The Bearer (#Book1) The Divinity Dragon Chronicles (Unedited/Old Version)

Chapter 18

Shadow pushed food in front of Rose, insisting that she should eat. He was so persistent, that she was certain that Shadow would not let her leave the table, until she had eaten something. Rose ate happily, she had not had much of an appetite during the time Shadow had been avoiding her. During them lonely hours, she had proffered to just pick at food, not able to stomach it due to her thoughts being all over the place. Though today was different, Rose could see that Shadow was trying to make an effort to win her heart and trust back.

"Fang told me that you had made a decision, that you had gone down to speak with your people." Rose spoke, dragging Fang's attention from his plate full of food.

"I did, but I also said I would return, did Fang tell you that?" Shadow said harmlessly, watching Rose as she played with her food.

"He did," Rose replied. "but that does not matter. What I want to know is; has it helped?"

"The other leaders believe I am doing the right thing, if that is what you are asking." Shadow replied causally, taking a bite of a cob of bread, with a thick slice of cheese on it.

Rose glanced down the table at Fang, who was watching and listening himself, before she turned back to Shadow. "What about Veronica and Fang? What about you? Shadow, I do not want to feel like I have forced you in to something you did not want!"

"You never forced me in to anything Rose; all you did was give me an option I would never have given the slightest of thought. This way, I get to stay in contact with my sister and Fang gets his freedom." Shadow put down his bread and took a hold of Rose's good hand.

"What about you, has it changed anything?"

Shadow smiled, seeing Rose searching his eyes. "It has changed many things, but none that affect you directly, my love. Mostly I have more control over myself, the anger and instincts that drove the wolf and alpha within me, have subsided. The tension between me, Veronica and the rest of the pack, has gone. I am my own alpha now and Fang is my beta, my second in command. I have you to thank for that Rose, my family is no longer torn down the middle, we are whole once again."

Rose smiled back happily; she had succeeded in fixing Shadow's family, which gave her a deep satisfaction of joy. She could not bear to see Shadow sad and torn and she wanted her son to have something she never had, a family fully formed that he could be born into, a family that could protect him. Shadow insisted that Rose should eat, telling her that they had plenty of time to talk. Fang had returned to devouring his own plate of food, living within his animal form the past couple of weeks had left him craving proper food. Raw animal carcass was not bad if he let his inner wolf take over, but after a certain amount of time without proper food, Fang did start to miss it.

Shadow did not eat much, preferring to sit and watch Rose instead; he could not help but wonder how he had even thought he could have left without her. The thought seemed ridiculous to him now, he could not even pin point what had given him the idea in the first place, he had just seemed to have reacted. Rose glanced up at Shadow now and then while she was eating; his thoughts kept crossing across her own mind. She decided not to say anything to him; she knew it would take him awhile to sort out what he would do now.

"Can I ask why Zalborgar and Veronica did not return with you?" Rose pushed her plate away and picked up a goblet of cool, clear water.

"Men are arriving today from your own villagers and towns, to top up Zalborgar's own resources of men." Shadow replied. "A camp is being built upon the boarder of the village; Zalborgar is certain in making sure that none can get close to the castle. Veronica is aiding him."

The small dining chamber was quiet and peaceful. Fang sat inspecting a goblet, he had finished eating, but the decoration upon the cup had caught his attention. Rose fiddled with a piece of ribbon, which wrapped around her waist, trying to loosen the tight material slightly.