moment, and I had to start believing that Lupinus knew what was best for me now.
"Will you allow me to go out and find him?" I paused. "If you give me a watch, I'll come back at the hour you decide on." Ilex stopped in his tracks, turning around to frown deeply in my direction, he then directed that frown onto Caltha, who could only shrug.
"He's your problem, not mine." Caltha announced airily. Ilex seemed a tad irritated as he walked back my way, undoing the watch he had on his own wrist.
"Six in the evening. That is your curfew. We'll discuss for a later hour when you've proven to be less difficult." He grabbed my arm, locking the metal watch in place around it. "You are to eat dinner with us from now on. No more of that teenage ‘I want to be alone in dark doom and depression’ crap. It poisons my mood." His eyes turned gentle then. "We will talk about your current state of sickness later tonight." I blinked in surprise, wondering how he'd known.
"We know everything." Caltha butted in.
Ilex gave me a pat on the shoulder. "That's a lie, we don't know everything."
"How do you expect the children to listen to me when you always go behind my back telling them I'm wrong?" Caltha picked up his weapon, resuming his battle stance. Caltha was a lot more playful then I’d thought him to be. His giant appearance made you to believe he was a menacing man at first glance. All it took to realize different, was to take a moment to listen to what the man had to say. He was harmless. Ilex on the other hand, while he had a very gentle air about him, it was clear that out of the two Osgoods, he was the sterner and more serious one. If they were parents, Ilex would be Acacia and Caltha would be Lupinus. You could pull pranks without having to face the most horrible consequences with Lupinus, but where it concerned Acacia...I shuddered.
