Nadine

42. Johen

I jump straight out of bed and run outside the next morning.

"Festival don't start for a few hours. Go eat."

I hope that boy is there. I want another kiss so much. And those girls, well everyone was so much fun. I should put curls in my hair. I run back in the washroom and shut the door.

I hear Omar say, "Girls" through the door.

I come back out with my wet hair wrapped around rods.

"Well, that is an interesting look."

"It'll make my hair curly, Omar." I run for the food. There is a carriage down the path a bit. Oh no. "OMAR!" He comes flying out the door. I run inside behind him. I'll run if it's the guard. I can leave so fast. I sit by a window and watch.

The girls from the festival get out of it. YAY! I go flying back out the door. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"Omar knows my dad. They talked a bit at the festival. Said we can come over anytime. I brought a dress for you. Omar told my dad you like the fashion here."

"What are you doing to your hair?"

"Oh, they are so it will dry curly."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS? WE CAN DO THAT? SHOW ME! SHOW ME!"

We all run in the house squealing.

"I'm going to go fix something. If nothing is broke, I will break something and fix it. You 3 enjoy screaming. Don't make any small woodland creatures go deaf." He leaves with his cup and the paper he was reading.

We spend a few hours doing hair and talking about girly things.

"That dress is so pretty on you!"

I do a spin and model it for them. One of them plops down on the bed. "So tell us about the kiss with Johen."

I smile remembering it. "He was so warm. His lips were soft. He was so gentle. It really was amazing. I hope I get another one."

"I think you will. He really likes you. We should leave now and go to the festival."

"Ok! I'll go get my next kiss." We all start squealing again.

We get outside and Omar is on the porch. "I'll come get you later. Here is money for food."

"Yay! Thank you." We all pile in the carriage and off we go.

I feel so pretty in this new stuff. "These colors are so pretty."

"Yes they are and they look good on you too."

After about 15 minutes, we get out of the carriage. The boys are all waiting in a group right there.

"Look who it is."

Johen is coming towards us. I smile just seeing him.

He runs his fingers down my arm. "You look pretty today."

"Thank you. It's new." I step a little closer to him.

Someone says, "So what do you all want to do today?"

"Let's start with races and some drinks I am thirsty." I don't know who said it. My eyes are fixed on Johen.

He puts his arm around me and starts walking with the group somewhere. He is cute. The way his dark hair blows in the breeze makes me want to touch it. It's dark like Dipaks. I miss him still. I miss them all.

"You ok?"

"Yes, I was just remembering something."

We end up doing everything all over again. And then some games and more dancing. We eat new food. It's an amazing day. Johen leads me out of the group when the sun starts to set. We stroll down a little pebble path with shops along the sides. They're all closed and the path is empty. It's beautiful to see. So much different than what I'm used to.

"It's really beautiful here."

He reaches out and grabs my hand. I turn to him and he kisses me again. Still so gentle and warm.

"I like kissing you sir."

"Well then I will kiss you some more." He turns us so he's up against me. His chest is pressed against mine and we stand there kissing. I wrap my arms around his neck and enjoy his kisses. I can feel him rubbing my back. Am I supposed to be doing something with my hands? I start rubbing the back of his neck. I slide my fingers up into his hair. It's so soft.

"Ok none of that you 2." Omar is coming up to us. How did he even think we'd be on this path? And he's bleeding.

"What happened to your head?"

"An insane bird pecked me. Come on. Back to the festival. To young to be kissing like that all alone. Back, go."

We go back and dance some more. I get more kisses when the slow songs come on. When they are fast songs I dance with the girls. It is a magical night. I leave with Omar after a couple hours and fall asleep on the way home again.

I wake up late the next morning. I need blood fast. I jump out the window and run into the woods as fast as I can. I feel my legs starting to shake. I suck 3 rabbits down as fast as I can. Then I sit on the ground for a minute. "That was way to close." I wipe the blood off me.

Omar is sitting on the porch when I get back. "You can use the doors."

I sit down beside him. "Omar, why am I here? I mean, why am I still here? I mean, why didn't you tell me to leave? I mean"

"Stop. Go get some food and we will have a talk."

I grab some food and sit back down with him.

"I'm not a human Nadine."

I shake my head. This man smells human. "What?"

"I'm a magician. A healer more specifically."

"Oh."

"Beings will find their way to me when they need the most help. Like finding a vampire staggering through my field. All dirty, looking like she hasn't eaten in a month. With shreds of clothing on."

I laugh remembering that. "I did look really bad."

"Yes, you were in bad shape... So, I took you in and let you stay with me. I gave your mind and body time to rest and heal. Look around. This place screams healing to me. And by talking with me, it helped heal your mind faster."

"So what now?"

"Well, the choice is yours. I can't make that decision for you. But I do know when someone asks me why they're here or still here or why they're not gone yet, it means the healing journey with me is done."

"So I have to leave?"

"No, that choice is yours. But I do know that you miss your old life and the people in it. I can send for your people and they will be here in days. But I will not do that if you don't want me to. If you need to travel some more, that's fine. This is all part of your healing journey. You can continue to stay here as well, but your mind and body will now be pushing you to move on."

"Can I come back?"

"Always. I enjoy visitors. I just don't get many of them way out here."

"What about the people here and Johen."

He chuckles. "Johen will think you're a demon the first time your eyes go dark with him. Why do you think I got you off that path so fast?"

I laugh too. "I didn't even think about that."

"Yea, I didn't figure you did... Take a few days to decide what you want to do. Stay, go home, or go back on the road for a bit. The choice is yours alone."

"Thank you Omar."

"You are welcome. Can you feed the animals? I need to fix that damn fence again."

I laugh and choke on a piece of fruit for a second. "Of course."

"Omar..."

"Yes Nadine."

"I want to go home."

"I will send for them. It will probably take 2 days for them to get here though."

"I hope they don't send half the guards."

"I will tell them to only send a few." He gets up and goes inside.

"After I feed everything, I'm going to go kiss Johen some more."

I hear him start laughing.

"Might be awhile before I get to kiss anyone else." I say it under my breath but I'm pretty sure the bird stealing my fruit heard it. It gave me a damn funny look.

He pokes his head out the door. "Remember your eyes this time."

I nod. "Nothing serious. I got it."