The Seductress

Chapter:9

Orlaine twirled the wine glass sipping the blood slowly. He spat it out for it tasted bad. Stale blood. He grimaced wondering whose turn it was to play a prank on him this time.

"He is not going to take the news lightly" the Elder witch whispered to the other young women surrounding her. Instructing the other women what to do she left the room searching for the king and dreading on how to tell him.

Orlaine heard the light uneven footsteps and turned his head towards the door eagerly waiting for the witch. He was unprepared for the way the older woman looked. She looked pale and withering with a light sheen of sweat on her forehead. His heart wrenched at the sight of her. Sure she was very old but she was always strong both physically and mentally. The only time she looked this way was a decade ago. When his brother had died. Almost.

"What's wrong?" he asked his gaze piercing with the age old murky green eyes he had grown fond of.

"Orlaine, dear." she said clutching onto both his hands as she sat down.

Orlaine tensed. Never in his life had she addressed him by his name.

"What happened?" his patience was growing thin.

"Are you sure Dayna is your soulmate?"  she asked apprehensive of his answer.

"Yes. I am."

"Keep your heart strong child. She's weak. If she continues to be in the same state she might not live for long." she said getting up wanting to leave. He was like her child. She couldn't bear to stand the sadness radiating from him. She had waited for him to find his other half. So that she could join her family in heaven or hell, wherever they were. But now, she was concerned for him.

"There has to be a way. Tell me." he ordered marvelling at himself for keeping his voice steady.

"She did this to herself, child. What happened tonight. She knew it. Yet she did this. You can't save her."

"Why not?" he shook her ignoring the fragile state of the woman.

"Because, she does not want to be" she said.

"But I will. So tell me. I need answers."

"I am not sure what she wants. It is not just the mating heat. There must be more to this."

He nodded.

"Sex. Such a simple cure. And it's not like she is celibate. Last I heard she has an escort for her needs."

"How did you come that conclusion? Not everything you hear is true. Stop being jealous as well. If the scar is anything to go by, she had a mate once. One who rejected her. Don't be so hard on her." she said standing up to leave. 

"Reallly? Then why did you told me not to touch her?"

"Oh that?! You know how Tasha is when people show intimacy. She hates it. I needed her help. So I had to order." the old witch said smirking at him now. The seriousness had dissipated now.

He muttered something about Tasha being a prude and escaped the room before he got whacked by the old woman.

Laughing he moved about the place to his beloved's room. Her appearance sobered him up.  even with cuts and bruises about her body she looked pretty. His mouth watered for a taste of her. The smell of herbs hit his nostrils and he looked at the cup of herbal infusion at her bedside. Medicine.

She must be weak. He would wait for her to wake up he decided.

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