The Heir's Breeder

5

Tristan spent the rest of the night holding me tightly, keeping the terrors away. He asked nothing in the morning about the night before when he woke up, only making sure that I was okay before getting ready for the day and leaving.

Rose came in shortly afterward, bringing a small breakfast and calming tea. I was forced to take at least one bite of everything before I could claim I was finished then taken to get ready for the day. Rose had decided that she would try her best to dress me as lightly as possible until I was used to wearing clothes again. She had grabbed out a light pink piece of fabric and basically draped it on my body and began wrapping until she made a dress. I was very grateful for it, even the little bit of fabric on me was too heavy.

I wandered about the palace most of the morning. Rose would hang around me, but still gave me space, almost afraid to speak to me. I moved about until I found my way outside and into a garden. It wasn't the one below Tristan's room but beautiful nonetheless.

     Wolves moved about, some patrolling and others just enjoying nature. A few pups ran through the garden, playing and chasing after each other; the oldest couldn't be more than seven years old. A younger one fell while chasing the others and began to cry. Without thinking, I walked over to him and knelt down, looking at the knee he was clutching.

"Can I see it?" I asked gently. The boy nodded and moved his hands, sniffling and wiping his nose. It was nothing really. His skin was scuffed but had not been broken and he was more stunned than anything else. "Well," I start, sighing, "It's going to be tough, but I think you'll make it," the pup laughed. "Now, can you be strong for me and try to stand up?" Once again, the boy smiled. He got off the ground and turned to look at me expectantly.

By now, the other pups had surrounded me, watching their friend. The boy fell into me, wrapping his arms around my neck and making me fall over into a sitting position. I wrapped my arms around him and laughed. Pups were always different—innocent. I never saw them when I was in the compound, but they had been at the ball and running around yesterday, and some part of me yearned to hold them.

I had watched the pups play around the garden for the rest of the morning until they all got called away for lunch, which Rose then pulled me away too, once again telling me that I had to take at least one bite of everything. It was so much food. I am so used to barely having anything, it physically hurt to each this much in a day. My body knows hunger, and is comfortable with it—doesn't recognize or even feel it. There is this moment when you have been hungry for so long and finally eat, where it actually hurts to put food in your body, like when you hold a squat for so long that it hurts more to come up than to just stay.

The afternoon was spent back in Tristan's room. I sat outside again, enjoying the fresh air and watching the world below. Occasionally, shifted wolves would pass by, I assuming guarding. The garden below must be private, outside everywhere else was busy with wolves, but here was almost empty. Clouds danced across the sky, mixing and making shapes, and moving with the wind.

The wind picked up, making me curl into myself, seeking warmth. After a few minutes, the wind blowing more, Rose walked out to the patio. She reached for one of the chairs, looked over at me, and stopped. For a moment she just stared at me, curled up, rubbing my arms to stay warm, then ran inside. She was out again in a moment and placed a shawl over me. It was heavy but I liked being warm. Her arms were around me, helping me up and trying to rub my arms as we walked in.

Rose had another tea ready for me, which I sipped while walking around the room. I hadn't noticed before, but there was art on the walls. Each piece was beautiful, all in different styles. They all told stories, in what they depicted, in their color, even in the brush strokes. Some were long and swirly, some were short, each stroke visible, and some were so smooth I couldn't see them.