Edmund leaned against the bookcase as Nalsy put the last of the books away from her newly catalogued pile.
"May I inquire about the end of your workday?" Edmund asked with a slight smile. The library's darkened atmosphere between the shelves made his eyelids heavy. He was clearly overworked.
"I'm not sure. I haven't paid much attention to the time." Nalsy looked over at him, his eyes closed as he leaned back against the wood. He had dark circles under his eyes, probably due to many sleepless nights.
Before Edmund answered, Lauren, appeared beside him. His eyes quickly shot open as he straightened out. He acted as if he was caught doing something wrong.
Lauren gave him a warm smile before turning towards Nalsy.
"Nalsy, dear, I think it'll be quite alright for today. I'll be shutting the doors in 10 minutes." She turned to Edmund with a curious gaze. "Good evening, Sir Gray."
"Of course, Lauren. Again, I cannot thank you enough for the help you've been." Nalsy answered with a slight excitement, almost jumping off a step stool she was using. Edmund scowled at her immediately, but she couldn't care less.
"I'll see you tomorrow at 8:00?" Lauren asked, at which Nalsy nodded, most enthused. Lauren then vanished so that she could start preparing the room for the night, putting the fire down, turning the lights off, and making sure all windows and doors were sealed, which they were as if they haven't opened them.
"As I know the answer to my question from Mrs Jones, may I ask if it would be much of a burden if you accompanied me back home?" Edmund asked, putting his hands in the pockets of his jacket and tilting his head. The lamp on the shelf beside Nalsy reflected as a flicker in his blue eyes.
Nalsy looked over at his handsome and gentle smile, trying to ignore the sudden feeling of embarrassment and worthlessness. She shouldn't be there, in a world so different to her, accompanied by no other than Edmund himself. In her usual manner, she retaliated with sarcasm and pretended dissatisfaction, "If I must."
This didn't register with Edmund straight away. A flash of disappointment hazed over his smile. A split-second reaction wasn't noticed by Nalsy as it quickly was replaced by a smile. Edmund nodded.
"Of course, you don't have to. Alternative would be that we walk a few meters apart, one in front of the other so that you do not have to walk beside me and risk being associated with me." Edmund replied shortly with a slight bite to his words.
"And who shall walk at the front?" Nalsy walked past him to return two more books to the empty slot on the shelf.
"If you walk at the front, I will have a better view of your surroundings, and if the need arises, I can step in and save you." Edmund followed her two steps behind.
"You seem to have it all worked out." Nalsy sneered. "As always, acting like a prince, ready to save the damsel in distress."
"I'd rather think of myself as a knight than a prince," Edmund replied with a smirk, at which Nalsy sneered again. Of course, he did. A knight in shining armour. Always ready to step in and protect his damsel in distress. But Nalsy wasn't his damsel in distress. She was a damsel and she was often in distress, but she was not for him to save.
"Of course you do. But others may not think of you as such. What will they think if they see you creeping behind me?"
"Well, that's a problem then. I can't walk before you as I might not see if you're in trouble, and I can't walk after you so that I don't seem like I'm harassing you." Edmund sighed.
"It's already obvious that you're harassing me. I barely can get out of your sight." Nalsy grumbled.
"Oh Nalsy, it is my solemn duty to ensure your safety. I will be risking losing my head if there's as much as a scratch on you."
"I am convinced that Lumen hasn't seen an execution in over 200 years, so don't exaggerate." Nalsy looked over at him. The benefit of working in the library was her newly gained access to all of the information about this rather magical world enticed in darkness.
"As if living among rats in the darkest dungeon was a better prospect!"
"I assume that this would be a better option than putting up with me. A person who infringed on your personal space in such an abrupt manner."
"You ain't worse than a rat!"
"I'm ever so pleased to hear that." Nalsy giggled as she picked a stack of books from a shelf and made her way towards the desk in the central area of the library, where she checked the books out for herself.
"Rats can't cook, so that gives you an advantage."
"You haven't seen Ratatouille, have you?" Nalsy asked as she picked her trench coat from the hanger.
"A what?"
"Never mind." Nalsy put the coat on and grabbed the newly-acquired stack of books under her arm.
"On that note, what would you like for dinner?" Edmund changed the subject as they walked into the long corridor. Nalsy shivered at a cold draft that grazed her bare neck. Her coat didn't cover enough of it to stop the breeze from finding its way down.
"Honestly, not fussed. I can make you something if you'd like" Nalsy sighed as she realised just how tired she was. She wasn't nearly as recovered as she first thought. A day on her feet was enough to make her feel dizzy and drowsy. Edmund looked over at her with a piercing gaze, noticing it.
Her smile slowly vanished and the dark circles under her eyes showed up. A barely concealed yawn stretched her lips.
She hid it well, the pain, the tiredness, the grief, but not well enough.
"Let's grab takeout and eat on the way home. You can go straight to bed as soon as we get back. However, next weekend we must eat out to celebrate your new job!"
"Can we at least wait until my first payday?" Nalsy asked with worry. She already owed Edmund too much.
"If that's what you wish." Edmund agreed even though he felt rejected.
"At the very least, I owe you a nice meal out for all you've done for me."
"What have I done for you?" Edmund asked in surprise.
"You saved my life." Nalsy looked up at him in disbelief. How could he forget that?!
"I didn't do much. I just picked you up in the woods."
Nalsy reached her hand to her neck where the cut from the knife healed so far into a fine red line.
"No, you were at my home. You…" Nalsy remembered his face clearly. She remembered how he pretty much threw that man at the wall. She remembered his face appearing in the window when she was escaping. The memories flooded her mind again, turning her face dark.
"Nalsy, you don't owe me anything," Edmund said quietly, realising her shift in the mood.
"What about the shelter, food, and clothing that you provided to me? The cost of all of these must be extortionate by now." Nalsy looked down at her cold hands. "I will pay you back, of course."
"Okay, let me rephrase it. I don't like the 'I owe you, and you owe me' relationship you're implying. I rather think of it as an act of kindness than a transaction of favours."
"But… you were ordered to."
"It is not easy to order me around. If I disagreed, you wouldn't be here."
"Then, why did you agree?"
"Perhaps it was just an act of kindness, or perhaps I was curious what kind of human is so dangerous that Colleens send the first army behind them."
"First army?"
"They are highly skilled assassins. King's guards. Trained by Tenebrae's general of the army himself."
"You never mentioned this before."
"There's a reason why it takes us as long as this to ensure your safe return to Earth."
"Why would they send assassins after my family and me? How could we be such a threat?"
"I am trying to find this out, Nalsy. And until I do, you are under my protection. Not only as an order from the Queen, but also as my promise to you."
"What promise?"
"I promise to keep you safe no matter what it takes," Edmund said as they walked under the arch of the gate. Nalsy looked over at him. He looked determined.
"I don't want your promise," Nalsy uttered. The pain in her ankle started increasing as she walked, which only agitated her.
"Why?"
"I don't need you to be responsible for my safety, whatever the reason is. I don't want you to be responsible for me. I don't want to be dependent on you."
"That's not what I'm saying."
"I find it infuriating that you're there to keep me safe. I am not a child. I can take care of myself. I am the one responsible for my safety and well-being. I am competent in taking care of myself."
"Nalsy, I am not implying that you're incapable. If anything, you have proven more than capable." Edmund instinctively touched his nose. "What I am trying to say is that I want you safe. It doesn't imply your dependence on me. Nothing else. It's just that I want to keep you safe."
"So that you can piss off the Darks?" Nalsy asked with a scoff. Edmund was taken aback by her accusation.
"It is not the main goal but rather a satisfying side effect. It might surprise you, but the ultimate goal is to save lives." Edmund replied with such confidence in his voice that not many would be willing to argue further. "Before you throw more accusations, what about a Khorasan bake?" Edmund pointed at a bakery.
"Accusations?" Nalsy stopped in her tracks and looked at him with concern. She didn't intend to sound so harsh as for Edmund to consider it an accusation.
"Did I ever make you feel like you owe me? Did I make you feel like you have to pay me back in any way?" Edmund asked calmly, stopping and turning to face her.
"No, you haven't. I'm sorry." Nalsy looked down in embarrassment.
"I understand that this isn't the ideal situation for you but me helping you isn't a burden." Edmund's gaze was piercing. "Now, if you finished, can we get something to eat? You must be starving."
"I'm not hungry." Nalsy said quietly.
"You might change your mind once you try the Khorasan bake." Edmund smiled reassuringly.
"What's that?" Nalsy accepted the change of topic.
"It's a stretched khorasan dough with white sauce and cheese. It's delicious!"
"So, like a pizza?" Nalsy raised her left brow.
"Pizza? No idea, but it's one of the best things there are." Edmund walked towards a stall on the side of the city square and quickly made an order, within minutes bringing over pizza-like slices of Khorasan bake. "They only had this one left." Edmund took the books off Nalsy and passed one to her, not giving her a chance to refuse.
"It's very similar to pizza." Nalsy concluded enjoying the warmth of the food.
"Do you like it?"
"I love it." Nalsy admitted with a slight smile. They continued walking home, Nalsy was in a slightly better mood since she ate.
"I can walk you to the castle tomorrow morning, of course, if you'd like company." Edmund suggested.
"I would have thought you'd be fed up with my snail pace by now." Nalsy replied with a wide smile.
"I don't mind it."
"Alright then."
"I might be unable to come back home with you tomorrow though. I have a long day ahead."
"Understood. Although I am sorry to hear about that long day ahead."
"I've managed to get you a set of keys to keep." Edmund picked a bundle of keys from his pocket with a little golden keyring in a shape of a flower attached to it.
"What?" Nalsy looked surprised.
"I thought that it'll make it easier for you to have your own set."
"I didn't think I'll be staying here long enough for it to be necessary. I'm sorry that you had to go to so much trouble."
"Oh, stop it and take it." Edmund urged her. Nalsy took the keys with hesitation. "Besides, with you needing to leave the house for work, it'll only make things easier."
"Thank you." Nalsy looked at the keyring
before hiding the keys in her coat's pocket.
"I may be sent away for a few days next week. I will have a look into getting someone to look after you while I'm away."
"I don't think it'll be necessary, would it?" Nalsy looked at him with worry. "I'll try to find somewhere to stay as to not worry you about destroying your home."
"What?" Edmund was confused. "Why would my home be destroyed?"
"It was more a speculation that you're concerned that I will destroy it whilst you're away."
"No, not at all, Nalsy. I am not concerned about YOU staying at home. I'm not concerned that you will do something. For all I care, you can make a bonfire out of it as long as you remain safe. I am simply worried for your safety."
"Oh. But I wouldn't be on my own, will I? I have work now which will keep me out of the house for most of the day. And I would be more than happy to meet with Anita again if she will not mind me of course."
"I suppose. I can still send someone around to check on you. It'll put my mind at ease."
"Nothing better than a babysitter." Nalsy smiled.
"I was thinking about asking Caspian to check on you. I don't think he would be best impressed if he knew that you called him a babysitter."
"I am still unsure as to why I deserve so much protection. Trying to get the General of the Army to check on me seems excessive and unnecessary."
"Nalsy, with what happened recently, we cannot take any chances."
"I understand." Nalsy sighed as she tried to stop herself from saying just how confused she was that someone send assassins after someone as insignificant as herself. The silence fell between them as they started walking up the slope, towards the house on the very top of the hill.
"If you tell me what sort of keyring you would prefer, I will be very keen to replace it for you. I can get you a custom design if there's nothing you like." Edmund spoke at last.
"That would be highly unnecessary. The flower is rather pretty. Even though, I must admit, that I am unsure of what flower it is. It reminds me of a lotus."
"It is a very flower you enjoyed on so many occasions."
"A fern flower?" Nalsy took out her new set of keys and studied the metal carefully. "I'm guessing the myths aren't true."
"Which ones?"
"There are many myths surrounding fern flowers on Earth. For example, I was told that on the night of summer solstice if you find a fern flower your wish will come true and it'll bring you great fortunes. Another story said that it gives you the capability to understand animals. People on earth had numerous traditions surrounding the myth."
"What kind of traditions?" Edmund asked curiously.
"In some places, couples would go together in a search of a fern flower, a girl would wear a flower wreath when entering the forest in search of the fern flower, and if they came out with the boy wearing it they were said to be engaged. But I guess it's all nonsense. I find it amusing that what people think of a myth on Earth is a common cooking ingredient here."
"They do say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, do they not?" Edmund smiled. "Besides, we consider tea to be a rarity here, yet you drink it in gallons."
"Do you?" Nalsy looked up at him with surprise.
"The market you found with Earthian delicacies is not necessarily legal." Edmund started explaining. "Whilst they do sell amazing tea, and many other Earthian foods I am astounded by, their import is illegal."
"What?!" Nalsy almost exclaimed. "Oh my goodness, I did not realise! Why didn't you enlighten me earlier?"
"I had my reasons, of course." Edmund chuckled. "For one, the apple pie you have made on a few occasions is rather splendid and I wouldn't dare to risk missing out on it. And two, I might be keen to try to find a way for the paperwork to be sorted and make some of the things a little bit more accessible."
"Shall I dispose of it until then?" Nalsy asked worriedly.
"Why?"
"It isn't appropriate for a General to possess illegal material."
"If anyone finds out, I'll make it seem that it is evidence gathered to take down the backstreet markets." Edmund smiled. Why, oh why, was his smile this charming? Nalsy couldn't pinpoint the exact thing that drew her to Edmund. She wasn't sure why she found him taking his keys out of his pocket and unlocking the door so entrancing. Something about his swift movements and graciousness that she didn't quite see before. There was something in him that was different. His eyes twinkled with danger or warning, with some coldness behind them. There was a history there that was yet to be unfolded.
"Sneaky." Nalsy concluded as they walked through the door.
Nalsy unwrapped herself of the few layers, taking her coat off and hanging it beside Edmund's leathery jacket. Below the coat, there was another row of smaller hooks. This was where Edmund was used to hanging his set of keys. Nalsy followed his suit and her new set of keys dangled beside his. Edmund looked at her doing it so naturally as if she always did it, as if that spot now belonged to her, and it startled him. Perhaps he wanted it to belong to someone. Perhaps he was fed up with his solitude. And Nalsy was perfect for she did not know who he truly was and he could paint the new picture, write a new story, for her and with her. There was something truly enticing about that perspective.
His moment of contemplation over Nalsy's increasing presence in his life was caught off track as he noticed her rubbing her hands to warm them up. She was paler than before. Between the complete lack of the Sun and her recent injuries, her skin was ashen and she looked rather sickly.
Edmund noticed the change over the past few days. He was aware of what Nalsy was trying to conceal. He knew of her sleepless nights, of her sobbing into her pillow, of her being sick after almost every meal. He saw the effects of it too. She had dark circles under her eyes, her skin was pale and blue, her cheeks sunken and her collarbones and wrists were protruding more. He tried to encourage her to eat in hope that she will not throw all of it up, giving her just enough fuel to continue to somewhat function and heal. But it wasn't his place to step in and demand her to do something. It was up to her to seek help. All he could do is guide her and support her the best he could.
"Are you cold?" Edmund asked as Nalsy passed by him and started walking down the hall.
"Ever so slightly." Nalsy turned around and smiled at him. He couldn't tell how genuine her smiles were. He couldn't tell them from the forced smiles and pleasantries. She was able to put on an almost perfect mask. Almost.
"Why don't you grab a warm shower before bed?"
"If I utter the strength to do so, I probably will."
"Would you like a hot brew?"
"I rather go to bed soon."
"I found some chamomile on the market yesterday. I can make it as you're having your shower and bring it up to your room?" Edmund offered.
"Oh, that would be absolutely wonderful, Edmund, thank you." Nalsy was excited over the idea, soon disappearing up the wooden stairs.
As she came out of the bathroom, she found a cup of chamomile on the bedside table waiting for her. It made her feel as if, for once, someone cared for her. As she took a sip and she realised that Edmund added honey and something else to it, which made the drink more warming and soothing. It was the first night in a while that she managed to fall asleep without much of an issue. It