You're Not the Only One With Secrets - "YNTOOWS" by Lucia Roberts (books that read to you .txt) 📖

he's always been included in everything, so, whatever.

"I found most of our supplies, but we're low on some herbs and spell needs and Vish- Sairyn needs some things as well; clothes and such I'm assuming." Elder nodded.

"You know where the jars are, and the pouch is in the same place."

"I do!" I said and wandered through the hall down to my room to the drawer at my bedside and counted out 60 tin peices for trading. The pouch we always used for the trade pieces lay in the drawer beside the jars.  

I went back into the kitchen and saw that vishnu had lined our packs up on one of the counter tops. I went to mine and placed the white one I had brought from home in front of the brown one I kept here; transfering all it's contents to the bigger one. I slung my now empty white pack onto my shoulder and split the coins between a small pouch and the one Malachai kept. I turned to the table where Malachai and Vishnu sat and dropped a pouch before Vishnu.

"For your... things." I said.

He nodded. "I appreciate it." I quickly turned to Malachai.

"We shall take our leave now. Is there anything you'll be needing I may not have thought of?"

"Perhaps some traveling food for Oliver here, but, I'm sure you've thought of everything else." He smiled. "Have a good walk Young Ones."

My heart tugged a little when I thought of how I used to pack food for Vishnu when we would travel. A task no longer needed. Not that I minded that he could get his own food now, but, that wasn't the point.

"We'll be back soon." I kissed his cheek and turned away quickly. Heading towards the door. I heard a conversation that resembled 'take care of her' but ignored it.

I reached the door and a hand shot out in front of me to open it. I looked up and saw Vishnu's face above mine. "Allow me." He said softly. "Now that I can do such things." I nodded and back up a step then took my leave when he opened the door. I heard it shut softly behind us and the a few heavy footsteps and he had caught up to me already. We headed down the path we both knew by heart that led to the heart of the market place. "I would off you a ride, but, I don't think it would work quite the same as it used to." He had a light-hearted tone to his voice as he tried to make conversation that I wasn't sure I could handle.

"Your voice is deeper than I thought it would be." To be honest, I didn't even hear what he'd said. It was just crazy that he had a voice... he could speak to me. Isn't that what I'd always wanted anyway? To know what he was thinking behind those eyes that spoke loud enough for themselves or were sometimes too quiet? At least now I knew why.

My train of thought was broken by his laughter. Gods he had a nice laugh. A deep and dark laugh that hit your insides and made his voice seem like a song in comparison to his laugh which was like, in a good way, bells created by Hades himself. I wonder is Persephone ever felt this way.

"What?" I asked him; a little self concious.

"That isn't quite what I'd expected you to say." He still had laughter in his voice. "But then, you've never said or done exactly what I expected. Probably why I find it so challenging to look after you."

"I'm not that difficult." I grumbled.

"Not when you decide to listen once upon a blue moon." He smirked.

"I do too listen! Not that you ever talked to tell me anything to listen to!" We both stopped walking at that point and my hands flew to my mouth. I hadn't meant for that to come out.

"Amaranth," He started and I turned my back to him; breathing heavily. "Amaranth, I know you're hurt and angry." I felt tentative hands on my shoulders now. I didn't move. I felt his forhead rest amongst my curls piled on my head. "I want you to know I'm ok with the fact that you're angry with me; I understand completely. But, you should know I wished every day to change it." I turned and looked at him now, his hands still on my shoulders, but we were facing eachother. "I take it Elder told you of why I had to find you?" I nodded. "That as well, I want you to know that when I found you I didn't mean to use you. I fully intended to be the best animal I could be; in case that's all I ever was. Gods know you needed it," he laughed a small laugh "but in the end, I needed it too. We need eachother; Amaranth. So if nothing else, let's agree to try to keep it how it was, except maybe with conversation in both directions?"

I looked into those silver eyes that pleaded with me. Split in half beneath my emotions; wanting to run and yell that I hated him for lying to me but I wanted to just cry too. I'd missed those eyes, and being close to him, and even though he was just a Companion before he was still my best friend; I missed my best friend. I loved him, I loved my friend, and I didn't want to lose that just because he lost his fur and paws.

I closed the distance between us within a second and hugged him so tightly. I know I caught him by surprise because it was a few seconds before he responded. He hugged me even tighter than I him. It was like letting out a breath I'd been holding for ages; hugging him just now. Suddenly I was airborne as he swung me around and we laughed; me in surprise and he probably out of fun. He set me down after a moment.

"I'd always wanted to do that!" he said and laughed again. his hands around my neck and shoulder and forehead against mine. "There's something else I've wanted to do for a while..." He trailed off. I felt my breath catch and he looked at me from wherever far-off-place he'd been staring to. His lips quirked up on the side and then he leaned in real close, very slowly, and licked my cheek all the way up my cheek bone. 

I shoved him away with an "Vishnuuuuu!" Making him laugh even harder. But I just couldn't be mad with that laugh and the irony of the whole few moments just now.  

"You always did say that." He chuckled as his laughter was dying down. I finished wiping my face and crossed my arms. "Shall we?" and he offered his arm after having picked up my pack off the ground.

"If you promise not to lick me again." He nodded with a false solemnness in his face. I took his arm and we began walking again.

"At least not for a while." he added. I rolled my eyes.

Chapter 22 : The Marketplace

You could hear the revelries in the market place square even before you could see it. There were always musicians and dancers in the square keeping everyone lively and joyful during the long days. Some people only ever came to the sqaure to dance and sing and drink and dance some more. It really was a joy that sucked you in and made you want to dance all day; like the stories the humans say about us being addictive? Dancing in this realm is addictive. We do have our own addictive qualities as a people, but, that aside.

It felt kind of strange to be accompanied by an actual Faerie rather than a wolf. I was used to the calm, quiet companionship. Talking almost felt foreign to me sometimes. Yes, I talked to Vishnu as a wolf but it was different than actually talking; especially to him. But, this felt familiar too, taking the long winding paths to the marketplace.

As we crossed the threshhold of trees surrounding the market you could instantly feel the veil of music and laughter and fun that draped itself over the place. The stands all along the square were brimming with Faerie treats and wines and clothes and flowers. Behind the innner-most ring of stands was a second ring of stands and carts with all the lone tradesman and craftsman proudly showing off pottery, baskets, jewlery, trinkets and such of their own design. Finally, behind the 2nd ring were all of the permanant shops. They boasted all of the main goods and clothing and supplies; usually seperated by gender for clothes, gathering place for food, and trade for the other things.

I always stop and just look around and enjoy breathing in the revilrie of the square, so when I came to, I realised that a few people were staring. I turned to Vishnu and asked "Why are they..." I turned away quickly. Obviously, because they had never seen Vish- er, Sairyn, before. Not to mention the fact that I am never without my wolf nor with a male Faerie unless I decide to go out on the rare occassion and join the dancing in the square. It has been a while since I've made an appearance so that could be part of it as well. I was suddenly very aware of my hand being linked through his arm and started to pull away but his other hand was instantly on top of my hand; keeping it resting on his forearm.

He started walking towards the dancers and leaned down so I could hear him as the music grew louder. "You have surprised them. Shall we surprise them more?" I could hear the smile in his voice. I looked up at him with the question on my face of 'how' and suddenly we were dancing. Right in the middle of everyone spinning around. I took the chance to look around and a few familiar faces nodded to me in respect, a few smiled, and a few of the males didn't even try to hide their open mouths. I couldn't help but laugh. Not to mention, Sairyn was actually a brilliant dancer. Dancing was mindless with him. It was like flying with the breeze; something natural and easy like breathing. I wonder who taught him to dance. His father? Maybe his mother?

We slowed down to a stop now. We had danced all the way to the opposing side of the square. I looked at him, a little out of breath, and released myself from his hold to brush myself off and push a few curls behind my ear. I tried to ignore the stares that I still felt. Vishnu didn't seem to notice.

"You never cared what they thought before; why care now?" Vishnu said, then popped a grin. "Ashamed of me are you?"

"No. I just don't like the attention."

"You're a Fall for the love of the Gods! You've always had that attention." He said this in good humor, but all the same what he was talking about was different. That was respect and curisoity of my power. This attention is merely a curiosity of my personal life. Because they know the dragons to be gone, and I am the first Fall