Flora slept long and well into the night, her dreams wispy and forgotten by the time she woke up. She slowly dragged herself out of her dreams, her mind caught in the cobwebs of some long forgotten dream. A part of her longed to continue sleeping, comfortable and warm as she was.
Flora realized with a start that she wasn't alone in bed, and remembered too late that Erick had slept with her. By then she had rolled over, waking him up and pulling out of his warm embrace.
Erick pulled away with a stretch not unlike a cat, blinking his bleary eyes awake. It took him a moment to settle his eyes, but as he did he smiled tentatively at Flora. She returned the smile, equally unsure of exactly how to respond. It was different than being on the road or in the cabin, this was her room - her bed - that they were in. Flora rolled onto her side, resting her head on her hands as she faced her king.
"Did you sleep well?" Erick asked, propping his head up on one hand. The whole thing seemed almost too casual with the way he spoke, the way he looked at her, and the way the blanket easily draped off him to reveal his shirtless torso. Flora blushed at the thought of it.
Flora had to clear her throat before replying. "I slept well, thank you. And you?" Flora did her best to hide her blush, realizing just how scandalous it would be for anyone to hear that the king had slept in her room. I suppose now the rumors would be true. She thought ruefully.
Erick gave her an awkward smile, sensing the slight tension from Flora. "I slept better than usual." He commented. He must be referring to his nightmares. Flora thought with a pang of something like guilt, despite it not being her fault.
Erick gently reached over to put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." He said gently. She smiled with relief briefly, before the weight of yesterday pulled down on her. It had been nice to forget any of it had happened, even if only for a moment.
Flora was tempted to ask any number of questions, and she was sure Erick couldn't hear her thoughts from the buzzing of everything she wanted to know. Was there anything she could do to save her father? Her farm? What about her brother? Would any of them be safe in the castle anymore? Where would Lady Martha go, and would she ever come back? What did she mean by selfrund? Flora bit her lip, trying not to worry too much but the thoughts were weighing too heavy on her mind.
"Ask me something." Erick prompted. She looked up into his eyes, something like guilt and anticipation mixed in the blue horizon of his pupils.
"What is a selfrund?" Flora asked tentatively. "And… How does that affect you?" She picked this question feeling it was the easiest to broach, but also because she hated just how scared she was to hear the answer be 'no'.
Erick let out a deep breath of relief, as if he was expecting something much more difficult. "It's just the name we give to that magical bond I had spoken of." He replied as if it were something simple. The stark reminder of something so monumental in such a casual way put Flora off, making her feel uneasy. She must have made a look, as Erick's face became concerned.
"I'm sorry, I know it's a lot." Erick said quietly, sitting up. His gaze turned distant as he looked away from her. "It's not something I wanted to throw on you." He continued in the same quiet tone. "But when you almost died…" His voice wavered at the end, cutting off with a shaky breath.
"I'm sorry." Flora said after a moment's silence. Erick turned to give her an incredulous look. She almost flinched, but his features softened as he replied.
"You don't have anything to be sorry for." Erick gave Flora a sympathetic smile. "I didn't tell you, so you wouldn't have known about sympathy pain." He informed her. When Flora gave him a quizzical look, he explained.
"I suppose Esther didn't tell you that either." Erick started, running a hand through his sleep-mussed hair. "Magic has an impact on our bodies. When two are bound by magic, they can end up sharing things like pain." Flora's expression must have been something along the lines of shocked surprise, because Erick couldn't help but laugh. "I can't say I'm not surprised no one told you, but you had to have known something about magic, right?" He asked with a wide smile.
"I lived on a farm with no magic." Flora replied flatly, giving Erick a look that only made him laugh more.
"I suppose you make a good point." Erick said after finally catching his breath. When h e looked at her, his eyes were filled with a joy she only saw when they were alone. Was it really only two weeks we spent together? She reflected on this once again, realizing just how much had happened in just a short time. Erick cleared his throat before looking away again, and she suspected that he heard her thoughts again.
"But that's the problem with magic." He started, his voice becoming grave with the matter. "If you use too much, or if your selfrund dies, you yourself can become gravely injured. Or worse." He said the last part in such a quiet voice Flora almost thought she imagined it. Flora wasn't sure what to do, whether to comfort him or keep to herself. Before she could decide, Erick turned back to her again.
"But I don't want you to worry about any of that." Erick said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I meant what I said last night, take the day for yourself. Do something you'll enjoy." Flora knew he was trying to comfort not only her, but himself with his tone of voice.
Flora reached over and gently held Erick's hand with her own. "Thank you. It's… It's a lot with everything going on, but thank you." She did her best to comfort him, and he squeezed her hand back as she finished.
"Well, dragons don't do things by halves." He said with a smirk. "Did I tell you the clan kicks out their young and won't allow them back until they've found their selfrund?" He asked with a sarcastic tone. Flora's eyebrows shot up at that, and he only laughed at her expression. "It's true!" He said in between laughs. "Thankfully, it usually only takes a few years." Erick said this as if it were no big deal. But then again, dragons do live much longer than humans. Flora reflected.
Erick pulled his hand out of Flora's, giving her a tender pat on the arm before getting out of bed. "I should get going before someone realizes I'm missing." Erick said in a more subdued tone. "I have an unfortunate mess to clean up." He said with a grimace as he swiftly tugged his clothes back on.
Flora was reminded yet again of the muscles that hid beneath his clothes, laced with scars and the tattoos of his ancestors. She was almost disappointed that he had to leave so soon, when he turned and caught her staring. He gave her a sly grin as she felt her face blush.
What am I doing? I should be more concerned about my family. Flora chastised herself, pulling herself out of bed and throwing on her own clothes. She moved stiffly, but was happy to note that there was only a dull ache where her injury was. I hope Esther didn't hurt herself fixing me. Flora thought with guilt as she recalled what Erick had said about magic.
Flora turned to find Erick staring at her this time, worry etched across the lines of his face. "What?" She asked, looking herself up and down as if something were wrong. Erick shook his head.
"It's nothing." He said, giving her a wry smile. "Just thinking." He told her, walking over to stand in front of her. She had to look up to see his face as he grabbed her hands with his. "Be safe today." He told her, and a little part of Flora's heart cracked at the sound of his voice. She leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek before replying.
"I will." Flora said with a little smile. Erick smiled back, despite the hint of worry tucked away in his eyes. He leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. His mouth was warm and soft, and as he pulled away there was a sense of longing left in its place.
"And don't worry about making it to breakfast this morning." Erick said as he pulled away, letting her hands slip from his grasp. "I'll send something over for you." He said as he left her in her bedroom, her hands cold from the memory of his heat.
True to his word, Erick had sent a servant to her room with a platter of food and a small purse of money. The food was as fine as ever, and the money was much more than she could have ever asked for had she still been a farm girl working her father's farm.
The thought disheartened her, a grim reminder of what was to come. Maybe this is what I need, a day to breathe. Flora attempted to center herself on this thought, willing her emotions to settle down. She held on to this thought as she pulled up Spot's leash and clicked it onto his collar.
Flora walked Spot through the busy halls of the castle, passing by the many ornaments of chairs, flower pots, and ornate paintings that decorated the walls. Most of the people passing through paid her no mind, save for the occasional nod of acknowledgment. That was until she walked by a certain royal guard.
When he saw her, Dante turned from what he was doing to address her. "There you are, Flower!" He said with his usual easy-going grin. Flora paused to face him, making a small attempt at hiding her disdain at being caught by the wily coyote.
"Aw don't look at me like that," Dante started, his voice mimicking a sad puppy. "I've got something for ya'. The least you could do is be nice, right?" His smirk led Flora to believe that whatever he had was of little to no interest to her, but she decided to play it safe and play along.
"You got a gift? For me?" Flora's voice was a little incredulous, if not sarcastic at the notion. Being so close to Erick, he had to know this was probably a bad idea. That didn't seem to bother him as his smirk only widened.
"I didn't get it, I'm just the delivery." The Captain stated, handing a small package over to Flora. Spot did his best to reach up and sniff it, but Dante held it just out of reach from the dog. Flora grabbed it with a flat but polite thank you, expecting him to leave then. When he didn't, she gave him a look.
"What?" He asked.
"Don't you have something important to be doing?" Flora retorted. Dante simply laughed.
"You can't fault my curiosity for wanting to know what he got you, but I'll get going." The Captain quickly turned on his heel and left, walking with the usual swagger of an overconfident predator. Flora rolled her eyes before tucking the small gift away in her satchel. She had a very good idea of who "he" was, and she didn't want to open the gift in such a public space.
Flora and Spot eventually made their way out of the castle, swiftly tacking up Condor before riding out to the town. Having lived on the castle grounds for three years now, Flora was surprised that she could count the amount of times she had been in town on one hand. Having nearly everything provided for her, there was little need to leave. She had only ever been out on farmhand work with little to no time left to explore. The prospect of seeing such a large place on her own was a little daunting. At least I have Spot with me. She thought with a little warmth.
When Flora finally left the castle gates and got to the city proper, she realized just how difficult it would be to get through it all on horse. The streets were packed with people of all kinds. Women wearing the latest fashions of dyed greens and bird plumed hats, men in all kinds of tailored suits from the finest threads to the simplest work clothes, and children running around with toys of all kinds. Horses and carriages cut their way through the crowds, and although Flora knew they would part for her, she didn't want to be noticed in such an exuberant way.
It was easy to find a place to board Condor for the day, many of the stables were more than willing to house a horse for the Beast Master. Nestled between the many shops and business buildings was a small stable that held various carriage horses. When asked, Flora was told it was free of charge. She suspected that the owner would expect some sort of favorable outcome on some later inspection of his animal care.
Leaving Condor there, Flora continued to walk through the town with Spot at her heel. The street was paved in grey stoned bricks, but the buildings were painted in an array of colors from green to blue to red and even yellow. Flashy signs filled the windows, along with an array of goods from little tin toys, to medicine, and even magically enhanced objects such as the never-dying pocket watch. Flora was nearly overwhelmed with it all, from the buildings to the people. It wasn't until she stumbled upon a temple to Kumara, The Bear Mother, that she felt some sort of calm.
Being the middle of the day, Flora expected to see a handful of patrons inside the building, but not many as most were outside on such a busy day. Tying Spot to a nearby fence, Flora went up the stone steps that lead inside the massive building. Being one of the most powerful deities, the patron of Day Magic, Kumara's temple was more like a cathedral with it's grand doors and delicate but ornate architecture.
Once inside, Flora found that there was more than just a handful of people inside. I suppose there would be, given it's one of the most favored gods. Flora thought to herself as she slowly walked down the aisle of pews. She remembered what it had been like to hear the stories of the great Bear Mother from her own mother, who likely heard them from her own mother. Flora could still feel the soft brush of her mother's hand as she combed out her hair, telling her the story of how the Bear Mother saved the Sun from the Wolf Father, so that all may enjoy it's warmth.
Flora felt the prickle of tears at the memory of her mother, and she quickly wiped it away before any could see. She did not want to feel the shame of loss, or of their pity. Taking a deep breath, Flora stopped at one of the pews near the front, taking a seat and looking up at the marble statue seated behind the altar.
The statue was huge, one of the largest pieces of work Flora had ever seen. It depicted Kumara rearing on her hind legs, letting out a fearsome bellow forever etched in stone while her two cubs cowered beneath her. If you turned your head just right, the claws and teeth of the statue glinted with more strength than an actual bear. The detailing of the muscle and fur was something to marvel at, only a true master of art could have made something such as this.
Flora tried her best to focus on the statue, attempting to clear her mind by suppressing her warring emotions. It only made things worse, as they all bubbled up at once. The memory of her mother, the betrayal of her father, and the loss of her family was too much to bear. Flora put her head in her hands as she quietly sobbed there, praying no one would disturb her.
"My child." Flora heard the voice with a familiar ring, but a part of her still wanted to lash out at whoever had come to interrupt her. Looking up with a flash of indignation, Flora found a bear standing there before her. The beast's fur was like honey and gold, wreathed in a gentle light and eyes like amber on fire. Flora gaped, not knowing how else to respond.
"Do not weep for what has been lost," The golden bear started, a voice that was all too familiar to Flora. "When you have much that needs to be done." The bear lowered her head to look Flora in the eyes, and she couldn't stop herself from flinching at the nearness of the bear's face. "There is much that you need to do, but I will always be with you." The voice faded as the bear's light dimmed, fading away as if it were nothing more than a spectre. Flora felt tears fall, but she no longer wept. At the moment, she was unsure of exactly what to feel. Was this a sign of something more to come? Did the gods have something bigger planned for her? If so, would she live up to it?
Flora was contemplating these things when one of the pastors came up to her. She was dressed in the yellow golden robes of her order, her hair cut neat and tied in a bun. Emblazoned in the center of her religious robes was an icon of a bear and a sun, beautifully embroidered in the cloth.
"My Daughter, you have been blessed." The woman said in way of greeting. "I know not what the Bear Mother has said to you, but please take this as a token of her love." The woman held out her hands, which were draped in a cloth of similar colors to her robes. In the center was a very small bear pendant. Hanging from the bear was a coin with an image of the sun.
Flora gingerly took it from the woman, holding it as if it were a delicate piece of porcelain and not the piece of metal that it was. "Wear it with pride, and know that Kumara is with you." The woman said with a slight bow before she left. Flora thumbed the metal in her palm, admiring the craftsmanship of the delicate work. She carefully pinned in next to her badge of office before taking one last look at the marble statue of Kumara. Flora left then, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks.
Once outside Flora untied Spot, who was all too eager to see her and get going. She smiled, gave him a little rub and words of appraisal before taking off, leaving the temple behind her. Flora noted that a similar temple to Remulir, the Wolf Father, stood opposite of Kumara's. To be fair, there were temples to every deity in the city, some more than one.
Taking a pause in a shadowed alcove of the temple, Flora had Spot sit before pulling out the gift from Erick. She carefully unwrapped the unassuming brown paper that held the mystery within, making quick work of the string that kept it closed. The first thing she saw was a small note in Erick's hand.
Flora,
Esther said it would be best to wait but I thought you might have a need for this. I figured it would be better to give it to you now when you can use it, rather than hold on to it.
Yours, Erick.
It was so simple, and yet she couldn't help it as her face flushed. It was so simple it could have been any Erick, but she knew it was from him, and had anyone else seen it they might have known too. And the signature? After everything that has happened? Flora might as well sign a marriage certificate now. The thought of it sent shivers down her skin, and she couldn't tell if they were bad shivers or other shivers.
Pushing past the letter with a face as red as the sun, Flora found a little silver rectangle of a box. Opening it with gentle fingers, she found a delicate looking silver chatelaine inside. The clasp of it was decorated with tiny golden dragons, and around each of the items were more dragons fashioned to look as if they were holding everything together. It was both beautiful and cute all at once. The items included a small pair of scissors with a needle and thread tucked next to it, a tiny pocket watch, a magnifying glass, and even a tiny pen and book. It was hard not to feel a swell of admiration for Erick's thoughtfulness as she pinned the chatelaine to her belt. Spot carefully inspected it, using his big black nose to thoroughly sniff it, as well as drench it with his nose slime. Flora laughed and gave him a hearty pat before heading back out to town.
Flora led Spot through town, passing by many of the busy stores but keeping to window shopping at most of them. I'd rather explore first and shop later. Flora noted, eyeing a particular set of books that she would love to add to her library but would not love to carry through town.
As she was beginning to feel hungry, Flora was about to set out for some food when she came to a crowded city plaza. There was a man in the center of the crowd standing atop a crate and yelling. Whatever he was saying was garnering mixed reactions, as many in the crowd cheered with him but a good handful booed him. Someone even threw something in his direction.
"See!" The man yelled, pointing his hand in the direction of the foreign object. His brown jacket was loose and ill fitting, patched up in various places from old holes. His pants were in a similar condition, and his rough brown hair was covered by a grey newsboy cap.
"This is how they treat us! They fear us!" The man's yells were met with a cacophony of noise, and Spot whined in protest.
"Don't worry boy, we're leaving." Flora told him soothingly as she left the crowd, steering back in the direction she came from. She was just about to turn a corner when a strong arm pulled her back into an alley, still near enough to hear the man yelling over the crowd.
Flora quickly turned to find an older man in similar clothes to the one in the plaza. His face was covered in a gristly beard, and his hair was peppered grey with age. In his hand was a small pistol, loaded and cocked at her chest. Her face paled and she quailed at the sight of him. Behind her, Spot gave a warning growl.
"And what about you, Beast Master?" The man asked in an accusatory tone. She gave him a confused stare.
"I'm not sure-" Flora began to answer him when he waved his gun at her.
"Don't play coy with me!" The man snapped. "I hear you're supposed to be one of us, but now you're just the King's bitch." He snarled, and Flora could practically feel the life draining from her as he held the pistol to her chest. "So which is it?" The man held his face close to hers, his breath rancid and his teeth discolored from age and poor hygiene.
"I'm really sorry." Flora said, tears beginning to run down her face. "I really don't know what you're talking about." She knew she sounded pitiful, but she also knew that she had no chance with a gun pointed at her like this. I wonder if Erick can feel my fear. She thought woefully as the many seemed to only anger at her response. Spot barked his protest as the man made to say something more.
Before he could say anything more, there was a loud crack and the sound of whistles as guards rushed down the street. Chaos broke loose as more cracks - the cracks of gunfire - and screaming tore through the streets. Flora made to leave but the man only grabbed her arm and pushed the barrel of the pistol to her chest.
"I won't ask again." The man started. "Are you-" He was cut off by Spot's horrible growl as he lunged, sinking his fangs into the man's leg. The man howled in pain, quickly pulling back and shooting the dog. Flora screamed as Spot flung back, red blood leaking from his shoulder.
More guards came running, and two of them barreled into the alleyway where Flora was now clutching Spot. The two guards, both dark haired unicorn shifters, pulled out their own weapons as they faced the man. "Put the weapon down." One of them ordered, holding a steady gaze with the old man.
"I'd rather die than submit to magic scum like you." The man snarled, aiming his gun at the guard who spoke. Shots flared and fired, and Flora watched in shock as the man fell with a sickening thud. A trail of red blood inched its way down his face, a hole perfectly centered on his forehead.
Like everything in her life, it had all happened so fast. So much in such a short time, she barely had time to process. As the guards bent down to help her up, her brain slowly caught up with her. Flora felt her body shake like an old leaf on a dying branch as the guards gently held her. She looked down to see Spot, alive but injured. Her mind raced through the events of the past hour, trying to put it all together in a way that made sense.
Was this real? Did that actually happen? How many others harbored animosity towards her? These thoughts came to a terrifying solution. Erick was right, anyone could be dangerous, even her own father. Not only that, but the move against magic was very real, and it was very near.
Flora didn't think that Erick had sent her out to intentionally see this, not when he had given her money and a gift. The unfortunate reality was that she had seen everything he warned her of, and more.
This wasn't just a small rebellion or movement. It was a very real force to be reckoned with. It was to be a revolution, and Flora found herself caught in the middle.