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2189 Words
When Merena heard the commotion, she eased toward the window. Soon she made out the ‘hip-hip hurrays’ and ‘they’re here’ then the swooshing sounds of wings.
“Dragonkin?” whispered Merena.
Soon her feet raced toward Henry then halted beside him.
“Come with me,” commanded Henry.
“It’s the dragonkin?” probed Merena.
“Yes. The king wants to see you,” replied Henry.
“You lead the way,” commented Merena.
When he walked the way he came from, she followed behind him, making sure his body hid her form. Her head peeked out from behind him time to time, glancing around.
“Don’t be afraid,” reassured Henry.
“Will it be the Razor I know? Will he look the same?” asked Merena more to herself than for Henry.
“Don’t worry. You’ll remember him,” answered Henry.
“I…,” stammered Merena; her fingers twisted into his shirt and held there.
“Just breath,” said Henry.
“Mmm-hmm,” muttered Merena, her head nodded against his back.
“Hello, King Razor Talon. I’m Henry. I contacted you about Merena,” informed Henry while he talked; his hand reached out.
“Yes. I would say the eyeball hiding behind you is Merena,” remarked Razor; she took his hand.
“It is. Please don’t judge this, King Razor Talon. She is shy at first,” commented Henry.
“Please, call me Razor. She has been through a lot,” said Razor.
“Follow me. I’ll take you to my house for privacy,” related Henry.
Every so often, she scrutinized him as he and his men followed diligently behind the pair. When she glanced back at the tall, blond-haired, green-eyed man out the corner of her eye, her heart fluttered. His lips curved when she jumped after their eyes locked and he glanced at White Scar then winked.
At the door, Henry ordered, “Sit down, Merena.”
He took a step back and continued, “Welcome. Come inside, Razor. Gentlemen.”
“Thank you, Henry. I am glad you contacted me,” conveyed Razor.
Immediately, Razor sat in a chair close to Merena. She noticed his piercing eyes on her, and she lowered her head then placed her hands between her thighs. She watched her thumbs twist around each other.
“Remember. Breath,” whispered Henry in her ear.
Instantly, her eyes widen and her chin raised by the fact she held her breath until Henry informed her. He chuckled while she inhaled.
“Yes,” whispered Merena, her eyes darted onto her hands.
“Merena,” said Razor.
Afterward, her chin raised, and they took in his handsome features. His lips arched.
“Yes,” muttered Merena.
“I have to make sure you are, Merena. I will ask some questions,” declared Razor.
“Of course. It would be unwise to just agree I’m Merena. Do me a favor and don’t say I’m special. If I was special, people wouldn’t betray, attack, or rape me,” stated Merena.
“True. I’m sorry about all your hardship,” related Razor.
“Ask your questions,” commanded Merena.
“Are we engaged? If so, when did we become engaged?” asked Razor.
“Yes. You were 13, and I was 8,” answered Merena.
“When did I last see you?” questioned Razor.
“2 weeks before I disappeared. I was 10,” responded Merena.
She continued, “You may or may not know I came out of hiding. I was married to an avianthrope. He rescued me from Hunter Geoff. He was killed by Geoff.”
“Interesting. So the reports that my dad got were true. Alas, we got them too late,” remarked Razor.
Razor rose from the chair and placed his warm palm on her cheek.
“I’m sorry. You won’t have to run anymore,” expressed Razor.
“I get told that. Yet, I still have to run,” declared Merena.
“I will do everything within my power, so you don’t have to run anymore,” stated Razor.
“I know you will try to keep me safe. Even when we were young, you always rescued me,” whispered Merena.
“Yes,” commented Razor.
“The house should be ready for you,” conveyed Henry.
“Let’s go see the place,” remarked Razor.
“Merena!” exclaimed Trip while he ran into her and wrapped his arms around her.
“Hello, Trip,” said Merena, then she tousled his hair.
A tiny finger curled then went straight a few times, and she lowered her head until he whispered in her ear behind a hand.
“Which one, katorian or horse?” asked Merena.
“Katorian, it will be fun,” whispered Trip while his eyes glanced at Razor.
“Alright, wait here. I’ll be back,” said Merena, then her feet carried her inside the house.
Soon she prowled out the cracked door, and her nose touched Trip’s cheek.
“Are you ready?” asked Merena.
“Yes,” answered Trip with excitement in his voice.
“Someone help him,” requested Merena.
Soon hands encircled the boy’s tiny waist, and he rose from the ground. He straddled Merena’s back after Razor helped him.
“Trip. Hang on tight,” commanded Merena.
“I’ll ride beside you two,” reported Razor.
Immediately, Razor straddled a horse and kicked the horse into a canter beside Merena. On top of Merena, Trip giggled and held securely onto her.
“We should head back. We’re almost to the river,” informed Merena.
“Ahhh. Do we got to go back?” questioned Trip.
“Yes. We have been out here for quite some time. Your mother will be worried,” responded Merena.
While they walked around the village Razor said, “I remember your horse form. You were trying the katorian when you went missing.”
“Well, you saw I got it down. The horse was like a foal, not a full-blown horse,” commented Merena.
“True enough,” said Razor.
“Henry. Tell me what forms have you seen?” requested Razor.
“I have first seen her in horse. The next two were human and katorian,” indicated Henry.
“An arrow kept me from transforming in the beginning,” informed Merena.
“The hunters shot you?” probed Razor.
“Yes. I heard Geoff disciplining the man who shot me,” replied Merena.
“Would you like any help with preparation for the festival?” asked Razor.
“We could use additional meat,” answered Henry.
“Good. I’ll take Merena and my men hunting,” remarked Razor.
“That will be good for Merena,” said Henry.
“I can get to know her all over again,” commented Razor.
“That sounds good,” conveyed Merena.
“You’ll be able to know me again,” expressed Razor.
“Yes. You look the same but different,” replied Merena.
“The same with you. Except for them eyes. They will never change,” related Razor.
“Is that a compliment?” asked Merena.
“You are right,” answered Razor.
“So sweet,” whispered Merena with a small smile.
“You smart-aleck,” commented Razor.
“I might be a little one,” retorted Merena.
“You were quiet when we were little,” said Razor.
“I can still be quiet. I also have a backbone at times,” expressed Merena.
“We should whisper or not talking at all. We are hunting,” conveyed White Scar.
“We could go to the river. I can take on a fish form and get a bunch of smaller fish,” reported Merena.
“We will hunt for a few hours than go fishing,” stated Razor.
When they rode back, they had a Zandorian grand stag, a bunch of fish, some tealings, a parmore, wild telfines, and wild makataan.
“That was a good haul,” said White Scar.
“It was,” replied Razor.
“They look happy,” remarked Merena.
“We are,” conveyed Henry.
He scanned the faces of the villagers and the food, then continued, “This will make the festival a marvelous spectacle.”
“I think I will enjoy this,” commented Merena.
“You will. You will have several men at your beckon call,” remarked Razor as his lips curved.
“You two will wait on me, hand and foot?” asked Merena while her lips curved.
“Not only us but my soldiers,” answered Razor.
“Several men at my beckon call. That’s marvelous,” said Merena, then she giggled.
“We should dig pits for fires,” related Henry.
“Yes. I don’t think the holes you have aren’t enough for the stag,” commented Razor.
“You had to get the big one,” said Merena.
“I had to go big. A good gift for the gods and the festival,” declared Razor.
“I think you just wanted to show off,” retorted Merena while lips curved bigger.
His fingers wrapped around her arm as he whispered, “Maybe I wanted to show off to you.”
A shiver ran through her body, and he smiled at the realization. With his mouth close to her ear, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing…. You just… just have a… a nice voice…,” stammered Merena, and she inhaled.
“Oh. Is that a fact,” whispered Razor while his lips brushed her ear.
“Are…? You’re… teasing me…?” stuttered Merena while her breath held in her throat.
“Maybe,” answered Razor, then his lips touched right below her ear.
“I think he is having a little too much fun teasing Merena,” declared Henry.
“He is still young. They both are enjoying themselves,” whispered White Scar back at Henry.
“I think so. She would pull away if she didn’t like it,” uttered Henry.
“What am I thinking. I am still young,” stated White Scar.
“You are,” remarked Henry.
“I think we should help them,” expressed White Scar.
“Watch. I know how to make her blush,” remarked Henry.
He raised his voice and said, “You two should get a room.”
They heard the gasp and her head slowly faced them with a red tone in her cheeks.
“You all are bad boys,” muttered Merena.
All three of the men laughed at the sight of Merena’s embarrassment. Nonchalantly, Razor’s arm rose then rested on top of her shoulders, and he pressed her against him.
“It’s growing late. We should prepare the meat then head to bed,” commanded Razor.
“All of you head to the house for supper. I’ll have the women prepare the meat,” related Henry.
“Very well,” replied Razor.
“I will prepare some food,” commented Merena.
“No. You don’t cook the best,” remarked Henry.
“Hey. That wasn’t nice. I can cook,” expressed Merena.
“My cooking taste better,” declared Henry.
“I have me there,” muttered Merena.
“We finally found something she doesn’t do well,” said Razor.
“That is true,” conveyed Henry.
Razor lowered his head toward her ear, licked it, then whispered, “I bet you will be good at your wifely duties.”
A gasp escaped her while her body shuttered. He laughed.
“You know you are still wrong,” whispered Merena.
“Of course. I think you like it, though,” commented Razor.
“Maybe. It might be a pleasant difference to my lonely, isolated life,” said Merena.
“It isn’t so quiet. I think I’m a reminder to you of being a woman,” remarked Razor.
“You… you make me… feel old things…,” stammered Merena as his hand lowered until it was under her arm, rubbing her ribcage.
He held his hand still right below her bosom, then his fingers moved, and she jerked into his side. A snicker escaped her mouth as his fingers wiggled.
“Yes. I make you feel things,” said Razor while his lips curved, and he laughed beside her head.
“That tickles. You are bad,” stated Merena.
“Good night. Thank you for spending supper with us,” said Merena.
“Good night,” responded Razor, then he kissed her cheek.
- Writer
