The Kingdom of Eldasar

Chapter 7 A Cold Giggle

I awoke in the darkness the light of the fire simmering low feeling the chill of the night I creeped out of bed my feet hitting the cold stone floor I jumped on to the furs lying beside the fire place. Moving the coaled logs around, I placed fresh ones in the fire, the fire catching them and latching on. I hadn't slept for long I missed his company it was strange how the touch of your soul mate captured you and made you miss him.

Placing my slippers on and wrapping one of the furs around me and left my room picking up a burning torch outside my chambers. Walking down the stairs the guards where alert,

"My Lady are you alright?" Sabastian asked he was the Captain of arm's son and eager to live up to his father's name, I had seen him wrestle in hand combat he had bested men twice his size. He was a dear friend of mine and he was loved greatly by my brothers. I place my hand on his cheek he reminded me so much of Joshua they were both gentle, loyal and gallant.

"I'm fine Seb, would you walk with me?" I asked, he moved his arm out I placed mine around his, he took the torch from me leading down towards the gardens. He kept looking in my direction his eyes narrowed looking at me in concern, we heard a wolf howl in the distance, his arms wrapping around me tightly steering me back towards my chambers. "No Seb I want to get some fresh air, please."

He sighed "He's out there it isn't safe, My Lady."

"He's my protector" I brushed his arm of and walked towards the double doors leading to the gardens, men opened the doors as I came into view. Sebastian following behind me his hand on the hilt of his sword.

I walked through the flowers heading to the stone archway that looked over a waterfall. I hitched myself up on the wall that looked down into the water.

"My Lady! It isn't safe!" Sebastian moved to lift me from the wall, but a growl came from behind him, startling me Sebastian unsheathed his sword swinging away from me, I flinched back tipping my body weight over the wall.

Sebastian yelled dropping his sword and grasping for my hand but it slipped from his reach.

The ice cold of the water prickled against my skin taking my breath away, I screamed in the water it filled my lungs my feet hit the bed of the stream, the sharp rocks cut against me. I pushed against the water trying to reach the surface, the water shuddered around me as a dark figure came towards me, my eyes becoming blurry struggling for breath. Strong arms wrapped around me pushing up to the surface. I gasped in a breath as the night air hit my face, I was shaking profusely I hugged him tightly taking his warmth.

He moved to the bank, he tried laying me down but I couldn't let him go, it was too cold, my thin night dress clinging to me soaked in ice water. He reached for the hem of my dress pulling it of me a screamed left my mouth. He brought my body flush to his, his skin touched mine, it downed on me he was as naked as the day he was born. I flushed heat pooling into me I covered my face in his chest blushing and shuddering.

"My cloak, now!" He yelled into the air he caught it with his left arm keeping his right wrapped around me. The cloak came around us, he took me in his arms wrapping me in his warmth. "You fall to the depths of a waterfall, just to be in my arms." A giggle escaped my lips, I kissed his chest making him shudder.

"Leonora, are you alright?" Sebastian came running towards us.

I tried hiding further into his arms and covered myself with his cloak, The General growled lowly glaring at Sebastian,

"What were you thinking solider?" he seethed at him.

"I could have saved her, but you jumped in before I had a chance" Sebastian looked defeated and upset with himself for thinking he put my life in danger. Yet both men didn't blame the actual culprit.

"It's okay Seb it's my fault" I looked up at Marcus "and it's yours if you hadn't growled, this wouldn't have happened." I couldn't help but smile, his warmth felt so good. He looked at me raising his eyebrows making me giggle again.

Sebastian looked from me to the General in shock. "You're dismissed solider" Marcus growled he moved passed him I quickly touched his arms in assurance, Marcus pushing my arm back inside the cloak covering my exposed shoulder. He glared at Sabastian taking me back into the castle.

I was dosing of in his warmth He squeezed me closer, in no time we were back in my chambers for the second time in that night he sat down on the furs facing the fire his body heat and the heat imitating from the fire had me warm and comfortable. I looked up at him my still in his arms, he was in deep in thought looking into the dancing fire as if he sensed my gaze he looked down at me gazing into my eyes. They were so gentle his pupils dilated,

"Thank you for saving me, in more ways than you know," I whispered to him, he pressed his hands to my cheek pulling me tighter against him, it didn't bother me in the slightest that I wasn't clothed and neither was he. He laid us down on the furs placing me on his chest I wrapped my arms around him he tucked me under his chin our legs tangled. His lips pressed into my hair closing my eyes I fell into a deep sleep and I dreamed of him.

In the morning the castle was in an uproar, a messenger had come to deliver news to father, King James from across the sea would be coming to visit and could arrive at any moment. King James had eleven sons, his poor queen had been desperate for a daughter but she always gave birth to boys. King James had wished for a daughter and would laugh at my father how had he gotten so lucky. King James and Queen Serene where old family friends there friendship going back for generations, in the books of history it was said that two brothers had split the worlds leadership both extended from one root, one brother was King James descent and the other being mine.

Marcus had woken at dawn he'd placed me in my bed laying with me I had fallen asleep and was awaken by my maid. Marcus had been overlooking security of the castle and was putting together a team of rangers to send out into the woods, he wanted to know more about these criminals that had been fighting against my father.

Hunters where sent to bring back fresh game preparing for a feast to welcome our friends and allies. The smell of fresh bread, sugar pastries drifted through the castle. I couldn't wait to see Aunty Serene last time they had visited was at the funeral. Half of Pherendale had come to pay their respects to the deceased prince's and Queen. We had all grown up together King James's sons and my brothers. I missed them dearly, it had been so long since we had visitors.

The kingdoms where all on high alert after my family's death, no one left their families or travelled long distances the warlocks had become wilder and reckless. Attacking anyone they wished, the werewolves where dying out they were anciently the protectors of the kingdoms they kept the piece between the races. The elves had long fled our lands one had not been seen for hundreds of years, the power the stone of Eldasar had was dying, and I could feel it on my chest weighing against me. The ruby would glow some nights which gave me hope that there was still a chance we could fight against the warlocks and after all we had one of the greatest werewolves on our side, the protector on our realm.