Since a lot of you wanted the (D)-related chapter continuation, I decided to put that road into motion first. You all wanted this to be a dream so that Krystal wouldn't be exposed to such torment. But I think... nah... find out for yourself.
(D)Chapter 16: Awakening
"Well Princess?" brings Sciltch up. "I believe you had something to say."
Krystal awakens from a thousand-mile stare as she shakes her head a bit. Her head and mind felt empty the whole way through. She hasn't come up with anything satisfying to answer the touching words Sciltch has given her.
She's in such a denial. She feels like she should like someone else. Someone she saw in the dream, spend almost 10 years with. A strong, independent and maybe a bit childish fighter pilot. Leader of an elite mercenary unit that fight for justice, if paid well of course. But the image of this perfect man begins to fade from her mind. As if he never existed. Like he was... just a dream.
Krystal looks up at Sciltch. Regret reads from her facial expression. "I- I don't... know what to say Sciltch. There's so much... I can't express it." she says with a shaking head.
"Why don't you give it a try?"
"A try? You think it's that simple?" she replies with a raised voice, as if she was attacked by Sciltch's suggestion.
"Just empty your heart. Say what you think needs to be said."
With nothing against it, Krystal submits. Even if it feels like the biggest burden she has ever carried. "Okay then." she sighs deep. "Sciltch... your words have really touched but also confused me. I don't know what I feel. It's like I'm not supposed to feel this much for you."
She tried to bring it as heartfelt and smooth as possible, but Sciltch hears only the negative out of her comment. "As if there's someone else more deserving of all your love?" he questions suspicious.
"To put it bluntly..." She chokes in her words for a bit before she swallows it down. "...yes."
The moment that word hits Sciltch ear drums, the expression on his face turns from mildly mistrustful into frustration within a snap of the fingers. He can't believe what he just heard. He opened his heart for her and she just stamped on that like squashing a dirty, icky bug on the floor or wall with her foot.
"But I don't want to feel that." adds Krystal quickly, hopefully to calm Sciltch down a bit.
Those words mean nothing for Sciltch. As long as he doesn't hear the right words, coming out of her mouth, he's going to fall into a raging spiral only leading to a depression. He can feel it coming up. Even worse; he can imagine himself already sitting in a dark corner. Caressing an inanimate object that he from that moment on considers his best friend.
The feeling is awkward, yet satisfying in some mysterious way. As if he has been there before. It brings him to a dark place in his many memories. He can see a fellow, looking very familiar to him on the floor. Much younger than he currently is, about 14 years of age. His knees up to his chin and his hands are in front of his eyes. Fire burns everywhere. The heat so close it scorches his fur. The screaming of dying men, women and children is all around him. He's pleading for help, crying for an end to this misery.
I had no one...
His memory skips ahead. He's now in a thick forest. Covered in mud, dirt and blood he emerges from a river he fell in. The clothing he was wearing are nothing more than rags, torn to shreds and slightly dirtier than he himself is. In his hands, between his overgrown and ugly claws, he holds a fish. His first self-caught prey. He sits down at the base of a tree.
I was never a violent person... but I had no choice.
Holding the fish in his hands, he realizes he actually killed an innocent being. But grief and regret couldn't overcome the hungry beast within in. He began to tear the fish to pieces. Eating out large portions of its flesh, filled with fish bone or not. Eventually, he ate most of the fish. Its eyes, huge chunks out of its head, like the cheeks and even its tail before leaving.
I got used to it... the killing. The violence. The hunting. The bloodshed.
For months, maybe even years Sciltch lived as a predator. Setting traps, lying in ambush or just straight up chasing his prey. Success was always guaranteed, being more beast than anything. His mouth was always caked with blood. And sometimes leftovers which he could use up at any given time he needed a snack.
Until I saw you...
Until one day he came across the edge of the thick forests. What he saw baffled him. It were the enormous walls surrounding the capital of a vast kingdom. Around it, the flat fields of green and farmland with some houses here and there; it all made no sense to him. Why would you have the trees that could potentially protect you from him removed?
That is what he thought by himself seeing the of danger unaware farmers working on their land. A rumbling stomach would have driven him into a slaughter, but his ears picked up a sound that he hadn't heard in ages. It was the laughter of girl, not to young. When he turned his face to the sound, he saw Princess Krystal with her parents.
The blue vixen at only 13 years of age was casually sitting on the grass. She wore a skimpy golden attire mainly consisting of a golden bra-like top and nothing but a small white loincloth. She also wore jewelry, including two bands on her tail, silver braces on her shoulders, arms, and legs, and white and golden sandals. She also sported a tiara on her head, and a necklace with a turquoise pendant.
He doesn't know exactly what she was doing there, but time went extremely slow the moment he laid his eyes upon her. All he could see we're the good sides to this magnificent being. What he didn't hear however, was that she was making degenerate remarks towards the less fortunate of the kingdom. Her parents weren't very pleased with it but didn't seem to do anything against it.
He came out of the dense forest and right into her field of view. Instead of screaming like expected children of that age to do, Krystal grinned broadly, stood up and approached him with a very sassy attitude. Despite her parents' disapproval and continued calling which went into one ear and out the other.
Bewildered and not knowing any better, he had no idea what to do. He froze, flinched as Krystal came closer. He began to shiver, trying to hide his fear as the girl without any came closer to him.
It didn't matter how I looked like for you...
"What is wrong you beast? Scared?" she said in the most belittling way as she reached out to him with her paw. "I won't hurt you; you have been hurt enough I see."
She was talking about the scars and the open wounds on his body. As she combed through his hair, she observed him thoroughly. It calmed him a bit. Once she had a complete image of him, her parents came up behind her. Like a little girl choosing her first cute puppy, she told her parents; "I want this one. This one is cool."
I looked cool... you had no idea how much that warmed my dying heart...
Her parents looked at him and were disgusted. Fur probably infested with flees. The hair where their daughter is combing through could be filled with lice and other vermin. His lips and fangs looked ripped and have bloodied residue of at least five different animals.
But there was no protest from both parents. Krystal gestured him to come with her and so it happened that for the first time in years, Sciltch had a home. He learned how to behave properly and how to speak from hired specialists but also how to have fun with Krystal herself. Communication between the two was hard in the beginning but through a sign language they made up themselves, they could communicate.
The both of them grew up together, like brother and sister. Sciltch, even though he was at least four years older than Krystal, took her behavior as the standard. Therefore acting her age and growing along with her as she herself grew up.
Krystal saw their relation a bit differently. She saw him as her pet and a bit as a personal slave as well. Her reign was supreme; what her parents forbade him and she condoned, he would do it. Clashes between him and her parents were frequent because of that, but Krystal was always there to get him out of trouble. When it didn't involve punishment in any way for her at least.
You've given me so much... but in return... I never got any recognition for what I did for you. I deserve something after all that baffling for you.
He shakes off the memory. Though it has given him the much-needed confidence and strength, he doesn't need it anymore. Thinking about the past would only trouble him. His fists clench together as he takes a deep breath before spitting out the words he feels need to be said.
"Krys-" He immediately chokes on his words. They have become a large clot in his throat. His courage drops below zero. He has never addressed the Princess like this.
No. Not holding back now. Just say it! "Yes, Krystal." he manages to get out. Feeling more comfortable now, the rest of his words slide of his tongue normally. "Your words are making no sense. It just adds confusion to what was already hard to follow. I want to know what you mean, right now."
Krystal followed along with Sciltch's trip throughout his memory. There were only some much bits and pieces as could see, being not so sharp in the head at the moment. But those fragments are enough to put the puzzle together. And like a key fitting into its lock, Krystal finds a way to express her feelings as well. If Sciltch mustered this much bravery to speak out at her, she has no choice but to reply.
"Sciltch..." she starts off, already trying to figure out a way to escape confrontation. "... y-you... you've been my best friend ever since I've taken you in. You were always there to support me. No matter where I was. At a difficult speech I had to give to elite that one time." she brings up.
Sciltch can remember it quite vividly. It was Krystal's first speech that, as tradition goes, has to be judged by the elite of the kingdom. If she passes, she may inherit the throne. Despite many practices, she couldn't do it.
"I was sweating, blushing, choking in my own words while hundreds of eyes looked upon me. But in the background... you were there. With that small smile on your face."
She pauses for a minute as she gazes into Sciltch's blandly colored eyes. Much like she did at the speech. She never felt more energized in her life at that moment. All the discomfort, the nervousness flowed right out of her, leaving an empty void soon to be filled up with self-esteem.
Not surprisingly therefore, she begins to feel the same now that's doing it now. She takes a step back, trying not to rush her answer. In case it could come off as hasted or God forbid painfully uninterested.
"You gave me the confidence to take a deep breath and start over. I gave one of the best speeches in the history of our kingdom that time."
The slight euphoric gesturing with her arms and enlightenment on her face suggests that till this day she's still proud that she pushed through.
"Acknowledged by the overwhelming applause of the audience and the proud expressions my parents had. When I looked back at you, you were gone. Off to do one of the many chores I've tasked you with doing before. As if you were never there... like I did it all on my own."
Saying that gives her a boost powerful enough to make her switch from the subject a bit. A minor thing that deviates from where she was talking about, but it comes down to the same point.
"And I've also seen that you lied about my parents finding me in a state of "Sleeping Beauty"." Her eyes skew a little as she says that. "That was no one other than you." she reacts slightly accusing, pointing at Sciltch as if it was something bad.
"I know the reason however..." she assures Sciltch, who was getting quite uncomfortable. "And for that I... thank you Sciltch."
The calm and nice demeanor in which she spoke that sentence assures Sciltch completely. Though he remains a bit shocked. "N-nothing I wouldn't do for you Princess..." he stutters almost inaudible as he bows his head, hiding a small smile.
"Hey, look up." she commands nicely, to which Sciltch complies almost instantly. "I'm truly grateful for everything you've done for me. That speech was just one of the many. You are truly... the uh... best thing that ever happened to me."
She couldn't think of a good way to bring it other than making it sounds overly cliché. However, Sciltch can see right past it, like it's not even there. A fiery red blush graces his face as he tries to hide it.
"W-wow Princess... I had n-no idea..." he responds even softer, plucking his nails and fidgeting nervously with his fingers.
"Neither did I." she admits. "Until you sort of forced me to face it."
She stands up and approaches the embarrassed wolf, coming really close to him. It makes the already prominent blush even more visible. She can feel his body temperature rising, as if he's radiating. A welcome, soothing feeling that welcomes any sort of physical interaction. The urge to just hug him out of sheer happiness is therefore lingering. Krystal however holds back as she has more to say.
"You remained at my side, no matter what I said. No matter how hard I screamed or rebelled. No scene that I caused was too embarrassing for you."
She lets the back of hand run across Sciltch's right cheek, making him quiver on the spot. It looks like a nasty tease but Krystal isn't aiming to tease him. Her expression turns more serious and ashamed as well. When she looked back into her past to see what Sciltch has done for her, how much he meant to her, she realized that she has been treating him like a slave. It was the reason why Sciltch was permitted to live with her in the castle but... it feels so wrong now.
"And what did I do? I made you do all my chores. Let you turn up for things I did wrong. Lower the weight of my responsibilities upon you. And on top of all; I dressed you up in that maid outfit for my entertainment."
Sciltch doesn't seem to mind it very much. But he can emphasize with Krystal as to why she would think this is embarrassing. It has been a pain to wear this, especially in the beginning. The castle staff wasn't too nice to him when he passed by. Talking behind his back, making up stories about him and Krystal. The other maids were the real devils in his eyes.
He gives her that impression. One that suggests it all doesn't matter to him. Whether he's wearing a maid outfit or carrying her responsibilities, he didn't care. Because he always knew that the relationship between them would grow out to be something much bigger and better. Krystal nods in understanding and unleashes a deep sigh. Released from the depths of her heart.
"You know what it is?" she suddenly brings up after a moment of quiet. "I don't even care anymore if this is a dream or not. I'm already glad I could open my eyes you know. To see everyone again. My friends, the nice staff... yes even my parents you curious bug you." she adds to her list just as Sciltch began to think about that. "But you know... it's mostly the sight of you. I'm so glad that I have someone like you. Thank you for making me realize that Sciltch." she ends with her now also having a blush running across her cheeks.
It wasn't easy to say this all, but she's glad it's done and over with. Her heart beats more lively now that all the pressuring weight has been removed. She can feel the warmth surging through her body as she softly embraces her grey wolf.
"Princess... I don't know what to say..." replies Sciltch to Krystal's monologue with a shaky voice along with a shaky body.
"First of all..." She looks up, right at him as she lets him go. "...you may call me Krystal from now on. Secondly... get me some tea; I'm thirsty. I'm not gonna drink out of something shattered. It might hurt my reputation." she ends with a wink.
Sciltch gets the more than obvious joke and submits to her wish. She has an image to uphold as she herself so graciously said. "Of course. I'll be right back." he says humble, almost bowing before her.
He picks up the plate and turns his back on Krystal. In a long and deep sigh, all the held-in tension is released. His breath feels cold, almost icy. Strange, as he feels like a man sets on fire. When Krystal embraced him, he froze. Rooted to the ground and paralyzed in every way imaginable, he thought for sure he was going to faint. Maybe the cold feeling he already had when he entered the room in the beginning was still there.
No matter. he thinks by himself as he walks towards the doorpost with the plate in front of him. I have what I wanted to hear from her. And she didn't punish me or anything! I couldn't be gladder... and maybe she will even... Nah. That's too farfetched.
"Hey." he suddenly hears coming from behind him.
He turns around pretty quick. "Yes Prin... I mean Krystal?" he hastily corrects himself.
"Once you are in the kitchen and you're alone in there, I wouldn't mind if I were to find that maid outfit of yours in the household refuse. Or whoever sunders through that dirt pile." she comments slightly and deliberately snobbish. "Snatch some old but appropriate clothing from my dad's closet and come back here. Bring a cup of something you like yourself with you, because I might have something more to tell you..."
"Certainly Krystal." he says as he turns around and walks out the door with a very happy look on his face, seeing the future exceptionally bright.
Krystal stays in her room, seeing Sciltch leave the room. She tries to take one last peek at the pink slip he's wearing, as it might be the last time she might see it. Tilting her head sideways, she can see it for just a millisecond, but it satisfies her.
With that satisfaction, comes a yawn however. It's short and insignificant but Krystal decides to listen to herself for once and hops onto her bed. She snuggles with her pillow and covers her body only half with her bedspread, with one leg sticking out. Wiggling her backside around a bit, she awaits Sciltch's return. He knows what to do with her wiggling butt.
Krystal rolls over on her back, staring at the ceiling. Where she had the urge before to fire a small, ball-like projectile from a weapon she has a feeling of never existing at all. Firing it at a poster of someone she had seen and had spent a decennium with. He looks very unrealistic now that she's has taken a good look at it. All those strange devices she has no idea of. She now only wants to await Sciltch's arrival.
When she hears familiar footsteps coming closer, along with a very sinisterly familiar tone, namely one she has heard in her dream and in something called a "movie". Smiling, she rolls over on her stomach, wiggling her backside again.
"I was awaiting you hot stuff." she says lovely, not even looking behind her. But she hears footsteps on the doorpost and coming into her room and that's enough for her. "Wouldn't you join me?"
Did you expect that? I don't think you do.
Enjoy another (D) chapter soon enough.