Royal Pains

Stranger

***Terra's P.O.V.***

I stomp from the room and take off at a sprint one the door shuts behind me. I vaguely hear people calling after me, but I could really use some time alone.

It's one thing for my parents to be angry about my leaving, but it's a completely different thing for my father to ban me from seeing my mate. He of all people should know the difficulty of being apart. I expected for a guard to be assigned to me, but the second condition was unexpected and unnecessary.

I turn into the next hallway and avoid a few people roaming the halls. Leaving behind the newer and more used parts of the castle, I venture into the older sections of the ancient building. The stones are darker from age and the air a little heavier. No one lives in this area anymore except for The Keeper and he usually doesn't get many visitors. What people don't know is that he knows everything that happens in this place. I still haven't figured out he does it, but he's good company so I haven't actually asked. Why risk someone to talk to in return for a secret that's not yours to know?

I stop in front of the old, wooden door and quietly shut it behind me. Little light filters through the stone walls through small cracks and crevices, but my wolf eyes adjust quickly to allow me to see my way. I take the older stone stairs up to the next floor one at a time, careful not to scrape my arms on the narrow walls. The stairs ascend upwards in a spiral and at the top is one of my favorite places.

The smell of old paper hits my nose even before the old library is in sight. The books in this place are even older and rarer than the other library this place has. No one knows that I know about this place, other than The Keeper, and therefore no one looks for me here. My scent seemingly disappears when I'm here so no one can track me that way either. It's a mystery to me, but I'm thankful for the available space.

Light is flooding the room as I step through the doorway, allowing every particle of dust to light up and momentarily attract my eye. Looking around, I see the usual stacks of books everywhere and almost no open place to sit. Some of the books are barely holding together while others are now a stack of pages. The ceiling is high with wooden beams, unlike the rest of the castle.

"Well, look what the wolf dragged in." I peer around a stack of books and smile.

Don't let the streaks of grey in his brown hair and the wrinkles around eyes and in his forehead fool you into thinking he can't defend himself. I made that mistake when I first stumbled upon this place. He startled me and I lashed out in his general direction. Long story short, he beat my butt and we still laugh about it today. I learned the hard way never to underestimate anyone.

"Still cooped up in this place?" I ask, slowly approaching his cluttered desk. I swear his desktop hasn't seen the light of day in over a decade.

The Keeper smiles, making his eyes light up, and slowly stands from his chair. He sets the book he was looking for down and pushes his reading glasses on top of his head. Dressed in a casual t-shirt and faded jeans, he steps around his desk and opens his arms.

"Welcome home Atierra." I return his smile and take the few steps separating us. He closes his arms around me briefly in a hug before releasing me and taking a step back. I smirk suddenly upon feeling the tip of something sharp poking into my stomach.

"After a year, do you think I'd be stupid to be unarmed around you?" I ask and use my eyes to tell him to look down. Like himself, I slipped a small dagger from a sheath I have strapped around my stomach and it's now touching his stomach. Aaron would probably kill me to know I keep a weapon on myself at all times, but I'm careful of where I keep it when he's in a touchy mood. A girl's got to be prepared for anything.