Giles' Keeper

“Giles… I haven’t heard that name before. Are you not from here?” I venture stopping at the cluster of rocks I turn to stare at the owl, it’s golden yellow eyes locked onto me, head tilted slightly.

‘Here is so relative my soul.’ Giles muses to himself, it’s like I can hear him ponder his words and his answers. Is he always so cryptic? ‘I have not been welcomed to your… quaint village.’ He finally murmurs, not fond of my small village, I suddenly get the sense of annoyance. Why?

“You say that as if it bothers you to be so close to the village.” I observe, the owl shakes his head violently before it takes off into the sky to dance in the air. Why is it hanging around?

‘Would you be happy to be away from home?’

“Weren’t you the one to say home wasn’t a house?” I huff, settling on the rocks with my skirts tucked under me. The cool rocks chill my backside quickly, the night air rustles my hair gently.

‘That is true.’ He chuckles softly, the smoke drifts from the mouth of the cavern, the smell of decay greets me again. Did something die in there or is that from him? The large rolling cloud of smoke makes me apprehensive, the rolling clouds disperse with ease, the air settles once more.

“Why do you stay here?” The ground rumbles as a low growl shakes the earth like an enraged god. My hands grasp the rocks nervously, eyes wide at the vibrations beneath me.

‘It isn’t a choice my soul.’ Disdain drips from his voice, the owl returns to settle at the mouth of the cavern a mouse in it’s mouth. What on earth? I watch in confusion as the owl releases it’s meal into the cavern.

“Are you a prisoner?” I ask, hands clutching the rocks tightly even with the ground now still. Did he make the ground shake? How? That’s impossible… right? Giles laugh, the sound cruel, unamused with my choice of words.

‘Prisoner? Not in the way you know to be.’ He begrudgingly answers, settling with those words. Not in the way I know to be?

“Your riddles make my head ache.” I groan, rubbing my temples, the warmth in my belly grows, the uncomfortable ball disperses to something more pleasant. What is wrong with me?

‘You are making my words to be a riddle. Not everything hides a message my sweet.’ Giles’ voice lowers, gentling to sing with the wind.

“You are a mystery! You live in a cavern! I don’t understand this and quite frankly you frighten me.” I admit with a huff, the questions that have swirled through my mind weigh my mind with a frightening imagination. It’s nonsense is what it is! I growl to myself.

A soft pitiful grumble sounds, the sound pained and ashamed, the wind swirls around the clearing picking up force as it tosses the wheat colored stalks around. ‘I don’t wish to frighten you my soul- I could or would never do you harm. You are safe with me, safest with me.’ He admits softly, my temples throb as my belly clenches upset at the hurt my words had caused him. It makes no sense.

“You’re a stranger.” I point out only truly sure of that point at this point. My mind feels like muddled putty.

‘Everyone is a stranger at one point. What makes me different than your friends?’ He asks as the owl takes off into the air, the mouse scurries from the cavern making Giles growl, the earth quakes once more.

“You live in a cavern… They happen to have houses.” I get snarky with him, I uncross my arms to clutch the rocks beneath me again startled.

‘I have a grand house for the record my sweet, you’d want for nothing, need not work or break your porcelain skin ever again.’ His words make me blush, my belly warms at his compliment and I turn away, suddenly shy in his presence.

“Yet you live in a cavern.” A breeze blows my hair backwards, the current directed towards the mouth of the cavern. Why does the wind change so frequently here? Was it this bad last night? I frown in thought, Giles sighs, weary.

‘Our lives are different my sweet.’ He appeases, his voice low pitched, tired.

“I can see that.” I pause to face the dark opening, the thoughts to enter return, the push harder than before. Why do I feel so driven to enter… is it to meet him? “Can you not leave this place?” Rocks tumble inside the cavern, the ground settles as a large mass shifts comfortably. What is so large in there? Is his family in there?

‘Nesta… The world is a dangerous place, in this time and this day I must remain here to keep safe from some bad people who wish the worst. This is a means to protect the ones I love most.’ The darkness covers more of the mystery that he lays out.

“You hide to protect people?” I ask skeptically with a frown. Hide from what?

‘My existence is a secret Nesta, it’s imperative that you keep your lips sealed and mind blank of me.’ He warns his voice turns stern, authoritative. A chill dances down my spine as the wind eases as if it’s a calm before the storm. I know this isn’t a man to be crossed.

“No one knows you are out here.” I don’t know if I make a statement or ask a question.

’Only the Gregory family has been graced with the knowledge of my temporary house.” He admits quietly.

My family? “Papa knows?” Obviously he knows. “Who else knows?” I ask unsure, how long this has been a secret.

‘Nesta my dear, your family has been a safe guard for me for a long time. I have been blessed with dutiful keepers.’ The inky darkness of the cavern move, shifts subtly, rocks shift and tumble carefully.

“Keepers?”

‘Yes, Keepers.’ He hums softly a rolling cloud drifts languidly from the cavern the white smoke an erotic dance in the air, teasing my mind with wonder.

“What are Keepers? What do they do?”

‘Keepers are people my family needs to survive. We become vulnerable after a certain age and need aid in surviving our… changes.’ He pauses in thought, debating his words. ‘They care for us, bring us food, keep our secret safe, hidden from public eye and ears. The Gregory family became my Keepers long ago.’ He admits.

“Is it a family matter?” I ask feeling as if I’ve missed an entire chapter of family history. Did Momma run away from this? And not Papa like I had thought? The thought makes my heart pang in discomfort of the renewed feelings of abandonment.

‘No, Edger has been my Keeper for some time. I can see he has grown frail and neglectful in his duties.’ He growls, the ground shifts beneath me, my heart catches in nerves. Why does he growl like a bear? It’s a sound more ferocious than any bear I’ve ever heard.

“What are his duties?” What duties has he neglected? Why is he so enraged with Giles?

‘His duties are simple, keep me with nourishment and keep my words and existence secret. No one can know I reside here my sweet Nesta. Your silence is my survival.’ Giles warns, a serious threat obvious in his tone.

“What would happen if your secret gets out?” I’m met with silence, the earth shakes, rumbling beneath me, rocks tumble, one rolls from the inky darkness, cracking with force. What is he?

‘My family would die, you would be tried for treason, beheaded and your head would be mounted on a pike to be displayed, your name would be shamed… as would mine.’ He growls lowly, my heart races at the pain that meets me, his description gory; it leaves me with no doubts.

“You- you said Papa has been neglectful… he hasn’t spoken of you?” I frown with worry, yet neither duty left neglected leaves me feeling well. Why does it make me ill to know he’s been suffering? Has he been starved?

‘I know not if he has betrayed me my sweet.’ He admits quietly. ‘It’s been months since he has returned to see to my feeding. You were the first to resume his duties.’ The wind that had picked up settles, gentling as his voice does. Are they connected? Surely they can’t be entwined…

“I didn’t know… Papa never said that you were out here…” I frown, upset as I remember the few times I had joined Papa on his hunts. It all stopped after I came of age…

‘Your father has not shared your legacy then?’ He questions.

“Legacy? No, I’ve never even known of your existence until… the wind talked to me.” Lord do I sound mad. The words left my mouth before I could stop them and I flush a bright cherry red, ashamed of the craziness that leaves my lips. I need to censor myself before I’m left for an asylum.

‘The wind called you to your rightful home my sweet. I’m glad you listened to it’s song.’ I can hear the smile Giles voice, the pleased note as a gentle rumble sounds, the ground vibrates barely and a warmth fills my belly.

“It’s song? Giles you make no sense.” I sigh, rubbing my throbbing temples I feel overwhelmed and exhausted. My eyes turn towards the sky frowning at the silver moon as it works to sink beneath the tree tops.

‘It means its time, you are ready for your duties.’ My brow furrows as I lean forward, arms crossed over my belly.

“My duties?” I ask stupidly. He chuckles the sound soft and alight with amusement.

‘Yes my sweet. Edger has dishonored the role of Keepers. He has lost the honor of being a Keeper, he has betrayed my trust.’ Giles speaks his cadence even, a strong commanding tone softened. This man his mythical in so many ways I can’t even understand.

“Who is your Keeper then?”

‘It’s an honor that is passed down through the Gregory family, you are to be my Keeper, do you accept your duties in full?’ A rush of excitement at the unknown overwhelms me, before I can even think or decipher what it all means.

“Yes, I accept my duties as your Keeper Giles.” As soon as the words leave my mouth a weight settles in my chest that blossoms with tingles, my skin itches at the feelings. What’s happening to me? That pleased rumble leaves his cavern, the ground warmed as if pleased by my answer.

‘You will make an honest Keeper, one to provide and cherish your honor.’ I blush at his compliment, looking towards the ground.

“I pray I can do right by this honor and keep my family’s legacy alive.” Will this be passed down to my children?

‘I have faith in you my soul.’ The pleased rumble changes to what reminds me of a purr and I stare into the darkness. My future is just a breath away.

“I didn’t bring my bow… do I need to provide you with a meal this night?” I bite my lip, the trek home would be long and put me at day light. Papa believes I’ve spent the night with Mrs. Gingham anyhow…

‘You are weary my sweet soul. Take this eve to rest your eyes, I pray we will meet tomorrow. For I am starved for nutrients, this cold weather has been harsh on my body and mind.’ He admits. How long has Papa been neglecting his duties? When did he stop?

“Are you sure? I can try to bring you… what is it you like to eat?” The question pops into my mind as a frown appears. I don’t know anything that I am to do to make this right… What is a good portion of food? How often? What does he like to eat? Do I need to give him water? Does the cave offer enough heat?

‘Fret not my dear soul, we will learn each other. This is not a test of honor, but one of kindness.’ Giles’ soothes with a rumble, the grounds soothing vibration makes me pause as an intrusive thought arises. What would it feel like to be near him? Would it be as sweet as a massage?