After returning to the castle, Kyera bade goodnight to her family, heading up stairs to lay down. She was rather exhausted from the emotional efforts that falling to her death had played across her mind. Clovis followed her, waiting patiently on the bed while she prepared to bathe.Across the room from the bed, there was a rather ornate part.i.tion. The warm wood was carved to look as though the dragons were spinning up the edges. Leather was pulled tightly across the surface, paintings of snow and a night sky, mountains and dragons, specifically the storm twins flying across the sky. If one looked closely they would see a rider on Ember"s back, standing as they flew through the air. It was beautiful. Clovis was busy looking at it, as Kyera slid into the warm water bath behind the part.i.tion. The warm water relaxed her more than she had thought possible. He listened to her movements, the calmness in the room was serene. There was a sense of… perfection.
"Three months ago, if you had told me this was possible I would have laughed." Clovis chuckled as he stated this aloud. Kyera looked at the part.i.tion between them.
"If what was possible?" She asked resting her arms on the edges of the wooden tub. The life energy of the wood pa.s.sing through her and back again like the ebb and flow of a stream.
"This. I"m in a country my kind haven"t visited since my Great Grandfather, with a beautiful Tigress as my wife, laying on a bed while Kyera, the fierce warriors bathed just beyond a leather wall." Clovis replied sitting up and looking at the part.i.tion. Kyera chuckled softly, closing her eyes lightly. "I am glad your father is not in the Shadow Realm right now… or this would be really awkward." He teased.
"I know, it happened kinda fast. I mean there was a lot of bad in there too but the good far outweighs it. As far as father, you don"t have to worry about that. Being a Princess of the Shadow Realm has its perks." Kyera explained as she slid down in the water to wet her hair. The silver strands color dulling to the shade of the softest shadows. Clovis sat up slowly and quietly as a mouse.
"Oh, how is that?" He asked smirking a bit mischievous. A few tantalizing thoughts playing in his mind. Most of them.. He was fairly sure would turn those pretty cheeks crimson.
"My father can not spy on me, though my position is below his own, he can"t see me as he does other mortals. It"s been both a precious gift and a rather sad curse for us both." Kyera replied sighing deeply. There had been so many times she wanted to see his face, but the walls between worlds were just too thick for her own reach.
There wasn"t a response at first, just silence. Kyera slid up from under the water and reached for the soap that should have been on a counter beside her. However, to her surprise it wasn"t there. Instead a gentle hand reached out and began caressing her hair. Kyera sighed softly as his sent reached her nose, a contented smile curving her lips in a luscious seductive way. "I wondered how long it would take you."
"I apologize my dear Princess, shall I make it up by serving you this eve?" He asked softly, his voice deep and dark like hot tea meant to lul one to sleep. The sounds of soap lathering and being applied to hair. Kyera sighed and relaxed letting him do as he pleased with her body and soul. Surrendering to the moment with him.
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The Bazaar, Kyera"s Tent
"What do you mean we can"t find her?" a voice angry and filled with hatred growled, a clay pot shattering against a tree. There was tension in the air as many who had been doing things just outside the door of the hut scampered and scurried away to avoid her anger. One man however sat quietly, watching as the honey blond woman vented her anger on yet another gla.s.s object unlucky enough to be in the area.
Verone chuckled, watching her with a sense of amus.e.m.e.nt on his face. "Your temper my sweet, seems to have gotten worse by the day." He replied gently shaking his head. The girl frowned at him, sneering as she picked up and threw a small chest at the door. He frowned and walked toward the door. "I will let you finish your tantrum alone, my dear." Verone chuckled darkly as he turned to walk toward the door.