Kyle stood in front of a merchant’s stall that glistened with jewels in the high sun of the Lamure desert. Golds, silvers, and colors of all types shimmered in the light and refracted a brilliance of thousands of colors against his pale face. Jewelry was laid out against an even more colorful woven cloth on the table.
In the corner of his eye he watched as some women approached the stand with their partners. They would point to some pieces of jewelry and gawk at the beauty of certain pieces. Sometimes their partner would shrug with a bashful look and others would even buy what their partner desired. Rare were the ones that approached the stand alone to stare. Kyle was the one who stood alone deep in thought as he observed each and every piece.
The shopkeeper was an older lady and her skin had worn thin from age and sun-kissed from one day too many in the desert sun. There was not a word said from her as she entertained the other visitors, but she would observe Kyle closely as he stared down at the display of fine jewelry. For how long he stood staring down at the display, he was unsure, and his thoughts were pulled away only because someone had bumped into him breaking him from the trance.
He stared up and glared at the person who passed him by, his perpetual frown turning into a momentary scowl, then surprise when his eyes met the woman’s.
“Ah… Hunter…” she gestured to him to stand closer to her. “You have been standing as still as the Nargacuga who hunts. Tell me: Are there too many to choose from? I may be of help.” As Kyle approached her, her eyes seemed to glistened slightly. As though she was able to see through to his soul for what he desired. “Is it for someone else you choose a gift?”
Subconsciously that was why Kyle was drawn to the market stall, but he dare not admit it. A deep blush drew over his face at her question, and he crossed his arms over his chest in a fashion that was typical of him. He turned his gaze away from her in embarrassment, not willing to admit the truth.
“N-No…” he lied. “I was just looking…”
The woman gave a chuckle. This was a dance played a thousand times and she knew it well. For there had been many before the Hunter that had the same reaction to her question: too embarrassed to admit they were thinking of someone else and yet wanting to admit that it was so.
“Ah…” she nodded her head. “It must be so. Only a man with that look in his eyes would be searching for something to give to the person he loves the most.”
Kyle’s face deepened into a darker red. His brows furrowed deeper into his face as he tried to not bring to mind who the woman might be referring to.
“H— She’s only a friend.” He was quick to correct himself. But saying the words seemed to make the more painfully obvious emotions in his heart deepen with remorse. Just a friend. A friend. It is all it was.
“Then I am sure the lass will appreciate the gift.” She drew a hand over the jewelry. “Tell me: What is she like? Perhaps I can find something that might suit her.”
Kyle returned his gaze back to the woman. His face felt hot and it was not because of the sun that laid heavily over the land. To leave her would admit that the feelings were more than that, and to humor her might uncover more of what he felt deep inside. He tried to relax, determined not to let her words get the better of him.
“She is...” He paused trying to think. He couldn’t bring himself to lie to the old woman, neither could he bring himself to say the words he wanted to say. After a long pause, he began: “She is beautiful.” It was the first thing he blurted out. And in his recollection of his friend, more fell from his lips the words he could barely admit to himself. “Her hair is the color of the ocean and her eyes remind me of the night sky. A-And…” he turned away, too embarrassed to say more. “I mean… I’m sure every man you’ve spoken to has said the same about the woman they love— I mean! Their friend!” He stood with widened eyes, almost in disbelief the words that fell from his mouth. “Anyone would say that about her!”
The woman did not chide him. Her smile remained as she stared at him with a knowing eye. Her hand reached over to the table laid with jewelry. “You must care for her much if you notice that about her.” From the table she pulled away a woven bracelet with glittering jewels that sparkled like the ocean. “I am sure she would love this one.”
Though it was not as vibrant as the other bracelets that laid over the table, it was the most beautiful of all. Just like…
Kyle reached both hands out and cupped the bracelet in his hands. He stared wide eyed at it. Thought of his friend’s beautiful hair and his smile as he stood knee deep in the ocean.
“I… I’m sure she will…” he stuttered out a reply.
“Tell me, young lad.” The woman leaned back in her chair as he admired the Hunter. “What is her name?”
Kyle’s fingers traced the glittering jewels. He thought of his friend wearing the bracelet as he brushed his hair behind his ear. As he held tight to Ratha as they flew over the ocean. As they danced over the soft sandy beach. His thoughts lost in those beautiful eyes as his friend would smile at him as he took Kyle’s hand and dragged him in.
Then, finally, his final confession:
“His name is Averna.”