Matchsticks: A Dark Spirits Fairytale

by S. J. Sanders

  “Very well,” he murmured against her mouth. “I can deny you nothing.”

  Chapter 15

  The lupi village sat snug in a small, sheltered valley on the mountainside. It wasn’t easy to see at first, but as Aquilo descended lower through the air and cut to the right, it suddenly came into view and Agatha gasped with pleasure.

  It was like a little holiday village. The lumber houses were painted brilliant red that looked festive against the white snow, and everywhere she looked lanterns were lit and hung. There were no garlands, but there were long ribbons and dyed strips of leather that whipped against the sky with the wind. Bells jingled softly from those ribbons, filling the air with a shimmering melodic sound as they swept lower, stirred to life by the gusts created by Aquilo’s wings.

  Lupi clad in predominantly burgundy, blue, and green tunics burst from the cottages. Those from the fortress had arrived earlier and were visible among their families as everyone seemed to pile outside to greet Aquilo. Despite the ferocity of their appearance as they rushed out, the sharp smiles that broke out were welcoming and the howls that raised in the air were joyous. Their song struck her heart and sent a shiver down her spine. It was as if they were singing to her!

  Of course that was ridiculous. He was the one whom they awaited every year. Before she had time to really feel weird about being carried by him in the center of everyone’s attention, his arms hugged her tighter to his chest and his head dropped down to hers. Her heart quickened at the touch of his nose and lips skimming her cheek.

  “Relax,” he whispered.

  Her fingers dug into his cloak. “Easy for you to say. Your visit is anticipated every winter… I’m just the human being dropped among them. Forgive me if I still have a few concerns about whether or not everyone is going to be happy with my presence.”

  “They have never sung like this for me, so I cannot imagine who else it would be for,” he observed dryly. “They celebrate your arrival to our mountain.”

  Agatha blinked in surprise. Celebrated? Her work had been celebrated in a few magazines in a way that had been more of a positive footnote in her career, but she had no idea how to even react to truly being celebrated just for being present.

  Her weight shifted as Aquilo’s legs dropped down below them in preparation to land. For a moment, everything was obscured with billows of stirred snow until they touched down, and the world cleared just as the lupi swept in around them.

  Carefully, he lowered her to her feet in front of him, his solid body bracing behind her. She was secretly thankful of the support. She had been feeling peculiar ever since she returned… strangely drained. It made the crowd all the more overwhelming, but she didn’t shrink from the lupi. Coming from a large family, it was nice to be a part of that obvious closeness enjoyed in the village.

  Hands reached and patted her arms in welcome as she was set on her feet. No one dared do more than that, not with Aquilo maintaining a low-level growl as everyone pressed in close. Lupi pups leaping around their legs were eventually plucked up by the surrounding adults and brought up to eye-level so that their small hands could also pat her arm as they practically squirmed with excitement. More than one wore bells strung around their neck that jangled with their every move.

  Caught up in the chaos of it all, Agatha laughed despite herself. It was hard not to be dragged into the joy that permeated the air around them.

  “All right, everyone’s had their chance to welcome our regina. Back off now,” Kadana barked cheerfully as she and several other of Agatha’s guard came to their side with a number of Aquilo’s guard who took their place at his flank.

  The lupi didn’t take any offense at the rebuke but danced along the edge of what they considered a polite distance as they made their way into the village. Everyone except the little ones. Several lupi pups grabbed her cape and tugged in an attempt to hurry her along, but it was just shy of a disaster. Their little bodies collided constantly, raising tempers as they snapped and growled at each other in their squeaky voices. Agatha pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at the sight. Unlike the harsh features of the adults, the little ones were fluffy with soft, round muzzles and little bodies thick still with baby fat.

  Kadana snapped her teeth at the squabbling pups, sending them fleeing on a collision course with each other and everything else directly in their path. Aquilo chuckled after them, drawing several surprised gazes to him from the populace. He fluffed his wings lazily, as if nothing unusual had happened, and once again Agatha found herself fighting back a grin.

  He was virtually unrecognizable from the man who had rescued her from the mountainside. It was of little wonder that the villagers who hadn’t seen him in a year were surprised by the changes in him. Another howl immediately went up, echoing and carried further by those throughout the village. A pinkish hue stained his pearly cheeks, and Agatha snickered.

  “Seems like there’s much to celebrate for the lupi,” she said.

  “You would think they had never heard a male laugh,” he groused as his features rearranged back into his familiar scowl.

  Agatha snorted with laughter. “If this is the look you typically wear in their company, I’m not surprised that a more pleasant visage is worthy of celebration.”

  “I did not think that I was so unapproachable,” he replied stiffly and fanned his wings, drawing another laugh from her.

  “Unapproachable isn’t quite the word. I found you to be scary and intimidating. Certainly enough for me to be cautious in your presence.”

  His glowing gaze settled on her intensely, promising all kinds of pleasures. “And are you still frightened?”

  “Oh, yes, in all the best ways,” she murmured.

  “Then I shall be sure to make you scream all the louder,” he growled.

  A shiver of awareness ran through her, bringing a wicked grin to his face. With his sharp fangs bared, there was much of that harsh, dominant man evident within the new warmth he had acquired. As much as she loved his smiles and laughter, she had come to crave that rawness to him. It must have showed on her face because a few among his guard smirked knowingly. She raised an eyebrow at them. She had a pretty good idea of just how aware everyone in the fortress was of their intimacy… She wasn’t exactly silent.

  Agatha smiled as she considered a repeat performance.

  “I do believe that it will be a very happy solstice for me, then,” she said happily as she leaned her head against his chest.

  Aquilo’s laughter rumbled against her ear, and she became aware of his wing as it draped around her, holding her close as they walked toward the large gathering hall at the village center.

  The gathering hall was a simple wooden building, decorated at the entrance with more of the colorful bell-adorned ribbons, but as they stepped inside, Agatha felt a homesickness come over her at the sight.

  A large tree took up one corner of the hall, and although the branches were still bare, the scent of pine mingled with the spices of food and mulled wine. Firelight flickered in warm hues over the wooden walls, and she caught the scent of juniper burning in the hearth with the logs. Several large tables dominated the center of the room, and at the end of the central table, Agatha could see Eltha unpacking cookies. The ogress gave her a cheery wave before hurrying through a door at the back that she could only assume led to a kitchen.

  How Eltha managed to move so quickly for her size never failed to amaze her.

  Agatha was drawn into the crowd as platters of food were brought out. The pups snagged gingerbread cookies before ducking away with their treats. The adults pretended not to notice, though she saw more than one smile sent in their direction. It was solstice eve, and apparently among the lupi, a touch of Saturnalian misrule was not uncommon.

  She was surrounded by all manner of excitement, even a number of lupi wearing strange masks as they drank. A few danced to a drummer and flautist in the corner, and evergreen boughs adorned with citruses hung from them with ribbon and dressed with
cloves. The scent was heady, adding to the thrill of the excitement going on all around her as Aquila led her to a wooden throne set up at the head of the central table.

  Though simple in design, it was draped heavily in furs, as was the smaller chair set next to it. At his direction, she sat in the smaller chair as he settled on the throne beside her. His wings folded behind him majestically, but rather than cool and aloof as he sat on the throne, he smiled warmly at the lupi as they milled about, socializing, feasting, and dancing.

  Agatha grinned when a warm mug of spicy mulled wine was shoved into her hands by a lupi wearing a mask that almost seemed reminiscent of a Krampus.

  “This is all incredible!” she exclaimed and took a deep sip of the wine, savoring the zing on her tongue. “Is it always like this?”

  At her left, Aquilo also drank from his cup and nodded, his lips curling happily. “Yes, the lupi celebrate the entire week of Saturnalia, but the solstice is an important day for them. Tonight, the shortest day, is Brumalia, the feast of Saturn, Ops, the earth, and Bacchus prior to the return of grain-bearing Apollo. There will be much feasting as an all-night vigil is held… but we will not stay for it all.” He chuckled. “I have other things on my mind than drinking through the night.”

  “We will be returning to the fortress tonight. then?”

  As much as she looked forward to privacy with Aquilo, she also didn’t want to miss out on anything.

  Kadana cleared her throat politely at her right shoulder. “In anticipation of Agatha’s arrival with you, the clan hopes that you might finally make use of the cottage here for the night. They have filled it with furs and plenty of firewood and several lamps, food, and drink, to see to your comfort.”

  Agatha glanced over at him hopefully. “Can we? I think it sounds wonderful. We can enjoy the party and have a little retreat just for us to escape to as we wait out the night.”

  He gave her a doubtful look. “You seem to tire easily today. I do not wish you to overexert yourself.”

  “I’ll be fine. Trust me, this is exactly what I need,” she assured him.

  “Very well,” he agreed.

  Kadana yipped happily and shouted to the crowd. “Sound the horns of the north and make merry! King Aquilo accepts our hospitality!”

  Agatha nearly jumped as three large males nearby lifted curled horns that appeared to be made from some sort of enormous beast.

  “Dragon horns,” Aquilo whispered as she stared at the ebony instruments. “They were gifted to the clan by one of the dragons of the northern mountains. It is rare for dragons to gift their shed horns, as they only shed them once every hundred years, but this clan is favored as a people under my protection. And so, the dragons honored them.”

  “There are dragons!” she replied excitedly, but they were interrupted when the horns blared, and the lupi threw back their heads and howled.

  She wanted to ask about the dragons, but she mentally shelved that conversation… for now. Aquilo’s lips quirked as she sat there practically dying to know, but she returned his smile and focused on just enjoying herself. There were plenty of times for questions… She still had one more match to bring her back.

  Another round of cheers rose as the roast pig, a large side of what looked and smelled like beef, and platters of fish were brought out. She half-expected them to set upon the food with the same merriment and abandon that they were treating everything else. To her surprise, they gathered around the table, and mugs were refilled and raised as everyone who had good wishes for the new year spoke. After each person spoke, wine was drunk and refilled for the next toast.

  She was glad that the wine was a bit watered down and the cup shallow, otherwise she might have already been slipping from her chair. Nonetheless, she was acutely aware that a grizzled male with one blinded eye and a perpetual snarl due to scarring on his muzzle watched her from the central table.

  Kadana leaned toward her. “That is the head of our clan,” she murmured, and Agatha resisted the urge to shift anxiously under the male’s hard glower.

  The lupo’s good eye narrowed on her as he leaned forward in his chair. He looked on the verge of attacking as he shoved up from his chair. She stiffened, coming just shy of recoiling, but he made no move toward her. Inclining his head to her, he lifted a large mug of hot wine in her direction.

  “To the queen of the mountain! May the darkest nights of the year be lit with warmth forever among friends and kin.”

  “To Agatha, the good spirit of the winter, lady of the northern wind,” the lupi called back, their mugs raised high. “May never the light be extinguished!”

  A loud cheer went up filled with howls and shouts of agreement with mugs raised and drained once again.

  Smiling her thanks, Agatha leaned over and whispered to Aquilo. “Uh, do they know something I don’t know?”

  He slanted her a mysterious smile and lifted his cup to her before tipping back the contents. He seemed content to keep his secrets during the festivities. Whatever it was, it pleased him, and she had no doubt that she would discover that secret sooner or later.

  Rolling her eyes in amusement, Agatha turned her attention back to the festivities. She ate and drank until she could barely move, and then was dragged out to dance, first by the lupas who insisted that she dance in the center of their circle with them, and then by Aquilo whose arms held her close and wings teased as he led her through the unfamiliar steps of the frenzied songs. Then they ate and drank some more.

  She was feeling a bit lightheaded and strange when wooden boxes were carried in by several males and females and set around the tree. She blinked through the fogginess that overcame her. Something felt discordant and wrong. She frowned, hands clenching over her stomach as a sense of unease slid over her.

  What was going on?

  Her brow wrinkled as she attempted to analyze where the feeling was coming from, but just that quickly, the feeling was gone. Aquilo touched her arm, his expression concerned.

  She shook her head and shot him a cheerful smile. “It was nothing. I must have had a bit too much to drink. No more mulled wine for the rest of the night, I think.” She chuckled as she set her cup down.

  His brow dropped, unconvinced, but he nodded. “There is a jug of cider that the pups have been drinking from and some of the other lupi. I will get you a cup of that. Do you wish to rest?” he asked, his head tilting toward her chair.

  She glanced over at the tree. Males and females were drawing out numerous ornaments made of wood, clay, leather, and straw. Ornaments were handed to the pups so that they could join in. She felt a pang of longing. She wasn’t going to miss decorating the solstice tree.

  “No, I’m okay, and I would really like to join in with the decorating. I’ve been waiting forever to have a real solstice, and I don’t want to miss anything.”

  “There will be others,” he said.

  “There are no guarantees of that,” she rebutted gently.

  Especially not with one match remaining. This could be her only chance to find a bit of the joy again to last her for years.

  He looked as if he were about to protest, but Agatha took advantage of the moment to grab his arm and tug him forward. “Come on. Let’s just go have a bit of fun.”

  His eyes met hers thoughtfully, debating. In the end, he relented and allowed himself to be pulled across the longhouse.

  The lupi went still as he joined them, blatantly surprised by his presence among them in such a humble activity. Aquilo eyed them, uncomfortable as they stared in the strange standoff. No one so much as moved.

  Taking the lead, Agatha reached down into a box and carefully unwrapped an ornament that appeared to be a masked reveler made of leather and bits of bone. She nudged Aquilo with her elbow and handed it to him.

  He looked down at it in surprise, and she nudged him again, giggling when he shot her an exasperated look.

  “You hang it by its string on the tree,” she instructed.

  His lips twitched, breaking
the tension that had its hold over him. “If you are certain,” he teased, and he looped the ornament’s string around a branch.

  She handed him another, and then another again, hanging her own between each of his. Lupi watched them, ears pricked with curiosity. When it became apparent that their king was mingling as one of them with no other intentions, they relaxed and became animated once more.

  In no time, the tree was decked out with ornaments, dried fruits, and nuts, and even tiny breads twisted into various forms. Agatha stood back a few paces and looked up at it, marveling at it. She was pretty sure that she had never seen a better-looking tree, not even among those she had decorated herself with expensive glass ornaments and lights.

  Muscular arms swept around her, and she leaned back into the embrace. She was a bit tired, but she didn’t mind. It was worth it.

  Lips pressed against her temple and slid down to her cheek until they brushed her ear.

  “Are you pleased?” he whispered.

  She nodded her head.

  “Good. Now you are mine.”

  She shouted with laughter as Aquilo swung her up into his arms. Approving grins met them as Aquilo spun away and whisked her to the door.

  “Wait! Her cloak!” Kadana laughed as she rushed up and threw the heavy fabric around Agatha.

  He nodded with a smile of thanks and tucked it tightly around her before stepping outside.

  Though the cold stung her cheeks, Agatha was warm enough where she was tucked in close against his body. Content, she lay her head on his chest and watched as they made their way toward a cottage just outside of the village, higher on the slope.

  Someone had clearly been there recently, because a fire crackled in the hearth and the cottage was comfortably warm. There were decorations of pine and straw, and the spicy scent of burning juniper perfumed the air here as well. She tried to enjoy the ambiance of the room, but her attention was drawn to the large bed covered in furs.

  She licked her lips eagerly, and Aquilo growled. Although he laid her gently on the bed, his mouth attacked her with such fervor that she gasped from the onslaught of sensations. His tongue stroked over her skin, intermixed with small, stinging nips, as he bared every inch of her.