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twenty

Dove

W ithout haste, Rivern has me heading back towards the tunnels and away from the king’s manor.

We left my beast sitting in his warm cave, drinking tea.

The further we move away from the dyre wolf, the more the chill of the air seeps through my body. Rivern has a strong grasp of my hand as he leads me through the darkness. Apparently, fae have superior eyesight, which explains the lack of lighting options currently on our trek through the underground space. All I can see is pitch-black.

“If memory serves me right, up here should be a door.” He crouches down, fiddling around with his free hand. “Here.” A groan comes from the wall as Rivern pushes us towards it.

Soon, we find ourselves falling into another dark and musty-smelling area.

Rivern wastes no time pushing me behind him and scanning the space around us. A soft light comes from a staircase towards the back of the room, just now coming further into focus.

The solid fae prince in front of me gives the all-clear, and I push at him. “You can’t keep pushing me behind you at every unknown.”

The bond hums at my words.

“Tell that to my chest. Plus, you don’t exactly scream ‘warrior princess’,” Rivern counters, turning to face me.

A healthy, golden gleam emanates from his swirling lines in the soft glow of the staircase light as his eyes burrow themselves into every curve of my petite frame.

Tremors rake my body, and little pangs of desire move down through my belly. “Well, if the bond has anything to do with it, the princess thing seems quite imminent.”

One very agitated fae prince advances towards me. It’s hard to keep my eyes away from him as I notice the way his breeches mould to his legs, muscles bunching in all the right places. The green tunic sits just around his hips, giving me a solid view of the sizable bulge below.

My eyes fly back up to the prince’s face.

Those swirling lines licking his skin in languid kisses draw me in. He is set to dazzle as his grin showcases those dimples I’m growing surprisingly fond of.

Within strides, he is close enough to take my hand. He wraps it within his own and draws his face down to mine, resting our joined hands on his neck. “If you were my princess, we would match.”

My breath evacuates my lungs as the bond sings and vibrates throughout my body. The sunshine and pine smell is heady as I stare at our joined hands over the magical, dancing drawings on Rivern’s skin. “What?” My brain manages to push out of the fog.

Gently gliding one of my fingers along a strong, bright line, he whispers breathlessly into my ear, “These lines covering my body… I would spend many turns of the suns with you naked as I painted your skin in our story.”

My body threatens to combust at the insinuation of him touching me naked. Of us naked together.

“I…”

“Yes, Little Dove?” His eyes swim in my vision, my heart beating so vigorously that it threatens to claim sanctuary in Rivern’s chest.

“Is it down in the cellar?” a voice calls out towards the direction of the stairs. Rivern forces my body further against his, pushing us back against the wall. If he could absorb me to keep me safe at this point, I think he would . This bond is really wreaking havoc on both of us.

Creaking comes from just behind the illuminated doorway above the wooden staircase.

“Shhh,” Rivern says in my ear, his hot breath trailing down my neck.

I’m taut with tension and an excitement I’ve never experienced before.

Muffled voices come from outside the cellar as the creaking ceases.

Both our bodies exhale at the same time, the bond dolling out a heavy wave of relief.

“We need disguises,” Rivern suddenly declares and pulls away from my body. Not making eye contact with me he strips the ribbon holding his braid in place. “Turn.”

“Why?” Just because we are bonded doesn’t mean I’m going to follow every word on his lips.

Rivern pushes his hair behind pointed ears, slightly pouty, which gives his beauty a childlike quality—almost cute. If I had to compare Castor and Rivern there would be no contest. Rivern would win. If only I had my charcoals. My heart melts. Stop that , I berate the bond as it thrums. The bond is doing this to me, making me feel these nice, lovely feelings, and I don’t like it. Why can’t I receive love for just being me?

Kestrel. I haven’t had a moment to think of my friend back at the temple and her wedding to Prince Castor. Did she know about Haven? Surely, she was just as much in the dark as the rest of the people within the temple. Who knew the depths of the king’s rot?

Coming back to my body, I notice Rivern talking, “…fix your hair to look more like a boy.” He waves his hands up and down my body. “It’ll make sense with the clothing you are wearing.”

“Right.” I nod. “I can do it.” I hold out my hand to him.

He reluctantly holds out his hand, and I swipe the smooth green material.

Bunching my wild locks into a simple pony at the nap of my neck, I tuck the length into the navy tunic. “What’s the plan, your prince-liness?” I tease.

He squints his eyes at me and ruffles his hair to cover his ears. Dark blonde tendrils fall over his face, obscuring the golden lines tracing his body.

“That’s it?” I comment, trying to hold back a chuckle.

“Until we can find cloaks,” he adds very matter-of-factly.

“Right, let’s hope we find them soon because you look like no villager I’ve ever seen.”

He gives me that tummy-tumbling grin and grabs my hand, pulling me towards the staircase.

Listening at the bottom of the stairs, Rivern speaks softly, “Let’s head up and see if we ended up where I think we are.”

“Where do you think we are?” I whisper back.

“Below the Tavern.” He pulls me behind him, moving slowly up the stairs.

“How do you know the tunnels so well?”

“One of my ancestors drew a map. We thought it had gone missing, along with all the original settler writings in Terra centuries ago, but a few rotations ago, I found it.” With his admission, a strange thought occurs to me. We both found something long-forgotten that somehow brought us together . A shiver runs down my spine.

Rivern turns his head to find my eyes. His hair brushes every inch of his face, and I itch to tie it back up so I can see his devastating features. “The song?” I ask.

“Everything was eventually lost of the old ways, the old world. However, we could not rely only on our memories. It’s as if she wanted us to forget—until the map was found,” he states, looking at me like if he takes his eyes off me for even one moment, I will melt into space.

A dream to the question of both our hearts answered.

Still, so many questions remain. Why does the Goddess do what she does?

I suppose she will always be aware of events we can never hope to know or understand. As creatures of creation, we live but for a mere blink of the eye, whereas she is eternal.

The fae and dyre wolves are the only ones who come close to understanding her plight, living far greater than a human life, but they are not infallible, as history has proven.

Moving forward up the staircase, stuck in our own contemplations, we pause.

No door blocks us. Instead, a curtain-covered archway blocks our way, light freely spilling from its rounded corners.

Low chatter and clanking emanate from beyond the material, and though I’ve never been in this place before, the smell reminds me of a previous life.

“It looks like we’re near the kitchen,” Rivern says, poking his head slightly out from behind the curtain. “I’m going to manoeuvre us through the shadows as best I can until we reach the door.”

My blood pumps rapidly throughout my limbs. Another new place. Another hurdle to overcome. The smell alone is enough to wake memories long put to bed, so I seek comfort in the only thing that is currently holding me down—Rivern.

Gripping onto his hand tightly, I move my head slowly up and down.

I can hear raucous laughter, and my whole body withers, almost freezing at the sound.

The tunnels, even Gideon’s room, were different. They were recognisable to me, hidden and quiet. This place where people mingle, laugh and drink is not. It is everything that contributes to my bad memories as a child. I abhor it, and my body physically recoils.

Rivern senses my distress through the bond and spins, covering me from the tavern. His eyes beat into mine, and he touches a hand to my chest. “Remember why you are here. I could’ve taken you from this place. We could be on my horse riding away right now. Remember… Let your bravery shine through, Little Dove.” His voice trails off, and his eyes feed my fire, Argus rearing his head and blowing flames through my chest. The children. The families. I can’t leave them to starve under a lying king.

“Let’s go,” I proclaim firmly. Standing taller, Rivern gives me a wide smile. He squeezes my hand and pulls me from our hiding place, following the shadows just like he said.

His body glides through the space. With his size, you would think the small number of patrons still drinking at nearby stools and booths would notice us, but they do not. It is as if the Goddess herself is blessing us with invisibility as we weave our way.

As I grip tightly onto his hand, I remember to breathe my way through the smell.

Just before we head for the door, Rivern spots some cloaks hanging over the edge of a booth. Yes . What luck.

With the slipperiest fingers I have ever seen, he glides us past the cloaks, picks them up and slides us through the swinging door.

My heart rate hits hard and fast as Rivern sequesters us against the darkest side of the building. Deftly, he places the cloak around my shoulders first, securing my hood over my head before doing his own.

Fixed on the sight before me, my fire burns strong and willing as my heart ricochets through each ear.

The moon is beginning to sink behind the manor ahead, signalling our need to move before the king sicks his wolves on us. My wolf. My beast. Gideon. The gentle giant who proved kindness can come in all sizes and packages.

“Come on.” This time, I grab Rivern’s hand and pull his cloaked body towards the people seeking relief around small fires on the stairs. The broad landings leave plenty of space on the lower half of the long stairway for large enough fires to place pots over.

The closer I get, the more I realise that I have no plan of conviction. How will I get these people to trust me? Will they remember me as the witch, the girl in the cage who sings the Goddess’s song?

I stop, and Rivern slams into my back. Grasping my hips, he angles his head down towards the back of mine. “How will I convince these people to follow us to Terra?” I ask.

His hands come around to push against that tugging I feel constantly in my heart. A bond. A Goddess. Love? “Fire,” he breathes.

That’s when I hear it—a sound that gives me my answer tenfold. A giggle, a tiny flawless note.

I look towards the innocent sound and find a family huddled, warming their hands around a small fire, their icy breaths curling into the air.

Bunching my fists at my sides, I make my way over to the group of four. “Excuse me?” I address the female and male with wide eyes as their boisterous children make shadows in the flickering light.

I quickly glance to where I left Rivern, and he stands, watching me. I don’t know what he is waiting for, but I leave him to his post.

“Yes, dear?” the female answers. “I’m afraid we have no food,” she adds with a small smile.

I wish we had food to give her. Her kindness in the face of the nameless is overwhelming, and makes my blood burn for the head of the king who sits in his luxurious manor house as he blames his people for his ancestors’ massacres.

“Oh, no, I’m not here for food. I’m wondering if I can help your family.” The male and female look at each other quizzically, and I continue. “You do not know me, but I know of a village willing to accept exiled peoples several turns north of here. My guide and I are heading out tonight. Would your family like to join us?"

The question rings out into the air.

“But this is all we know,” the female’s voice states as I see her partner squeeze her hand within his.

“I understand it’s scary to trust someone you’ve never met, but right now, the king seeks your dismissal from the kingdom. At least, this way, you have the hope of finding sanctuary. Without my guide, there’s no knowing what we could find.” My fire is a simmer within my belly. I understand these people’s plight. They fear the new. In the span of one evening, I have had to leave behind everything that provided me some semblance of safety and sanctuary. We are living the same daemon.

“Momma, ask if they have food there. We are so hungry.” The little boy, now listening intently to us, rubs his stomach in an exaggerated gesture.

They all look at me, and I hope my answer is correct. “All the food a young boy like yourself could need.” I smile, and his toothy grin melts my heart.

“Come on Momma, Pappa. They have food!” The small children around us start to chant the word, and their father tells them to hush.

“You are right. We have no future here. The king has sent his dyre wolves to warn us that we will be run out by sunrise if we do not leave on our own accord. Our time here has come to an end, and the king” —the male grits his teeth— “is no king of ours.”

Without preamble, he stands up and exchanges hushed words with his partner.

Scurrying off, she starts to converse with other families.

He then informs his children to spread the word that we are leaving for a new Haven as soon as possible, and to meet at the northern gate.

The children scuttle off, and the male moves closer to me, whispering close to my body. “You are the girl from the cage.” My face pales, and he chuckles. “Don’t worry, child, I’ll keep your secret. It seems we have the same enemy, and that is why I trust you. Though, I’m unsure of your guide.” He nodes towards my enduring fae prince, located further down the steps, watching on in wonderment as the news spreads fast of our departure. “Go talk to your guide, and you may walk with my family,” he adds, leaving me in shock that I did it. I might save some of these people yet.

The man grasps my hand, and we shake. “What is your name?” I ask as I look up into drawn eyes.

“Lucas, and my wife is Mera.”

“Thank you, Lucas. I’m Dove.”

He inclines his head as I make my way back down to a very awe-struck prince.