Dryads of the Stars

Chapter 14 : Golden City

"Fire my lord. There is a fire in the eastern anex. Run, run!" 

Where are all these screams coming from? What is going on?

"Aaaaaa my lord, my lord. Your wife, your wife is trapped inside. Her ladyship... what are we to do? My lord."

Why is that woman crying? Why is everyone running around like this? What is this?

"Your highness, Helenia is bound to fall. If we do not run, it will perish forever. My lord! Come to your senses. My lord!"

This soldier. Helenia? Where have I heard that name before? My head...

"...ad, Iliad, Ilad? Are you awake? You had the maids worried my friend. They even came to fetch me. What happened, did you have a nightmare? You just would not wake up."

Iliad was laying on his bed covered in sweat. His white shirt had become one with his bare skin underneath, making the maids all blush at the sight of the handsome man that was standing all wet in front of them. Yenu was standing right behind them while smirking.

"You are a sight for shore eyes Iliad. Have I told you before? You should go take a bath. Would you need the ladies to assist you?" He said while hiding his smile by turning his head on the side. 

"You surely jest Yenu. I shall do no such thing. I have hands of my own you see."

Yenu laughed out loud as he sent the maids out of the room.

"Let us go get breakfast my friend. We should not be late. I will wait for you to finish your bath. When you are done come to the garden."

Iliad let a sigh out as he sat on the bed. After staring out to nothingness for sometime he got up and began undressing. His body might have not been bulky or well trained but his muscles were very well refined. Let alone his face which could bring any woman weak on her knees, it was a natural occurrence that he would be a sight to behold. After taking off all of his clothes, while leaving his pendant hang from his neck, he entered the bath and soaked in the warm water filled with aromatic flowers. As his hair became soaked completely, he pushed them towards the back of his head, revealing his eyes and forehead. He laid his head back and relaxed. 

"Luna?" His soft voice filled the quiet bathroom. "You can come out now."

It became quiet again. The necklace that was embracing his neck and reaching his chest, trembled for a moment and then its red brightness was no more. The sound of another entering the waters of the bath was heard.

"It has been some time, master." A deep voice that belonged to a man no doubt.

"I have told you not to call me that. Why do you persist? You are a friend and a companion, so you should address me as one, Luna." 

His tone was sweet, but Luna could not help lowering his head. 

"So, it is Iliad this time?" Luna's voice had a hint of sorrow in it.

"It appears so. Is it not nice?" 

Luna raised his left eyebrow. "That is not what I meant." He paused for a while as he turned his gaze away from Iliad. "It suits you."

"Well thank you, I think so too." A smile had formed on his face. "Now is our chance Luna. We had no space to be alone all this time. We should catch up."

"I agree."

"So, what happened as I was asleep? You know, back at the border."

Luna's eyes turned dark for a moment. As if bad memories had risen to the surface.