15 You Are What You Are (1/2)
A huge room opened before her, tall windows filled it with cold light. Tables with maps strewn over them while books lined the walls. Thick rugs covered the floor. Above it all, tiny creatures with leathery wings fluttered around, replacing books, cleaning up papers. She watched them in their movements for a moment before bringing her attention back to the center of the room.
Arren sat behind a desk his face buried in ledgers, the scratching of a pen mingling with the sounds of small wings. If he noticed her, he showed no signs of it.
One of the small creatures landed on her shoulder and pulled gently at her hair for a moment before fluttering back to its work.
”You are late. Please wait for a moment while I finish this,” Arren said without looking up. ”And tell your pet to stop trying to eat my assistants.”
She looked back at Ilun. The animal stood on his hind legs, swatting at the little creatures that flew past.
”Ilun! No! They're not food!” she scolded.
Ilun grumbled as he settled back onto the floor following her as she walked to the windows. She touched the glass. These are real too. He must not like the false ones, she thought as she looked at the view from his office. This is a different room than before, was the other his bedroom?
Outside the window, the long sprawl of the entrance of the castle, before the forest and winding mountain pass stretched out. From the height it looked wider and lonelier than it had when she arrived. The lots for greenery were empty and barren, the concrete cracked and washed out. As if no one took care of it at all.
”Isilla,” Arren called pulling her attention away from the window. He stood and waved a hand, the little creatures disappearing in a puff of mist. ”Please,” he said motioning to the table set for two not far from where she stood, ”Have a seat.”
What were those, she wrote.
”Those were constructs. They can only do simple tasks. Your pet is much different than that. He seems to have a will of his own,” he explained as crossed the room pulling out her chair for her.
She nodded, taking her seat at the table. Ilun stood behind her chair, his nose poised over her neck, just where Lehan had touched her, his breath moving the hair that had escaped her braid.
She touched her neck, her skin crawling at the memory of Lehan's touch, under her fingers.
”Is something troubling you, Isilla?” Arren asked.
She shook her head and dropped her hand, gripping her skirts in her lap, willing the memory of it away.
Arren sat across from her, their breakfast laid out between them. Ilun licked his lips, clearly hoping for a treat.
”He is very protective of you,” Arren said slowly before changing the subject. ”Did you have trouble on your walk here?” he asked smoothly, clearly not done with the subject, uncovering his plate.
She shook her head. I saw your brother, he said there was to be a ball, she wrote.
He looked up at her face and then back to his plate, ”What did I tell you about keeping things from me? Your face betrays you.”
Her stomach seemed to flip and her face burned.
He sighed and touched her hand. In a softer voice he said, ”Isilla, I know that I am not,” he paused choosing his words, ”close to you but you are my wife and I do not wish for you to be uncomfortable. Please, if something has happened, do not hesitate to tell me.”
He didn't hurt me. Ilun tried to bite him. It's my fault, I was scared. But your brother said he knew that Ilun wasn't your magic, she wrote quickly, leaving out that he had touched her so intimately.
He raised his eyebrow, ”It is not your fault for being frightened. I am, glad, that your pet was there to protect you. I should be more vigilant but now there is a problem. My brother will realize you are something else than what we've been told.”
But I'm not,she wrote hurriedly, eyes wide. Sensing her upset, Ilun whined and lowered himself to push his head into her lap, upsetting the table for a moment.
She smiled down at him and scratched him behind the ears. I'm sorry for causing trouble, she wrote.
Arren spread his hands in front of him, ”You are whatever it is you are. If you say this has never happened before, then I believe you. But we have to find out what is happening. If I don't know then I can't protect you, I can't conceal it and keep you safe.”
She frowned. Why do you care suddenly? I don't understand. You haven't spoken to me for weeks and now this.
His cheeks turned pink and he looked away from her, ”I haven't had the time to, umm, properly, speak to you. There were many things that needed to be done after we met with the Light Realm that morning. I just haven't had the time. I am very sorry for making it seem as you were not,” he paused for a moment, turning back to her her, ”important.”