The bleeding soon ceased; the cut non-existant, and the flesh leaving no evident sign that it had been broken. I la awake, my body sprawled over his. I couldn't sleep any longer. I had awoken to think.
Tom continued breathing heavily beneath me. I'd taken it further this time. A big part of me couldn't resist. I lifted my finger again, taking a moment to dissolve the blood from my nail with the acidity of my tongue; savoring the taste, before pressing it against his chest. I pushed down gently, and then watched as the blood blotted up, around my fingernail, submerging my digit at the tip. My lone talon still embedded, I traced out the same fifteen letters I had morphed into words, so many times in my head.
I admired my work momentarily, watching as the carvings filled and gleamed scarlet in a matter of seconds. I then polished them clean with one swipe of my tongue and stared intently as they hastily began to heal. I pulled in my talon and continued to eye Tom, sleeping underneath my still form.
I traced the area, over his pectoral, just recently torn, with the pad of my finger. His skin was once more smooth and soft to the touch.
I was done thinking — Through with assumptions. I needn't make up the answers when I had a living, breathing, lexicon right here. I shifted myself to a better position; Being careful to be as unsubtly as possible. It was morning, and he'd kill me for waking him, but I couldn't be kept in the shadows any longer. I needed to know.
Tom squirmed in his subjacent stature, nearly knocking me from where I sat, straddled atop him. I bent over him and gently placed my hands on his cheeks. Going further still I mugged his lips roughly with mine. I held this position as long as my lungs would allow. A sharp pain rose from the lush, filling my mouth with blood. He was awake; He'd taken the bait, and now was the time to get what I wanted.
I broke away from him before any more of my blood was taken tonguing the holes placidly, and dismounting his now conscious form. He looked at me oddly and glanced over at the window.
"No Tomas, you're not losing your mind…," He gave me a look of confusion. As if wondering if he'd slept through the morning again, when he knew he'd only just shut his eyes a few hours before. "Attempting to leave now for a short meal would be absolute suicide," he shifted his body upwards so he was now leaning against the headboards. I continued.
"…For I'm sure you'll find that it is indeed morning," I climbed off the bed clumsily and reached down to pick up the disordered robe. I draped it over my shoulders, slipping an arm into each hole. "Please do not be angered with me. I have some things I must ask. After which you may do as you please. Understood?"
Tom moved up the headboard the remainder of the way, stopping in a comfortable sitting position. He smiled. The blankets pooled around him; His chest, bare and unclothed for me to gawk at yet again. Resist it Tarra. Resist it! Now's not the time for this.
"My dear Alayne. There's so much you do not know. Not all of which I am willing to tell you just yet," he eyed me closely as I struggled to tie the robe tight around my body, "What is it you wish to know?"
I paced around the darkened room. So many unanswered questions; I don't know where to start. I stared at the boarded window for a moment just wishing I could pry them off, spread my wings and fly away from all this. Ya right. This is reality, not fantasy. I picked through my mind carefully before I spoke up again.
"William! What have you done with him?"
"My brother? Well …what makes you think I had something to do with his mysterious disappearance?" Tom said slyly. I whipped around fast, my hair swirling around with me and then coming to rest over my chest.
"I haven't seen him for weeks. You did something. I know you did!"
"So what if I did! He's my brother. It's no business of yours what I do to him, woman!" I glared at him intently, with every intention of jumping him, slamming his head into the headboard and sucking him dry. I could taste the blood on my tongue already. But no I couldn't. Unfortunately, I needed him. I need him to explain more still. I decided that although I was very much concerned about Bill and his whereabouts, I had more important things to worry of and think about.
I threw question after question at Tom, hardly leaving him any time to answer. As the time went by, my questions turned into demands. Tom answered them all calmly; hardly blinking, hardly moving, except once to cloak his nude figure with his usual dark attire: A black button up, dark suit-and-tie like pants, shiny black shoes (the type that click when you walked), tied altogether with a long kohl leather jacket. He looked rather handsome, as usual, But somehow something about his look today was different.
"Alright, my last question…. Why me?" he looked at me with a grin ear-to-ear. As if he was waiting all along for this one in particular – Building up his answer carefully. "Back in the store. There were several others you could have gone after but you chose me. I want to know why," I spoke as clearly and audibly as I could.
"Everything is just falling into place. Why ruin the surprise now by just coming out and telling you? No…no…no. That's not how it's gunna work," I watched as he circled around me once more, his moves putting me in a trance. Stopping abruptly before me, he stared deep into my eyes. "You are going to have to look deep within..." Tom raised his hand slowly, two fingers straight outward, the rest clamped down in his palm creating a deformed fist. He pressed his fingers to my temple and closed his eyes.
A jolt surged through my body. Neither pain nor pleasure. When he removed them I felt a small tingle stretch from my head all the way down to my fingertips. He turned on his heels and headed for the door. Before he disappeared he called out behind him,
"Only there will you find what you are searching for … if you know where to look,"
I sat there trying to understand his words, but soon began to feel very dizzy. My eyesight grew hazy. I blinked thrice to try and solve it; but it only worsened. Everything began to lose its colour; everything darkened. Everything that is, except one thing. There, lying on the dresser: A blue-satin box, no bigger than a landscaped envelope. My eyes zeroed in on it as the room around me started to blacken. I examined it carefully, then it to faded away, plunging all in darkness.
"M'lady? …Your father hath requested thine appearance in the great hall," I nodded and turned back to the mirror.
"I shall be but a moment," The woman nodded and shuffled away down the hall.
I clipped my hair up gently on the back of my head. A train of curly black locks trailed down my neck, parting at my shoulders and then hanging down over them. Lifting a white rose (minus the stem) in my palm, I placed it in and amongst the curls that framed my face, holding it in place with a pin. I made sure to position it just so, so I wouldn't end up piercing my scalp during the festivities.
I applied a thick glace of ruby red gloss over my lips, an even rim of black eyeliner around my eyes, and finally, to add that special touch to my look, I twirled a straight lone strand of hair around my finger, then yanked it out quickly, leaving it springy and lain across my left eye. Alright I'm ready!
A sea of eyes, fixated on me, engulfed me as I walked into the grand room. Many of the couples who swirled around the polished floor stopped and bowed. I smiled brightly and lowered my head to each — the traditional unspoken way to give my thanks for their kindness.
Finally I reached the end, stopping before a row of jeweled thrones; the one in the center being the largest of the three.
"You called for me father?" I curtsied before a man sitting upon the center seat. He had dark green eyes, a dying crop of curly orange hair atop his head and stubbling out over his chin and cheeks, and wearing a long red robe, shimmering with golden trimming. A spectacular crown, encrusted with similar glittering jewelry sat atop his head. He shot me a moon-lit smile and motioned me over to the throne next to him. I followed his direction and stepped up slowly, lifting my gown as I sat.
The king's daughter – That was me! Sure, I was rich beyond belief, and all the men flocked to me. But being a princess was not entirely all peaches and cream. Meeting dukes and princes. Wearing full-length gowns, complete with corset – Tied tighter than a boa, constriction itself around my body. Not exactly my idea of fun, nor comfort; All these events to help prepare me for the crown when the time came. My daddy always dragging new guys to the place, hoping I'd fall for a suitor. Unfortunately for him I hadn't …yet.
I nodded to the halted couples fronting me on the dance floor, signaling them to continue dancing. I soaked up the sight before me. It did my heart good to see the people happy again. Er … somewhat. Ever since the war, between our world and that of the mythical beasts (Fitilos, were-people … etc) no one had really normalized. So many lives were lost; making it difficult to replace.
"Pardon my intrusion, my Lord, but I was wondering if I may borrow the fair maiden for a moment?" I leaned forward in my chair so I could better see the man who knelt before my father.
I tried hard to conceal a grin. I knew this man. I knew this man very well. However, my father had never managed to get used to him coming around. The young man had long blonde hair, bound in dreadlock form – This hairstyle was known throughout the kingdom as that of the 'rebel' – Something my father knew all too well! I on the other hand, was quite fond of his hair. It's unique. It's cool. It's sexy!
I absentmindedly twirled a curl around my finger, waiting for the Kings answer.
"Very well …" he spoke sternly. The man nodded, wiggling the stud on his lip with his tongue. Bodily punctures were forbidden. It was also a well known law, that any who disobeyed this were to be shunned by the entire kingdom. I myself had gotten five, just despite my father's new rule, making me an exception and not necessarily blocked out from the world, but blocked out from my father.
"Do not go astray. If you take one step off palace grounds …I'm sending out the guards. 50 Lashes if you disobey me," My father did love me immensely, but he was extremely harsh. I lost my elder brother many years ago, but I don't think he entirely recovered from his state of delusion, treating me just as if I was the son he once had.
"50 lashes!! Father!" I pleaded.
"…30 lashes …but no less," Unlike my deceased sibling, I had perfectly mastered the art of persuasion. I stood from the throne and grabbed the man's outstretched hand. The crowd stopped moving once more as my rescuer and I strolled down the aisle and out the double doors.
"How long have you been here?" I asked, as we walked the cobblestone pathway, leading away from the palace.
"Long enough," he replied, pulling me off the path and into the unmarked woods. I grinned brightly, revealing pearly white teeth, as I was pushed harshly up against a tree.
"Tomas, What are you doing?" As if I didn't know. :P
"Claiming you! Once and for all! You've teased me for too long now. Time to finish this," He dove in towards the flesh on my neck, licking, sucking, placing butterfly kisses down the length of my collar bone. I shivered under his touch. Lifting my hand to my hair, I released it from its bonds, allowing it to fall down over my shoulders, temporarily cloaking my skin from Tom.
I moved it slowly, watching as Tom's eyes grew larger as I also began to work on the fastening of my dress with my free hand. A loud booming voice behind me caused me to jump.
"M'lady? I'm sorry to disturb you, but there is problem your father asks that you see to at once," A tall broad man, dressed head to toe in black, stood a few feet away on the path.
"Tavvir, I told you I was not to be disturbed no matter the circumstance," I snapped back harshly.
"I'm terribly sorry…" he stepped forward towards me, bowing low, as I stepped from the shadow and onto the path. "…he insisted you see to it at once, for he must tend to his guests,"I looked back at Tom, he stood closely behind me.
"Will you excuse me? This shouldn't take long," I spoke calmly. Tom nodded and stepped back into the darkness of the trees.
Gripping Tavvir's arm gently, I was lead towards the front doors of the palace. Instead of going in, my body was directed off the path, and down a stone staircase.
"Why are you leading me here? My father is in the main hall waiting for me," I questioned him as we descended. I recognized my surroundings perfectly, having come down these steps many times to witness execution. It was very damp and odorous. The temperature seemed to drop 10 degrees with each step, which greatly discouraged me from moving another inch.
As we neared the bottom, the trees became scared; the vegetation, extinct. I stood at the bottom of the staircase in the stony cavern with Tavvir with absolutely no understanding as to why. I watched as he struggled with his keys, forcing them into the rusty lock, before finally pushing the gate open wide.
I was nudged in and he followed closing and locking the gate behind him. Why had my father asked me to come here? It had always been tradition for a royal to take the first swing, in attempts to hack the guilty to pieces with the rusty blade. I found it barbaric and extremely twisted, so I had always refused to watch, turning to Tomas and burying my head into his chest. Yet, I could never manage to get out of going altogether.
Witnessing an act such as this was wile in its own, and listening to it was not much better.
As we walked through the dungeon, turning down a long passageway, a large metal chair came into view. I expected to see someone in it, but I was wronged as we closed in and I could see that it was indeed very much empty.
"Is there an execution scheduled for today?" I asked quietly, gripping his arm tighter, in hopes that he'd protect me from anything that may jump out at me from where the moon-light didn't touch.
"Indeed…," he answered smiling. How he mustered up pleasure while spilling someone's blood was beyond me. "…because of the ball, I felt it the perfect time to do this. When all cannot hear … your screams," his grip tightened around my arm. I opened my mouth to scream.