The next morning, I stood in front of the mirror brushing my hair. Court was out with the queen getting ready to leave for the solstice feast. He was making up an excuse on why he would be gone. He was good at that.
For now, I was to get ready and then wait for him. My mom always did my hair when we had something important to do which wasn't often. But she had done it a few times, so I used what I remembered from her on my hair.
I was there for a bit brushing through my hair when there was a knock at the door. I looked up. "Come in." I murmured and the door opened and to my surprise Lotus came in. "Um, hello." I murmured a bit nervous as Lotus shut the door. "Can I help you?" I asked.
She smiled as she came in. "My mom said I could find you here." She noted and I looked at her.
She came over to me. "Do you need something?" I asked nervously. She wasn't as intimidating as her significant other Thorin, but she was still a wolf. Not to mention Court isn't here.
"I do actually, my mom sent me over to give you some shoes she made for you. She finished them today." Lotus said revealing a pair of boots she was holding.
"Thank you for bringing them to me." I murmured and she nodded.
"My mother was busy finishing up my dress, so she asked me, and I've been informed you are Court's date." Lotus smiled as she came over.
"Date?" I asked confused.
Lotus smiled. "The person he takes with to the solstice feast. I'm sure he'd appreciate you looking nice." Lotus said as she pushed her blonde hair back and turned to me. Lotus was wearing a simple dress right now.
"If you turn around I can your hair for you." Lotus offered.
"Really?" I asked and she nodded before I turned around. Lotus came up behind me and took the wooden comb from me and undid my hair before she began brushing it. I stood silently in front of her as she brushed it before she began braiding it.
"You have pretty hair." Lotus murmured as she ran her fingers through one section before she braided it.
"Thank you." I murmured as she continued braiding my hair before linking it all together. Then Lotus stepped back and smiled.
"There you go." Lotus murmured and I nodded.
"Thank you." I murmured and Lotus smiled.
"I'll see you at the feast then." Lotus told me before she left the room and I walked over to the mirror to admire her work.
At the top around my head Lotus had made a crown of braids before it went down into one thicker braid. I smiled as I moved over to the closet and took out the dress and slipped it on before sitting down on the bed to wait for Court.
☾
A few hours later Court came back. He remained in the kitchen for a little helping around before entering the room. He shut the door behind him before pausing as he saw me.
"You look beautiful." Court murmured and I smiled.
"Lotus came over to give me some boots and she did my hair." I told him and Court nodded as he came over. I stood up and he smiled at me.
"She did an excellent job." Court commented as he touched the smaller braid around my head before pulling back. "Finish getting ready, this will be starting soon." Court told me and I nodded as he went over to the wardrobe and took out his clothes.
Court went into the bathroom and got dressed. I went over and took out the blue cloak which matched my red one but was lined with fur and cinched it on after wrapping it around me.
Court came out and motioned for me to follow him. "I assume you remember what I told you about this?" Court asked.
"To stay by your side at all times." I told him.
"If you insist on wandering tell me before you do." Court told me and I nodded as he grabbed my arm and pulled me in towards him. He gave me a smile before he grabbed my pies from the counter and went outside as the first guest of the feast arrived.
☾
I had never been in a such a populated area before. There were so many people here at the solstice feast and not all of them were human. I followed Court's commands and always stayed with him.
Currently he was seated across from Thorin with a glass of wine in his hand. Thorin had his own glass of wine and Lotus was seated on his lap.
We were seated on a wooden couch with pelts thrown across. Court sat quietly sipping his wine as Thorin took a swig before setting it down. "I'll give you that Court, the wine you bring from the city is fucking delicious." Thorin mused as Lotus smiled as he gave her some.
Lotus wore a silver dress with see through elements on certain parts. The dress came with snowflake designs and quickly brought attention to her. Not that far off guarded by two wolves was a young girl with a striking resemblance to Thorin.
She had long black hair that fell in curls. The only difference was her eyes were a lighter icy blue compared to Thorin's. I assumed that is his little sister Ivory. She wore a simple grey dress lined with fur. Most stayed away from her as she chatted with the large gray wolf next to her.
"They do grow some good grapes there to make the wine." Court responded and Thorin smiled.
"Seems humans have more use than just giving us livestock." Thorin mused before he took a glance at me and I shifted under his gaze pulling the blue cloak closer to me.
"They've always had more purpose than that." Court responded calmly.
Thorin smiled. "You seem to have found much different purposes." Thorin mused and Court forced a smile as he glanced at me.
He sent me a small smile before placing his hand on my leg and giving it a reassuring squeeze. I smiled at him before settling more into the couch. Court remained calm as him and Thorin talked. Lotus looked over at me and smiled and I forced one back.
God, I felt anxious being here. But I would force my way through. There are much worse things that could be happening right now than attending a winter solstice feast. So, for now, I was would enjoy it.
"Lyell, is the lamb done?" Court asked and Lyell nodded. "Get some." Court responded.
To my surprise Lyell didn't even argue. A whole new side of Court came out here, he is much more dominant. He also didn't ask for things, he told people to get them and not a single please was put in front of it. He had an attitude like Thorin but a bit more dialed back.
Curiosity hit me as I wondered if Thorin was calm when it was just Lotus and him. Court is much more laid back and calm when it's just him and his brothers and me as well now.
The only people I saw Thorin being more relaxed around would be Lotus or his little sister. Lyell came back with the roasted lamb and began giving everyone some. I accepted the plate he gave me before he left.
Snow had fallen by now and I made sure to stay retreated in the warmth of the blue fur lined cloak. The wolves here showed no discomfort by the cold though. I already knew they have a resistance of some sort to it.
I on the other hand do not. I took warmth in my fur lined cloak and the bits of warmth that seeped from Court over to me. All of us ate the roasted lamb before more food was brought over. After a bit Thorin left with Lotus to explore a bit more of what Court had set up.
My eyes shifted over to where Lycidas sat by himself with a wooden cup of some alcoholic beverage in it with foam at the top. I have every intention to talk to him today once I got the journal from inside. Surely there is no harm in talking to him.
I just had to find time.
☾
After three more servings of food Court left to go drink and told me I could look around if I wanted to, but not to go outside of the fire lit torches. A mere miracle put Lycidas right at the edge of the torches.
I was quick inside to grab the journal hidden beneath the pillows before going back outside. Court was next to Xerxes and Thorin taking turns on who could drink the most of the most alcoholic beverage before spitting it out. None of the wolves over there showed any signs of intoxication though which was interesting.
I shook my head clearing those thoughts before heading off to where Lycidas sat. I had no idea how to go about this.
But the interest was too much for me to ignore so gathering myself I made my way over. I held the journal close to me before stopping besides him.
Lycidas was playing with the foam at the top of his drink before he looked up at me. "Can I help you?" Lycidas asked and I nodded.
"Um, yes actually." I murmured and he turned to me.
"And how could I help you, Court's little human?" Lycidas asked his tone thankfully neutral. He didn't seem irritated which is a good sign. I handed the journal to him and he looked at it before taking it. "What's this?" Lycidas asked.
"A journal, journal of A to be exact. I don't think there is any other wolves by the name of Lycidas." Lycidas looked up at me.
"You call us wolves?" He asked amused.
"That's what you are." I responded holding the journal to me.
"We're wolf shifters, not some common grey wolf in the forest. We're much more." Lycidas responded.
"She calls you Lyk in here." I spoke and Lycidas stiffened as soon as the nickname left my lips before looking at me.
"Where did you hear the nickname from?" Lycidas demanded completely ignoring the fact that I just told him.
"It's what she refers to you as in here." I told him getting confident that he is the one in the journal. Taking a deep breath, I handed the journal to him and he took it from my hands before opening it.
He went to the front page with the curly handwriting announcing that the journal belonged to A along with some simple flowers drawing designs next to them. Lycidas silently flipped through the pages before looking at me.
"Where did you find this?" Lycidas asked.
"It was in Lyell's library. There are others like it." I murmured and he looked at me. "So, you are him?" I asked and Lycidas looked up.
"In the flesh." Lycidas murmured looking at the journal with a soft look in his eye.
"You know who A is then?" I asked trying to slowly pry information out of him. I had to do this quickly. Court told me I could wander but I'm not sure how he would feel about me talking to another wolf-- wolf shifter, especially one not from his pack.
"Her name was Azula." Lyk murmured as he held the journal in his hand.
Lyk turned to me. "We were close to each other, very close." Lyk smiled at the end before he relaxed into the chair. "She died of old age, like most humans. I stayed with her though. She might've disliked me for a bit after an event, but we were meant for each other. Unfortunately, I couldn't bury her myself as her family came." Lyk murmured.
"Her name was Azula?" I asked and he nodded.
"Azula, she was beautiful, she also had a knack for making clothing, mostly cloaks and such as that." Lyk murmured and I paused.
Azula. It was a beautiful name and way too familiar for my liking. "My grandmother's name was Azula." I murmured and Lyk paused and turned to me.
"Come again?" Lyk asked.
"My grandmother, her name was Azula." I told him and Lyk stopped as he looked over me.
His calm expression quickly changed to one of panic. He stood up and thrust the journal back into my hands before taking a step away from me.
"Are you okay?" I asked unsure of what I had done.
His amber eyes deepened in color and his pupils dilated outwards until there was more pupil than the iris. He watched me unsurely just as Thorin caught sight of it.
"Uncle what's wrong?" Thorin asked coming over as Lotus followed after Thorin. I held the journal to my chest. Lyk never answered he simply shot me one last look of unease laced with panic before he turned around. His clothes shredded around him as the auburn wolf appeared and took off into the forest.
Court came running up right after. "What the hell did you say to him?" Thorin asked turning on me as Court stepped right in front of me.
"Don't yell at her." Court warned.
"In case you aren't seeing things Court, my uncle just tore off and your human was talking to him. What the fuck did you do to provoke him?" Thorin demanded ignoring Court.
"All I did was ask him a question." I said defending myself.
"Really, what kind of question sets someone off like that?" Thorin demanded.
"Thorin calm down, she'll answer it if you are calm." Lotus said surprisingly coming to my defense as she set a hand on Thorin.
Thorin turned towards Lotus and nodded before he turned back to me as Court stepped aside slightly before returning to my side keeping an eye on Thorin.
"What did you ask him?" Thorin asked casting a glance at the feast to make sure no one had noticed. The only one to notice was Lyell who turned his attention back and brought out some more food to keep everyone distracted. Court sent him a silent thank you.
"I was just asking him a question about the journal, he was mentioned in it frequently, so I wanted to know if he knew who wrote it." I told him handing the journal to Thorin who took it and opened it up.
Court cast a glance at me. I began wondering if he'd be angry at me, I'd deal with that afterwards. "Did he say who wrote it?" Thorin asked.
"A woman named Azula." I answered and Thorin sighed.
"Of course, you mentioned his dead lover." Thorin shook his head.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Azula, she was his human lover. He keeps it well hidden, but I saw him sneak off many times when I was younger. She died of old age I believe. She lived in some cabin right on the edge of the village right near our territory. He always patrolled there and refused to let anyone else. I followed him one day." Thorin murmured before he turned to me. "Did you ask him questions about her?" Thorin asked.
"All I mentioned was that my grandmother's name was Azula." I told him and Thorin stopped as he looked at me before silently cursing.
"Lotus keep everyone busy and if anyone asks where I am tell them I went for a quick run to find Lycidas." Thorin said before he ran off into the woods and shifted before chasing after his uncle as Lotus turned to us.
She nodded before leaving. "Come on Ruby, we're going inside for a little." Court said grabbing my arm and I silently followed after him feeling like an idiot.
2644. If you can connect the dots feel free to comment. Next chapter is going to be awesome! Finally, a scene I've been really dying to write. ***