by Marie Daye
He flashed her a wicked smile, revealing his sharp canines for effect. He rested his head back on the cushioned chair, making note of how comfortable the feather stuffed furniture felt on his backside. His horns tapped the wood wall behind him, and he shifted his weight to slide down into the chair. His legs crossed each other on the footrest, and he sighed.
“If you won't sleep, I will.”
She eyed him wearily, seeming to be waiting for him to try something. Instead she heard a faint snore. She shrugged, laying back on the comfortable bed and closing her eyes as well. A few hours of rest would be good for her.
Eskil sat in the chair for most of the evening, getting up occasionally to stretch his aching body and to harass Libelle as she wrote in a leather bound book. His presence while she was writing seemed to distract and frustrate her, she’d swat her hand at him if he leaned too far over her shoulder.
She had left the room once, returning with large bowls filled with savory stew. Reluctantly she gave him one, both eating in silence and enjoying the soft meat; fresh potatoes, carrots, and a salty broth. She returned to her leather book shortly after, staying nose deep until the room was dark and the only light being a single candle stick. She sighed heavily, glancing at the half burnt candle stick: opening a drawer and retrieving a fresh one, then lighting it and placing it on another stand.
She closed the book, twisting leather strapping around the pages before stretching her arms towards the ceiling. She had dark circles under her eyes, darker than they were in the afternoon. Despite her earlier rest, she didn't feel nor look anymore refreshed. Standing up she kicked off her slippers before lifting the green quilted blanket that covered the feather stuffed mattress. She didn't say anything to Eskil as he watched her slid under the blanket, rolling onto her side where she faced the wall.
He waited, the candle light flickering in his eyes as he listened to her breathing slow and deepen. She had fallen asleep, but he didn't dare move until she was in a deeper sleep. The blankets rose and fell with each breath, her body twitching at random moments as her mind settled into a deep slumber.
An hour later she rolled onto her back, one hand settling across her chest and the other near her cheek. The blankets moved with her, twisting around and shifting around her waist.
Eskil stood up, stepping lightly across the room and avoiding the creaking floorboards he had earlier found. He stopped at the edge of the bed, staring down at her. She looked peaceful in her sleep, the stress in her expression was gone and she seemed to finally be relaxed in her dreamland. He lowered himself onto the bed, sitting next to her before lightly stroking her cheek and brushing her blonde hair from her face. A light and drowsy moan escaped her lips as his fingers tickled her skin, her head turned away from his touch.
Libelle, He whispered, his words rough on his lips. None of this makes sense to me. Here I am, stuck in the form of a pathetic mortal. At your mercy, and I couldn't be happier. I have not had this much pleasure in anyone's company for over a thousand years, and it makes no sense to me. I hate you, but the longer I am by your side: the more I grow to like you.
He sighed heavily, cupping her cheek in his hand and rubbing his calloused thumb over her lower lip. He lowered himself over her, pressing his lips against her forehead. “Good night, my little elf.”
Slowly pushing himself up from the soft mattress, he turned and walked towards the door. Opening it as quietly as he could before slipping out into the empty and dark hallway. He walked towards the railing, bending at his waist and resting his forearms on the aged oak banister. Another heavy sigh as his head sagged, his thoughts fleeing about rampantly in his mind. He didn't understand the feelings and emotions Libelle was causing him, the only answer he had to the cursed sentiments was the damned spell she had cast over him. It was the only conclusion that he could attempt to make sense of. That, or he was losing his mind.
He groaned, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes as he mulled over his thoughts. The inn was dark, all of the tenants had turned in for the night and returned to their individual rooms. The foyer that had been lit with a large fire was now black and eerie, a mouse could be heard scurrying across the floor boards. He rested his head on his arms, and stood there silently: waiting for time to pass by.
“Ah!”
Eskil’s eyes shot opened as he heard an unfamiliar noise, he raised his head and looked around the second floor. Despite the blackness of the inn, his dragon-like eyes could still pierce the darkness. He didn't see anything on the second floor, but he heard the high pitched noise again. He leaned over the railing, looking down onto the main floor and glancing about the rows of tables. Nothing.
The noise echoed again, he looked towards the inn keeper's desk at the far end of the room. Leaning back against the counter was the young working girl, her blouse was wide open exposing her small breasts and her skirt was pulled up over her legs. She held the material of her skirt, her chest rising and falling as she panted with another high pitched gasp. He squinted his eyes when he saw the middle-aged inn keeper kneeling before her, his head by her pelvis. He watched the man use his tongue and fingers to toy with the spot between her legs. Exciting high pitched gasps and moans from the girl.
He felt a knot form in his stomach as realization occurred to him of their act. They were mating. Loudly. In an area where anyone could spy upon them, like he was doing. He sighed again, pushing himself up from the railing and about to turn around and return to the room. He heard the girl’s lusty moan and curiosity, sadly got the best of him. He didn't know how mortals mated, and regretfully he wanted to know how the act was carried out. It’s not like he wanted to mate with Libelle, but if the opportunity presented itself, he wasn’t sure if he would decline to humiliate her in such a manner.
He stood behind a wooden beam, hiding in the shadows of the already dark room as he stared down at the couple. The man had lifted the girl onto the counter, her back bending at an awkward angle as the man's fingers moved between her legs. She cried out, and the man dropped his pants around his ankles before slamming his pelvis against hers. Another moan. His hips moved back and forth for seconds before he groaned, collapsing with quick breaths on her chest.
Eskil snorted. If this is how the mortals fuck, I want no part of it.
He turned on his heels, slipping back into the room where Libelle still slept. He returned to the chair he had spent most of the evening in, resting his back against the soft material. He closed his eyes and tried to rest, but his mind was awake and his thoughts were moving in circles. There was a flash of lightning, followed by a loud rumble of thunder. The rain began to fall heavier against the roof when the wind began to pick up speed. Outside it was howling with a torrential downpour, while in here it was relatively peaceful and warm.
He sighed, resting his head back while staring at the ceiling.
Sleep, he needed to sleep.
Chapter Nine
Libelle felt paralyzed, it felt as though dark power constricted around her neck and choked her. She was left weak, gasping for air as she flailed wildly in the pitch black world she was being held captive in. Her feet could not find solid ground beneath her, her hands reaching out into nothingness. She was trapped, there was nothing she could do: it terrified her more than anything.
Her vision was useless as she stared out into the empty world, she screamed and cried out. Pleading for someone to help her, but her voiced never echoed: she was muted. Some of her senses were not working, she could only feel pain and hear the deep growls that thundered around her. The demonic sounding voices rumbled, growing closer and closer to her. By the Gods, she just wanted to be free of this wretched prison.
“Slayer. Murderer.” The grumbling voices echoed.
“Leave me be!” She cried out, twisting and pulling at the invisible power that bound her.
The voices repeated the word, even closer to her. She tried to pull away, crying and yelling at her capturers. The power that coiled around her like a snake, tightened an
d squeezed around her entire body. Her bones groaned against the force before she felt the calcium based organs crack.
The beings with the thunder-like voices were all around her, she had no escape. Her bones snapped again, this time the fractures turning into complete breaks. She wanted to scream at the terrible pain, again nothing came out. The force around her squeezed again, her head snapped back and her eyes went wide.
“Slayer.”
Libelle stared into the vast darkness, the intense pain becoming more than what she could handle. She felt tears falling down her cheeks, she felt the beings hot breath against her skin. What was going to become of her?
“Murderer.”
The darkness erupted with burning light, an explosion of flames erupting from multiple fanged mouths all around her: engulfing her body in the searing heat. There was no escape, she was done for.
Libelle’s eyes opened suddenly as she shot up from the bed, the blankets fluttering down towards her feet. She was drenched in a cold sweat, breathing hard and trembling. It was a dream, a terrifying and horrible dream. She flinched when a flash of lightning lit up her room, shadowing the many objects cluttered around the table tops and floors. She rubbed the raised hairs on her arms, glancing around her surroundings as she tried to slow her breathing. Another flash of lightning, but this time she saw a pair of golden eyes staring at her through the dark. She swallowed hard, fearing that she might still be dreaming.
The gold eyes disappeared for a moment, then reappeared closer to her bed side. Another flash of lightning, and Eskil stood next to her bedside. “You were dreaming? What of?”
She was still breathing hard, staring at him with a surprised expression. It really was only a dream, she told herself while raising her knees to her chest where she wrapped her arms over her knees with long sigh.
Eskil stared down at her, she seemed incredibly weak and pathetic as she curled up into a ball on the bed. She had been crying out in her sleep for the last hour or so, thrashing about in the blankets while she was dreaming. He wondered what was troubling her yet didn't know how to ask her about it. Her body was trembling as if she were sitting in a snow bank in the middle of a winter storm.
Strangely, he wanted to comfort her. Seeing her tremble like this, was not bringing pleasure to him; instead it made his chest ache, he felt angst that she appeared so inconsolable. He rubbed his brows, the conflicting emotions causing his own turmoil. Before he had been cursed by her magic, he would have gladly taken advantage of her weakness. He would sink his fangs into her flesh, tearing her limb from limb. He would scorch her flesh, and when her strong soul left her body he would take his time and enjoy its taste.
But I don't want to do any of that right now. He slowly sat down onto the bed beside her, she didn't look up at him but he was able to clearly see her tense up. Another flash of lightning brightened their room, and a crash of thunder shook the glass window. The candle beside the bed was already half way through the wax, but the flame still provided enough light to see her.
“Slay- Libelle.” He spoke calmly, despite emotions welling up inside him that he was unfamiliar with.
She didn't raise her head to look at him, still nestled on her crossed arms. “What?”
“What… what were you dreaming of?”
“Nothing.”
“You were thrashing about in your sleep. You were also crying out. It can't be nothing.”
“It’s nothing. Really.”
He snorted, “Liar.”
Libelle glared at him, her eyes bloodshot and glimmering with unfallen tears. “What concern is it to you death-bringer?”
The familiar feeling of rage burned in his stomach and tried burning its way up his throat. He grabbed hold of her arms and forcefully pulled them from around her legs, slamming them backwards into the pillow behind her.
She fell back with the force, staring at him surprised as he glowered over her. He bared his teeth at her, “You told me to call you by your name and not your title. I will demand the same of you. You. Will. Not. Call. Me. Death-bringer Understand?”
Hesitatingly she nodded. He sighed, lowering his head as he collected his thoughts. He could hear her rapid heartbeat over her shaky breaths. He brought his head back up to look at her.
“What were you dreaming of? It’s not like you to tremble, especially when it's not me causing your fear.”
“It doesn’t matter. It was just a dream.”
“Then why do you look like you're about to cry?”
She looked more surprised than before, then she just appeared sad. “It was just a dream Eskil. I do not understand why you're even concerned about me.”
I do not understand either. “Suppose it is just my curiosity.”
“I’d rather not talk about it. I’d rather roll back over and go to sleep.”
He snickered at her, she was far from being able to go back to sleep. “Tell me, and I’ll let you.”
She sighed, trying to sit up but his hands did not budge from her wrists. She was pinned beneath him, yet strangely found his closeness and warmth comforting. “It was just a nightmare.”
He leaned down, his side positioned across her waist. He released her wrists then, resting his head in one palm and his other hand sitting by her side. She rubbed her wrists, then crossing her fingers over her chest. She was chewing on her lip again, staring at the ceiling. The candlelight flickered suddenly, it crackled, then returned to burning normally.
“What was it about?”
Her fingers twitched, “I'm not sure really.”
“Tell me about it, do you remember what happened?”
She exhaled slowly. “All I remember is that it was dark, I couldn't see anything. Everything hurt and there were voices calling out to me. Then it was bright, hot. Like I was surrounded in fire, burning alive. That’s when I woke up.”
He snorted. “That doesn't sound like something that should scare you. It's so… simple.”
A little bit of darkness, some voices and fire? She experiences those situations on a daily basis, he was right: it shouldn't scare her. Yet the intense fear she felt when she was unable to call for help, when the voices grew closer and louder; when the beasts mouths opened, revealing rows of pearly fangs. Then they erupted in enormous blasts of fire that burned every nerve ending in her body.
“Do you dream often?” He asked.
She nodded. “Almost every night.”
“Are they always bad dreams?”
Another nod. A feeling of possessiveness overcame him, and all he wanted to do was comfort her. He wanted to take away her nightmares, he wanted to her to sleep peacefully. Gods, I have many questions for you all that you must answer.
“Why do you even want to know? It’s not like you care about me.”
Even more to his surprise, her words painfully struck him. “No, it's not that I care. I… I just want to know.”
She eyed him wearily. “Why?”
“I don't know.” He shrugged. “What do you normally dream of?”
She held her breath and he could see she was thinking of her answer. “Pain. Death and despair. Fire, lots of fire.”
He smiled wide, “Sounds pleasant.”
“I don’t know if anything about that sounds pleasant.” He just smiled at her. “Do you dream at all?”
His smile faded, when she turned the questions on him. Yes he dreamed, but it was not like he was about to share. “I don't remember my dreams.”
“That sounds like something one would say so they don't have to tell others about them.”
He heard the light hearted tone in her voice and chuckled. “You’ve caught me.”
Both remained silent, simply staring at each other’s faces as the light from the candle reflected off of their skin. The rain outside sounded to slow, the crashing sound of thunder resonated further in the distance. If the rain would pass and clouds recede, they may have been able to see the stars. Libelle tilted her head at him. “Eskil? What really happened that started
the war between the dragons and mortals?”
This time his eyes widened in surprise. “Why are you asking me that now?”
“Well, we’ve never really been able to talk like this.”
She’s right, he thought. “What do you know of the war?”
“Not much really, so much of it has been lost throughout the years. The books that told of the war has been lost. All I know is that the war started after your … partner was killed by a mortal.”
His brows narrowed and his expression turned dark. “There is so much wrong in that description, it's pitiful. Did my brother Vegeir not speak to you about the subject at all?”
“No, he seemed to avoid the subject whenever I brought it up. Why?”
His teeth ground together. “Because he betrayed me.” Anger boiled throughout him, his body began to feel flush with rage. He took a moment, inhaling and exhaling slowly to calm himself.
“The war started after a long series of events, and it was not so simple. Búri, the father of Borr who is the father of Odin, created the race of dragons. I was the first to be born, and as such I was titled the dragon prince. At the beginning of everything, dragon’s outnumbered the mortal races. Your kin, elves were greater in numbers. As were dwarves, the drow, and man were considered more… well less than they are now.
“Dragons were able to ‘get along’ with the mortals for a short period, and our relationship with the elves was actually greatest. Man grew jealous of the peace between the elves and dragon, which led to a war that nearly eradicated your kind. Dragon’s stayed out of the business of mortals, we did not want to go to war. The only reason we went to war is because the Nordic men started targeting our nesting grounds.”
Libelle put her hands behind her head while she listened to him, his story intriguing and important to her. Eskil seemed to speak the truth, and sadly she had no one else to ask who could tell her the same story: but from their perspective. He remained lying across her waist, his head propped up on one hand while the other toyed with the leather lacings of her shirt.