At Her Oasis

4. The Monster

Kai

I couldn’t look away. Orsa beat him to death relentlessly, showing him no mercy as he tried crawling away from her on the ground. We all heard the moment his ribs cracked. She sat on his chest then, pummelling his face. There was so much blood, you could no longer make out his features. No one stopped her, not even me. She was in a trance. When she finally broke out of it, he had long been dead. She stared down at him, her eyes wide and panicked.

“LEAVE,” she screamed at the room.

The bears rose hurriedly, streaming past us and leaving the throne room. The ones who hesitated flew out as she screamed again.

“I SAID LEAVE ME!”

I turned quickly to Lucien and Sakina.

“Go, take the dragons and find the eggs. If you can, grab one of the royal bears and ask them about Skol’s whereabouts,” I muttered.

They nodded quickly and left the room gratefully. I heard a low, mournful wail from behind me. Orsa held his bloody face in her hands, rocking back and forth slowly, her eyes vacant. I kneeled next to her.

“I was the first to hold him,” she whispered, distantly. “When my mother gave birth to him. I was the first to hold him. He fell straight asleep in my arms.”

She looked at me then, her eyes stricken.

“He was just a boy, Kai.”

Guards came running into the room and I stood quickly, lifting Orsa with me.

“Queen Orsa wishes for Prince Dama’s body to be cleaned and bathed and prepared for burial. Lead us to the Queen’s chambers,” I ordered.

Orsa had gone pale. I needed to get her out of here. They looked confused for a moment.

“NOW!” I yelled.

They jumped into action, two of them carefully beginning to move the body, while the other led us to the chambers.

“Send hot water, towels and fresh clothes for the Queen. Leave them outside the door,” I said.

The guard scowled, hating every moment that he had to take orders from a wolf. He’d need to get used to it. He did as I asked though, and I closed the chamber door behind me. Orsa stood, shivering. I worked quickly, lighting the fire and placing Orsa in front of it. There was a knock at the door. Two maids entered. I noted there were bruises on their exposed skin.

“Did you wish for hot water in the basin… sire?” one of the maids said, unsure of what to call me.

Basin? Were there no bathing pools here? I went quickly to the bathing chambers, seeing the sparse surroundings. So this was how my mate had lived.

“Yes, thank you,” I nodded.

They seemed surprised, but walked into the bathing chambers. I heard them filling the basin and the squeak of a wheel and then the sound of running water.

“It’s warm now, sire. Should we bathe her majesty?” a maid said, as they both came out of the chambers.

I shook my head.

“No, I will bathe her majesty. Thank you for your assistance,” I said.

Again, they raised their eyebrows in surprise, but said nothing.

“Will you be needing anything else?” one of them asked.

I shook my head, taking in their bedraggled appearance, their tattered clothes. I took out two gold pieces and handed them one each.

“No. If you would, please change these bedsheets and then take the rest of the day. If anyone asks, the queen has granted you this day.”

Their eyes widened in shock, but they took the coins and left hurriedly to get the sheets. I turned my attention to my wife. Even standing before the fire, she shivered. She was covered in blood. I stripped her of her clothes quickly and carried her to the bathing chambers. She was in a state of shock. I lowered her into the basin, stripping off my clothes quickly and climbing in behind her. I pulled her back against me, wrapping my arms tightly around her. I washed the blood from her gently and she stayed quiet. She hadn’t uttered a single word since we had left Dama’s body. Whatever their differences, he had been her brother. Her last brother.

“Am I a murderer?” she breathed, her voice so frail it was almost lost to the air. “Am I the very thing I accuse Baka of being?”

I pulled her back tightly against me.

“Never, my moon. Never. That isn’t who you are.”

I thought of how her face had contorted with rage as she beat Dama to death. I had barely recognised her. My mind went back to when we captured a bear and she had tortured him for information. She had forbidden me to go with her, choosing instead to take Lucien. I had been hurt, but now I understood why.

“You saw it, didn’t you? The monster I was raised to be,” she breathed.

I held her tight against me, not willing to lie to her but not ready to tell her the truth. I had seen it. And for a moment, I had been afraid. Not for myself, but of what she was capable of.

“Kai. Answer me,” her voice was louder now, almost shrill.

When I didn’t, she scrambled from the basin, rising so quickly that I barely had time to register it. She jumped out, running into her chambers, leaving a trail of water in her wake. I followed quickly and she stood by the fire, waiting for me. Despite the situation, my eyes travelled hungrily over her dripping body. I hid it immediately, masking my expression of need. Now wasn't the time.

“Come here, Orsa,” I said, opening my arms to her.

She shook her head.

“From the moment we’ve met, you’ve looked at me as though you couldn’t get your fill. Your eyes have gazed upon me as though you wanted to rip the clothes from my body and take me where I stood. And now… it’s gone, Kai. The way you look at me is gone.”

Her breath hitched.

“Orsa, my moon. You can’t be serious,” I said, running my hand across my nape.

Her arms wrapped protectively around her chest and my breath caught. She had never shielded her body from me.

“You don’t know what your desire means to me. It makes me feel beautiful… alive. Like I’m not broken. I can’t bear to be with you if you don’t feel that way about me anymore. If you’re going to look at me like I’m broken… go. Go back to Zamee and leave me here.”

“Orsa! I…” my voice faded as I clenched my fists at my side.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.