The Revenant

Royal Invitation

ELENA

Nova had left ten minutes ago. I didn't know where he'd gone off to, but he did assure me before he left that he'd be back soon. Surely enough,he was back not long after. He practically leapt back into bed,throwing off his pants and pulling me close. We both lay naked together, holding each other close while we did nothing more than lie there.

I couldn't feel the warmth of Nova's body. He was cold as always, which,thinking on it now,was strange. Since when he and I had sex,his body felt like a furnace. Perhaps that was simply something that occured in the moment. I didn't rightly know.

Was I shy now? No. Strangely enough,it was reversed. I could tell Nova was shy around me, he always hesitated before he came closer, always pulled away whenever I tried to pull him toward me.

I couldn't see his face,but a part of me believed he was blushing rather badly.

His arms were wrapped around my waist while I stared into his eye's. I lost myself in the deep,hazel colour. For a few brief moments I was completely hypnotized by Nova's eye's before my attention was drawn elsewhere.

The bruise around Nova's neck. I had always wondered about it. It couldn't have been me during our...workout. I didn't choke him that hard.

That bruise had also been there long before we had even done what we did, so where did he get it from? And the scars on his back? He refused to answer. Whenever I asked he would never give me an answer...

I figured now would be as good a time as any to ask.

"Nova?"

Nova gasped as if he'd just been snapped out of a trance. He stumbled on his words for a bit before he eventually managed to construct a proper word.

"Uh-Y-yeah? What is it?"

Here goes

"The mark on your neck... And the scars on your back...where did you get them from?"

As always,Nova was silent. His head lowered as it always did,hiding his eye's behind his bangs.

"I already told you...it happened a long time ago."

"How Nova?"

"I...I was just a kid. The other children at my school were easily influenced by the older kids who were in higher grades-" Nova began.

Nova was cut short by a knock on our room door.

Are you fucking joking?! I'm making  progress here!

Nova stood up but I managed to quickly pull him back down.

"Hey. Rest Nova. I'll get it."

Climbing out of bed,I made my way to the door. Upon opening it, I was met with the sight of an old man. He wore a single spectacle over his left eye, and deep red robes with the empires sigil on it. I kept the door slightly close to conceal my naked body from him behind it.

"Ahem...forgive me for the intrusion so early in the morning General."

"It's...okay Clovius. Why exactly are you here at this hour?"

"I'd love to know as well." Nova's voice came from behind me.

Clovius tried peering in the room and I quickly shut the door just a little bit more.

"Um...you can't...come in now,Clovius. We're both tired and its really early so with all due respect could you get to the point?"

Clovius pushed his spectacle up slightly. "As you wish. His imperial Majesty requests the prescense of you and the Commander at Noon today."

He...wants to see us?

I heard shuffling behind me,the thud of something falling over and before I knew it,Nova appeared right beside me,wearing his black pants and nothing else.

"At noon? Today?!"

"Is that a problem Commander Nova?"

"Yes. Yes it is. I had plans for today."

Plans? He doesn't mean plans for us...does he?

It didn't really seem out of place for Nova to plan things without my knowledge. But he never made plans with anyone in particular. Yet whenever he had plans it was usually something special or important since he never really left or went out much...plans?

"That is alright Commander. I will make your lateness known to his imperial majesty. However,General,It is expected of you,especially, to be punctual."

"I'll be there."

"Very well. I shall take my leave now."

Clovius turned and left almost an instant later.

"You have plans today?"

"Yes,important plans. Plans that I need to attend to and act on."

Nova rushed back inside and before I knew it,he was changed and dashed right back to the door. I grabbed a hold of his coat and pulled him back toward me.

"Wait,do you have to leave now?"

"I intended to spend the whole day there Elena, I need to get to the hospital. I don't have all day anymore."

"Why? Why are you going to the hospital? Who are you visiting?"

Nova tore himself away from my grasp and burst out the room.

Who would be so important to you...besides me?