#ari-writes

Contents:

The first glimpse

The aftermath and the persistent pursuit

Pang of guilt, aka fucking fish cakes

Dark grey, like the storm

Soft smiles and tea leaves...

To be written...

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Please give this story some love, it is my first tumblr story. Every like and reblog is welcomed and appreciated.

After Chris left her doorstep, Ailith kept herself closed inside her cabin. Her sister-in-law was the only one who has visited over the last three days, checking up on her. She kept asking the witch what had happened, but how could she tell Irvette, that she had found her mate? How could she even find the words to convey her fear laced with that sliver of hope, telling her that she is not to be alone? That she might yet find redemption? That maybe her curse is not eternal? 

Irvette doesn’t even know about the curse. No one does. When Ailith returned from the mountains 8 months ago with her eyes a new color, no sense of her wolf and a scowl permanently etched to her face; nobody suspected that she was cursed. Shadow curses were a thing of fairy tales, something parents in her land of origin told their pups to make them behave. If you don’t eat your lunch, baba yaga will come and take you away. If you wander into the woods, an aufhocker will tear you to shreds. 

Ailith explained the situation as best as she could. Burned the hut down along with evidence. She was the only survivor and an heir. They had to take her word for it. Jarick believed her when she explained that her wolf had hid away from her after their parents' death. Trauma has done worse in the world than locking away a part of your consciousness. 

Witches were rare and unless you were in the craft yourself, you knew little to nothing of the way magic can affect a body. Thanks to that, no one asked her where those black runes carved into her skin, came from. No one asked her why her eyes sometimes went from stormy grey irises to fully black orbs, resembling a demon from hell. 

Ailith kept doing what she knew how to do best. Heal, pray, take care of others, brew potions, form spells, undergo rituals and everything else that came with being the witch of a community. For her it was a sacred duty passed from mother to daughter, and Ailith felt honored to carry that burden. Her mother had taught her plenty, especially in the last 7 years of their life together. 

Sometimes she wishes she could return to those times. Secluded in a hut they shared. Running in the forest and hunting deer and foxes, picking mushrooms together, tending to their garden of herbs. The first time that Al could make a flower bloom without burning it into ashes. The memory brings a smile to her face. And in a second it also brings a pang of guilt striking through her ribs. 

It’s your fault. If you returned sooner, she’d live. If you tried harder, you’d convince her to leave with you years before. If you were stronger, faster, smarter. If you weren’t such a fucking coward, the cycle would end. Who knows how much longer before, Irvette... 

ENOUGH! 

It’s the fucking curse itching itself deeper into her guilt-ridden mind. Again. Gods save us all. 

Thank Luna that Ailith was able to choose her own cabin. It was easy to do the minute she saw this one; that was the closest to the woods, a little elevated on the hill. Not only is it easier for her to dip into the darkness of the forest in her shadow form and roam through the trees. It also makes her feel closer to her mother somehow. Her mother loved the mountains. That is probably why she decided to build their hut deep in the mountain range. The tip of the Dragon’s tooth was their favorite viewpoint whenever they went on a hike. It was like their paws had been enchanted to always find the same spot no matter where they went. 

Now Ailith feels the soft hum of melancholy in her bones as she steps out of the stream and wrings the cold water from her hair. It is a chilly morning, despite it being almost summer. In around a month or so, Midsummer will come and she needs to organize a big feast with a Sun greeting ritual. Gods will need honors to keep them thriving through these hard times. 

The river goddess liked her offering and blessed their crops with proper rain through those three days. If Chan appreciated her effort, he never mentioned it. He never stopped by her cabin again for those three days. She probably shunned him away finally. It might be for the better after all. Yet for some weird unexplainable reason, that thought tastes bitter in her mouth. 

Throughout her little break, Ailith often let herself wonder how he was going to prove himself to her. If he even wanted to. If he understood, she gave him that chance in the first place. Maybe she will see more of it today. 

The witch has postponed her social duties for too long already. Paulus needs his shoulder to be looked over since he strained it at his latest excursion. She can very easily imagine him being a bumbling ungainly idiot, not knowing on which paw to step, probably trying to impress or assert dominance over the other pack members that he managed to fall to a hidden trap. Apparently, the mission had to be canceled upon freeing him from the ditch. Another mission was a failure, once again caused by a member of her own pack. 

She doesn’t know if Jarick is just too thick headed or downright an idiot that he doesn’t realize the impact his decisions have on the thin ice between the Eastern Lunar pack and the Red Moon pack. To be frank, she doesn’t give a damn why he’s being so ignorant. Because it’s always her who must fix his mess. Stupid knot-head. 

As she dresses herself in her comfortable attire, Ailith looks upon herself in the stream water reflection. She needs a change. The long stoic looking black curls are just not gonna cut it anymore. What if... What if she cuts them? 

A quick flick of her fingers and she conjures up a mirror to levitate in front of her. A little enchantment, strengthened by a few words in an ancient tongue and here it is. A perfect fringe. The witch looks at herself from different angles, analyzing the new haircut. That will do for now. 

She sets off through the forest, back to her cabin. A pair of very loose-fitting brown trousers, a black tank top and an open greyish sleeveless hooded sweater hug her skin, giving her enough comfort and mobility. Barefoot for good measure. It makes it easier to feel the power of mother nature breathe through the ground, when her feet are unrestrained and touch the dirt – skin to grass. 

Mothers of all hell plains along with the fucking underworld... Had she left a minute later, Paulus would either talk a hole straight through her head, turning her into kaleidoscope. That or Ailith would actually snap her claws and slash through that annoying fucker’s neck, infecting him with her curse in the process. Luckily, the witch left before either of those things happened. But this was a close call. 

It goes a long way, when in the dire need of a species to survive, specifically amid a war, where pack members cling to each other for hope, a single alpha suffers from loneliness like no other. He has no prospects for mating, no omegas who enjoy his company and no betas who can stand his outdated jokes. The only people able to suffer him are his little group of equally toxic alphas, who however use him as a butt of their own jokes. Yet they are the only ones who’s approval he’s desperate for. 

It doesn’t go over Ailith’s head that it’s alphas like Paulus and his “friends” who started this stupid territorial war. So, if the witch slipped a little bit of extra sedative herbs into his daily medicine or pressed on his shoulder more than was necessary while assessing the damage, only the gods know. They are the only ones who can judge her, and they enjoy it too. 

But she’s glad she went alone. Spirits often come to visit her in their mindless wandering over the mortal plains. Some have even favored her, which came as a big advantage, since they tend to be bored and love nothing more than some good gossip. It becomes a crutch when dealing with people’s ailments. A well-prepared healer is a good healer. One can rely on magic so much. And some herbs are hard to get, difficult to store. Then there are potions and medicine which can take from hours to days to brew or ferment properly. 

Obviously, it didn’t miss her that Paulus was about to maul Felix for speaking up against him at the small council 3 days ago. It also didn’t go amiss, that it was Chris who stopped that altercation before it escalated. Nor did her brother’s rather kind words escape her. She should have known he’d jump at the first chance to sell her to someone who he found capable of shutting her up. 

But it also made her scared. Scared how the spirits mentioned the alpha’s stoic reaction to her brother’s nasty commentary. Scared of how he sought her out very soon after that council meeting to try and patch things up with her. The pack alpha that fate has assigned her remains a scary question to ponder. 

Still, none of that is Felix’s fault for rightfully standing up for his friend. So, she decided to visit Paulus by herself, even though Ailith prefers to do her weekly checkups with the other pack healer. He’s a great help and even without magic guiding his senses, he has a great knowledge when it comes to muscular and nervous systems of lycans. 

Plus, the omega is a walking ray of sunshine. Curse her for wanting to enjoy a little bit of his light. Oh wait... 

But on her way to Felix’s cottage a young beta stops her with a gentle but urgent clearing of his throat. His aura screams so loudly with fear and instability that her ears ring a little bit. She tries to put on a gentle face, but the rattle and vibrations in the air are headache-inducing. 

“Hey... You’re the Eastern Lunar’s witch, right?” The slim male speaks with a barely hidden disdain. Ailith tries to keep her cool, but it’s really fucking hard with that loud of an aura. This guy needs to calm down soon. 

She sighs and rubs her temples a little. “That would be me. What’s wrong?” 

He seems a little more guarded after her question, judging by him crossing his arms over his chest. “Why should something be wrong? I just have a question for you.” Ah. If the headache wasn’t already on its way, Ailith would be gentler, but the last three days were extra harsh on her mental well-being. 

“Seungmin, your aura is screaming at me in a big red ‘DANGER! DANGER!’ so loud that I might get a migraine. Trust me, I can tell.” She responds while taking out a vial of peppermint oil to rub it on her temples. The tall brown-haired boy with big eyes looks so startled that it seems almost comical. Only this is not her first rodeo. Far from it. 

“How did you-” He trails off but thinks better than wasting his precious time on trying to guess the witch’s name-guessing methods. “Do you do... personal requests?” He asks in a soft whisper. 

The peppermint works quickly; it’s soft but pleasing smell easing her senses. Ailith takes a deep breath and thinks about his question. She narrows her eyes slightly. “How personal are we talking?” She responds and looks at the young beta properly. He’s fidgeting, visibly uncomfortable. There is heat radiating from his face and anxiety in his licorice and orange scent. He looks like a teenage pup wanting to know about mating. Ah... 

The witch smiles at him softly and pats his shoulder. “You live with Jeongin, right? An alpha, slightly shorter than you, foxlike eyes.” She asks gently, trying her best to put friendliness in her tone, so that he knows she isn’t trying to pry. 

Seungmin nods timidly, blush on his cheeks getting more prominent. Well, it seems that words travel fast to others even without the aid of bored spirits. Ailith nods in acknowledgement and gives him a knowing look. “I must do rounds now. But I will find you once I’m done. On one condition, though.” She says blankly. 

The beta finally makes eye contact with her, and he looks as worried as he possibly can. It takes great effort for the witch to not tease him relentlessly. Curse her for always wanting a cute younger brother. Wait... “I expect full honesty from both you and him. I can only help if I know everything I need to know. Talk to your mate about it and be ready for my questions to get personal.  

After he agrees, she can barely hear him mutter something about them not being mates, but Ailith pays it no mind. Labels don’t matter when two love each other enough to battle biology and the natural order of things. From her own craft, she knows many mates who wouldn’t even cook lunch for their partner. The witch only hopes she will be luckier than that. Or that she already is. 

A soft knock on the blue door of a stone cottage and a deep voice calling an excited ‘Coming!’ before a honey-skinned face full of freckles greets her. The Red Moon’s omega healer must be an incarnation of an angel. Or a star. Because it’s impossible to have such a bright and joyful spirit. Even his aura is happy and hopeful. Gods do have favorites huh... 

“Al! I was wondering where you got caught up! Almost went to look for you.” The blond male says in a worried tone. His sweetness makes the witch wonder if spending more time with him could give her cavities. Better not to test it, since her dental hygiene could already do with a big improvement. No matter how tempting the giggly omega’s company may be. 

“Sorry Lix, I got stopped on my way to you several times by other villagers. You know how it is. That’s what I get for not leaving my nest for three days.” No matter how many times she tries, Ailith is just inevitably bad at small talk. 

Felix immediately looks at her, all worried. “Nesting for three days? Are you okay? Is your heat close?” He is sweet for worrying. But she doubts that her lack of a proper wolf alter-ego goes without notice that easily. She knows that Felix is just trying to be polite. 

Al shakes her head and smiles softly. “Nothing like that. I’m better now. You don’t have to worry about me. How is Changbin? Is the wound on his back still festering?” 

Felix seems to recognize that there is no room for argument left in her tone, so he moves to answer her question instead. “Yeah. If it weren’t for that nutjob Paulus, this wouldn’t have happened. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that Bin was chosen as a part of that scout mission as a payback that I dared to talk back to him. Asshole.” 

But Ailith knows it even better than that. It was in fact deliberate. She knows her dickhead of a brother too well not to notice a measured punishment. She doesn’t think he calculated Paulus falling into a ditch and Changbin getting scratched by a too well hidden wolfsbane trap while trying to help the idiot out. That was all just fate’s laughing straight into her face. A reminder that if you fuck around with it, like let’s say rejecting your fated mate, you get a reminder to get your shit together. 

Thank Luna that it was a very dark night when Changbin returned to Felix. The healer’s quick thinking got him out of emergency, but Al felt too much responsibility to let it be. Nobody noticed her shadow form crawling through the walls and extracting every little drop of leftover poison from the alpha’s body. No matter how much she fucked around, or how much she was supposed to find out, the sun will set in the east and rise in the west before Ailith lets another lycan lose access to their wolf. 

Still, given that their tissue is sensitive to the lightest touch of wolfsbane, like demon skin to holy water, the wound started to fester. It’s nothing that a skilled salve maker like Felix can’t handle, but the witch can’t help but still feel guilty. It was her brother who sent Bin out on that mission after all. 

“Is it okay if I look at it? I managed to find a vial with moonbeam essence when I rummaged around in my stock. It could help cleanse the muscle.” She offers in kind words but before Felix gets to answer, the short buff alpha with a downturned smile comes to view. 

“Ah Ailith! How have you been?” Changbin looks all too pleased to see the witch, which brings slight suspicion to her mind. It’s not that the mated couple wasn’t warm to her before. Both have been very friendly to her over the last two months. Felix is welcoming enough to offer his advice when helping her treat her pack members. Changbin is thoughtful enough to mention every new spot with herbs he stumbled upon while exploring foreign areas. 

As one of very few alphas that she managed to warm up to, he surprised her with his curiosity over her craft. He even went as far as to ask her for a personal amulet for good luck, month into their packs uniting. Said amulet now proudly hanging off his neck on a string of enchanted leather to make sure it doesn’t untie and gets lost. 

Yet both lycans are now looking at Al in a childlike excitement. Like she’s the second coming of a holy messiah, offering answers to every single one of their problems. Something smells fishy and it’s not the Eomuk side dish in their kitchen. Even if that smell is prominent. 

“I’m all good...I think at least? Let me see your back.” She quickly answers and points to the bandage poking out of Changbin’s t-shirt. He sits down on the couch and removes his shirt, much slower than necessary. The witch gently removes the bandage and inspects the wound. It definitely is getting better. The liquid oozing out is clear rather than milky and thick, which is a good sign. 

“Seems to be healing well. You were lucky your mate is quick around salves. Connection to your alpha strong enough?” She mentions softly. Changbin nods. 

“Weird enough, yeah. I thought I was a goner the first night. Yongbokkie patched me up after cleaning the wound as much as he could. I guess fate favors me since I felt much better the following morning. My wolf is a little spooked by the threatened connection, but we’re working on it.” He responds, slight disbelief coating his words. 

“Fate is a fickle thing. You are a child of fortune. But if you let me, I’d still like to apply the moonbeam essence. Just in case.” To which the alpha nods and relaxes his muscles. 

Ailith fishes out the vial from her pack, and Felix provides her with a clean needle. “Alright Bin, I must fuse it with your blood. This is gonna be uncomfortable at the very least.” But he only nods firmly without verbal response, busy gritting his teeth. 

She pokes his sore tissue deep enough for a drop of blood oozing out, Changbin hissing in the process. Quickly after, the witch lets a few drops of the medicine fall onto the tiny opening in his skin. Later she holds her palm and presses the remnants of the essence into his flesh, muttering a few ancient words of prayer. A couple of her runes light up her arms as she does so. 

It all goes very easily and quickly. Before long, Al is washing her hands in the kitchen sink while Felix is applying a new bandage on Bin’s wound. That’s when the doors to the cabin open once more and she can smell it again. Cedarwood and rain. 

First, she looks at the couple with stunned disbelief, who look very excited to see their pack alpha in the door and, then her eyes slide to that alpha in question with his silver-white hair in a ponytail, dressed in a pair of black pants, a white tank top and a beige jacket over it. His attire is screaming ‘deliberate’. Wanting to visibly impress whoever sets their eyes on him. That outfit is way too clean and formal for a “regular visit from your friendly neighborhood alpha”. When she locks eyes with him, his gaze screams with thousands of unsaid words. Her fated mate. Lastly, her gaze falls onto the stove, and she can’t help but voice her frustration out loud. “Fucking fish cakes...” 

Fucking fish cakes indeed. 

It was the very early hours of the morning. If it could be even described as that. The moon was shining high in all her crescent glory as Ailith Sullivan was walking on the forest grass towards a small lake in the mountain heights. It was a secret place she had come to some nights when it was the time to honor the goddess of water and rain. 

This was a night just like that. The past couple weeks had been too dry, and the village crops needed proper refreshments from the rain. As the village’s witch, it was her duty to beg the gods in rituals of prayer and offering to fulfill the needs of her pack and its daily life. 

In her traditional black hooded cloak and her long skirt, barefoot for good measure, she paced slowly muttering the prayers to gods and Mother nature herself. In the mountain forest, hardly anything could be seen. But that was not an issue for Ailith. Despite losing her wolf 8 months ago, she gained other powers. She could no longer shift to her beautiful wolf form anymore and trust she had mourned that loss every full moon as the other lycans hunted for prey to sustain their packs. Ailith bore a cross heavy for the back of a woman of her kind. 

The witch was cursed. Before the war broke out between different packs, over territory as was usual, the head family of the Eastern Lunar pack suffered a terrible tragedy. In one night, both the head alpha and omega were murdered in cold blood. Her brother, Jarick, was that who bore the burden of becoming the next alpha of the pack with his own family barely in bloom. And as it would be, Ailith was appointed as the next healer after her mother while bearing the curse of the Moon Goddess for the sins committed that night. She lost her connection to her wolf, a naked omega soul being all that resided within the most secret parts of her subconscious. She was now a being of the darkness, the soul of the shade, and no longer did the Moonlight grace her skin. That is why at night she was covered in a black cloak like she is now. To hide her oddity. 

Lucky as she did so, because judging by her enhanced sense of smell, she was not alone between these trees. She could very well smell the alpha who was on the nearby hill watching over her with his eyes blood red, eyeing her form in suspicion. 

She paid him no mind. They met briefly when introducing the packs to each other and when handling pack matters. But thanks to her brother being a very proud alpha of his pack, she was not allowed to discuss these matters often. She was just an omega. Just an omega with a secret. 

He was in desperate need of a run earlier this evening. The alpha Jarick of their newly allied pack was a hassle to deal with every single time there was a matter to discuss. He didn’t agree with practically anything that Christopher decided on. Every meeting they had between the leads of the pack had resulted in never-ending back and forth of arguments. His group of alphas serving as his seconds were nothing less than toxic in their masculinity, and as much as he hated to cooperate with them for their old-fashioned views on the world, his pack couldn’t fend for themselves in this territorial war. They arrived at his door about 2 months ago, bringing up the idea of allying together in case of war with him. 

However, Chris couldn’t deny that those same toxic alphas were incredibly strong and ruthless warriors. He had to give his respect there at least. Their pack healer also came in handy, since more of his own hunters and trackers became injured from countless scuffles across the area. Every unannounced presence of a foreign lycan was now taken as a threat of battle. His pack always came down to diplomacy, but it is hard to do so when other packs feel very threatened by a twig crunch now. 

What seemed rather curious about that healer was not necessarily the fact that she was definitely a witch despite being the pack alpha’s sister. Witchcraft was rather uncommon and usually frowned upon, especially by communities who held onto traditional ways. Yet it was more of her distant and almost disgusted attitude to him, and any other high placed alpha in his pack along with a very distant and blank manner that she regarded her brother, which was rather odd. Most omegas he knows usually preen at alphas’ attention or are very kind, smiley and pleasant to chat with. To be honest though, that is also what makes him avoid the company of omegas. He doesn’t like others begging for his attention, rather prefers when people are genuine with him. 

But Ailith is different from that. Which makes him even more curious about her. He can’t help but shift his gaze in the direction of her scent whenever he smells it. Black currant berries dipped into rich whiskey, unusual like the rest of her. Potent and rich, but inherently bittersweet. Just like the way he feels about her. 

And now just after his run, only in his tank top and hoodie with pants, barefoot for good measure; he stands atop the hill. Chris is catching his breath from prancing around the mountain forest. Midst scanning the area with barely enough vision, he smells that scent again. Rich and bitter whiskey overpower the very subtle scent of black currant catches his nose, and he turns his red eyes to look for her. 

And there she is, cloaked in darkness, walking slowly to the small hidden lake between the trees. He walks down the hill silently to not disturb her and quietly watch what she is doing in these parts of the woods. To his surprise, Ailith unties her cloak and lets it fall to the floor along with her shirt and skirt, setting her skin free to reflect in the moonlight. Only it doesn’t... 

It doesn’t? 

No, her skin doesn’t reflect the moonlight despite standing right under it without any tree or rock hiding her from it. Her bare body remains cloaked in the shadows as she lets her long black curls spill over her back and rolls her shoulders upon stepping into the lake. 

His attention moves to the runes and marks carved into her skin in black ink. Is it just his imagination, or are they actually starting to softly glow in the night? He moves a little closer, pricking out his wolf ears to listen to her words. She moves in practiced dances in the water, submerged to her waist as the marks on her skin glow a light blue above and under the water. 

Once he can hear her soft voice, his eyes widen and his ears prick up even more. She is singing in an old language with her hands stretched up above her head. Suddenly the water starts to swirl around her body in circles as if nature is responding to her. A light shines above her, and she traces shapes in the air with her hands that appear visible even to him in a blue light. It looks like... runes. Is she casting a spell? 

He stands behind a tree and watches the whole scene entranced. Her power truly is magical and majestic when witnessed in person. Chris has never seen anything like this before. It’s extraordinary. 

After the whole song and ritual is done, Chris barely remembers not to clap his hands to stay hidden. But as the witch is putting her clothes back on, deciding to not wrap her cloak around her anymore, she suddenly speaks out. 

“You better sniff somewhere else, you disrespectful pup.” There is acid in her tone, and the black currant in her scent turns sour as the whiskey burns bitter. He realizes that he probably trespassed on a private ritual. He only hadn’t accounted for being found out. 

He steps out of the shadows slowly; his now brown eyes are locked onto hers. Except her eyes are darkened orbs of coal black. He can feel her anger and frustration rolling off her in waves. Despite the threat in her voice, he doesn’t back down. Instead, he takes a step closer... “I didn’t mean to intrude,” he says softly. 

She scoffs darkly, angered sneer on her lips as she continues to speak and walk in his direction. “You didn’t mean to intrude yet you stayed when you realized you had. I could smell it on you, alpha. Don’t lie.” She says furiously. Then her face contorts in confusion which he narrows his eyes at. He isn’t afraid of her. If anything, he is more curious by each second, he spends in her presence. Because now they are alone and whatever side of herself she is showing him isn’t toned down by the presence of her brother. She is holding nothing back. 

He watches her as she moves through the shadows towards him like it’s her own skin. Her curvy body and wide hips move in fluent motion which makes his eyes never leave her form. There’s a mix of curiosity and something else – something deeper – stirring within him. He can sense the power radiating from her; the ancient magic etched into her skin. It’s both intimidating and alluring at the same time. 

She stops before him and smiles condescendingly. Her aura relaxed and threatening while her voice echoes as if carried by the shadows, enveloping him in a secluded bubble. This must be another spell from her, for he finds himself captivated. “Nothing to ask, alpha? No accusation of heresy? No demands of explanation?” She asks mockingly with her inked fingers on her hips. “No pleas for mercy before I sacrifice you to the ‘devil’?” She emphasizes the word with air quotes. He notices that she is only slightly shorter than him, being a tall woman herself. Her back is not slouched by submission now, like when her brother is near. 

Chris holds his ground as she approaches, her threateningly alluring scent surrounding him – black currant and whiskey burnt. He can feel the power emanating from her like waves of heat. His wolf is more than intrigued, not scared in the slightest. He meets her gaze, his brown eyes unflinching... “I have many questions.” He steadily answers. 

Her scent grows even more threatening and unbelievably rich. The black currant is so sweet that when tasting them you know you’ve been poisoned and the whiskey... Oh how it burns your throat like acid dissolving your flesh, making you clutch your throat. Her eyes black and empty, two orbs filled with the shadows of death. 

“Yet I have no answers to give you. I don’t share my secrets. And the only reason I spare you your bane for stalking me, is because your disappearance would cause too much chaos in my plans.” She snickers at him, an evil smirk forming on her lips. She enjoys threatening him and wildly enough; he’s enjoying it too. 

“I hope you’re a pack leader smart enough to be grateful for the unexpected blessings that came with our pack joining yours, like the protection from frosts that would ruin harvests and frequent rain to fill your wells. Maybe even the unusual luck of your hunters when searching for prey to feed on.” She says matter-of-factly and his breath hitches. 

“Remember that if you ever thought to run your mouth or get rid of the reason for said blessings.” She smiles darkly. 

Chris listens intently, his expression thoughtful. The mention of the blessings his pack has received since her joined is not lost on him. He’s a practical man, and he understands the value of such advantages. His eyes narrow slightly as he considers her words, the unspoken threat underlying them. 

Ailith, the alluringly dangerous witch, gets closer to him, her black eyes returning to the dark grey shade they carry during the day. The expression on her face is more sincere and less threatening but serious none the less. “Know this, alpha. I don’t attack first. I only retaliate. So, what you don’t trigger, you won’t feel. As long as you keep that sniffer of yours to yourself, I will have no reason to come after your shadow.” She whispers to him without space for arguing. 

He finds himself nodding slowly at her words, a hint of understanding in his brown eyes. The fact that she’s made clear that she won’t instigate trouble unless provoked puts him somewhat at ease. Still, he steps closer, invading her personal space intentionally to test a theory. “And if I were to touch you right now?” 

In response, her face darkens to deep terror as he closes in; her claws elongating, longer than a wolf’s should be. A pair of black fangs sticks out of her mouth, too long and too sharp to stay inside. Her eyes blacken once more with the darkness spreading around her eye sockets as well into little lighting strikes; her face changing into the rage of a storm. “You can try and see what happens to you. You have disrespected me enough tonight, don’t you think?” 

But he ignores that warning sign; his wolf simply begging to be closer. He reaches out, his hand moving fast as he goes to grab her wrist. He expects her to snap at him, to attack. But instead, he feels something else – her pulse racing beneath his fingers, her scent changing again. “Fuck...” 

Her eyes lose the black, morphing back to grey, but lighter grey, almost blueish tones as she stares wide-eyed at his hand wrapped around her wrist. She must feel it too, the pulsating connection going through their veins and their souls. He can almost taste the divine berries of black currant dipped in the richest potent whiskey, not burning but soothing his tongue like the perfectly bitter aftertaste after a long day. She is his true mate. The one prophesized for him. 

A part of him knew it since their first meeting. From the first moment, he laid his eyes on her. Her beautiful, wide curves, her measuring gaze, the stormy grey of her eyes as she looked at him without an ounce of trust. He was always curious about her, trailing after her the minute his eyes caught the sight of her agonizingly captivating presence. She is his fated mate, and he couldn’t be more excited about it. 

But the expression on her face is short of excitement or happiness. It’s... terrified. Full of fear and terror. Her eyes lose focus momentarily, before her entire face contorts to a furious snarl. Eyes going fully black again with storms making their way past her eyebrows and cheeks. Her teeth are showing those black fangs again, and she is enraged, growling at him. Except it is nothing like an omega or even an alpha growl. Her growls shake through the trees surrounding them as birds leave their homes in fear. 

Ailith wrings out of his grasp and grabs him by the neck and lifts him. With no chance to be shocked at her strength, she slams him into a nearby tree, holding him up in the air. “I warned you, you annoying pup. I should have known. You alphas are all the same. None of you could recognize consent if it hit you in your fucking face.” She snaps at him. 

He watches the terror and anger on her face holding her wrist with both hands to get a leverage on her grip. It’s pointless, somehow this small omega is able to overpower him. Yet he can see her wince, like the quietest little whine escapes her mouth. Still, she manages to snap out of that momentary weakness and gets closer to growl threateningly in his face. “Get out of my sight.” She drops him down on the ground before disappearing into the shadows. 

Chris hits the ground hard, his head spinning. His newfound mate’s words sting him more than any physical blow could. He realizes too late that he crossed a line, that she is not like other omegas. Like those who he tried so hard to stay away from. Now he feels an unfamiliar ache in his chest as he watches her disappear into the shadows. His wolf is silent and subdued. 

He remains against the tree, shaken by the witch’s complete disappearance. For the first time in his life, he feels guilty. His chest hurts where she held him. His wolf whines softly, something it’s never done. He runs a hand through his long white hair, staring at the spot where she’d stood. What the fuck... 

Ailith flows through the shadows all the way back to the outskirts of the village before she reemerges out of the shadows and runs fast to the cabin she occupies. She slams the door behind herself. Her omega is angry and sad because she got to feel the skin and pulse of her fated one and got hurt at the same time. Her scent grows rotten and burnt because now she has learned that she was fated to a mate who was the same kind of disrespectful alpha as her brother. She thought that her mate would be her salvation, not a deeper cut of her curse. She lays herself on the narrow bed and weeps silently until she falls asleep. The Moon Goddess is too cruel, too cruel indeed. 

A soft knock on the door wakes Aura from her dreamless sleep. It is already light outside. The sun is shining through the gaps of drawn curtains. 

Another knock on the door, a more urgent one this time. “Aura? Can I come in?” She quickly recognizes the Mingi’s and allows him to come in. His clothes are different to the ones he was wearing during the night. 

“Good morning.” He says with a smile that doesn’t reach his flickering eyes, barely hiding the worry on his face. 

“Good morning, Mingi.” She responds. “Did you manage to get any rest?” She feels worried about the man in front of her. There are dark circles visible under his eyes. 

“I was actually revoked from my position until midday. As soon as I arrived at my chambers to change clothes, a message from the King came, saying I should rest.” He smiles kindly at her. Now that he mentions it, he does look a bit more rested. Yet still restless. 

The Duchess continues to worry as well, about one particular person, but as if Mingi reads her mind, he quickly waves a hand at the matter and responds to her thoughts. “Yunho is the same. He arrived in our servant quarters soon after me.” 

She nods, feeling more assured but then the realization dawns in on her, and she can’t help but comment on it with a sly smile decorating her lips. “So, you two share a room?” 

To which, Mingi blushes heavily, rubbing his palm on the back of his head. He nods timidly, which makes her smile even wider. “Good for you.” She responds and shifts her weight on her feet. 

The clerk seems to be lost in his daydreaming for a few seconds until suddenly he comes back to consciousness, remembering why he came to the Duchess’ chambers in the first place. 

“Oh, yeah. The King asked for your presence at the audience hall.” He quickly shudders, switching back to his professional mode. 

Ah yes. The moment of truth has come upon us. King Chan’s verdict on the course of things. Now they will know what happens next. And how the whole case of fishermen’s guild culminates. She is especially eager to learn the verdict on her foolish, wannabe-heroic actions during the night. The king seemed to let her off easily when he dismissed her. Question is, will he have followed through with the rest of his decision in that same mood? 

Never one to fall while unseen, Aura takes time to look her best. She wears a wine-colored coat with brown pants and boots. Her hair is tied in a simple braid to her left side. She hopes dearly that these aren’t her last moments in the Wolfshowl kingdom. She won’t be able to live with herself if that is the case. 

Even though she hasn’t eaten anything since dinner, the Duchess couldn’t care less about food now. Her stomach is twisted in several knots, awaiting the King’s decision. 

They both arrive swiftly at the audience hall, King Chan already talking to some officials and Yunho. San is standing there next to them, already looking at the direction of the two new arrivals. His beaming smile is back to shine in Aura’s way. 

Both Mingi and her bow at the King taking notice of them. He nods his head in return and gestures towards the exit of the hall. “We are going to Buckman’s guild. He expects us to be there. All of us.” He says as he looks sternly in the Duchess’ direction. 

Good heavens. The time has come. 

They go by carriage. Aura sits next to Mingi, across from the King and tries to focus on anything but him. She is still unable to look him in the eye properly. The humiliation holding her back and clouding her vision is too great to ignore. The scene he had to witness this morning of her being a complete emotional mess, still lingers in her mind. The Duchess desperately hopes she doesn’t look completely pathetic in King Chan’s eyes. 

Maybe it started when she first saw the King up close when he came to kiss the back of her hand during their first meeting. Maybe it started when he was so open, ambitious, and kind during their work in the few mornings they spent together. Who knows? It might have started during the lunch that followed those mornings when they didn’t care about their nobility. 

Maybe, just maybe, it had started even before that. Whenever Jisung spoke warmly of his brother back in Cloudburst. Even then, the Duchess was curious about this kind, smart and ambitious king, who her dear friend called brother. 

All in all, the thought of His Majesty, sitting across from her in the carriage looking down on her, seeing her as nothing but a mess or a hindrance, hurts her. In the few days spent in this foreign kingdom, she came to quite like him. She simply cannot stand to disappoint him. 

Curse her deeply rooted issues, that made her want to suck up to any authority. Maybe if she begs hard enough, if she makes enough of a fool of herself, she will be noticed, right? 

While lost in her thoughts, they suddenly arrive at the town of their destination. Its streets are quite rowdy, much more than at night. People go to markets, have conversations, tend to their houses, or attend meetings. 

Soon the carriage stops on its way, and Aura steps out of it alongside Mingi and the King. Buckman is already standing in front of his guildhall, his hands fidgeting together in nervousness. He makes a low polite bow and greets them all. He must have realized that the King is knowledgeable of his treason. 

Buckman invites them all to his office where seats are prepared along with tea and light snacks. Several servants are tending to all three visitors sitting on the chairs, the clerk and the Duchess on each of the King’s side. Buckman’s business partner, Warson, is also present, sitting by his side as well.  

“I didn’t expect Your Majesty to come so soon, when the report is to be handed in in two days.” The guild master speaks with shaky words. But the King keeps his gaze steady and stern. “You know, I am not here for the report, Mr. Buckman.” 

You could hear a feather drop in the silence that follows. But the King continues soon after. “Your crimes are heavy, friends. The deeds done already and the deeds to be done yet. You know that I presume.” 

Warson keeps looking at the ground with a terrified look, his business partner fidgeting with his hands to keep himself busy. His forehead is sweaty, and his breath is irregular and heavy. His eyes sometimes go in the direction of the Duchess as if looking for an answer or maybe signs of spite. 

“It would be wise to raid down your buildings, go through all your documents, take the gold from your vaults and coffers and take over your business while your workers rot in prison, and you get executed.” 

Buckman swallows dryly. He looks like he wants to beg for mercy but doesn’t know where to start. He turns around and looks at the small picture of his daughter. Then he looks down at the floor and twists his head back to face the King again before he responds. 

“I won’t protest against it, Your Majesty. I failed in my task to do one necessary thing, and my life is not important anymore. I suppose you gathered all the needed evidence to our disbandment.” He says with his voice sounding defeated. And Aura’s heart breaks. 

“Not so fast, friend. I want to hear it directly from your lips. Why?” The King urges him on. 

“I have a daughter, Your Majesty. She is very sick. And with the money from the crown for our services, I didn’t have enough to cover her medical bills or medicine to ease her pain. She is hurting so much that she cannot sleep at night.” 

The King nods at that information and waits for Buckman to continue, as he does. 

“The lads confided in me that they didn’t earn enough to live properly. Some of them having to work three times as hard and sleep around in barns with nothing but hay to cover them at night. I was worried about my lads and my daughter, Sire. I am bound to take care of both.” 

He sighs and looks at Warson, who in the meantime lifts his face to look at his guests. He takes over the conversation to continue in his partner’s stead. 

“It was amid those problems when we got the offer to ship some of the fished goods to the western ports. We knew very well what we got ourselves into. But the profit was too necessary to turn a chance like that down.” 

“What about your plan to blow up the boats? How would your western friends like that?” Says Mingi. His face is stern and professional. The two fishermen look at each other and Warson continues. 

“It was more of a plan to disappear. Blow up all the evidence, all the money and goods and go with our other ships to the west under a new name, since we already knew how their trade worked.” 

That angers the Duchess. She cannot help but ask. “How would little Melania come to that? What if she couldn’t make it to the west? What if she collapsed?” 

Buckman looks in Aura’s direction and instead of spite or hatred, she finds genuine sadness in his eyes. He takes the picture of his daughter in his hands and rubs his thumb over it. 

“I failed her, Your Grace. I bet she can’t even look at me without pain. Without disappointment. You see, her mother left as soon as she came to know about the sickness. She denied her and wanted to do nothing with a defected child. But I could never leave her. We would just have to try our best.” 

“Who is your most trusted worker, Buckman?” asks the King. His face remains neutral. But the tone of his voice is serious. 

“That would be Dellis. My best sailor. He is trusted among the fishermen, and he knows a lot about the craft.” 

Warson only enthusiastically nods. “Yes, he is very good. The lads like him and he is smart in this business. He didn’t like much the way of our illegal trade. But he did it for them. He knew that leaving them would result in more trouble and they didn’t deserve that.” 

King Chan seems to take all of the information into consideration. He gets up from his chair and walks around the room. He stops at a picture of boats hanging on the wall and looks back at Buckman, who is still looking at his daughter’s picture, holding onto it like a lifeline. 

“I sentence you to prison. Both of you for 10 years. After releasement, you will be banned from fishing or any form of national or international trade.” The King announces. Then he comes close to Buckman and gestures for him to look up. 

“But you, Mr. Buckman.” His voice softens. “You are to serve your sentence in the castle with your daughter under the care of the royal physician. She will be mostly taken care of, by you especially, while you train and educate your successor in the guild. Be it this Dellis, it's up to you to decide.” 

All the eyes in the room are on the King. But he continues. “Until your daughter’s last days, you are to serve your sentence by her side and after that, you will move to a proper prison to serve the rest. With immediate effect.” 

Aura is shocked. He actually listened to her. Melania won’t be alone. She will be in the comfort of the castle with the most precise care for her health. She will not die alone in pain. But by her father’s side. 

“And about the business profit. When I asked you to increase the quota, I did so with the intention of increasing the profit for a pound of goods as well. After meeting with your successor in the castle, let them know, that the crown will buy the goods in increased amount with the rise of the price up to fifty percent.” 

Buckman and Warson fall to their knees, tears bursting out of their eyes, thanking the King endlessly. He shushes them soon, telling them to calm down. 

“Don’t thank me, gentlemen. Be grateful for the Duchess of Cloudburst. She is the one who persuaded me to think more of little Melania and her wellbeing as well as the wellbeing of the lads. I wouldn’t know about your daughter’s condition, if it weren’t for the Duchess.” King Chan says, as he looks at the woman in question. She flashes him with a confused look on her face. 

When Buckman hears it, he crawls on his knees to her and starts uttering incomprehensible words. He is crying too loudly. “Tha-Thank… Thank you so much, My Lady. Thank you so much!” He weeps again and Aura doesn’t know what to do. “I am so sorry for ever thinking ill thoughts of you. I am forever in your debt. Please forgive!” 

The Duchess pats his shoulder and smiles at him. She definitely did not expect that. When she looks at the King, he gives her a mischievous smile with a side eye. She smiles back at him and returns to the man crying his heart out at her knees. 

“Please don’t cry, Mr. Buckman. Be grateful it all ended the best way it could.” He nods frantically and puts his palms together. “I am most grateful, My Lady. Thank you again.” 

King Chan deems it was enough of that, so he gestures Yunho, who had been witnessing the whole interaction from the side of the door, to help Buckman back on his feet and take him away. He follows all his orders and soon they leave the town. 

The atmosphere in the carriage is now much more lifted than on the previous way to the town. The King doesn’t let the silence take its place for much longer until he speaks. “Mingi, as soon as we arrive back at the castle, have a carriage sent to Buckman and his daughter right away. Take Yunho with you and any more guards that he deems necessary.” 

Mingi takes notes of all the orders and nods his head. But the King’s speech doesn’t end there. “Can I entrust the welcoming of our little guest to her new home to you, My Lady? You can ask Lydia, the head maid, to pick a suitable room for her.” 

Aura nods and smiles. “I can certainly do that, Your Majesty. Thank you.” King Chan only nods in response and looks out of the window. The Duchess feels a massive relief. Melania won’t be alone. And she even gets to meet the little brave lady. It all couldn’t take a better turn. 

She looks to the man, sitting across from her, again. He could have been cruel; he could as well have not taken her words and pleas into consideration. She is after all a stranger to him. But after today, yet again, the Duchess is firmly convinced that she doesn’t want to be a stranger to this brave and generous king. She wants to be his friend. 

All the preparations go according to the plan. She picks a perfect little room near the lower floors of the castle, so Melania doesn’t need to climb all the crazy steps into the tower. She prepares the room accordingly, dusting it off, opening the windows and putting colorful sheets on the bed. 

Soon enough Buckman and his daughter arrive at the castle, with him helping the servants carrying the luggage with the help of servants. He soon lets others carry the luggage as he has to help his daughter up the stairs. 

Lanie is absolutely captivated by the interior of the castle, all the colors and high ceiling. After getting into their room, they are met with the Aura and the maid doing finishing touches of the room in a hurry before their guest arrives. 

Through the door steps a young girl in a white and brown polka-dot flowy dress. She is visibly trying to keep her steps steady, but her body is weak, so she leans on the wall by hand. Melania is tall and skinny, her skin a pale milky white and her eyes are a little fallen but still full of life. Her auburn hair is woven into a twin braid, and her eyes shine a striking green color. A galaxy of freckles adorns the young girl’s face. 

Melania is as if struck with the force of a star when she sees the Duchess. “No one told me, girls can wear pants!” 

Aura finds it incredibly difficult not to burst into laughter at the bold exclamation but quickly responds. “No one told me either, I told it to myself, so I wear them!” She announces with a smile, showing off her outfit. Without the coat now, she took it off because she felt hot from all her moving around the room. 

“Please forgive my daughter, Your Grace. She didn’t leave her room much in the last three years and the only women she saw in that period were mostly nurses and caretakers.” But Aura just shrugs it off, taking those proud words like the warmest compliment. 

“No problem, sir. It is very endearing actually.” She puts on a smile and bows. 

“Hello Melania. My name is Aura. I took the liberty of preparing this room for you with the help of Lydia. I hope you will like it.” 

The girl in question bows properly, and the Duchess answers it in the same manner. Now they have been properly introduced. 

“Daddy said, you’re the nice foreign lady who saved him. Thank you, Miss Aura.” Lanie says and bows again very formally. Aura again does the same thing and responds. “It was my honor, dear Melania.” 

After that, the Duchess and head maid Lydia help them settle in. Buckman is still very humble, as he should be, this being a part of his sentence. He tries to help his daughter as best as he can and is very skilled and gentle with her. The little girl is however utterly mesmerized by the purple-haired woman in the room. She doesn’t take her eyes off her. 

It makes Aura blush. She hasn’t met a lot of kids since joining the court in general. Yet she must admit that it is quite nice to feel the admiring gaze of a little girl on her. 

After settling in and unpacking their luggage, Buckman quickly gets to work, preparing himself for Dellis’ succession. He apparently informed the man and got a positive answer. So now he has to prepare the needed paperwork for transferring the deals and contacts to him. 

Suddenly the room ruptured with the sound of a stomach growling. It belongs to the Duchess. Her face is immediately flushed, and she apologizes for the disturbance, explaining that she hasn’t eaten breakfast. 

“Can I join you for lunch, Miss Aura? I also haven’t eaten, but my stomach is not as loud.” The little girl giggles. Aura chuckles at that but responds. “It would be my honor, little friend.” Melania asks her father for permission, but he has no reason not to allow it, still being grateful to the Duchess. So, they are quickly on their way. 

Lanie is a pretty young lady, but she looks much younger than she actually is, her body being very skinny and weak from the rough illness. When the older of the two offers her hand to the little girl, she accepts without hesitation, putting on a smile. 

They are soon in the castle kitchen, and they happen to see a very interesting scene in front of them. 

“Sannie, I have to work! You’re distracting meee!” says one honey toned voice. 

“But I missed you so much, baby. My shifts have been really shitty lately and we haven’t gotten to see each other lately. Just one kiss and I’ll be on my way.” Says the other voice. This one is deep and familiar. But it has a very sweet undertone to it. Which makes it less familiar. 

When Aura and Melania go around the corner to see what is going on in the kitchen, they both gasp at the exact same time. There are two men. A guard and a cook, lovers in tight embrace, the cook trying to fight the guard off. But the Duchess cannot believe her eyes. The guard none other than San. 

The other man is the first one to notice to realize they are not alone anymore, so he quickly pushes his lover away, almost making him trip and fall. When San also realizes that someone has entered the kitchen, he freezes on spot. And when he realizes who entered the kitchen, his eyes go incredibly wide and his cheeks red. 

“Your Grace.” He quickly says. “I did not expect you to come down here.” He audibly panics in his speech and looks at the little girl who has her mouth agape and goes even redder. Aura simply measures the flustered guard with her knowing stare. Spending several months around a newlywed couple, she is no stranger to scenes like these. Curse her for trying to get some fun out of it by teasing said couple. 

“Oh, I was just hungry. I haven’t eaten anything yet today. And Melania here offered to join me, so I wondered if there was anything we could munch on.” She admits calmly. 

The other young man quickly takes over the conversation from that side of the kitchen. “Of course, My Lady! Let me whip up something quick for you!” 

Aura and Melania take their seats on the bar stools at one of the counters where servants usually eat. San notices that he is no longer needed, and he definitely won’t go back to messing around with the cook, so he bows his head and excuses himself. 

The Duchess makes a mental note in her head to later ask Yunho and Mingi about it. She won’t meddle in, however. Still, she can’t help herself but be curious. 

The cook soon serves them both smoked mackerel with mushrooms and bread. The food is delicious like always, but the flustered blinking of the young man is much more entertaining than the fish on her plate. Aura has a lot of work with suppressing the need to tease the poor man. After looking longer at the cook’s face, she notices a mole under one of his eyes. Cute, she thinks to herself. 

After lunch and a calm conversation between the ladies, the cook serves them moon cakes with a silent smile. A smile saying, "Please don’t tell anyone”. The Duchess understands the message and nods with a smile as her response. She is not here to cause trouble among the servants. 

The cook leaves soon after that, bowing and excusing himself. But Melania is quick to speak following his departure. “Does this happen often in the castle?” She asks with innocence in her eyes, munching on the moon cake. 

Aura chuckles to herself and responds. “I don’t quite know to be honest; I have been known to a different pair of secret lovers here, but I only arrived a few days ago.” 

The younger hums to herself. But Aura cannot help but ask. “Would your father be okay with knowing that?” She asks cautiously. She doesn’t want Buckman to spout nonsense into the little girl’s head. 

“Well, he doesn’t have to know, does he?” Lanie responds matter-of-factly. At which the Duchess smiles widely thinking of how clever the girl is. She thinks she will grow very attached to her, and she doesn’t mind one bit. 

“What is the doctor like here?” The little girl asks. But there is silence after that, followed by an unsure response. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him yet. I only know he will come today to check up on you.” 

“I’m scared of him. The doctor’s back in our hometown wasn’t very nice. He always gave me injections that made me uncomfortable.” It makes Aura’s heart ache. But she offers a solution. 

“If you want, I can stay with you through the examination. If that makes you feel any better.” That makes the little girl light up instantly. She smiles widely at the Duchess. “You would do that? Thank you miss!” she lets out and hugs the woman next to her. Who doesn’t know what to do with herself. She has never been hugged by a child. 

She pats the little girl on her back, later they quickly finish their cakes after that and head back to the room. When they arrive, Buckman is still focused on his papers and doesn’t notice much of them. Melania, however, takes her dolls and sits on the bed. She gestures for Aura to join her on the bed, which she does. 

“Will you play with me, Miss?” The girl asks. And the Duchess’ heart melts at the question. She would like nothing more. “It would be my pleasure.” 

She never had dolls as a little girl. She did play, but she played with her friends on the street. Throwing dice, stones, chasing each other, or playing monsters, she would always come back to their little house completely exhausted but happy. 

Thinking back on it, Aura might have been around Lanie’s age when her mother fell sick and died only months after that. Her lungs went out. She never had much connection with her mother, only ever spending time with her friends outside. 

But after her mother’s death, she stopped playing outside. Only staying at home being lectured on the Cloudburst kingdom, its agriculture and art. But she wasn’t that alone, receiving those small gifts and letters from her father, the King. When he died at war, she was alone again, until Minho approached her. 

But she doesn’t feel alone now. Even so far from her home, she has accepted that her home is now also Wolfshowl. And people, especially children, like Melania, depend on her doing well at her mission. 

She reaches for her neck, trying to find the pendant and reassure herself. But it’s not there. That’s right, she didn’t put it on today. She was too ashamed to look at it after she lost it at night. Now she wishes she had put it on earlier. 

They play with the dolls for a while, not caring about the man in the room. And they quite enjoy themselves. Until there is a knock on the door and Aura goes to open it. A man with a medical bag stands there. 

“Good afternoon, Your Grace. I’m Brooke. The royal physician. I am to check up on a small girl here?” 

She nods and lets him inside. The checkup goes over all well. Melania is very weak, but she is holding on. Buckman, on the other hand, seems restless. He asks about the opium, but the doctor slides it off the table. Melania is after all very young to be taking such a strong drug. The little girl seems elated to hear that news. 

Her father accepts it as well. He doesn’t have much space to oppose. He is in no place either. The doctor prescribes some sort of medication kinder to her mental stability, than opium and upon the Duchess’s request, he also gets her a mix of herbs to prepare tea for the sleepless nights. 

They all thank him, Aura the most and set him on his way. After another period of time playing with the dolls, Melania seems very tired. The trip to the castle and everything else has probably exhausted her plenty. 

So, the Duchess asks the girl’s father to prepare her for bed and gets ready to leave. The small girl stops her with her fragile hand. “Will you come again tomorrow, Miss?” Her eyes are big and glossy and the look on her face is almost desperate. How could she ever say no to that face? 

“I will make time for you, don’t you worry. I don’t know when yet, but I will come here for sure. I can show you a bit around the castle if you want.” Lanie smiles at that and nods excitedly. 

The Duchess bids them good night and leaves the room, going straight to her chambers. Even cut in half, today has been another long day. 

She picks one of her books from home and starts reading. She needs some pleasant distraction. After some time passes, there is a knock on the door. She springs up from her chair and goes to open it. It’s Yunho and Mingi. They bring dinner. 

They all have another nice conversation, with the men finally addressing her in a friendly way without any formal filters. She appreciates that. In the end she decides not to approach them about what she saw in the kitchen earlier that day. If San ever wants to speak about it, he will let her know. And she can definitely count on Yunho to confirm to him that Aura would never say a word about it, if he ever asks him. 

The Duchess relaxes in the feeling of calmness for the rest of the evening, talking with her friends and eating. Her mind often wonders back to Melania and brings her the feeling of sadness and joy at the same time. 

She is happy that the little girl is in a safe place and gets to rest properly, enjoying her last bits of time with her father and even her new friend to entertain her. But the realization that she has no idea how long Lanie will be there with them breaks her. She shouldn’t get attached to the child too much. 

But she just simply cannot help herself. She wants the little girl to feel happy.  

Both Yunho and Mingi leave with the plates with the help of servants and bid Aura good night. And when loneliness takes control of her room again, she drifts back to the thoughts she had earlier about Melania. 

She cannot help herself but feel also a little frustrated. Maybe even angry. Not at Buckman or the doctor or any other human. Simply angry that there is no cure for Melania’s illness. That she will die one day, young and barely kissed by life. 

Even after a bath and a thorough preparation to bed, the Duchess still seems restless, her thoughts endlessly going back to the little girl. And to the memories of herself. If only there was something, she could have done. 

Is this what it would feel like to have a child? Or maybe a younger sibling? But she quickly disbands that thought, because it would bring only more sorrow. This is not the time for sorrow. She must tell herself that. 

Phew… This is going to be a long night. 

That being said, here are the links to the stories! For the cover arts I used deviant art pictures with the permission of the artists, no worries. They will be all credited under the pictures. The edits to them were made by me in Canva.

The Torn Flower's Bloom

My first skz fanfic, currently on hiatus, because I am editing the first chapters since I started writing that one in uni and bro I dropped out 2 years ago. So yeah. AO3

Art done by the amazing ALEXSTAYART

(Im)Possibilities of Life

Next we have a very dear thing to me. A compilation of writings, my very beginings, poems. They are very dark, since writing poems was always a way to deal with emotions. I am only posting my English ones on Quotev, I have same amount of ones in Czech.. Maybe one day I will translate them but not today.

Artist jontorresart

The First Woman's chronicle:

And lasty, my very first fanfiction what I didn't even realize was a fanfiction when I was writing it. I always loved Lilith as a biblical character and both a demon. Back in 2019 I collabed on this story with a fellow artist, he did the drawings and I the writing. Soon after, he ghosted me and I decided to pick it up again after couple of years and try to update it when I have the energy and mood for it. Recently I translated it from Czech to English and it is also on AO3, so if that is your preferred website to read on, feel free to look there..

This art was made by Isabella 'Purplehate' Konstantinova

Now I'm actually going to bed, because it's 6:22 am and I have to get up in 6 hours for work.. See yall later.. Hopefully I will work on my new works soon.

Rewritten Chapters:

Can a flower bloom on a beach?

Beware the thorns.

This stem is resilient to your bending.

Wicked little bloom.

Lonely flower on the hill.

Flower's little seed

...