Excerpt: The Maiden Knight of Etny

The next morning, the fifth day as a maid, I awoke earlier than usual. I couldn’t go back to sleep so I decided to get dressed. Looking out side my window I could see that the moon still shone on our measly seven acres of land. The grass to the left of the house was short and a wonderful emerald green that turned silver in the moonlight. Something about it, though I’d seen it every morning all my life, always made me smile.

I walked down our old creaky wooden stairs. Despite their age, I was able to creep away from the typical places in the steps that creaked the most. I didn’t want to wake anyone.
As I was passing Rose’s and Kelen’s room on my left, I noticed that their door was slightly ajar and I couldn’t help but to peek in. I figured I would just see them sleeping, but they were awake. I peered through the nearly closed door and made room for my ear to hear them.

Before then I had never seen love making before. Though I had experienced it, it had been more making than love. But now I was seeing it the way it should be done. I saw nothing indecent, the covers were surrounding them. But what made me stay to watch them was how Kelen was treating Rose. It was so beautiful.

“My Rose,” he whispered in her ear, and then kissed her forehead.

He held her face as if it were more precious to him than any jewel man could treasure. She pressed her body against his and wrapped her arms around him as she slid onto her knees. His head was on her chest, listening to her heart beat. He sighed heavily, as if he were letting go of the all the stresses in his life. I’m sure I was one of them. Rose’s hands were smoothing his back and caressing his head, comforting him. It reminded me of two wolves bathing their mates, taking care of one another by touch. How I envied them.

“One day,” he said to her, “we’ll have our own home and our own children.”

“You promise?” She asked, her eyes intently staring into his.

“Of course,” he said with a smile, flashing all those handsome teeth of his.

“It’s gonna be forever though,” she said flatly, “my family needs me too much. Especially now that Iris has gotten herself in this mess.”

“Yeah,” he sighed then pulled her into a slow, sweet kiss.

Usually when he kissed her he made a show of it, as if to prove he can make his woman happy with his masculine version of romance. But this kiss was much softer, more heart felt, more vulnerable. I had never seen anything like it. It wasn’t romantic, it wasn’t passionate. It was two people letting go of themselves to become one single soul. It was something I would never experience, so I watched further.

After the kiss was through, Kelen rested his forehead on hers. There was a silence that they shared. In the silence I knew they were sharing the same thoughts even though they couldn’t share the same heart. That in this silence there was a purifying transformation taking place. It was like watching an old person becoming young again. Like a dead flower becoming a seed again, and it growing right before your eyes. And I watched intently, never wanting the moment to pass.