Weeping Willows

Chapter 4

Navi became infuriated as her teeth pierced through her bottom lip. Black blood dribbled down her chin. Lukka followed her eyes to the girl and moved towards her with a single step when Navi stomped her foot against the stone floor.The bright outline of a circle formed and a clear, curving wall shot up in front of him as it circled around the two, closing at the top to create a dome over them. Lukka pressed his hand against the wall and turned back towards Navi with gritted teeth and steam coming from his nostrils.

"After everything the humans have done to you, to our kingdom, you still protect one of their own." She screeched as her ears flicked anxiously and she crossed over to him. She jabbed her finger in his chest. Lukka growled low and snatched her wrist within his hand, pulling her hand from him as he pushed her back. She stumbled back into the velvet couch and gasped quietly as her back hit the arm of the couch. Navi whipped her gaze up in time to see Lukka lunging for her. She yelped and twisted away, crashing to the floor with her arms protecting her face. Lukka collided with the couch and grunted as the arm of the velvet couch cracked against his ribs. A snarl rumbled low in his throat as he lifted himself from the couch and stormed over to Navi, who scrambled from her heap upon the floor. His piercing eyes darkened to jet black and his pupils radiated a glowing purple as violet tears trailed over his bared, sharp fangs. She hissed and pushed herself from the floor to ram into his chest with a cry, the surrounding wall shrinking as they met. It closed in around them and Lukka felt his erratic heart tighten as she shoved him to the floor and hovered over him. A frantic wind swirled within the dome, pulling at their clothes and tossing Navi's blond locks from their braids into tangles above her head. With her knees on either side of him, she grasped his throat in a crushing grip. Her fingers dug into his flesh and he winced as the skin broke under her sharp nails. Lukka pulled at her arms, his talons slashing against her pink skin, and screamed. He tried desperately to buck her off of him, yet the exhaustion from his lack of sleep overwhelmed his thoughts and his body. The scream vibrated in his sore throat as it quieted into a grunt and then finally died as his body stilled against hers. The wind calmed to a soft breeze that tickled the back of their necks. His arms became heavy and he released hers, dropping his hands with a thud against the velvet carpet. Navi's black eyes flashed back to a vibrant green and she took a shaking breath as she released him. She rested her hands against his broad shoulders, slightly pinning him to the spot and she sighed in disappointment. The purple tears continued to flow down his cheeks and stain his carpet as he glared into her grassy green orbs. Lukka grit his teeth as a sob threatened to push through, tearing his throat apart. His chest heaved with every breath in an attempt to calm himself. He refused to show weakness, especially in front of her.

"I don't expect you to grow feelings for me or treat me with kindness behind closed doors." Navi croaked as she straddled his hips, her hands sliding from his shoulders down to his chest. "However, I do ask that you respect me in front of the eyes of our people. I am your wife-to-be. A princess. Not a lowly consort."

Lukka moved his gaze to the bed and watched Aiden loop her arms around a pillow. She nestled her cheek against the soft fabric and breathed deeply as a soft snore escaped her lips. His body sunk into the carpet and he felt as though the fibers that brushed against him were pulling him into the ground, trying to swallow him whole. His eyes remained on her and a numbing calmness filled his limbs and mind until Navi snatched his chin. She pulled his face to hers and her eyes glowed, black ink beginning to swirl within the whites of her eyes.

"Are we at an understanding with one another?" She snapped as her eyes fluttered over his twisted features. Lukka clutched the ground below him and began to push himself up.

"You do not make demands of me." He snarled and rested upon his elbows.

"No, I may not be able to, but I believe it would be in your best interest until the little welp is gone." She said, as though acknowledging her fact rather than stating a threat. Lukka felt his frustration bubble in his stomach along with his anger, yet he sighed in defeat as he thought of the dark elf and his glowing red eyes. His mocking smile crept behind Lukka's eyes like a headache that refused to go away. He knew that there was nothing he could do as his people were riled up and determined that Aiden would be their downfall. Navi had reassured them, given them a sense of safety. Lukka pushed Navi from him and moved to kneel before her, his eyes glued to the carpet as his tears dried upon his cheeks. After a moment of silence, he nodded.