“What is wrong? What’s bothering you?”
I don’t know why, but I laughed in spite of myself. I brushed my hair from my neck and face, wiped my nose again and shrugged, then gestured to the field.
“You were in that much pain because of the flowers?” he asked, approaching my side.
I nodded.
“Why uwoduhi?”
He took a seat next to me then folded me into his arms.
“You would laugh at me if I told you,” I said through my sniffles.
“I promise I won’t laugh. I could never laugh at you for having so much pain.”
“When I saw the field and how untouched the flowers were, I thought what happened here was all in my head or some elaborate dream. I thought that day wasn’t real.”
He pulled me into him tighter and shushed into my ear, running his hand through the length of my hair. “I assure you, everything that you experienced with me is real. I’m sorry I didn’t explain to you the enchantment on these flowers. They grew with the magic that keeps the enchantment within our home. They are very resilient. The ones under us will even pop right back up as if we were never sitting on them.”
I gasped, pulling away and stood up quickly. I had forgotten all about the possibility of them getting damaged with my sitting on them. I realized the other foul I made and how that could’ve been interpreted to him.
“I’m sorry for running off. I needed to calm down. I didn’t even think of how that would’ve appeared to you, especially after everything you’ve told me.” I stared into his eyes, never breaking from them for even a blink.
His lips curved slightly at the corners. He motioned for me to sit back down, but I hesitated. He motioned more insistently, so I took a seat next to him. He shifted to his back, tucking his arms under his head and gazed at the sky. I laid next to him and thought about how the scent of the tulips was pleasant when the breeze blew through them. They swayed delicately from side to side in the direction the wind blew. I breathed in the dirt beneath us, the thick heavy scent of soil—soft and moist. The crisp aroma of the leaves on the trees blew around us too. Anything I could focus on was its own individual scent.
“I think I’m going through the change sooner than later,” I said, breaking the silence.
“Why do you think that?” he asked, more from curiosity than to insinuate it was in my head.
“I can smell everything as if though each one were by itself instead of combined, like it used to be.”
His body stiffened and then relaxed.
“What?” I asked.
“We should get you back before it gets too much closer to night—just to be safe.”
“I’m enjoying the air out here. It’s relaxing and freeing. Inside those walls, it can be constricting and irritating. Which, speaking of, why were you so mad I helped? I thought you wanted me to when you nodded.”
“I did, but that didn’t mean give her information that would tell her who you are.”
“I didn’t.” I rolled over to his chest and started twisting the lace of his shirt in between my fingers. I listened to the thumping of his heart, picking up in beats ever so slightly, but enough for me to notice. Marren ran his fingers through the length of my hair, sending chills through my body.
“You gave her more than you realize. We still have training to do, and I need to prepare you for the company that’s coming. What do you say to meeting me in the ballroom to go over some new techniques?”
“Meeting you?”
“I need to do something before I join you. Something I want settled before a problem gets out of hand.”
“Very well.” With a sigh, I lifted up from the ground and dusted the loose dirt from my robes. Marren did the same and held out his arm for me to take. I gazed at him curiously and smiled. He nodded once. I took his arm, allowing him to escort me back home.
Chapter 7
Anticipate and Respond Accordingly
I fell to the floor, getting the wind knocked out of me for the fifth time. At least this time I kept ahold of my sword, which was an improvement. Enid helped me train. Either that or he was trying to kill me because, while he retained his stamina, I was losing mine.
“Think, Relena. You must anticipate his moves and respond accordingly,” Marren instructed again. This time he sounded more exasperated.
“I’m trying, Marren. You expect me to fight like I had already gone through the change. By the Gods, I’m sweating like a stuck pig, and Enid has yet to pant.”
“You already experience aspects of the change that give you more stamina than you realize,” Marren purred, stepping up to me. His lips brushed mine. A rush pulsed through my body.
“Breathe, anticipate,” he whispered, bringing his hands to my face then pulled back away right before he kissed me, “and respond accordingly.”