"You do not mean it in your heart," Iyana said, frowning. She had seen the look in his eyes as he complimented her. He was either frowning or laughing. What kind of person was he? Complimenting people like that just for courtesy! He could have just nodded thoughtfully and walked away! That would have been much more merciful than laughing at her name in her mind. Her name was everything to her, Iyana meant "Freedom" and Linndor meant "Peace". Those were her names and she could--nor would she--ever change them. Unless forced by drastic measures.
"I do! I truly do! Do not doubt me, Iyana. That is a beautiful name." She was frowning. She was even beautiful when she frowned. He guessed she was about the same age as he was, maybe less. But, oh, how the sun glinted in her eyes! He knew he would never forget her face--least of all, those stunning eyes. Whether she was taken or not--though he doubted the latter--he would love her and base all his loves against her.
"I believe you, Keldf. I like your name, too. May we…uh…perhaps…" She didn't really want to finish that sentence. 'move to a quieter place where we can talk' would have worked. But she had severe butterflies and she could not even form any more words in her mouth. Prince Floans had met with her the day earlier. He was the only person she had ever seen to even come close to comparing with Keldf. How she wanted so badly to touch Keldf--even if it was just on the arm. But she could not. She would not make that kind of move. A man such as he already had matters on his mind, and he could not possibly deal with a princess to drag him down. But why was she making such a big deal out of her name? A name does not mean a thing, it is the person who makes the name worth something and mean something.
"What?" Keldf looked into Iyana's eyes. He could loose himself in her eyes. There was so much innocence and so much wisdom… It was amazing what he could see not only about her, but about himself. He decided to take the plunge. If he didn't do something, he knew he would kick and curse himself for the rest of his life. "Would you like to go someplace quiet to talk?"
She smiled. Could he have read her mind? That would be impossible. She shouldn't think of people like that; only monsters and wizards read minds and he was neither, obviously.
Keldf knew he had done a very bad thing. He had stuck himself in a situation along with Iyana that could make her uncomfortable and call her husband or her intended. Yet she had smiled… A smile can mean a thousand different things at once, he had learned. Especially a woman's smile. For all he knew, she could have hidden a dozen knives and was planning to murder him right then and there for stealing her pie off of her windowsill when they were both six years old. But that smile! It was an amazing smile, yet it was one that showed no teeth. Not a large, big, cheesy smile, but a soft, warming smile. What was in that head of hers? Why was she seeming so interested in him?
"I would like that very much." She would have followed this man to the ends of the earth if he had asked. She knew that wasn't a very good thing, but she knew she would do it. Even being a princess. But it wasn't just his outward looks. When he looked into her eyes, she saw a pain that was caused from a lifetime of nothing but himself, of wisdom of the streets, of many different things that Iyana had not even thought of before.
Keldf took her hand in his and he led her to the park down the road. Her hands were soft, but a bit cold, as if she were nervous about something. Of course she was nervous! She was walking with a strange man to a quiet place and if her husband found out… He didn't even want to think of the physical damage this Iyana might endure. But who would want to hurt such a perfect creature? He sat her down on a bench and they just looked at one another for a while.
His hands were incredibly strong to Iyana. And they seemed cold, as if he was nervous about something. She enjoyed his company, though. As they sat on the bench, they continued to hold hands and stare into one another's eyes. How she could swim in his eyes for an eternity and not notice the passing of time!
"I--I'm sorry," Keldf said. He was hoping that maybe if he apologized, she would not tell her husband and her husband would not be coming after the man that dared to talk to his wife. He looked away from her eyes grudgingly, but trying not to show it. He was about to walk away, but Iyana stopped him by touching his arm.
"Why?" It was a simple question, yet Iyana knew she probably didn't want to know the answer. She probably should have let this young rogue go, for she could never see him again anyway.
"If I stay and your husband comes back--"
She cut him off. "Husband?" What? Did he think…?
"Yes. If he comes back and finds me here, then I will be dead and you will be beaten, won't you? I don't want that to happen, Iyana. If that means I must go, then I will leave now." He was going to get up again, but didn't. He couldn't force himself to go away. If he left, he knew that this woman would become an obsession of his and he would try to find her wherever he went.
Iyana laughed shortly. "I have no husband."
The butterflies returned with a vengeance in Keldf's stomach. "Wh--what?" He could not control the stammer. How can she not have a husband? She was confidently striding through the market as if she had a place to go and no body had better get in her way. The attitude of a housewife in the market these times.
"I am not married." Is that what this man thought? Is that why he stammered so? "But even if I were, if my husband had ever laid a hand on me to do physical violence, he would hurt more than I would. Much more." She didn't think that as a threat, but he seemed to take it as so.
"Oh." What kind of power did Iyana have? She definitely was not strong enough to do any harm to any man. Or anyone stronger than her, besides. She hardly seemed as if she would have the stamina to kill a fly. "And you are not intended?"
"No, Keldf." She was giving away more personal information than she would have liked to a stranger. Maybe she should ask about him. "And you?"
Keldf was so surprised by that question that he couldn't answer. His mouth hung open stupidly, and he knew he was making too much of a big deal about this. Yet she seemed interested in him. There was no way this woman was a commoner. Absolutely no way.
"Well? Are you?" She didn't want to seem pushy, but she didn't like not knowing anything about this man other than his name was Keldf. His eyes looked extremely afraid.
"I--am not either," he replied, finally. He cursed himself again for acting so ridiculous in front of Iyana. Now he did not have to worry about a husband or intended coming after him for talking to her. Yet his stomach would not stop its incessant flipping and he could not help but look into her eyes.
Iyana looked away and began fidgeting her fingers. What was she doing here? She should be in the castle, reading her history lessons. Instead, she was being the stubborn daughter she was and she was visiting the commonfolk and having a private conversation with a thief! "I must ask you a question, Keldf. And do not think that I will think less of you as a person if you answer 'yes'." She was going to find out once and for all if he was a thief or not and she knew he would answer truthfully.
Keldf could not figure out what she would be asking that would make him feel less of a person. There was no way he could feel less of a person unless he was a slave. "Iyana, I would answer any question you ask of me." That response was probably over-flowery. Maybe he should have just nodded in response. But there was no way to take it back now, however much he wished. Maybe, if he proved his loyalty to her, she would tell him of what rank she was.
"I am ashamed to ask this, Keldf. But I really need to know." She blushed. Iyana really didn't want to ask this next question, but if she did not, it would nag at the back of her neck until she saw him next.
