A Throne of Fire and Blood

Chapter 22

Tianna's eyes fluttered open as Calissia rested a cold, wet cloth on her forehead.
"Calissia," Tianna mumbled, "What happened?"
"I don't know, you probably tripped over and hit your head, which caused you to pass out." Calissia explained. Tianna suddenly remembered what had happened, it must have been a dream though, right? Rosalie Beaumachais couldn't have talked to her. Tianna began to convince herself it was a dream, but she felt a cold piece of metal dig into her hand. A sense of dread came over her. It was real. It was all real. Calissia looked at Tianna's hand and saw a bit of the chain.
"What's that?" She asked, and without waiting for a response, Calissia took it out of Tianna's hand and held it up so she could examine it, "This is so beautiful, where did you get it? Was it a preset from the Prince?" Calissia winked at Tianna which made her cheeks go red, "I'm only teasing; sit up, let me put it on you." Tianna slowly sat up in her bed and moved her hair out of the way so Calissia could put the necklace on her, "Wow... It looks amazing on you. The jewel compliments your eyes. It makes them sparkle. Don't you ever take it off!"
Tianna started to blush even more.
"Thank you, my lady." Tianna said.
"You're my closest friend, Evalyn, there's no need to address me as 'my lady' all the time."
Tianna's eyes wondered away from the Princess' beaming smile towards the window, where she saw the sun high in the sky.
"What time is it? I was meant to be at training!" Tianna asked frantically as she attempted to get out of bed.
"He came in earlier, I told him you felt unwell and didn't want to train." Calissia said as she tried to get Tianna to lie back down, "I didn't tell him about you being unconscious, I didn't want him to worry."
"Thank you... again." Tianna and Calissia both laughed.
"Well, if you feel up to it, let's go for a walk in the gardens. I know we do all the time, but I love going there with you." Calissia said.
"I wouldn't want to do anything else." Tianna said with a large smile on her face, "let me get dressed and we can be on our way."
Calissia made Tianna close her eyes and she guided her on a different pathway then they usually walk down.
"Where are you taking me?" Tianna asked impatiently.
"Just wait, were almost there."
They walked for a short while longer until Calissia brought Tianna to a halt.
"Ok, you can open your eyes now." She instructed. Tianna slowly opened her eyes and saw a large wooden gazebo, with a table full of food inside. It was beautiful.
"Surprise!"
"You did this all for me?" Tianna asked in shock.
"All for you."
"Thank you, I love it." Tianna walked towards the gazebo, admiring the flowers which had grown up the side.
"Sit, let's eat." Calissia pulled Tianna to a seat and sat down in the chair opposite.
Tianna and Calissia feasted on what food they had and soon had to call for more. On more then one occasion, Tianna was staring into large brown eyes. Tianna loved being with the Princess, she loved their friendship, yet she wanted more. Tianna loved Calissia.
Tianna and Calissia had finished their second serving of food when they heard barking near by followed by a man shouting.
"What's that..?" Tianna trailed off and she looked out of the entrance of the gazebo and saw an abnormally large wolf charging at them.
"Calissia, get behind me!" Tianna shouted at Calissia as she stood up from her chair and ran over to the Princess, grabbing a knife as she moved. The wolf launched its self onto the table and bared its teeth at Tianna who held the sharp knife close to its face. Tianna was about to strike the wolf but she heard screams from very close by.
"Stop!" Landen shouted, panting heavily, "Don't hurt her, please." Running up behind Landen, was 5 puppies grouped together then one who just plodding along on its own behind them. "Mysti, down!" He shouted at the wolf on the table. Tianna relaxed after the wolf had jumped off the table and ran back to Landen.
"Why do you have a pack of wolves, Landen?" Tianna asked annoyedly.
"Dire wolves, actually. I found Mysti a while ago, alone and pregnant in the forest while I was hunting. I went back and forth every day to where she was, gaining her trust. Eventually she came back here with me and had her litter. I've been raising and training them so they could be of some use in the future." Landen explained. Tianna noticed that one of the pups was laying on its own, away from where its siblings were playing together. The puppy looked different from the others, it was fur was completely white with a red patch around its right eye while the others were different tones of grey, very similar to their mother.
"Why is that one on its own and not with the others?" Tianna asked Landen.
"She seems to prefer being alone, she doesn't really like people, or anyone for that matter." Tianna walked over to the lone puppy. She knelt down on the floor and held out her hand for the puppy to sniff.
"Be careful, Evalyn!" Calissia called to her. The puppy stood up and slowly sniffed Tianna's hand. The puppy started to lick her hand which brought a smile to her face. The puppy lied back down and rested her head on Tianna's knees.
"She likes you, Evalyn, you have to teach me how to do that! Whenever I go near her, all she does is growl and bark." Landen said sounding surprised.
"She's so cute! I love her!"
"If you like her so much, why don't you keep her? You will have to wait until she's old enough to leave her mother." Landen offered.
"I can have her? Really?! Thank you so much!" Tianna squealed.
"Well you're the only one she likes so it would be cruel to not let you have her." Tianna scooped the puppy up in her arms and stood up and kissed her nose, "Follow me, I'll show you were the kennel is so you can visit her when you want." Landen started to walk the way he came followed by the mother wolf, her litter and Calissia who seemed to take a liking to the mother. Tianna trailed behind them, distracted by future puppy, who had fallen asleep in her arms.