by S. N. Hunt
Micheal opened the stall door quietly. He looked at Angel laying in the hay in the back of her stall. Sarah was draped over Angel’s middle, sobbing. He crouched behind her and reached out a hand for her. Angel glared at him but allowed him to touch Sarah.
Sarah gasped and looked at him through her hair. She sniffled and turned away. He crept closer and pulled her against him as she fought him.
“Stop, princess. It had nothing to do with the way you kiss. It had to do with what was in this bottle.”
She glanced at the bottle he still held in his hand.
“I am a vampire. Which means I have to drink blood. I drink this elixir instead. I forgot how long ago it has been since I last had a dose. When I kissed you, my thirst rushed to the forefront. I couldn’t bear to hurt you. So I had to get us here. I keep the bottles in the saddlebags.”
She sniffed again and looked at him suspiciously.
“I swear, you are not a bad kisser.”
He stroked the hair from her face and wiped her tears from her cheeks. She relaxed against him and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. She snuggled into his chest.
“You weren’t supposed to hear all that. I didn’t think you were in here.”
He chuckled and laid his cheek on the top of her head. He enjoyed holding her like this. It was nice to have someone want you. He had been alone for so many years.
“I know. But the elixir causes a lot of pain. The pain made it hard to answer you. I am supposed to protect you, even from myself.”
“Is there no other way to suppress your thirst? I don’t want to go to the market looking like this. I am sure I look terrible.”
He laughed, “The only other way is to drink blood. Okay, we will go tomorrow. And you are beautiful. Do you want to visit some more with Angel or go back to the room?”
“Let’s visit for a bit.”
“Alright,” he said as he released her, “I want to brush Lucifer down. I will be right next door.”
He walked out of Angel’s stall and looked at Lucifer. Lucifer was glaring at him. He pushed in the stall.
“Just cause you got a lady now, don’t make you an expert.” He whispered as he grabbed the brush off the shelf of the stall.
∞∞∞
Sarah followed Micheal back to their room. Dyrinn bought them lunch and said that women would be by later to get Sarah ready for the dinner tonight. Sarah protested but Dyrinn instead stating it was the queen’s idea.
As soon as they finished eating, three women walked into the room. They introduced themselves as Neia, Ayla, and Saida. Saying that they were here to prepare Sarah for dinner. They pushed her into her room and undressed her. Sarah fought at first, but finally gave in when they showed no sign of stopping. They bathed her and then dried her carefully.
From a box, they pulled a white dress out. They slipped it over her head and tied the strings of the back closed. The vines grew up into a mirror. The sleeveless dress had a bodice that was trimmed in silver and tiny gemstones. It fit tight around her waist and flared out at the hips, giving her that perfect hourglass figure. It draped in graceful lines down to her feet. The girls attached a white collar around her neck. It had a cloak attached in the back that hung down to her elbows. From there it curved back up to the front of the collar on each side of her. It left her upper arms and shoulders bare. As she moved, the dress and collar twinkled like starlight.
The girls turned her and sat her on a small stool. Two of them curled and styled her hair. Saida applied makeup to her face. Once done, Ayla blew a silver powder all over her skin. Neia produced a pair of silver heels. She slipped them onto her feet.
They turned her back around and toward the mirror. She caught her breath. Her platinum blonde hair was curled and piled high on her head. The curls cascaded down the back of her neck and smaller curls framed her face. Saida had done her makeup in natural tones, but had enhanced her eyes with liner and mascara. The silver powder had added a glitter effect to her skin. Now she sparkled like a star.
The girls led Sarah back into the main room. They knocked on Micheal’s door, then giggled and left. Micheal opened the door and stepped out. He walked up to Sarah and took her hand.
“You are stunning. You take my breath away, princess. If I knew it wouldn’t ruin that flawless makeup, I would kiss you right now.”
Sarah blushed and smiled at him. He led them from the room. They arrived at the throne room and were announced. As they walked into the room, it became quiet. All eyes turned to stare at them. Sarah hesitated and Micheal gripped her elbow tightly.
“They only stare at your beauty, princess. You are like a lone star in a sea of darkness. You shine so brightly.” He whispered in her ear.
His voice sent a shiver down her spine. She swallowed and followed his lead. Micheal walked them around the room, stopping near the dance floor. He bowed to her and took her into his arms. He spun them around the dance floor. With slight pressure, he led her through the dance. He pulled her tighter against him.
“You look so beautiful tonight. You outshine all the other women in this room.”
She blushed and licked her lips. He growled in her ear and spun her. When she came back into his arms, she was breathless. It was as if they were the only ones in the room. He surrounded her, his very scent the air she breathed.
“I can’t wait to get back to our room and to kiss you again. I think you are becoming an addiction, princess.”
The sensation of his breath on her ear made her shudder. She looked up into his hooded face and wished he hadn’t worn it. She wanted to see his crimson eyes again.
The dance ended, and he led her off the floor. He walked around the room till he spotted Dyrinn. She smiled at them both and greeted them.
“How are you doing, Sarah? You have caused quite the stir.”
“I am feeling quite self-conscious at the moment, to be honest.”
Dyrinn smirked and laughed, “Such honesty. It is rare to find nowadays.”
A man came up to Dyrinn’s elbow, “They only stare because you are the spitting image of the queen’s sister, Alavara. Minus the pointed ears, of course.”
Dyrinn glared down at the man. He noticed, and the smile he wore faded. Micheal tensed under her hand.
“What happened to the queen’s sister?”
“She died.”
Sarah turned and looked at Queen Lyris. It was hard to believe, but the queen looked even more beautiful than before. Her long blonde hair hung around her and shined in the lights. Her silver vines crown was gone. A silver jeweled crown stood high on her head. She wore a long dress that sparkled silver with each step. They bowed low to her and greeted her.
“My sister died many years ago. It is my deepest regret that I did not come to her aid. Long ago, I swore not to interfere with affairs outside of the forest.”
“I am sorry, your majesty. I understand losing a loved one.”
The Queen stared at her for a long moment. A muscle in her cheek pulsed. She looked at Micheal for a moment. She took a deep breath.
“I am sorry, Guardian, but I can’t let her leave here without knowing.”
Sarah looked between Micheal and Lyris. Micheal nodded slowly. Lyris let go of the breath she was holding.
“Alavara was your mother, Sarah. Which makes you my niece.”
“How…. I am human. I don’t have pointed ears. There is no way I am an elf.”
Lyris laughed, “Alavara married a human man. She left the forest and moved to his castle. You did not inherit the pointed ears, but you are her child.”
“What happened? Why did she leave me? Is my father still alive? Where is this castle?” The questions flowed out of her.
She had not once thought about her actual father and mother since she had become a teen. As an orphan, it is better to just leave some things in the past. Dwelling on the past made it hurt worse.
Perhaps they didn’t abandon me. Perhaps they had wanted me and couldn’t keep me.
He
r thoughts ran wild. She looked up into Lyris’s eyes and silently pleaded with her. She watched the sadness cross the Queen’s face.
“I am sorry, Sarah. It is not my story to tell. The only one that can tell you is in the Blood City of Windern. You must continue your journey to know the rest. I have already said too much.”
Sarah nodded, even though it frustrated her. No one would give her the full story. Just bits and pieces.
Chapter Ten
The night flew by in a daze of dancing, drinking and eating. Sarah awoke the next morning with no idea how she got there. She found a dress at the foot of the bed with a note.
I have to go into the market for some provisions. I had hope to wait til you awoke, but I think the party was too much for you. It is currently noon and you still sleep. Elvish wine is potent, and you had many glasses. There is some water on the table with a powder to help with the headache. Just pour it into the cup and fill with water. I will return soon, princess. Yours always, Micheal
She stared at the note for a long time. She didn’t remember drinking too much. In fact, she remembered little that occurred after dinner. She stood up from the bed and sat back down with a groan. Someone was playing death metal in her head. She stood slower this time. The room titled for a moment before righting. She took a deep breath and then noticed she was naked.
Did Micheal undress her? What the hell happened last night?
Sarah groaned again and excruciatingly slowly dressed herself. She stumbled to her door and walked into the main room. She staggered to the table and plopped into the chair. The room spun around her. On the table was the powder and a pitcher of water. She clumsily put the powder into her cup and poured water on top of it. The powder fizzed in the cup and dissolved right away. She drank it in one gulp.
She put her head in her hands as she waited for the room to stop spinning. A few minutes and her headache disappeared. Sitting up, she stood cautiously. The room stayed on its axis.
That powder is a hangover miracle. Where has this been all my life?
The door to the room opened and Micheal stepped through. Seeing her, he reached up and removed his hood. His smile spread across his handsome face.
“Good morning, sleepyhead. Did you sleep well? Did the powder do the trick?”
She nodded and said, “What the hell happened last night? The last thing I remember was eating roast duck.”
Micheal laughed and replied, “You really like Elven wine, apparently. We finished eating. Then the queen gifted you an elvish bow. From there, you and her drank a lot. Dyrinn and I lost track of you both for a bit. We found you together bathing in the fountain in the courtyard, nude. Dyrinn helped the queen to bed. I brought you here. I put you in bed alone, despite your pleading for me to join you.”
“Oh, my god…. I can never show my face again. I am so embarrassed.” She covered her face with her hands.
“Oh, princess, it’s fine. Everyone at that party was in their cups. It’s how Elven parties are. I think Dyrinn and I were the only sober ones there. And we were the only ones that looked at you and the queen nude. I swear.”
“Did I really beg you to sleep with me?”
He lifted an eyebrow at her and smiled smugly.
“Oh yes. If I remember right, you said, that you had a fire in your veins that only I could put out. You even tried to disrobe me. I was rather impressed.”
She groaned, “I am never drinking or reading smut novels again.”
Micheal laughed loudly. He picked up a bow that laid against the wall. It was carved of dark wood and was a thing of beauty. It had engravings all along its length.
“This is the bow, Windrunner, that the queen gifted you. She wishes to show you how to use it. She asked that we come to the courtyard when you are ready.”
“Let me bath and get ready. We will leave right away.”
“She said there were clothes for you to wear in the wardrobe’s bottom.” He yelled as Sarah rushed from the room in excitement.
∞∞∞
“Pull back. Keep your shoulders square. Elbow up and back.”
Micheal had watched Lyris and Sarah train all afternoon. No one better could teach Sarah to shoot. Elves were excellent archers, wood elves the best. The queen had even gifted her with a set of buckskin trousers and a billowing white blouse. The trousers fit her like a second skin. Micheal enjoyed the way they clung to her. Though anger bubbled up inside him as other men stared at her. He had even growled at the man that had handed her a quiver of arrows when they arrived.
He thought back to last night. The sight of Sarah laughing at the banquet with Lyris, the two of them naked in the fountain, then her begging him to lie with her. He almost had given into her. But he wanted her to remember the first time he took her. He shifted in his seat as he thought of last night.
Dyrinn sat next to him, looking at the women. She glanced over to him.
“Thank you for allowing the queen to tell Sarah about her mother. She has endured so much guilt over Alavara’s death.”
“Did she foresee her death in the fountain?”
“The fountain only shows possibilities. The queen assumed her sister could prevent such a thing from happening. It shocked us all when Alavara died. She was not a weakling. She had more magic than most elves.”
“So how did Antony win?”
“Only Antony knows the answer to that question. The queen is glad though that Sarah survived. Her sister lives on through her child. This is great balm to Her Majesty’s guilt.”
“I did it!” Sarah yelled from across the field.
There, in the bale of hay, Sarah had put an arrow right through the bullseye of the target. He smiled and clapped his hands for her. She jumped up and down excitedly like a child.
“It has been a long time since I have seen the queen smile and laugh. I hope that once this is all done that Sarah will not be a stranger.”
Micheal nodded, “I hope she will bring peace to a lot of the creatures in the Veil. Antony is a plague that continues to spread.”
∞∞∞
Sarah rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms. She was sore from using the bow today. Micheal and she had gone back to their room to enjoy a quiet supper. Micheal had removed his hood and was watching her eat.
“Why wear the hood? You remove it as soon as we come into the room.”
“The hood helps to shield my eyes from the sun. As a vampire, I am sensitive to its rays.”
Sarah nodded and stretched, placing a hand on her stomach.
“The food here is amazing. I could grow fat and lazy here.”
“Tomorrow, we start our journey again. We are already running late to rendezvous with my friends. I am sure you would love to have some answers to your questions. They await you in the Blood City.”
He stood up and removed his gloves. He came around behind her and started massaging her shoulders.
“We only have about a day’s ride left. If we had not stopped here, we would have already been in the city.”
His hands on her shoulders were magic. They melted the soreness away, and she leaned into him. Micheal pushed her forward in her chair. He pulled her blouse from her pants and gathered it up by her shoulders. Pulling her shirt over her head, he let it rest against her front. He started massaging her back in slow strokes. She moaned and arched her back against his hands.
“I am sorry that we have to leave so soon. But perhaps when all this is over, we can return and visit. The queen is your aunt, family is very important.”
A knock came at the door and Micheal slipped his gloves and hood on. Sarah slipped her blouse back into place and waited as Micheal answered it. In the hall stood Dyrinn. Micheal motioned her into the room and shut the door.
“I am sorry to interrupt your dinner, but the queen wishes to speak with you Micheal. I will keep Sarah company till you return.”
Dyrinn sat down at the table and picked at the platter of food. She smiled at Sarah. Micheal walked up to the door.
Sarah watched as he walked through the door. She felt a spiral of dread in her stomach. She tried to smile and converse with Dyrinn, but the fear did not fade.
∞∞∞
Micheal stepped through the door of his room, right into the courtyard. He saw Queen Lyris sitting at the fountain. She waved him over and sat down next to her.
“I am sorry to disturb you and Sarah. It is good to hear you both are growing closer.”
“What has happened?”
Queen Lyris dipped a hand in the water. The ripples cleared away, and he looked at an elvish village. The trees were ablaze and cries of the dying echoed on the breeze. Antony’s soldiers were tying male elves to the back of wagons. Children and women sat in the back of each wagon. Their hands and feet chained. The scene changed. Now an elvish man was strapped to a table and his blood was being drained from his side through a series of tubes. The water cleared and Micheal looked away.
“Antony has always taken prisoners. Mostly for blood slaves. But he has never drained them dry like this. What is he planning?”
“This village is to the north of here on the border. He reaches far for just substance. I think there is more to this than just blood. This has not come to pass yet. I plan to send more soldiers to the region. I hope to prevent this from occurring.”
Micheal shook his head in confusion.
“I have no clue what he plans. This is not like him. What do you ask of me, Your Majesty?”
“Finish your quest. Take Sarah to the Blood City. I will observe from here. This talisman will create a portal if you need to return here. It can also be used as a communication device. Speak into it and I will hear. If something changes, I will send a message through it. It will glow blue when it has been activated. This is your provisions bag. The magic that the witch wove into it is gone. I have renewed it and made it permanent.”