by C C Morgen
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” Lifting the water for so long drained my stamina, but it was worth it watching this girl enjoy herself for once since we met. “I was fatigued for the first time in a long time!” I snickered. “Believe me, I haven’t used my power to this extent since I left home. It feels good practicing water arts again.”
“So, are we both going to become stronger when we train like this more often?” Her grin became even more cheerful as we laid closely, staring at each other. “I never dreamed I would have this much fun again. It can be lonesome with just Yuna in the castle. She’s wonderful to talk to, but she’s not as fun as you are.”
“Do you like the island better now?” I asked, professing to be curious so she could chat more.
“I think it’s amazing,” she gave that same impression she was still carefully choosing her words. “It’s different from what I’m used to—how it feels here, with all the warmth, I can understand why places like this are deemed a utopia. But it’s not the island that forces my heart to sway.”
“Did you genuinely mean it when you mentioned you’d take me out there if I become stronger?” She sat up and gestured to the sea.
“Yes, I did,” I responded. “I’ll take you out there and show you what I see every time I leave the borders of the cove. It’s incredible when you experience it for the first time. The freedom that’s out there is breathtaking. You will love it.”
She stood fast to her feet. “I will not stop then.” She dashed into the ocean. “I will become stronger, so you can fulfil that promise!”
“What are you doing?” I noticed the flare in her spirit.
“I want to go for a swim!” She yelled back while going further into the water and peering back at me. “Are you coming?”
I got up. “If it entertains you, then I’ll join.” I sprinted into the calmness of the sea and dived gliding towards her. The energy of the water revitalized my body, giving me back the strength I required swimming with her.
Her determination gave her speed and her heart allowed her hope. Seeing that inside her, granted me the satisfaction of being a friend, even though that other emotion in my heart continued to grow. Spread none further your roots, I ordered my mind. Stay still as you are for now. ‘Don’t you fall in love.’
The day ended after our long swim within the surrounds of the cove. The sun was setting, and Alphard went back to the castle before the night sky overshadowed the island. My mind finally had peace as the stars became clearer to gaze at from the door of my hut. The universe has blessed me with falling stars, showering across the night sky. This was the life I finally wanted. Being with Alphard made me realize that my life is complete regardless where I am and that I could find happiness. I wanted to get closer to her.
Then in the distance of the path, a shadowy figure headed my way, and appeared to be carrying something. It was Yuna when the light of the moon shone down on her, making her golden hair glisten. She had a clay pitcher in one arm and a chalice in her other hand.
“Good evening Yuna,” I greeted her with a welcoming smile. It surprised me by her unexpected arrival in the night. “What brings you at this hour?”
She approached my door. “I bring a gift from the Queen,” I heard her inner voice loud and clear.
“A gift?” I moved aside, motioning for her to come in. I smelled a fruity, yet earthy aroma from the pitcher as she brushed by me.
“It’s her finest wine,” she smiled oddly as if she was intoxicated, smelling like wine herself.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of such a gift?” I asked, not too thrilled about the Queen sending me gifts.
“She gives her thanks for healing the youngling and for helping me.”
“That’s unlike her to finally give her gratification now,” I answered. “She doesn’t need to reward me for my kindness.”
She poured wine into the chalice and handed it over.
“Smell the wine,” she tried to persuade while sipping from the pitcher. “Taste it—it’s delicious.”
I held the chalice to my lips and tipped it back, tasting the sweet and bitterness of the wine go down my throat. It warmed my body and I could feel my face become hot and flushed.
“It tastes good,” I answered. “I’m not used to such drinks.”
“Drink with me tonight,” Yuna’s eyes widened, like she wanted to have fun. “Let’s lose our minds to the wine and enjoy. We have a lot to celebrate.”
“Celebrate?” I sipped more of the wine, feeling it warm my stomach. “What are we celebrating?”
“The Queen is happy,” the Elven girl lost her balance as she sat on my bed. “I'm happy that her spirits have lifted. Everything is changing and thanks to you I can serve her well.”
“I’m glad you’ve found peace with the Queen being happy.” I lifted my chalice. “Cheers to the Queen finding happiness and to your good health.” I drank what was left in my chalice and sat next to Yuna. She poured more wine and then drank from the pitcher which I found funny she drank so heavily. “You really love your wine.”
“Yes, the Queen’s reserve is very good,” she replied. “My home never had something this good available to us. So, I enjoy every moment of having some.”
“Did Alphard get back to the castle all right?” I wanted to change the subject, thinking about her. “She trained hard today.”
“Oh, she died in bed the moment she got back!” She guzzled more from the pitcher again. “I’ve never seen her so exhausted before. She tries hard.”
“Yes, she does,” I sighed. “I hope the Dark Queen is appreciating that effort.”
“The Queen values the young one very much,” Yuna revealed. “Almost as much as treasure. Her…” She hiccupped accidently and caught herself before finishing her sentence. “You surely like to talk about Alphard a lot.”
“I just care about her,” I answered. “I want to know more about her. She doesn’t talk much about her life and what goes on in the castle other than her training. Does she live well serving the Queen?”
“Amphis, you are my friend. It will be best you lay your curiosity to rest. I don’t want you to get hurt. You’re beautiful and too kind. The girl—she’s—she has her fate sealed.” She grazed her fingertips on my cheek and moved closer until she was merely a breath away. “The Queen even recognizes your beauty. She admires you.” Her hand strokes down to my thigh. “She doesn’t want you to be lonely either. Not having your needs met when the desire burns hotter.” Her lips caressed my cheek and wandered onto my lips for a kiss. It was soft and warm as my mind melted to the smell of wine and the taste of her tongue, touching mine. She pulled me into her arms and onto her lap. I had forgotten how good it felt to be embraced with passion, and Yuna was strong as she held me, her hand like velvet against my skin, and gently removing my clothes. She kissed down my neck and down my chest, her lips slithers down to my breast where she gently bit me, teasing my body.
“The wine wasn’t really the gift,” I moaned. “Was it?” Her soft hand made it between my thighs where it had become wet to her touch. “You were the gift she sent.” Her fingertips were warm as she entered inside me until my body tensed, and a rush of pleasure grew in my body. I gasped and panted, and she shifted me on to the bed and removed her pale green dress. She laid in between my legs, kissing me passionately until I moaned to her body grinding against mine. The heat in my hut rose. “You need to tell me the truth,” I pulled her face to look me in the eye. “Is this what you want?”
“Sex is just sex,” she answered. “The Queen understood that I’m the closest to you. Better me than the other servants to bed you.”
“Ugh,” I pushed her off me. “So, you were here on the Queen's orders. You acting this intoxicated before coming here is to help you endure.”
Yuna laid next to me. “It’s not like that. I needed courage. You are mesmerizing, and just as equally beautiful as the Queen and Alphard.”
“Really now… So, you find Alphard alluring as we
ll?” I asked snickering about it.
“Who doesn’t?” She responded. “It’s taking a lot to avoid overstepping my boundaries with her. All the other servants have a watchful eye, ready if the Queen allowed it.”
“Oh my, Alphard has everyone’s attention except for Luna’s.”
“You have feelings for Alphard—don’t you?” She asked.
I paused not knowing how to respond. “She’s an adorable little girl.” I tried to be vague. “We have this connection. Something that’s rare. I’m actually worried about it since it’s something that can’t be undone. I don’t want to hurt her.”
“Surprisingly enough she says the same thing,” Yuna interrupted. “She keeps hidden how she feels. She walks carefully on the path given to her, only because she doesn’t want to hurt the people closest to her. That’s really the only other thing I can say about it. The Queen prefers her to remain in secrecy until more time has passed.”
“I still don’t understand,” I replied. “You can stay here for the night. So, the Queen doesn’t think you failed at your job.”
“Well—I almost did.” She winked.
Hahaha, yeah you did,” I answered. “It wouldn’t be right. I have never had sex with anyone just for the sake of it. I do miss the romance though. Liking someone. Falling in love with them.”
“I never knew you were a romantic.”
“That was a long time ago,” I answered. “I learned to think more with my mind than my heart with every experience.”
“Alphard is oblivious to love anyway since she is a youngling.” Yuna added.
“Did you ever fall in love?” I asked her out of curiosity.
“Not love.” Her eyes dazed off as if she drifted into painful thoughts. “It was more of admiration. My kind are stubborn in that way. Love is something we don’t fret upon. I admired a friend from my home and how dedicated she was to become a wise mage. She dedicated her life to the Elves, learning more about the magical arts. Summoning, elixirs to heal the wounded creatures of the forest. Every day, she did something that would be helpful to our village. She was exquisite. Crimson hair, dark eyes, and strong as any Elven warrior in the guard. I imagined she was lonely at times not having anyone help her, but she was happy even so. One day, I gathered the courage to accompany her throughout the day. Her smile reminded me of a gentle breeze early in the morning that feels refreshing and full of life. It turned out she had always admired me as well. Her kisses were sweet as the wine I drank tonight. The wine reminds me so much of her. She gave me such motivation to become a better Summoner. I never thanked her.
“What happened?” I asked.
“I watched a Demon chase her into the forest when our village was invaded,” she sounded sad like she reopened an old wound in her heart. “After that day, I never saw her again after that.”
“She could have escaped,” I retorted. “She’s probably still alive in the east.”
“It wouldn’t matter. I’m different from I was then—and I have this.” She touched the scar on her neck. “She wouldn’t be able to hear me.”
“I think seeing you alive is something worth more than a thousand words,” I stated. “To see each other again no matter what has changed between you two is better than not knowing at all if you survived. At least you can find peace knowing what happened. You two seemed pretty close and I’m sure she was happy to have you, even if your time was short together. Anyway, your story doesn’t sound like simple admiration. All of its sounds like love to me. Admiration. Who can you fool with that?”
“Maybe you’re right,” she confessed. “I was blind to that feeling of love. It just hurts more, thinking about it. That I might have loved her and maybe she felt the same.”
“Go look for her,” I said.
“Not right now,” she said hesitant. “Too much is going on for the time being to ask such a request from the Mistress.” She paused. “I will search one day though. Maybe find the ruins of my home.” She squinted at me with a serious grin. “You should be honest more with your feelings. And you’re definitely still a romantic regardless of what you say.”
“Only time will tell with how I feel,” I was hopeful. “If she feels the same way, I do by then. It wouldn’t matter if she was a Succubus. I’ll grab ahold of her and not even the Dark Queen herself could convince me to let go!”
“Such confidence against someone who can annihilate you where you stand,” she laughed in sarcasm.
“I will not make it easy for that woman,” I let my ego speak for me.
Yuna and I talked for the entire night, laughing about random things about the Queen and Luna. The gossip never ended, and we devoured the wine. Even the Fairies didn’t sleep, hearing our laughter throughout the night. What a long night indeed…
CHAPTER XXI
Invasion of the Tower
WHERE DID ALL THE TIME GO? Training with Alphard every day developed into a routine. First, she’d spar with Luna, later she would rush on over for healing and then swim in the cove. Other than using water snakes for practice, I had her learn to be submerged underwater for lengthy periods of time. Meanwhile, the endurance she practiced helped her breathe better while running through the forest, and her legs became like the wind as I watched her jump from branch to branch like a Dark Elf.
She loved to climb trees and dangle upside down during our trips into Fairy territory. However, the Fairies didn’t mind us ever since the night Alphard convinced them to provide us a light show. That night was magical, which made me realize she knew how to charm me in ways that touched my heart until it was no longer simple to just sit and gaze at her, uninhibited and unguarded.
Her body matured further and further, making it recognizable to both Yuna and I that she will shortly turn into a mature Succubus. Her body curved-out even more and the frail arms I once remembered turned into lean muscle, yet she was still tender when I healed her with my touch. She nevertheless doesn’t recognize what she is, but I will be here for her when the craving becomes uncontrollable. I noticed it rising in her through our deep connection. She hasn’t realized that I know she suffers from the aches of enduring the impulse to become close. We’d lay down on the shore and I’d observe her sleep quietly.
Each time, it becomes harder to resist my urge to kiss her. If I stole one, would she even notice the touch of my lips? I wouldn’t dare take it unwillingly. She was too special to be taken advantage of while laying defenseless against my desires. Yuna warned me it would only sadden me if I fell in love with her. I wonder why?
Our discussion in the forest about her two friends had my heart unsatisfied. I wished to kiss her then and unveil my feelings properly, but she bypassed the scene like she perceived what would transpire. Alucard and Edon. Maybe I was like them in this circumstance, another unrequited love. I love her, but I don’t think she feels the same. Maybe she just looked at me as a friend and a guide all these seasons. She showed me no hint, so either way, I had to wait.
One night seemed strange somehow. The skies were clouded, shrouding the light of the moon. The breeze rushed in from the south heavier than natural, and something was off as I abruptly felt the desire to take a stroll near the Dark Queen’s castle. The sky lit with thunder, revealing shadows in the clouds. The wind whirled, and quick gusts blew towards the castle. I didn’t realize what was transpiring, but my heart pounded, and my thoughts went straight to Alphard. There were intruders there…
I passed under the rock arch, entering the Queen's secluded beach. This was the closest I’d been to the castle in a long time. A thundering crash caught my attention, and I glanced up to watch a quarrel in the high tower. A green light shone bright inside what turned out to be a chamber in the tower. Suddenly the green light burst through the balcony window and two Harpys plunged out into the air, disoriented; wings of crimson and black flapping fast. They recovered their balance immediately and levitated near the window, wanting to get back in until another beam of green light came at them, sending them into flight
to depart the castle.
Yuna appeared and glared over the balcony where she caught sight of me on the beach. I couldn’t see her facial expression, but she seemed to motion frantically for me to leave. I instantly figured out why when I suddenly saw Luna, in hound form, leap across the roof of the castle within the blackness as a shadowy beast. Her body appeared huge and brawn as her sharp black claws clutched the stone walls, producing cracks from the press of her paws. Within a second, she bounced into the air towards where I was on the shore. My legs weakened as she struck the ground, shifting the sand with the hard landing, which didn't seem to stop her beaming at me with bright crimson eyes and her teeth snarled as if she wanted to attack. Her snout came close to my face, and I felt the steam of her breath as she let out a frightful growl that sent chills down my spine. I choked at the stink of cinder in the air, her fur black and gray, with a hue of red, which was the blaze marks of Hades. In that moment, the sight of her had me speechless. I couldn’t even let out a weep.
Twigs broke nearby, and Luna whipped her head in the other direction of the sound. Without hesitation, she darted after the sound and left me alone on the beach. It took a minute to realize I required breathing. My heart thumped and I exhaled in relief in the sand. On the balcony above, Yuna seemed just as satisfied of the hound not ripping me apart. I guessed I was only meat for Luna the way she viewed me. This was my first-time encountering Luna in her other form, and it was a horror that burned into my mind, those flaming eyes. I never want to be the rival of the Dark Queen.
When it came to my feet. My legs trembled, making it complicated for me to walk. My body melted like gelatin, choosing to collapse again. As hastily as I could, I made my way to the other side of the waterfront where I would be safe from Luna’s hunt for any other invaders. What just happened tonight?
At dawn, there was no word from Yuna about last night. My mind wandered, bewildered and speculating about Alphard. She was still quite new as a servant. I didn’t know if she was capable enough to fend off Harpys and those intruders were definitely Harpys. Most likely from the Swift wing clan based on how speedily they moved. Why were they there? They should realize better by now that Luna was a force to run from, not into. Her figure still haunted my mind and the smell of cinder still remained like a phantom’s smoke in my nostrils.
