Fireheart

Chapter 9

"If I'd known you sleep nude, I wouldn't go to the Villa for concubines." said a loud voice right in my ear.
I screamed and sat up, swinging. I hit Phoenix on the side of the head, which made him laugh.
"What the fuck, man?!" I screamed. Then blushed, because, well, I was naked. He just looked me up and down.
"Have you ever been told you have the body of a goddess?" he said, eyes lingering on my breasts.
I had been told. I had a couple casual encounters at School. I knew I wasn't ugly, but I also knew I wasn't particularly pretty. It still felt good when Phoenix complimented me. Did he know he was particularly handsome? I guess he did.
"Get dressed, you've got work to do."
So I got dressed, luckily Phoenix turned away and kind of left me in peace.
When I was dressed, and shoes were on, Phoenix led me out of the building. We passed everyone heading to fighting class and said hello. Bruce looked at me as if he could rip me apart with his stares.
This time, we turned back towards where the truck, just two days ago, dropped us off. It already felt like two years.
"What do you know about the wolves here?" I asked Phoenix as we turned towards the Clan Leader's Palace.
"Well yeah there's enough land for wild wolves to roam, but its rare for them to be out of the forest. Why? Did you see one?"
I shook my head.
"I thought I heard one howl." I lied. The silver wolf still seemed too unreal to me. Too big for a regular wolf. No one else here smelled like a wolf, so no one was a Shifter.
"Ah that's good." he said. "In Yong'in culture, hearing a wolf howl is supposed to bring you good luck in your love life."
I smiled.
"Maybe I'll get offered a one night stand." I said, jokingly.
"Well if it's an offer you're waiting for, I'll give you one." he said, a smirk on his lips.
"Why do that when you can go to the Villa?"
He grinned.
"None of them have a biting fetish, and I'm sure you do."
"I have a Daddy kink, and nothing more." I said, smiling.
We laughed, and he punched my arm. I playfully punched back, and he grinned at me.
"You are a fun person when you're relaxed." he said.
"Hey I've been pretty relaxed," I said, returning his smile.
"Pfttt," he replied. "The first and second time we talked, you hardly said a word. I thought you hated me."
"Oh no." I said. "I thought you were handsome. I just. I was worried about protecting Rebecca."
"The blonde you were sitting with?"
"Yeah." I said, the hole in my chest ripping open again.
"When do I more members of the Clan?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"Maybe soon." Pheonix replied. "We've only got 153 members, counting the recruits. Which just reminds me. Fire festival is in a few weeks. Are you planning on going?"
I shook my head.
"It sounds overwhelming."
"Nonsense." he laughed. "I'll take you. You should see it! It's one of the most spectacular things we do here."
"What other celebrations do we have?" I asked.
"Well, Fire Festival is one of the only ones I bring the Yong'in home for. When Clans aren't on the brink of war, we have an unnamed festival where we celebrate our dead. We're very close to death, obviously."
I could tell.
We had arrived at the Palace, and Phoenix ushered me in with no trouble. I could smell Garnet here.
"What is your relationship with Garnet?" I asked.
"She's my sister. In a weird way," Phoenix replied. I must've looked as confused as I felt.
"She's the sister of Aspen." he said.
"Wait why isn't she a Muz?" I asked.
"Because only the first born inherits the Clan. Any other siblings could go to another Clan. She's the youngest, with three brothers. All except her went into Muz. Plus, you can tell with her. She's passionate about teaching here, and being a good Yong'in."
"But how are you, siblings? I suppose you look alike but not much like siblings."
They looked more like lovers.
"Well, all the Clan Leaders are direct descendants of the Original Brothers. They're technically my brothers, but the lines have been so diluted that we aren't related much anymore."
Well, how about that.
"Besides, I and Garnet were raised together. She's more like a sister to me than a possible lover."
"Hey, wait a moment." I said. Phoenix just smirked.
"I know why you asked, Fyre. It's okay."
"Oh, you're dead wrong if you think I like you more than a friend. And I really only see you as a friend because both days you've picked me up from my room."
He came close to me and grabbed my upper arms, and pulled me close. I was amazed at how gentle it was. He stuck his face in the crook between my shoulder and neck and sighed. His breath caressed my neck, and it took everything not to melt against him. He was fucking handsome, and I'd be dumb to not want him.
And he knew it.
He took a step back and looked at me, one eyebrow arched.
"I knew it." he said, amused.
"Nonsense." I whispered. "You just know you're attractive."
"Ha! So you admit you're attracted to me!"
I rolled my eyes.
"Just tell me what I'm doing."
"First of all, you're not going to the Village like that."
I was just wearing a fresh uniform. Garnet had given me a few before I went home.
"Follow me." he said. He led me into a bedroom, and then to a set of stairs that went down. He took me into a giant closet, basically.
I walked around, looking at the sets of clothes that were hung. The one that caught my eye was a leather suit, with deep yellow stripes that sprouted from the bottom of the shirt and pulled across the shoulders. There was also a black head cover, with a yellow mask. Black fingerless gloves hung next to it. Simple black leather pants and boots finished it off.
"This," Phoenix said. "Is what I wear when I visit the Neutral City."
"It's wonderful." I responded. And it was. It looked straight from the Great Book.
"Let's get you ready." he said. He led me to another part of the closet that held women's clothes. There were many dresses, in many colors and sizes. Phoenix let me pick out a green dress that would come above my knees. The top piece was lace, and would show off my shoulders.
"That's a color my mother enjoyed." He said.
I arched my brow.
"Where is your mother?"
He shook his head.
"She perished with my father when I took the Clan."
"So, how does the transfer of power work?" I asked, starting to peel off my shirt.
He turned around and continued talking.
"When the Heir comes of age, they publically call the Clan Leader out. The entire Clan gathers as the two fight. The first one to die loses, and through some complicated blood magic, the winner absorbs their power. Usually, their wife doesn't die, but my mother didn't want to be separated from my father." He sounded a little sad with that last sentence.
"Has there ever been a female heir?" I asked, pulling the dress over my head. It fit my curves nicely.
"No." he said. "You'd think there would've been. But all heirs have been male so far."
I pulled my pants out from under the dress and set them aside. Phoenix gave me a low whistle.
"I like the black boots with that." he said. So I laced them back on and smoothed the dress out. He nodded, and we went back upstairs.
"The only village you'll worry about for the moment in The Village of the First Yong'in."
"Why?" I asked.
"You've never done this before, and the other villages are north of here. They're manned by Kenneth. You'll meet him when we go north."
"When is that?"
"I don't know," he said. "The north leads into unmarked territory before it becomes Shamol territory, and houses all kinds of monsters, so only border defenders go there. They're long overdue for a visit back though. I have only been Clan Leader a week, so we need to meet so we can discuss things."
"Like what?"
"My father liked to keep them under his thumb. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm a relaxed person. Everyone here, the monks, Garnet, and you Recruits, know that its okay to be yourselves. The guys up north don't. They still enforce my father's class divisions."
"Class divisions?"
"He liked them separated by how much money their family could donate to keep the Clan running. I like them divided by merit. Runs smoother."
I nodded my head as we made our way back out of the palace. I'd admit, it was a beautiful house.
"I'm going to introduce you to the market men. They'll tell you what you need to be imported and exported. Then, you write up a report and give it to me."
"I'll do this every day?" I asked.
He shook his head.
"Once a week."
I bunched my brow.
"Then why do I give up class time to do this with you?"
He arched a brow and looked at me.
"You're complaining about working once a week?"
"I suppose not. Why am I given special treatment over the men?"
Phoenix shrugged.
"Because I can tell. You have a lot of power. And I know the way Bruce looks at you. I'd rather you not train with him. Don't worry, when the other Yong'income back, you'll do Garnet's fighting classes with them."
"And magic?"
"You'll still do that with me." he said. "I'm the only other Yong'in that can do inmora. So we're not letting you die."
When we arrived at the village, Phoenix introduced me to the market runners. The man who stuck out the most was Markin, whole ran the pastry shop. He was kind and told me the best route to take around the Village to find the market carts.
The village was larger than I imagined, with a blacksmith and small library. Something the villages around the school didn't have.
By the time we were done, Wolf was bristling and my feet hurt. Only the shopkeepers and some children remained in the village for the time being, but they still set Wolf on edge. Too many new people she said. But I had a list that I was able to pass off to Phoenix.
"The blacksmith wants extra iron, eh?"
I shrugged.
"That's what he told me."
Phoenix nodded.
"We're a wealthy Clan. His wish is my command, I guess."
With the morning over already, I had to go back down to Phoenix's closet to get dressed.
Then, made my way to Garnet, who taught me how to block shots with my forearms, and kick.
It was a short day, mostly.
At the end of it all, Phoenix gave me a hug when I went into my room. Which was nice, considering I wouldn't have wanted to touch him two days ago.
I went to bed without dreaming that night.