A Key

Why?

The question flooded Faewyn’s mind, amongst many others, as she laid down upon a large bed. The mattress was soft, lightly cushioning her lithe body as she rested on top of the thick woolen blanket. It was comfortable enough for her needs. The room itself was cozy and it gave her a homey feel. The late day’s sunlight basked her from the tall window, providing a glowing warmth for her. Speckles of dust floated within its light, dancing on air.

This was Faewyn’s new home. It was a small room at the boarding house on the north side of Seahaven, but it was good enough for her. She couldn’t stay at the Two Lions any longer. She didn’t want anything to do with Captain Kelindel, her former landlord, ever again.

But he showed mercy, The thought popped into her head, and she tried to push it away.

The duel was held that early morning. She had gotten to the arena just in time before it started. She had been waiting for Dalindo to find her first, but something in her told her that she had to seek him out. And she found him, facing off against Captain Kelindel. Faewyn tried to reason with Dalindo, even tried to get him to at least put on the boots that she had bought for him but he refused them. He removed most of his possessions from himself; his trench coat, his tools, nearly everything but his pants and the sash he wore around his waist. He then said out loud that he wanted the coat to go to Cien and the tools to go to another woman named Dencity. That was when Faewyn knew that there was no hope. He had made his decision, to give up his life in order to have a chance to fight with the Captain.

Dali, you idiot… You fool. Why did you do it? Faewyn wanted desperately to know, and she thought that she would never find out.

She remembered the way the Captain’s blade struck Dalindo, running it through his stomach. Dalindo didn’t seem to care, he seemed like he wanted it to end that way. He didn’t even acknowledge Faewyn, brushing off the kiss she gave him right before the duel started. It was, perhaps the last kiss that she would ever share with him, and he just threw it away. She watched him as he was dying, right before her eyes and she was powerless to do anything. The Captain, though, surprised her greatly.

Kelindel drew his sword to Dalindo’s throat and gave him a choice. To either sink his neck into the blade, or to yield. In the end, Dalindo chose to yield. He seemed reluctant to do so, but he did it. The relief that washed over Faewyn was like nothing she had ever experienced. She would have been happy, extremely overjoyed that Dalindo was alive, if it were not for the way he acted towards her.

She didn’t know whether it was because he was dying and was in a great amount of pain, or if he intentionally wanted to ignore Faewyn, she wasn’t sure. Even as he was taken to the clinic in Seahaven, he was mostly not responsive.

Cavinaar, perhaps her greatest friend, was the one who helped deliver Dalindo to the clinic. He was there with Faewyn as he tried to talk some sense into Dalindo. She tried to speak to Dalindo as well, even being hard on him and letting out her frustration, but he didn’t respond. All he wanted though was to rest, and eventually she realized that nothing would be explained or done until he recovered. She then decided that she will give him time. Time to clear his head. Time to heal. Time to realize the mistakes he made.

Time to realize what he was doing to her.

Her heart ached, felt empty. It wasn’t just the fact that she had recently been attacked again and had been stabbed in the chest, but she felt her heart slowly break.  The stitches at the wound remained, but the pain in her heart was greater.  It was like she was grieving for him, as if he were dead. But he wasn’t dead. He had been given another chance.

Does Dali still love me..? The thought crept into her, haunting her as she reached down into her small bag that was attached to her belt and pulled out two identical iron keys.  They were the keys to her new room at the boarding house.   She held them in the palm of her slender hand, her eyes shifting from one and to the other.

I’ll give him one of these keys, Faewyn thought, If he still desires to live. If he still desires me.

She rolled over onto her side and gazed out the window as the day’s light began to fade and turn into shadow. Faewyn held the keys to her heart and prayed.

Please Ylessa, please help Dali make the right decision.

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