19. Eleanor

19

ELEANOR

T he warmth of the sun’s golden rays brushed over Eleanor’s skin as she sat against the door frame, watching Osiris tend to his garden. Without his gloves, to her surprise. His hands were large, and rough, they appeared calloused from what she could only assume was countless hours and days working the garden.

She had not realized how much she missed the openness of the outside until she had been trapped inside for days on end.

Eleanor was surprised that Osiris had agreed to leave the door open while he worked, though, he didn’t agree freely without any stipulations.

Osiris had to go outside first to see if he could sense any other beings. If it was empty, which for the past few days it had been, she was free to sit in the entry.

Blue birds chirped in the distance as the wind whistled through the enclave, causing the trees to sway and the leaves to shake.

“It is peaceful,” she said under her breath, twirling her fingers in the grass as one of Osiris’ shadows toiled with a pile of flowers next to her.

“For a while longer, yes,” Osiris responded, still focusing on watering the budding plants. “It wont be long until the cold season is upon us.”

Eleanor looked down at the grass, plucking blades one by one.

How many days of our deal are left?

She counted the blades of grass, one for each day since their deal.

Twenty days left. In twenty days, Osiris will help me leave.

The thought of her fast-approaching departure stirred up something not unlike downheartedness. Osiris had respected her. He apologized to her when he realized he mistakenly offered to pleasure her. Would it be so terrible to possibly have thoughts of staying with someone who respected her? Liked her for who she was? Someone who did not seek to teach her, or own her, or use her for political or financial gain?

And what about Osiris?

Would he be alone again, then? Would he have anyone to talk to, or… no —surely he wouldn’t have a habit of doing that with anyone else. Though, what if he did? What did she really know about him?

Why was this—this Headless Horseman affecting her in such a way that she actually cared who he was with?

Eleanor glanced at his shadows still playing with the flowers, tying some of the stems together before moving on to the next section.

Could I even call what we did, something? He was only curious of me just as I was of him. Still, what if he had pushed forward for more? Surely, I would have told him no. But, when Osiris asked me what felt good, I was too honest. Too eager to answer him.

Eleanor pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, biting down slightly as she pulled out more blades of grass, tossing them in front of her.

What if he asked for more than just answers to my questions? What if he asked if he could make me feel good? Would he use his hands or his shadows, or both?

She lifted her eyes to his shadow that was working on the floral creation, but rather than pulling out more stems, it slowly moved over to her, holding what looked to be a floral crown. Gently, it rose above her, placing the crown gingerly atop her head.

Instead of leaving once it was done, the shadow started to trail down her body, caressing her collar bone and her arms as it made its way lower and lower.

Eleanor took in a sharp intake of breath, watching as it slowly moved down her leg, wrapping around her ankle.

Oh, I cannot possibly want this, can I? This is wrong. So, so, very wrong.

Eleanor’s face heated as she carefully opened her legs, just barely, watching as the shadow disappeared beneath her dress to wrap around her thigh. Her heart began to beat wildly against her chest as she held her breath. Yet, just as it began to move higher, the shadow faded away to nothing.

Eleanor’s eyes shot up to where Osiris previously had his back turned, to see him gazing at her with the same look from the previous night as he placed his gloves back on his hands.

“I apologize, Eleanor, but is everything…” his voice trailed off as his eyes moved down her body, stopping on the place she had actually wished his shadows had gone. Clearing his throat, he continued, “Is everything alright?”

Eleanor felt her cheeks grow burning hot as she moved a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh— oh ! Yes of course! I was just lost in thought, is all!”

“Hm,” Osiris hummed, his fiery gaze slowly moving back up her body until their eyes locked. “What is it you were thinking about?”

“I was…” what could she possibly say? Surely, he did not want to hear about any deviant thoughts she was having about him ! “I was wondering, if possible, if I could come outside and help? I am sure, even with your shadows doing all this work, on your own it can’t be easy!”

Osiris chuckled as he dropped her gaze, looking down at his work. “You should not get your hands dirty,” he mumbled.

The heat began to lift as she regarded him, jutting her chin forward slightly. “Do you think so because I am a woman?”

This time Osiris barked a laugh. “No, Eleanor, it is because you only have one dress. I will be needing to make a trip to the market deeper in the enclave tomorrow. It would be best to wait until then, at least.”

Eleanor’s heart lifted as her eyebrows shot up. “So, you will let me come outside? It is not dangerous?”

“Well, seeing as having the door open did not alert any beings, so long as you are only outside when I am around, it should be fine. I just have to pay attention to the area around us.” Osiris looked at her with a warm smile, the fire in his eyes brightening as he pat the grass next to him. “Come, Eleanor, keep me company while I work.”

Eleanor smiled as she shot to her feet and quickly walked towards him. The full open sky above her and the warm kiss of the sun on her skin mixing with the slightly cool breeze felt like heaven. The trees around her had already turned shades of orange and red.

Running her hands over her backside, she tucked her dress under her as she sat down. Osiris smiled again as he turned away from her to continue his work.

“What are you planting?” she asked.

“Fever few,” he answered.

“Fever few? Why something like that? Do beings catch human illnesses?”

Osiris hesitated, stilling his movements as his back stiffened. “They are… not for me. Or the beings.”

“Then, who are they for?”

“There is an orphanage not far beyond the enclave, but still hidden within the Evermore forest. I am friends with the woman who runs it, she has many children,” he began, setting his watering pail down as he moved to sit beside her. “It is important that the children have a good stock of it before the coming winter, else a common cold could spell disaster.”

Eleanor gaped at Osiris as she listened, but even when he finished, her shock did not dissipate. “Outside the enclave? So they are…?”

“Human,” he answered, “they are all human, even my friend. She was actually the one who taught me how to grow all of this all those years ago.”

He does know another human woman? What if I wasn’t even the first he had done any explorations with?

Lifting her legs to her chest, she rested her head on her knees, still holding Osiris’ gaze. “What is her name?” Eleanor asked, her voice slightly raised.

“Eddy. She is a dear friend, but nothing more,” he added, as if trying to quell the anxieties he knew to be forming within her mind. “I was actually returning from delivering my last harvest when we collided.”

Eleanor laughed softly. “I wish I remembered more about that night. Does anyone else here know about her?”

“No,” Osiris answered, “she wishes to remain hidden away from both beings and humans alike. What about you?” he mused. “Who had you wear a dress only to scare you enough into running away?”

She looked down at the once beautiful dress, now ripped and torn with stains of dirt and grass splattered across it.

“I wouldn’t say I was scared, more, I was angry. My uncle had the grand idea of marrying me off to secure his wealth and grow his influence. To be honest, I ran away before ever seeing the groom. So much for a fairy tale wedding,” Eleanor said, laughing as she spoke.

“So, you mean you were not given a choice?” Osiris questioned, his flames burning brighter. “That is not fair.”

Eleanor shrugged her shoulders. “Most women are not. That night we met; I was fleeing to a town that exists just past Evermore Forest.”

For a second, Eleanor could swear that Osiris’ flames dimmed before he looked away into the distance. “You should be more careful. The forest could be dangerous, and what if someone else had found you?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I guess I am just lucky it was you, Horseman.”