Red

Twenty-Nine.

I was surprised in the morning when I woke up to Court in bed. He wasn't sleeping but he was lying in bed quietly as I woke up.

"Good morning." I murmured rubbing my eyes as Court looked over at me.

"It's not morning." Court spoke turning to me.

"What?" I asked confused.

"It's the afternoon, you slept in." Court told me and I looked up at him a bit surprised. I glanced out the window where the sun shined on the thick snow covering the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I murmured and Court smiled.

"No need to apologize. I made you lunch. You were still sleeping when I arrived, and I brought some food back from the village. I brought bread and some jam for you." Court told me as he stood up and walked over across the room.

He picked up a small basket and brought it over revealing a fresh loaf of bread and a jar of strawberry jam.

"Thank you." I told him as I removed the pelt blanket and got myself a slice of bread and spread the jam on it. Court smiled at me as he set back down on the bed and got himself a piece as well. The jam had the typical sweet taste to it.

Court smiled at me as we sat together on the bed enjoying the bread. The bread is delicious. The people in the village do make tasty food after all. 

I looked around the room as Court sat on the bed wiping off some of the jam from his lip. "Do you like the bread and jam?" I asked breaking the silence.

Court looked up. "It is good. Having some bread and jam is good every now and then." Court answered.

I nodded. "Um, how did last night go?" I asked unsure where to bring the conversation.

"Alright, I did have to scare off one of the teenagers. I was in human form though. Some woodsman's son." Court explained and I nodded.

"Do you have to do that often?" I asked a bit curious. I never knew much about the sacrifice. My parents never told me much about it. All I knew was that every now and then the king would request some chickens for the sacrifice.

"Every now and then. Sometimes children and teenagers get brave and like to test out if the wolves are as bad as the elders say they are." Court answered.

I nodded as I wiped some of the jam off my lip. He smiled at me as he moved the basket away and turned back to me. "I assume your night went pleasantly?" Court asked as he leaned back on the bed his amber eyes on me.

"It went the same as usual. I fell asleep after reading." I told him and Court smiled.

"Is there any type of book you fancy?" Court asked.

"I'm not sure. I never really got the chance to have a broad section of books." I told him and Court smiled.

"Well even if it's against my better judgement I can take you out to the cities one day to pick a book or send my brothers. I'd go, but my parents would get suspicious on how long we'd be gone." Court mused.

"That would be lovely." I murmured.

"I'd send you with them, but I don't trust them alone with you for numerous days on end without me to come and enforce their behavior." Court murmured.

"Is it hard balancing your life?" I asked.

Court bit his lip. "It can be struggling, but I was gifted with parents who aren't too concerned when Celeste and I go out on long rides. They know I'm a free soul, or something along those lines." Mischief danced in Court's eyes at the last sentence.