Enchantments

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Callon walked towards his chambers feeling overwhelmed with a type of happiness he didn't think he could feel.

It was happening fast. But he had been in complete denial now for too long.

Since he saw her up on that roof, he knew she was different, and knew he wanted to bond with her.

A little tainted blood seemed like a pointless reason not to be with her. He was King and could be with his enchantress. Good luck to anyone who tried to stop him.

He stepped into the room and froze as his eyes traced over the room.

Candles littered the floor, the orange flames flickering in the night air. The atmosphere was set to romantic and Callon could sense what Nessa was planning for the evening.

He turned to see her leaning against his bed, wearing a lace nightgown that flowed to the floor and flared out around her. The lace a shimmering gold that reflected against the candle lights.

"My Lord." She said with a seductive smile as she got up from the bed and moved towards him.

His mind began to race with excuses he could give not sleep with Nessa tonight.

She stopped in front of him and began caressing his arms.

She was getting straight to what she wanted. He looked down at her. He had been waiting for the legendary Lady Nessa for decades, and here she was throwing herself at him, and yet all he could think about was Zarina, and how her skin glowed when he kissed her.

"Lady Nessa." He said respectively as he stepped away, causing her to look up at him with a concerned glare.

"You are not picking me." She said closing her eyes and dropping her hands.

"I am sorry." He said with thinning his lips while he looked at her.

She resumed a seductive smile and stepped towards him. "That is fine my Lord." She said bringing her hand to caress his cheek. "We could still have fun." She leaned up to kiss him.

Her lips pressed against his but he did not respond to her affections.

She leaned away with her lips still parted where she had touched him.

"I am sorry Nessa." He said slowly shaking his head.

She pulled away and stepped back as fear began washing over her face.

He narrowed his gaze at her, sensing the panic and anxiousness that spread through her aura.

She began pacing around the room, the gold trail following after her. She pressed her hands to her forehead as her aura flowed with fear.

"Nessa?" He asked fairly certain this wasn't just about being rejected.

She spun around to face him. Her face was covered with failure. "I am sorry, I just, I need you to bond with me."

Her pleading words caught Callon off guard. She was a warrior, yet she was begging.

"Why?"

She walked towards him and took his hands. "My land, everything is dying." She said with a scared voice. "The animals, the rivers, the plants my Lord, the plants." Her voice was filled with so much pain.

"Lady Nessa Explain." He said sternly.

"They just started dying, a few months ago." She said clenching her fists. "Our soil is fruitful, and yet, everything is dying."

He pulled away from Nessa as he tried to understand what she was saying.

"If we bonded, we could bring my land here, save my people." She continued as Callon began pacing the room now, rubbing his chin as he listened to her.

"You were going to play me." He said with an accusing tone.

"I'm sorry My Lord." She said shaking her head in disappointment and shame. "But I had to try and protect my people."

He nodded in understanding. She is doing what she had to. He would probably do the same with the Emperor if he had felt it would save his people.

"Nessa you could have just asked." He said with a stern voice.

She looked at him confused. "I'm just a woman at the end of the day." She began, "Asking that much from you was likely to just be ignored."

He looked at her shocked that she would think so little of him. But she had never met him before this.

"You are a great leader and a respected warrior." He began with a reassuring tone. "Of course, I would have listened."

She looked up at him with an uneasy expression, still looking unsure if she could trust his word.

"Send word to your land, bring your people here with all they have," He said as he turned to his writing desk. He sat down and began writing out a declaration on the parchments. "You people will make space of the southern land, it's not used, but can be farmed."

He finished out writing his statement on the letter and seal it with some dripping shimmering wax. He lightly pressed in his sigil ring before turning to give her the letter.

She looked at it with creased eyebrows as if she couldn't comprehend what is happening.

"Your people are my people too." He reminded her. She may be their lady, but he was their King.

She nodded and took the letter, pulling it to her chest as if it were her favorite book.

"Thank you, My Lord." She said with a soft smile that reminded Callon that even behind her warrior stance she was as fragile as any other leader.

"Your Welcome Lady Nessa." He said slowly bowing his head at her.