Ariana Blushed

Please comment and advise!

She had just been looking in the mirror, trying to decide whether or not the green color was okay for the dinner at Shelby's, when there was a tap on the window. Ariana turned, clutching her lacy top to her chest. The tap was light and purposeful. Perhaps just a tree branch? A stray pebble? There was nothing visible in the quickly dimming twilight outside the house. The tap came again – no, it wasn't a tap. It was a knock. Someone knocking on her window? Ariana's heart began to pound. She laid the dress on the bed, wiping sweaty palms out her t-shirt and pants. What was it? Why did she always freak out at the smallest thing? This isn't the smallest thing. A small voice in her head told her. Someone is outside that window, knocking. Trying to get into your room. Which thought of course made her feel perfectly safe. The knock on the glass came once more. It was reluctant, as if the knocker was giving up on the idea of drawing attention. Ariana hesitated a little more. Maybe it was someone she knew. Even as she thought that, she dismissed it. No one knocked on her window. Well, except now. One step. Two steps. Come on, Ari, she coaxed herself. Go to the window. Look outside. See what's going on. She frowned, set her teeth – but she couldn't keep from trembling. Her room was small – too small. Ari wished it took longer to get to the large panes. Taking three deep breaths, like she always did, Ariana slowly pressed her face to the glass, looking out into the early night.

The sky was a navy blue, and the stars were beginning to twinkle, like a million tiny eyes blinking open and shut. Ariana's eyes slowly scanned downwards, taking in the dark tree-tops, the far end of the meadow, the cobblestone pathway... and then a face. Ariana jumped back with a scream. She was tempted to stay away from the window for the rest of her life. But as she tried to remember the exact features of the face – pale in the starlight, but slightly illuminated by the golden light from her room – she discovered that it hadn't been creepy or threatening in any sense. Actually... the girl crept forward the few feet to the window, while a tiny part of her was watching with slack-jawed amaze. After a moment, she peered out the window again. Her heart started pounding in a different way. The face was... beautiful. No, it couldn't be, it belonged to a man. Handsome was the word. No, he is beautiful, she thought. That was the only word to describe that smooth, pale face, practically glowing in the evening light.

Ariana stared out the window, at the face that was currently looking at the ground, waiting. Waiting for... her? For her to what? Lifting her hand, she hesitantly tapped the window. The face looked up – what long eyelashes! - and then Ariana was looking into his eyes. They were deep, wise, young, old, but there was tiredness in them too. She waved a little, and he watched her. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she could make out the rest of him. He was thin and long legged, but not lanky. His arms were crossed. His long, straight blond hair hung down on either side of his face, while the hair on top of his head was pulled back. There was a litheness, a grace to his figure – he was at ease, standing there, even though he was tired. But his face was incredible. Pure and beautiful and – beautiful. His nose, his mouth, his eyes were perfect. Ariana shook herself and - before she could tell herself not to - opened the window. It was a good thing there were no screens. Wasn't it? She shivered as the night air and the fresh breeze blew past her. Was that all she shivered from?

The beautiful man – boy – still stood, silent. Watching her, but also somehow watching the entire world as well. “Hello,” Ari said shyly, trying not to blush at him. The boy replied in a smooth, dusky voice that was like wind through trees. “Hello there,” he said. Ariana helplessly rummaged through a dozen things to say, but none of them fit. 'how are you?' too familiar. 'what are you doing here?' rude. 'how may I help you?' like an answering machine. The boy just looked at her, and his eyes reflected the night sky like deep pools of water. This was weird. She never thought of people like this. Was she okay? The next thought that crossed her mind was embarrassing to say the least. Did I fall in love with him? She thought. Then Ariana blushed harder than she had ever blushed before. It was all the romance books she read. Then the blush heightened as she realized that she still hadn't said anything. Ugh, it was so awful. Her insides twisted around in her discomfort. “My name is Rythin.” the boy said softly. Rythin? What an odd name! She hadn't fallen in love with him, had she? No, of course not. “My -” her voice cracked a little. Ariana felt like slapping herself. Or crying. One or the other. “My name's Ariana.” she managed. What should she do? The boy – Rythin – bowed, and his silky blond hair fell forward a little more. “I apologize for disturbing thee.” his voice – an accent? Perhaps not. It was so smooth, almost like he was singing his words instead of speaking them. Thee? Then the words registered. “Oh, don't worry about it.” Ariana said. “I wasn't disturbed, I was just trying to... um...” helpless. Just helpless, that's how she felt. “Why did you, um... why did you knock?” stop blushing! She ordered herself furiously, but the heat didn't go away. “I apologize.” the boy said again. “I needed merely to obtain a shelter for myself, for I am cold and hungry.” why did he talk so strangely? There was an accent. A softened sound. Almost like a refined British accent, but not as noticeable. “Ah. You... um... you didn't go to the door.” now he looked frightfully uncomfortable. Had she said something terribly wrong? Oh, dear. Her heart pounded again. “Danya thyr!” what was that he said? “I am very sorry,” he said, distressed, “I thought this was an entrance.” oh, what had she done? She had made the beautiful boy sad... Ariana's mind whirled for a moment, trying to decide on something to make him feel better. Was he from another country? Off topic. Well, there was no reason why he couldn't come in this way. “It's okay, you can come in this way. Here, you just have to step over the wall.” she said helpfully, opening the window the rest of the way. Rythin moved with incredible grace – like a dancer, in one fluid motion. Then he was standing in her room. In her room. Ariana blushed again - harder, because she hadn't stopped. He looked around respectfully. “Thy chambers are lovely, madam.” he said in that odd voice of his. “Thank you.” was all she murmured. He was by far the strangest dressed boy she had ever met. Was he part of a play? Was she on live TV? No, that was absurd. But his boots were leather, and his tunic and breeches and cloak were all green. A belt of leather circled the dark fabric. She looked up to ask him a question... then Ariana froze. What? His ears were not perfect and small, as she thought they would be. They were large and pointed. They stuck out of his beautiful hair, parting it on the sides of his head. He was so... so noble. Like a prince or something. Ariana couldn't get over his complete poise. “Who – who are you... exactly?” oh! She could have clapped her hands over her mouth and hid in her bed. Indeed, she would have, but she was frozen. Such a question! How rude! In a rush, the girl opened her mouth to say 'I'm sorry' but the boy laughed before she could. “Well shouldst thou ask such a question.” there was no offense in his beautiful face. “Do not fear, there is no rudeness in such an inquiry.” had he read her mind? Had she spoken aloud? Why did he use those strange words? Oh, dear. The boy – his name was Rythin. Why couldn't she remember that? Rythin took a small breath and stood very still. Ariana sensed that it wouldn't be a simple explanation. “Thou art human, art thou not?” Uh.... thou? “I'm... human,” she said uncertainly. Was he not? He certainly didn't talk like it. Her mind jumped ahead. Was he an alien? no. perhaps? no. Aliens weren't real! They just didn't exist. “Are you -” Ariana began, just as he started to say “I am -” and she broke off, wanting to hide underneath the bed. Why did it have to be so embarrassing? “I'm sorry.” she said quickly. Rythin bowed that little bow. He was so completely at ease. There was something – not human about him. “I am Rythin, as I told you.” he said, and his voice became even more musical. “Rythin, son of Elethon, Lord of the Eastern Eldar.” um... what? “Are you... are you...” oh, she just couldn't get the words out! “Are you human?” she asked, the words tumbling out of her mouth. Rythin cocked his beautiful head on his graceful neck. “I am not.” he said rather oddly. “I am of the Eldar.” Ariana's expression remained blank. “I am... I am... what dost thou call us...” he thought for a moment, then looked back up at her. “I am an elf.” he said, and nodded decisively. Ariana stared at him. Then she blushed again as his night-sky eyes met her gaze. Something was about to change in her life.