Thirteen Years in One Hundred Steps: Theme 53 – Keeping a Secret

She refused to say her name, and she hardly ever talked. If anything about her was making young Marth infuriated at this point, it was that reserved quiet she refused to break. Marth only wished she would break it; this was a perfect opportunity for him to see if she would be a friend. Yet she refused to communicate. She never showed up for meals. She was never seen with the city children. It was almost like she plumb disappeared into a mist at times. At least, that was what the adults said about her.

Marth knew better, though. The girl was just a sneaky one, silently going from hiding place to hiding place, keeping away from anyone and all of the castle personnel.

Any and all, except for Marth. And for this, he was immensely charmed. Of course, this applied to Jeigan also for some reason or other. If it was anyone else, however, she merely softly scowled at them and ran away. With Marth or Jeigan, though, she did not budge at all. Just an acknowledging look before going back to whatever silence she had been partaking in.

Despite that though, it still hurt him to think she still refused to talk. His father Cornelius and Pip did not help at all, and really only made the young prince even madder than ever before. And who could blame the boy? He was continuously hearing from both adults about the muteness the girl had instituted in herself. Perhaps, Marth guessed, it was because they had nothing better to complain about. Life was just that lazy back then.

~~+++===+++===+++~~

Weeks would pass before she decided to utter a word. Specifically, it was not until Marth’s sixth birthday did she ever decide to show up at such big events.

Unable to find her parents anywhere, Jeigan had taken it upon himself to raise the young one. Yet even under his careful guidance, she seemingly did not dare to say a word.

For Marth, at any rate, his birthdays attracted so much attention that he had already started hating them. He would hate the day April 20th for the rest of his life. Every year it came, he hated it more than the last, save for two of those days. Just two: his sixth and fifteenth birthdays were the only exception to that perpetual pattern of his.

And thus, he had been busily scurrying around and away from any of the castle personnel, wishing so ever feverently he had the same stealth as that one girl. He still prided himself, however, on the fact he had been able to evade the people of Castle Altea for almost half the day. Now he made his way to the castle threshold – Jeigan had set his quarters to this place after taking the girl in.

Marth did not hesitate to barge in, for he really wanted to be out of sight for today. He was glad Jeigan did not care, or else his day would have gone from bad to worse. Of course, Marth had only one objective today along with avoiding the castle people: to find the new girl and actually get her to talk.

Jeigan had been busy with a wad of documents when Marth walked in, but he did not seem to be at all bothered. In fact, it was like the Master General had eyes behind his head, because when Marth ambled over to Jeigan’s desk, he pointed his quill pen in the direction of the eastern woods. “She left early in the morning for the forests,” Jeigan stated knowingly.

“How did you know I was looking for her, Master Jeigan?” Marth asked, awestruck.

“Call it intuition and instinct.”

“I don’t know those words.”

“You will,” Jeigan replied, “in due time. It is a necessity for you to learn those, my prince, to be a good king. Mastering them will make you a better one than your father.”

“I can be better than Father?”

“As long as you put your will into it, I daresay you can. But not a word about it. Do you understand?”

“A secret, right? I can keep those.” Marth paused after this statement. “…That girl. Has she said anything?”

Jeigan eyed Marth a bit warily. “Why so concerned?”

“I mean…well…she never talks to you or anything…And it seems she would rather run away from everyone than stay put…I was just a little bit worried…”

“So you’re curious about her.”

“Kind of.”

A sigh escaped Jeigan before he put his quill pen down. “Your father wants me to get rid of her.”

“You can’t!” Marth exclaimed, appalled. “She seems all mean and quiet, but I think she’s a good person! You can’t throw her out!”

“I know, I know. I understand,” Jeigan hushed. “I understand, especially because she’s finally obtained the notion to speak to me.”

A silence settled over young Marth before he realized he was trembling from sheer excitement. He settled himself on a chair off to the side of Jeigan’s desk. “What did she say?” he asked, absolutely thrilled.

“Well,” Jeigan began, “she told me her full name. She told me her age, as well as her birthday. And she also related to me what she was doing out in the rain that day.” He shook his head. “The poor girl. Her family mistreated her, and so, she ran. It bothers me to think that your father and Pip want to be rid of her. And you also want her to stay, you said?”

Marth only silently nodded.

Jeigan smiled a little. “Not to worry. She voiced her desire to stay here. I will be taking care of her.”

A delightful shine radiated in the young prince’s eyes. He smiled his first smile for that day. “Tell me about her,” he pleaded. “I want to know her.”

An amused and subtlely surprised look crossed Jeigan’s features, enough to the point where he had to put his pen down again. “That is something you must acquire yourself. The friendship you seek does not readily come to you – you have to acquire it yourself.”

Marth huffed a little before leaping off the chair and ambling over to the door. He turned around back to Jeigan. “Can’t you at least tell me her name?”

Jeigan considered. “Let us strike a deal: You and I both know this day is your birthday, whether you like it or not. I assume it is the constant giving that irks you?”

Marth only nodded.

“Well then, instead of having people giving to you, why not look for it yourself?”

Marth looked rather confused.

“My gifts to you,” Jeigan went on explaining, “are the secrets that young lady holds and keeps to herself and me. I have promised her to not relate anything to anyone about her, save for the grim fact about her reason for running away. Meaning –“

“I have to become friends with her,” Marth simply finished. “Because that’s the only way I can get her to tell me anything about her.” He looked absolutely delighted by the prospect of finally acquiring a friend. “Right, Master Jeigan?”

Jeigan could only smile before turning back to the documents he had been working on.

Taking this as an affirmative, Marth dashed out – still keeping out of sight – and made a beeline for the eastern forests.

~~+++===+++===+++~~

He strongly figured she had stationed herself at the black oak tree, a massive tree by night and – seemingly – more massive by day.

And there she was, seated rather comfortably among the intertwined roots of the tree. Sunlight poked through the numerous openings of the tree’s canopy, bathing her face with a myriad of patterns of light. A lick of sunlight sometimes showered into her red eyes, making them glow like orbs of ruby light. They were less clouded from a few weeks before, but they still had some form of a sorrowful light winking in them.

Marth did not hesitate to silently amble over to her, quietly sitting next to her.

She looked up from her dreamlike daze, gazing almost suspiciously at the young prince. A considering look crossed her features, and then, at long last, “Are you Marth?”

He paused for a long moment, dumbfounded by the slight cracking in her childish voice, more than likely the result of not talking for so long. A lengthy silence passed.

“Hello? Your name’s Marth?” The voice was a little clearer, if not a little more curt.

Still not over the fact she had finally spoken, he could only nod.

“Well…” she started, “thanks…”

“For what?” Marth asked, nearly squeaking.

“You helped me.”

“I did?”

She merely nodded.

“Um…well…” he shuffled uneasily, blushing a bit subtlely. “You’re welcome…I’m glad I could…uh…help you…”

“I met an angel,” she stated, completely changing the subject.

“An angel?” he questioned. “They’re real?”

She nodded. “He looked like you, but I think he was older.”

Marth did not know if he was supposed to be flattered or just mildly interested, so he went along with giving her his full attention.

She apparently wanted to go on with her experience with the angel, and go on with the narrative she did. “He was nice, you know. I liked him. He told me to live. I didn’t want to, but I listened to him…”

“I’m glad you did,” Marth stated after a moment’s pause. “Or else I wouldn’t have met you.”

“Are you glad you met me?” she asked a bit timidly.

He only nodded in affirmation before smiling a little.

That same considering look crossed the girl’s features again. “That angel was right…” she murmured. Without waiting for a reply, she continued on. “He told me there’s someone waiting for me. Is it you?”

“Maybe…” Marth answered uncertainly. “I’m not sure…but maybe…”

“I like this tree,” she quickly intervened, leaping off the tree. “It showed me the way to the angels. I think I’ll come here every day. But I should get back. It’s your birthday, right?”

Marth only grimaced at the mention of that truth.

She took this as an affirmative however. “How old are you?”

“Six…” Marth mumbled incoherently. “Don’t tell the guys in the city though, please?”

“Why?”

He paused. “I’m the youngest one, and they would make fun of me.”

“Punch them.”

“I can’t. Father would tell me off.”

She thought about this for a moment. “I’ll help you later,” she simply stated. “Master Jeigan wants me back. I think it’s for that banquet tonight. See you later.” She turned to leave.

This startled Marth a bit, for he finally piped up. “Could you…Could you tell me your name? I’ll keep it a secret.”

She turned round to meet his eye. “Promise?”

“Cross my heart and hope to die,” Marth swore, drawing an “x” over his heart.

A smile dominated the other child’s features before she turned to fully face Marth. “I’m Aliana,” she introduced. “I’m four years old and almost five. I would tell you my birthday, but I really have to go.”

“Can we meet here tomorrow, then?”

“Mm-hm. We can.” With that, she took off dashing through the forest, but shortly came back. “We’re friends now,” Aliana announced, “and you helped me.” She gave Marth a light peck on his cheek. “Happy birthday, Marth.” She ran off, pausing a little to turn back around. “No telling, okay?” she shouted before racing off again.

Marth immediately flushed to a deep red, and putting a hand to the cheek Aliana had kissed, he blushed even more. His heart raced while a blossoming feeling grew within.

Yes, he decided, this will definitely need to be kept a secret…