A Court of Moonlight Shadow

Changes

She was ignoring him. And it was severely pissing him off. Aidhen had endured whips to the back from his father, been impaled during combat and even knew how poison felt in one's body thanks to one of his brothers. Aidas's schemes were always lethal. But somehow, none of those feelings compared to the one he was feeling now. His eyes followed her as she walked a few steps in front of him. She had tried to walk faster before but he matched her pace with ease due to their size difference. This small, impossible woman was making him sweat. Absolutely pathetic. A part of him believes that he should've never made her come with him. But another part of him feels a wound open in his chest at the thought of her making this trip alone. There had been two reasons as to why Aidhen had gone to find Adustia that first night. The first was that, although his power could make anyone or anything crack in its wake, the invisible cloak over Velaris, the city of dreams, according to Adustia, was impenetrable. It was protected by an old magic from one of the most powerful bloodlines of the land. And Aidhen wanted a ticket in. If Luna knew her sister were on the other side, those walls would come down. Most likely for a single moment, so brief it would be quicker than a blink of an eye. But that's all Aidhen needed. The other reason...well he tried not to spend too much time thinking of it. Something had made him find her. Or rather, her scent. He was drawn to her. An impossible force had told him to go to her. So he listened. He didn't think he would have developed a...tolerance to her. He didn't tolerate most people. Anyone at all, to be precise.

He didn't know why he had reacted so...feral the other night. He also didn't know how he couldn't sense her leaving right away. This woman was affecting him, making him put his guard down. He didn't like it. He had woken up a few minutes before she came back. He had felt a burst of hot energy ignite his whole body. Pure rage. Perhaps a bit of admiration that she thought she could fool him. This brave but foolish woman. He had paced in a circle for a minute before stomping to the door. He could smell her on the other side. Aidhen had had the intention of growling at her. But then they had somehow gotten too close. He couldn't think straight. Although he wasn't in beast form, his mind might as well have been. He had told her- no-commanded her to go to bed for her own safety. Usually, he could control his temper and his shifting abilities. But he almost lost control last night. And that realization had left a sour taste in his mouth. But her silence? It left an ache in his chest. He'd grown accustomed to her voice. At first she used it to sell lies, blend in and get her way. But then she had shown her true self and began speaking freely. And she asked him questions. No one had ever wanted to know him. Not like that. Not so intimately simply because they wanted to. A growl ripped him away from his thoughts.

"You're hungry." He stated, looking at her stomach.

Her cloak was covering her face but he could feel the eye roll.

"Speak to me, princess." He softly growled.

She kept walking. Others in his court would have trembled at the command. But not Adustia. He would've found it endearing if it weren't so irritating.

"I'll carry you over my shoulder if you don't stop walking."

She scoffed at that. She scoffed at him. Under furrowed brows and pure determination in his eyes, he swiftly lifted her up, promptly breaking her silence.

"Put me down in this instance. You're causing a scene!" He kept walking, one arm holding her over his shoulder, the other at his side.

"We're eating. And then we'll continue to our destination." He grunted out.

"You big oaf. Argh, sometimes I just want to suffocate you."

He gave a mischievous smile at that and purred,