Deciding that a change would be good for now he changed into a new dark green and black tunic with sleeves that reached only to his biceps. It wasn’t tight, but it clung to his chest. The pants were a dark brown and were very comfortable, plus they didn’t hinder his range of motion. He stuffed the rest of his old clothes inside his bag.
Alex’s body was remarkably tired and weary from all that had been explained. He sat the staff on the floor at the side of the bed and lifted the sheets. He realized, despite Shade’s playful antics a few minutes ago he was also tired. He lay dead to the world with his deep breathing.
Shade was also right. The bed was the best Alex ever laid on in his life too.
Being so drained Alex went so sleep not long after. He was thankful that he didn’t dream. It was just a blank and empty darkness. His mind and body finally could recuperate without nightmares about the king being his father.
A strange noise in the middle of the night brought Alex out of a deep sleep. Shade was snoring and growling every now and then, but the strange noise wasn’t from him. It sounded again and he sat up. Alex slowly recognized the sound to be a soft rasp on the door to his room.
His sigh couldn’t be stopped as he slid out of the bed. Silently he crossed the distance and walked to the door. He cracked the door and asked silently so as to be courteous to his brother “Who is it?”
“I’m sorry, Alex, but I cannot sleep. Can we talk for a few minutes? I’m so sorry for waking you.”
His head was still foggy, but it was Lily’s voice. She sounded too awake and concerned about something. He opened the door wider and said “Come on in. Let me just turn up the lighting for you.”
He turned and walked to the still lit lamp without glancing at her. There was a stick and he used the flame to light the end of it. He walked to each corner of the room and lit each wick. The room filled with a soft orange light that made subtle flickers. He blew out the stick and sat it beside the last lamp. When he turned around his mind went absolutely blank.
Lily stood in the middle of the room wearing a dress. He had never seen her wear something so feminine before. The dress was made of a silver silk which shimmered brilliantly in the lamp light. It hung from two straps on her shoulders and the dress itself was more like a sheath. It seemed to contour to every bend and curve her voluptuous and solid body had to offer. She looked like the moon goddess rather than a cunning warrior. Lily was beautiful and all he could do was stare at the raw magnificence before him. White hair complimented the sensual dress, and her eyes were looking at the ground. Her arms hung uneasily at her side as she just stood there, waiting for something. A small shimmer of her item reflected the candlelight as it moved at the V of her cleavage.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?”
“Beautiful.” The word escaped his lips even before he could think again.
Her face went crimson, even in this dim lighting. Alex wondered how easily she could see him though. She then cleared her throat and looked at his face in a searching method. He knew she couldn’t see nearly as clearly. “Enough of that for now, I needed to talk with you. May I sit on the bed?”
He sat first and decided to pat a spot beside him. She sat where he patted, uneasily. She locked her hands together and rested them on her lap. Lily then went completely silent as she burned a hole in the wall with her eyes. He just sat there and watched her, unsure of what to do or where to begin.
“Why do I have such a beautiful guest tonight?”
She finally sighed and spooked when Shade growled in his sleep. Alex smiled knowing he was chasing something. Wait until she hears when he catches something in his sleep. She would usually laugh if she saw Shade jerking in his sleep. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
She tried standing, but Alex placed a hand on her exposed shoulder. There wasn’t anything to be said about the suppressive gesture.
“If you want to know, I wondered what you think about after hearing what was done to me as a girl. Do I disgust you or do you pity me?” She finally started getting to the point of the matter.
“Neither.” He said in complete honesty. Once Lily recognized his word she turned to look for an answer in his expression and all she saw was an honest smile. “I see you as I always have. Strong and proud, but most of all you’re beautiful.” He didn’t know why he was expressing himself so suddenly, but things just felt right. “The only one I pity is the master who did those terrible things to you. I just wish you could have been spared that torture and been shown what it was like to have made love the true way. The way it was meant to be.”
She looked at her shoulder and he forgot to let go. When he did she quickly caught his hand with hers. She had actually wanted to hold his hand, but he didn’t know in what way so he just let her hold it. He could barely feel the subtle warmth of her calloused hands and she could feel his.
There was silence between them and the only sound was from Shade’s heavy breathing. Nothing short of an explosion could wake him right now.
“Tell me something,” She looked at his face with calm purple eyes, once he had broken the silence, but she continued holding his hand. “Back on Kallel’s Farm when I was working shirtless.” He said to bring the past memory they shared forth for her. “You said that I reminded you of someone. Could it be that I look like Runkamon?”
It was difficult to ask such a question, but the thought had been triggered during his sleep and it needed to be asked. What felt odd was that his body didn’t react, and he realized that Lily was keeping him grounded. Just her simple touch kept him calm and sure. It was a growing bond that they shared from their contact with each other and having her near was keeping him from falling apart at the moment. If she wasn’t holding his hand, who knows what would happen.
She listened to his question and he saw recognition hit her eyes. It was almost too easy to look away from her eyes right then. He sighed himself and felt his jaw muscles straining to keep a scream from ripping through him.
“Alex, like you said. You are who you are. I won’t deny that there are some similarities in your build, but he is cold and heartless. You on the other hand are warm and compassionate. Normally you feel slightly feverish, like you’re feeling at the moment, but earlier I couldn’t touch you before my hand felt like it was ablaze.” She startled him as she took their joined hands and brushed his knuckles against her soft cheek. “Just a simple thing as your warmth lets me know that there is more to life than pain, suffering and endless fighting. You have shown me that in so many different ways and I want others who were like my old self to understand such simple yet satisfying pleasures. It’s the small things that I enjoy now, not the blood and conquest anymore.”
She then released their hands and stood up. Alex watched as her dress shimmered behind her. She turned and their eyes met again. Her eyes meant every word. “I am sorry for waking you, but I’m glad we spoke like this. Now I think that we can both move on from our haunting pasts. I’ve come and got what I needed off my chest. I will see you in the morning.”
Without another word she turned, left the room and shut the door behind herself. Things then became too quiet.
As he turned his head Shade’s large golden eyes were staring directly at him. He had been listening without understanding their words, but wasn’t ignorant enough on how to read the atmosphere between Lily and Alex. What Alex did not want to know was how long he’s been spying on them. “How many times do I have to spill it out for you? If you are going to be mates with Lily, you need to do more than just simply touch with your paws.”
“If we ever do become mates, you will not be around to see us in the act.” He shot back, but then added “I cannot even honesty tell if we will. She is difficult to understand, but I want her to be happy. If she finds someone other than me I’ll be jealous of the guy, but I will be happy for her.”
“You mean that don’t you.” He said as an astounded statement. “I can understand why you say that, but don’t give
up. You need to find a mate too.”
“What about you? When will you find yourself a she-wolf?”
He took the question as a joke and a rumbling sound began in his chest. “I’ll wait until a female finds this supreme Alpha.” He grinned at Alex after emphasizing himself, placing a paw over his chest. “We will most likely have a long day, in a few hours, so we should get some more sleep. Goodnight, Alex.”
He then dropped the side of his head back on the pillows while making sure to not destroy them with his sabers. Alex joined his sleeping rhythm soon after.
Chapter 22
Alex awoke on his own before the sun first bathed the sky. It wasn’t difficult to wake up from the long restful night. The first thing that registered in his mind was Lily in that silver dress. Even imagining it again made his heart race. She was so amazingly and stunningly beautiful, a goddess of the moon. He had to remind himself to breathe, even from just the vivid memory. Closing his eyes to picture it better, he could still see every detail of last night just like she was still there, sitting beside him with perfect clarity. Why was she wearing something like that? She never showed any preferences to wearing a dress before, but a part of him didn’t care because the surprise was surely worth it.
Shade continued sleeping soundlessly and Alex couldn’t stand laying in bed any longer. His body was just too anxious to remain motionless. It was easy exiting the enormous bed without disturbing the unmovable fur-ball. After undressing, he walked over to the pool of water and found it remarkably warm. Looking down into the water lay a circular disc in the deep bath. It was an item that was being used to heat the water to a comfortable degree. As Alex bathed he watched the soap drag his grime down the drain, but left the water clear for it didn’t need to be completely drained again. He exited the bath, dried with a fresh towel and walked over to the closet to don another pair of dark brown pants. He then walked over to use the full sized mirror for the first time. It has been close to eight months since he last looked at himself with this much detail and clarity.
The reflection cast from his body struck every nerve. He had only seen the small results building over a period of time. What he saw directly looking back from the mirror was different than looking down at his own body, more real and dramatic. A year ago, his body looked more like a skeleton covered in skin, but now the changes were unmistakable. All of the muscle that his body had gained left his mind running blank. The towering body in the mirror seemed to radiate both speed and strength, rather than having large muscles just for show. His chest was broader and layered in toned, rigid muscle. The arms weren’t wiry as before and now were thicker, but still allowed for quick movements rather than relying solely on pure power. His neck seemed thicker and his jaw line seemed more defined, in a rugged way. His cheekbones and brow didn’t seem to change too much, which felt like a blessing to have some reminders as proof the image wasn’t an illusion. And then there were his grey eyes. They seemed sharper and more critical than in the past. All of the experiences had made an effect on his entire outlook. His entire body looked completely proportional, except for the bite scars that remained on his left arm. It was impossible to believe that the figure in the mirror was actually him, but it was.
If only uncle could see me now. Alex wished. He would be stunned, then laughing until he fell on his back to catch his breath, only to hoot harder.
Before becoming vain with his reflection, the same tunic he wore during the night slid back on. It was as if it was still clean rather than being slept in throughout the night. The material was quite expensive and durable. While reaching for the staff, his back received a great stretch. He then decided to stretch all of his joints. It was great loosing up all of the tired stiffness. After two violent episodes in one day, his muscles and joints relished the limber feeling.
“Alright Shade, it is time to wake up.” he said calmly.
It was slow, but he raised his head up. Alex couldn’t stop himself from laughing at his furry face. Shade had slept so hard that half of his face flattened. Even his wet nose seemed off-center. Droopy eyes seemed to finally catch that he looked humorous. He didn’t seem to like his brother’s early morning laughter.
Shade nipped for laughing at him, but laughed at himself once Alex brought him to the mirror to see his reflection. After he stretched too, Shade looked at himself in the mirror, vainly. He also said he couldn’t believe how large he was. He said he was now larger than both his father and mother and more handsome than either one of them. He even wondered if he was becoming a lord…
Before he became vain too he submerged himself in the water as well and allowed Alex to give him a proper bath. He was just as amazed about the water not needing to be constantly refilled for each bath. Eleven fresh towels later, Shade’s bulk eventually dried.
Getting his flank patted, once it was dry, he turned his large intelligent, golden eyes upon his sibling. “We had better go to the meeting room. Allahandra said we’d meet early in the morning.”
Before they left the room Alex blew out the oil lamps.
They entered the private meeting room, with the large circular table to notice that it was empty of all people. Shade had decided to lie against the wall until everyone arrived. While he did that, Alex studied the table.
The engraved map was more detailed than he first realized. The way it was turned was where Allahandra’s throne sat made the map its base. She could look at the table map exactly like she would if she unrolled a map for herself. It held the same patterns as the old leather book, but the enormous engraved table held subtle elevations on its lacquered surface. Alex silently followed the path’s he’s taken from his home in the Waget Isles to reach this place, with the tip of his finger. It was correct in its proportion. The lines he used correlated with the terrain that his eyes had seen. The plains were smoother whereas the forests were rough and mountains held dulled points in the wood grain. It was one thing to see the journey, but to see it on the map showed how very little he’s truly seen.
He stopped studying as Marlin entered the room. Marlin grinned as he saw his friend. “You look much better than you did yesterday. So how are you feeling inside your head? Any better?”
They met up around where Shade still laid. His large head was up and alert as they talked. “I’m feeling better, thank you. There was just too much information we needed to understand and deal with.”
“You don’t need to explain that to me. If I’d learned that I was related to that tyrant, I would still be moping around. I’m sorry you had to deal with something so devastating. And don’t worry too much because the two of you are completely different. You won’t need to worry about me turning my back on you.”
“Thanks, Marlin.” Alex was grateful to have such great friends and allies.
Soon after their discussion ended, Lily entered the room and their eyes met instantly. She looked down at herself to see if she looked any different. She was checking herself to see if she was still wearing the dress from last night. Lily sighed gratefully once she realized that she had not. Alex sighed too, but only because he wanted to see her in it again. She was now wearing a reddish-orange tunic with no sleeves. She was also wearing light green pants with her items hanging from her belt.
Lily quietly walked over to the boys and began petting Shade’s head while leaning against the wall, standing underneath Allahandra’s parents painting. Because of her sleeveless tunic Alex was barely able to see the backside of her right arm. The long wound was healed and only a faint pink line remained and her hand didn’t seem at all tender either. Allahandra’s item wouldn’t even leave a new scar for Lily to admire. The queen’s healing item was quite remarkable.
They all sat in silence until the queen walked out of the back door, being accompanied by Mistress Marge. Alex wondered where she came from because he didn’t see her come in since he had arrived in this room..
Allahandra wore a darker green dress and attired her golden tiara. Her items were hidden in the case clutch
ed in her left hand.
“Ah, you are up so early?”
“We have gotten in the habit of waking at first light, Allahandra.” Lily stated casually. “We had to unless we wanted to be caught and killed.”
“I understand.” From the look in the queen’s eyes she did.
Allahandra then walked over to The Pack with the mistress following silently, like a second shadow. “Well since everyone is gathered here, I would like to ask you a few questions if you do not mind. First off I wanted to ask if you would accompany me to the banquet hall. It seems like everyone in the castle wants to see what you all look like. Rakkian must have gotten a little carried away with the stories, and they have spread like wildfire throughout the castle and into much of the city.” The four were all hesitant to be treated so well, but they agreed to accompany the hospitable queen. Alex was already grateful she didn’t order him, though he is now vowed in her direct services. “Thank you. I do not wish to impose any strict rules for you to follow. You’re all part of my family now. I’d like to know what each of you will be up to in your spare time, once I release you to begin my duties.”
During this time Alex translated to Shade. He stood up to tower over everyone and the queen’s eyes followed. “Alex, tell her what I’d like to do.”
He translated his partner’s request to the queen “Shade would like to keep his skills sharp so he would like to use your training facilities so he can spar with us. Despite yesterday’s incident, he liked the sparring equipment and rules. Also he needs a place to do what he needs to do. He is unable to use our human facilities. Finally he wants to check out your collection of literature. It has been too long since either of us could take the time to read in leisure.”
Allahandra went silent for a few minutes as she deciphered Shade’s requests. She looked and spoke to Shade, but Alex translated. “I will have my groundskeeper ordered to make you your own place for relief. There is a large patch of unused grass on the side of this castle that my flowers don’t seem to like. I will have it fenced off specifically for you and have it cleaned by the end of each day. After breakfast I will grant each of you permission to use my book and scroll collection as you see fit so long as their condition remains proper. And finally you may use the arena for however long you require.”
Untamed Gift (Book One of the Items Trilogy) Page 47