Chaser
2867 Words
When I woke up the next day, her hands locked in mine. Cool, calm breaths brushed my face, accented by a sincere smile. My fingers swept her face, tucking her blue hair behind one ear. Lips parted and blew fresh air at my dazzled eyes. Her touch, this proximity, and this moment were the opposite shades of blue.
She stroked a fringe of my hair, “What were you up to after that night after you left?”
“It turned out that girl had a brother. She had men accompany her every night.”
“She must have felt lonely, and you became her temporary solace.”
“She didn’t touch me, though.”
“But did you?”
“No,” I straightly replied.
“What happened next?” she raised her head, facing me completely. Her curves rested on the morning rise, flaunting her shape.
I felt a slight burn touch my cheeks, but I persisted in continuing with the story, “She told human guards on me the following morning. The castle placed a handsome sum on my head. I managed to escape through the window of her second floor.”
“Were you hurt?” two fingers walked up my shoulder.
Fire burned my face a little more, “I suffered a minor sprain, nothing more. After that, I walked the border between human and sand. When patrolling guards got distracted, I jumped off the cliff. Thankfully, endless sand caught my fall like a pillow ready for my landing.”
“You didn’t die?” her eyes feigned terror.
“If I was, I wouldn’t be spending the night with you,” I tightened my grip on her icy fingers.
A slight blush colored her face, “Okay. I won’t interrupt you anymore. Please continue.”
“So, as I was saying, sand dismissed impact of my fall. I tried to avoid detection from sand people. Luckily, there were warm people who helped me surpass my circumstances,” my lips quit moving when I saw Darleen’s slight frame in my eyes.
“Why did you stop? Did you see something you weren’t supposed to?”
“Uhh, no,” I shook off my vision of her. “I followed Darleen into the castle, undetected. She had her counsel walking along with her wherever she went. Isn’t there any way we can prevent this war from happening?”
“Darleen started with the humans. It’s inevitable now.”
“How did you know about that?”
“Whispers of wind brought us the news. Elder Blue gave us his grace and advised us through his encompassing air,” she breathlessly answered.
“You are touchy today.”
“Must be your imagination. My hands are where they belong,” she insinuated each syllable.
“Tell me, what is it that you want?”
“I want you,” a seductive purr. “Do you want me, too?”
“What did I do to deserve this?”
“I will punish you here and now,” her words crept behind my ear. “Say your prayers, boy.”
She pushed me at the center of the bed with no effort. Her fingers walked up from abdomen to torso. Chilling warmth burned my core. Fiery air escaped from the edge of my tongue. She gestured for my arm and her hands ran over mine. Her eyes were intent on me, as if yearning for my pleas.
She separated my limbs and summoned some metal chains with her coldness, enveloping my wrist. The same happened with another. She crawled down past my pelvis and toward my legs. They, too, met the same fate. She stood across from me, satisfied with my secured bonds, and took a few steps away from the bed.
“Where are you going?” I could barely put my head above her enticing spell.
“Stay like that for a while as I get ready for you.”
Wild thoughts filled her momentary absence. Heat splashed my arms and legs, anticipating her return. Suddenly, rushed knocking rapped at the door. Its sound came from the west side of the house where the front entrance was. I leaned in closer, but I failed to see a glance at the door. Heat exited my body.
“Who is it?” Cyrille called out. She wasn’t far from where I was, but I couldn’t be sure.
“Royal Defense Unit, Your Grace,” a commanding tone replied.
I heard hinges squeaking, “Ah. Has the attack ceased?”
“Surely, Your Grace. I would like to note that a long-haired man headed the siege.”
“I must have mistaken the intruder for a girl. When took I second glance, it really was a man with slender build. How did things go, commander?”
“The castle took some massive damage, but our professional curators and architects promised to accomplish repairs on time.”
“Were there any casualties?”
“Our men suffered minor injuries, but not enough to grieve on.”
“Thank you, commander. Keep your eyes on incoming, unprovoked assaults. I will check on the castle shortly.”
“Would Her Grace want us to escort her?”
“That’s not necessary. Retire to your positions.”
“We will be seeing Her Grace at the castle.”
The door closed shut. Hurried footsteps arrived from where I was held captive. She ecstatically smiled at me, accompanied by a squeal. Heat from before returned in my body. She walked across the bed and changed into something more casual—a closed top and some white pants. The wardrobe concealed her transformation.
“Something came up. I will be back for you, shortly,” she fixed her hair.
“You can’t leave me hanging like this.”
“We can’t have you loose, can we?” she strapped her boots and ran for the exit.
“Cyrille? Cyrille! Don’t leave here!” I huffed and puffed, but no response came back.
I screamed from the top of my lungs, tried reaching for my bonds and, pulled at them, hoping to break loose. No answer called, no one heard my plea, and, absolutely, no one was there to save me. My arms and legs gave out on me. I cried out for the last time until my consciousness retired to the darkness.
One moment, I saw someone creeping by my side. The next, there was none. It was a dark shadow, similar to how gramps described them in his story when I was a kid. I couldn’t move or even fix my stare at the intruder, so I closed my eyes, wishing it away. Its presence vanished when my eyes opened for the second time.
I lost the will to keep my sights on things. Ice locks helped in sapping away my remaining energy. My consciousness floated between dream and reality. Then I saw a girl standing perfectly still under my feet. Was she real? I wish I had the strength to confirm who it was. My head spun slowly at the figure.
“Oh no! Luke, you look awful. I’m sorry I took too long,” she fumbled with the icy chains. “Here, let me help you out of there.”
“Cyrille? Is that really you?” I tried to fix my gaze at her.
“It’s Darleen, and I have come to rescue you,” she briskly whispered behind my ear.
“How did you get here? I thought Cyrille concealed this area.”
She chuckled sweetly at my expression, which became sour. It was like an anvil anchored itself on her soft lips. Chains clinked, but my limbs still wouldn’t move. As I was adjusting my sights, her lips landed on mine, invading through them. A force full of air pushed my mind closer to consciousness.
“You’re not Darleen!” I jumped at the invader.
“But you were willing to give yourself at the sound of her name. It makes me a tad bit jealous,” Cyrille winced.
“You turned me into mush, then you accuse me of cheating?” I recovered from my limpness.
“Hey, I didn’t know it would take too long. I barely managed to escape my constituents for you, my king, but it seems that your mind is on another woman. Didn’t you long for me?”
“Don’t put me on the spot here. You were the one who left me here with no clue what was going on.”
She ignored my accusing glare, “Did you dream of her? Wished she was here instead of me? Did you loathe me for leaving you here alone?”
Her questions came blindingly fast, my answers hardly caught up, “No, no, and definitely not.”
“Care to tell why?”
I knew she was testing me, “Because you are here, and that’s what matters, right?”
“What if I wasn’t here? Wouldn’t I still matter, then?” she must be waiting for the right answer, but what should I say?
“Can we just forget about her and think about us?” I opened my arms for her.
“What if—” a hand caught her mouth as she occupied my arms.
“Hush now, darling. I have missed you so much that words can compare to this feeling,” it was my turn to whisper behind her ears.
“What do you think you’re doing to me?”
“Would you give me this moment? I want to get to know you better,” my lips ran down her neck.
She pulled away in an instant, “I didn’t give you permission to touch me. Excuse me, I need to go somewhere. Surely, this won’t take me long.”
“Take me with you,” I pleaded.
“No, I want to clear my head,” her palms signaled abandon. “Your dirty thoughts damped a considerable amount of filth no dragon could imagine.”
I tried to catch up to her, “Do you detest me?”
She stopped on her heels for a moment before continuing to the door. It violently shook, pushed lined flowers a millimeter away from the edge of the shelf. It was a miracle that no other stuff on her shelves faced a tragic end as they were mostly fragile.
I happened upon a blue frame. A picture of a young girl with blue hair caught my attention. She must be around five when they took this picture, but she might be older. In her hands was a watermelon, and some of its seeds littered across her face in an orderly fashion. This must be her happiest moment. Her eyes were warm with promise.
Unlike the lady who went out a few minutes ago, she was encased in an age of innocence—of a simple time. I placed it back and rested on the couch. It was colder than when I got chained to the bed. Or was it because of her temporary and immediate absence? I couldn’t point my finger on which one it was.
She played with me, then left me. What did she want me to say? I couldn’t get her at all. Maybe I should have thanked her for releasing me. No, that’s not the answer. What was it then? Think, Luke, think! There must be something you missed or said that put her off. I didn’t see what it was.
Soon, the door clicked, revealing a familiar blue heel creeping its way in. A glimpse of moonlight caught my eyes. I impeded her further advance from the living room. She glanced at me once, and her head shifted to the side. She kept quiet, unmoving and steadily breathing. I tilted my head at her.
“Where have you been?” I crossed my arms. “I have been thinking about you these past hours.”
“I thought you already left. I was hoping to have this house for myself tonight.”
“Did you want me to leave?” the question slipped out of my mouth like a river’s rush.
She caught her breath.
Her eyes said a lot of things to me, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying. She blinked them once, twice, and it was pouring. Her stifled breaths rested on my chest. Cool air brushed away the warmth of previously heated conversation. Silence was our comfort—what we needed.
Once she calmed down, she returned with a heavy slap on my face—enough for me to skid back a single inch. The coldness in her eyes returned before proceeding inside the kitchen. I sat myself on the dining table, feeling the swollen area. It might take a week for this to heal, but will I totally recover from this?
When she came out, on her hands was a platter of fish sided with boiled greens and oranges. She gently placed it on the table—still, not one word from her. If I were this fish, she must have simmered me until I was bloated. She stabbed the fish, shaking the table, scouring through its white flesh with her fork.
“Are you still mad about earlier?” I finally asked.
“I’m not mad,” she breathed out, letting it all out. “Luke, I’m not here to play games, and I didn’t bring you here to judge you, okay? Whatever your decision is after this, I will respect it. I will be fine. When the time comes for you to vote, don’t choose me.”
“Why would I do that? I already chose you to be mine.”
“Humans are fragile—easily taken in by lust and hunger. Why did I have to fall for a human when I knew what was waiting for me?”
“Did you regret having me here?”
“How could I when I have already fallen for you?” another confession.
“But I caught you, didn’t I?”
“The catch was fragile like your heart.”
I grasped her hand, “What should I do to make you feel better?”
“This is a farce. Nothing will come of this. Why don’t we end it here once and for all?”
“I don’t get you, woman!” I slammed my hands on the table. “Are you asking me to love you or are you throwing it away like the trash I am?”
“I didn’t say you were disposable.”
“I wasn’t the one who called you trash.”
She slumped in her seat, “I didn’t mean it either way.”
“I don’t get what you mean. Speak clearly, please,” I squeezed her hand, desperate for an answer.
“No, it’s not the right time, yet. Can we stay like this until after the war ends?”
“I would love to stay with you until you throw away the trash.”
“I didn’t see you as trash, but as my hope.”
“Why do you say that? I’m a hopeless human being.”
“There is a spark of truth in that, but I believe you can survive as long just like when you found me here for the second time,” she explained.
“Correction, you found me and locked me in your prison.”
“It was for your own good.”
“I know, I know,” I let it go.
When dinner finished, I offered to help Cyrille with the dishes. This time, she accepted my offer and gleefully led me inside the kitchen. Her touch sent shivers down my spine. I felt a real connection as she pulled me in closer. A touch of heat flickered on my face, flushing it at her generous smile.
Our hands touched constantly as they got to work on the sink. It sent shock waves through the veins of my hands. She stilled herself for a moment. Had she felt the same spark as I did? No, it was more than that. For me, something inside bloomed like the first flower of May.
Like children, she rinsed my hands with water then splashed some suds on them. I did the same to her. We both laughed as we threw more suds at each other. No one wanted to lose this game. I chased after her, almost slipping onto the fine granite. She screamed and laughed as she saw me catch up.
- Writer
