When The Snow Settles
So Close
What was she to say to that? He was being nice, trying to win her over... trying to help her, when no one else would. She didn’t want to hurt him by staying, but now leaving would hurt him also. So she said the only thing that she could think of.
“I’ll stay, if only for a little while.” Her voice was still quiet, but it was much stronger. A smile found her lips as he smiled widely, obviously happy about what she said.
Her fear of the men only increased over the next few days. Her wounds were doing better, and her voice was now back to normal. She didn’t talk as much as they seemed to hope, but all seemed happy about her recovery. Her wounds were still tender, obviously, but she was coping.
Daire helped her out the most, and she couldn’t help but admire his dedication to his family. He was grown man, working on his own career, only to come home to consider helping his fathers farming. His father needed help, and now Daire was considering it. From the little bit of time she spent there, the family was very close. Very tight.
“Adrae,” came Daire’s voice. She turned, the wind now blowing her hair in all directions. The blizzard hadn’t completely stopped, but it had slowed considerably down. It had slowed down enough that she could sit on the steps without being blown away. Sure her hair was blowing all over, and her nose was freezing... and snow was covering her, but it was relaxing.
Daire had his winter coat on, along with some mitts. All she had on was her weak sweater and a toque Emily had given her. The toque was pink and said princess on it, but she had taken it all the same. It was the thought that counted, and Emily seemed thrilled when she had happily accepted it.
“You’re going to freeze,” he said. The door was closed behind him, cutting off the brief gust of warm air. He sat down next to her, glancing at her only briefly before staring out into the white storm. “I know I shouldn’t ask, but what happened that night?” Since she agreed to stay, all the family had been referring to it as that night. The night her life almost ended, the night Daire saved he... it was all that night. It didn’t bother her too much, but all she wanted to do was forget about it.
She shook her head to Daire’s question, but he didn’t argue. She knew he would ask it again in a few days, but he was trying to be patient. Trying to allow her to come out and tell them, for her to open up. She only knew this because she had heard his father lecturing him, telling him not to put too much stress on her.
He let out a sigh. He wanted to take Adrae inside now, so she wouldn’t freeze, but he also wanted to talk to he. Talk to her alone, where his father wouldn’t intrude. But what was he to say? She shot down everything he asked, and it was starting to get a little annoying. He was trying to be patient, trying to help... but how could he if she didn’t tell him what had happened?
Trust. If he had her trust, she would tell him, but that seemed like it would take longer.
He glanced at her again, to find her arms crossed across her chest, a weak attempt to stay warm. If she was cold, why didn’t she go inside? Why didn’t she go to the warmth of the fire? Why did she insist on making her body suffer?
“It’s relaxing, isn’t it?” He finally said, staring back into the blinding white snow. “The cold, that is.” He added. “Even if it can chill you to the bone, it’s still an outlet. It may freeze you to your very core, but you can think what you want and do what you want with no fear.” He was shocked to feel her eyes on him.
When he turned, she didn’t even turn away. Their eyes locked, and he noticed shock in her eyes. Shocked from what? From how smart he could be, or the fact that he had been able to read her emotions?
“Yes,” she finally said, “it is relaxing.” He smiled. It was one of the first true responses he got out of her, and even though it was a little bit, it helped understand her more. She wasn’t going to go out of her way to tell him, or anyone, what had happened or anything remotely about herself. However, asking something you presumably already know, she tended to respond to. That was the key.
“I know this isn’t easy for you, being with a complete bunch of strangers, but just try to... have fun? The family loves you, have you seen the way Emily looks at you? You’re like an older sister to her, and you’ve only been here a few days.” She smiled at this, though it was only faint.
“Your family is really amazing, and... I know...” she let out a breath. He remained quiet, he didn’t want to rush her. “That I’m not the most... the most happy company... but I do appreciate this. I really do.” He smiled, he had finally gotten her talking. He knew dinner would be finished soon, but he didn’t want to rush this moment.
She seemed almost ready to say more, nervous to say more. Her hands were fidgeting, her breathing was slightly deep, and her eyes were locked onto her feet, as if in deep concentration.
He put a hand on her shoulder, to encourage her and to calm her down. She only glanced briefly at him before turning away, pain in her eyes.
How could such a young, sweet girl, hold so much pain? How could anyone hurt her? She was the sweetest girl he met. Maybe a little shy and quiet, but that only made it worse that someone had beaten her. He wanted to know who did it, so he could cause them pain. Make them feel what she felt, only ten fold.
“It was late,” she suddenly said, her voice shaking slightly. He tightened his hold on her shoulder, reassuring her. She was finally going to tell him what happened, and he could finally assure her it would never happen again. “It was so cold, I... I didn’t know th-“ she was cut off as light and warmth hit them both.
“Come inside, before you freeze.” Came his mothers voice. He turned, as did Adrae. No! Why did she have to come now? Now of all time? His mother shot him a glare, obviously for letting her stay out here. He shot her a glare back, which seemed to shock her. He didn’t care. She was finally about to tell what had happened, and now it got interrupted. “Dinner’s ready,” his mother added, shooting him a wary look.
Adrae rubbed her one eye and stood up, her hands still fidgeting. He scowled and stood up also, seeing as his mother wasn’t leaving till they went inside. Adrae was quiet inside, and he knew that there was no hope of getting her to talk again that day. He had been so close.
“I’ll stay, if only for a little while.” Her voice was still quiet, but it was much stronger. A smile found her lips as he smiled widely, obviously happy about what she said.
Her fear of the men only increased over the next few days. Her wounds were doing better, and her voice was now back to normal. She didn’t talk as much as they seemed to hope, but all seemed happy about her recovery. Her wounds were still tender, obviously, but she was coping.
Daire helped her out the most, and she couldn’t help but admire his dedication to his family. He was grown man, working on his own career, only to come home to consider helping his fathers farming. His father needed help, and now Daire was considering it. From the little bit of time she spent there, the family was very close. Very tight.
“Adrae,” came Daire’s voice. She turned, the wind now blowing her hair in all directions. The blizzard hadn’t completely stopped, but it had slowed considerably down. It had slowed down enough that she could sit on the steps without being blown away. Sure her hair was blowing all over, and her nose was freezing... and snow was covering her, but it was relaxing.
Daire had his winter coat on, along with some mitts. All she had on was her weak sweater and a toque Emily had given her. The toque was pink and said princess on it, but she had taken it all the same. It was the thought that counted, and Emily seemed thrilled when she had happily accepted it.
“You’re going to freeze,” he said. The door was closed behind him, cutting off the brief gust of warm air. He sat down next to her, glancing at her only briefly before staring out into the white storm. “I know I shouldn’t ask, but what happened that night?” Since she agreed to stay, all the family had been referring to it as that night. The night her life almost ended, the night Daire saved he... it was all that night. It didn’t bother her too much, but all she wanted to do was forget about it.
She shook her head to Daire’s question, but he didn’t argue. She knew he would ask it again in a few days, but he was trying to be patient. Trying to allow her to come out and tell them, for her to open up. She only knew this because she had heard his father lecturing him, telling him not to put too much stress on her.
He let out a sigh. He wanted to take Adrae inside now, so she wouldn’t freeze, but he also wanted to talk to he. Talk to her alone, where his father wouldn’t intrude. But what was he to say? She shot down everything he asked, and it was starting to get a little annoying. He was trying to be patient, trying to help... but how could he if she didn’t tell him what had happened?
Trust. If he had her trust, she would tell him, but that seemed like it would take longer.
He glanced at her again, to find her arms crossed across her chest, a weak attempt to stay warm. If she was cold, why didn’t she go inside? Why didn’t she go to the warmth of the fire? Why did she insist on making her body suffer?
“It’s relaxing, isn’t it?” He finally said, staring back into the blinding white snow. “The cold, that is.” He added. “Even if it can chill you to the bone, it’s still an outlet. It may freeze you to your very core, but you can think what you want and do what you want with no fear.” He was shocked to feel her eyes on him.
When he turned, she didn’t even turn away. Their eyes locked, and he noticed shock in her eyes. Shocked from what? From how smart he could be, or the fact that he had been able to read her emotions?
“Yes,” she finally said, “it is relaxing.” He smiled. It was one of the first true responses he got out of her, and even though it was a little bit, it helped understand her more. She wasn’t going to go out of her way to tell him, or anyone, what had happened or anything remotely about herself. However, asking something you presumably already know, she tended to respond to. That was the key.
“I know this isn’t easy for you, being with a complete bunch of strangers, but just try to... have fun? The family loves you, have you seen the way Emily looks at you? You’re like an older sister to her, and you’ve only been here a few days.” She smiled at this, though it was only faint.
“Your family is really amazing, and... I know...” she let out a breath. He remained quiet, he didn’t want to rush her. “That I’m not the most... the most happy company... but I do appreciate this. I really do.” He smiled, he had finally gotten her talking. He knew dinner would be finished soon, but he didn’t want to rush this moment.
She seemed almost ready to say more, nervous to say more. Her hands were fidgeting, her breathing was slightly deep, and her eyes were locked onto her feet, as if in deep concentration.
He put a hand on her shoulder, to encourage her and to calm her down. She only glanced briefly at him before turning away, pain in her eyes.
How could such a young, sweet girl, hold so much pain? How could anyone hurt her? She was the sweetest girl he met. Maybe a little shy and quiet, but that only made it worse that someone had beaten her. He wanted to know who did it, so he could cause them pain. Make them feel what she felt, only ten fold.
“It was late,” she suddenly said, her voice shaking slightly. He tightened his hold on her shoulder, reassuring her. She was finally going to tell him what happened, and he could finally assure her it would never happen again. “It was so cold, I... I didn’t know th-“ she was cut off as light and warmth hit them both.
“Come inside, before you freeze.” Came his mothers voice. He turned, as did Adrae. No! Why did she have to come now? Now of all time? His mother shot him a glare, obviously for letting her stay out here. He shot her a glare back, which seemed to shock her. He didn’t care. She was finally about to tell what had happened, and now it got interrupted. “Dinner’s ready,” his mother added, shooting him a wary look.
Adrae rubbed her one eye and stood up, her hands still fidgeting. He scowled and stood up also, seeing as his mother wasn’t leaving till they went inside. Adrae was quiet inside, and he knew that there was no hope of getting her to talk again that day. He had been so close.