Dragon of Eriden - The Complete Collection

by Samantha Jacobey

  Elvish Desires

  Freeing her hair from the soft towel, Ami’s damp waves hung on her shoulders. She gave the curls a tussle, shaking them out as they dripped fine circles of moisture onto her new gown. A strong sense of wellbeing settled over her, and she sighed heavily, as if relaxing into the pleasant state.

  Following her petite elven maid, Amicia left her secluded bath house with an air of confidence about her. Crossing the rock pathway, they entered a structure built from large stones via a tall arch. From there, a narrow case of stairs followed the wall immediately to her left, winding around the inside of the tower as it climbed.

  Straight in front, a small door sat nestled beneath the case of steps. Offering no explanation for the room at the base of the tower, the elf maid led Amicia to the left, and they began their ascent towards the peak above them.

  They wound around the inside of the tower in a tight circle, the left side made of wall and the right open to the floor below. The idea of it caused her heart to pound, and she kept to the inside and away from the edge for fear of toppling off and plummeting to her death.

  As they climbed, step by step, Ami’s dress floated around her. The sensation of air on her legs felt odd after wearing Bally’s pants for so many days. The material made a swooshing noise as she moved, and she became caught up in the rhythm of it. Her heart fluttered as she pranced, her mood improved despite her reservations about their hosts.

  Completing a round, they encountered a second door on the mountain side of the spiral. “What’s in here?” Amicia asked, pausing to catch her breath on the small landing that belonged to the mysterious portal.

  “Servant’s quarters,” Sadrir informed her dismissively, obviously prepared to move on.

  “Oh, we have neighbors,” Ami grinned, raising her hand to knock on the flat surface. “I wish to meet them.”

  “My lady!” the small elf gasped, her brow furrowed by deep lines of horror. “The chambermaid and her husband care for the tower and your suite. Their station is beneath you! It would be best if we resumed our climb and you ignored their presence as any other noble-woman would do.”

  Her hand frozen with indecision, Amicia cut her eyes over at the shorter girl. “You suggest I should pretend they don’t exist?”

  “Yes, my lady,” Sadrir replied, standing up straighter. Her chin slightly raised, she informed her guest, “Our towers are reserved for the highest of our nobility. To speak to the servants of your spire would be most frowned upon. If ever you have need of their services, you need simply ask, and I will direct them to your desires.”

  Puckering her lips, Ami considered the news, then slowly lowered her appendage. Lifting her skirt, she returned to her climbing while considering her options. She refused to give up on the idea of meeting those who lived in the tower, but she fully realized it would have to wait until the elf assigned to her had finished her task of delivering her to the suite above and gone on her way.

  Making another full turn, they arrived at yet a third door, and Amicia sighed, seeing that the stairs continued and they had not yet reached the top. “More servants?” she asked with a small scowl.

  “Each level holds a single room designed for the upkeep of the tower. Your suite awaits us at the pinnacle,” Sadrir finished, as if her words held a prodding to keep the girl moving.

  “Fascinating,” Ami agreed with a small, satisfied smile.

  Taking the next round of steps, her dress shimmered in warm light. The sun shone in through small windows in the outer wall, lighting the narrow flight of stairs. Watching as it moved with her, in waves of colored elegance, she felt pretty; almost beautiful. However, she was not accustomed to this type of physical demand and again became winded by the end of the turn.

  Pausing on the landing of the next door, she could see the frustration on the smaller girl’s face at her repeated stops. “I only need a moment,” she assured, then indicated the newest room. “What’s in here?”

  “Supplies for your quarters, my lady,” Sadrir replied with a small, anxious laugh at her curiosity. “It would be impractical to haul everything that you need at the top all the way up the stairs.”

  “You have a better way?” Ami asked in surprise.

  “We have a pully and rope system inside.” Freeing the latch, she opened the portal and allowed her mistress inside, confident she would be asked fewer questions if she got them all out of the way at once.

  Stepping into the small chamber, Ami’s jaw dropped in wonder. One wall housed a small box about three feet square and tall enough to stand on. Next to it, a tunnel that ran the height of the tower provided access to the ropes that could be used to raise and lower the small platform. It reminded her of the large hoist used on the boat to load the cargo into the hold but on a much smaller scale.

  “This is genius,” she observed. “You can bring up anything that you like?”

  “Yes, food, clothing, furniture. We store the wood for your fire in the room below your suite, and rooms like this are for the other essentials,” she assured, wafting her hand at the shelves stacked neatly with the aforementioned supplies.

  “And all of the towers are arranged so,” Amicia surmised.

  The word noble-woman swam in the back of her mind, and a small ache formed in her gut that she had been referred to as such. She was a tradeswoman in truth, and no blood of nobility flowed in her veins as she was aware. The dishes and linens on the wall before her more lavish than she had ever laid eyes on, she felt the fear again that they did not belong within those walls, but only for a moment before she was overtaken by a renewed sense of peace and deep wellbeing.

  “The towers are reserved for our most honored members of Jerranyth,” the girl said with a small curtsy and a bright smile.

  Nodding, her curiosity satiated for the moment, Ami sighed, “Well then, let us view this suite.”

  Finishing the long climb, her heart beat faster with each round that they made. Passing the uppermost door, the one she had learned held wood for their fire, her thoughts filled with her refreshed state. The warmth of her activity made her head light, and she giggled aloud with a mild euphoric delirium overtaking her. She did make a more presentable young woman, she had to admit, and she briefly wondered if it would finally be enough to turn the Mate’s head.

  She had wanted to garner the attention of Piers Massheby since she met him and not the false courtship he had presented while they were with the sirens. Ami wanted to be with him; to know his love and the tenderness of his touch. By the time she reached the top, she felt confident her upgraded appearance would be her best chance yet to find her way into his heart.

  She exited the case into a wide room, her cheeks flushed with anticipation. On the far wall, a fireplace sat inside the rock of the cliff, with a small log burning inside. To the left and right of it, narrow doors stood, two per side, each opening out into the room rather than in as a proper portal should. The hinges are on the wrong side, she observed.

  In front of the fireplace, a heap of bags had been placed, and she recognized hers had been brought up as well. The others held less important items, at least for the moment, but she was grateful their belongings had been respected and returned to them at any rate.

  Around the walls, small lamps burned, bathing the large area in light. In the center, a rug covered the floor, and a large round table filled the space. It held a grand appearance, with a crystal decoration hanging above it. She had heard of such opulent chandeliers, formed by many small clear gems strung together by fine thread, but like so many things she had discovered in the land of the elves, they had been far above her personal experience.

  Observing the beauty of the crystal structure, she noted that small flames burned within the intricate design, casting dancing light on the hard wood of the shiny flat surface. The furniture appeared elegant, and a small cushion on the seat of each chair added the idea of comfort if she were to sit on one of them. “Oh my,” she gasped, unable to hide the depth of her awe.
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  Still standing on the landing, she looked to her right, discovering a small balcony. Flanked on both sides by thick, dark green colored drapes, it had scarcely enough space for a single person to stand and peer out at the valley below. Turning towards it, she gripped the edge of the frame tightly with her right hand and slid her foot out to test the wooden flooring.

  “I assure you it’s quite sound,” Sadrir informed her.

  “Well, I want to be sure, don’t I,” Ami replied with a nervous giggle. Sidling out onto the ledge, she shifted her hold to the stone barrier that enclosed the small space. “Oh my God,” she breathed.

  Below her, Amicia could see the whole of the land. They had been given one of the tallest spires, which towered above the trees below. Recalling looking up at them as they had approached, she smiled, not having anticipated being treated to such luxuries while in the house of the elves. “It’s beautiful,” she informed her hostess.

  “Yes,” Sadrir agreed with a small giggle at her trepidation. “Each of you has a bed chamber,” she added, indicating the doors with an outstretched hand.

  Turning, Ami looked at the three open portals again and then left the balcony to examine them further. The fourth door shut, she realized someone had arrived in their suite before her. “I hope that Oldrilin is well,” she whispered, thinking of Rey and his mermaid friend.

  Sounds echoed through the door for an instant, then vanished. Horrified, she instantly realized it had not been Rey who had arrived first, nor was the Mate alone in his new bed. Glancing at the girl next to her, Amicia knew she had guessed this fact as well.

  “So, which one is mine?” she asked, her voice loud as if she were announcing their presence to the couple they had discovered.

  “You may have your choice of the three,” her maid replied.

  Leaving her, Ami marched across the common room to claim her bag, then chose the room that fell directly across from Piers’s, as he had taken the first chamber on the left. With her on the right-hand wall, on the opposite side of the room, it was the farthest she could get from him and exactly where she wanted to be at the moment.

  “I’ll take this one,” she announced, standing in the door frame to have a look inside. Straight in front of her, a small table with a single chair occupied the corner, each a simpler version of the large one that held the center of the common room. To the right, a full-length mirror stood on slender yet intricately adorned legs, and a bed filled the rest of the chamber.

  She recalled the small, lumpy mattress she had slept upon every night of her life, or at least all of them before she left Nalen. This one, topped with a thick blanket and half a dozen small pillows, was no doubt made up with the fine linens she had seen in the rooms below and would be nothing like that which she was accustomed to.

  “This will do fine,” she tried to dismiss the girl, who had entered while she examined her new compartment.

  Instead of leaving, Sadrir lit a small lamp on the wall to the right of the door and placed the striking stone back in its box on the shelf beneath the flame. Turning to the bed, she lifted the blanket and shook it, then laid it open and ready to be climbed into by exposing the luxurious sheets. Lastly, she fluffed a pillow, which sounded heavy when she dropped it back into place, as it was probably filled with feathers.

  “Thank you,” Ami said more quietly, while placing her pack on the table and wishing she had left the room in darkness. Waiting for her to leave, she felt torn. Part of her wanted to present her clean, comely self to Piers, but the rest of her wanted to remove the gown and toss it aside in favor of the bed for at least a few days.

  Across the suite, the door opened, and an elf maid pranced out. Her smile wide, she appeared more than satisfied with her visit to the Mate’s quarters. However, she also seemed to be done with him, as she did not pause in the common room and made straight for the stairs and the exit below.

  Stepping out of his room, Piers leaned against the rock wall next to his bedroom. His shirt off, his broad chest bare as it had been the first time she saw him, Amicia scowled when he grinned at her. “I guess you found your own elvish desires to while away the afternoon,” he drawled, indicating her altered appearance with a few extended digits.

  Ami could tell he was not impressed with her attire or her efforts to please him. “I was shown to the bath,” she spat, lifting her chin as she spoke to him. “I see you didn’t waste any time persuading one of them to join you for a tumble,” she rebuked. “Quite a feat considering you don’t speak elf.”

  “Persuaded, hardly,” he laughed loudly. “She practically dragged me up here. She had a couple of friends that seemed equally as eager, so I’m sure I won’t be spending many nights alone here.” His grin appeared almost evil as he twisted the knife in her fresh wound.

  Clenching her jaw, Ami fought to maintain her control and to keep her lip from quivering. Her room empty and inviting, she reached for the handle to close the wooden covering just as Reynard and another maiden, the one who had led him away earlier, appeared on the landing. “Rey!” she squealed, momentarily distracted from her nap.

  Crossing the short distance, she caught him by the arm, and he stared at her with wide eyes, taking in her elegant form. “Ami, you look so different,” he whispered.

  “Never mind that,” she laughed. “How’s Lin?” she asked eagerly, seeming to have forgotten all about Piers and his mistress.

  “She’s resting,” he smiled back, his exhaustion evident. “The sirens were not exaggerating the depth of the elvish powers of magical healing. I’ll check on her again after dinner, but for now, I’ve been told to get some rest.” Glancing at the other man, still half naked, he grimaced.

  He had passed a young brunette going down as he was being led up, and it didn’t take much imagination to figure out what she had been doing there. Turning his attention back to Ami, he smiled broadly, “You look amazing, Amicia Spicer. Don’t pretend like it’s nothing. You deserve the compliment. A beautiful gown for a beautiful young woman,” he praised.

  Touching her long blond strands, the girl grinned shyly. “My hair’s already out of control, but it felt good to wash it. I’ll put it up before I lay down for a bit of sleep.” Cutting her eyes over, she threw daggers at the older man as she walked to her chamber and closed her door behind her.

  As soon as he heard the click of the latch, Rey crossed the three steps to stand before Piers with angry stomps. The two elves who had shown him and Ami up had departed, and the two men had the common room to themselves.

  “Why the fuck are you so mean to her?” he demanded through clenched teeth. His hands forming fists at his sides, he didn’t care how big the older man was at the moment. He wanted to beat him just the same, or take a beating trying.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” the Mate replied, picking his shirt up off the floor and pulling it over his head to cover his tanned skin.

  “The hell you don’t,” Rey refused to be ignored. “You know how she feels about you!”

  “Yeah, I know,” Piers laughed, sauntering over to the balcony to have a peek outside.

  “So, what’s your problem?”

  “My problem,” the Mate repeated, puckering his lips as he scoured the terrain below. “The problem is, I’m twice her age, and I’ve done all that I could to make that clear. I’m not interested in becoming a husband, hers or anyone else’s. I’m not going to change my mind, and she is wasting her time wishing for such a thing. And besides, if I take her up on her offer, she won’t ever notice the way you look at her.” He glanced at the other man, nodding. “I should think you would like for me to turn her away.”

  “I want her to be happy, Mate,” Rey frowned, his voice dripping with sorrow. “I hate to see the way it hurts her when you make it clear you don’t care.”

  Turning his back squarely, Piers gripped the stone railing before him tightly. Rage flowed through him, but the last thing he wanted was to set it against the younger man. Inhaling deeply, he bre
athed out in a calming breath.

  “You think having some young elf for a night is better than her?” Reynard pushed.

  “Aye,” the Mate laughed. “I’ve been here what, a few hours, and I already have one conquest to my name? I assure you, I intend to have my fill of lovely elven maids while we are here, and if you and the princess don’t like it, I suggest you ask for different quarters,” he sneered, pushing past the other man and stomping down the stairs.

  Watching the back of his head disappear, Rey sighed heavily. Glancing around the large room, it didn’t take much to figure out they each had a room for themselves. Assuming the one the first mate had been in would be his, and Ami had hers, he and Bally would each get one that flanked the fireplace.

  Deciding to take the one on the right and next to her, he paused at Amicia’s door. Standing before it, he raised his hand, placing his fingers gently against the smooth surface. On the other side, he could hear her noises; sniffles and a soft whine.

  He wished that he could open the portal and offer his comfort, but she clearly wanted to be alone. Besides, the Mate had told him his first night in their camp that one day she would be his. Piers probably meant it, as he obviously didn’t mind torturing their companion with his insolence.

  Lowering his hand, he had intended to have a nap before dinner, but instead he could hear Baldwin coming up the stairs, laughing loudly. “Bally,” he snapped, meeting him at the top. “Ami is getting some rest, so shh!”

  “Aye, sorry,” the younger man chortled, presenting his new friend. “Rey, this is Animir.”

  “Hello,” Rey greeted, then remembered the language barrier. “How have you been talking to him?”

  “We’ve been making do,” Bally said with a grin, looking around and inspecting their suite with wide eyes. “This place is great!” he announced his approval as he arrived at the door on the right of the fireplace.