Ennah

Sentisse, 66 years after the Rise

I watched him go. Uncle Aniol left for the village and I just watched him as he stepped through the gate, carrying his precious load in a small satchel on his belt.

My money hadn’t been enough to keep Aunt Carme’s necklace safe. Uncle Aniol assured me he wouldn’t sell the necklace, he would pawn it. It didn’t make that much of a difference to me — as much as I watched Uncle Aniol go, I felt the necklace going too and it was as if Aunt Carme left me yet again.

Now I’m sitting by the glass heap. The smell of wine is familiar and nauseating at the same time. A few shards are floating right beside me and I watch the sunshine filter through them, casting shimmering light green specs on the wall. It’s beautiful, yet I feel little joy. What if the pawnbroker doesn’t give enough for the necklace? It looks real, but then again, there’s nothing even remotely fancy present on the vineyard grounds. And I can barely believe Aunt Carme would wear something as expensive as a real Rainbow Forest leaf around her neck on a daily basis — if there ever was someone sensible around here, it was her. Yes, the diamond leaves are supposed to be all but unbreakable, but if I know Aunt Carme, she would never take such a chance. Would she?

I wish I could ask her. I wish I could just talk to her once more, or to Granny. My heart feels as shattered as the glass I’m sitting next to when I think of them. And yet, this is the very best place to be. This is the spot Amador is most likely to find me. I hope with all my might that he somehow feels I need him again, that he will be as early as he was when… When Aunt Carme was still alive.

Oh feathers, I’m really hoping he’ll come today. It’s been almost a week now, and though he’s not that regular, he rarely lets more than five days pass without dropping by. And with Uncle Aniol gone, we could even go inside the house for a change… Maybe.

I swallow. All I can do is hope, and I’m not sure how long Uncle Aniol will be gone. I don’t even know how long the walk from here to the village will take him, so I can’t calculate how long I’ll have at the least.

Maybe it’s a bad idea to linger here. I’m not visible from the road, but anyone taking more than three steps through our gate and onto the main path leading to the buildings will easily spot me. I could simply turn the corner and make myself comfortable there. I’ve waited for Amador to show up so many times from that spot, that it’s strange that I’m not there right now. But even consciously thinking about it, doesn’t get me to move. I want to see him as soon as he arrives and not have to wait for him to make himself known by meowing.

The sunshine is relentless. The green specs travel across the wall as the shards of glass lazily drift in mid-air. It’s kind of mesmerizing to watch and I can feel my eyes struggle to stay open. The last few weeks have been extremely challenging and I think this is the first time that I have some time to just sit, be still, and realize just how tired I am.

I cannot allow myself to fall asleep here, tempting as it is.

Then, suddenly, there is movement at the gate. My first reflex is to jump up and hide, and I’m already resisting the pull from my ankle bracelets when I realize that, once again, Amador must have received my calling. He’s walking over to me, and his smile is so wide I could relish in it all day.

“Hi,” I beam when he’s close enough to hear me.

“Hi,” he replies, with a small wave of his hand.

“What did you do?”

“What?”

I look at his fingers. Several cuts are running along the length of them, covered in bandages that cannot hide the serious damage.

“Oh, that,” he says, shrugging. “A little accident. Nothing big.”

I don’t know if I believe him. Yes, working in glass manufacturing has some risks, but I’ve never seen him this wounded before. “Are you sure you’re alright?” I take his hands into mine and realize I must look equally wounded after yesterday’s cleaning frenzy.

He smiles at me and nods as I lift his hands to kiss his hurt fingers. “Never better…” His breath gets caught in his throat, I’m pleased to notice. He lets out a soft, enjoying grunt. “I’m with you, so…”

I grin cheekily, taking the tip of his finger between my lips. I’ve never done anything like this, but I like it.

“Ennah,” he grunts, and finally he gets sensible enough to kiss me.

I kiss him back, so happy that he’s finally here, in my arms, under my lips. A sigh escapes my lips as he pulls me closer. Everything is fine, even if it’s just for this moment.

“Where’s your uncle?” he asks.

I cannot help the fact that my smile turns naughty. “Out. He’s gone to the village.”

A flash of understanding in Amador’s eyes, then something darkens. “I cannot believe my luck,” he mutters. “I have to go. I only came by to give you this.”

“You cannot stay?” This is not how my perfect fantasy is supposed to work out. We should be making sweet love without restrictions, maybe even in the comfortable cool surroundings of my bedroom. Why can’t he stay?

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

He pulls a slightly wrinkled envelope out of his pocket. “I was going to leave this for you.”

“A bill?” That’s utterly romantic. I scowl at him.

“No. It’s for you. It’s… The directions to my house. I… I’d like to invite you over.”

I gasp for air. It feels as if my blood is drained from my face in an instant. “You know I never leave the vineyard.”

“Yes, I do. But…” He takes my hands and squeezes them. “I cannot be without you. I need you, En. I want you in my bed. Not in sheds or cellars or storage units… I want you properly.”

I’m lost for words. My cheeks burn and my heart flutters. I can barely believe he just asked me this. “I…”

“Tonight,” he says. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Amador!” Someone is calling him from the road. His father?

“My father. I have to go now. I’ll claim the heap was empty…”

I blink, not fully comprehending what’s just happened. Well, part of it is clear. He’s on the road with his father, he can’t stay here and instead chose to leave me a letter. But the contents of the letter… An invitation to go to his house…

“Will I see you tonight?” he asks, placing gentle kisses on my fingers. They’re just as battered up as his, and I’m glad he doesn’t mention it. Maybe the pile right behind me is all the explanation he needs.

“Ennah?”

“I…”

The thought of leaving is so big, so far-fetched, that I can’t even imagine myself doing it. But…

“I love you,” he says, and then he leaves without awaiting my answer.

For the second time today, I watch as someone leaves the premises. Uncle Aniol left taking a bit of my heart with him. Amador might just have taken the rest of it. Will I get it back when I go to visit him tonight?

If I go…

I stare at the gate, most of it hidden just behind the gnarled old tree Amador disappeared behind. What would happen if I were to walk through that gate? Would the Mage catch me? Or Càgila? Or…

Do I want to go outside? Will Amador cut things off with me if I don’t?

The unease settles deep in my stomach. My mind is racing back and forth. I’ve thought about leaving the shelter of the vineyard before, but never with an intention to actually do it. Now, suddenly, it’s as if the gate has opened up for me. An invitation to expand my world. My mouth goes dry as I think about it.

My fingers tremble slightly as I open the envelope and unfold the letter. Amador knows I’ve never left the vineyard — I remember how hard it was for me to tell him so, and how surprised he reacted — and now he’s drawn me a map. Squiggly lines and written directions, like “Turn right after the giant cypress tree with a swing hanging from a broken branch”. He’s really put a lot of effort into it, and my heart melts.

Leave the vineyard.

Before I know it, I’m already halfway down the path to the gate — the gate I crossed only once in my life. It’s so weird to think that I can step through. That I can visit Amador if I want to.

Go to Amador… Who’d have thought that that would be a possibility? I notice my feet are barely touching the ground as I walk, and I hear Granny’s voice in my head. “Remember the rules. They’re here for a reason. Stay on the ground. Stay on the grounds.” She always chuckled a bit when she said those two sentences, only to become serious again right after. “Practice your Magic. Copy a spell every week. Be kind and polite. Do your best in everything. And do not show yourself.”

I swallow and suddenly it’s not that hard to hit the path with every step. I’ve not been practicing my Magic. I allowed myself to be shown, and now I’m even tempted to leave the grounds.

But Granny isn’t here to chuckle anymore. I cannot stay hidden forever, can I?

But that Mage…

How big is the world anyway? The Mage that’s been looking for me could be anywhere.

Still, my pace grinds to a halt now that the gate is in full sight. It seems like the world beyond it is just as normal as the vineyard itself. The light is the same. The colors of the plants and trees, the dust on the road. And yet I can sense the barrier. I’m getting closer and even though I’ve been close to this part of the vineyard multiple times, I’ve never come up here. I’ve always steered clear of the gate, like Granny wanted me to.

Now my heart is racing as I charter this known, unfamiliar territory.

I don’t think there’s a Magical boundary I cannot cross, or one that will alert anyone to my presence here. Though I can’t be sure, of course.

My footsteps get smaller now, and slower. I’ve never been this far down the path. The trees across the road, outside the gate, are rustling in the wind. Whispering at me to just come the them.

It feels wrong. So wrong. All my life I’ve been told to stay away from here and I obeyed. Am I going to throw a lifetime of safety away on a whim?

But I need to know. I want to know what it’s like out there. If there is a magical barrier or not. If I can cross the gate. If I can go to Amador if I want to…

Just a few more steps. My feet are kicking up dust even though I barely touch the ground anymore. My heart is pounding. What will wait for me on the other side? The gate itself looms over me. It feels so heavy, while it’s nothing more than a few beams that make up the entry to the vineyard. Why am I so intimidated by a bit of wood?

My throat is so dry now, that I can’t even swallow. My heart is thumping as if it personally wants to jump into the unknown before I do.

One more step before I’m under the top beam. Two more to leave the grounds. My feet are tingling, as are my fingers. I brace myself for something to happen as I move forward, inching toward the road on the other side…

Nothing happens.

No sirens, no Magic — as far as I can tell. The temperature is no different, the sounds are the same.

And yet, I feel exposed. Naked. Completely at the mercy of an outer world that’s too big, that’s dangerous, that will swallow me whole if I’m not careful.

It doesn’t feel right. Not at all.

Maybe that’s a spell at work, or maybe… Maybe I should forget about all of this and stay home.

But Amador… He’ll be waiting. Tonight, after a long, hard day working with his father, he’ll be waiting for me. I cannot let him down, can I? And I don’t want to let him down. I want to see him smile. I want to feel his warmth. I want his lips on mine, his hands on my skin, his muscles flexing as he takes me to heights I’ve never seen before.

But as I take another step, just to force myself to get used to being off the premises, I get nauseous with fear. Every sound makes me jump — it doesn’t matter that the only noise is what I always hear. It feels like a million eyes are upon me, watching me from the trees, from behind rocks, from… Everywhere. Not to mention the claws that are waiting to catch me.

This is too much. I cannot do this. I…

I turn and run, run toward the house, run toward the safety of my chamber deep inside the mountain.

And then it dawns on me. I am alone. There is nobody else in this whole vineyard. If I have rattled some magical alarm system, if somebody’s looking for me, they’ll find me. What have I done?

I want to force myself to run, to place my feet on the ground like I’m supposed to, but I can’t. I fly to the house, bolt the door from the inside — I’ll surely hear Uncle Aniol cursing if he cannot get in — and I don’t even bother to light a candle as the circadian candles are enough to guide me through the corridors. In the dark of my room, I hide away under the covers, and stare at the door until I cannot keep my eyes open anymore.