My Wee Mate

21 - Truth

Fraser

She's here. She's actually here.

I fear if I look too close she'll disappear.

"Ailsa! Ailsa. Thank the heavens. I thought I'd never see you again." The words slur from my mouth, jumbling into a barely legible sentence.

My head swims, but I can still see her clearly. Her light pink face, wash of honeycomb hair.

But something feels different, something is different about the way walks towards me.

She's shaking, quivering, her eyes wide and pleading.

"What's wrong, lass? Did you run into your father?" I joke, not thinking clearly. I shake my head, thinking of how inappropriate it is to bring up the topic of argument from the last time we spoke.

But how could I not when I haven't seen her in two weeks and my anger is the last thing that transpired between us? I've been aching over the pain I caused her all this time? How can it not be the first thing to come up when she comes to see me once more?

"Ailsa please, darling, speak to me." My head lulls, the top of my skull feeling as light as air, the base where my head meets my neck is tense and heavy. I feel off balance. I'm desperate.

I want to wrap my hands around the bars of silver, push my face against the door and get as close as possible to the sweet human female in my space.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped on you like a bear trap. I just didn't expect the news. You must understand how I loathe your father..." I hiccup, tasting the dead man's blood that lingers on my tongue like a poisonous reminder. "He has imprisoned me here. He torture me, you must understand. Please. Forgive me."

The lashes on my back are healing, but slowly. They still sting as proof of the horrible things done against me.

She's so still that for a moment I think she could pass for a supernatural creature of some kind. No human should be able to stay so motionless.

"What's wrong, Ailsa? Do you want me to grovel?" I feel a wry grin spilling across my face easily.

The tainted blood has made me loose, drunk.

"That can be arranged. Tell me what it is you seek and I'll be your willing servant."

"Why was my father here?" Her voice is so soft, delicate and careful as if we will be overheard.

I cock my head to the side, the memory of blood slipping down my throat and into my awaiting, hungry belly.

Did... did she see?

Now it's my turn to freeze. My limbs turn to stone, solidifying like cold, unfeeling marble.

My drunk haze starts to fade, leaving me sobered with a light buzz in the back of my mind.

"What did you see?"

"Why was he here, Fraser?" She says, breathless.

My eyes flick to her small, pale hands. Her fingers are trembling. She's terrified.

"You saw." I state, because I know now for a fact that my precious Ailsa saw me guzzling blood like a greedy monster.

Her jaw clenches stubbornly, eyes wild and lit with determination. She's trying not to look as scared as she is.

She nods once, sharply. Ailsa still stands clear of me. She thinks I'm a monster.

I curse under my breath, shifting my body to my knees, making myself as small as possible.