Chapter 3
Creatures of the Faye
Alden started walking through the front gates, so I followed quickly behind. He came to the front door and opened it, gesturing for me to go in. I nodded as I held my hands to my chest, slowly walking into his home. When I was entirely in, Alden followed behind and shut the door. When I looked back, he took off his cloak and placed it on the coat rack next to the door. He was dressed nicely, and his body looked like a man's. I saw that he was also wearing gloves, maybe to hide his hands. I noticed a blue gem on his necktie that sparkled briefly as I stared at it. Alden then caught me staring, so he stared slowly walking over.
"Do you like it? My home? I tried to put it together as others would…thankfully I have Silver who upkeeps the house while I am gone."
Silver? Is that a person, maybe? When Alden finished, I saw a woman walk into the living area. She was dressed in a white and purple dress. She also had a small hat that was tied right under her chin. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were a light purple. Her face was emotionless, but as soon as we locked eyes, I saw her tense up. Her expression never changed, but I did briefly see the tension. She then turned to Alden, who extended his hand out.
"Fenris…this is Silver. She is our housekeeper…if you need anything, please ask Silver or me. I will do my best to help, and I am sure Silver will do the same."
I saw Silver put a slight smile on and bow as she left the room. She was quiet and never said a thing. I then looked at Alden, who crossed his arms like he was waiting for something.
"Alden, is there anyone else I should know of here?"
I hope the answer is no; I would rather have fewer people around me. I was not fond of crowds and was very anxious when too many people were around me daily.
"No, Fenris, Silver is the only other person living in this house. Now…follow me, and I can show you to your room."
I closed my eyes briefly as I sighed in relief. Thank goodness, but did he say my room? He has a room for me? I was caught off guard, so I nodded slowly and followed Alden up the stairs to a small hallway. There were four doors, two on each side of the hallway. Alden then moved to the door closest to our left. He opened the door, and I walked in first. My eyes went wide, and I felt butterflies in my stomach. The room was beautiful! It had large windows so you could push open and see the lovely field across the house. It had a bed in the corner, it was small, but I didn't mind. There was also a desk on the opposite side of the room. It had a pull-out chair and some books and quills for writing. A dresser was at the foot of the bed; it was a beautiful redwood and just the right size. A vanity mirror was right above, and I could see myself perfectly in it. A bookcase and a small chair were also in the corner beside the desk. The bookcase had little books, but I think that is for me to fill myself.
The room was so cozy, and it made my eyes begin to water over. This is the most excellent place I have ever seen in my entire life, and it was…mine? I still couldn't believe all of this. There had to be some catch with this guy…there just had to be. He paid five million for me and even had a room ready. He knew he would get me, and it looked like he knew he would outbid everyone there. I walked over to the desk, ran my hand along the empty top, and grabbed a black quill from its holder. I ran my fingers over the soft feather and smiled. I then felt a tear run down my face; oh no…I quickly wiped it away, but I felt Alden grab my wrist when I did. I looked up at him, and he tilted his head.
"What is wrong? Why are you crying? Do you not like this room? I thought it would be very nice and welcoming."
I smiled and shrugged as I looked down at the desk where the black quill was lying. He seemed very interested when I started to show some emotion. He is curious about it…but doesn't he have feelings and emotions? Why was this so interesting to him?
"It's just…well, this is such a beautiful room…. such a cozy home…it was something I wasn't expecting, so it all has caught me off guard."
I smiled, and he slowly let go of my wrist. He began examining the room as if he didn't quite understand what I saw. Why would he understand? If this is the life that he is used to, it may not be as appealing as it is to me. He put his hand up to the bottom of his jaw and held it there; it looked like he was in thought.
"You weren't expecting it to look like this? I was sure that this room resembled the most common of bedrooms for humans…"
There it was, he said humans…which means he was not. I knew it was apparent, but then again…I still have no idea exactly what he is. I did find his comment amusing, so I held my hand up to my mouth and tried to cover my giggle. It was almost like he was a child, trying to understand and learn things. His curiosity is much higher than I have ever met. When I stopped my giggle, I opened my eyes and saw him looking at me. He lowered his hand and tilted his head again; okay, here comes another question.
"You are laughing now? I am curious …have you never had a room like this before? Is that why you are in awe?"
My expression dropped, as did my stomach; I remembered the room I had at my foster family's house. It was half the size of this room, with a small bed on the ground. There was a small lamp in the corner of the room, and that was it. It felt more like a prison cell than anything, and I always felt like a prisoner. Sadly, I still feel like one…even now. I must remember this mage bought me for some selfish reason; he does not care about me…this is not my home either. This will be a prison…it looks nicer…that's all. I looked down to the ground, and my face felt flushed. I tightened my fists and closed my eyes. I was going to change; then I will attack him and make a run for it. Yes, that's what I will do…I have no other choice I need to get out of here. I felt my claws begin to extend, and I was on all fours when I opened my eyes. I changed into my veil form and saw Alden and his magic power emitting from his body. The auctioneer was right; this mage was mighty. His power was almost overwhelming, but then I saw something. I began to slowly walk closer to Alden, he never flinched, but he kept his eyes on me. As I got closer, I saw a small piece inside his chest that was dark purple. It was spiraling and almost looked like a whirlwind inside of his chest. Usually, the heart and soul are shown there, I could always see them with different colors and auras. Alden was different…he was different because it looked like his heart and soul had been tainted by the veil. Generally, if the veil taints someone or something, it only affects the outside form…not the inside. It takes extreme will and mage power to taint the heart and soul. Someone very powerful did this…someone even more potent than Alden… than me.
I lifted my snout and began sniffing at the darkness as I got to my feet. I didn't realize it, but my paws were now on his legs propping me up. He never moved a muscle, which surprised me. I figured by now he would use magic to either release my form or kill me. Neither happened, but when I got even closer to that dark swirling hole, some of it shot out at me. It came right for my eyes and snout. When it hit me, it burnt like hell, so I fell to the ground, yelping. I conjured up my magic to perform a cleansing spell. This immediately incinerated the darkness, and the burning stopped. I looked up at Alden, who was now crouched to the ground; he held his arm out to me. In anger, I bit his hand; strangely enough, he let me do it. He did not try to fight it, nor did it affect him.
"Fenris…what are you doing? Why are you in your veil form? This is not good…you have alerted everyone that you are here."
I alerted everyone around…of course…when in veil form, all magic users can pick up on the trace quickly. Shit…I must stop being so reckless…but I also need to get away.
"I don't care if I've alerted everyone that I'm here…I'm going to get out of here one way or another."
I growled and bit down even harder. Flames then began emitting from the wound, but Alden quickly extinguished them. He stood with crossed arms as he stared down at me. If he was trying to intimidate me, it wasn't working, I wasn't scared of this thing! And I sure as hell will not allow them to keep me prisoner. I used my shadow magic to cloud myself and the room, trying to disorient him so I could slip by. The room was now in complete darkness, so I took the opportunity to slip through the door into the hallway. I turned around, and with my tail, I swept the lock. I sealed the door with magic to buy myself more time. I swiftly descended the stairs to find myself in the living area. I scanned the room and didn't see Silver anywhere, so I went to the front door and opened it. When I was about to make a break for it, I froze. I felt paralyzed and couldn't move at all. It almost felt like someone was holding me in place, but Alden wasn't there. Suddenly a shadow appeared underneath me, but it wasn't mine. It then began to move in front of me. As I looked down, I saw the red eyes, and I knew…this was Alden holding me in place.
"Fenris, you cannot run, nor can you escape me. You are my apprentice…that is the contract you signed with me when I bought you."
He stood there waiting for my response, but I thought more about how he could possess me with his shadow. This must mean he knows shadow magic…which makes this situation much more complicated. He is right about what he said, I can't escape him, especially if he can use shadow magic. Secondly, the contract thing is bullshit…I know how a magical contact works and was willing to risk it to try and escape. I closed my eyes and lowered my head in defeat…I won't be able to leave…this will be my life now. I felt Alden's hold start slipping, and I could move freely again. When his hold was complete, the shadow moved to the doorway, and it turned into Alden. He looked down at me, almost like he was scolding me. I sat and rolled my eyes; now I felt like a child. Alden then lowered to where we were almost at eye level. I held my rage and anger and sat still. Alden then placed his hand on my head, right between my ears. Being in this wolf form made me more sensitive. All my senses were heightened; sometimes, it was a good thing, but in this situation, it was not. I felt the sensation from where Alden's hand was all the way down to my tail.
"Fenris…you must understand…I will not harm you; you have nothing to fear from me…why are you running?"
I tilted my head and sighed, I wanted to believe him; I genuinely did. With everything that has happened, though, I can't trust anyone. The only reason I am not running anymore is because he has shadow magic. Only creatures from the veil possess the power to use shadow magic. The issue with that is if two veil creatures go against each other, their shadow magic is equal. When magic is equal, you can control it, which makes it useless to try and fight with it.
"I do not trust you…there is no way you bought me just to be your apprentice…there has to be more to this…"
I looked down in anger and defeat. I was also bracing myself for his answer, I may as well know the truth since I cannot leave. Alden removed his hand from my head, and I watched as he sat before me with his legs crossed. He rested his jaw on top of his hand resting on his knee. I didn't understand him; this was all too confusing for me.
"You do not trust me? There is no need…I am being truthful when I said you would become my apprentice. I want to teach you how to hone your magic, and since you are of the veil, you use shadow magic. I am the best teacher for you since I, too, can use shadow magic. From what I can tell, you never received much guidance. You have been a freemason, which is reckless and dangerous, especially in the human world. Your human form may fool other humans, but when it comes to Mages, Alchemists, and Creatures of the Faye and Veil…it does nothing. Even now…you are still in your veil form, which continues emitting, and anyone close enough will know…"
I knew what was happening, I knew more than he thought I did. It offends me that he would think so lowly of me…If I were to try, I think we would have a good battle. At least we would be equals, which means a challenge. But I had to keep it together and be more competent. I went to change back into my human form. When I did, I was on the floor with my head lowered. Alden then grabbed me by the arm and lifted me to my feet. He kept his grip on me and began leading me upstairs again. Instead of entering my room, we went down the hall a little further to a door on the right. He opened the door, and I saw a sizeable, elegant bathtub when we went in. It was the bathroom…he took me to the bathroom? Why?
"Wait here for a moment, please…"
He was so polite; it almost made me uncomfortable. I nodded, and he quickly went out the door. I held myself looking around, examining the bathroom. The bathtub was large, and the sink was on the opposite side with a large mirror above it. This house was so pretty…I couldn't believe I would be living here. It was almost like a dream, and I hope this dream doesn't end any time soon. Alden came in as I ran my hand along the bathtub's rim. I looked over and saw a towel and some clothes in his hand. He also had a jar hidden under his arm.
"Here Fenris, these are for after your bath. Silver made them; I hope they fit all right."
He held the towel and clothes out to me. I hesitated, but only momentarily, before taking them from him. I held them tight against my chest and smiled at Alden. It was only momentarily that I saw him put the Jar in one of his hands. The content was black, and it looked like a very thick substance. I couldn't tell what it was, but I was too scared to ask. Alden then came closer to me and pointed to the bath. He then went to turn on the water and ensured it was at a warm temperature before plugging the drain. He turned and looked at me, I stared at him, still holding the clothes close to my chest; I also felt my face warm.
"Once this fills in, I will need to rub this substance on you so no one can sense your veil presence…this will protect you."
My eyes widened, and I dropped the towel and clothes that hit the floor. He's going to rub that stuff on me while I was in the bath…naked? Um…I think not.
"Alden…there is no way in hell I will allow you to rub that stuff on me while I'm, bathing! I don't care if it hides my scent …you're not doing that!"
My voice was a tad shaky because my nerves shot through the roof! Alden then stood, so my head lifted to follow. He held the jar tight and then bent over to pick up what I dropped. He placed the towel on the side of the tub and placed the clothes on the floor next to the side of the tub. He then extended his arm to the bath; it was almost like he didn't hear a thing I said.
"Fenris…I must do this…if I don't, it won't work, and you will still be detected. You must let me do this…I need to protect you."
Did he say, 'protect me'? he wants to protect me? Well, either way, this is entirely ridiculous. I can't believe this, and what makes it worse is that Alden is acting like it's no big deal! How can he be so nonchalant with this? I can't believe I am having to do this…
"Fine…but turn around while I undress…"
He seemed confused but nodded silently and turned around. Once I knew he was wholly around and all I saw was his back, I quickly undressed and hopped into the tub. When I jumped in, I saw him look over his shoulder; when he saw I was in, he made his way to the side of the tub. He knelt and looked me in the eye the entire time. It made me uncomfortable, so I held my knees to my chest and tried to hide my face. I began watching him as he unscrewed the top of the jar. He placed it on the bathtub's rim and began removing his gloves. When he removed the first one, I saw his hand. It was a dark purple with claws for his fingers. They almost looked like usual fingers, but not quite. His skin looked rough, but without feeling it, I had no idea. I watched him remove the second one and place his hand into the jar. My heart began racing when he removed his hand with a decent amount of the black substance. I almost thought it would burst out of my chest at any moment and continued to get worse when Alden got closer. He grabbed my left arm and began rubbing my arm. His hands were rough; it felt like sandpaper was being rubbed on my skin. I tried hiding my embarrassment, I don't think Alden even noticed. He continued to do the rest of my body, it was quick, and thank goodness it was. I would surely die of what just happened, die of embarrassment. I have never felt so exposed but thank goodness it was over.
Once I finished, I put on the clothes Silver made, which fit just right. They were comfortable, with long cotton pants and a tank top. Once dressed, I walked out of the bathroom heading toward my room. I saw Alden standing in the stairwell when I got to my door.
"Ah, you're finished! Good, Silver has just made dinner…why don't you come down and join us?"
His tone was so soft and innocent. I couldn't help but smile; it was kind of cute…I can't believe I just thought that. I nodded as I continued to dry my hair with the towel.
"I'll be down in a minute."
He nodded and headed back downstairs. The problem with him is that I never know what he is feeling. I can't see any form of emotion on his face, so I must rely solely on the tone of his voice and questions. When I felt ready, I went downstairs and entered the dining room. Alden was already sitting at one end, and it looked like he was deep into some spell book when I entered, though; he caught a glimpse and put his book down. I went and sat on the opposite side, so I was now facing Alden across the table. He rested his elbow on the table and then rested his jaw on his hand. Before we could say anything, Silver came out and placed our dinner plates in front of us. She bowed, giving a small smile, then left the room. I looked at Alden, who was preparing to eat his dinner.
"Alden…does Silver ever talk? She has been reticent since I arrived. What is she? Some Faye fairy? "
Alden began eating; and I stared straight at him, wanting an answer. I wanted to know if I was in the presence of other magic creatures. If that were the case, this wouldn't be good. That will seal the deal of me not leaving…ever.
"She is, yes…she is a banshee, and she has been entwined with this house for some time. She has been up keeping this house even before I arrived. She was quiet even then but accepted me and let me into her home. We don't speak, but I think we communicate well."
Okay, so she is a banshee and connected to this house. This means…well, she wouldn't be able to chase me if I got outside…but she would keep me from even reaching that point.
"Well, that would explain her ghostly appearance…and vow of silence…how long have you two been here? Has it always just been you two?"
Alden stopped eating and now leaned in with his jaws resting on both hands. He was more intrigued by our conversation than he probably should have. If I'm going to be here for the long hall, I might as well try and get to know him.
"It's been over 100 years at least…Silver has been here longer, but that is how long I have lived with her. If it weren't for her, this house wouldn't look nearly as kept and beautiful as it is now."
My eyes went wide, and I hid my hands in my lap. I looked down at my food; he was staring straight at me when he said that. I know it doesn't mean anything, but my body thinks differently. We spent the next hour or so talking about the house, Silver, creatures of the Faye…you name it. Once we were finished, Silver took our plates and began washing up. I stepped in quietly and made my way to her side. I stopped beside her; she turned her head slightly and paused momentarily. I gave her a small smile as I gestured to the sink and the dishes.
"Silver, let me help…it's the least I could do."
Her eyes went wide for a quick moment and then went back to being lifeless. She nodded slightly and stepped aside to give me enough room to join. Once all the dishes were washed, she dried them and handed them to me to put away. She gave me a large pot that went in the ample cupboards behind me, but when I turned, I saw Alden resting up against the door frame. He startled me, and I almost dropped the pot; I caught it in time. Alden jumped from his relaxed position and ran to my side. He placed his hand on my shoulder as he looked down at me.
"Fenris! Are you alright? What happened? I didn't startle you, did I?"
I heard some genuine concern in his tone, which surprised me even more. I nodded slowly as I held the pot tight up against me.
"I'm fine…I wasn't expecting you to be there, is all…but now that the dishes are done, I think I'm going to turn in for the night…"
I turned back to Silver, bowed thanks, and wished her a good night. I did the same to Alden, and once I was done, I slowly started making my way up the stairs. Today was very 'eventful', and I was exhausted. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs not too far behind me when I reached my door. I looked over to see who it was; Alden was coming up and caught my attention. It looked like he needed something. Or wanted to say something? I stood there with my arms crossed, waiting.
"Fenris…I wanted to make sure you got to your room okay…I have placed a barrier around the cottage for the night. The barrier will alert me if anyone crosses…I needed you to know that you are protected."
I was surprised because I never felt his barrier…he must have made it so no one could sense it. I nodded with a small smile, which I had forgotten about earlier, and my veil form alerted everyone around that I was there. I did feel better that the barrier was placed…I think it will help me sleep better.
"Thank you, Alden; good night."
He nodded, watched me as I walked into my room, and closed the door behind me. I went to the bed and fell straight into it, face first. The bed was so soft it felt like I was lying on a cloud. I could feel myself drifting off to sleep until I heard some noise outside my window. I sat up and turned my attention to the window, I didn't see anything because of how dark it was, so I decided to get up and get closer. Maybe if I was closer, I could see what was making the noise. When I got closer, I heard a tap on the window, I tilted my head because I still did not see anyone or anything outside. I went to open the window slightly, but whatever was on the other side was powerful and caught me off guard. The window blew open, and I fell back to my bed. When the window was fully opened, I saw something fly in. I finally realized what was tapping on my window when it got closer.
"You…you're a fairy? Aren't you…"
I saw a ball of green, fluorescent light right in front of me. She revealed herself when the fairy decided it was ready to be seen. She looked like a tree fairy; her skin was light green, and her wings were darker. Her hair looked like it had vines running throughout it. Her eyes were black with red cat-like pupils. She grinned as she got closer to my face. We were only inches apart when I decided to figure out what she wanted. She giggled but never moved; I saw two more balls of light behind her.
"You are such a pretty wolf! Look at your white mane and glowing red eyes! We felt your energy and decided to introduce ourselves immediately!"
Her voice was high-pitched, and she sounded excited. The other two fairies came up behind her and revealed themselves. They all begin giggling and flying around in my room. They circled me multiple times; they were so fast I could barely keep up.
"What are you three doing here, and how do you know what I am?"
The three stopped and came closer; two began playing with my hair, and the main one touched my cheek.
"Oh wolf…us Faye, know of your kind very well. Creatures of the veil tend to come around Faye often. So, when we smell or sense a creature of the veil nearby, we must come to investigate! We all felt your presence, so we immediately made our way over…we don't live too far… technically, we are neighbors."
I crossed my arms as the other two continued playing with my hair. I looked down to the ground; great, Alden was right. I was curious why fairies came and lived so close to Alden's. I wonder if maybe we are close to the Faye realm? Suddenly the other two fairies came in front and came close to the main one. They were all giggling and then started to sing. They began to dance, and their light glittered around the room. Their song was so beautiful, and their fly dancing was beautiful. It looked fun, so I smiled in awe at their carefree attitudes.
"I envy you faye fairies…always seem to have no cares or worries in the world…you just fly around singing, dancing, and having fun…I wish I could do that some days…"
I smiled until the main fairy came and sat on my shoulder. I looked down and saw her closed eye smile…it made me a little uncomfortable.
"Well…why don't you come home with us, Wolf? That could be you every day with us! Just think of all the fun we would have!"
The other two fairies began giggling as they agreed with her. My eyes widened because I couldn't believe I was considering it. Two of them tugged on my arms, so I stood up; the main one stayed on my shoulder, swinging her legs back and forth. I followed them to the open window and leaned out, looking down at the ground. The moon was out, and it was dark out; I could barely see anything. I felt the fairies tug me, so I began leaning forward; my stomach dropped when I felt myself being tugged to where I was falling out the window. I felt the air hit my face and heard the fairies begin to giggle. As soon as I closed my eyes and embraced myself for the fall, I stopped above the ground. I opened my eyes and saw the fairies smiling as I realized they were holding me up. I then felt my feet on the ground, and I could stand. My eyes were wide, and my heart was still racing.
"You could have warned me you were going to pull me out of the window like that!"
They laughed, and the main fairy sat on my shoulder again and began swinging her legs back and forth. She grabbed a strand of my hair and began playing with it.
"Sorry, wolfy! We thought you would have fun with it! You're alive, and now it's time to go home!"
I stopped and looked at her and the other two fairies before me. They are actually taking me to their home? I mean…I…I didn't realize that I had agreed to go along with them. For some reason, though, I wanted to keep going. There was some strange pull that kept moving me forward.
Before I knew it, we were deep in the forest; when I looked back, I could no longer see the cottage. All I could see were trees and some light from the moon shining through their branches. The fairies were giggling and singing the whole way, but I stopped when we came to a dark spot. This was a spot within the forest that was pitch black. Normally Faye or Veil creatures use these as portals to their home realms. The fairies stopped, and the main one lifted from my shoulder. The other two grabbed my hands as the main one flew before me, so she was close to my face. I saw her eyes light up and a smirk form across her face.
"Here we are, wolfy! Time to go to your new home!"
The black behind them began to shift, and lighter shades of green and yellow appeared. I felt mesmerized; this was something I had never felt before. I had a bad feeling in my stomach…part of me knew this was not a good idea. A veil creature living among the Faye? That would never work…why were these fairies taking me here again? Why was I following them so willingly? Everything was hazy, and I couldn't think straight. Before I could do or say anything, the fairies began pulling me forcefully closer to the portal. I tried to keep grounded, but they were surprisingly strong.
"You don't belong with that abomination back there…he would have wasted such a precious piece of the veil! Now you can come live with us; that's where you truly belong! Now stop fighting and come on!"
Her voice was darker than before, and I was in shock. I should have known better than to trust these things! I knew they were no good and deceiving…and now I'm stuck. I could go into my veil form, but then I risk being exposed to other Faye. Not to mention, they called Alden an abomination? He's nothing of the sort! He's a creature of the veil, just like me…what makes me any different than him? I stopped and pulled back as hard as possible, catching the fairies off guard. The main one grabbed some of my hair again and held it close.
"You're coming with us wolfy…whether you like it or not!"
The main fairy began pulling my hair as the other two held tight on my arms. I wasn't having this anymore…I finally came to and closed my eyes. I felt the anger boil inside me, and I felt a surge of magic shoot through my arms. The fairies screamed, and I felt them let go. I opened my eyes and saw large black spikes sticking out all over my arms. I usually try to hide my veil magic, but I figured this would be an excellent time to use it. Plus, this deep in the forest, who knows what's out here? I must be on my guard and get away from these damn things! At this point, I'd rather be on my own again and keep moving than live with Faye. When I opened my eyes and set my sight on the two fairies cowering not too far in front of me, the spikes on my arms began receding. Once they were gone, I shot my gaze at the main fairy looking at me with awe. It wasn't a scared face; it was more of an excited, intrigued look. I tilted my head slightly in curiosity but kept the magic circling in my arms in case I needed it quickly. When it comes to my human form, trying to conjure veil magic takes longer than in my veil form. I didn't want to attract more attention and have more Faye or who knows what else come after me. I needed to get away from them and Alden…I needed to go, and now!
"Wow, wolfy! I didn't know you were so powerful; that was just a glimpse of your magic! How amazing! But why fight us? I thought you wanted to come and live with us? Fly, dance, and have no cares in the world…. I know that is something that you desire…"
I scoffed, but before I could respond, I heard some trees and bushes behind me begin to rustle. The three fairies stayed extremely still as their gaze went behind me. I began to turn my head when I saw him…it was Alden…shit, how did he find me? He came about a foot behind me and stopped with his arms crossed. His eyes felt like they were piercing me as they moved down to meet mine. I felt a shiver and saw his gaze move to the fairies. I turned back and saw the fairies cowering in fear, holding each other close. I then felt Alden put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. My whole body went stiff when I saw him come to my side, and in his free hand, a ball of light began to form. The fairies screamed in fear, but they couldn't move for some reason. I looked up at Alden and saw him focusing intently on the three until he noticed me staring at him.
"What is it, Fenris? Why are you looking at me like that?"
His voice was deep…and made me freeze in place. I was going to ask him what the hell he was doing…but his presence and tone kept me frozen in place. He stared down at me for only a moment, and when I did not answer, he moved back to the fairies and stepped closer.
"They must pay for what they have done…they tried stealing you away from me…trying to take a creature of the veil to the land of Faye is forbidden, fairies…what were you planning on doing with Fenris once you arrived?"
The main fairy was in front and began waving her arms in front of her, and I could hear her laugh nervously. I couldn't quite understand why they were so scared of Alden, but maybe they knew more about him than I did. I will say that just how he is right now has sent some fear into me, but it didn't last long.
"Oh! Yes, we just wanted to play with the wolfy! We just wanted to give her the freedom she desired! We were having some fun, shadow mage…that is all…"
I saw the light in Alden's hand grow, and the fairies cowered even more. I then tugged Alden's arm, which was still on my shoulder, and he quickly looked back down at me.
"What is it? You shouldn't interfere when I am trying to take care of these little pests…we don't need them bothering us any longer."
My eyes went wide… was he going to kill them? I know they were forceful, but I think their intentions were pure…and he was going to kill them because of that? No, I wasn't going to allow it. I took my hands, which turned entirely black, and grabbed Alden's light. The light was immediately engulfed in the blackness and vanished. Alden stared at me, and I saw his jaw open slightly, almost like he was surprised. I looked at him with a stern face and kept my hands wrapped around his to ensure he wouldn't try anything.
"You are not going to kill them, Alden…they were just trying to have some fun…leave them be."
He was quiet and still stared at me with his jaw open. I turned back to the Fairies, who were now more relaxed, and the main one had her hands pulled to her chest. I saw her come closer to me, so I kept my eye on her. She got inches from my face and softly held one hand to my cheek.
"We meant the wolfy no harm…and we are sorry if we startled you! We just wanted to have some fun and bring you along…but you saved our lives, so we will be at your service from now on. Do not hesitate to call, and we will be there, wolfy! We must be off now…have a good night!"
She gave me a soft smile and placed a small kiss on my cheek. My eyes widened as I saw the three fairies' wave and disappear into the portal that went from a mixture of yellow and green light to pitch black again. They were gone within a blink of an eye! The surroundings became dark again, and all I could see was a soft outline of Alden, and his red pupils were glowing brightly. I could see his eyes never left mine, but I felt him get closer, so I had to continue to lift my head to keep eye contact.
"Why did you not let me kill them, Fenris? They were trying to steal you from me…I can't allow that, and now they are gone…but I know they will not try to harm you again. That fairy that came to you sealed a protection contract when she kissed your cheek."
I lifted my hand to my cheek and softly touched where her kiss went. I didn't realize that was what she did; that's crazy. It's nice to know though I had a few Faye on my side…it may come in handy.
"I didn't know that Alden…but even so…they didn't deserve to die…they really didn't do anything wrong. They won't harm me now, and nothing else noticed our little encounter, so I think we are safe for now…but we should probably be leaving soon."
I could see that he closed his jaw and nodded slightly. I then began turning to head back when I felt Alden grab behind my legs and my back. He lifted me into his arms, so I was not far from his face. He held me close to his chest, and I could feel his breath against my face and neck. I felt my face flush as I looked deep into his eyes and was at a loss for words. I wanted to fight him and get free, but something stopped me, so I let him hold me close.
"We should be heading back…it's unsafe for you to be out here this late at night."
I nodded slowly but never stopped looking into his eyes, even when he turned his gaze to in front of us and began walking. I was in awe and didn't really get a good look at him until now. I tried not to pay too much attention since my plan was not to stick around but…I think that plan has changed. He came back for me tonight…he was going to save and take me back…I haven't had anyone do that before. I mean…I was probably reading too much into it. I remembered that he bought me at an auction…and that I am now apparently his apprentice, and that is it. If it means a place to live and protection…then maybe it wasn't so awful.
I think he knew I was staring at him because he looked back down at me, and I felt his grip tighten.
"You have been staring at me for some time now…is there something I can assist with?"
I scoffed lightly and shook my head; he really was something else. They way he talked…it was odd…and he seemed like what just happened didn't phase him. Also, me being in his arms so close didn't really seem to phase him either.
"It's…nothing…I'm just a little shaken up is all…"
He nodded slightly and before I knew it, we were not too far from the front entrance to the cottage. He opened the front gate and then opened the front door and closed it softly behind him. I was still in his arms and now I could see him clearly, he was so tall, it made me feel so puny in his arms. He then began walking me upstairs and went into my room. He laid me down softly on my bed and stood there with his arms crossed staring down at me. I sat there and pulled my legs into my chest as I looked back up at him.
"Thank…thank you for coming…and taking me back…I didn't think you were going to find me out there…"
He nodded and looked towards the window I was pulled out of. I followed his gaze and saw the full moon clearly, it was beautiful.
"You are welcome Fenris…you are my apprentice…I will do everything in my power to protect you and ensure you are safe…but there is something else you must know…I didn't purchase you just to become my apprentice."
There it was…I knew this was too good to be true…there is always something. My heart began to race, and I held my legs tighter and rested my chin on my lifted knees. I looked down because I didn't want to look at him when he told me this next part. I was preparing myself for the worst….I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. When there was silence between us for a moment, I heard him come closer and sit at the end of my bed. He put one of his hands on my knees so it forced me to look back up at him.
"I purchased you to also become my bride Fenris…of course you are my apprentice first and foremost, but I also want you to be my bride…"
The grip on my legs loosened and my eyes went wide. I think my heart might have stopped briefly in my chest…because all I could do was stare at him with a blank expression. He said that so nonchalantly…did he even know what he just said? Does he even know what that word means? He seems a little out of it and questions everything like he doesn't understand…so maybe he used the word incorrectly?
"Alden…did you just say…your bride? Are you sure that is what you meant? I don't understand why you would want an apprentice and bride at the same time…I'm confused."
I think my response and tone of voice caught him off guard. His jaw parted slightly, and he removed his hand from my knees. He placed his hands in his lap, and I could feel a shift in his demeanor. He almost seemed a bit uncomfortable now, which was a first. He then stood up, my gaze followed, but I still sat on my bed not moving a muscle. I watched him as he made his way to my bedroom door. Once he opened it, he turned slightly to where I could see the side of his face and eye.
"We will discuss that another time…for now…sleep well Fenris…your apprenticeship starts tomorrow."
He closed the door behind him and once I knew he was gone I fell back onto my bed. I held my hands on my stomach and stared up to the ceiling. My face was warm, and my heart was still racing. He just said he bought me to also be his bride and he just leaves it at that! I can't believe him! This is going to be something else…something I have never gotten myself into before…but there is no turning back now…so I guess I will try and make the best of it for now.
