Chapter 70: VERY MANY YEARS AGO (SIDE STORY 3) <VARZIEL’S POV>
Varziel’s lips parted, but no sound came out. He lowered his head and allowed his wings to cover his face, hiding it from the kind-eyed girl.
"You don’t want to talk about it?" Arella asked as she picked up a stick that was on the floor.
He peeked through his wings and shook his head slowly. "I..." he began, his voice trembling. "My father... he left me here. He said it was safe here."
Arella tilted her head, her long golden hair cascading over one shoulder. Her locks of hair reminded him of sunlight, and he terribly wanted to touch it, even if it was just a strand. He glanced down at his fingers for one second, and his grimy, dirty skin stared back at him, as if haunting him for having such thoughts.
He clenched his little hands into fists and looked up at Arella, only to notice that she was already looking at him, and her expression had softened even further. She was drawing something on the dirty ground, but her gaze was fixed on him. She leaned in slightly, balancing her upper body on the measly stick. "Safe?" She echoed his words but did not move too close, perhaps in fear that she would startle him.
Varziel bobbed his head up and down slowly.
"So, are you waiting for him to come back?" She asked.
He nodded again. "He promised," he said, his voice breaking. "He promised he would come back for me, and all I had to do was wait, but it has been so long, I do not know if..." His words faltered, and tears welled in his eyes. He blinked them away and quickly wiped the stray tears with the back of his hand, embarrassed that the girl had seen him tear up.
Arella frowned, her small brows knitting together. "How long have you been here alone, El?" Her voice was terribly gentle.