Penthos: The Guardian Sea

Chapter Seventeen: A Break in the Ice

     And he left, off to find the old woman and face the consequences that Fate had wrought upon him. Everyone had a place in the World. And perhaps this old woman had just handed him his. But to know that for certain, he would have to follow the Path she set before him.

Arielle put a hand to her lips, touching them softly. His lips had been there. Germaine. And now he was gone. Perhaps forever. Would he come back? Would he remember her? Would he find another? Surely not . . . But it was possible, wasn’t it?

     She turned to sob to herself, and immediately froze. The air was wrong. It smelled of metal and canine. Using her excellent speed, she rushed toward the bushes, lifting the eavesdropper into the air and throwing him against the external wall of the cave. She sank into a predatory crouch and growled. That was when she realized her mistake.

     The Guard was lifeless. He lay at the foot of the wall in a cruel twisted manner, his shield bringing his arm around behind his back. It looked painfully awkward. Arielle put her hands to her mouth, gasping at what she had just done. She rushed to his side, turning him over into his back. She brought his arm around and removed the shield, putting a hand to his mouth and a furry black ear to his chest. He was breathing, and his heartbeat was steady. She let go a little sigh of relief. She thought she’d killed him. That would get her into infinitely more trouble than sneaking out would.

     The Guard groaned, coughing meekly. He opened his eyes, wiping away tears of pain. “Princess? How in the name of—How did you do that?”

     Arielle rolled her eyes. Of course, all men thought she was weak. “I was raised by my brothers. They taught me how to defend myself.”

     He took her outstretched hand and used it to pull himself to standing. “Forgive me, milady,” he said, his tone cold, “but it is my duty to follow you. I didn’t mean to startle, or offend.”

     “We’ll see about forgiveness, dog,” she said, anger making her feel just as cold. So may unfelt emotions had overcome her of late. She just wanted it to go away, wanted to be emotionless and alone again. She flipped her hair over her shoulder with a snarl. “You will not tell my parents of this.”

     The boy nodded solemnly. “My lips are sealed.”

     She narrowed her eyes at him, then turned and shrugged off her dress. She could almost feel the Guard’s eyes widen. She took on her panther form, running off into the trees.

Jarissein stared at her bare form. This was the second time since he was assigned to her that she had been naked around him.

     She changed forms right before his eyes. His breath caught in his throat. Her panther coat was impossibly silky, smoky dark grey in color. In the dim light, he could barely see the harsh rosettes that were more apparent on her fur than her full animal cousins. Her eyes were slanted only a little more than in her demonic form (and they were beautifully almond-shaped then). Her tail was long and fluffy, with some extra fur fluffing the end.

     As soon as her change was complete, she took off into the bushes. He was halfway through removing his own clothing and armor when he realized what he was doing. He ran through his thought process, wondering at his own feelings. He shook his head clear, instead thinking of how he’d catch up with her. He shivered into the change, coming out of it a beautiful white wolf with vivid green eyes. He shook away the aches it left him, putting a nose to the ground to follow her. He smelled vanilla and earth—the odor he’d begun to associate with the princess. He followed her scent at a swift but steady pace.

Arielle panted as she burst into the sunlight. She slowed to a trot, kicking up sand. She sat at the edge of the dry sand, the ocean lapping at her toes with every influx of water. She closed her eyes, lifting her face to the sun. Her dark coat soaked up light and warmth, and she purred.

     She was at the small secluded beach on the other side of the island from her home. Here, she learned to shift from form to form while in motion, she learned to wield her element—Earth—as taught by her brother Jaime, and here was where she first became friends with Germaine.

     She smiled a panther smile that didn’t quite show her sharp teeth, her eyes still closed. She felt her smile falter, a silent tear running down her furred cheek. The question his new “enlistment” posed in her mind was like a shadow cast over her thoughts. She looked to the sky, wondering where he was now, what he was doing, and if he was thinking about her.

     She looked over her shoulder at the sound of movement beyond her vision, which was dulled by the intense sunlight her eyes had just endured. She was on her feet and turning, her head low and her lips pulled back from her fangs in a snarl when the creature stepped into view.

     A white wolf with stunning green eyes padded onto the sand, his ears low in a sad kind of way. The muscles where his human eyebrows should have been pulled together above his eyes, and he whined pitifully. He changed into the naked form of her Guard.

     The panther took a step back, her jaw dropping slightly. He had been so beautiful as a wolf, and he had shown her pity. Wasn’t he breaking the Oath? Did the animal form count when they took it?

     She shook her head and changed as well. “What do you want?” she asked, putting as much anger and ice into her voice as she could.

     Jarissein smirked, crossing his arms. He seemed completely comfortable with the fact that they were both naked in each other’s presence. She was slightly perplexed. She parted her hair just enough behind her neck that it hung over her breasts. “Are you surprised that I’ve learned the art of shifting? Or the fact that I’m not a completely, boringly emotionless bastard?”

     She took a step back until she felt the ocean on her feet. “I—Uh . . . You’re, um . . .” was the only thing she could think to say to him, her brain trying to catch up with her mouth. “What do you want with me? Why are you so persistent?”

     “I’m your Guard, princess. It’s my job.” He inspected his nails, seemingly bored.

     This action infuriated Arielle. Her face reddened, and she balled her hands into fists. “YOU are the reason my poor Germaine is gone, aren’t you?! Did my mother put you up to this?”

     Jarissein’s smug expression was gone. “I had nothing to do with that, princess. I swear it.”

     “Quit calling me that!” Why, because that’s what Germaine calls you? “I have a name!”

     “Fine,” he said, a sneer on his soft face. “Shall I call you Ari? Or is that too personal?”

     Arielle growled, a growl that started deep in her gut and exploded from her throat. “Call me by my last name.”

     Jarissein considered it visibly. “Penthoseren. Easy enough. Not too personal, but just personal enough. If you’d please return the favor. Enough of this ‘Guard’ business. And don’t mistake me for a dumb canine. I’m a person too.”

     Arielle looked at him. “Banviete.”

     He nodded.

     And their difficult, uncanny friendship began.