An Art of Balance

Chapter 19: A Shoulder to Cry On

As Lizzie stepped out of the side entrance to the  castle what felt like an eternity later, the storm had died down. There  still was the occasional splatter of rain, but the sun was already  showing through the dark clouds, casting its pale light over the  dripping landscape.

She didn't need to think where she was going as her  feet carried her over the bridge and down the hills and familiar paths  to the Creatures Reserve. She didn't even register arriving there, her  mind still preoccupied with everything Orion had said.

Oblivious to her surroundings, she didn't notice the  red-head straightening up from where he had sat in between a group of  Nifflers as he saw her approach. She wandered right past him, so he  called out to her.

"Hey, Lizzie! Over here!"

Lizzie jumped in shock at the unexpected sound of  Charlie's voice. Her foot caught in a root traversing the muddy trail  and she nearly tripped for the second time of the day. Cursing her own  clumsiness she walked over to where Charlie sat on the stone wall  marking the end of the Nifflers' compound.

"Why do you keep on scaring me, Charlie?" she sighed, offering him a shaky smile.

"I don't know; perhaps you're just really scare-able?" he laughed back at her.

Lizzie sat down next to him, his legs inside the  compound, hers facing outwards. She noticed the small Niffler snuggled  into Charlies armpit; it was happily fiddling with the silver dragon  clasp on Charlie's bag. She reached out and scratched the furry animal's  belly. It chattered contentedly before trying to undo the clasp once  again.

She chuckled at the sight. "Have you been out here for long?" she asked Charlie without taking her eyes off the little Niffler.

"No, but I needed some fresh air after that storm. I hate being cooped up inside for too long."

"Yeah, me too," she hummed in response.

The Niffler grumbled in protest as Charlie leaned forward to catch a better glimpse of her face.

"What's wrong, buttercup? You look like you have seen a ghost."

Lizzie didn't respond, but her shoulders started  slumping and her face fell; she looked very small and forlorn, sitting  on the wall beside him like that, looking all wretched and desolate.

He carefully nudged her shoulder. "Come on, tell Charlie."

She closed her eyes and sighed from the very bottom of her heart. "I wouldn't even know where to start."

Charlie pried the Niffler that was by now chewing on  the strap of his bag off himself and held it up to her face. "Then tell  Lord Sniffleknut, he knows how to keep a secret," he winked as he  presented the confused looking creature to her.

As its small, beady eyes fell on Lizzie's golden  necklace, it immediately started wiggling around in an attempt to escape  Charlie's firm grasp. It's desperate pursuit of another glittering  treasure drew a bubbly giggle from Lizzie that turned into full on  laughter as the Niffler's paws tickled her skin.

To Charlie's utter horror, however, her laughter  quickly dissolved into a set of heart-wrenching sobs. All of a sudden,  all the tension, all the conflict, all of the emotions she had been  holding back were too much for her to handle all.

Overwhelmed with the distraught girl in front of him,  Charlie let go of the Niffler and shuffled closer to her. Lizzie had  pulled her legs up on the wall and curled herself into a ball; she was  shaking from her sobs and he carefully put his arm around her heaving  shoulders and pulled her into a hug, gently rubbing at her back.