Chapter 50

**Merianna**


Leaving our mother’s belongings behind, I went stomping out of Noch’s office and heard Nelia jump up and yell at me to stop for a second and wait for her, but at that moment though, I didn’t want any company. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do right then, all I was sure of was that I just wanted to be alone for a little while.

I rounded a corner and suddenly slammed into a wall, bounced off it and landed on my butt on the ground. I let out a curse and heard a chuckle coming from in front of me. I opened one of my eyes and was met by Thyrion's humored face.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were coming from the other side, are you alright?” Thyrion said as he beamed a charming smile at me.

I didn’t fall for it. In fact. It irked me just about as much as Noch did by being within my range of hearing.

When I didn’t answer him right away he looked at me worriedly. “Are you alright?” he repeated while stretching his hand out to me.

“Sorry, I didn’t say anything because I wanted to make sure that walls can in fact speak.” I said dryly as I ignored his outstretched hand and got up on my own two feet.

Thyrion didn’t seem to have anything to say to my comment. “Now since you’re a wall, I’m going to go about my business.” As I took my first step to move around him, Nelia grabbed a hold of my arm and scowled at me.

“I said wait! Why can’t you get it through your thick skull to listen to me once in a while?! I might be younger by a few minutes but you’re still my sister and I know you. Don’t go running off by yourself and getting-...” Nelia trailed off as she finally realized that someone else was there as well. A blush suddenly crept up her neck and cheeks, making her ears blaze red as well.

“Nelia, good thing you’re here.” She turned to me in flustered confusion. “I seemed to have broken this wall. Would you mind giving it a look over and making sure that I didn’t completely destory it?” I said as I took her by the shoulders and placed her directly in front of an equally bewildered Thyrion. “Thanks sister mine, you’re a lifesaver. I’ll see you at dinner.”

With that explosion-waiting-to-happen averted, I swiftly glided past the two of them and jogged down the hallway to the stairs. I also completely ignored the fact that Nelia yelled after me like I had just thrown her into a Lion’s den.

All I needed was some time alone to think, and maybe just sleep. All these emotions in one day sure made me tired.



**Nelia**


I couldn’t believe her! She knew something, she probably knew that I fancied Thyrion. She probably knew and left me here to fend for myself anyway!!! When I get my hands on her…

“She makes no sense at all.” Thyrion muttered and pulled me out of my thoughts.

I gave a huff of defeat. “That’s probably why Noch keeps driving her up the walls, and she retaliates in kind. I think the two of them are equally bad. My sister is a special cookie.”

Thyrion chuckled and looked down at me, dazzling me with the full force of his handsome face and amused smile. It nearly felt like my heart was about to leap out of my chest if he kept looking at me like that.

“I must say though, the two of you don’t seem alike at all. Even though you are twins, and it has nothing to do with the looks.” He said as he held his elbow out to me. “Care to humor me with a chat? I’m bored out of my mind and Fog enchanted these blasted castle grounds to keep me from leaving. So I’m stuck either way.”

Looking at his offered elbow I felt as giddy and shaky as a newborn foal. I couldn’t recall a time where any man offered me their elbow, except for Fog and that was only because he was Fog. Come to think of it, all the men that I caught staring at me lewdly always suddenly adopted a look of terror soon after. I always suspected that Meri had something to do with that since she was always close by not long after.

Looking back up at Thyrion’s expectant face, I hesitantly accepted it, and he started leading us down the stairs. My poor heart was beating too fast, I was afraid that I might faint. It felt so strangely exhilarating to feel Thyrion’s strong muscles through his long shirt underneath my fingertips. And so warm…

The surroundings were lost to me as Thyrion led me wherever he wanted to go. All I could think during that moment was, how nice it felt to be handled like a proper Lady by someone other than who I considered “family”.

“So, Nelia right? I don’t think I introduced myself properly. My name is Thyrion, just Thyrion, I don't go by a last name.”

“I-it's nice to meet you.” I replied shyly as we wandered into the garden that was surrounded by hedges.

“I hope you will indulge me for a small while.” He said as he beamed down at me and stopped by one of the stone benches that rested under a big Sylvan tree. “I’m curious as to how you and your sister stumbled into the Order and managed to make friends with this crazy bunch. The last time I visited, the place was full of people that were mainly here for work and knowledge. What on earth happened to them all since then? I think it has to do with the two of you.”

“But, that’s how it still is. If that’s what you describe, then those things haven't changed” I commented with a frown.

“Oh no, trust me. It was very different than it is now. Back then everyone mostly kept to themselves and went about their merry bounties. Now, it actually feels friendlier. Everyone is enjoying themselves even when there isn’t a big celebration. It seems like the members have at least one thing in common with each other now that they can all relate to, like family.” Thyrion said with a rueful grin that said he might have known why.

Sitting down on the bench I smiled to myself as I remembered the time we were welcomed as children. “Well, Meri and I were only twelve when Noch found and saved us in the forest. When he and Fog showed up with Meri to find me and brought us both back here, everyone basically decided to take us in. Everyone in the Order had a hand in raising Meri and me. Noch and Fog could have taken us to some other Coven, or Village in hopes that they would take us in, but they didn’t. Although I think Arasule had a big role to play in that decision.” I sighed. On the day after we had rested and been treated, she had practically thrown a fit and refused to let go of Meri when the slight notion of the topic reared its head.

“Well, having seen Merianna going after the Nirns on that battlefield, I can see why Arasule would want to keep her. Especially if she was younger back then with your light hair colour. I swear that old hag has some twisted notions on what is cute or beautiful.”

I chuckled. “It didn’t help the fact that she saw Meri carting around the Rune Reaper when they met.”

Thyrion whipped his head around to me. “She did what?!”

I shrugged helplessly. “Meri has been in love with that scythe since the first day she touched it. Apparently she managed to handle it from the first moment Noch handed it to her. I can’t even lift the staff of that thing to save my life let alone swing the blade around like she does. She told me the trick but I'm hopeless with those runes.”

“That- is quite impressive actually. It’s called the Rune Reaper for a reason. Noch handed the thing to me once when he had just completed it. Without thinking much of it I obviously took it, and the moment he took his hands away, it felt like it weighed as much as a mountain. Needless to say, Noch nearly choked on his own spit laughing at my expense.”

I stifled a laugh at the image my mind created. “That does sound like something Noch would do. He’s as twistedly spiteful as they come.”

“Unfortunately I have to agree with you.” He laughed and decided to sit on the damp grass.

Smiling, I looked up at the cloudy sky through the canopy. “I think it surprised him to see that Meri had such a natural instinct for Runes. Since they took us in he would find every opportunity to try and rile her up, and it hasn’t gotten less over the years. In fact, I think it has only gotten more deadly.”

Thyrion threw his head back and laughed loudly which made my heart jolt in my chest. It should be a sin for someone to be so handsome…

“I’m sure that he likes her like a sister.” He said after he calmed down. “It sounds like his twisted way of bonding. The more he likes someone, the more he likes to mess with them.”

“That does sound accurate.” I muttered.

He sighed and looked back over to me. “All that aside though, for some reason she doesn't seem to like me all that much. Would you maybe know why? We only met yesterday but she already seems to have something to dislike.”

I smiled and sighed. “That's just how Meri is. If your first impression didn't come off well with her, she probably wouldn't want to have anything to do with you. She tends to take a while to warm up to new people.”

Thyrion gave a thoughtful hum. “You seem to be fine with new people though. That's probably another difference in personality between the two of you.”

“It is, our parents used to joke and say that the two of us could be compared to an angel and a demon. Noch even keeps calling Meri Demon Spawn.”

Thyrion laughed at that. “I heard Noch say that! I'd love to know why though. Did she set the castle on fire? Did she try to kill him in his sleep?”

I laughed and was just about to reply when I heard a thunk come from above me. When I looked up into the tree's branches I saw Meri high up, leaning against the truck with her legs stretched out on a thick branch, rubbing the back of her head.

“Meri!” I called out in surprise.

“Hi.” She drolled out with a sigh.

“Were you there this whole time?!”

She glared down at me. “It's not my fault you two waltzed into the garden and happened to come sit on the bench below me. I was here first! I bet *you* knew I was here, didn't you?!” She yelled down accusingly at Thyrion.

“You caught me.” He said with a shrug.

Thyrion knew he was taking me to where Meri was this whole time? And probably also knew that she was in the tree as well? Why on earth would he walk me all the way to here to talk about our history with the Order if he knew she was here? Did he want to irritate her?

Meri didn't say anything back to him but pulled up her legs and looked the other way.

“Oh come now Merianna dear. You should get to know me! I'm not a bad person! Also I'm going to be here for a long while yet! It'll be better to get along rather than try and avoid each other!” He yelled up despite her trying to ignore him.

“I would rather have Noch take his revenge out on you than spend time in the same space as you.” She threatened.

“Now that's not nice! For all you know Noch might send you and me both on a bounty soon! Come now, would it be so hard to play nice?” He said charmingly.

Meri on the other hand glared down at him with a look that would send the whole population of trainees running for the nearest exit. “I would rather burn you to a crisp and laugh as your flesh boils and explodes as you scream.”

“Now that definitely doesn't sound nice. Why do you hate me so sweet Merianna?” He asked with a smile, even though his tone didn't hold any humor.

“Because you're new and I don't trust men that seem like they know their way around people. I can see the way you talked to Nelia even though you clearly knew I was up here.” She said as she tucked her skirts around her legs and jumped off from branch to branch until she landed in front of us.

“You clearly have no trouble manipulating people. So kindly stay away from my sister from now on or you might just wake up and find yourself dismembered.” She said as she took my hand and started pulling me back towards the building.

As soon as we were far enough from Thyrion I squeezed Meri's hand which made her tilt her head to me.

“Did he really manipulate me?” I asked softly.

She sighed and let go of my hand, only to throw her arm around my shoulder and give me a reassuring squeeze. “At least to some point. I don't know why he wanted to drag you out to where I was only to talk about our relationships with everyone in the Order, but in future, I want you to be wary of him Nelia. I know he's much more handsome and charming than anyone else here in the Order, but I don't trust him yet.”

I felt like my hopes at romance had been dashed, but she did say 'yet'. There might or might not be a chance that Thyrion is actually a genuinely good man. “I will be careful.” I agreed as we went back inside.