Chapter 36: Suspicions

A Chapter by Jensen Roman

With a conflicted heart, the group must press on but not before a new threat emerges to shake things even more.

Conflicted…lost…fearful…what other words could she possible use to describe her situation at that point? She knew there were tons…but she didn’t have the heart to single out every single one of them for they all meant the same and did nothing to help her solve the problem.

Basil loved her…

Saei loved her…

Two brothers that she had grown up with and knew like the back of her hands…both held tender feelings for her…but that’s what made it hurt all the more.

In her own heart, she knew who held that special place that Sid spoke of…that only one person could fill in the shoes for…and that belonged to Saei. Ever since they were little, Basil always felt like an older brother who would protect his little sister if someone tried to mess with her or would share their food with them. Something sweet along those lines…but Saei was the complete opposite. Back then, she always noticed how determined he was…how much effort he put into the task at hand. When she stayed over at their castle, she stumbled upon Saei getting in extra hours of training or just studying…while Basil tended to lay about and be lazy. It wasn’t even that that made her decide one over the other. She just…couldn’t see Basil as a…potential counterpart sadly and she knew it hurt after his sweet confession.

She imagined growing older that he’d be the one to come and visit with baked sweets that were not rightly made and make her laugh when he’d try to defend himself.

That was the Basil she knew…

She couldn’t imagine him…being the one to take a stroll with her down the street and pull her off to a side alley to steal a kiss…or to greet her when she woke with a loving smile…

When she tried to picture it, Basil couldn’t be placed there…

But how was she going to let him know that…how she saw him was different than how he saw her? And especially when his brother is the one who was taking up that spot? It would be a major stab into his heart…and Fey didn’t want to harm him, not Basil.

She frowned softly without anyone knowing since the males were riding ahead slightly, holding conversations that she didn’t wish to take part of…not with her mind like this.

What was she to do?

If the town was glorious, she wanted to seek Saei to spend time with her…if he wished to…and how would Basil take it to see them walking off together?

“You’re deep in thought,” came a soft voice beside her that nearly made her fall from her tyeirk but she held onto the reins tight to look over only to see the feral that did hold her heart riding beside her. Saei seemed to have left the other two up ahead to come back to keep her company. Fey quickly glanced forward and noticed Basil didn’t seem to care that his brother was now with her as he chatted away happily with Sid but she put on a small smile to feign her lack of attention.

“Just a long trip is all.”

The dragon kept his eyes on her for a moment but drew them up to the sky, expecting to see that large creature once more.

“It has been. Do you regret venturing?”

“No,” she spoke without hesitation. “If I stayed in Hulei…there’d be no doubt I’d be someone’s slave,” she smiled sadly, looking up at the sky along with him. A few clouds were starting to form but it was still pleasant outside. “…sometimes…I do wish I never was a mender.”

Saei lowered his gaze to glance over at her.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well…if I wasn’t one…I wouldn’t had dragged all of you into this for one…sometimes it feels as if trouble is drawn to me,” she softly sighed but he could hear the pain within her voice.

“In my opinion, I am glad you are a mender.”

His statement confused her and drew her eyes over to him. “Why do you say that?”

“If you were a normal feral woman…you wouldn’t had been visiting Castle Phayr…you wouldn’t had met us…I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet you…which leads into more matters that would not come to pass if you were someone else. Do you wish for a different fate?”

“W-when you put it like that, of course not,” she blushed at knowing what he meant and turned her eyes away to look down at the plains beneath her tyeirk’s claws.

“…it is hard…I know…” he spoke softly, gaining her attention and she saw that his silver eyes seemed to be reflecting the same inner turmoil that she felt. “We’re not so different…you and I. To be wanted by all…or to be a danger to many…we both need to be strong to overcome our own battles.”

“You’re not a danger, Saei…” She told him, frowning slightly. “There’s no sugarcoating it, I know…but you showed me that you’re different than that. You’re much stronger than you think and I’m not afraid anymore,” she smiled sweetly, a genuine one that made his heart swell and chase away his worries. He smiled with a small huff.

“I wonder how the spirits see us…”

“The sun and moon?”

“Yes…going against everything they thought that would happen.”

“If you think about it though, I think they’re impressed? Shocked maybe?” She shrugged with a giggle. “I mean, they both loved one another so don’t you think they would want everything to work out?”

“I suppose,” he answered and remembered how the moon spirit visited him in his dreams…speaking in riddles…and testing him. For being a spirit, he sure was a nuisance but his long ear twitched when Fey spoke up again.

“I’m sorry you didn’t win.”

“Did you wish for me to win?” He asked, peering over at her and could see the obvious redness in her cheeks as she looked forward to act as normal as she could.

“I w-was just curious as to what your wish would be is all.”

“Is that so?” He played along innocently, knowing each passing second she was only growing more nervous which was adorable. “And if you had won?”

“I didn’t have a wish in mind,” she confessed guilty.

“You have time now to think. What would your heart desire?”

Now he was really putting her on the spot and her heart was trying to stay afloat under the pressure. To have the power to wish for anything…but her mind could only come up with one thing she truly wanted and it showed on her face just how selfish it was due to her cheeks darkening. Saei raised an eyebrow before chuckling softly.

“Now I’m more interested.”

“D-don’t start teasing me. It’s bad enough I have to deal with Sid,” she pouted softly but the dragon shook his head with a tender smile.

“It is difficult not to. You don’t notice the small changes but your face brightens, your ears curl back and the fur on your tail puffs up.”

“M-maybe I won’t tell you,” she turned her nose up and looked away from him but stiffened when his tyeirk came close enough for his tail to wind around behind her. The others wouldn’t be able to tell and only see that they were riding terribly close which could be just an excuse to hear each other better but she looked back up at him with the same flushed look.

“Would you rather I voice my wish first?”

“S-so you did have one?”

“Of course,” he smiled softly. “It was not too hard to conjure up one.”

“Alright, let’s hear it.”

“My wish…” He started and raised his silver eyes back onto the sky with the beams of the sun hitting his scales just right to make them glow a bit, reflecting it back. “I wish to always see you smiling…to see that light in your eyes…the brightness on your face as if you were the sun herself…to always have your heart filled without fear…or worry…but joy and content. To never worry for the future and what it may be…but to enjoy the moment.”

Her blush softened at his sweet words and she smiled while her tail moved a bit from beside her to plop down against his. The touch drew his eyes down onto her with a small hint of embarrassment on his face.

“That’s a long wish,” she giggled. “I’m not sure if it can be granted so easily.”

“I could make a shorter one,” he teased and found his tail wrapping around hers. “A greedier one.”

“Could you now? So, the first wish was all for show and now your true colors are coming forth?” She teased back and they shared a soft laugh together.

“I already told you mine. I will keep my greedy one hidden until you tell me yours,” he grinned with a sharp fang showing. Fey felt his tail tighten around hers in a hug and shook her head with a smile.

“I think I will keep it to myself.”

“…well that’s not fair,” he growled lowly in a playful manner and not out of anger. “I confessed mine.”

“You had two. Admit it,” she giggled and felt her nerves falling to the side the longer she stayed beside him.

“If I tell you my greedy one, then you must tell me yours. Fair deal?”

“Dea-“ Her agreement was interrupted by loud squawks from both of their tyeirks as they started to grow anxious and part from one another which forced Saei’s tail from hers. The feathers on the back of their necks stood on end with worry.

“W-what’s gotten into them?” She asked, grabbing the reins to try and settle it down but hers squawked again in a warning.

“I am not sure,” Saei attempted to control his, turning it toward hers to keep her safe but scanned around for any signs of danger. “They must sense something. Stay close,” he warned her and she did her best but looked ahead to see Basil and Sid charging back toward them with panic written on their faces.

“RUN!” Sid yelled at the top of his lungs, his tyeirk coming at them at full speed but Saei reared his tyeirk back a bit to keep it steady as he tried to see what in the world was going on. Following after Sid and Basil was a large creature that was covered in rock that flowed around its body like fur and its four massive hooves broke the ground where it stepped, gaining ground on them. Basil’s tyeirk cried out again as the feline glanced back to see the beast growing closer.

“We didn’t do anything to you!” He shouted at it but the wild beast continued to charge and Fey’s tyeirk grew frightened and bolted for its life, taking her with it.

“AHHH! Not this way!” She hollered, holding on for dear life as it broke into a run faster than during the race. Gritting his fangs hard at the situation, Saei forced his tyeirk to chase after hers.

“Fey! Hold on!” He ordered over the rushing wind and saw her struggling to hang on with how frantic the tyeirk was.

The massive beast swiveled its head in their direction, seeing them as struggling prey and veered off course from Sid and Basil to charge toward Saei and Fey.

“It’s after them!” Sid grabbed his reins hard to stop his beast from running away from the others and forced it to turn to rush after the beast.

“It’s armored! How are we supposed to deal with that?!” Basil asked, turning his around as well to go help.

“No idea!” Sid answered but he paled when the beast was closing the distance between them. Saei managed to reach Fey in time, grabbing the reins of her tyeirk to ride hers alongside his.

“I got you!” He told her and saw the fear on her face that made his heart stop for a moment.

“LOOK OUT!” Basil yelled at them, unable to reach them in time to physically help but Saei turned his head in time to see the beast nearly upon them. The tyeirks squawked in fright and took off together with the dragon’s claws still clutched around her reins to keep them together.

The beast wasn’t detoured though and continued after them.

“Damnit all!” Saei muttered and glanced back at the large creature, the rock on its hide jingling to create a horrible crushing sound every time it moved as its red eyes were focused on them. He needed to get it away from them, especially Fey but he also had to make sure she was safe on her tyeirk.

Growling lowly, he saw Basil and Sid trying to ride up beside the beast to distract it and even his brother formed fire along his fists to hurl one at the beast but it made no effect. All it did was scare the tyeirk more.

There had to be a soft spot…

His silver eyes scanned over the beast quickly but was pulled away when Fey’s tyeirk pulled itself roughly away from him to try and get away. The reins slipped from his clutches as hers bolted in another direction from his.

“FEY!” He yelled, grabbing his reins to try and go after hers once more but the beast rushed past him to go after Fey. The mender was slipping but she looked back with a frightened gasp to see the large beast drawing closer. Its red eyes only made her blood run cold and without thinking twice of the consequences, Fey’s white eyes glowed prettily as she pointed her palm at the beast to summon forth a ball of pure energy. It hurled itself toward the charging creature, exploding in its face but it emerged from the smoke without harm.

Fey’s vision grew hazy after the attack but she gritted her teeth to try again, summoning forth more energy this time and swung her arm at it, sending the attack at her purser. More smoke erupted from the blast but it charged through.

Was nothing going to work on this thing? After the second attack, her vision grew worse and she felt her body weakening.

‘Not now!’ She yelled at herself and fought against the need to cave in to her body’s tiredness but her tyeirk only seemed to grow more anxious. It swiveled hard with her still focused on the beast to toss her off hard. Fey screamed in pain when she came down hard on her side, loose rocks digging into her skin to form cuts on the surface and tore at her clothing. The tumble tore her pant legs open with droplets of blood coursing down her long legs but she looked up fearfully to see the beast nearly upon her. She was too frightened to even move.

“FEY!” Basil hollered at the top of his lungs, hurting his throat in the process as he pushed his tyeirk harder to try and reach her before the beast could but he pinpointed something else that made his heart stop.

His brother was forcing his tyeirk toward Fey to possibly get her out of harm’s way…but…his eyes…had changed. His pupils were slits…

Basil quickly glanced over to see Fey struggling to stand but yelped, grabbing her ankle which appeared to be injured. She had blood on her…

Was…his brother…?

Growling loudly, Basil sent another blast of fire at the beast and prayed it would turn to him due to being a nuisance but Fey was the obvious target.

Fey looked up toward the charging creature but gasped loudly when Saei’s tyeirk stopped before her with a loud squawk in warning. Before she knew it, the dragon had reached down to pull her up onto his saddle the best that he could before he had to charge off again. It wasn’t the gentlest way either but with the sound of the clanging growing louder, she couldn’t fault him. Fey held onto the saddle, trying not to wince with each jar of her leg but looked up at Saei to feel worry surfacing back in her heart.

His eyes were different…and his jaw was tight while his hands shook on the reins and also keeping her steady as he turned the tyeirk again to try and get the beast off his tail.

“S-Saei?” She asked worriedly but noticed he was turning them toward Sid and Basil.

“Don’t bring it to us!” Sid yelled, his tyeirk rearing up but he saw the blood on Fey.

“Take her!” Saei ordered with a deeper voice, sounding close to a feral growl as he carefully pulled up beside the hare and pushed Fey onto his companion’s saddle.

“H-h-hey!” Sid exclaimed, helping Fey onto his but noticed Saei was anxious to get away and as soon as Fey was safe, the dragon turned his tyeirk around…to face the beast head-on. “Are you mad?!”

Basil looked down at Fey worriedly and saw her ankle seemed twisted…with a few drops of blood on her body from the fall…but he worried more for his brother.

Fey felt her heart racing at seeing Saei charging off with the tyeirk clearly not liking the idea. It fought against the reins but he kept it on a clear track. The beast grew angrier at seeing the courage or stupidity of the feral and pounded the ground harder beneath its hooves.

Gritting his teeth to keep his sanity in check, Saei dismounted the fearful tyeirk who instantly left his side the second it could, leaving the dragon alone on the ground to face off against the beast.

“Saei, no!” Fey shouted and squirmed in Sid’s hold, wanting to go help but the hare held her still. There was nothing they could do…

If they charged forward, they would only be harmed…and even Basil’s attacks were useless against it so what did the dragon hope to accomplish?

‘Brother…run…come on…’ Basil pleaded mentally but watched as Saei held his ground while removing his sword slowly from its sheathe. Surely the sword would do nothing against the tough hide…so what was he planning?

The beast was now upon the dragon and brought its hooves up, ready to slam down on the helpless feral but a chill ran through Fey’s body when Saei parted his lips to roar out in anger with shadows leaking from the sword to shroud him entirely in dark mists. The beast brought its hooves down hard to make the ground crumble beneath its power but the dragon was nowhere to be seen. Its large head swiveled this way and that in search but with the shadows swarming around, it was hard to see.

Even Fey was trying to find him with a hand to her chest to try and stay calm but pinpointed movement under the beast. With a soft gasp and having to fold her ears back at the sound, another roar sounded and the harsh sound of steel tearing into soft flesh echoed across the plains.

The beast thrashed about, stomping the ground around it as it tore from the attack but shadows lingered to reveal Saei with a few more scales along his cheek and down his arm.

Did…he grow more scales…? Fey’s lips trembled in fear and could only watch as the beast bled out on the grass but turned in anger to Saei, still alive and kicking somewhat. With a loud stomp, the creature charged forward with a few rocks falling off from its hide and wanting to take the dragon down with it.

Saei raised his sword as the shadow dragon she had seen before escaped from the steel, screaming frantically like some sort of demon as it collided with the beast to dig its claws into the stone. The rocks started to decay under the pressure, making the beast whine in pain while Saei charged forward with his sword held high and dug it deep into the wound once more, melding with the shadow dragon.

It…frightened Fey…

Saei…looked like…a dragon…

The shadows made his horns look larger…his claws sharper…his eyes…looking vacant and blood thirsty…

She shivered…

With a quick twist of his sword, the beast slowly stopped struggling as the shadows receded back into the sword and Saei leapt back just as the large creature collapsed onto its side with blood flowing out from its wound and rocks falling from its back.

Saei was panting heavily…and remained rigid like he was ready for the next foe.

“…remind me never to piss him off…” Sid whispered to try and slice through the tense atmosphere but looked down at Fey worriedly. “…you alright?” He asked and Basil came up beside them with their tyeirks finally calming down as well.

“You’re hurt,” Basil frowned and dismounted to reach out for Fey, taking her waist between his claws to help her down onto her shaky legs. She kept her one foot elevated, still a bit tender from the fall but her eyes didn’t leave Saei. He still remained standing there…

“I know we shouldn’t linger but let’s dress these wounds first. Sid, can you go find her tyeirk? It can’t be far.”

“On it,” the hare stated and turned his own beast away to trot off in search for the runaway tyeirk while Basil looked down at Fey.

“You feeling okay? You used attacks so not sure if you feel famished…dizzy…?” He questioned but Fey didn’t answer. Basil drew his eyebrows together worriedly but followed her gaze to his brother who finally seemed to calm down his breathing.

“…Fey…stay here with me…you’re bleeding…” He warned in a whisper but frowned when the mender winced slightly when she took a brave step forward toward the feral she secretly loved.

“…Fey…?” Basil couldn’t help but worry, knowing what his brother told him…and Fey was injured. She might as well be waving a slab of meat before a starving animal…but he kept back and trusted her with a gulp of worry.

The mender winced again, trying to keep the weight off her foot but when she got a bit closer, Saei raised his head for her to see his face. There were more scales on his cheeks…going up toward the base of his ear…but his pupils were still the same.

‘…I’m not going to fear him…I promised…’ She told herself but when she took another step, she heard a low growl of warning from Saei. A few more steps was all that was between them…and from this far, she knew he could smell the scent of her blood…but she needed to prove and show that he wasn’t the beast that he was made out to be by everyone who knew. She also needed to prove to herself that Saei would never harm her.

With eyes focused on his, Fey took another step closer with the growl only getting louder but it was followed by another…and another.

After the second step, his upper lip raised to bare fangs…but even that wouldn’t stop her from approaching.

“…Saei…” she spoke softly with a loving smile. “…you saved me. I’m sorry for being of little help. I tried but…seems I’m not strong enough yet to take on a foe,” she told him, creating a small conversation to lighten the mood. Within his eyes, she noticed the pupils slightly returning to normal but he still seemed feral.

“Thank you,” she whispered and took the final step forward. His tail curled behind him but Fey reached out, still having a few drops of blood on her to place her arms around his large form and rested her head on his beating heart. It sped up at her touch and his chest expanded against her cheek before deflating. “…I’m ready to tell you my wish,” she kept her voice soft so that only he could hear.

Sid’s tyeirk carried him back to Basil as his hand gripped the reins of Fey’s tyeirk.

“Thank goodness it wasn’t far. Think they just got a bit spooked by everything so…” His voice quieted to see Basil watching the scene between his brother and Fey. Sid turned his eyes onto them…and was a bit shocked as well.

Saei’s pupils…slowly returned to normal and his large hand came up to hold the back of her head.

“He seems to be fine…Fey just proved Yuuin wrong again it seems,” Sid smiled but looked back down at Basil to see the small conflict within his eyes at seeing his own brother holding the very woman he loved within his arms.

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