candle in the window

Once again sorry for any grammar mistakes. I don't really review these with any sort of scrutiny and I haven't had anyone available to proof read them for me. I know there are lots of mistakes and I'll just beg you to forgive me and hope you enjoy the story.

Chapter 35

Draqueen, Ruwalk's room...

The brown and red haired man had been watching over Alfeegi anytime he could catch a break in the work load. Unfortunately, because Kai-Stern and the white dragon officer weren't able to work that made the load heavier but he couldn't not see the strawberry blond while he was suffering. So naturally sacrifices had to be made, like sleep. Today, the chief secretary had awoken and seemed to be himself. So, the brown eyed dragon decided to get some well deserved rest.

He blocked off the windows with heavy curtains to keep this room a cave of darkness and sweet silence. The clanking and banging that started days ago had finally stopped last night so the halls had their normal amount of noise. Even though it was difficult to hear the sounds from the Earth Dragon room it was like he could feel it even this far away. Now that that was over, for the first time in days it felt like the castle could get back to normal. He turned over in his bed, kicking the covers off his left foot.

This quiet darkness was comforting, but also slightly maddening. The yellow dragon officer knew it was okay to sleep, but thoughts kept him awake. Ruwalk let himself sleep today because he knew the chief secretary would take care of things...But that's not the only reason. He opened his brown eyes in the blackness, sprawling out over the length of the bed, remembering. The look in those crystaline copper eyes made him wonder what the white dragon officer was thinking. His mind recounted the seconds that seemed like an eternity as the strawberry blond crawled out of the window and...

He didn't want to remember right now because of all of the questions that came creeping behind that single memory. It was like a flood gate to a dam. What happened in the Valt that night? Who could have been responsible? Why was Alfeegi asleep so long? Why did he jump out of a window when he woke up?! That one nearly stopped the brunet's heart. Does he remember anything of the incident in the Valt? If so why didn't he say something? Why was his first reaction to go to Kai-Stern and stay by his side? Is the incident and Kai-Stern related to Alfeegi's long sleep? If so what's the connection? If the white dragon officer remembers the incident or even if he doesn't, does he remember the kiss? That forced kiss...

Ruwalk rolled onto his side, pushing his third pillow off the side of the bed along with the rest of the comforter. The brunet remembered that Alfeegi struggled when he tried to kiss him that night, as if he was attacking his beloved. Then those crystalline copper pools wouldn't look at him after that. Alfeegi told him to do that when he was worried about the chief secretary, but...the yellow dragon officer felt that he should have said something, given his lover a little warning or...something...But Alfeegi told him it was okay! He shoved his face into his pillow and gave an exasperated sigh.

No matter how Ruwalk rationalized it though, at the foremost of his thoughts was that Alfeegi said no. When the brown eyed dragon didn't listen and kissed him anyway, he gave his lover a reason not to trust him. The brunet blamed himself for what happened after that and now maybe Alfeegi didn't feel comfortable confiding in him anymore. That was his proof. Perhaps he was blowing things out of proportion but in this moment, it seemed like everything the brown and red haired dragon did seems to be pushing his beloved further and further away from him. He covered his head with a pillow and tried not to think about it. First sleep, then he and Alfeegi would figure out how to live with each other again.

Suddenly he heard a muffled sound beyond his pillow. It was the door as it opened and a soft glow of hallway light peeked over the down cushion. By the time he lifted his head to look the door was shut. He still couldn't see anything but he could feel a presence, then he heard foot steps. He wanted to ask 'who's there,' but his mind ran away and his throat was dry. So he kept listening to the visitor's movements for the answer. A boot thunked on the floor then another. The rustle of fabrics, presumably clothes, shifted from one place to another as garments were most likely dropped onto the floor. The brunet swallowed hard before the bed shifted from the weight of a person crawling onto it. He held his breath as his brown eyes looked futily into the dark expanse.

"Alfeegi?" Adrenaline pumped through his veins. With no vent for it, he sat motionless. It felt as if his skin wanted to lift off his body. This person was tentative, moving carefully and precisely. The yellow dragon officer felt the sheet move off his leg as the person came closer. His body started heating up as a myriad of emotions stirred under the surface.

The visitor was close now. So close he could feel a hand reach out and touch his naked thigh. The muscle jerked just under the skin from the sudden contact. The hand was gone but the next moment it was back touching his arm. That hand...was familiar but his uncertainty was making his head spin. The brunet still wasn't sure. His heart beat faster as he dared to reach out. He grabbed an arm and heard a gasp. Ruwalk didn't know what the meaning of his intrusion was but he knew Alfeegi. If it was him, his scent and his body would tell it all. He gently pulled his hesitant visitor closer. Close enough to take a deep breath of the other's smell. There was a slight difference from his memory but it was evidence enough to believe that it was indeed his beloved.

"Alfeegi." he breathed, relieved but still a bit nervous. He wasn't entirely sure what the chief secretary was here for. They hadn't spoken about that kiss and he wanted to know how the strawberry blond felt about it. Delicate, slightly calloused, hands touched Ruwalk's cheeks and he felt breath on his lips.

"Alfeegi." The brown eyed dragon found the other's face to stopped the advance. "I want to kiss you, but I'm worried that it won't be the same..." the strawberry blond respectfully kept his distance as the other spoke. "I'm afraid that I hurt you in a way I can't heal. Even though you told me not to, I kissed you. Even though I just needed you to know that I was worried about you, may have gone too far."

"It sounds like an excuse doesn't it?" Ruwalk turned his head. Although in this darkness there was no need to hide his expression, it was just a natural reaction. His companion cupped one of the brunet's hands between a soft cheek and a delicate hand. "Alfeegi." He turned back, "You have to know, I never...never meant to hurt you." Ruwalk's finger tips felt a smile. The brunet smiled to, glad that his lover understood him, forgave him. "I love you."

All at once two lithe arms wrapped around the brown eyed dragon. Ruwalk's hands slid across the other's shoulders and down his back. The secretary of state paused, when he felt a scar beginning below the right shoulder blade. Frowning, he felt further. The scar was jagged and wide. It coursed down across the spine and all the way to the left hip. Ruwalk felt those doubts creeping up again. "Who are you?" He felt the hair and it was the same cut as Alfeegi's.

Ruwalk leaned back slightly, not sure what was going on anymore. The visitor only tightened his embrace. That was when he felt them, two small but obvious breasts were being crushed against him. The strange part was, he didn't feel the need to push this person away. This embrace felt like it was from a lonely child who wanted someone, anyone to understand her.

"Who..." The yellow dragon officer's heart seemed to sense something from this person. Love, sadness and the most prominent was confusion. He felt sorry for her and so his arms answered her plea to be held. "Who are you?"

Suddenly there was a sharp pounding on the door. Ruwalk sat up straight in his bed. Brown eyes looked around and saw his drapes were open, allowing light in. He squinted and rubbed his eyes. He was sure he had closed those.

"Ruwalk?" The chief secretary's voice was very soft and mostly muffled behind the door to the yellow dragon officer's bed chamber. A very light tapping could be heard before a his lover mumbled something that was hopelessly untranslatable through that heavy oak door.

"Alfeegi." his mouth voiced the word and his ear listened keenly as silence followed. He wasn't leaving was he? The brunet jumped out of his bed and pulled on some light clothes before scrambling to the door. "Alfeegi!"

"Ah." The white dragon officer had just taken a few steps from the door before the secretary of state had opened it. More than a little surprised, he had accidentally dropped the bundles of papers and a few scrolls he was laden with.

"I'm sorry." The yellow dragon officer rushed to help the chief secretary. "I didn't mean to startle you." The strawberry blond was already trying to gather the leaves of parchment. "I just..." He picked up a few stray pages and noticed that they were drawing and notes, "thought I heard your voice."

"It's not your fault. I was distracted and.." crystalline copper eyes blinked at the other's disshevled hair and blood shot eyes. "I knew you were supposed to be sleeping." Alfeegi stood with his friend and held out a hand for the articles Ruwalk had. "I shouldn't have disturbed you."

"No. It's okay." The yellow dragon officer ignored that hand so his friend took it back. "I wasn't really," But his appearance betrayed that lie, "I mean," avoid the shoe in the mouth even if you have bare feet, "I was," honesty was the best policy, "but..." that wasn't really the issue here, "Did you want to talk?" Crystalline copper eyes

couldn't deny that truth.

The infirmary...

"Doc?" Kai-Stern spoke horsely. His throat and tongue were dry and there was a strange sweet and sour taste that lingered on his tongue. After swallowing some saliva he looked around. He realized he woke up alone in the room full of empty beds.

"Doc?" The blue dragon officer walked with bare feet on the cold tile floor. He knew it was morning but he didn't know what time it was. He wanted to know how long he'd been out this time. The light yellow eyed dragon saw some movement behind the curtain in front of Dr. Avis's office. "Doc, is that you?" He pulled the curtain aside.

"Mr. Secretary, you're awake." The feather haired man pushed on a small pair of glasses that hugged his nose. "Excellent." That usual smile was painted on his face.

"What's going on? I was calling and calling..."

"Really? I apologize, I was a bit distracted. The Chief Secretary has provided a new treatment for your condition and I was studying it." He put down a bottle of mysterious fluid.

"Alfeegi?" he scratched his short white hair trying to figure that one out.

"You should really be resting, Mr. Secretary." The doctor insisted turning the albino around and nudging him back to his bed.

"Wait," Kai-Stern spun around without warning. "What time is it?" Dr. Arvis's boot nearly kicked the albino's bare foot. Arvis was forced to correct his step, unfortunately, it set him off balance. "Uh." the blue dragon officer noticed the doctor was teetering and tried to lend some support only to be taken off balance himself. "Ah!" The pair suddenly had a violent disagreement with gravity luckly the floor ran interference.

"Ah! I apologize, Sir." The doctor jumped up helped the secretary of foreign affairs to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"Ouch. Little clumsy there, doc?" he rubbed his re-end.

"How are you feeling?" Arvis guided the albino back to his bed.

"Besides a little stomach ache, I think I bit my tongue."

"I apologize."

"Forget about it."

"Are you hungry, Mr. Secretary? I can have the nurse bring food."

"No." Kai-Stern obediently climbed into his bed, not like he had any big plans today. "Thank you." He said, adjusting the pillow.

"As you wish, sir." The doctor pulled a chair closer to sit beside his patient.

"Would you please call me Kai-Stern?" He tucked his hands behind his head and folded his legs. "I don't know if you've heard but my job's in danger anyway, might as well start getting used to being informal."

"I don't understand, Mr..."

"Ah!" A light yellow eye prepared to glare at the good doctor.

"Uh," the feathered haired man corrected himself, "Kai-Stern." the doctor noticed that the albino seemed satisfied, bobbing a foot in the air, so Arvis continued. "What do you mean?"

"Just that, if I was Tetheus, I'd be watching me carefully and waiting for an opportunity to throw me in jail." the blue dragon officer reasoned.

"Because you have committed a crime?"

"It's not about that." Light yellow eyes looked toward the window. "Look at it this way. My guilt or innocence can only be decided if a crime is committed. Whether I'm responsible or not can only be decided if their's a witness to me committing the crime or to substantiate my alibi. If he can put me behind bars before the a major crime that is some how related to me..."

"It would prove your innocence." the doctor slapped his fist on his open palm in realization.

"That's what I'm guessing anyway." the blue dragon officer bit his lower lip in contemplation.

"What is it?"

"Well, I was just thinking. If a crime happens before I'm in jail, it would be harder on everyone especially Lord Lykouleon."

"I see." Arvis seemed oddly quiet after that comment.

"Enough about that," his bed bounced as he rolled on his side to focus on his companion, "what's wrong with me?"

"Excuse me?" Arvis blinked.

"I doubt that I woke up in the infirmary for a check up." Kia-Stern shrugged, "So, what happened?"

"Oh, allow me to explain." he adjusted his glasses. "You were recovered from the court yard where you had vomited approximately eight ounces of partially digested blood."

"Wh-what?" Kai-Stern sat up like a shot, dangling his legs off the side of the bed. "Listen Doc. if this is your first attempt at humor...You're...not joking."

"I'm sorry. I'm not." the doctor shook his head slowly.

"There were two dragon fighters found dead near the exit it was presumed that you took to get there. It was suspected that the Security Officer was in fact going to jail you in connection with those murders, however, he had no choice when the tests came back negative."

"What tests?"

"Blood tests." the doctor pointed out. "You see the partially digested blood didn't come from the dragon fighters as it was first assumed."

"Then who's blood was it?" Light yellow eyes were horrified thinking of all the possibilities.

"Yours." Arvis told him bluntly.

"Mine?" He blinked in disbelief. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would I drink my own blood?!"

"Please calm yourself, Mr..." he paused before correcting himself. "Excuse me, Kai-Stern. I'm not finished with my explanation. You see from the shape and consistency of the blood, I suggested that you may be experiencing some internal bleeding."

"That's why I have a stomach ache?" the albino touched his belly.

"Most likely." his feathered hair bounced as he nodded.

"But how?" the blue dragon officer swung a demonstrative hand. "I haven't been in battle for months and I don't remember swallowing glass lately so..."

"It's interesting you say that. It is my suspicion that you have indeed ingested something that could cause damage. We've already eliminated your diet because of the limited amount of food you have been ingesting. Unfortunately, the source is still conjecture."

"So what now?"

"A skilled surgeon will be coming to the castle with in a few days to evaluate your condition."

"Surgeon?" Oh, more good news. "You're going to cut me open?"

"We must get to the root of the problem." the doctor explained. "There is nothing I can prescribe to mend internal bleeding. In addition I have no way of knowing where the damage is."

"Let me get this straight." Kai-Stern wouldn't allow surgery without knowing everything. "You're going to have some chop doc cut me up until he can find where the cuts are? No thanks."

"It's nothing so barbaric. The surgeon I speak of has an assistant who can locate damage no matter how minuscule."

"An assistant?" he repeated, with sarcasm. This was sounding more and more ridiculous.

"Correct." Arvis smiled, satisfied that Kai-Stern was understanding.

"So I just bleed until then?"

"Not at all. The treatment provided by Chief Secretary Alfeegi has shown some progress in breaking down the blood so that it may safely pass through your lower intestines rather than regurgitating it."

"Well, I guess that's progress." Kai-Stern flopped back onto his pillow and covered his eyes with the back of his hand. "Alfeegi did?" he lifted his head looking at the doctor through the corner of one light yellow eye in disbelief.

"I see you've suffered another one of your memory lapses." The doctor retrieved a clipboard from Kai-Stern's bed side table.

"Couldn't you tell?" Kai-Stern grumbled flopping back onto his pillow.

"I was asked if there was anything that could be done to evaluate your mental status."

"My what?" The blue dragon officer asked trying to be sure he heard the doctor right.

"Your physical condition doesn't seem to be the problem, at least for now." The doctor flipped a few pages over and took up a quill. "So I worked up a panel of questions that can help us get a better understanding of your perspective on common things. If there is a great variance this might be a reason for your actions as of late."

"So you think I'm crazy?" Even the doctor was treating him like a prisoner. No rights and no free will.

"I'd appreciate your cooperation in this matter. It might help us to determine the source of your black outs."

"You can't be serious." the albino mumbled, scrubbing his face with dry hands.

"I'll ask you a series of questions, ahem," he cleared his throat and adjusted his posture. This might take a while, Kai-Stern thought. "Simply answer to the best of your abilities." The feather haired man tilted his head to easily glance from the page to his subject. "Okay. Are we ready?"

"Is that the first question?" the blue dragon officer asked sarcastically.

"Now, now." The doctor's quill became a disciplinary pointer. "Let's not answer questions with another question, please." He cleared his throat again and readied his quill on the page. "First question: Are you worried about getting old."

"Getting old?" What kind of question is that?

"Please answer the question." he asked gently but firmly.

"No, I'm not." Kai-Stern grumbled wondering why he was even answering these stupid questions.

"Next question: Do you own a pair of leather trousers?"

"What does my wardrobe have to do with my mental state?"

"Kai-Stern, if you're going to be difficult. I could call the dragon fighters in to help me."

"You're serious." he stated in mild disbelief before letting out a heavy sigh, "Can't a guy make a break around here?"

"Now shall we continue? Do you own a pair of leather trousers?"

"Yes. I do."

"I see." The quill scratched along the parchment. After a moment Kai-Stern started to feel nervous. What was so important about leather trousers that he was writing so many notes?

"They're for hard travels and occasional fishing trips." he defended himself without knowing what he was really defending himself from. "Any traveler worth his salt would own a pair."

"Please keep your answers concise." the doctor insisted.

"Grrr," this was getting really irritating, "Fine."

"Next question: Do you get your hair cut at regular intervals or only when your peers suggest you do?"

"Regular intervals. And I don't see what..."

"Ah!" That disciplinary quill again and this time it was accompanied by a half glare.

"But..."

"Next question:" Arvis interrupted the secretary of foreign affairs. "Have you or would you ever shave your head?"

"Why would I do that?"

"No." The quill scratched on the page, "Next question: Do you have a piercing below the neck?"

"What?" Just when Kai-Stern didn't think he could be suprised by another question. "No, I don't."

"Next question: Do you frequently enter into financial turmoil." That's an easy one.

"Yes." Alfeegi would have his head on a platter by now if they weren't both close friends of Lord Lykouleon.

"Next question: Do you think it's obscene to spend more than 100 monetary units on a shirt?"

"Yes!"

"Next question: Hypothetically speaking, would your rather be a cat or a dog?"

"A cat." He answered that one quickly. The albino noticed the doctor paused.

"Why?" Arvis relaxed his quill.

"Huh?" Was this question not on the list? "Well, then I could go where ever I wanted to and no one would complain. And I could come home to a good meal and kind word, without being bothered about deadlines and budgets."

"Could it be your meal and kind words are waiting because your master is so lonely without you?" The doctor seemed to be thinking out loud.

"Uh..." Kai-Stern glanced away uncomfortablly. He hadn't thought of that.

"Alright next question: When you were young did you prefer to play games as a Dragon Knight or Demon?"

"Dragon Knight." Kai-Stern answered without really thinking about it. He was too distracted with what the doctor had just said.

"Would you rather meet your favorite hero or be your favorite hero?"

"Be my favorite hero." The albino had always felt welcome to come home dispite all the deadlines and budgets because of the people waiting for him.

"The last time you attended a social function did you make many friends or did you mainly talk with the people your already knew?"

"Make friends." Was he not paying enough attention to his the friends he had?

"Do you wash your face with soap or a specialized cleansing treatment?"

"Soap." Maybe he didn't appreciate them enough.

"Do you think your best friend is attractive romantically?"

"Wha-?" Kai-Stern's train of thought took a flying leap into a ravine. He sat up straight, completely caught off guard by that last one. "What?!" The doctor just looked at the blue dragon officer over his glasses, curious as to the sudden shock.

"I assure you that your answers will not leave this room. I'll tally up the results based on your answers so no one except my self sees the actual answers. Oh and there's no one else here if you're worried about eavesdroppers." the doctor just smiled again as if nothing was the matter. "This is for posterity so be honest."

"Y-" he blushed thinking about telling someone who shouldn't know and possibly wouldn't understand. But wait...No one else is here? They were alone. And the questions, they wouldn't make any sense and less you were testing for..."Yes." he answered calmly, all traces of the blush were long forgotten.

"Do you prefer to give flowers or get flowers?"

"Give." Kai-Stern turned his head to make sure his expression was unnoticed.

"Have you ever been involved with a fight on the street?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever played a game that measures strength?"

"Yes."

"If you have a small cosmetic construction or home improvement task, would you do it yourself or hire a professional?"

"Do it myself."

"When you move into a new residence, how important is it to redecorate? Very important or not important."

"Not important."

"In your opinion, is it better to be intelligent and grossly unattractive or beautiful and incompetent?"

"Smart and ugly."

"You've just made a new friend, would you rather have dinner at your home or his home?"

"His home."

"In your opinion, are champagne, almond, mocha and salmon colors or foods?"

"Foods."

"Do you think responsible individuals make good lovers?

"Yes." he half smiled at that one.

"Last question: Are you your mother's favorite in the family?"

"My mother?" there was a haunting tone in Kai-Stern's voice that wasn't there before.

"Yes." Arvis confirmed.

"No. She hated me." the doctor paused as Kai-Stern laced his fingers over his chest an laid very still. "I didn't know my father because he ran out on her when I was young. After she died, my uncle took care of us. Much later, I killed my uncle when I learned that he burned down my family's home with all my brothers and sisters still in it."

"W-why are you telling me all this?" Arvis looked a bit pale.

"My mental state isn't so bad that I can't recognize my lord in disguise." Light yellow eyes looked up at the doctor. "Lykouleon."

EXTRA: Questions provided by, channel fourteen's gayO'meter.