That was over two years ago. I naively thought that he would be overjoyed to learn about his heritage and would willingly come and stay at the Sanctuary. But I didn't know Varden as well then as I do now. It only took one visit to our home before he decided he wanted nothing to do with it.
We were shocked, every man we had ever encountered would have cut off a finger to live in one of our Sanctuaries, heck more than one finger. To be welcomed into a massive complex filled with some of the most beautiful women on earth and with you being the only man would be a dream come true for most men. Yet for Varden it was not. You see, he was a virgin and made that fact well known to anyone who brought up the subject. He was going to remain so until he was married, a concept that baffled many of us and insulted the rest. To bind oneself to a man for the rest of your life and to forsake all others. It was something that had never been considered for women of the Sanctuaries. But Varden was a man, a very unusual man but a man, nonetheless. His convictions were set in stone, and nothing can move him from them.
So here I am, looking for him in the very place I don't want to be, a human city. Unfortunately, this is where he chooses to spend his time. I guess being raised for his entire life has somehow endeared him to these people, but I still can't understand why.
I knew where he'd be, he'd even told me where he'd be, yet I still hesitated to do what was necessary to find him. The last time we'd talked he'd told me he'd be at or near the Taekwondo studio in Grand Rapids Michigan. I gritted my teeth in frustration, my problem was that he'd not seen fit to tell me the address. So here I am walking around in the second largest city in this state with no idea where I was going. So as much as I didn't want to, I was going to have to do it.
"Excuse me sir," I asked in my sweetest clueless airhead voice. "I'm looking for my brother. He said he was going to be at the martial arts studio, but he didn't give me the address. You wouldn't happen to know where it is would you?" The guy I targeted was just right, about nineteen years old. Yet he looked like he still let him mother pick out his clothes for him.
When our eyes met, I watched as his eyes walked slowly from the top of my head clear down to my toes. It was all I could do to repress a shudder of revulsion as I mentally strangled him. Males like this guy thought women like me were good for only one thing, so I felt no qualms about using him to get what I needed.
"Two blocks down and another three to your left. It's in back of the college parking garage, ground floor." He stood and offered me his hand. "I could take you there if you'd like. That area of town can get pretty nasty, and it's almost sundown. I would hate for something to happen a fine young thing like you." He sucked in his gut and pushed out his chest to show me how manly he thought he was.
"No, I'm good. I'll just have to be careful." I turned to walk away but before I could take even one step, he caught my wrist.
"But I don't think you understand, you could get hurt, or worse."
Oh, I hate to see a grown male beg, but even worse was when a male got in my way, and none of them had the right to touch me. So, I throttled my urge to take his head off and instead grabbed his wrist with my free hand and slowly began to apply more pressure. Sure, enough a broad grin spread across his face when he felt me begin to squeeze. In his mind I was just a small girl trying to prove I didn't need a man to protect her. But as the pressure increased, his grin faded into a frown, then into a scowl, until at least he dropped to one knee.
"I think I can handle myself." I let go of his wrist and his hand sprang off of mine like it was now on fire.
Turning again I walked towards the pedestrian light, he didn't follow. Reaching the light, I waited for the little white man to appear then jogged across and followed the sidewalk. I was on the left side of the street to turning the corner didn't entail crossing traffic again. Reaching the third block I looked for signs or clues to the studio and at last found a small hand drawn piece of paper taped to the smooth concrete of the endless man-made stone.
It read TKD this way, with an arrow under the printing pointing towards the back of the building. I never liked new places, just give me the Sanctuary and my sisters and I would be just fine. So, my anger built as I walked around to the back of the building to find a single plain wooden door.
From behind the door, I could hear the sound of loud yelling and of close combat. So, I knew I'd found the right place. Without knocking, I opened the door and walked in. Once through the door I slid it shut behind me and walked without a sound towards a row of chairs along the one wall. It wasn't until I seated myself that I noticed the entire room had gone silent and that the only person that wasn't gawking at me, was of course Varden.
"That's enough people, you'd think all of you had never seen a woman before." Vardens glorious voice sounded clear and strong above the crowd, and they all returned to their tasks.
I really hate him sometimes, and this is one of those times. He's over in the middle of the room with a human girl who couldn't be more than fourteen, long hair, braces, and acne, she had the total nerd package. yet Varden was doting on her like he was her big brother. I've just spent over two days searching for him and he doesn't even think I'm worthy of a greeting.
I balled my fist, my fingernails digging into my palms, hopped out of the metal folding chair and marched into the center of the room where Varden was. Standing there I waited for him to acknowledge my presence. Once again, the room fell silent, except for Varden.
"Now what I want you to do is throw your knee up as far as you can. You'll never pull this kick off unless you get some air under you." He straightened to his full six-foot four height and stepped back.
The poor girl managed to lift herself only half a foot off the ground and her kick looked pathetic, but Varden praised her as if it were flawless.
"You see, practice more and you'll have this down in no time." He tussled her hair and turned to the rest of the class.
"We have over an hour of class left people. So, get back to it or I'll have you all down for push-ups." With that he turned away from me and walked across the room to join in on some light sparring. Leaping after him I grabbed him by the arm to stop him. I didn't realize my mistake until it was too late.
Whirling, he grabbed my shoulder and lifted my bodily off the floor. Before I could respond he had me over his head only to slam me down on the mat on my back.
"You don't get to talk to me after what you people pulled the last time you drug me back to that place."
I could only look up into his face and agree through all the stars in my vision.
"Nice to see you too Agapi̱méni̱."
Agapi̱méni̱. Sweetheart
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