Lizard Love
It was unexpected. An hour earlier the day was bright and sunny and the market place was full of people. Now, the market place was abandoned. The winds were so strong that it was nearly impossible to walk against them and the rain stung any exposed skin like daggers falling from the sky. Everyone else, even the street urchins who Iâd never seen leave the central city, had left the market place for a safer location. I was the only fool still outside. I needed to find her before I found shelter.
After our first night together I felt almost assured I would never see Illica ever again. We were very different and I thought for sure our language barrier would destroy any interest in each other. I wasnât even sure Illica was her name. Illica could have meant scales or perhaps the name of her species or perhaps even her word for chest. Still, she always smiled when I meet her in the edges of the near by forest and called herself that. So, just like every night in the last three weeks, I was out again yelling for her.
âIllica!â I screamed, searching afterwards for any sign of movement. âIllica! Are you here?â
I was about to turn back, assuming she had found some sort of shelter from the rain when I noticed a large, dark shape running towards me. It took only seconds for her to be standing right in front of me.
âCome!â She hissed at me in her harsh reptilian voice as she grabbed my arm and began to pull in the direction of the deep forest.
âNo, you have to come with me.â I yelled, trying to pull her in the opposite direction.
I felt certain she wouldnât come with me into the city since all of my attempts in the last few weeks had resulted in a sad look upon my reptilian lovers face and a word I finally translated to be reptilian for no. Up until now spending time with Illica in the forest was a pleasant and new experience but it was not safe for either of us to be out tonight.
She looked at me with the same, sad look that she always gave me when I tried to get her to go into the city but this time she didnât say no. She merely stood perfectly still and stared at me.
âIllica, you have to come with me. Itâs not safe out here for you. I know you donât want to go and I donât know why but you have to trust me that youâll be alright as long as youâre with me. We canât stay out here much longer because the storm is getting worse.â
It was clear she didnât understand any of what I was saying but I was certain she had at least understood the tone. Still, she remained steadfast in her placement and gaze.
âIllica, do you love me?â I asked her, pointing at her and myself at the appropriate moments. I knew from our first encounter that she understood the word love.
âIllica love you!â She shouted, a sense of glee replacing her previously somber expression.
âThen you have to come with me. Please Illica, we have to go now!â
Her eyes told that she understood the urgency in my voice and, reluctantly, she walked with me towards the city.
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Her reluctance turned to fear as we passed into the city. I could feel her strong scaly hand trembled as we walked through the abandoned market place. Still, I spent little time comforting her. Even with this storm there was a chance someone would see her and call out the guards. Every moment spent outside increased our risk so I wasted no time getting a room and getting Illica and I out of the storm before it got any worse.
Our room was small but nice for the price. In the middle of the room was a bed large enough for the two of us and a table and mirror directly across from it. Along the wall farthest from the door was a crude fireplace with a large rug in front of it.