Captain Xadom was here.
Summoned by Markos’ pleas or Dahr’s threats, no one knew. He made his visit announced the night before, without giving the tribe enough time to prepare for his arrival. I assumed that was the desired intention.
The entire tribe started running around like headless chicken, all of them terrified by the upcoming visit of this man. Dahr and Markos spent most of the night and early morning outside, preparing everything and giving organisational commands. Apparently, everything needed to be perfect. As this was the man that had their lives in their hands.
Needless to say, my presence there did not help, and even though I offered to make myself scarce, I assumed my prolonged stay was what had generated this to begin with. Which was also why Dahr did not shy from inviting the captain for dinner. Since his tent was the largest, we had started planning at midday, cleaning everything and making sure everything was perfect for the captain’s arrival.
Including me.
Hence, standing naked in the middle of a tent while everyone around was buzzing to get things ready. I was one of the things that needed to get ready, so, after I said my piece, I conformed to Karisha’s rules and bathed how she told me to, used whatever creams necessary and agreed to be dolled up and look the part.
“You need to be in pristine condition,” Karisha declared after she covered me in another line of perfume before she finally allowed me to get dressed.
Even the dress I wore looked more fit for a queen rather than a drake camp. When Mira first brought it in, I thought they would be sending me to the prom rather than dinner, from the waves of orange palettes of organza making the dress that covered most of the bed. It matched the shade of the corset encased bodice with embroidered shades of darker orange and fashioned to look like flames.
“Can’t we go to the meeting instead?” I sighed when they started rounding up the waves of organza around my leg andthat corset went up my torso to announce the pain I would be facing once the straps were fully pulled.
“Women are not allowed, same as the training area,” Karisha reminded me with a slightly apologetic tone when she started pulling at the corset chords and taking my breath away bit by bit. I had to hold onto Mira, because the pressure against my ribs grew to the point of making me squeal. I didn’t know how I was supposed to breathe in this thing, let alone have dinner. Or even sit at the table.
But I pushed through the pain and sucked in my tummy to help with the process, which only stopped when my boobs threatened to touch my neck. I had to admit, I was slightly curious about the dress’ design, so I turned slowly to see my reflection in the mirror, under Karisha’s and Mira’s excited small claps.
I needed only a second until my pride completely deflated.
“I look like a peach cupcake,” I sighed, unable to reign in my disappointment. “A peach cupcake caught on fire,” I pointed at my tummy, where designs of burning flames engulfed my midsection.
I couldn’t say the dress was bad. It was an odd design, that was for sure, and the colour choice hadn’t been the most inspired but… it wasn’t a bad dress.
I was just bad in it.
I couldn’t move, couldn't breathe, and my olive skin against the soft orange tones did everything but match.
“Is there any chance I can go back to the leathers?” I pressed my lips in a desperate plea and looked at Karisha with puppy-eyes.
“I need to go get ready, I’ll be back soon,” she blatantly ignored me and started walking away with Mira in tune. “Don’t do anything to mess up your look till I’m back,” she threatened before she left me in the company of my image in the mirror.
Left to my own devices, in a brand-new looking, shiny tent, I had nothing to do but wait. The anticipation of the meeting started to crawl onto my skin, blanketing a heavy gust of anxiety over me. It was happening. It was finally happening. Whatever I did, it worked. Dahr was taking control over the attack and hopefully, he would manage to reach an agreement with this captain and stop taking the lives of innocents. He was becoming a new man, my heart thumped at the understanding.For me.
I took a long moment to look at myself in the mirror, and to observe what I had become in such a short amount of time. Whether I wanted it or not, I had become a part of this tribe, and if Dahr kept his promise, my life would soon be entwined with his.
I would have never imagined myself to be living in a tribe, a camp of faeries nonetheless, even with my fascination with their kind. But now, I had someone who cared for me, I had friends. And I had plans.
I was going to save my town.
And I was going to save many more.
Dahr and I.
Together.
I was so enthralled in my daydreaming and staring at that mismatched dress in the mirror that I did not see the shift of light. I was so concerned with the future that I let go of the present too soon.
“So you are the one ruining my plans,” a heavy voice filled with rage drew my attention towards the tent entrance, where I saw a tall man in military uniform making his way in.
Involuntarily, I took a step back at the sight of him.
He was massive.
As tall as Dahr. As wide as Dahr. And fully clad in armour.
