Chapter 18
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Ilun stared back at her, his dark eyes deep wells, his huge body shaking with excitement.
"You're here too," she said as his claws clicked on the stone of the courtyard. "But," she asked, lifting her hand to touch his velvet nose, "are you the same or is one of you a copy?"
Ilun didn't answer, he only pressed his head into her hand, following down her arm so that she could scratch his neck and ears. She stumbled back at the sudden weight of him against her body but did as he wanted, happy to see him. He's not changing here, not like he was when I woke up, he's more stable, she thought.
"I have to find that woman, ask her where you came from, what happened. How you are in the waking world."
Ilun didn't seem to care for her mysteries, he only pressed his body around hers, urging for more pets and scratches.
"No," she said pushing his great head away, "We have something important to do."
"Ah! You found him!" the voice of the shade sounded behind her and she turned, her eyes slits, the bridge of her nose wrinkled in anger.
"You!" she yelled, "What is going on?"
The woman laughed and clapped, the beads covering her chest making soft notes with her every movement. "I knew it! I knew you were the one! Fate sent you to me, to all of us! Sorgia, oh Sorgia, you will be so great!"
"Stop! Just tell me what's going on!" Isilla hissed.
The woman ignored her and crossed the distance to Ilun. She reached for him, cooing, her voice making small sounds.
Ilun growled and backed away snapping at the offered hand, moving behind Isilla as if her small body could cover him.
He's afraid, Isilla thought, as he pressed his nose into her palm, a low whine in his throat. He wants me to protect him, she looked back at the animal.
The woman chuckled, dropping her hand, "Of course, of course. Is how it should be."
She turned her attention to Isilla, "Is beautiful, that one that you found, that you made. And in waking, how is he? Still big, still this color? Tell me!"
"He's," Isilla started her focus thrown by the woman's excitement, "yes, he's much the same. Now please, tell me what is going on."
The woman smiled softly at Ilun for a moment before speaking, "This is the mark, the first test. You and your chosen, you will be so powerful. You will do things this world has never seen before. Bring the dark and the light together."
"You mean Arren?" Isilla asked slowly.
The woman tilted her head to the side, "Is that his name? Where did you find him in this land?"
"He's the prince," Isilla said slowly.
The woman's eyes opened in shock, "Of the Dark? No. Their blood is too weak, the power does not flow through them. One of them could never help you make that."
"But he did. And I want to know how," Isilla countered.
The woman sighed, "Fine, if you say prince, then prince. You brought together your power. This proves you can be as one."
"I don't have any powers," Isilla said slowly remembering the words Arren had used to explain her movements in dreams. "What I do here, is nothing. A bedtime story and warm milk will do the same."
The woman laughed, hiding her mouth behind her hand, "You think changing this energy from dark to light is weak? So humble! Fine. Another test for you. That mark, on your cheek, when you wake, tell me, still there next time you sleep. You think powerless?" she made a dismissive sound in the back of her throat.
Isilla touched her face, the bruise under her fingers felt hot and unnatural. How long do these things normally take to heal, she thought, attempting to remember the last time she had ever had a bruise, or any injury, even a small cut.
"And there, on your arm too! Tell me, next time you sleep, they're still there!" the woman demanded.
Isilla dropped her hand, "Stop trying to distract me with unimportant things!"
The woman frowned, "Oh little Sorgia, you don't understand anything yet."
"You aren't telling me anything," she half shouted back.
"If meant to understand, you would," the woman responded shrugging. "Still too soon. We will speak again, next sleep, you see, you'll understand your power better."
Isilla reached for the woman but she laughed as Isilla's hand passed right through her arm. A moment later, she was gone leaving Isilla with a whining Ilun.
Sighing she turned to the beast. "A lot of help you were with this," she said as they settled to the ground together. He wrapped around her body and put his head in her lap. "You could have intimidated her," she half scolded.
Ilun whined as if in apology and she hummed, leaning back onto his body, his breathing a low rumble against her. "I guess Arren and I made you together, somehow."
She blushed at the memory of Arren in the dream, the feel of his kiss on her skin, and in the waking, his feather light shadows. The same shadows that she had seen hold heavy iron swords and black out a room. She looked down at her body, hidden under the shifting fabric of her garments and frowned at the stirrings in her belly.
"He called me love in his dream. He couldn't have been speaking of me but he says he doesn't keep any ladies. And yes he was sweet to hold me but first he was angry and before that he had no emotions at all. I don't understand him," she finished more confused than she started.
Could Arren have written my letters, she thought, biting her lip. Why wouldn't he just tell me? If he didn't care for me, it would be simple enough to say that. No, it must be someone else, he said my heart belongs to another, why would he say such a thing if it were him, she decided. Still the idea tickled at the back of her mind.
Ilun licked her face and she leaned into his fur.
"This is not what I expected from my marriage," she sighed, letting herself relax to the sounds of her pet's breathing. Suddenly she pushed herself up, "I'm not just going to sit here and feel sorry for myself."
This is my space, she thought pushing away Arren's warnings. I'll go where I want.
"Let's visit some midday dreamers," she said pushing through the courtyard gate, Ilun padding at her heels.
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Ilun stared back at her, his dark eyes deep wells, his huge body shaking with excitement.
"You're here too," she said as his claws clicked on the stone of the courtyard. "But," she asked, lifting her hand to touch his velvet nose, "are you the same or is one of you a copy?"
Ilun didn't answer, he only pressed his head into her hand, following down her arm so that she could scratch his neck and ears. She stumbled back at the sudden weight of him against her body but did as he wanted, happy to see him. He's not changing here, not like he was when I woke up, he's more stable, she thought.
"I have to find that woman, ask her where you came from, what happened. How you are in the waking world."
Ilun didn't seem to care for her mysteries, he only pressed his body around hers, urging for more pets and scratches.
"No," she said pushing his great head away, "We have something important to do."
"Ah! You found him!" the voice of the shade sounded behind her and she turned, her eyes slits, the bridge of her nose wrinkled in anger.
"You!" she yelled, "What is going on?"
The woman laughed and clapped, the beads covering her chest making soft notes with her every movement. "I knew it! I knew you were the one! Fate sent you to me, to all of us! Sorgia, oh Sorgia, you will be so great!"
"Stop! Just tell me what's going on!" Isilla hissed.
The woman ignored her and crossed the distance to Ilun. She reached for him, cooing, her voice making small sounds.
Ilun growled and backed away snapping at the offered hand, moving behind Isilla as if her small body could cover him.
He's afraid, Isilla thought, as he pressed his nose into her palm, a low whine in his throat. He wants me to protect him, she looked back at the animal.
The woman chuckled, dropping her hand, "Of course, of course. Is how it should be."
She turned her attention to Isilla, "Is beautiful, that one that you found, that you made. And in waking, how is he? Still big, still this color? Tell me!"
"He's," Isilla started her focus thrown by the woman's excitement, "yes, he's much the same. Now please, tell me what is going on."
The woman smiled softly at Ilun for a moment before speaking, "This is the mark, the first test. You and your chosen, you will be so powerful. You will do things this world has never seen before. Bring the dark and the light together."
"You mean Arren?" Isilla asked slowly.
The woman tilted her head to the side, "Is that his name? Where did you find him in this land?"
"He's the prince," Isilla said slowly.
The woman's eyes opened in shock, "Of the Dark? No. Their blood is too weak, the power does not flow through them. One of them could never help you make that."
"But he did. And I want to know how," Isilla countered.
The woman sighed, "Fine, if you say prince, then prince. You brought together your power. This proves you can be as one."
"I don't have any powers," Isilla said slowly remembering the words Arren had used to explain her movements in dreams. "What I do here, is nothing. A bedtime story and warm milk will do the same."
The woman laughed, hiding her mouth behind her hand, "You think changing this energy from dark to light is weak? So humble! Fine. Another test for you. That mark, on your cheek, when you wake, tell me, still there next time you sleep. You think powerless?" she made a dismissive sound in the back of her throat.
Isilla touched her face, the bruise under her fingers felt hot and unnatural. How long do these things normally take to heal, she thought, attempting to remember the last time she had ever had a bruise, or any injury, even a small cut.
"And there, on your arm too! Tell me, next time you sleep, they're still there!" the woman demanded.
Isilla dropped her hand, "Stop trying to distract me with unimportant things!"
The woman frowned, "Oh little Sorgia, you don't understand anything yet."
"You aren't telling me anything," she half shouted back.
"If meant to understand, you would," the woman responded shrugging. "Still too soon. We will speak again, next sleep, you see, you'll understand your power better."
Isilla reached for the woman but she laughed as Isilla's hand passed right through her arm. A moment later, she was gone leaving Isilla with a whining Ilun.
Sighing she turned to the beast. "A lot of help you were with this," she said as they settled to the ground together. He wrapped around her body and put his head in her lap. "You could have intimidated her," she half scolded.
Ilun whined as if in apology and she hummed, leaning back onto his body, his breathing a low rumble against her. "I guess Arren and I made you together, somehow."
She blushed at the memory of Arren in the dream, the feel of his kiss on her skin, and in the waking, his feather light shadows. The same shadows that she had seen hold heavy iron swords and black out a room. She looked down at her body, hidden under the shifting fabric of her garments and frowned at the stirrings in her belly.
"He called me love in his dream. He couldn't have been speaking of me but he says he doesn't keep any ladies. And yes he was sweet to hold me but first he was angry and before that he had no emotions at all. I don't understand him," she finished more confused than she started.
Could Arren have written my letters, she thought, biting her lip. Why wouldn't he just tell me? If he didn't care for me, it would be simple enough to say that. No, it must be someone else, he said my heart belongs to another, why would he say such a thing if it were him, she decided. Still the idea tickled at the back of her mind.
Ilun licked her face and she leaned into his fur.
"This is not what I expected from my marriage," she sighed, letting herself relax to the sounds of her pet's breathing. Suddenly she pushed herself up, "I'm not just going to sit here and feel sorry for myself."
This is my space, she thought pushing away Arren's warnings. I'll go where I want.
"Let's visit some midday dreamers," she said pushing through the courtyard gate, Ilun padding at her heels.
Ilun stared back at her, his dark eyes deep wells, his huge body shaking with excitement."You're here too," she said as his claws clicked on the stone of the courtyard. "But," she asked, lifting her hand to touch his velvet nose, "are you the same or is one of you a copy?"Ilun didn't answer, he only pressed his head into her hand, following down her arm so that she could scratch his neck and ears. She stumbled back at the sudden weight of him against her body but did as he wanted, happy to see him. He's not changing here, not like he was when I woke up, he's more stable, she thought."I have to find that woman, ask her where you came from, what happened. How you are in the waking world."Ilun didn't seem to care for her mysteries, he only pressed his body around hers, urging for more pets and scratches."No," she said pushing his great head away, "We have something important to do.""Ah! You found him!" the voice of the shade sounded behind her and she turned, her eyes slits, the bridge of her nose wrinkled in anger."You!" she yelled, "What is going on?"The woman laughed and clapped, the beads covering her chest making soft notes with her every movement. "I knew it! I knew you were the one! Fate sent you to me, to all of us! Sorgia, oh Sorgia, you will be so great!""Stop! Just tell me what's going on!" Isilla hissed.The woman ignored her and crossed the distance to Ilun. She reached for him, cooing, her voice making small sounds.Ilun growled and backed away snapping at the offered hand, moving behind Isilla as if her small body could cover him.He's afraid, Isilla thought, as he pressed his nose into her palm, a low whine in his throat. He wants me to protect him, she looked back at the animal.The woman chuckled, dropping her hand, "Of course, of course. Is how it should be."She turned her attention to Isilla, "Is beautiful, that one that you found, that you made. And in waking, how is he? Still big, still this color? Tell me!""He's," Isilla started her focus thrown by the woman's excitement, "yes, he's much the same. Now please, tell me what is going on."The woman smiled softly at Ilun for a moment before speaking, "This is the mark, the first test. You and your chosen, you will be so powerful. You will do things this world has never seen before. Bring the dark and the light together.""You mean Arren?" Isilla asked slowly.The woman tilted her head to the side, "Is that his name? Where did you find him in this land?""He's the prince," Isilla said slowly.The woman's eyes opened in shock, "Of the Dark? No. Their blood is too weak, the power does not flow through them. One of them could never help you make that.""But he did. And I want to know how," Isilla countered.The woman sighed, "Fine, if you say prince, then prince. You brought together your power. This proves you can be as one.""I don't have any powers," Isilla said slowly remembering the words Arren had used to explain her movements in dreams. "What I do here, is nothing. A bedtime story and warm milk will do the same."The woman laughed, hiding her mouth behind her hand, "You think changing this energy from dark to light is weak? So humble! Fine. Another test for you. That mark, on your cheek, when you wake, tell me, still there next time you sleep. You think powerless?" she made a dismissive sound in the back of her throat.Isilla touched her face, the bruise under her fingers felt hot and unnatural. How long do these things normally take to heal, she thought, attempting to remember the last time she had ever had a bruise, or any injury, even a small cut."And there, on your arm too! Tell me, next time you sleep, they're still there!" the woman demanded.Isilla dropped her hand, "Stop trying to distract me with unimportant things!"The woman frowned, "Oh little Sorgia, you don't understand anything yet.""You aren't telling me anything," she half shouted back."If meant to understand, you would," the woman responded shrugging. "Still too soon. We will speak again, next sleep, you see, you'll understand your power better."Isilla reached for the woman but she laughed as Isilla's hand passed right through her arm. A moment later, she was gone leaving Isilla with a whining Ilun.Sighing she turned to the beast. "A lot of help you were with this," she said as they settled to the ground together. He wrapped around her body and put his head in her lap. "You could have intimidated her," she half scolded.Ilun whined as if in apology and she hummed, leaning back onto his body, his breathing a low rumble against her. "I guess Arren and I made you together, somehow."She blushed at the memory of Arren in the dream, the feel of his kiss on her skin, and in the waking, his feather light shadows. The same shadows that she had seen hold heavy iron swords and black out a room. She looked down at her body, hidden under the shifting fabric of her garments and frowned at the stirrings in her belly."He called me love in his dream. He couldn't have been speaking of me but he says he doesn't keep any ladies. And yes he was sweet to hold me but first he was angry and before that he had no emotions at all. I don't understand him," she finished more confused than she started.Could Arren have written my letters, she thought, biting her lip. Why wouldn't he just tell me? If he didn't care for me, it would be simple enough to say that. No, it must be someone else, he said my heart belongs to another, why would he say such a thing if it were him, she decided. Still the idea tickled at the back of her mind.Ilun licked her face and she leaned into his fur."This is not what I expected from my marriage," she sighed, letting herself relax to the sounds of her pet's breathing. Suddenly she pushed herself up, "I'm not just going to sit here and feel sorry for myself."This is my space, she thought pushing away Arren's warnings. I'll go where I want."Let's visit some midday dreamers," she said pushing through the courtyard gate, Ilun padding at her heels.
