Shadows & Secrets part 13
Our adventure continues and we learn a bit more about our newest companion. With the safety of the manor so close there isn’t anything to worry about, right?
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C
Cáit buried her fingers into Deryn’s fur and tried to ignore the prickly feeling of being watched. She had been thrilled when Pedr had said Deryn should ride with her, but it was not their usual arrangement. Instead of him riding behind her, he was curled up in her lap. His purr helped ease some of the tension in her, but not all of it, not when the source of it rode directly behind her.
Cáit knew she was being unfair to the Fae, judging her without cause, but the constant staring was getting to her. She turned to glance at Lunitza and saw that yes, the slight female was unabashedly staring at her while Lonán looked like an asp sat in his lap instead of a beautiful female. Turning back ahead, Cáit flicked one of Deryn’s ears.
“Hunter doesn’t seem comfortable with this riding arrangement,” she whispered. Deryn’s purr stopped as he craned to see behind them.
“Indeed he doesn’t,” he agreed, “I will see if he wants to ride with you or Scarlet when we break for lunch.” Cáit smiled, holding in her thanks, but grateful just the same.
Surprisingly, Lonán did not choose to ride with her or his sister when they stopped for a brief lunch. Cáit suspected it was the Fae’s sudden eagerness to help Maeve prepare the meal that swayed his decision. She was beyond polite and deferred naturally to Maeve which puzzled Cáit until Deryn slid up behind her.
“Lunitza was rather stunned by the oatmeal this morning,” he whispered, “she’s likely convinced Scarlet has some secret magic that cannot be detected by mere observation.” Cáit chuckled.
“Only magic she’s got is raw talent refined by years of practice,” she told him. “She doesn’t act like I’d expect.”
“She has a memory block and can’t remember what happened before she was given to the water Fae.” Deryn said, pulling her close subtly, “She was told her family was killed, but with high Fae the only ones capable of such a spell, I have my doubts.” She nodded, knowing better than to continue the discussion even as her mind churned with the possible reasons behind blanking out a child’s memory, none of them innocent. “She’s lost a great deal of who she used to be as a result,” he continued, “and with the way they discarded her so readily just to appease us, I don’t believe they treated her all that kindly.” Cáit agreed with Deryn though it was difficult to see the female as anything beyond a threat.
When the meal was ready, Cáit dug into it quietly, but noticed one person was unusually vocal. The usually quiet Lonán was praising the meal and that had Cáit paying more attention to the conversation.
“Lunitza made the sauce,” she heard Maeve explain, “she’s very attentive and a quick study.” Cáit noted Lunitza seemed bashful and flustered by the praise, especially when it was Lonán doing so, her pale cheeks turning a deep pink. She smiled, realizing that this new addition was likely far less of a threat than she had originally thought.
“It would seem a new relationship has formed,” a smooth voice said behind her, causing her to jump. Pedr sat down next to her, his malk form reaching her shoulder.
“It would seem so,” she agreed, “hopefully it’s a bit less volatile than the last new one.” She was surprised to hear Pedr chuckle in reply, the gravelly rumble distorted in his current form.
“You wish them a boring courtship?” he asked rhetorically, “Now where is the fun in that?” He continued to chuckle as he padded off towards his brother who was watering the horses. Cáit shook her head ruefully and turned her attention to finishing her lunch.
D
Deryn missed having his arms around Cáit, but had to admit that being curled up in her lap with her fingers in his fur was an enjoyable alternative. Lunch had been meat sandwiches, pork Maeve had said, that was soaked in the most unusual reddish brown sauce. Sweet and tangy with a hint of spice. Lunitza had made the sauce under Maeve’s tutelage and had flushed deeply at the well-earned praise.
Especially when it was a certain hunter giving the praise, he noted, smiling to himself. While he was concerned about the secrets Lunitza’s past held, he couldn’t help but be pleased that she was taking a liking to Lonán. His quiet friend was the odd one out in their little group and he had worried about him being lonely sequestered at the manor.
Not bored, he knew, not with his brother attempting to court the fiery Maeve. Deryn still was wary about the possible destruction that courtship would bring about, but it was outweighed by the joy of having the brother he loved dearly back.
He must have dozed off at some point for it felt like hardly any time had passed before they were once again stopping. His stomach was rather sure about the passage of time though and growled loud enough Cáit heard it. He gave a halfhearted glare at her laugh before hopping down and shifting. He might not be able to ride with her in his arms, but he happily used helping her down as a way to get some much desired contact.
He watched Maeve sort through their remaining supplies, her brows furrowed, and headed over to her. She startled slightly, still unused to the natural stealth of Cat Sith, but quickly recovered, flashing a warm smile.
“I’m not sure how much farther we have to go,” she told him, “supplies are getting thin so if you or your brother could do some hunting it’ll help.” Deryn nodded and went to his brother.
“One more full day of travel, little brother,” Pedr told him, “we should be able to see the manor shortly after lunch the next day. Much as I’d greatly enjoy us hunting together, I do not feel it wise to leave the humans in Lunitza’s care.” Deryn agreed and wished his brother success in his hunt before returning to Maeve.
It was not long before it was Pedr getting praised, having managed to acquire a small deer. He’d noticed deer in Fae lands were half the size of those in areas humans congregated and likely surmised it was a survival adaptation. As a result, he knew of many Fae that chose to masquerade as the larger deer to trick humans into following them deeper into Fae territory.
Venison was not a preferred meat of his, but as usual, Maeve’s skill made it a new favorite. Zesty citrus fruit was the biggest surprise and he had to admit it went well with the earthy meat. Seating arrangements had taken another shift with the meal. Lunitza had been all but commandeered by Maeve and Lonán and was now wedged between the siblings. He was not going to complain as he was now snug between his brother and Cáit.
“I am rather perturbed by this new seating scenario,” he heard his brother grumble. Deryn smiled, but it was Cáit that replied back.
“Oh don’t be a sulky kitty,” Cáit chided, “she’s not got her eyes on Scarlet. She’d rather hunt the hunter.” Deryn’s smile widened as Cáit giggled.
“I’m not sure she’s the one doing the hunting,” Pedr replied back, smirking. Deryn watched the trio being discussed and he realized his brother was right. While Lonitza was definitely interested in Lonán, it was the quiet hunter that was acting on that interest. “Her memory block is concerning though, it would be wise to forgo dropping our guard even at the manor until that is resolved.”
“Agreed,” Cáit replied, “I want to trust her, but with so much at risk, I just can’t, not yet at least.” Deryn pulled her into a brief side hug to offer comfort. Trust was not a commodity in large supply amongst the Fae, he knew, and it hurt to know his friends would need to pull back their trust just as Cáit was doing in order to stay safe.
C
Cáit yawned widely as she stretched, nearly tumbling off the log. Rocks and logs did not make the most comfortable seats, but she found herself reluctant to head to her bedroll. Though she had no memory of wandering out into the woods and getting thoroughly drenched, she acknowledged it was trauma just the same.
“You should sleep,” Deryn advised softly. Cáit nodded, but made no move to get up. “I understand you’re scared of it happening again. How about I keep watch over you and the others tonight? I can sleep while we travel tomorrow.” Cáit felt her heart squeeze at his offer and nodded again. She trusted Deryn and not just because of his promise. She got up and went to her bag to grab fresh night clothes. She then returned to Deryn and held out her hand. Though he looked utterly confused, he took her hand and let her lead him to a private spot. Taking a deep breath, she began to undress, the flustered gasps and choking sounds beside her making her smile.
“What’s the matter kitty,” she asked him, feigning innocence, “you’ve seen it all before, haven’t you?” She knew he had done his best to give her privacy while stripping off her soaked night clothes, but she needed this more controlled exposure. She also wanted him to look at her, and not just when she was a spelled, drenched mess. It was rather empowering to render a male speechless simply by removing her top garments.
“You…” he sounded strangled, “you are a devious female.” Before she could reply, she was suddenly pushed against a nearby tree and soft lips were crashing against hers. She buried her hands in his soft, fluffy hair and deepened the kiss, gently pressing her tongue to his lips. He gasped and she darted in, exploring with abandon. Her tongue found his sharp canines and she felt a thrill at the mild danger they posed.
She felt his hands exploring her curves with eager gentleness. A flick of his thumb had her breaking the kiss and arching her back. She felt him give a throaty rumble against her as he bent to her exposed neck. She bit back a moan as she felt him gently nip at her collarbone and left trails of searing kisses along her throat.
“Why is it I’m always the one to catch you two going at it?” Cáit sighed as her friend’s voice cut through the muddy haze of desire.
“Why is it you never just quietly turn around and leave?”
“And miss you two turning the same shade as my hair?” Maeve countered, “Where’s the fun in that?”
“That’s the second time I’ve heard that today,” Cáit said with a chuckle, “you two are made for each other.” She quickly finished changing into her night clothes while Maeve did the same and then the three headed back to camp. She was actually surprised she didn’t feel any embarrassment over being caught this time, just disappointed.
Cáit settled into bed, but sleep felt elusive. Deryn sat beside her in his malk form, keeping watch like he offered. For some reason, she found herself wishing for one of her mother’s stories.
“Tell me a story?” Cáit whispered shyly. Deryn climbed onto her pillow and tucked in his paws.
“A bedtime story,” Deryn agreed, “this is one Pedr would tell me often. Mother told it to him and he knew she would have told me if she had been able to.”
D
Deryn knew that not many Fae tales would seem particularly pleasant to a human, but this one was his favorite and he hoped Cáit liked it too. It was a grand tale of a crafty Cat Sith that wore a pair of boots in his malk form and went on an adventure. He defeated numerous challenges, including a giant ogre, not with brawn, but with cunning, and in the end, he fulfilled his bargain to a poor miller’s son, granting him land, a castle, and a princess for a wife.
“I’ve heard that story before,” Cáit whispered sleepily when he’d finished, “my mother told me it often because it was my favorite.” Deryn smiled, pleased she enjoyed the story.
“Sleep now,” he murmured softly to her, “you are safe.” He watched as she snuggled into her pillow. He sat still, hardly breathing, as he waited for her breathing and heart rate to shift slightly, indicating she was asleep.
Deryn rose from the pillow carefully and padded around the camp. Everyone else had turned in for the night, even Lunitza, who was sharing Lonán’s bedroll. As he made a second round, he noticed that his brother was no longer beside Maeve’s bedroll.
“Can’t sleep, little brother?” He chuffed softly to hide his startlement.
“It seemed prudent to keep a watch after last night’s incident,” he replied. “As I’m able to sleep during the day’s traveling it made sense for me to do so.”
“I agree,” Pedr acknowledged, “it is a good precaution. You have grown much lately.” Deryn stumbled, surprised by the praise.
“It is rare to hear such praise from you,” he admitted, “perhaps I am not the only one who has grown.”
“I have much to atone for,” Pedr agreed, “but atone I shall.” Deryn was surprised by the affectionate nuzzle his brother gave him, but returned it happily. He then watched his brother return to Maeve’s side and smirked when she flung her arm over his furry form.
Hours dragged by as he kept watch. The full moon began climbing above the trees, bathing their camp in its silvery glow. He noticed Lunitza begin to get restless as the moon climbed higher. It didn’t take long for her eyes to snap open, but what Deryn found unexpected was their color. Instead of their usual gray they were a glowing silvery white, barely different from the surrounding whites. Thinking he might need to restrain her, he shifted out of his malk form.
“Lunitza?” he queried nervously, “are you well?” He watched her turn to him and tilt her head to the side.
“I am quite well,” she assured him, “just…” she paused as if searching for the right words, “overly energized. A full moon is like being given too much sugar or that drink humans like in the morning.”
“So you’re just too awake to sleep,” he said, relieved he did not have a possessed or power mad Fae to deal with.
“Unfortunately, yes,” she agreed, “but perhaps my company is not unpleasant for you.” Deryn smiled.
“You have been respectful to those in my care, Lunitza,” he reminded her, “continue to do so and there will be no reason to find your company unpleasant.” He knew he was being a bit cold to her, but she would not be the only Fae energized by the full moon. He watched her wring her hands together nervously.
“Would pursuing a…” she paused again, “a relationship with one of those in your care be considered disrespectful?” Deryn barely managed to prevent his jaw from dropping open. He felt way out of his depth with this conversation now, but also did not want to impede his friend’s happiness in any way.
“As long as they are willing to pursue the relationship and you respect their views on such customs as fidelity I would not consider it disrespectful to do so.” He watched her sag with relief even as he wished to do the same. He got only two breaths in before she dropped another heavy question on him.
“This manor,” she asked tentatively, “is it merely to house these humans or is it…” she paused, biting her lip, “your home?” Deryn was distracted by the surprisingly human gesture, but was even more surprised she used the word ‘home’ to describe the manor. Fae generally did not tie such sentiment to places, but a few did. Woodland Fae in particular, he knew, regarded their woods as their home and defended it fiercely. Water Fae were not known to have such ties, but he did not know if moon maidens did.
“My brother and I were raised there,” he answered hesitantly, “it will make suitable housing for the humans and for you while we look into breaking the memory block.”
“Will others be in residence?” He hated not being able to read her eyes properly, but her body language and scent told him she feared he would say yes. He wondered if it was his father in particular she feared or merely other Fae that may not treat her kindly.
“It will likely just be us,” he assured her, “my brother has occasionally had guests over, but our father prefers the court residence.” With Pedr having Maeve to woo, Deryn knew there would be no further ‘guests’ brought over beyond the one needed to break the memory block.
“There is no staff?” Her surprise was easy to read, “Are these humans to be your staff?”
“They will have jobs at the manor,” he replied. He knew his friends well enough to know they were not given to idleness so they would have jobs, albeit ones of their own choosing.
“I would like to have a job there as well,” she asserted, “I can aid Scarlet in the kitchen and tend to any gardens there may be.” She squared her shoulders and looked at him with her glowing eyes, “I refuse to be a burden to you and yours.” Though her gaze was unsettling, he found himself holding it and smiling.
“You are no burden, Lunitza,” he acknowledged, “you’re more than welcome to try tending the garden and orchard. They have been neglected for decades though so will pose quite the challenge.” It always pained him to see his mother’s garden so overgrown, but he had no luck with growing things.
“I enjoy a good challenge,” she replied, her own smile forming. Deryn sat with her as the moon arced its way across the sky, their conversation turning to lighter topics. He noticed Lunitza’s eyes started to darken back to their usual gray as the moon passed its zenith and began to descend towards the horizon. As it did, he felt her begin to lean against him, her eyes drooping sleepily. He was about to suggest she return to her bedroll when he heard a soft snore. Scooping her gently in his arms, he returned her to Lonán’s side, draping the blanket over her. Deryn watched Lonán shift in his sleep, throwing an arm around Lunitza and pulling her against him. He then shifted back into his malk form and settled on a nearby rock to await the sun.
C
Cáit woke reluctantly, but well rested. She glanced around camp and saw Deryn curled up asleep on a rock. Lunitza also was still asleep, curled up on Lonán’s bedroll. The others were busy packing up for another day of travel while Maeve worked her culinary magic on breakfast.
“He was a dutiful guard,” Pedr told her, his back turned as she changed, “he informed me Lunitza had difficulty sleeping because of the full moon. I imagine she will have difficulty again tonight and tomorrow night as full moons typically last three nights.” Cáit nodded, then realized he couldn’t see the motion.
“I wish it wasn’t needed, but after what happen…” she trailed off, shaking off the memory, “Is there anything we can do to help her sleep?”
“We could ask her when she wakes,” he replied, “but her kind were rare even before the war. I was not even aware of the moon’s impact on them.” She could hear the tension in his voice and realized having to admit to not knowing something bothered him greatly.
“You’re not expected to know everything, Pedr,” she said gently, “I doubt it’s even possible as things are changing constantly.” She placed a tentative hand on his head, half expecting his fangs to bury into it. Instead, he nuzzled her hand.
“Perhaps you are right,” he admitted, “expectations under Father were always set high and failure to meet them was… unacceptable.” Cáit could only imagine what such a childhood had been like. Before she realized what she was doing, her fingers had begun gently scratching beside his ear. A deep rumble had her almost pulling her hand back until she realized it was his purr.
Cáit continued the scratching as Pedr purred. She had not spent much time with the older brother, but was coming to see that both brothers lacked the simple familial affection she had growing up. Pedr had simply learned to mask his touch-starved loneliness beneath the cold indifference she suspected was expected of him at court.
Maeve announced breakfast was ready and Cáit dropped her hand and headed to retrieve the bowl of steaming food. She watched Pedr shift and accept his own bowl before sitting beside her. She found it hard to read him compared to Deryn, but saw no indication that he was embarrassed or displeased she had been petting him. Deciding not to dwell on it, Cáit turned her attention to the contents of her bowl and smiled when she saw it was not oatmeal, but torn up pancakes instead.
“I had to modify it some since we don’t have eggs,” Maeve admitted as she settled on the other side of Pedr.
“You’ve made them without egg before and they’ve been delicious,” Lonán assured her, settling down beside her. Cáit watched discretely as Pedr took a bite and his eyes lit up like she’d seen Deryn’s do when he was enjoying something immensely. Satisfied with his reaction, she scooped up her own syrup-drenched mouthful.
Breakfast eaten, Cáit went to Deryn’s curled up form. Maeve had assured her he had eaten before going to sleep so her only challenge was getting him in her lap atop her horse without waking him. A hand fell on her shoulder and she turned.
“Get up on your horse first,” Pedr advised her, “then I’ll hand him to you.” Cáit nodded, grateful for the assistance. She swung up into her saddle and awaited her sleeping bundle. She noticed Pedr was extremely gentle as he transferred Deryn from the rock into his arms. As he drew closer, she saw a softness in his expression as he held his little brother. Deryn was gently placed into her lap and she settled her arms around him, creating a nest.
She watched as Pedr assisted Lonán with a sleeping Lunitza, though he appeared far less gentle. Once everyone was mounted, she saw Pedr shift into his malk form before leading them onward. He had informed everyone at breakfast this was likely the last full day of travel and Cáit was grateful she only had one more night in the wild to contend with.
The air was turning even colder as they stopped for lunch. Cáit handed Deryn back down to Pedr before dismounting. He had slept soundly as they rode north, but she could see his nose beginning to twitch at the smell of food. She noticed Lunitza also was roused by the smell and Lonán encouraged her to eat. Cáit could tell Maeve’s supply of ingredients was getting sparse. While still far better than her own cooking, she could tell it had less flavor than typical.
Before remounting, Lonán handed each of them a fur-lined cloak, though Pedr declined, assuring them that he was not bothered by the cold thanks to his fur. Cáit caught his slight smile before he shifted and realized he was touched to be included in such care. She felt Deryn hop up into her lap and looked down, catching sight of his massive yawn.
“Get some more sleep,” she instructed gently, stroking his back. He flopped gracelessly against her stomach and was soon asleep.
Cáit was grateful for the cloak as a brisk wind picked up shortly after they had resumed their trek. Even with Pedr’s assurances that Deryn would be fine, she sheltered him from the wind as best she could. Low, steely gray swept in as evening approached and Cáit worried there would be more rain.
As the evening meal was underway it was not a raindrop that landed on her nose, but a fluffy dollop of icy white. It was unusual to have snow before the harvest festival and while Cáit imagined their steady trek northward had aided in the likelihood, she didn’t think they had traveled quite that far north for it to be common.
“Be extra vigilant tonight, little brother,” Pedr advised Deryn as she sat between them, “snow this early could mean one or more of the Ryme is near.” Cáit felt far more chilled than the weather warranted at the mention of frost giants.
“What do we do if we encounter one?” She had only read stories of the giants and not one had mentioned them weakened or defeated by anything.
“Get on a horse and ride north as fast as possible,” Pedr said somberly, “if the horse fails before you make it to the manor grounds, run. Do not look back, do not falter, and do not stop, even to aid another of our group. Anything else will mean death.” Cáit felt the chill lace with dread.
“Ryme have not been seen this far south in over a century,” Deryn chided his brother, “you know well Father would never allow it.”
“There have been whispers in court lately,” Pedr countered, “they are rumored to be pushing the agreed upon boundaries, testing our strength after the war with the Dorchae.” She watched Deryn nod, accepting his brother’s warning.
“I will keep you safe,” Deryn assured her softly as she settled down on her bedroll, “and Pedr will aid the others.” She knew he meant it to be comforting, but as Cáit closed her eyes she knew that if one or more Ryme came for them not even a Fae promise could ensure her safety.
Continue Reading: Part 14
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