5 Isadar in Love

The cloaked figure looked into a mirror on the wall in the kings' chamber. The mirror showed a strange pale blue light, but nothing of the room or the cloaked figure. There was a thick heavy cloth strewn on the floor at the foot of the mirror. The cloaked figure stood there and waited.

"What do you want, Magician?" said a voice that sounded exactly like the voice of the cloaked figure. But it was different. It came from the mirror, and it was gentler somehow.

"Show your-self!" demanded the cloaked figure in a vengeful voice. He took off his hood, his long silver hair flowed to his shoulders and stared at his own face in the mirror. It had now appeared. It was him in the mirror, but it was a different version of him with jet black hair.

That was not the only difference. The man in the cloak had startlingly pale blue eyes, which shown almost like diamonds. The man in the mirror had eyes so dark they were almost as black as his hair. They both looked in their twenties, and handsome. The one in the mirror wore a crown.

"Take that off!" cried the cloaked man.

The man in the mirror smiled, "Does it bother you?" He took it off. "Why did you lock me in here if you're going to keep coming back to me for help?"

"You think I need help from you? Don't make me laugh."

"You're pathetic."

"I'm not the one locked up am I?"

"Is it Isadar again?"

"Leave him out of this!"

"Why? You don't."

"I'll take care of the little traitor my own way."

"What could you possibly do to him? Look at you. It's no wonder he betrayed you."

…

"How?"

"What?"

"How do you intend to take care of him?"

"That's a good question. Maybe after he brings me that crest…"

"He would never bring it to you!" It is mine!"

They continued to glare at each other. Phineas entered the room bringing in a tray of food that smelled tantalizingly good. He looked over at the blue mirror. He shook his head. These situations always confused him. It was hard to tell which one was the master sometimes. But he knew. And one day he would be able to help his master be free of all the chains that bound him.

*=*=*=*

Weeks passed into months, and to Isadar it seemed like he had just arrived in the hidden village yesterday. And at the same time it seemed like he had always been there. He was in love He couldn't believe it. He was going to marry Mirrame, the most beautiful Priestess he had ever seen! He had asked Phillip the Elder, Kylie's brother, for his daughters hand in marriage. He gave them his blessing. Today would be the blessed ceremony. He could still remember the day they met.

He had met her a few days after he had walked into the village with Phillip. He thought she was beautiful. He saw the way the children flocked to her, and the way the villagers respected her. Upon seeing her he nudged Phillip in the ribs.

Phillip saw the direction Isadar was looking.

"Is she an angel?" ha asked wide eyed. "Pinch me Phillip, I must be in Heaven."

Phillip Burst into laughter much like the day Isadar had arrived. Then he shouted out across the village square, "Hey Mirrame!" She looked over and smiled. She ran over. Isadar was beet red when the next words to come out of Phillips mouth were, "This is my daughter, Mirrame. Mirrame, this tomato here is Isadar. He's new to Ern, so make him feel at home."

Her eyes opened wide with curiosity. She had never actually met an outsider before. She plagued him with questions about the world outside the forest. How did he know where he was when there was no path? How could he tell which way was north without the moss to guide him? Wasn't he scared without the protection of the trees? Her questions were unending. He loved it. She was so different.

She had only ever lived in the Forest of Ern. She didn't know anything else. She was so simple and naïve, at the same time she was strong and carried the village on her back. She was amazing! She was a Priestess. It was equal to being a knight in this village. He was sure she'd get tired of him, but she didn't. The more time they spent together the more they liked each other. They were falling in love.

Their love didn't go unnoticed by Phillip. He was all for it. He loved seeing his daughter happy. All the other men in the village had been intimidated by her. And Phillip knew nothing would put a stop to Isadars quest like this had. He saw that Isadar was in love with his daughter. He threw them together as much as possible. He would show the village that he was a matchmaker yet!

Isadar and Mirrame would go fishing together. They went and collected wood together. They were inseparable. Every day new questions would come, even when they thought there were no more questions left to ask. They always found something to talk about, and they laughed a lot. Phillip was exhilarated.

One day Phillip told Mirrame that she had to go on another mission. He didn't expect her reaction at all. She burst into tears and ran out of the house. She didn't want to go. She didn't realize it till right then. She was in love When did that happen? Why was she so depressed at the thought of leaving him behind? She sat there on the turf in the middle of a small meadow. She and her little sister used to come and pick flowers here for their mother. No one else knew about this place. She was always comforted when she came here. It always felt like her sister was here with her.

*=*=*

"Mirrame!" She heard a voice exclaim. She had also heard some loud thumps. She wasn't sure if it was her heart or something else. If it was her heart, then she was surely dying. No one's heart could make that kind of racket and live. She was dying of embarrassment. How had he found her? Him of all people! Did he know about this spot? Had she told him about it? She could never keep her mouth shut when she was talking to him. She simply opened her mouth and words flowed out of their own accord. She didn't like that she couldn't think around him. She hated him right now. How dare he just show up like that when she needed him most! She didn't want to leave him! Why didn't she want to leave him!?

"Mirrame," Isadar's voice cracked. Will you please tell me what's wrong?"

She saw that he himself was holding back tears. He was about to cry, for what?

For her? It wasn't possible. She had to say something! She didn't know what to say! How on earth was she supposed to tell him she loved him!?

"I…" she began, "I…" Tears came back into her eyes. Why was she hard wired to cry for every little thing? She was a Priestess for crying out loud! Wasn't she supposed to be strong? Then she realized; she didn't want to always have to be strong. "I just want…I want to be a normal woman!" the dam on her tear ducts broke once more on that last word and she burst into tears again.

"You are a woman," he said confused. Was that it? How was he supposed to fix that? Why did he feel like he needed to fix it? He wanted her to smile again. She was breaking his heart with her tears.

"No I'm not!" she almost shouted. "I'm a Priestess. They tell me 'go here', I go. They say 'do this', I do. They tell me that I'm strong, but I know I'm not! Why can't I just be me? Why can't I do what I want to do? Go where I want to go?" Love who I want to love and have him…love me? She was grateful that her tears stopped that last sentence from coming out. She didn't think she could face him if she had said it out loud.

He tilted her head to look at him. Her teary hazel eyes met his dark blue eyes. They gazed into each other's eyes with love.

"You are a woman. A beautiful strong courageous woman," he said. She couldn't hear him when he looked at her like that. His voice was full of emotion. I love you, he thought as his lips softly grazed hers.

He pulled back slowly, wondering when the slap would come. What was he thinking? That's just it he wasn't thinking. One look into her eyes and he was spellbound. He was expecting a slap, and an exclamation of some sort. He deserved it for taking advantage of her weak moment like that. What he got however was something entirely different. She blushed and dropped her gaze.

"Thank you," she said softly. "For telling me that I'm a woman, I mean." She didn't mention the kiss. She didn't know how she felt about it. Did he mean it? Or did he just do it because he knew it was what she needed?

He didn't reply. He was too shocked to reply. What did she mean by that!? Did that mean the kiss was ok? He stood up and offered her his hand nervously. She took it. Then he led her over to where a pile of wood had been strewn about on the turf.

"Want to help me gather some more?" he asked both hopefully and dreadfully at the same time. He wondered if things could go back to the way they had been before the kiss. He would feel better if she would just say something. As things were right now, he had no clue where he stood.

"Sure," she smiled awkwardly at him.