Shorty & the Beast: Part Two (rough draft)

For a few days, Roslile kept Kyairil hidden for a few days, secretly preparing for the long journey it would take to reach the Cobra Strait. While her father continued to go to Bellmore to look after the house of his previous employers. She carefully stocked food for the journey, enough for her and Noodle hopefully. The only thing she lacked was money.

“Why am I not surprised you Halflings use turnips as money.” Kyairil’s voice perked up in her head.

“Shut up,” she snapped back at him. “We use money like anybody else. We just like food, that’s all.”

“Well it certainly didn’t help you grow,” he sighed.

Roslile rolled her eyes, hoping somehow he could feel it through whatever magic was connecting the two. “Do you really want my help?”

“Like I said to my last date; I’m desperate so I’ll take anything.”

Roslile huffed, finishing up her pack and setting it beside her bed. “Look, unless you have a way I can get some money for this journey, I am going to need you to be quiet.”

Kyairil sighed heavily. “I have many ways, I just need my body in order to be able to do it.”

Her hands went to her hips. “Then be quiet.”

“Just know I am sticking my tongue out at you right now.”

Roslile ignored him as she went went over the cost of things inside her own room. Her books could total up to something, maybe. Her gardening tools would fetch some money too if she got to the right buyer. Maybe her desk was worth something, a gold piece at least. She slowly made up a list of things she was willing to sell when she came upon her jewelry box. She was never one for baubles or beads, but her mother had left her a beautiful golden chain and locket.

“You feel sad. Why do you feel sad?” Kyairil asked, sounding annoyed by the disturbance.

Roslile shut the jewelry box and scoffed. “Who said you could feel me? Is this going to be a thing now?”

Kyairil grumbled something under his breath before clearing his throat to explain. “The two of us made a pact, so while we work together you and I are bound to that pact. Once your village is protected, then I won’t have to feel anything about you. Until then, it’s something you’re going to have to get used to.” He then sighed. “So what’s got you down little pigeon?”

“The only thing of value I have that could possibly earn any sort of money is my mother’s locket.” She smoothed her hand over the jewelry box with an increasingly concerned look. “But that’s really all I have of her’s.”

“Then don’t sell it.”

“But I have nothing else!” Roslile went to throw herself down onto her bed in frustration when it felt like there were two hands on her shoulders. The strange force moved her, turning her in the direction of the halberd on her desk.

Kyairil’s eyes glowed in the shine of the halberd. “Take the beads off the blade if you’re going to pout like that. They’re real sapphire. Used to wear them all the time when I had a body. They mean nothing to me other than that they matched my skin.”

“It won’t hurt you or anything to remove them?” Roslile asked, surprised by the offer.

“At this point in my life I would be excited to feel anything,” he bemoaned. “Besides, I’m sure they’re worth more than that silly locket anyways.”

Roslile took the beads, breaking the thread that attached them to the handle. They glimmered in her palm, looking so beautiful. “Your skins as this color?”

“You should have seen me bathed in moonlight,” he sighed nostalgically. “I was the envy of all the Drow.”

The hairs on the back of Roslile’s neck prickled. “You’re a Drow? I’ve never met one before.”

“This is Carbagne right? Place used to be overrun with Drow back in the day.” He went suddenly quiet. “Don’t tell me they’re all dead or something? I couldn’t bear that.”

“No,” she said. “Just uhm...underground I think is the best word?”

Kyairil went quiet again. “Just sell the damn beads,” he scoffed. “I can find more elsewhere once I have my body back anyways.”

“You sure? You can say no.”

Kyairil grumbles, and Roslile can feel his eyes roll. “If I wanted to say no I wouldn’t have offered to begin with. No cease your chirping and go sell the damn things. We need to start traveling soon. Can’t sit here forever and hope your goddess decides to pay a visit.”

It was easy enough to find someone who would buy the little sapphire beads. The only problem was that word would spread that she had sold them. People would start to question and it would lead right to her father. She would have to leave soon, or else her father might get suspicious of something. There were four beads that had been attached to the Halberd, so Roslile made a snap decision. Just before she went into the shop to sell them, she put one into her pocket, deciding to keep it for later just in case. If money became tight or got stolen, then she had least had this little, unassuming bead she could keep safe and sell down the road.

Back to the beginning of the this story, before Kyairil had been imrpisoned in the halberd, he had worn the beads as earrings. Indeed, they complimented his skin perfectly. But they weren’t just anything Kyairil had found. They had been a gift to him, and they were the first luxurious present he had ever received. They became a symbol to him, one of power and influence. To him, the sapphires meant more than highlight his skin, they were a reminder of everything he had worked for. His power as a sorcerer and the drive he had to make it grow.

They weren’t much used to him now. Being trapped in the halberd they were a reminder of what he once was, what he has accomplished, and what he failed to do. Because of it there was blood on his hands, staining his once sapphire fingertips amethyst and wine. It was a stain that remained, even in his imprisonment. But that’s a part of the story that we must save for another time. Remember it, because it will come up again.

Roslile decided that, now with money in hand, that the perfect time to leave would be late that night. Once all of Earthwick was settled and in bed, just a little past midnight, she would leave with Noodle and begin journeying to the Cobra Strait. She would narrowly avoid traveling through Sothen, mainly passing through the kingdom of Taville and the Rogue’s Forest, which would then take her into the outskirts of Obresh. Unfortunately, Obresh had been seized by Sanguis Rex and his men. The once faithful and friendly port was now barred from anyone’s use, and the citizens were being taken in as refugees on the western continent where the Rakshasa kingdom was. Roselile heard tell that if one went below Obresh to the beach, one could take a ship to the  Peninsula, where one could travel from there and up into Rakshasa territory through a passage known as the Man-Eater Gate. Right now though, anywhere they bordered water was a dangerous kingdom to be in. Once she was able to get into Rakshasa territory she knew she would be safe.

That evening, Roslile had once last dinner with her father, making sure it was a heavy one so he would fall asleep faster. Once she was sure he was snoring soundly, she readied her pack and took the halberd into her hand.

“One last thing,” she whispered. She stopped at the table and laid down a letter she had prepared for her father to read.

“Don’t get sad again,” Kyairil murmured.

“I’m doing this for him, for all of Earthwick.” She glanced back down the hallway once last time. “I’ll show them who can and can’t be a hero.” She left, going out back where Noodle was waiting, ready with the saddle.

“Heroes often die. You sure you want to be a hero?” Kyairil sounded like he was taunting her, so Roslile just ignored him, mounting Noodle and directing him where to go. Once they crossed the edge of Earthwick, Roslile looked back at it. Some of the lights in houses were twinkling, and smoke from the chimneys rose into the sky.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never left home before,” Kyairil giggled.

“Shut up.”

Kyairil continued to chuckle away. “Oh don’t tweet so loudly at me, little robin, I think it’s adorable! Here I am wanting freedom, and you’ve never even known it. Well, get a taste for it. Because after this, you’ll know what freedom really is.”

Roslile’s chest pounded heavily as Noodle stepped further and further away. “And what do you know of it? I thought Drow couldn’t walk around during the day.”

“It’s not preferred,” he grumbled. “But I did make my way around in my youth. I traveled far and wide to grow my abilities. To learn from masters in the art. I’ve seen the mountains of valleys of both continents as well as many of the islands.” He then let out a bemoaned sigh. “But I suppose that was long ago now.”

“Are you ever going to tell me what you did to be turned into a weapon?” Roslile asked, hoping to distract herself from the nervous knot tightening in her belly.

“I was not turned into a weapon. I was imprisoned into the weapon. There is a very big difference there,” he huffed.

“But why?”

Kyairil laughed loudly. “Why you ask? Because of spite. Because of petty squabbles. Name a reason you could think of and I assure it, it’s all connected in one way or another. They were all against me.”

“I think it’s because you’re full of shit,” Roslile was already exhausted. Eventually he’d have to come clean about it, maybe. But for now, she more or less wanted to distract herself from the fact she was leaving home and might come back to something else. “You didn’t do something really bad did you?”

That answer would have been so easy to answer, but since the story began around Roslile finding Kyaril, it wouldn’t be answered until much later in the story. For now, it was just a piece of the puzzle that Kyaril was going to keep hidden and to himself.

“Everything is bad somewhere,” he mumbled.

Roslile’s smile perked up. “Full of shit, I was right.”

Come dawn, they had made it through Charbagne and Roslile was letting Noodle rest. She had her first meal on the road, gazing at the hills that sloped down into the flat terrain of Taville. She thought about the length of time it would take to get from here and into Obresh. It could take them a few days, possibly even weeks. And once in Obresh she considered the fact it could take days for them to get ship out. Even longer depending on the hold Sanguis Rex had on all the ports. After that, it could also take time to convince someone to let her speak to Queen Mythri. Due to the war, she might not ever get to see her.

“What is that you’re eating?” Kyairil suddenly broke her chain of thought.

“This?” She asked. “It’s bread, cheese, and pickles.”

Kyairil’s breath shuddered for a moment. “Pickles?”

“Yeah, I make them myself.” She took out the jar she had brought along with her. “I grow the cucumbers and everything! I was even learning how to distill vinegar from wine. But I suppose that will have to wait.” She looked back at the jar. “I like to put peppers, onions and carrots in there too. I also have some pickled okra I packed.”

“The Kobolds had these spicy pickles made from these horrible little peppers. They were sour and made my stomach feel like it was on fire, but as long as I had some lime I could eat them all night.”

“Unholy pickles! My mom used to make them,” Roslile said excitedly.

“You know about them?” Kyairil sounded just as enthusiastic.

“I got sick on them once. They hurt more coming out then in.” Roslile smiled brightly, remembering how she snuggled up in her mother’s lap after that. “My mom had seeds for the peppers, she always saved them. But after she died we lost her seed locker.” She frowned slightly. “Everything I know about gardening I know from her.”

“You feel sad when you talk about her.”

“She died,” was all Roslile said on the subject. She turned to her food instead, eating away at it until there was only a tiny morsel left, which she shared with Noodle for all his hard work.

“You shouldn’t have eaten so fast,” Kyairil warned. “I barely got to taste anything.”

Roslile frowned. “I thought you couldn’t feel anything?”

“The more time we spend in close contact, like now that I am on your back, the more our bond grows. I could just almost taste the pickles,” he whined. “It’s been so long!”

Roslile jumped back onto Noodle’s back, and despite some resistance, Noodle went along down the road again. “Not sure how I like sharing everything with you. What do I get from it?”

“I’m sure eventually you’d get a sense of my abilities and power. Possibly, you could even become a conduit for my magic. With some time and practice, I bet I could start casting spells through you.”

“Then why didn’t we practice that before we left?” Roslile exclaimed. “I mean, we could have set up that protection around the village! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because my magic wouldn’t be strong, and if we did set up that protection we wouldn’t be able to leave it. Without my body, it would have been weak and useless without me nearby. Yes, we could have done that, but through you my magic will only be as strong as your body and mind allow.”

A pout softened Roslile’s glare and furrowed brow. “I’m stronger than I look.”

“Sure you are, tiny robin,” he scoffed.

That afternoon, exhausted and needing sleep, Roslile found an abandoned fox den to rest in Noodle guarded out front, alos falling asleep. The fox den was quiet, dark, and cool, so Roslile was able to fall asleep almost instantly.

She dreamed like she always did, starting off on a pearly white beach where she had gone with her family long ago. She stood there, letting the water wash up onto her toes, feeling the sand squishing between them. It was always bright and warm, but now, it was dark and covered in moonlight. While in her dreams her family was far behind having a picnic, she was usually alone on the beach. But there was someone standing right beside her, towering over her and fading into the glow of the moon. Long white hair flowed with the light, catching a breeze and billowing about his head.

“You dream of the ocean, how interesting,” he sighed. He held his hands up into the air, almost as if he were trying to cup them around the moon. “Do you have good memories here?”

Roslile took a step back to look up at him better. “Who are you?”

He squatted down, dark eyes looking into her light brown ones. He smirked, tilting his head into his palm. “You are rather cute.”

She furrowed her brow. “Kyairil?”

He pinched the tip of her nose, his fingers capped by long, sharp nails. Billowing sleeves from down from his arms, and as he rose again they caught the breeze. “It’s been a long time since I felt the wind, let alone the warmth of the moonlight on my skin.”

Roslile decided to set her focus on the ocean again. Looking up at Kyairil, her neck hurt, but also there was something else. “You’re in my dreams?”

“Magic connection, blah blah blah,” his voice lulling. “I shouldn’t have to keep reminding you of that, little sparrow.” His skirt caught the wind, blowing out forward and plastering tight to the back of his legs and rear. “I suppose I should thank you for this dream.”

“It’s usually daytime when I dream,” Roslile said softly.

“I prefer the night.” Kyairil’s smile bloomed, showing his beautiful teeth. “Try and sleep for as long as you can today. I want to stretch my legs again, so to speak.”

Roslile tried not to look at him. If they were connected then he would know for sure what she felt when she did peer up at his face. He would know she found him beautiful with his long limbs, slim figure, and sculpted face. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing she felt this way. She didn’t want to talk about it on the long road they had before them.

Kyairil pulled up his skirt and stepped into the water. He sighed disappointedly. “I can’t feel it like I thought I would.” He sat into the foam, letting his skirt rise up about him like a bloated jellyfish. His look of disappointment and spoiled pout made him look younger than Roslile had assumed.

“Hopefully it won’t take long to get your body back.” Roslile stood beside him in the water. “Then you can go to the ocean again.”

Kyairil stared blankly ahead, his eyes unfocused and glazed over while his hair hung limply around his face. Roslile noticed he had small gold posts in his ears, but she didn’t realize that was where the sapphires once hung.

“I’ll even take you myself, promise,” Roslile said brightly.

Kyairil laid back in the water, his hair and flowing clothes floated on the surface and followed the gentle lapping waves. He stared up at the moon, his eyes as reflective as the blade of the halberd. “There are things I miss more than the ocean,” he lamented.

Roslile sat down beside him. “Well…” She wasn’t sure what to say to reassure him.

“Good pep talk.” He patted her leg and his skin felt so incredibly soft. “I’m fine with this, for now. Just the moon.”

Roslile looked down at his face only to quickly look away again.

“Something on your mind, little sparrow?” Kyairil slowly rose from the water, his hair and clothes still very dry. “Your eyes keep darting around like loose marbles.”

It was for certain that there was no way in hell that Roslile was going to admit what she was currently thinking. It would have to be her last day on earth before she admitted that. “I never expected you to have long hair.”

Kyairil had a smile on his face that grew three sizes and he fell back into the water with a bellyaching laugh.

Roslile woke in the morning to the sound of his laughter still ringing in her head. It had the same sonance as windchimes caught in a breeze. It faded slowly as she rose to see the sunrise creasting over the hills. By now, she thought, her father was probably waking up and finding the note she had left behind. It also occurred to her that this was the first time she had woken up away from home.

“Don’t get too down, little finch,” Kyairil spoke softly. “Remember what you’re doing this for.”

Roslile sighed as she crawled from the fox den, being greeted happily by Noodle. “I just hope he isn’t going to be too worried.” She started going through her pack to bring out food.

“Maybe he is,” Kyaril sighed. “But doesn’t that just mean he loves you?”

“What was it like when you traveled?” She deflected, choosing not to think about Earthwick or her father.

“Well for one it was much easier than this,” he scoffed. “I had this horse called Coal Black, he was magnificent. He could go all day without having to stop once.”

“Well Noodle can run really hard, I just haven’t wanted to push it.” Roslile took a bite of her food as she gazed out across the distance. There was a slight damp to the air, and when she breathed in it held the scent of rain. “We need to hurry up and go so we can find a town before rain comes.” She let Noodle finishing eating before she loaded her pack back onto his back again.

“This might be a good chance to see if I can use you to channel my magic,” Kyaril was excited by the prospect. He had been out of practice, and he had never had to use someone else before to use his magic. But if he could perform again, then just maybe, he could feel a little more like his old self.

“Okay, what do I do?”

Once they were on their way, Kyairil and Roslile practiced, seeing what they could do with their ever growing bond. Roslile tried to do what Kyairil asked, but sometimes it sounded too ridiculous. Sh tried to do the channeling and the breathing like he asked, but at one point she almost had to vomit. It felt like he was pushing from inside her stomach and out of her mouth.

She stopped by a river, letting Noodle drink while suppressing the bile in her throat. “I think we need to be better friends before we continue this,” she choked.

“Oh come now, it isn’t that hard. If you just listen to me it can-” He stopped suddenly. “You’re smell something.”

“I am.” She then saw across the river there was a camp. There were banner of dark red and gold hanging from the tents. There were gnolls and lizardfolk walking around, wearing matching colors and with a strange crest upon their chests. They looked as though they had been there a long time, like they were waiting for something.

Roslile got up slowly from the river bed. “Soldiers,” she whispered. “From Sothen.”

“Is that bad?” Kyairil’s tone was cautious. “Maybe they’re on the run? Hiding?”

Noodle growled low in his throat an Roslile rushed to quiet him so he didn’t bark. She pulled him aside, trying to lead him away from the river without being seen. But as they were turning back the way they came, a soldier came out from the pushes, tying up his trousers from a piss.

“What’s this?”

Her eyes coiled have bugged out of her head, but instead her stomach lurched and she threw up.

The soldier flinched, standing back then chuckling. “Aww, poor little lass.” He knelt down, taking something from his pocket. “Are you lost?”

Roslile shook her head. “No! No sir,” she coughed. “I’m sorry I’m just-”

He laughs. “There, there, no need to worry. I know the kids are playing games. I won’t tell them where you are.” He handed Roslile an orange. “Eat that, it will make your tummy feel better.”

She sniffled, watching her closely as he rose back up. “Th-thank you?”

“Best be careful, alright? Not safe to play around the base. You should head on back across the river to the camp.” He winked and went along his way.

“What the fuck?” Kyairil whispered.

Roslile hurriedly jumped onto Noodle’s back. “I’m not staying around to find out!” It was lucky he mistook her for a kid. She used to hate that but now she was thanking her lucky stars. They ran for as long as they could, storm clouds brewing and the scent of rain unmistakable now. Kyairil insisted on practicing again, promising to try something that didn’t make her want to throw up. By the time they reached a village, and it was starting to drizzle, they had discovered that Kyairil could give Roslile painful little shocks.

“My whole body feels prickly!” Roslile fussed at him.

“I’m sorry! It might take more time before we can do magic together.”Kyairil was frustrated. To him it was so easy, how could it possibly be that hard for her? Magic was supposed to be a natural thing, everyone could do it to some degree. Had life changed so much during his imprisonment? If so, it was a nasty way for it to go.

Roslile flexed her fingers from where they felt stiff and antsy at the same time. “We’re at least here now that it’s started to rain!” She hopped off of Noodle. “Let’s find a pub or something to hide in until it stops.”

She wandered around the muddy streets with Noodle in tow. Everything looked empty, there wasn’t a sign of light or people anywhere. It was strange for certain, and the gnawing idea that this town had been evacuated stayed at the back of her mind. She finally saw a chimney with smoke, and when she found the building there was a sign out front advertising it as an inn and tavern. The rain was coming down hard now, and she was soaked to the bone. Even if it seemed too good to be true, she had little choice in the matter.

Inside it was quiet, but at least it was warm and dry. Roslile turned her head this way and that to inspect her surroundings. Right away at the door she noticed a long line of boots along with some weapons hanging from the coat rack.

“Oh look at this! We’ve discovered where death by blunt trauma lives,” Kyairil shivered. “Surely this place can’t be safe for us.”

“You can’t judge a book by it’s...giant bladed cover,” Roslile said, catching sight of a giant claymore by the foot of the stairs.

It felt like Kyairil’s hands were on her shoulders, pulling her back towards the door. “We escaped one possible death today. Do we really want to make it two?”

There were voices coming from down the hall and Noodle began to bark loudly.

“Shut him up!” Kyairil commanded.

Roslile tried to grab hold of Noodle but he charged to the hallway and continued to bark loudly, taking a defensive stance.

“Who goes there?” Someone growled from the hallway. Noodle tensed and a ridge of fur stood up all the way down his back. He snarled, showing teeth. An Orc came into view, standing before Noodle with a confused look upon his face. He then offered his hand, letting Noodle smell him. “There’s a good dog. Who you protecting boy?”

Noodle’s tail began to wag and he licked the Orc’s hand.

“Your dog is bad at this,” Kyairil hissed.

The Orc saw Roslile standing there frozen out of fear. “A Halfling? The hell is one of you doing in these parts?”

“I uh-” Roslile shivered. It was a miracle she had escaped that base today. Maybe this was the end of all her luck.

The Orc walked around Noodle and approached her. “Where are you from?”

She was beginning to shake, but Kyairil’s hands on her shoulders squeezed tight. “Breathe,” he whispers. “Look into his eyes, calm yourself and focus on his eyes. You have to look deep, you can feel his heart. Now, ask him.”

“Who are you?” Roslile asked.

The Orc’s eyes went blue in the white for the briefest flash. “Name’s Charrick.”

How did that work? Roslile tried again. “What are you here for?”

“My friends and I are from Obresh, we’re looking for an encampment of soldiers so we can find their encoded maps of the Cobra Strait.” He looked confused after her spoke, chuckling to cover it. “Hope you aren’t a spy.”

“The camp,” Kyairil exclaimed.

“I’m from Earthwick! It’s a village in Charbagne.” She stood closer to Charrick. “I saw the campe this afternoon!”

His eyes grew wide. “How? Where?”

“It was along the river, just before I came to the Juggernaut stones.”

Charrick grinned and rubbed his hairy chin. “We have food and drink inside. We’ll give you whatever you want, you just probably saved Obresh...uh-”

“Roslile,” she gasped. “Roslile Portigardens.” She was fit to burst with excitement. Was this what being a hero felt like. She followed Charrick into the main hall where she spoke of what she saw to the other Orcs therein. They laid out a map for her where she showed them proximity where she had found the camp, explaining also what the soldier had said to her too.

They fed her and Noodle, giving her a cup that would fit her hands so she could drink and celebrate with them. She told them about Earthwick and how she hopes to protect it.

“The Drow want to take it back,” Poppy, Charrick’s sister, told her. “They’re trying to use Gravelmeuse as a way to get inside and take it back. They lost it ages ago when they were expunged for planning a coup. But once their queen died they didn’t have much of a fighting chance,” she chuckled.

A shock went up the back of her neck and the feeling of a heart pounding against her back made Roslile reminded of Kyairil’s presence. “Drows? Really?”

“They’re working with Sanguis Rex. One of them just married his right hand man,” she scoffed. “But I don’t think they’ll be able to take over Charbagne. I heard that they’re sending some folks to Hell to talk to the Drow there to form an allegiance.”

“Roslile,” Kyairil whispered urgently. “Can we...can we go elsewhere? Please?”

She gently sat down her empty cup. “Is there somewhere I can rest for the night?”

“Sure kid,” Poppy rose, taking her to the stairs. “The room at the end and to the left is free. Go ahead and take it. We’ll have breakfast before we leave in the morning.”

“Thank you!” Roslile tried to get Noodle to follow, but he was enjoying being fed by the other Obresh mercenaries to care. She gathered her things and found the empty room. She placed the halberd by the bed and clutched her chest. “Your heart is beating so fast.”

“You can feel that?” Kyairil chocked.

“What’s going on? You started acting strangely when she was talking about the Drow.” She began removing her clothes and hanging them by the fireplace.

“What are you doing?” He balked.

Roslile looked towards the halberd, her underclothes in her hands. “I’m getting ready for bed. What does it look like?”

“You look naked!” Kyairil snapped.

Roslile stretched before the fire. “Oh? You can see me?”

Kyairil grumbled something under his breath. “You sound like you don’t care I can see your...heiny.”

Roslile chuckled. “Grow up a little. Surely you had time to do that recently.” She walked back towards the bed and crawled on top of it. She stretched out, never having slept in a bed so massive before. “Think on the positive things today. We’ve accomplished a lot.”

Kyairil wasn’t responding.

“Are you even listening to me?” Roslile sat up and grabbed the halberd laying it in the spacious amount of bed she had.

“I’m listening,” he scoffed.

“Was that magic we used earlier?” She asked quietly. “When we got Charrick to talk.”

Kyairil exhaled loudly. “Yes. It was. We were able to use magic today.”

“That’s exciting, isn’t it?” He rolled over onto her side to face the halberd. “It took a minute but we finally did it.”

He grumbled. “I suppose.”

Roslile closed her eyes. “I’ve never been this lucky before. My luck always seems to swing the other way.”

“Yeah, well luck isn’t real anyways. You shouldn’t put your stock in something so intangible. You were lucky today because of yourself. Not because of some strange all knowing force you can’t see.”

“Maybe you’re my lucky charm.”

Kyairil laughed. “Don’t be stupid. What did I just tell you?”

Roslile was beginning to sink into sleep. Her eyes were heavy, her body began to melt into the bed. “We make a good team though.”

He sniffed. “Too early for that. Just get some sleep, little finch.”

She did just that, fading into sleep where she came into a dream that was different from before. Usually when she drank, she barely remembered her dreams. Here, the room was small but warm, one entire wall was a bed built into a cabinet like fitting. Curtain flowed out over the opening and pillows had spilled all over the floor from within. Outside, the moon was full and bright, almost pushing itself against the glass. She stood there, not realizing she was naked until she felt a cold chill run over her skin.

“If you’re cold, come here.” A hand came from the curtains. The fingers were long and elegant, decorated with shining golden rings, and nails that were sharp and black.

Roslile stepped close, admiring the near black, sapphire skin. “Is that you?” She took his hand and his fingers wrapped around her wrist.

“Who do you think it could be?” Kyairil pulled her up and into his bed, which went on further than the outside of it looked. There was a stained glass window at the very back made from purple and blue glass. The moonlight filtered through it, shining along Kyairil’s exposed skin. He wore a long robe of silken material, and his hair was pulled into a braid and wrapped around his head. He looked painfully gorgeous and luxurious.

“Where are we?” Roslile asked.

“My old bedroom.” He lounged back against the many, many pillows. “I was surprised to find myself here. I didn’t think you knew it.”

Roslile hugged a pillow to her chest. “I don’t remember my dreams when I drink. This could be your influence.”

“It’s not quite how I remember it. Everything feels so much smaller.” He flicks his dark eyes over to her. “Maybe that’s your influence.”

Roslile’s heart beat wildly. She had been with men before, but never one like Kyairil. He was so lovely and masculine simultaneously. He looked like he smelt good if she buried her face into his hair or his neck. She was usually confident when it came to bedroom situations, but here, she felt like a guffawing goof.

Kyairil’s eyes looked into her’s a smile spread across his face. “What are you looking at, little sparrow?”

She gulped. “Nothing.”

His eyes flicked down, noticing how tightly she was squeezing the pillow in her arms. “You gave me an eyeful earlier. Perhaps I should repay the favor.” He sat up, tugging the robe down off his shoulders.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, trying to play it off. “There was nothing to look at with me! Get over yourself.”

“Nothing you say?” Kyairil breathed, beginning a slow crawl across the bed. “I saw the cutest, perkiest ass I’ve ever seen. It looked quite firm but soft too.”

“Shut up,” Roslile giggled. “You’re just teasing me.”

“My tongue is for teasing,” Kyairil whispered directly into her ear. “My words mean something.” He pulled the pillow from her arms. “Why so shy now?”

“I’m not.” Roslile looked into his face, regaining some of her courage. She reached out, placing her palm against his chest. His skin was so soft all over. “Can you feel that?”

His smile grew, and a black tongue darted over his sharp, pearly teeth. “Actually, I can. You’re very warm for such a tiny bird.”

“Why do you call me that?” She pouted.

Kyairil moved in closer. “You look like you have tiny hollow bones.”

She scoffed and tugged his robe open more. “I can feel your heart racing again. You nervous?”

“Maybe a little,” his breath hitched and was followed by a moan. “I haven’t been touched in so long.”

Her hand moved down his chest to his stomach and her fingers brushed against hair. She breathed softly then bit her lip, moving her hand back up and touching his face. Kyairil leaned into her palm, nuzzling against it. He looked into her eyes, both of them losing their breath. She rose onto her knees, parting her lips. A tongue slapped her in the face.

Roslile woke up with a shock, seeing Noodle panting and smiling at the edge of the bed. She sat up and touched her face as she looked around the room. Glancing back at the halberd she let out a laugh.

“Stupid dog,” Kyairil growled.