\u201cDilmir.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir was\ndetached, a mere spectator of the terrible scene he had created. How, then,\ncould Aldir speak to him? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The entire\nsanctuary was lit with the green glow of the fallen branch, which was slowly\nfading to blackness. This did nothing to hide Aldir\u2019s expression, however. He\nstared at Dilmir with a mixture of disbelief and fear. Dilmir thought he\ndetected something else behind the look as well. Was it triumph? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir was vaguely\naware of his own face betraying his shock. He held his hands limply in front of\nhim, as if not quite sure what to do with them. Their green glow slowly began\nto fade as did the branch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neither of their\nexpressions, however, could compete with Ilrin\u2019s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She stood, not a\nmuscle moving, staring at Dilmir as though an impossible truth of the universe\nhad just been revealed to her. No fear etched her expression, but one look at\nit was enough to cause Dilmir to turn away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What have I done?<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe others were\nright.\u201d Aldir spoke quietly, his fear now gone. \u201cI didn\u2019t think you were\ndeserving of their thoughts, but I see now I was wrong.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Neither Dilmir\nnor Ilrin contradicted him. Ilrin remained staring fixedly at Dilmir, and, in\ntime, Dilmir met her gaze. He tried to tell her he hadn\u2019t meant it to happen,\nbut her face conveyed only one emotion: disbelief. It was a wall through which\nnothing else could pass. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m going to\nreport you, Dilmir,\u201d said Aldir quietly. Dilmir, though he still looked at\nIlrin, thought his voice sounded strange, as though he were struggling to\nsuppress something that ought not to be there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aldir silently\nreached out and took Ilrin\u2019s hand. He then turned to the entrance to the sanctuary,\nbut Ilrin did not move. She remained looking steadfastly at Dilmir, who\nreturned her gaze. Aldir, after looking at her, let go and made his exit alone.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n A long silence\nfollowed, broken only by a lone cricket which chirped his happy melody into the\nnight, unaware of what had just happened. Dilmir and Ilrin stood there, neither\nmoving, facing each other, as the light from the branch and Dilmir\u2019s hands\nslowly faded, leaving them in total blackness. All Dilmir could see of Ilrin\nwas her silhouette, barely outlined against the starlight from above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDilmir?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a\nquestion, nothing more. Ilrin\u2019s voice sounded small in the sudden silence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dilmir didn\u2019t\nknow how to answer. His mind seemed to have stopped working altogether, though\nhe was very aware of it whirring along, as though he were feeling it from\nsomeplace other than himself. \u201cI did,\u201d he heard himself say, his voice blank,\nuncomprehending. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With those two\nwords, however, everything seemed to change. He had. He had attacked another\nelf, the worst crime possible. But it was worse than that, far worse. He had\ndone what the elves had expected. He had proven them right. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe Alfimir\nwas right,\u201d he heard himself say. \u201cI am<\/em>\ntoo powerful.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo,\u201d said\nIlrin, her voice surprisingly soft. \u201cYou are powerful. You can\u2019t deny it. But\nthat is no reason for the elves to treat you as they did.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dilmir closed\nhis eyes, unwilling to hear Ilrin. She still believed in him. After what he had\njust done, she still trusted him. If only she knew\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dilmir opened\nhis eyes. He had to tell her. She had to know the truth, the one thing he had\nkept from her. \u201cIlrin,\u201d he said, his mouth suddenly dry, \u201cdo you remember that\nday when you asked me who my parents were?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n She nodded,\nsilent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dilmir\nswallowed. \u201cI never told you. I\u2019ve never told anyone that doesn\u2019t already know.\nWhen I first came here, an elf found out, though. He kept it quiet, but somehow\nit got out.\u201d Dilmir swallowed again. He couldn\u2019t go on. But he must. He could\nhear the tramp of elven feet fast approaching, and he knew that his time was\nshort. He had to tell her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou know who\nthe elves say I am, Ilrin.\u201d He said, pushing on frantically. \u201cYou know what\nthey say in dark corners and shadowy places, where they think I will not hear\nthem. You know what they think me to be.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n He couldn\u2019t go\non, but he seemed to have said enough. A group of elves, led by Aldir, entered\nthe sanctuary, cloaks rustling, but Ilrin had eyes only for Dilmir. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre you?\u201d she\nbreathed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Very slowly,\nDilmir nodded into the blackness. A weight dropped from his stomach as he did\nso, leaving behind only a kind of sickening hollow. Through the dark, he could\nsee the first hint of fear creep slowly into Ilrin\u2019s face. She took a step\nback. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you\ntell me?\u201d she whispered. Her voice was far too quiet, but the accusing words\nwere born to Dilmir on an ill wind, where they lodged, stinging him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hands seized\nhold of Dilmir\u2019s shoulders as he was surrounded by elves. He was turned and led\ntowards the entrance. At the last moment, Dilmir turned, and looked, one last\ntime, at Ilrin. All he saw there was fear, fear of him, and what he truly was.\n\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n What have I done? <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cDilmir.\u201d Dilmir was detached, a mere spectator of the terrible scene he had created. How, then, could Aldir speak to him? The entire sanctuary was lit with the green glow of the fallen branch, which was slowly fading to blackness. This did nothing to hide Aldir\u2019s expression, however. He stared at Dilmir with a mixture … Continue reading Chapter Thirteen – Are You?<\/span>