He had not spent much time in Ketra – in fact, today was the first time Kalev had ever been able to do any sightseeing in Adela's esteemed capital. Sure, he had passed through here many times, usually on his way back to Serendipity after a trip to La'marri or some other eastern province, but Ketra he thought – or at least, he assumed, was a friendly sort of place. Sure, it was rough around the edges, but the fortune-teller would've been the last person to guess that underneath its depths, a monster lay in waiting, the second face the city hid underneath its sunny outer mask.
Kalev bit his lower lip idly – but he did not doubt Natalya's words. There was something about the way she spoke of Ketra that reminded Kalev of his attitude before his sister, months after it had finally sank in that she had really stolen his eyes. It was hard to imagine someone was sickeningly sweet being able to betray him so coldly. Over time, the dark-haired man grew to say that she had been 'two-faced' all along – perhaps she and Ketra were the same? He couldn't help but feel melancholy waves rush over him at the thought; while he no longer had a home, he had no idea what it must be like to reside in a city that wore two faces, that changed them like the sky changes from night to day.
She is strong, Kalev found himself thinking once again. She was strong, he thought, to stay here.
"I think I know what you mean," the fortune-teller commented softly. "I think... I know what it feels like, to have to live amongst something, or someone, who wears two separate masks." Granted, he no longer lived with her; quite the opposite, he was searching for her now, but could never bring himself to actively do so, afraid what would happen if he should confront her, if she would disable him in some other mindlessly cruel way.
And then – Kalev's own lie had run out, right as he was pondering the lies and faces other wore. She had asked him,
what do you mean their faces were amazed? and Kalev, underneath his black blindfold, furrowed his brows in puzzlement. Had he said something about seeing faces? Why was she asking him that? It was almost as if he had...
"How amazed their faces were!"
"...amazed their faces were..."
their faces..."[/list][/i]
...He had tripped. Stumbled. And hell, didn't he
know his lie would've had to end, sooner or later? He was no good at keeping secrets – he blurted them out or bottled them up so tightly that they were bound to spring out of him sooner rather than later anyway. Granted, he could just lie again – save himself some trouble – and say something like,
oh, it was simply an expression, but he couldn't do that – he couldn't bury himself in a pit of self-made lies, not to someone like Natalya, who had only been honest with him despite the randomness of his appearance, despite his assistance to drag her through the forest just to show her some blinking stars. Ah, he was a liar! And let this sin rest on his chest forevermore!
He had to correct things – but before he could, Natalya spoke up, addressing him shakily, her voice painted with nervousness. No, now was not the time then – let her speak, let her finish, oh, he owed her that much, at least!
"I... I live at the Peach- I mean I am a Peach. I-, oh hell, I'm a damn whore."The fortune-teller was silent for a brief moment – but it wasn't because of what she told him, but how distraught she seemed to be because she had told him this. Her voice had been full of worry and anxiousness, and suddenly, he could see that this had been a burden on her, hell, maybe she had been trying to tell him this the entire time. How to comfort her – how to tell her that he didn't care? He had never really been good with words – only tonight had he actually managed to speak more than what was normal for him, but he knew he had to act fast, before she left, mistaking his silence for something else.
"I understand if you want to leave, but I wanted to thank you for everything. Even if you regret it now..."She wasn't going to walk away, was she?
Wait! he screamed internally; he could barely form words, he didn't know how to comfort, how to act, how to tell her that he didn't care if she was a Peach – it was fine!
"Natalya!" There was no need to yell, she was right in front of him – but he yelled to clear his mind, to get through to her – it was the only way he knew how to reach out to her, at the time. The wind toyed with the edges of his robe as he reached out towards her, holding onto her wrist, as if he was afraid she'd blow away. Again, he found himself staying silent for a moment – for seconds that felt like centuries – but he groped in the darkness for words, for anything, to say to her.
"You being a Peach – that's trivial to me," Kalev started off, no longer trying to make speeches in his head, but going with what he felt. "I don't care – I couldn't care – you're –"
The first person who ever stopped to talk to me. " – ...You're a strong, admirable person –" And he truly thought that. "And honest, as well – more honest than anyone I ever met."
He released her wrist, hoping that she wouldn't walk away. "You're more honest than I've been to you, Natalya," he muttered softly, and then, for the first time, he turned his face toward her, and if not for the black blindfold that hid away his nonexistent eyes, he would've been staring right at her.
"I've lied to you," he choked out, and then, he held up his right hand – the hand that controlled the Foresight Aura. Through total concentration, he turned the Aura on to its highest percentage – so clear was his vision, and so large was the Aura that his hand began to glow a light blue in color, his five fingertips glowing strongest of them all.
"I'm not blind."
His heart was hurting again – it was hurting so damn bad, but he couldn't stop now.
"I can see you. I
have seen you, Natalya... all this time."