Hello. This I think is my worst chapter. I just think there is something a little off with it, so sorry. The next chapter should be up a little sooner than it took this one to show up out of the corners of my brain.
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NiGHTS curled up, trying to keep some heat still in her body. The sharp, cold of Nightmare surrounded her entire body, stealing away all warmth and comfort. Her bound hands offered no comfort, instead holding her open allowing the cold to seep in.
"Reala." NiGHTS thought sadly.
She hadn't lied, not once to him. But he had still... attacked her! He had held her by the throat. Bruises the shape of his claws had formed on her neck. She had thought he couldn't hurt her, but she ached from his rough treatment.
"Is this his protection?" NiGHTS thought bitterly. "Is this the care and safety he offered me?"
NiGHTS began yanking and tugging on her chains, straining to pull free; so much that she didn't hear the door open.
Reala flew in holding a tray of food, a few books, and a fur folded over his arm. Quietly setting down the food, he flew over and wrapped the blanket over NiGHTS's body. She stiffened, stealing a quick glance at Reala as he set down the books on the bed beside her.
"NiGHTS." Reala began, but couldn't finish. She shouldn't have gone against him! Even if she hadn't done as grave a crime as he had previously thought, NiGHTS still had to be disciplined. Reala wouldn't allow her to make a habit out of going against him.
Then Reala remembered how he had reacted, he had been violent and ... terrifying. He had placed her in danger, nearly suffocated her with his claws. That alone made him feel guilty for his treatment of something so precious.
"I'm sorry!" Reala forced out, before he could change his mind. "I never should have hurt you NiGHTS. No matter how angry I was, I shouldn't have hurt you."
NiGHTS didn't say anything; she simply turned her shoulder away from him and rested her head against her hands. She felt Reala gently pull on her waist, trying to move her onto his lap. A quick kick to the shin put an end to that.
Reala grunted, not expecting NiGHTS to reject his comfort.
"I'm trying to be a good mate!" Reala thought furiously. Grimacing and trying to control his temper, he set his clawed hand down, which he had raised to strike at his mate.
"NiGHTS, I shouldn't have hurt you." Reala repeated "Tell me how to make it up to you. I'll do anything."
"Anything?" NiGHTS asked quietly.
Reala instantly regretted his choice of words, too late to go back now.
"...Yes." Reala grunted.
"Nightopia." NiGHTS said in an instant.
All NiGHTS heard was a sharp intake of breath and "No!"
"I thought you said anything?" NiGHTS cried turning her head. She looked furiously at her mate, and Reala... almost looked guilty. He avoided looking her in the eyes, if she went to Nightopia now, her heart would break.
"I know." Reala sighed. "But choose something else."
"Why can't I go?" NiGHTS pressed.
"It's uh... not safe." Reala muttered.
"It's safer than here!" NiGHTS shouted and began pulling at her ropes. She was fed up with everything, the secrets! How he dodged every direct question! But most of all, she was sick of the ropes.
Reala held her arms, effectively stopping her from fighting. He held her still for a few moments then reached for her chains. Grasping the chains as he pulled a key from his belt, he unlocked her restraints. NiGHTS instantly grasped her wrists, rubbing them gently.
Reala once more wrapped the blanket around NiGHTS' shoulders, seeing that it had fallen off in their small struggle. Making sure that the fur stayed there, he lifted NiGHTS to her feet and walked her to the table.
"You need to eat." Reala commanded, deciding to regain control off the situation.
Almost like a gentleman, Reala pulled out a chair for NiGHTS to sit. Of course NiGHTS walked around to the other side and chose one for herself, but other than that it was a fine gesture.
Reala grunted, placing the food in front of NiGHTS. The bowl was filled with rich fruits and colourful berries.
"Huh?" NiGHTS asked. "These are from Nightopia, how did you-."
"Some of the nightmaren like them. They are actually good for the 'maren too." Reala explained. "So we've been picking some along the border."
"Oh." NiGHTS mummered, actually impressed.
Picking fruit, not really much to be impressed about as it is a normal thing for us. But as for Nightmaren; their diet consists mostly of nightopians, dreamers, and other 'maren. This diet gave them plenty of muscle strength, but very little nutrition. The fact that they were expanding their diet meant they were becoming more aware of their own health and well being.
NiGHTS continued to munch on the tasty peace offering as Reala watched her. He kept opening his mouth, like he was going to say something, then closing it at the last minute. At first, NiGHTS greeted the silence, but now it was like watching a fish out of water.
"What is it?" NiGHTS asked.
"Uh, well." Reala started.
While she hadn't released prisoners, or broken the binding, she was still to be held responsible for the food given to the prisoners. The problem was NiGHTS seemed to be in a better mood than normal. The white ideya crystal that lay snuggled between the folds on the bed seemed to finally be coming into effect, and frankly he didn't want to change that. It was such a relief knowing that NiGHTS wasn't hurting inside.
"You're uh... grounded." Reala muttered, silently praying to Wiseman.
He expected a rash change in attitude, maybe NiGHTS crying, but she simply folded her arms and stared at him.
"How long?" NiGHTS asked quietly.
"Not long." Reala reasoned. "You fed them for three days, so you will have a three day punishment. You can't leave the room until times up."
NiGHTS sighed, resting her cheek on her palm. These were going to be some long days ahead.
Reala sighed; he knew NiGHTS was going to be stir crazy at least by the end of the day. He guiltily thought of his mate's request.
"Nightopia." Reala thought. "She wants to go there, I can feel it! It's what she wants more than anything. But I can't... wait! There are still some..."
Reala glanced at NiGHTS who was absentmindedly tapping her feet on the floor.
"I have three days, maybe I could arrange something?" Reala thought. "All I'd have to do is keep her distracted for the next while until I can check up on it."
"Here." Reala said, quickly remembering something he had brought for her. He moved to the bed and collected the books in his arms. Nearly dropping one on the way back, he set them in front of his mate. "I remembered you liked to read, so here."
"Oh... Thank you." NiGHTS tried to stop herself, but some small giggles came out.
NiGHTS settled Reala down and opened a book to read as he went on his way.
"Well he meant well." NiGHTS thought, still giggling to herself.
When Reala had trained her for the first time, he had worked her to the bone. She often spent so much time training, she barely slept. Reala simply wouldn't allow her to. So she had asked for some books one time, and used the time Reala gave her for reading, for sleep. It had worked so well she asked for books all the time after, never once reading one of them, simply sleeping all the hours away.
The first day continued on its way. NiGHTS decided being grounded was a pain, but Reala, almost made it bearable. He stayed with her, talked about anything, her interests to how long she had managed to last hanging with Jackle. Oddly, NiGHTS in turn found out much about her mate, things she never would have guessed. From his malfunctioning sense of humour to the fact he too, could play an instrument.
He had even played with her, his guitar with a flute he had picked up for her to replace the one left in Nightopia. Two very different instruments, combining to make a very strange, but good tune.
That night was unforgiving in the cold that came. Winter in the arctic is a walk in the park in comparison. Even creatures that lived year round in the darkness could freeze to death in minutes. The bitter cold from outside seemed to work well in Reala's favour for now. The fire blazed brightly, giving off some comfort, but mostly the warmth in the room came from NiGHTS and his bodies, tangled in the furs and blankets guarding them against the heat.
Reala rested his head upon NiGHTS', his arms wrapped around her while she shivered. Even though she was a Nightmaren, NiGHTS had lived a good amount of her life in the warmth of Nightopia; the harsh cold was something she wasn't used to. But Reala, he almost made up for it. He kept her warm all through the night, making sure she was comfortable.
NiGHTS thanked him, and he had smiled. They both knew through their faint, but slowly growing bond; that Reala had forgiven NiGHTS for her crime, just as she had forgiven Reala for hurting her.
The second day started out well enough until a small tiff about why NiGHTS was seemingly banned from Nightopia started at their noon meal.
"Honestly!" NiGHTS thought. "Does he think I'm falling for these excuses? 'Horrid storms ravaging the border' seriously"
"And Uh..." Reala said, trying to think of another reason. A small renegade group was causing trouble? No, he'd told her that one. He just had to keep it secret a while longer!
"Reala what are you hiding!" NiGHTS cried. "Do you honestly think your fooling me?"
"I was hoping for it." Reala muttered. He saw NiGHTS' frown and quickly apologized.
"Hello New York!" Jackle shouted as he flung open Reala's door.
Reala groaned and buried his face in his clawed hands. Why was Jackle bursting into his room? By the looks of it, NiGHTS was just as confused as he was.
"Wait." Reala thought. "This could be that diversion I wanted."
"Why have you come running in?" Reala growled at Jackle, who was now doing push-ups randomly on the floor. "And it's 'Lord Reala'."
"You make your friends call you lord?" NiGHTS asked her mate.
"Only when he's drunk," Reala defended himself. "Or when he acts like this."
Jackle got to his feet and pulled up another chair, joining Reala and NiGHTS at the table. He pulled out some sheets of paper and placed them in front of Reala, then gave NiGHTS a little box.
"Here are the maps you wanted." Jackle said, smiling. "And I'm going to teach NiGHTS how to play."
"Play what?" Reala and NiGHTS asked simotainiosly.
"Poker!" Jackle scoffed. "What else."
"Err, Jackle I'm not a fan of cards." NiGHTS tried to make it sound gentle. She didn't want to hurt his feelings; he was... a tad unpredictable.
"I'll teach you to be!" Jackle laughed maniacally.
"She doesn't want to!" Reala hissed.
"Yes she does!" Jackle laughed. In a lower voice he whispered "And so do you."
Reala understood immediately, Jackle could have chosen something NiGHTS actually wanted to do, but he'll take it. Standing up and grabbing a cloak to defend himself against the harsh cold between here and his destination, he walked to the door.
"Where are you going?" NiGHTS asked. Was he seriously going to leave her alone with a maniac?
"I have some work to do." Reala turned around. "If he misbehaves, just squirt him with some water and he'll quiet down."
With that, Reala turned and walked out the door. Jackle turned to NiGHTS and smiled, then began explaining the different hands one could get. He got to the royal flush before NiGHTS stood up and walked to the window. Almost invisible in the shadows of Nightmare, she could see her mate flying off into the distance.
"You're hiding something Reala." NiGHTS frowned. "Something to do with Nightopia, but what is it?"
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