The Rewrite, Part 2

Well, it's been fun to write from Kyle's perspective for the first time. He's not my character, so if his creator gets wind of this, that would be funny. Anyway, here it is. Part 2 of the Rewrite. I'm having great fun. 

She’d gone from a sweet, friendly girl-wild and opinionated, true- to a shell of herself. Her usual chatty nature, which he’d grown so accustomed to, was gone. 

They began their walk in silence. Kyle regretted the comment about Rurik. He knew the stable-boy, son of a farmer in the town, had meant something to her. What, exactly, was unclear. 

They’d found him down the hall from their parent’s room on that fateful morning. His throat was slit, blood all down his tunic, face frozen. Lifeless. 

Kyle had never heard that sound from Ailith’s mouth before- a strangled cry. She’d sobbed for nearly an hour when they’d discovered their parents, dead in their bed. Kyle knew it was their uncle’s men, but he’d been unable to believe that the feud between his father and uncle had reached such a point. He’d stared at their lifeless forms as Ailith cried, unable to process. 

But then again, it had been a peaceful, ethereal scene compared to what waited for them in the hallway. Kyle still couldn’t understand why Rurik had been murdered. Had he known about the plot? Had he simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time? 

Kyle assumed Rurik had been sneaking down the hall in the night or even early dawn to visit his sister in her bedroom. This disturbed him, but all questions of their relationship aside, she surely also knew this. His absence from their rendezvous must have troubled her through the night. Kyle did not claim to know his sister well, but one thing he was certain of, was that they were both the worrying type. 

This made her discovery all the more heartrending. She’d buried her face in his bloody shoulder, tears still fresh from mourning their parents. Kyle had watched the exchange with an increasingly hardening heart. He could not show emotion, not now. The boy’s empty, glazed green eyes were closed by her small white hand. Kyle had looked away. 

They had no time to bury any of them. If they didn’t leave soon, Kyle would be the next one on his uncle’s hit list. In fact, he was probably coming now, to “discover” Kyle’s death; only Kyle had been lucky to feel ill and not consume the poisoned wine which his parents had. His father’s will, putting all of their personal possessions and lands into Kyle’s hands, was tucked in the folds of his clothing. 

Nothing hurt him more than to leave his parents lying in their deathbed with no proper burial. It was not right. 

But Ailith...her face smeared with Rurik’s blood, she was most pitiful. She’d kissed his cold mouth and stood, tears and blood mixing on her cheeks. 

“Let’s go,” she’d breathed. 

When he looked at her now, it almost seemed like the blood was still smattered on her face. In an effort to lift her spirits, he’d tried to have conversations with her. But she was like a wall he could not climb over. 

His focus, so often affected by those around him, narrowed to a sharp, desperate point now. No one would restore their lands; his uncle would claim he had abandoned them. He might even claim Kyle had killed his own parents. Everything was so messed up, Kyle could barely make sense of it all. But a high court in London could make it right. Royalty. Justice. High court. London. The words repeated in his head all day and all night, a mantra beneath Ailith’s silence, a quiet but persistent cry of hope. 

Perhaps he could not avenge the death of her dearest friend, but he would not make her live under uncle Hamon. Hamon would quickly marry her off to some disgusting cretin before she had even a moment to mourn Rurik. To Kyle, that was greatly unfair, even if it was the custom. Ailith was not custom. Ailith was his sister. 

He aimed to be declared the inheritor of not only their serfdom but also all of his father’s assets. That would keep her under his wing forever. 

Until then, though, he could not keep her from the evils of the world. If he failed, she was left a life of destitution. He had to prepare her for the worst, and as such, he wouldn’t shelter her. He no longer watched his words around her. 

Noon passed. She still had not spoken. The roads were empty. He sat down on a rock and beckoned for her to join him. She sat down with a sigh. 

“There’s no need to attempt to hide our destination. Hamon knows it, as I said before. He is aware that I was not killed. We can, however, avoid entering the city directly. I’m thinking we should circle round, stop in a village on the West.” He paused for her input, but she gave none, staring off into the distance. He continued, “we can find a suitable place to hide the will, so that if by some mishap I am captured, it is safe.” 

She scoffed at that. 

“What shall I do with it? Fold it up and use it as a fan when I sit in the courts?” 

“Just...let’s try, Aili. Please. Perhaps someone will hear our case.” He gave her a pleading look. He needed her cooperation. He couldn’t hold out on his own forever. Something in her eyes changed then, a little softening of the steely gaze. She’d forgive him, at least. 

“Alright. For your inheritance.”

“Our inheritance.” 

She made a face. 

“You and I both know the only name on that will is Kyle son of Ekkehart.” 

He kicked at dirt in the road. 

“Kyle son of Ekkehart will become head of the household and all therein. That’s you.” 

She smiled. 

“Well, All, daughter of Therein, will now go to the creek which is bubbling in the distance, to wash her face.” 

He grinned. That was her. 

“Allow me to join you, m’lady. I’m feeling quite grubby myself.” 

They wandered off the path and soon found the creek, it’s watery sounds mixing with the afternoon bird calls. The sunlight was a rare occurrence for February. Ailith washed her hands, and after inspecting if the water was clean, splashed her face. Kyle kept an eye open for any movement in the forest. Seeing nothing, he also leaned down to splash his face, and shivered at the bracing cold of the water. It appeared clean, so they each took a few sips before heading on their way.