A Cold Night

“What am I to you then?”

Zelora asked as she hugged her knees the signs of sadness filling her soft face. A tear forming under her eye as she held her breath, the anxiety of loosing yet another so close was almost too much to bear. There was no way he could understand what she felt or had been through. There were no words he could say now that could ever take back what he had said. It stung her heart and left a permanent scar on her soul. A mark so deep it could have left a ripple of fate to another world.

Looking up to him, her eyes met his and the apologetic words that escaped his mouth were muted and voided. Perhaps empty entirely like what he may have fooled her for all along. She felt something deeply for him but knew now the mutual was not the equivalent. Letting her face fall back to her knees she let her mind go blank as she slipped to the only solace that kept her sanity. Nothingness. A void less realm that blanketed her with comfort, escaping a harsh reality that stung too deeply.

“My world.”

His words rung in her own head clear as bell. But those words hurt, they hurt so deeply it felt as though blood would come gushing out instead of tears.

“You were there for me when I was about to die. The little bit of kindness you gave me let me live for one more day Zelora.”

She kept her eyes closed as tears continued to flow, refusing to acknowledge him.

“There is nothing I can say that will change what I said and done. And how I hurt you cannot be undone.” He continued as he took a seat next to Zelora sitting but a foot away from her, averting his eyes to the horizon. A setting sun that expanded across the vast grasslands leaving an orange color that contrasted with the gray colored clouds in the sky. The cold air encircling them as the wind pressure from the mountain behind greeted them.

“Lohran...”

Lohran kept his gaze to the horizon as he awaited Zelora’s words. He felt the tension in the air as thick as the cold gust that encircled them. He kept his gaze transfixed for a few more moments realizing the conversation had gone silent. But this was normal on most occasions, silence in company was peaceful between them as it had always been. It was the experiences they had that was their conversation. The trials they had conquered and trials that they were undergoing.

“Was this our first fight?” Lohran asked as he shook his head squinting his eyes.

“Hardly a fight when you point out my faults…” Zelora responded her head still in her knees, her voice muffled barely audible.

Lohran simply grunted as he gradually turned his gaze towards her, slowly reaching his hand out to touch her shoulder. His hand was cold and clammy which startled Zelora as it sent a cold chill down her spine. Flinching at his touch Lohran let out a sigh as he left his hand there.

“Do you feel my cold hand Zelora?”

“...Yes..”

“At first it is cold and it hurts, leaving a shock that wants you to wince away.” Lohran said as his voice trailed off keeping his cold hand on her shoulder, the setting sun lowering the temperature in the grass highlands. The gust of cold air from the mountain making it rather uncomfortable. Zelora eventually shivering as she hugged her legs more in both despair and chill. They remained silent once more for a few minutes until Lohran’s hand began to feel warm. A warm sensation that felt relaxing in the cold mountain gusts.

“It hurts in the beginning but with time it warms up and reminds you where warmth is, in a cold harsh world.” Lohran stated as he scooted closer to her, slowly moving his warm arms around her. Almost cradling a frail child from the harsh elements. Zelora sat there shivering still, perhaps it was the cold air or the words he stated earlier that stung her heart still.

“I am just a man with a simple mind Zelora, I am sorry I hurt you.”

Zelora continued to sit there, as her shivering eventually waned as Lohran’s arms and body kept her warm from the elements. The sun had fully settled as the landscape became a twilight of darkness, the dark grass blowing in the mountain wind creating a music only nature could replicate. It mesmerized her as she slowly drifted off into a slumber, exhausted and fatigued the dark circles under her eyes living proof.

The stars and full moon eventually shown down on the pair, as two people sat embraced with one another to weather the cold air. No animals or person were near to witness to this testimony. Nor were any wiser to the occasion that brought such an act to occur to begin with. It continued like that until the morning came as the sun slowly raised behind them. A brilliant show of yellow and orange escaped the mountain peeks as warm fresh air encircled them. It felt refreshing and clean.

“Lohran.” Zelora began as she opened her eyes slowly waking to him still warped around her, his body heat having kept her warm through the cold night. “Why?”

Lohran simply smiled as he looked down having not slept the entire night, concentrating only on what he would say should she awake and call his name in the morn. Instead he simply caressed her cheek with his hand as he turned her head to meet his. Her eyes a dark brown his eyes green as they locked into a stare. Both their hearts jumped slightly as they pressed their lips to each other, though cold yet comforting in a familiar way.

“Because I love you…” Lohran stated as his forehead touched hers, their eyes closing as they welcomed the new day. The warmth granting minor yet an unyielding resolve.

“If am I am as intelligent as you say I am, why would I hurt the only thing I love in this world” Lohran asked with a smirk as he wiped a tear that formed at the side of Zelora’s eye. “Sounds like something an idiot would do.”

Zelora simply smirked back with a grin as balled her hand into a fist, before socking him cleanly in his handsome face. The hit was staggering as he fell onto his back a look of puzzlement covering his face.

“Hurt don’t it?” Zelora asked as he stood up slowly. Though with a rather upset face she reached forward with a hand offering to help him to his feet. Rubbing his face Lohran accepted the gesture as he took her hand as she pulled him to his feet. Moving up closer to him Zelora tip toed up to whisper into his ear. “I will never forget what you said…but.” Zelora stated as he took a step back folding her arms looking Lohran straight in the eyes. “I loved you first.”

Lohran simply smiled as he let out a sigh. He was ok with not being able to get her to forgive him, but was satisfied with the end result. Cocking his head to the side with a shy smile he raised a hand forward for her to lead the way. Rolling her eyes, she took the notion as they made their way back to their camp. Leaving the grassy hill to its solitude holding the only memory of what occurred their that night. A memory so deep that it would leave ripples to another world.