The second wife of Rafael

 Rafael watched as Maya rose from the ruffled bedsheets, walking barefoot across the room in the murky morning light. He sat up and rested his chin upon his knees, delighting in the way her dark hair spilled over her bare back, the way her skin glowed like burnished copper. She turned to glance at him over her shoulder, a shy smile upon her rosy lips as she grabbed a shawl and wrapped it around her.

 “Morning, my beautiful little Senora,” he said, pushing his ebony hair from his deep brown eyes.

 Maya smiled back, took the wooden bowl of figs that stood on the simple table and brought it back to the bed. She tilted her head, gazed at him with those grey eyes and Rafael became conscious of that now familiar sensation of his thoughts swimming lazily about his mind when she looked at him. 

 She passed him a fig, her warm fingers sending a prickle of excitement through him as they brushed the inside of his wrist. Maya took one herself, splitting the skin apart and taking a deep bite of the ripe flesh. Her eyes closed as the warm honey flavour exploded in her mouth. Reaching out a finger, he wiped away a small trickle of juice that began to flow slowly down her chin. They found themselves laughing as she placed the half-eaten fig back in the bowl. Running her full lips over the stubble of his chin, Maya pulled him in close, enveloped him.

 Rafael watched Maya sleep. The need to protect her overwhelming him. She looked as delicate as a snow-white wing of the butterflies that fed thirstily on the orange blossom in the spring. He knew what she’d suffered and wished on the Gods above that he could wipe it from her.

 Her chest rose and fell like the waves of the ocean and Rafael was hit with a piercing sting of guilt. This had not been his first night with a new bride. Rafael’s eyes closed, battled to keep the hidden tears trapped inside.

 As though her ghost lay with them, he saw Luiza lying on the bed, just where his new wife slept so soundly. He took a deep breath as he remembered how tranquil Luiza had appeared, her eyes closed, skin as grey as the storm clouds that had rumbled overhead on the day she drew her final breath. Rafael found his hands trembling as he recalled running them over the swollen mass of her pregnant belly. How he had lost far more than his soul mate on that fateful night.

 A small sob caught in his throat. Rafael opened his eyes, the feeling of intense love for his new bride sweeping over him. He should tell her, he thought. How could you make a new life with such a treasure when you hadn’t told her that another had shared his bed?

 Rafael reached out and ran his fingers softly across her skin. He would tell her today, he decided. They would walk amongst the orange trees and he would tell Maya how he lost his wife and his unborn son, a mere three winters ago. Rafael couldn’t tell her the full truth though. He could never tell her how he had begged the local coven for help.

 He had witnessed the witches save lives before. Mesmerised, he had stared as they combined vials of iridescent liquids, burnt bitter scented herbs and chanted strange words as his father lay with rasping, painful breaths in the bed he now slept in. The fresh faced and long-limbed Rafael had sat by his bedside. Terrified he would be left alone, he saw the fever flow away from his father. In the flickering lemon candle light, he watched the breathing calm, saw father’s eye lids flicker, felt a tsunami of relief as father’s dark eyes finally opened.

 And yet the high priestess who’d saved his father had said she had no power to save Luiza. Rafael had grabbed her hand, begged her in the dirt. But still she shook her head, her long golden curls shaking in the pale winter light. The high priestess walked away from him as Rafael collapsed into a quivering heap on the dry earth. Her lover took her hand, stared back at Rafael with such pity he’d felt ashamed. She came to him and took his hand, kissed it, whispered how she would create a spell for him that evening, one where he would once again be blessed with a wife and a family.

 Rafael had stared at the back of her head as she left, his jaw twitching. How could he desire another wife, want another child while the ones he loved with such fierce passion were fading away? He shivered when he thought of that witch. She’d never had the chance to cast her spell that evening, or any other.

 They walked under the bare branches in the orchard. Maya entwinned her arm in his, lay her head against his shoulder. Rafael turned his head and lay a gentle kiss upon her soft hair. Deep inside, the painful knots of guilt twisted and coiled.

 The dry earth crunched below their feet. Rafael was leading her towards the two crosses, silhouetted against the lilac sky of dusk.

 Rafael felt his heart transform into warm honey as he watched his wife bend down and remove the weeds and ivy from the base of his father’s grave. She turned her grey eyes up to Rafael.

 “Your father?” she asked, a sombre expression on her face.

 Rafael nodded, crouched down to help her.

 Maya reached over and began to remove the twisted vines that were chocking Luiza’s cross. She sat just as she had the first time he’d set his eyes upon her, though Maya could never know he’d been there. He felt a pain in his chest as he pictured her desperately screaming. Her form silhouetted against the blazing flames of the burning coven. He could never tell her how her shrieks haunted his nightmares. How he swore at that moment to make amends for taking the life of her family.

 “And your Mother?” she said.

 Rafael shook his head as Maya’s eyebrows knitted together.

 He took her hand, encased it with his own, kissing her slender fingers.

 “I haven’t been entirely truthful,” he said, lowering his eyes to the dusty floor.

 “Why?”

 Rafael placed his hands on the warm earth, stroked it as though Luiza was still conscious of his touch. Tried to put the image of his wife and child decaying below the ground out of his mind.

 “You’re my second wife,” her eyes flashed. The blood flooded from her rosy cheeks. “My first wife lies here…and my son.”

 Maya let out a sigh. She pulled Rafael into her. Wrapped her arms about him.

 “My darling,” she said. “You should have told me. What did you think I would do?”

 The tears that had been locked away suddenly flowed. His body wracked with grief and pain.

 Maya stroked his head, made soothing sounds. “You’re not holding other secrets? You’re my husband now. It’s my job to give you everything you deserve.”

 Rafael pictured the younger Maya. He saw her scrabbling through the scorched ground, desperately uttering her spells up to the Gods. He took a deep breath and buried his head into the warmth of her chest.

 “No,” he said. “I should have been truthful. I’m so sorry.”

 They stood up and Maya wiped away his tears, leading him back towards their tiny whitewashed home.

 They sat together, gazing up at the flickering stars set within an inky velvet sky. Rafael had his arms around his wife. His heart throbbed with pangs of guilt as he watched the serene expression in Maya’s eyes. He’d been the cause of so much pain. He’d just wanted to help her, rebuild the girl he’d destroyed. There had been no intention to fall in love. Yet the moment those grey eyes had met his, she stole his heart away.

 “I should have told you about Luiza,” he said, stroking her dark hair. “Is there…is there anything you need to share with me?”

 Maya shook her head gently. “No,” she said softly. There was a sharp stab. He’d opened up his soul and laid his secrets bare. Why wasn’t Maya telling him that she was a witch? Perhaps she’d worry about his reaction. Yes, she would be terrified he’d leave her. Mortal folk were so suspicious of her kind.

 She turned to him, entwinned her fingers with his and began leading him back into their home. Her eyes shone with longing. He smiled widely, allowing her to pull him within.

 Maya’s shawl dropped to the floor. Her eyes glowed as she pulled him onto the bed. His head began to swim once more as her eyes controlled him. There was a flash of amber suddenly rippling through her grey eyes. How had he never noticed it before? It was breath taking.

 She began to kiss his neck, her hands caressing his chest. Rafael let out a groan as she sat back, her hard gaze freezing him. A burning seemed to ignite in his chest, his breathing suddenly laboured. Maya peered at him as he gasped for air, her eyes shimmering with a gilded spark.

 A sly smile began to curve her lips.

 “My darling,” she said, the inferno inside crippling his every move. “Whatever could the matter be?”

 Rafael gasped desperately, lunging forward to take her hands.

 Maya stood up, tilted her head and glared at him. She raised her hand which ignited like a blazing torch. With her fingers blazing, she smiled sweetly as Rafael collapsed. His fingers began to claw at his neck, as though he could rip a hole in it, allow the cool air to flood in.

 “I know,” she whispered, though he barely heard over his rasping breath. “I’ve always known.”

 Her burning fingers brushed the blankets, the wooden tables. Flames consumed their home. The final image Rafael ever saw was the dark outline of Maya as she walked away from his blistering home. She’d always known.