When Love Runs Red

When Love Runs Red:: Chapter Sixteen

Copyright © 2012: Letitia Van Herck. All Rights Reserved.

                                               When Love Runs Red

                                                   Chapter Sixteen

 

On that particular day, looking down from its highly risen peak in the sky, the red moon of Pandemonium stared. It’s familiar scarlet glow hugging the earth as it did – much like always – in its warm embrace. There was nothing distinctively different about its appearance. It was still a brilliant orb, staring down like a giant eye upon the waking world. However, much like most things, for Frey it appeared to be so very new. Since being plucked from the accustomed setting of her home – out in the wilderness – to the enclosed space of Stanley’s home, things had begun to appear so dauntingly new.

         As Frey stared out the annoyingly symmetrical window she couldn’t help but feel the morning moon appeared so small yet so distant. It was strange. Back home the moon had been a large friend, which had watched protectively over her whenever she had sprinted freely through the forest. Now, however, it seemed to glare almost angrily at her. It was small and piercing and harsh. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she pressed her forehead against the ice of the window, unblinking and almost solemnly. She wished to reach out and touch it. To grasp the glowing red orb in both hands and hold it. Perhaps it would surround her in magic? Perhaps then it would protect her again?

          The creak of a door opening brought about her attention away from the morning moon. The instance Stanley’s presence became known Frey felt her heart flutter, like the wings of a butterfly, as nervousness came about her. She cowered shyly by the window as his tall frame entered the room. His cold blue eyes flickered to her for the briefest of moments, and had Frey been wise she would have been certain softness entered them.

           Frey knew why he was here. It was becoming routine for him to fetch her every morning for breakfast and every evening for supper. Frey enjoyed their meals together, though often silent, she liked to watch him. She was still certain in her goal for a proper mating so she took those moments to try and capture his attention. But it had become apparent to her that he held a certain nervousness whenever in her presence. 

            “Breakfast has been prepared if you still wish to join me,” He announced that voice of his an almost smooth rumble. She gave him a quaint nod and wrapping her robes about herself made her way out of the room. Like always he was the perfect gentleman, as he quite gracefully held the door open for her. No words were shared between the pair as they left.

           They trotted through the hallways of the grand house, the overbearing silence pressing down against them and making the air thick with tension. Frey frowned – an unwomanly quality – and stared down at the floor. She watched the almost never changing wood of the floor beneath her bare feet and remembered a time when it would have been soft blades of grass tickling her toes.

          It wasn’t long before they arrived at the dining room. Frey was always taken aback entering such a room, as at every instance she was in fact present in it the table would be flourished with countless, plates of fresh food. Frey’s stomach clenched in unsuppressed hunger, and it didn’t take much invitation before she began to eat.

          Once seated and her quest to appease her hunger had begun, she became dully aware of Stanley’s eyes flickering over to her – ever so briefly – as she swallowed another bite of ripened fruit. He seemed like he wished to speak but before a sound could escape his lips, he tensed. His strong body was oddly stiff, his eyes wide and alert as he stared at the door.