Promises of Glory

“It’s easy to forgive, but hard to forget, and even harder to let go.”

-Jane Kiolioscoe

She was practically bouncing in place as Livinus transcribed the letters of the paper she got from Merek onto another piece of paper. His concentration was palpable, she could cut it with the dagger she kept in her boot. Rhode tried not to distract him, feeling the pressure of waiting and knowing it was her biggest enemy right now. Patience was never one of her virtues.

“Easy now,” he laughed, “I won’t go any faster no matter how eager you are.”

“I know. I know.”

So she waited, she decided that it was better for her if she just sat and waited elsewhere. Being around him made her want to hurry him, which would get her nothing.

Minutes passed and Rhode had settled down with a book. It was a rather boring book, one she had seen on the stands of churches whenever she would visit. The churches offered classes to the children so they would learn how to read and write as well as shelter during storm to the homeless, even going as far as giving them food when work was scarce. Rhode had used the church many times when she was younger and not yet taking many jobs. The book itself was called Jewel Creations, a book filled with revelations of the ancient saints. It was boring stuff all in all, the great plague that killed off half the Fae was prophesied, the famine of 100 C. Just things that were history now. No new saints had come around for a long time. But now it was 177 C and the church’s influence and following was drastically declining.

“Ah-ha!” Livinus yelled, startling Rhode.

“You got it?”

He gave her a cheeky smile, “I did, I really did. And it seems to point out more about this temple of bones.”

“’Below the city where the dead lay, you’ll find a key within a blade. Cut the head of the deceit, and march on with honest feet.’”

“That can’t be all, the other paper had more!”

He sighed, “There’s not anymore actually, it seemed that the paper we initially had was the final piece.”

“What are we missing though?”

“I have no idea. But ‘the temple of bones’ and ‘below the city where the dead lay’ seems to indicate the catacombs. The only question is which one.” He walked away, coming back with a rolled up piece of paper. Rhode cleared the desk for him and he laid it out flat, putting objects in the corners to keep it down. He made a surprised face at him as she put the dagger she kept in her boot in one of the corner. “Why do you have that?”

“A girl’s gotta protect herself out there.”

He shook his head, “As long as the desk isn’t too damaged.” He returned his attention to the paper, “This is a map of the city, an old map that’s pretty outdated, but seeing as the papers are old, it’ll be more likely that we can narrow down which catacombs we need.”

“It talks about water so it must be a place with water of some sort.”

He pointed at Rhode, “Oh yeah, I had completely forgotten about that. Something like ‘drink the water and walk toward’?” She nodded and Livinus went on, “I wonder what it means that the key would be in a blade, as well as ‘cut the head of the head of deceit’.” He made a motion with his hand as if to wave off the confusion, “All in all, it’s a pretty vague hint it’s got going.”

“You can say that again, I have no idea what to do.” Rhode flopped onto the couch, “Perhaps we’re just not meant to find it.”

“Don’t speak like that.” He coaxed her into a seated position with his hands, holding her shoulders. “Hey, look at me.” So she did, “I know a lot, trust me, I’ve been studying most of my life, but what I don’t know is the future. Nobody can know that. So don’t be thinking that you can.” Rhode reached out to hug him and Livinus gently returned the gesture, “We’ve spent a lot of time together now so I know that we can do this, with my brains and your, I guess brawn, I mean look at those muscles.” The girl giggled, feeling more lighthearted than she had been in a while.

She wiped the tear from her cheek. “What do you want to do until we can figure out where the third clue is?”

The boy smiled, “I have an idea.”

“That looks beautiful on you,” Livinus said. His hand trailed up the skirt’s body. The attendant looked on from the corner of the room. Rhode still remembered her face when the two of them entered the store, the pure admiration on her face as she saw Livinus was a little off-putting. It made her wonder how many girls Livinus had brought in here for the attendant to know his so well. The attendant had quickly gotten over her star-struck, curtsied, and welcomed the two children.

After taking a few measurements, Rhode was stuffed into a gown. She tried to look pleasant but a few side comments about her small size had soured her mood. The girl took in the lace and the frills and shrugged.

“Do you not like it?” Livinus looked almost stricken, like he couldn’t believe that a girl was saying anything negative about something so beautiful.

“It’s pretty but it’s just not me, ya know?” The bubble-like skirt and the champagne pink suggested an innocence she no longer had. She supposed it was pretty enough and it was beyond her why she was complaining, it was the best thing she’d ever get in her life.

“I think it is perfect for someone your age.”

Rhode flinched, fiddling with her fingers. She felt almost like the whole day was a setup just so her could say that comment, but he wouldn’t do something like that. “About that.”

Livinus sighed but he didn’t seemed fazed, “How old are you actually?”

“Sixteen.” She paused, looking down at her feet. Finally curiosity overcame her, “But how did you know?”

“As we’ve been hanging out, which has been almost three months, I realized you are too knowledgeable and mature for the age you claimed. It’s not that big deal though.” He swore under his breath and Rhode flinched again. “Seriously though? You’re older than me?”

“You’re not angry with me?”

“I already accepted that you weren’t going to tell a total stranger the truth when I learned about your mother.” Rhode felt a tear tickle behind her eye before it fell. “Woah!” Livinus started to panic. His arms flailed and he whipped out his handkerchief to wipe her face. “I don’t know what to do when women cry.” He gave her a gentle smile, lightly pressing his lips to hers. Rhode was too shocked to do anything, “Now why don’t we find you a suitable dress?”

“Okay,” but she wasn’t in the moment anymore. She was barely aware of the attendant leaving the room with Livinus. Her fingers touched her lips, she was flabbergasted, she didn’t know that Livinus had felt like that. Perhaps the only reason he held back was that he thought she wasn’t of age. A gentleman he was.

Rhode smiled to herself, giddy for the first time in a long while.