Riven
The moment the girl's hand met my wrist, something flowed through my mind. It was unexplainable… Like an unknown hole in my mind was filled.
***
Four years ago. I was thirteen.
"Riven-!" A soft voice called out from outside. "Are you seriously going to make me wait here all day?!"
I sighed loudly, just enough for her to hear. "I'll be out in a second! Can't you be patient for once?" I muttered as I put on my dark jacket, leaving it unzipped, and messed with my hair.
Sometimes, crates that carried supplies appeared at the outskirts of the town while everyone was asleep. Simple things like metal strings that were perfect to be used as zippers could be found, but other times… There were things we didn't even have words for. Dad said it wasn't our place to question it. I shivered as a chill went down my spine.
However, necessities like food and shelter were entirely cared for by the townspeople. We grew crops near our large river, bred animals, and replicated simple machines passed down by our ancestors to help make the creation of things like bricks easier.
I waved to my dad, who was wiping off the dining room table, and Livia, who was cleaning off the kitchen counter, and I slid the front door open.
In front of me was a beautiful girl with black hair and lavender at the ends of the strands falling down her shoulders. She was wearing a light, white top and jeans. I had known her for a couple years by now. I couldn't remember exactly how we had met, though.
Her face instantly lit up as I stepped out. She had lilac pupils and a breath-taking smile that almost made me melt. For some reason, my face felt quite hot.
"Morning, Luneth," I yawned lazily. "What's got you so excited?"
Luneth tilted her head slightly and glanced to the side, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's just that… there's a new flavor at Lilly's."
Lilly's was a family shop that had been passed down through generations and sold an absolutely delicious food they called ice cream, so I immediately knew what she was talking about. Luneth and I often went there after our time in the training grounds to relax or simply to try out new flavors.
"Are you paying?" I glanced at her. Of course not, she always made me pay. But maybe one of these days…
"Hmm- I guess I can, just this one time." As her eyes met mine, I was momentarily dazed. She took my hand, snapping me out of it, and pulled me down the stone steps of my porch.
I stifled a yelp as I barely got my feet under me, preventing myself from falling over.
A small laugh came out from next me as I straightened. "You're going to kill me like that someday."
She grinned. "The great and undefeated Riven… finally losing to a simple fall!"
"Little wretch…" I muttered and began walking to Lilly's, still holding Luneth's hand.
She pouted and matched my stride, side-eyeing me. "Don't talk to your elders like that, young man." Technically, she was a little over a year older than me, but that didn't mean at all she was more mature.
I gently squeezed her hand and took in the view of the town. The road we were walking on was made of gravel, and it was quite well maintained. Stone and brick homes with small chimneys lined it, eventually thinning out as you leave the housing district.
The sky was absolutely beautiful and clear, yet I had a hard time keeping my eyes away from the real view that just so happened to be holding my hand.
***
Lilly's came into view. It was a small wooden building with a slanted roof and large glass windows. Inside the ice cream shop, cold containers filled with a multitude of flavors lined the walls. It was slightly elevated on a hill with a bunch of wooden benches and picnic tables on the grass outside of it.
"So… what's the flavor?" I asked as we neared the entrance.
"Nuh-uh! No spoilers. Not this time, Riv." She smiled and glanced at the river. "Find us a nice spot to sit, yeah?"
I sighed, nodded, and let her hand go. My hand felt… strangely empty now. Luneth entered Lilly's as I headed over to a bench that directly faced the river and sat down.
The benches and tables gave customers an amazing view of the town's river, which was around twenty meters across with crystal-clear, calm water. Beautiful emerald grass covered all the land in sight, swaying completely synchronized in the wind.
It seemed that days like this always ended badly, but today, today felt perfect.
I took a long, deep breath, taking in the beautiful aroma of the meadow.
A few minutes later, Luneth's voice called out from behind the bench. "Riv-!" I could hear her faint footsteps on the grass. "I want you to close your eyes. And keep them closed, okay?"
I raised my hand and put it into a thumbs-up before dropping it back down and closing my eyes. I felt her sit gently next to me.
"Okay, open your mouth, Riv." She scooted closer, the sides of our legs now against each other. A strange feeling stirred in my stomach.
"Don't tell me you're going to feed me…"
"Aw… You caught me. Now open your mouth already!" I could practically hear the grin in her voice.
I sighed once more and opened my mouth. Within a few seconds, a cold sensation was on my tongue. I closed my mouth on Luneth's spoon as she slid it out. The ice cream was subtly sweet, tasted a bit like how I'd imagine a flower would, and had an aftertaste that strongly resembled vanilla.
Overall, it was definitely one of the best flavors I'd tasted. Maybe it tasted a little better because Luneth spoon-fed it to me…
I slowly opened my eyes to see her leaning towards me with the spoon still held out. We locked eyes and I felt my face grow… really hot. A red tint reached Luneth's face.
She hurriedly leaned back and brushed a black strand of hair behind her ear. I couldn't help but smile.
I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to me. "So, what's the flavor?"
She lifted one of her hands up, holding a small bowl with a light pink ice cream in it. "It's called 'Rose.' I mean, doesn't it just sound delicious?" She grinned and used the spoon to get a taste for herself before putting it back in the brown bowl. "Mmm. It might just be the perfect flavor."
Luneth's lilac eyes flickered back up to me, her grin fading into a subtle smile. "I almost forgot… I have something to give you." Her face turned bright red for a second as she reached into her pocket.
"I think you've given me enough today, Luneth, seriously," I paused and slid my arm off of her shoulders. "I know I joke about having to pay for everything all the time, but I don't mind. Really."
She waved her hand dismissively. "It's nothing like that."
Luneth pulled out two small silver circles from her pocket and held them up. I looked closer, noticing a purple engraving that covered the edge on both.
"Luneth, what are these?" I didn't understand a use for something like this.
Her face turned bright red again. "Uhm. So… My mom told me about something. There's a tradition in a faraway land where someone," she held up one of the small circles, "gives a… ring… to another person.
"A person that they… really like!" She looked down, hiding her face and avoiding my gaze. She said quietly, "It shows that they'll be together forever…"
I reached out and brushed her hair back, preventing it from falling into her eyes. I took another look at the circle… ring… she was holding up and gently grabbed it from her. The purple engravings seemed to be faintly pulsing. "What do I do with it?"
Luneth looked up at me. The look on her face… I had never seen her so… vulnerable. She reached out her hand that was still holding a ring and used her other to hold up my left hand. She slid the ring onto my finger that was second from the left side.
I copy what she did, and slide the ring that I was holding onto her left hand as well.
She placed her left hand onto mine. "I found these in the last crate… I'm not sure why we got them, but…" She beamed up at me. "They really match us, huh?"
I laughed as we leaned back against the bench. Luneth's head rested gently on my shoulder.
A feeling that I couldn't describe but often felt when I was with Luneth shot through my body.
It was perfect. Too perfect.