5
1264 Words
Rion
I leave her to bathe and tell Yazier to stay close, just in case. He whines for a beat but ultimately straightens up and stands guard outside the door. I head back to the woods and to the Witch’s cabin. She is still sitting in the same spot. Humming a tune I do not recognize, she turns to me when I enter, not bothering knocking this time.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
She smiles, her teeth crooked and rotten. “Knew what? That your Mate is a mere human from a completely different world?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He snap.
“Because, Rion, some things you need to learn for yourself. You have a choice to make. To keep her safe will be a difficult task, many will come for her. To reject the bond and send her away would be the easier choice” The words seem to roll off her tongue like a snake slithering along the ground.
“Why would people come for her?”
“Her blood. It is pure. I will say no more. Leave me” She waves her hand dismissively.
Pure blood is nothing but a myth. It has been thousands of years since it has been seen. It is not possible. The Witch must be mistaken. I need to find out exactly where she came from. Rosa informs me that Elara is in the bathhouse. I make my way there, going inside. I can smell her, the waters take on the natural scent of each person, Elara smells of cloves and citrus.
I breathe it in, deeply.
Our conversation does not go as I had hoped. Instead of learning anything useful, all I end up doing is angering her. And she angers me in turn, and then she becomes sad.
“I don’t know how you came to my lands but I will do what I can to figure it out”, I assure her, she just looks down at the water, unspeaking.
“When you finish bathing, I will give you a tour of the castle, if you’d like. I will show you your room.”
“You can wait outside… while I get dressed”, She tells me sternly. I chuckle and get up, heading to the door. I turn to see her standing from the water. Her body's curvaceous and her hair is no longer mousy brown but a light blond. She has a small marking on her left hip, it looks like a little bird of some kind. It looks similar to my markings, given by the Gods after battles are won. My interest peeks once more. I close the door and wait.
She comes out a few minutes later, wearing a fresh set of robes. A teal gown with white furs to keep her warm. I look her over, feeling a sense of pride at how beautiful my Mate is. I have decided not to tell her about the bond, not yet at least. I want to get a sense of who she is first.
I offer my arm to escort her but she ignores me and starts to walk beside me. I try not to feel the rejection sting through me, as I tell myself to ignore it. For now.
We walk in silence for a few minutes, down the main stairs until we are on the main floor.
“This is the dining hall, the kitchen is through there. If you ever want anything, just let Rosa know. She is now your personal maid.”
“I don’t need a personal maid” Her words have a slight sting to them.
“Well, as long as you are my guest you shall have one. Need or not”
“Well, what if I don’t want a maid, and what if I don’t want to be your guest? All I want is to go home”. She argues, her voice is cracking. She looks like she is ready to punch me.
“Well, if you know how to get back home, then be my guest. Front door is right over here” I nod to the front room, the front door.
She looks from me to the door, then back at me.
“You won’t force me to stay?” She looks at me skeptically.
I shake my head, “You are free to do as you wish”, I shrug, trying to seem nonchalant about it all. I hope she decides to stay, but I won’t stop her from leaving. She won’t last long in the woods though. Not if she is not from here, from this land.
She takes a hesitant step towards the door, then another. I feel my heart falter as I watch her start to walk away from me, her hand on the door knob now. She pauses before turning back to me and dropping her hand.
“Show me the rest of the castle” She says as she lazily walks back to me, having changed her mind. The tightness in my chest lifts and I feel my tense shoulders relax back into place. She walks ahead of me, I desperately want to know what’s going through her head. I show her the rest of the castle and we retire to the drawing room.
“So.. can I ask you something?” She sits down in an arm-chair across from me as I pour both of us a spirit.
“You can but I may not answer”, I hand her the goblet and she takes a small sip.
“You asked me what my beast was when we met earlier… so, what is yours? What are you?”
I chuckle, taking a long swig of my drink, “I am a Hybrid”
“What does that mean?”
“Well.. I’m mostly Dragon blooded, but my bloodline has traces from all beasts, making me able to transform into any form I desire”
“Is that why you’re King?”
“I am the oldest of all the beasts in this land. My bloodline is finished when I die. I am the last of my kind.”
“You don’t have any family?” She doesn’t seem sad about it, more like she understands.
“I have Yazier, he is my family.”
“And what is he?”
“Yazier is the Lord of werewolves. He stays here, in the castle, as my second. He has Wards that act on his behalf, keeping his pack in line in the territories”
“So what happens now?”
“Now… I try to figure out how you got here.”
“And how do you do that?”
“I have no idea.. I don’t think the Witch will help anymore. She told me everything she knows. Maybe one of the Lords may know something. How do you feel about traveling?”
“Why are you taking such an interest in me? Why do you care what happens?” She asks, untrusting.
“I was getting bored. This is the first thing to happen in years worth my attention”
I don’t know what else to say. Telling her she is my mate is dangerous for her right now.
“You really want to help me get home?”
“I will do all in my power to help you find your home” I tell her. One day, hopefully, soon she will come to realize her home is with me.
- Writer
