Chapter Forty-four
Days harmoniously passed by. Nara took notice of Calemir being home more than before. He would leave at dawn, sometimes she witnessed him leave when she went to unlock the door for Izza and sometimes she didn’t. His returns were irregular though, some nights Calemir came home early, and other nights he came back midnight. When he was early, they ate dinner together. They would ask how each other’s day went. Their answers were consistent, she would say nothing out of the ordinary, and he would say in similar lines, reading reports, giving commands and patrolling. One night she had asked him if the issue that had sent him to Ontophen had been resolved and he had replied, “For now it is.” Nara had nodded, it wasn’t an absolute answer, but it gave her some peace and especially when the number of patrolling guards reduced at night and when he had told her it was safe for to ride anytime of the day. Well except at night for obvious reasons.
One night they had just finished eating dinner, and they were just catching a break with a sip of wine (she was drinking grape wine and none of the strong stuff) in the sitting room when he asked. “Have you started writing in elvish?”
“No, I haven’t yet.” She replied, placing a book she had retrieved from the small shelf at the corner on the table in front of her.
“Haven’t asked Izza?”
“No” she shook her head.
“I could teach you but?” he began, putting his goblet down.
“But what?” Nara looked at him.
“But you will have to write the words in Nyr by yourselves. Like you I can mostly speak your language and not efficiently write it.”
“Oh.” She said.
“So, are you willing to do that?” his brow rose.
“Yes, I can do that” she agreed.
Calemir stood. “Then let me grab what we need.”
“We are starting tonight?” she asked, tilting her head to look at him.
“Yes, nights are probably the times I can teach you” his lips twisted.
Nara nodded and watched him leave. As she waited for him, she took the book back, run a finger of its column before flipping its old pages. It was written in elvish, so she didn’t understand, but she focused on the illustrated drawings. They depicted various scenes. Scenes with dragons flying and breathing fire on cities. Scenes of two elves facing a dragon. She turned few pages and fell in another scene. It was a war a scene, elves against dangerous giant creatures. The curiosity to know what the text below it said gnawed her mind. She had never heard of another war of elves against other beings. That old excitement and interest she had growing up returned with a spark. She would really like to know. Perhaps later, she told herself, not wanting to get to consumed by it that she would end grilling Calemir about it and not learn a thing.
Out of sight, out of mind, she thought. Standing, Nara returned the book to the shelf and sat back down. She was staring at flames of the lantern when he came back empty handed.
“I think writing in the dining room is much more comfortable” Calemir suggested.
“Alright” Nara followed him into the room. On the long table were several blank papers, an ink bottle and two quills.
Nara took a sit first, and he sat beside her.
“Probably let’s start with something simple. Name first and greetings” Calemir spoke. “Then later proceed to much more complicated things.”
“Like what is your name?” she voiced.
He nodded. “Yes, something like that with the answers below or it would be tedious going back and forth.”
He slid her a paper and a quill. “You should go first.”
“Alright.” She said.
And that’s how her writing lesson had started. It was easier said than done. It was tough to tell which word ended and another began when the letters were connected, some written above and others below. Within three days she wondered if she should stop. However, when she grumbled, Calemir offered her a hopeful smile. He had even said, he was also learning. They were both students and teachers to each other. He teased that if she stopped, she would be setting a bad example as a teacher. That had brought a smile on her face.
*****
“Do you miss being in combat?” Calemir asked, stopping her by her bedroom. It was night, and they had called it goodnight after their lessons. The sound of the heavy rain outside made her contemplative eyes look even more melancholy.
“Sometimes, it’s all I think of” she sincerely said. Her mouth curled ruefully, “I know a sane person would rather have a life of peace and quiet…but…I-I personally prefer being on the front line.”
Calemir made a noncommittal response, finding her honesty refreshing for a man who lied and kept secrets that one day was going to take their price for his deceit.
“You should come to the base one day” Calemir suggested. “You could train there. Just you know to make you feel your still part of it” he trailed off. It was the only succor he could offer.
“I’ll think about it” she replied after a beat.
“Sleep well” he wished in elvish. Nara glanced at him and entered her room.