Of Fangs And Fury

Chapter Six

Delara

Just outside the training room, I can hear someone in there. Only knowing Cade to use the equipment, it must be him. About a week’s gone by since The Festival Delle Luci and we haven’t spoken a single word to each other. We’ve only seen each other twice, both times he immediately left the room, and when I finally gave up and asked a servitore to get him because I need to draw more blood, the male came back and said Cade wasn’t here.

Yes, I need another sample, but I’m also extremely hurt. Regardless of any romantic daydreams, I may have, I thought we were friends. Now? I’m left concerned, frustrated, and a little peeved because he’s impeding my work. My work that is to serve him.

Palm flat on the door, I inhale deeply and exhale fully. Just go in, ask for blood, no big deal.

“Madame Delara?”

I lower my hand, “Oh, hello, Prince Tahir.”

“How are you this morning?”

“Well, thank you.”

His smile reminds me of the night of The Festival, “We missed you at breakfast.”

I keep moving away from the door, “Yes, I had a bit of a lie-in.”

“Isn’t it your day for blood?”

Being so caught up with the Cade drama, “I’m not sure.”

“I believe you told Jasper every Quintaday, no?”

Being guided away from the training room, I try to think. It would explain why I’m so tired…. “It’s Quintaday, already? I thought it was Quatroday.”

He chuckles pleasantly, “How about some blood, then? We can warm it up, just the way you like.”

As we pass a few windows, I become aware of the time of day, “Oh, perhaps some food, as well.”

Laughing so hard I snort; I grip a hand to my cramping stomach. Getting blood turned into a long luncheon which turned into afternoon tea, Tahir and I swapping stories of worst our Advisors and stupidest classes. In his growing years, he’d had just about as many interactions with Scholars as I did.

Leaning back in his chair, he’s laughing too, struggling to say, “It’s true! I swear it. He’d been lying for years! When my mother found out, she was livid.”

I shake my head, “Why would someone even do that? I can’t imagine he just woke up one day and was like ‘hey, I’m going to lie about being a Scholar and teach younglings nothing’.” When I snort again, I cover my face.

When we finally calm down, I drink more of my tea. Just warm enough to enjoy, I palm the cup and lean back. “So, what about now? How do the days of a Prince go?”

“Well, it’s not as glamourous as one might think. There’s a lot of paperwork, a lot of meetings. There’s peace between The Seven Kingdoms on the outside, of course, but there’s a long of discourse behind closed doors. Mother and I do well enough, I think… she’d preparing me to take the throne here, soon.”

“Really?”

He smiles, “Oh, don’t look so shocked! Mother’s three hundredth birthday is coming up and with everything going so peacefully, well, why not retire?”

“Is it that simple? Does she just pass it to you? What about Cade?”

Looking bemused, he asks, “What about Caderyn? He gave up his right to the throne years ago.” After a moment though, he gestures, “There is one catch though.”

Intrigued, I put my cup down, “What’s that?”

“Well, to be King, I have to be married. It’s a stupid tradition, really,” he adds quickly. “That was originally done to assure there would be an heir to the throne.”

I nod, understanding the logic. “And this is something you still have to do?”

“Yes, well, Mother feels it would be best.”

“You’re not already betrothed, are you? To a Princess somewhere?”

His head tilts ever so slightly, “No.”

The logical, problem-solver in me, starts looking around absently. “Well, that must be an awful pressure… To find the one female that makes you happy and you want to spend the rest of your life with? Under a time limit? Gods, I would not want to be in that position.”

When I look back into his perfect face, I notice a glint in his smokey eyes. “Well, if I start courting now, there’s plenty of time.”

The smile on his face makes me think he has someone in mind, that he’s already smitten with someone. Maybe one of the females he was talking to at The Festival. Excited for him, I reach out to his arm, “Yes? That would be wonderful. Love is a special gift and shouldn’t be squandered away.”

Caderyn

After the third servitore came to inform me that it was extremely important I speak with Scholarra Dyad, I knew I couldn’t avoid her much longer. She needed another blood sample from me, and I had a feeling that if I didn’t do it now, Mother would have my head. So, finally, I forced my way to her study.

Knocking on the door, I hear a soft, “Come in,” from the other side.

Heart confused, brain overwhelmed, body fried from all training, the little seed of hope – irrational hope that I could have something with her, shoves its way to the front of my mind. A deep breath and I push the door open. “Lara?”

Standing by her desk, she turns around, “Cade?” She practically runs to the door, “Hi!”

Before I can stop her, she wraps her arms around me. When I hug her back, my cheek brushes against her silky hair. “Hi.”

But when she pulls back and I let go, her face is serious. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m all right.”

“Good.” Then she waves me towards her desk, “I was just showing Tahir what his blood sample looks like under the microscope. Once I take your blood, we can compare.”

But when she said his name, I stopped. Actually looking past her into the room, I see him sitting at the desk. My already fragile heart tears that much more. Of course, they’re spending time together, why wouldn’t they be? He’s practically courting her now. I need to get used to seeing them together.

Very slowly, I make my way to stand beside him and roll up my sleeve. After a hard swallow, I ask, “Can we make this quick? I have something else that needs my attention.” … there’s a bar stool calling my name.

Delara

Spending so much time with Tahir is working just as well as keeping a calendar. We’ve come to learn each other’s schedules quite nicely and found ourselves sharing meals on the regular. Now that the seasons are changing, a slow crawl to Summer, we even have a standing meeting on Quintaday evenings to take a walk around Palace Of Onyx’s grounds, sometimes discussing the land beyond in the rest of the Onyx Foothills.

In the first week of the third month of Spring, the Sun is still bright as I find him ready in the courtyard. Wearing linen pants for the first time on our walks, I was delighted that the air is comfortable, (instead of too chilled or humid). Though I don’t need a jacket, I aired on the side of warmth, and have a blouse at full-sleeved length. Adjusting the cuff that’d gotten stuck on my spare hair ribbon, I walk to Tahir.

“Good evening, Delara.”

Smiling, I note he’d finally dropped the ‘madame’, so I can finally drop his title. I nod, “Tahir, how are you?”

“Well, thank you, and yourself?”

“Very well, thank you!”

His eyebrows raise, “You’ve finally made progress then, have you?”

“Well, yes and no. I can definitively say that nothing I can think of has worked to properly ‘threaten’ the blood or the scale. But that in and of itself is a triumph because the shows that the mutation doesn’t work independently, that it is responding to and working with what Cade is thinking or feeling.”

As I start to walk towards our usual path, Tahir clears his throat. “Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to walk to the village tonight. This week is Spring’s Artisan Week, and vendors from all over have come. Perhaps we could find something interesting.”

I move back, “I was just thinking this morning how a bouquet of wildflowers would be lovely on that table in my bedroom. By the window? That’s what I would always do back home….”

“Oh, I’m sure we can find that. Perhaps, new fiction novels as well.”

I smile at the fact he’d recalled last week’s conversation. Nudging him with my elbow, I tease, “I know, I know, I need to take a break every now and then.” But then I skip and clap my hands together, “I’m just excited…. I swear, I’m on the right track….”

He brushes his arm against mine, almost in a faux nudge, “I’m sure you are.”

Caderyn

Lara had left a note for me, requesting that as soon as I can to come see her, there’s something she wants to discuss with me. Weirdly eager, I checked all her usual haunts. The study, bedroom, library, greenhouse, but I still couldn’t find her.

Unfortunately remembering that Jasper said she’s perhaps on a walk with Tahir, (again), I found myself looking into the courtyard. The skies had darkened some time ago, so they should be back by now. And yes! There she is.

Walking quickly to the front gate to greet her, I open it. She’s there just as I’d seen, but this time not alone. Tahir is handing her a bouquet of wildflowers, which she takes with a smile. They share some sort of dialogue, to which she laughs.

In all these weeks… I’ve found I’ve emptied. Anger, sadness – there’s nothing really left. This was the final nail… and all my body responds with is, time to get wasted.

Delara

Unable to sleep, I found myself wandering the halls of the palace. Probably typical to all of the palaces of The Seven Families, I recognize some features from the paintings we studied in history and political science. Magnificently carved and intricately designed ceilings with layers made of ebony. Some of the stone walls are exposed with their various shapes and shades, while others are painted soft greys or off-whites to enhance the décor. As I walk, I notice the tile of the main halls, patterned in an almost chaotic fashion that my logical mind can’t make sense of. In other rooms there are ebony floors, probably softer to walk on barefoot.

A part of me had hoped I’d run into Cade in the greenhouse, but he wasn’t there. That triggered me to go looking for him, trying the training room first. Not there, I started walking to the library, remember he’d said sometimes he’d fallen asleep with a book in hand.

Not even to the main corridor, there’s a commotion. I look as see Cade, hanging on to the edge of the door he’d just pushed in.

“Cade?”

He blinks a few times. “Delara!”

I frown. He finally stands, his hands out for balance. “Lara, Lara, Lara! Hi you.”

Smelling the alcohol from here, I cross my arms. “Cade?”

He waves a hand, “Psh, don’t be mad.”

When he comes to me, he carefully puts his hands on my shoulders. “You’re so pretty.”

Obnoxiously drunk, I sigh, “Cade… hi.”

His expression grows serious, “You needed to talk to me.”

“Yeah, I did.”

He notices my displeasure. “This is no good, huh?”

When hair falls on his face, I take pity. Brushing it to the side, I soften my voice. “Why don’t you come to see me in the morning?”

His eyes bore into mine, the intensity a little intimidating.

“What?” I whisper.

His eyes fall, his mouth pouts. “It just makes me sad.”

I take a step closer to him, letting him lean on me. I hold a palm to his chin, “What does?”

His eyes close and he rubs his cheek against my palm. But then he sighs, “That you’re being courted by my brother.”

I burst with laughter. This alarms him, with eyes wide he stands a little straighter. “What?”

“I am not being courted by your brother. Oh my Gods, no. He’s just a really good friend.”

He blinks, “You don’t want to be courted by my brother?”

“No! Gods, I want to be –” but then I stop myself.

He doesn’t notice. “Well, that’s good. I can be not so sad now.”

Slowly trying to get him to walk, I lead us down the hall. “Why don’t you sleep in my study tonight?”

His eyes close, “Bed would be better.”

“Well, where is your room?”

“Down that way.”

At an intersection of hallways, I have no idea. “Which way?”

His eyelids open ever so slightly. His hand twitches over my shoulder, “That way.”

We walk for a while, then he motions again, “That door.”

The more minutes pass, the heavier he gets. I awkwardly manage the door open, having to gently kick it. “Here?”

There’s a lamp left on in the corner, but the flame’s light barely reaches halfway across the room. I do see his bed and I start the last leg. When I can sit him down, his hands fall. I smooth his hair out, “Get some sleep, okay?”

He reaches for my hips, gripping hard and pulling me forward. His head rests on my chest. “Wait.”

I do. I start petting the short hair above the nape of his neck. I can see a sliver of his scales. I reach a little farther, brushing my fingertips along them before continuing up to his hair, then all the way back down.

He moans softly. “That feels nice.”

I smile. For a long while, we stay here. But then when I start dosing, I kiss the top of his head, “I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

He nuzzles my chest in response. “Okay.”

Caderyn

Trying to shake off my hangover, I ate a huge breakfast, drank extra blood, and am now trying to sweat my weight’s worth. It’s not so much the soreness or the headache that’s bothering me, though, it’s the dream I had. While fighting so viciously that my fangs are out and I grunt every time my fist makes contact, I cannot stop thinking about it. Cannot stop thinking of Lara being in my room, about us embracing… about the way her hand slid up my back into my hair.

“f**k!” I roar.

Too amped, I jump on the balls of my feet. Shaking my hands, then rolling my neck, I gotta get past this. It was just a dream… a stupid dream, but then why can I smell her on me? I can smell the floral soap she uses on me, on my arms, on my hands. What happened last night?

Little, tiny flecks of memory start coming back. Her finding me in the hallway… her asking where my bedroom was? Maybe. I remember her being upset with me. Then I freeze, opening my eyes.

“She doesn’t want to be courted by Tahir,” I say to no one.

I strain my brain to remember exactly what she’d said. I’d said something, she laughed and that’s when I started paying attention. I just know, for a f*****g fact, she made it clear she has no interest in Tahir… right?

Busting my way through the training room door, I must find her. Right now. I need to speak to her about everything that’s going on. I pussyfooted around long enough. This ends now – one way or another, punendo la mia anima o liberando il mio cuore.

Delara

Opening my windows, I breathe in the fresh Spring air. The Sun is shining, the sky is blue, there’s a cool breeze pushing puffy white clouds along. Reaching over the small table with my new wildflower bouquet, I’m able to open the last window with my fingertips.

A rush of air comes into my room, causing the flowers to sway, and the edge of my dress to ripple. I flatten the skirt with a smile, feeling just… absolutely wonderful. In the dress I’d picked up the night before, it’s way more my speed. Light cotton in pastel pink, unrestricted scoop neck, little cap sleeves that cover my shoulders, and the hem lands just above the knee. A proper Summer dress and I feel way more comfortable than in long, heavy pants and a fitted button-up.

I unweave my braid and gently comb my fingers through my hair. There’s a lightness to my whole body…. I’d just slept so well. Maybe the conversation with Cade the night before hadn’t been a huge waste. Sure, I should take what a drunken him says with a grain of salt, but at the same time…. Don’t they say persons are more honest when intoxicated?

There’s a knock on the door and I stand. I start walking, but then it’s thrown open without me so much as making a sound.

Hand flat on the wood, Cade fills the doorway with an intense expression. Forcing myself not to look at his perfect, muscular, shirtless body, I focus on his face. His thick, unruly, honey hair is pushed harshly to the side. His golden eyes are staring as if he’s seen the most precious thing in the world. His full lips, curl into a smile for a moment.

When the wind shifts through my room again, my skirt starts floating up. Just as my hand is quick to pat it down, I notice his eyes fall from my face. Skirt in one hand, tight by my thigh, I ask “Cade?”

He comes into my room slowly, closing the door behind him. “We need to talk.”

I nod.

“So, about last night,” he continues.

My heart picks up, my nervousness spreading. “Okay?”

“I was drunk.”

“Right….”

“And we talked?”

Don’t look at his chest and don’t look at his tight pants, for Gods’ sake. Keeping my eyes firmly on his, I nod. “Yes.”

He comes closer to me. I take a step back, if he gets too close, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself.

He frowns. “Lara?”

I swallow hard, “Mhm?”

But then he doesn’t say anything. Instead, his gaze drifts from my face, down my body.

My heart racing, I ask, “Cade?”

I can’t read his expression. He takes a step closer, towering over me. This time, I don’t move. “Cade?”

His eyes finally come back to mine. “Lara?” his voice low, gravelly.

“Yes?”

He takes another step towards me, “You’re not scared of me?” he asks carefully.

I wrap my arms under my chest to hide my trembling hands. “What? No, of course not.”

Another sharp breeze cuts around me just as he inhales with an expression of relief. The moment I see his eyes widen; I know he can smell me. His brows raise, “Oh.”

Just as my cheeks flush, I notice he has to readjust his stance, standing wider. I bite my lip. He stares at me for a long moment. Then he clears his throat, “I better go.”

Disagreeing, a little confused, but I still nod. “Okay.”

At the door, he asks, “See you at luncheon?”

“Yes,” it’s a start.