Nightsong

by Vella Wolf

  The air around me seemed to change as the next noble rose to be presented. Raest bristled next to me as a young, handsome man stepped forth. For a noble, his appearance was rough, stubble shadowed his face, and his jet black hair was cut short and uneven at the back. His fringe and bangs hung longer than the rest, the tips brushing his collar bone. A crimson scarf was tied above his brow, the colour matching the unbuttoned shirt that sat underneath a long dark trench coat. Light chest hair curled over his exposed chest, where human ears would be, two black wolf-like ears sat. A Worg? His eyes were the colour of fresh green apples from a spring harvest. He stood before us, flourishing a bow. Raest sat there, seething.

  “Lusin. You’re here?” Raest said through gritted teeth.

  The Worg grinned mischievously. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world, Raest. The invitation was quite late though, I was a little worried for a while. Checked the ravens for weeks.”

  “Who is this?” I turned to ask Raest.

  His green eyes flashed to me, running over my form before he spoke proudly. “I am Lusin Shadowfang, Worg Alpha of Vala.”

  I raised my brow to him and then to Raest. “Vala? A seventh province? I thought there were only six?”

  Lusin let out a condescending chuckle; he was obviously trying to get under Raest's skin.

  “Well, you’d be mostly right about that. My home is the sacred homeland of the Worg, but it is technically located inside our ladyship's land,” he gestured towards Fye. “It is a small territory, but ours. We aren't big enough nor important enough to be counted as a separate province. Though that certainly hasn’t stopped people asking for our help, isn’t that right Raest?”

  Raest let out a threatening growl. “All those who are a part of Naedis are called to battle when needed unless you count yourself something else, Lusin?”

  “Perish the thought, Raest,” Lusin grinned, turning his attention back to me. “I have to say, Sabyr you look and smell mighty familiar. Have we met before?”

  Raest moved to stand between us, fangs full bared. “My wife is now your Queen. You should treat her as such and take that nose elsewhere. We have many people to greet, don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Raest snarled.

  A bright smirk came over Lusin’s face. “Well, this is certainly a new side to you, and I dare say I like it,” he said. Raest stood his ground. Lusin shrugged and began to back down, “I get it, a new bride that you certainly don’t want any of us leering at.” He paused his departure, again running his eyes from my head to my toes. “Though you certainly picked a beauty, I’m finding it hard to turn away.”

  Raest almost let out a roar.

  “Well, another time then. Perhaps at the Eclipse festival?” Lusin raised a glass to me and with a curt wave, he was off into the crowd.

  Raest turned to Fye. “Are you responsible for this?” he growled.

  Fye rolled her eyes at him as if he was a child having a tantrum.

  “Of course. I wasn’t going to let you snub the Valan clans because you don’t like Lusin. You despise Lothane, and you still invited him.”

  “I had my reasons.”

  “You mean you knew Lothane wouldn't show up!” Fye spat.

  The last province ruler was not in attendance then.

  “Why don’t you like him?” I turned to ask.

  The look in Raest eyes was a flurry of rage, irritation, and sadness.

  “He is young, arrogant, brash, and obnoxious. Most of all, I was friends with the previous Alpha and Lusin is an… unfit replacement” Raest ground out. Replacement. Likely another casualty of war then.

  I turned back to the crowd to watch, my mind ran over Lusin's last words.

  “What is the Eclipse festival?” I asked.

  Fye clapped her hands together excitedly. “Celebration of the solar eclipse! It is an exciting and invigorating time for our people. For a few moments, true darkness covers us and our land, like mother embracing her children. The feeling it brings, indescribable. An Illyd will never feel as powerful and complete as they do under the sunless sky.”

  I mulled over her words.

  “I can understand that. For my people, walking amongst the woods and nature has always been soothing for them. Being one with your own element and all,” I said as I tried to recall the feeling.

  “Your homeland must be beautiful, you must take me one day!” Fye smiled. I returned her gesture, mumbling of course, before turning back to the next guest.

  In the early hours of the morn, the feast came to an end. My first night with Raest had arrived. Eed and the servants from before came to escort me to Raest's room and prepare me for the night. While Raest remained in the hall, they brought me to his bedroom. It was similar to mine, just a little bigger.

  Eed and her staff began to strip me, boxing and hanging every piece of clothing I did not need. I was left in nothing but Ora's lace, shivering in the cold air. Eed fixed up my hair and removed my makeup. She pointed to the end of the bed asking me to sit and with the clothing in hand Eed and the others were gone. My heart beat so fast, my skin prickled in fear. It was only a few nights before that I had felt the touch of Nyx on my skin. This felt so strange, so wrong.

  The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Raest was coming. The door swung open, I bolted to stand up from the bed as Raest entered. I should have drunk more for this. Raest's eyes met mine briefly before moving lower and lower. He trailed over every bit of lace and exposed skin, the excitement and surprise evident on his face.

  But as his eyes returned to my face, guilt marred them. “You don't…” his voice broke, and his eyes lingered. “Put your clothes back on.”

  I frowned, confused. “What, why? Did I do something wrong?”

  He ran a hand through his violet mane. “No, not at all. I just don't want to do this, not yet.”

  I felt afraid.

  “I don't understand,” I mumbled.

  Raest walked towards me, stopping mere inches away. His hand raised to touch me but recoiled.

  “Sabyr, be honest. Do you want this? Right here, right now,” he breathed.

  I clenched my fist. “I… it doesn't matter what I want. This is part of the agreement, you need heirs.”

  Sorrow filled his eyes. “It matters to me. I won't lie with you until you want it. Weeks, months, years. I will wait. I will never force this on you,” Raest said anguished, his thumb ran across my chin. Funny. He had no issue forcing me to marry him.

  “I don't know what to say,” I admitted.

  Raest moved away, walking to a chair beside the bed. “Goodnight is a good start. I'll sleep in the armchair if you'd like. I have to at least make it look like we are… consummating,” he laughed.

  I shook my head feverishly in protest. “What?! No, that's ridiculous! This is your room! Why! Why are you doing this?” I spat.

  Taking off his diadem, he placed it in a box before pulling his hair back, tying it in a tail.

  He let out a deep sigh. “I don't want you to hate me. More than you already do,” he whispered.

  “I don't… hate you.” Liar, liar, liar. I stepped over to him, sitting on the edge of the bed, patting the covers invitingly. “Come on. Sleep next to me. I'm not going to make the king sleep in a chair.”

  He looked at me nervously.

  “It's alright. I wouldn't ask you if I didn't want you to.”

  Pulling off the top layer of his robe, he laughed nervously. “I'm not sure if that is kind or cruel.”

  I frowned at his jest and moved to help him remove the second layer of his robe. He drew in a sharp breath at my touch and looked away as my fingers ran down, untying the fastening.

  “You… look amazing. Before and now. I didn't say no out of lack of attraction or anything,” Raest babbled.

  I rolled my eyes and hushed him as I finished removing the layers, leaving him in his shirt and pants. Pulling back the covers, I shuffled into the bed, soft and spacious.

  Raest removed his boots before tossing one
of his shirts at me. “Here. You are probably cold.”

  I gave him thanks before pulling it on and buttoning it up. Loosening his shirt, he moved into the bed, pulling the covers over both of us. With a click of his fingers, the light in the room vanished, and we were left in darkness. The bed had plenty of space, there was no need to touch. But as I began to drift off, I reached out my hand to brush his.

  “Goodnight Raest.”

  His fingers wrapped around mine.

  “Goodnight Sabyr.”

  Chapter 25

  I woke cold and alone in a strange room. I blinked drowsily trying to remember where and why I was here. But of course, this room was Raest's, I now his wife. A rattling knock sounded at the door, and I scrambled to cover myself.

  “Come in,” I called, and in moments Eed entered with a sly grin.

  “I trust you enjoyed yourself? I have brought you a change of clothes. Astrana is here to escort you,” she said.

  My mind buzzed.

  “Nyx? Why?” I asked frantically.

  Eed raised her eyebrows at me. “Probably because he was told to? No time for washing, you've slept far too late,” she said, placing the clothes on the bed.

  I couldn't stop jumping to conclusions as Eed fixed my hair. Shedding last night’s lace, I eagerly put on the comfortable clothes before me. Shirt, pants, boots.

  Eed left with the laundry, and I stood at the exit psyching myself up for the encounter. Holding my breath, I pulled the door open and walked out. Nyx leaned against the wall with a sour expression. He looked me over as if he was inspecting cattle.

  “Out of spite or perhaps plain ignorance, Raest has asked me to bring you to his study. He thought you might like to open wedding presents as he worked,” he said, not hiding even a bit of his fire.

  I nodded as my answer, and we began to walk to the stairwell side by side. Every now and then I caught his pestilent gaze, probing, prodding me.

  “Why do you keep looking at me like that?” I hissed.

  “Oh, no reason. Just thinking about what a wonderful time you must have had last night,” he barked back.

  I rolled my eyes at him. “Jealousy doesn't suit you.”

  “It's not jealousy, it’s curiosity. Was he better than me? Did he make you moan like I did? Or was he a total dud?” Nyx spat.

  My temper flared, and before I knew it, I had pushed Nyx against the wall. He looked at me, wide-eyed and surprised.

  “We did nothing! He said… we could wait. I was not ready. Regardless, it isn’t any of your business!” I growled in a hushed voice.

  Something like relief washed over Nyx's face. “Oh,” was all he said before we moved back into step, heading to the study on the lower level.

  As we arrived, Nyx pointed to the door, mumbling this was the study. I moved to enter, to ignore Nyx and keep going, but something sharp sat in my throat.

  Turning from the door, I faced him whispering close. “I know this is hard for you, but perhaps you could consider how I feel? At least you weren't the one who got married.”

  He gulped under my scorn, his mouth moving to retaliate.

  “No! You will listen,” I hissed as I held up a finger to silence him. “I understand how hurt you are, I feel as if my heart has been ripped out. But life goes on, the world continues to spin, and I too must follow this new path. This path… is a difficult one. Please don't make it worse.”

  Confusion, guilt, and rage danced on his face. He took a few steps back before muttering something like sorry and then turned heel. Shit. Somehow I always managed to make things worse.

  Raest sat at his desk, signing papers as I entered. He didn't seem to notice my arrival, so I called out a morning greeting.

  “Ah! Good morning,” he called in return as he rose from his desk. He took my hand to pull me closer, gracing my cheek with a kiss. “I hope you slept well. I did for once,” he chuckled awkwardly, and I offered him a polite smile.

  “Come,” Raest called, leading me into the connecting room.

  Piled up, almost reaching the ceiling, was a mountain of wedding gifts.

  “My goodness I didn't realise there were so many,” I gaped, moving over to touch a fuchsia ribbon sticking out of the heap.

  “I know this isn't your thing but with the amount of work I'll be doing over the next month...we won't be able to see much of each other. I thought it might be nice if we just spent some time in each other's company,” Raest smiled tentatively.

  “That would be nice,” I smiled back reassuringly.

  Raest clapped his hands happily. “Wonderful! You could even pick out something to send to your siblings, or donate to whoever you'd like really. Well, except anything the province leaders give us, we have to pretend to like anything they gave us, no matter how ghastly.” The look on his face told me he had received plenty of those.

  “I will leave you to it and get back to this droll. Don't be afraid to interrupt me, I welcome any distraction,” and with another grin, Raest returned to his desk.

  Fossicking through the pile, I pulled out the fuchsia bound gift first. The tag read some name I didn't know or remember. Tearing back the paper, a strange fluffy bright object was revealed. A fuzzy pink cat. The fabric was soft under my fingertips, I hadn't quite expected to be gifted children's toys. Celia would love this sort of thing but… maybe I would keep this for myself. Box after box, I continued to tear and sort. A large pile of jewellery had formed along with an alarming amount of decorative plates.

  Xann Kvast had gifted an ugly ornate shield we would no doubt have to display. Dresses and coats were stacked upon the surrounding chairs, and a small collection of toys sat on the floor next to me. Such a horrid display of wealth. Pulling out the next gift, I read the tag, Risa and Lashan Laefluer. A gift to keep then. Untying the ribbon, I eased off the lid of the box, revealing something strange. A long leather-bound rod with one end wrapped in tissue paper. What in Ahmanrah? Ripping off the paper, the end was exposed. Ah.

  “While we are certainly keeping the Laefluer’s gift, I don't think we'll be putting it on display alongside Xann’s,” I called out to Raest. I heard him shuffling up from his desk, and I turned to wave the rod at him.

  “Is that a feathered… riding crop?” he asked with a confused look.

  I nodded. “Not one for the ikander I'm sure.”

  Raest roared with laughter. “Those twins do have a wicked sense of humour.”

  I tore open the next gift labelled from them.

  “Oh look, some sort of leather strap vest to match,” I chuckled.

  Raest raised an eyebrow, a cheeky grin on his lips. “Maybe they know something I don't.”

  I rolled my eyes at him, “Psh. Can't say that it is my thing. Not that I've tried mind you.”

  “Well nothing to stop you trying in the future,” he grinned.

  He jested I'm sure, but now both my brows were raised. A red flush came over his cheeks.

  “Ah, I should get back to work,” he muttered, scrambling back to his desk. I held back a giggle. It was almost endearing seeing him like this. Almost natural. Almost fun.

  The unwrapping continued, more plates.

  “We could cater for half of Xerai with the number of plates we have,” I grumbled, Raest's laughter followed. The pile had finally been reduced to about thirty remaining boxes. Digging with my hands, I sorted through them, trying to find something that might not be plates. The knocker rattled on the study door requesting entry, Raest beckoned them in. Nyx’s voice sounded, and my heart thudded. No ignore it, ignore him. He was just bringing more bloody papers and certainly not an apology.

  Shuffling through a gift finally caught my eye. Little bigger than an apple, perhaps more jewellery but positively not plates. The wrapping was beautiful, enchanting even, a silvery grey that shimmered opalescent. I reached for it, the paper oddly warm to the touch. My fingertips pulled at the ribbon, the softest ruby velvet. Edging my thumbs around the lid, I tried to pry it open, but it remained firmly shut.
Running my hand around the edge, I tried to find a weak point. A sharp pain stung my finger as I sliced it on something jagged hidden under the lip. I hissed in frustration and pain, my alarm not unnoticed.

  “Are you alright?” Raest asked as he and Nyx entered the room.

  “Yes I'm fine, just a paper cut I think,” I replied, staring down at my bloodied finger dripping onto the box. I picked up the gift to wipe it clean but instantly dropped it back to the ground. It was as hot as flame. To my horror, the box began to shake and warp, twist and writhe. It took on a life of its own, morphing into an enormous snake-like creature. Cruel ruby eyes opened along with a fanged, hissing maw. My hands felt for anything to use as a weapon as the serpent burst into a strike.

  A force gripped me like no other, and a voice yelled “Ash viper!” Raest pulled to shield me in one fluid motion as Nyx’s sword sliced the beast in two. Scaled flesh hit the floor in chunks, erupting into flames that arched and singed the carpet. Five words had been burned into the floor. There can be no peace.

  “You idiot. You've made her a target!” Nyx growled.

  Raest roared in a panic and passed me to Nyx. “Take her! Take her away, back to her room, double the guards!”

  “What? No! Explain to me what just happened!” I cried out, resisting Nyx’s pull.

  “Secosa! Secosa bloody Asheye, queen of the east. She took my family from me, and now she wants you. How did she manage to get this in here?!” Raest continued to ramble.

  I grabbed his arm, trying to calm him down, “Let me stay and help. I want to understand what is going on!”

  He brushed off my touch. “No. There is nothing you can do. You don't understand what she is capable of! Please go to your room while I make sure the castle is safe.”

  I frowned deeply at his request. I wasn't someone who runs and hides, he knew that. I began to storm out the room, Nyx in tow. As I was about to slam the door, Raest called after me. “I am sorry. I will explain everything later, I promise.”

  In moments I was back at my bedroom door, ready to give Nyx the flick and simmer in my room for a while. I mouthed a lazy goodbye about to slam the door in his face when he jammed his boot in the doorway.