Realm of Monsters

Chapter 606: Recovery in Bed

Chapter 606: Recovery in Bed

??The faint sound of bird song carried across the wind and slipped in the crack between the bedroom windows. A droopy, pointed ear twitched at the sound and rustled its owner awake. Stryg opened his eyes blearily and glanced around the room, confusion settling in his mind, for a moment, before he recognized his own bedroom. It hadn’t been his bedroom for long. 

??The Gales had preferred to have him sleeping in the Gale manor, but after his cousin Elise showed her support for him, she insisted it was only right for Stryg to stay in the master bed chambers of the Veres manor. Gian had reluctantly allowed it, but he had made sure to have several of his loyal family members standing guard outside the room at all times.

??Stryg had never cared much for the splendor of the lavish homes that Ebon nobility seemed to hold so dearly. He had grown up in a cabin with other goblin children. So long as he had a sturdy bed and a roof above his head, he was fine.

??The bed seemed anything but sturdy. The mattress was softer than any he had known and his heavy body seemed to sink straight down like an anchor at sea. Stryg moved to get off the cursed bed when he noticed a weight over his body.

??As the daze of sleep lifted from his mind he caught the familiar scent of vanilla. He tilted his head down and his chin brushed against the top of Tauri’s head. Her short black locks were sprawled over his bandage-wrapped chest. She was nestled around him, her left leg and arm draped over him. She wore nothing but a sheer nightgown. The rose gold fabric matched well with her bare scarlet skin.

??Her breaths were quiet, almost silent. He could feel the warmth of her body over his cool skin. With slow, careful movements, Stryg traced his fingers over her back and settled his hand over her hip.

??He tried to recall how he had gotten here. The last thing he remembered was taking an archmage’s lightning bolt to the chest for Freya. 

??“You’re awake,” said Gale. She sat at the corner of the room, her legs crossed and propped atop another chair.

??“Gale? How long have you been there?” Stryg blinked the last bits of sleep away. 

??“I am your Shadow and you my Ward. Best get used to me being nearby. Especially after that stunt you pulled last night.”

??She was right. It had been a reckless, split-second decision, but he didn’t regret it. The fact that he was still alive meant the healers had gotten to him in time.

??Ever since he had arrived in Hollow Shade he had pursued power in order to protect what was his. Freya was a part of his tribe, she was his friend. And if he couldn’t even protect his friends then being an Ebon Aspirant or the son of a titan deity meant nothing.

??“How long have I been asleep?” Stryg asked and tried to sit up carefully to no avail. Tauri mumbled something half-asleep and opened her eyes.

??“About 15 hours,” Gale answered. “It’s almost noon. Tauri and Feli took turns staying up with you all night.”

??“Stryg…?” Tauri whispered. 

??He glanced down and gave a half-smile. “Hey.”

??“Stryg!” She jumped up and embraced him.

??He fell back down into the bed, but he wasn’t going to complain. It felt nice having her pressed against him. As his hands began to unconsciously wander past her waist, Gale abruptly cleared her throat, “If you could wait until after I leave I’d appreciate it.”

??“Gale!? What are you doing here?” Tauri hurried to cover herself up with a blanket.

??The vampiress rolled her crimson eyes. “Oh please, spare me the theatrics, you’re no damsel. You are a daughter of a Warrior House, act like it.”

??Tauri cocked an eyebrow. “This isn’t a battlefield, it’s our bedroom. What about you? What kind of ‘honorable’ warrior sneaks into our room while we’re asleep?” 

??“My lord’s room,” Gale corrected. “And I didn’t ‘sneak’ in. I walked in. As his Shadow, it is literally my duty to protect him, especially while he is wounded and asleep.”

??“Well, as you can see, he is perfectly safe. So why don’t you just turn around while I put on something more presentable, hm?”

??“No.”

??“What?”

??“I don’t answer to you and more importantly I am here to guard my Ward. Your presence and appearance in this room matter little.”

??Tauri frowned. “You’re not going to turn away?” 

??“Don’t worry, I’m not interested in women, and even if I was, I wouldn’t be interested in your fat ass.”

??“F-Fat!?” Tauri gasped indignantly.

??Stryg knew Gale was only trying to rile her up, there was some bad history between the two of them. The fact that Tauri was best friends with the Noirs probably had something to do with it, but Stryg had never pressed either of them on the matter. He thought it best not to meddle in their personal affairs. Still, he found himself sitting up and pulling his lover onto his lap, before wrapping the blanket snugly around her. 

??Gale smirked at his actions, “Your soon-to-be husband is protective as always, if only he could point that energy towards protecting himself once in a while.”

??Tauri turned around and glared at Stryg as if finally noticing his presence. “What were you even thinking last night? Gale told me about what happened.”

??“Freya needed my help,” he replied simply.

??“And you didn’t think to ask for my help?! Feli I understand, she is no warrior. But what about Rhian? She is a centaur warrior and I am a Katag, a master mage. It wasn’t long ago that I was teaching you magic. How could you just leave me behind when you put yourself in danger like that?”

??Technically, Tauri hadn’t taught him magic, rather her class was about physical training, a skill most noble mageborns were severely lacking, but a little voice in his head told him it probably wasn’t the best moment to bring that up.

??“I…” Stryg didn’t know what to say. The truth was he didn’t have any good reason. Having Holo and Atlas by his side had seemed more than enough. Gale of course had insisted on coming and Holo had brought along a few of her troupe. Inviting anyone else seemed— unnecessary. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

??Tauri’s angry expression broke at the sound of remorse in his voice. She sighed and ran her hand gently over his bandaged chest. “If I had been there you wouldn’t have gotten hurt… Perhaps I should be your Shadow instead of this one.” 

??Gale jumped to her feet and drew her sword. “You take that back!” she hissed.

??Tauri smirked, “I take it back.” 

??Her repentance didn’t matter, Gale realized, Tauri had managed to get under her skin. Gale drew back her anger and sheathed her sword before sitting back down. “The bond between Shadow and Ward is sacred among my kind. Do not insult it so lightly.”

??“Like Sigte…” Stryg muttered.

??“What?” Tauri asked.

??He grimaced and held his head. A faint memory flashed through his mind’s eye. His hand was bleeding. Lunae stood over him, her own palm cut and leaking dark purple ichor. ‘One life above all others,’ she spoke solemnly.

??“One life above all others,” Stryg mumbled.

??“Stryg, are you okay?” Tauri whispered.

??Gale was already next to the bed, watching him intently, a mixture of worry and protectiveness in her eyes.

??“Y-Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just a weird memory, I think,” he admitted.

??“You think?” Tauri cocked her head to the side.

??“Yeah, I don’t know. It’s just, I could have sworn I remember seeing Lunae when I was a little kid. But that doesn’t make sense, I never met her until a few weeks ago,” said Stryg.

??“Yeah, I guess so,” Tauri nodded slowly. “Gale?”

??Gale shook her head as if shaking some thought away. “Hm? Oh, I suppose. But if you remember anything else, my lord, please let me know. Perhaps there is more to those memories than you think.”

??“I’ll try,” he nodded. “Speaking about remembering. What exactly happened last night after I was struck by Ingrid Goldelm? Where is Freya? Is she alright?” 

??Gale shrugged. “Physically? Yeah, she’s fine; resting at her home. Mentally? I doubt she’s doing well.”

??“What? Why? What happened?” he asked.

??“Besides you murdering her aunt in front of her eyes? Nothing much.”

??“Wait. I did what? I don’t remember doing that.”

??“It sounds like you,” Tauri added.

??“I—” Stryg glanced down at his bandaged chest. “Yeah, I guess I would have.”

??“The point is, we won,” said Gale. “Ingrid is dead. Freya decided to not fight Aric for the lordship, not that she ever seemed keen on fighting her brother anyway. Last I heard, her brother, Cedric, has the Goldelm manor locked down tight; if anyone tries to hurt Freya or Aric they’ll find themselves dead or worse.”

?? “I guess that’ll do for now,” Stryg grumbled.

??“You should join Feli and Rhian for brunch. Some food will do you good,” advised Gale.

??“I agree, but first,” Tauri unfurled the blanket around her. “We should change your bandages.”

??“Sure.” Stryg lifted his arms and let Tauri take off the bandages, content to watch her as she worked. 

??Suddenly, she furrowed her brow. “It can’t be…”

??Gale leaned over to get a better look, then whistled. “Lady Holo was right.”

??“What?” Stryg shifted his gaze down and looked at himself. Where there once was a deep scorched wound that was burned to the bone, now there was healthy blue skin with only a faint pale outline where the burn had once been. Even now, if he looked closely, the pale outline seemed to be slowly receding.

??“How is this even possible?” Tauri poked him in the chest.

??“Your natural healing abilities are greater than we hoped, my lord,” Gale nodded in satisfaction.

??“I still don’t know how any of these abilities work…” Stryg stared at his hands. His sisters were right. He needed to learn more about his titan nature and master the chaos flowing through him before it was too late.

~~~

??Plum knocked on the door and walked in before waiting for an answer. “You wanted to see me?”

??Stryg was leaning out over the balcony, basking in the afternoon sun and the cool breeze of early autumn. He glanced back at the door, “Plum, thanks for coming. Why do you look so tense?”

??“Last time I walked into your room, Tauri and you were naked. I’d rather not relive the experience. Not the naked part, that was funny; I meant the running-for-my-life part,” Plum winked teasingly. “Don’t let her know I said that,” she added as an afterthought.

??“What is with city folk and a stinginess for a lack of clothes around others? Tauri was bothered by the same thing earlier this morning,” Stryg wondered aloud.

??“Don’t get me wrong, I agree with the Sylvan’s way of thinking. Those open baths back at Evenfall were quite— appreciative,” Plum grinned and wiggled her eyebrows.

??“I’m beginning to understand why Tauri calls you a lecher,” he noted.

??“Says the man who’s always staring at her butt.” Plum leaned her back on the balcony. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

??“...The Cairn Tribe.”

??“Oh, that…”

??“I thought about what you said, a lot. And recently I’ve had the chance to see things from a ‘different’ perspective you might say. I’ve seen what a battlefield full of corpses looks like. If I’m being honest, I don’t think it bothers me the way it does others. What you said back at the execution, I think you’re right. I’m not like mortals. I don’t think a part of me ever was.” Stryg took a deep breath and faced her, “But that doesn’t mean I can’t feel what you do. What my great-grandmother felt when she walked through a battlefield of her dead friends and allies. A lot of innocent people died that day who didn’t need to.”

??“Stryg, you lost me… You’re great-grandmother?”

??He shook his head. “My point is, while the Cairn Tribe is our enemy, I will not subject their children to the crimes of their parents. I’m going to order the Veres army to kill the warriors of the Cairn and subdue any adults who resist. As for the other adults and the children, they will be spared and brought here. They will be taken care of. Hopefully, it’ll give me a chance to speak with their elders and we can figure out some sort of peaceful resolution.”

??“You mean an end to this war?” Plum whispered, hope in her voice.

??“I don’t know,” he admitted. “A truce, perhaps. Hollow Shade is weak right now. Undergrowth is licking their wounds, but they might attack us again now that the wall’s enchantments are down.”

??“They wouldn’t dare, not with the Sylvan army here.”

??“The Sylvan army won’t be here forever. They will go home, probably sooner rather than later. We’ll have to not only contend with the Valley Tribes and Undergrowth, but Murkton and Frost Rim who are watching us closely. And none of them are even the real threat.”

??“Caligo…”

??“We have enough enemies as it is. If I can take one enemy off the board then the better for all of us.”

??Plum smiled, “No Ebon Lord has ever managed to bring peace to Dusk Valley since the founding of Hollow Shade. Maybe you’ll be the first.”

??“I’m not an Ebon Lord yet.”

??“True, and yet people speak the title in the streets. The Ebon Lord Veres who charged across the hills on the back of a giant wolf, leading an army of wolves and goblin warriors through a wave of silver mist, like liquid moonlight crossing over the valley, banishing away the darkness. The common folk speak your name as if you're a hero from the tales of old.”

??“I didn’t know.” His lips curled into a foolish grin.

??“Others say you’re a tyrant bent on subduing us all.”

??“What?”

??“Baby steps, Stryg, baby steps.”