Talon's of Life and Death

11

*Trigger Warning: Explicit Language used*

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"Sith... Sith, wake up!"

I feel my body lurch forward, a scream vibrating on the edge of my lips.

What happened? Where was I?

"Sith!" I jump back at the feel of a hand on my arm, my eyes finding the opponent immediately, the crisp smell of pine trees and musky earth fills my senses. I knew that smell, recognised it considerably. Even with his face shielded in darkness, I sensed it was him. Nikos.

"What..." I trail off, my throat raw and breathless. I had been screaming.

"You had a nightmare." He says, leaning forward. The musky haze over my sight was lifting, and even when cloaked in shadows I could spot the green hue of his emerald eyes.

"I woke you?" I purse my chapped lips, shaking my head from the haze. My mind was blank, empty. The dream was gone, maybe it was the dream about the Dragon, or something else entirely.

"It's alright." He assures me.

Whatever it was, he'd come for me. Maybe the talk we had earlier in the day gave him the feeling that he could come here, after we'd spoken so freely about our demons. I had never initiated it that way, I had never had anyone witness this part of myself, apart from Ivan, but even then, that was rare. He did not live with me, he probably only witnessed the nightmares a couple of times over the years.

"You didn't have to come—"

"I was already up." He says as if I should know. I should. He rarely slept, same as me. I noticed that he was perched at the end of my bed, and the night gown I wore was revealed because of my sweat stricken state, sometime during the night, the blankets had been peeled from my boiling skin. The blankets were a bundle on the floor beside me.

I shoot upwards, nearly knocking my forehead against his chest, I pull myself away from him, making sure the gown wouldn't ride any further up my thighs than it already had. Once I was calm enough to focus, I almost gawked at the bare chest on display in front of me. He was wearing loose fitted trousers, thank the Gods.

Back in Falor, in the heat of summer, all the men working at the village stripped because of the heat. However, most people my age or a few years older never stuck around Falor. They usually headed for Trios, the mortal kingdom where King Arlon and Queen Echo resided. It was a fair place, a place where normal people felt welcome, whole. For villages like Falor it was hard work, a secluded place, away from society and adventure. I used to believe that a life of solitude was not for me, but so far, it was all I had ever known, and all I believed I'd ever had, until now.

His lips had lifted lightly, probably because of my train of sight and thought. I had been quiet for a while, hadn't I?

"Come, I'll draw you a shower." He casually states, heading for the exit of my room.

I squeak after him, wobbling on shaky feet to stand. "T-that's not necessary!"

"Your sweaty." He says as if I didn't know. "A shower is the best remedy after a nightmare." He advises with a sincere glance.

I sigh, he was probably right. "I just don't know how to work the shower," I confess with flushed cheeks.

"Work the shower?" He looks at me over his shoulder, a sensual and humoured glint lighting his eyes.

"Don't laugh!"

"I didn't," He smirks. "How have you been bathing yourself for the past few days?" He asks with arched eyebrows. Lingering in my doorway as I awkwardly grab a robe that was provided for me by Kessa. Most of the stuff I had worn belonged to her.