I placed a gentle kiss on Anwen’s forehead and rose from the bed, finding the closest pair of pants, which turned out to be the one my friend had lent to me. Since I missed half a day of training, I didn't think taking a shower would greatly benefit me anyway, so he would have his wish. I would wear his clothes and sully them with mating scent.
“Hie vaedrum teim,fahrenor,” I placed another kiss on Anwen’s sleepy cheek and hurried out the room, having to pass Rhylan who had politely positioned himself in the bedroom door frame. I couldn’t help but appreciate the space.
“One week,” I told him, a form of promise and encouragement, letting him know that I would honour the oath.
“One week,” Rhylan nodded and extended his hand towards me. It was trembling slightly and felt clammy at the touch, but I granted his wish, offering the salute amongst soldiers.
Before I got out of the room, I heard him bossing my mate around. “Come on sprout, you have dresses to try on. And for the god’s sake, take a shower, you reek of sex.”
I chuckled imagining the day these two would have. If there was one thing my mate needed above all else, that was her precious sleep, and I had chased away most of it last night.
“Have fun, Rhylan,” I giggled as I walked the corridors towards the training grounds.
The following week fell heavy over all of us. Marreth and I partook in long training sessions which lasted until late at night and left both of us, along with the new soldiers, completely shattered. Rhylan paid us a single visit during this time, supervising the planning and making us repeat back to him our actions, step by step, over and over, his eyes scanning the possible outcomes until we ended up devising four different strategies, all pointing to the same result.
It took a few days for his skin to return to its original soft tan and for his eyes to glint with wickedness once more. Even Anwen noticed the changes and started asking questions. I hated leaving her in the dark with our plan and what the queen wanted to do to me, should Rhylan not find success, but I clinged to every moment I could spend by her side.
As soon as we finished training, I skipped dinner and ran to our room to find my mate. Sometimes she was already there, waiting for me eagerly, other times I was the one who had to wait for her arrival.
I spent long hours worshipping her body with everything I had, sleep be damned, if I only had a few days left with this woman I would not lose a second. She taught me how to massage her feet, the soles tired and aching after long hours of strolling around the kingdom in high heels, and sometimes we watched stories on the television in the sitting room.
Started watching would fit the description better, since every time our bodies touched for more than a minute, our impulses rushed and we allowed ourselves to be compelled by them, joining together a million times in a million ways.
Anwen’s body moulded perfectly into mine in every situation, during every position and I could not help but curse everything and everyone around for making us have to part each morning. Every approaching day made it harder to let her go, knowing that the end came near, and that particular morning, the last one we possibly ever shared together, came like a hurricane over a forest of young firs, scraping everything away to leave destruction.
“Good morning,” I kissed her forehead, locking with her soft skin, a bead of sweat protruding in between my lips. I licked it eagerly, tasting her scent.
“I don’t want it to be morning yet,” she whispered my exact thoughts and nestled into me, seeking comfort and quiet. As though she could magic the world away and make it so that just the two of us and this bed remained in the world.
“Me neither,” I agreed and planted another kiss, this time taking a moment to smell her hair. “I love you,” I whispered, hoping that my breath would invade through her memories and remain locked in her mind.
“Love you too baby,” she slightly giggled and looked at me with those beautiful hazel eyes, sleep still curling onto her lashes.
“I’ll see you tonight,” I promised and moved to stand from bed, but her arm remained draped across my waist, pulling me closer to her. “I need to go, fahrenor,” I tried to reason, though I wanted nothing more than to stay with her in that bed until time dripped from the world.
“I love you,” I whispered again and bent to kiss her shoulder, making her giggle slightly. Loving her reaction, I did the same to her arm, then passed to her elbow and then to her wrist, finishing planting sweet kisses on each of her fingers.
That seemed to settle her enough to go back to sleep, unaware of what was to come.
Marreth and I spent the entire day preparing the new recruits, polishing their weapons and uniforms, and getting them ready for the evening celebration. We had rehearsed this moment, making sure that every soldier knew their place and what position to adopt while entering court.
The males were becoming restless and fidgeting, counting the hours until they had a chance to enter through the halls and meet the royals.
“Weapons ready!” Marreth ordered to keep them in check, rehearsing their entrance for what must have been the tenth or eleventh time. But they listened, eager to fight for their chance of freedom, the only one they would get, ready to die rather than live as slaves, serving a kingdom that branded them traitors and only spared them to use their bodies as weapons.
“Tighten the right flank,” I ordered alongside my friend, rehearsing the battle formations I had poured my heart and soul into making the soldiers learn, ones that gave them the best fighting chance once we reached the halls, perfect for crowded places with no escape or chance to fall back.
As the late hours of the afternoon came upon us, we let the men indulge in food and relaxation, allowing them to linger amongst their friends for what could be the last time for some.
Maybe even for Marreth and I, who preferred to stay away from the fighting ring and occupied one of the farther benches to eat our meal undisturbed and away from the singing of the soldiers.
“Ready for tonight?” he asked the obvious question while biting avidly into a rack of lamb.
“As ready as I can be,” I confessed and sighed, focusing my attention on an apple. My stomach felt queasy so the last thing it needed was heavy food. It wasn’t the battle that kept me on edge, I had fought many firelings before this day and lived to tell the story.
Anwen. She was the only thing on my mind, her safety the main reason for all my purpose in this attack. One that, I hoped, would help her regain freedom.
“Does she know what to do?” he asked, probably deciphering the concern on my face. Marreth was present for various conversations with Rhylan and had developed the plan alongside the general, so he was no stranger to what would happen tonight or my reasoning.
