Dandelions don't die [Ongoing]

SIXTEEN - Elizabeth

Two souls and a good match

"Every night?" 

Elizabeth didn't like how her voice was breaking while she spoke. She was angry with Vidar, but more so she was hurt by how he had forced her to tell her secrets to everyone.

"Yes, little human, every night," he replied in a calm, detached voice.

"Why?" She wanted to know.

He shrugged.
"My beast is worried that something would happen to you."

"Your beast? You mean your wolf form? Aren't you the same person?"

Elizabeth was confused.

"No," Vidar shook his head. "He has a mind of his own. It's like two souls in one body."

She stared in surprise, but then she remembered that she was angry with him or rather both of them.

She could later on try to fully understand this new piece of information.

"Well, you can tell your wolf that I'm fine. And that you should go and sleep in a bed instead of in front of my door," she told him and got up from his lap. "You look like you need a good night's sleep."

Vidar rose after her.

"I want to apologize for what I did earlier, Elizabeth. It wasn't right," he said, not reacting to her request.

This must have been the first time, Vidar had used her name.

"No, it wasn't," she agreed stoically.

"I don't know how to be a mate," he admitted.

Elizabeth sighed.
"Vidar, we aren't mates. We can't be. Maybe it's different for shifters, but I can be thrown into jail for unfaithfulness."

"But he was unfaithful as well," Vidar argued back.

He had clearly not given up on hope.

"He is a man," Elizabeth deadpanned. "He can take even ten wives and even more mistresses and still the law would be on his side."

"That - that - that is absurd."

Vidar had trouble finding words.

"It is what it is," Elizabeth replied tiredly. "But that's why it's better if you find a different mate."

He didn't reply.

"Good night, Vidar. Get some sleep and forget about me."

With a last look, Elizabeth closed the door to her room again. Her thirsty throat could wait until the morning.

***

The corridor in front of Elizabeth's room was empty, when she went to the kitchen the next morning. Like the mornings before, some of the parents with small children were already up and about. Vidar wasn't there this morning.

"Good morning Elizabeth."

Elizabeth looked at the three women standing at the kitchen counter. They seemed to usually make breakfast for everyone. They hadn't really recognized her any other morning.

"Good morning," she replied cautiously, wondering why they were talking to her now.

"Do you want to help make breakfast?" The same woman asked.

She was shorter than most other women here but still quite a bit taller than Elizabeth. She had a pretty, round face and deep dimples that made her look like she was smiling all of the time.