Gerda paled as she nervously trailed behind Rayne with a thousand thoughts circling through her head. She had the urge to run down to her room but that was not an option. Borra certainly had no reason of having her in his chambers.
Her eyes scanned the new section of the castle they were in, noticing the gold walls and silver columns that connected to large arched windows. This floor seemed a lot more spacious. Her pulse grew loud in her ears as they walked into a large hallway that was decorated with gold and white marble walls. At the end of it she noticed a large door which only meant it was his room.
"I-I don't understand...why am I needed here?" Gerda asked with her voice trembling as she walked behind Rayne.
"Do you not recall him ordering you to accompany him or are you dim in the head? Perhaps he has other 'tasks' in mind for you." Rayne harshly said with a hint of disgust in her tone.
Gerda felt sick as she took in the double meaning behind Rayne's words. There was no indication he wanted to use her in such a way. Borra had made it clear that he would never think of her in that manner despite the tempting aroma her body gave off. Her steps faltered when they stopped in front of the door. She glanced at Rayne who was currently glaring at her with accusing, wary eyes.
"Borra is the leader of my people, if I find out you're seducing him with hidden motives I will personally kill you myself." Rayne threatened her with her eyes glowing.
"I would rather die than allow that creature to put his hands on me. I can completely assure you he has no intentions of sharing his bed with me." Gerda sternly said feeling sickened by Raynes accusation.
"You're assurance is not needed. It's obvious how dull you are compared to the beauty and power of Maleficent. Borra had his share of many whores so if he ever takes you in then know that's all you'll ever be to him. Maleficent is the only woman he has a future with and she has far more to offer him than some weak human scum." Rayne mockingly shared, causing anger to boil inside Gerda.
Gerda fiercely glared at her with balled up fists but the rage diminished once the door opened on its own after Rayne stood in front of it. She then pulled Gerda inside with a tight grip, nearly dragging her. Gerda flinched when the door closed behind them leaving her in a mess of nerves. She was taken aback by the large, intriguing room that felt alluring to her. The floors were made of smooth stone with a square pattern. She noticed the walls were also stone but decorated with smooth patterns that captured her attention with their beauty.
She carefully took several steps forward studying the columns that surrounded large, arched windows allowing a view of the vast range of forest and mountains. Her eyes noticed several steps leading into a massive pool of warm soapy water that was located in the center of the room.
Off to the corner of his room was a massive bed with red silky sheets and pillows neatly set on it. She was rather puzzled seeing a bed instead of some nest made of vines and leaves. It was said his kind typically slept in trees like wild birds.
Borra certainly slept like royalty despite him being a creature that came from nothing barely surviving off a hidden edge of the world. The room was simple with its breathtaking beauty and sensational interior. It held an ancient earthly beauty to it that was fitting to Borra's taste. Her eyes were drawn to the various plants that appeared to be latched onto every corner of the room giving it a tropical feel.
A gust of cool wind brought her attention to the most captivating feature of his chambers. At the very end of the room was a open space leading to a balcony with two curtains held off on each side by a gold serpentine tieback. Her breathing faltered when she noticed the outline of Borra standing at the large balustrade with his back facing her. His wings appeared relaxed behind him while his eerie, dark horns created a terrifying image. Her hands clenched together almost attempting to calm her panicky body. She was actually in 'his' chambers and it felt strange to her, almost forbidden.
"Leave us." Borra said with a strong, smooth voice that brought unease to Gerda.
Rayne threw Gerda a warning glare before turning and exiting the room. Gerda kept her eyes on the now closed door with the fear of facing Borra. She was currently weak, and not emotionally stable to handle his cruel tactics that he might have in store for her. Her body slowly turned back around with her eyes fixated on the floor once she heard the sound of him walking towards her. Gerda's hands trembled as they clenched together in front of her lower abdomen. The sound of her frantic heartbeat was all she heard when she felt his presence lingering in front of her.
"So much fear...for what?" Borra's silky low voice said, drawing Gerda's attention.
Gerda nervously glanced up at him with suspicion lurking in her blue eyes. She shouldn't be here, even back at her old kingdom it was deeply frowned upon for young women to be alone in a man's chambers. The whole concept was forbidden if they wanted to keep their name untarnished. Even though Borra was not human, it didn't change the fact that he was a male.
"B-Back in Ulstead...it was considered highly inappropriate for women to be alone in a man's chambers." Gerda sheepishly said with her voice quivering.
Borra studied her with blank eyes adding more fuel to the anxious emotions stirring around in Gerda. She felt stuck in place by his stare and that disturbed her to no end. This was a situation she wasn't prepared for.
"We're not in Ulstead so the rules there do not apply here." Borra smoothly said, causing Gerda's eyes to widen in fear.
"Why am I here? I do not understand why you requested my presence here of all places." Gerda timidly asked, taking a step away from him.
Borra's eyes flickered down to the hem of her dress when he noticed her feet cautiously stepping back. He then glanced back up at her face with amusement in his eyes. She felt as if he was purposely toying with her emotions as some sick form of entertainment.
"I did not request you here to inflict harm upon you if that's what you're insinuating. I would like you to undo my gear. Think of this as an exchange of trust between one another." Borra responded, motioning to the straps that connected to the harness and leather shoulder pauldrons on him.
Gerda froze feeling her body grow numb and brittle by his unexpected request. For a second she couldn't breath nor move. Thoughts did not flow in her brain while she failed to process why he would want her to do such a thing. He was putting far too much trust in her when all she had to do was pull out the thorn between her breasts and stab him in the heart.
The fact that she was alone with him and his strange request left her mind wondering if he just might have certain motives in mind for her. Or perhaps he knew about the secret weapon she carried. He could be testing her as a means of having more reason to kill her.
"I am not a woman of loose morals so if you have those 'type' of intentions with me then–" Gerda attempted to say but was then cut off by Borra's mocking laughter.
"Don't even bother finishing that statement, I certainly do 'not' want your body if that's what troubles you. I don't share my bed with human whores and never will. Enough with your idiotic assumptions." Borra said with a disgusted look on his face.
Her feet moved on their own accord as she forced her body to obey his baffling command and almost instantly did his scent overpower her. Gerda felt her breathing speed up when she felt the warmth from his body radiating onto her cold skin. She shakenly raised her hands and felt the buzz of tingles on her fingers as they came into contact with his bare chest.
She suddenly became aware of how much skin he always had exposed. Just as she was about to reach for the strap that hugged over his shoulder; a golden, tiny bell shaped object piqued her interest as it glinted in the light. The strange object was firmly attached to the strap as if it held a special meaning.
Her mind was muddled with many thoughts as she undid the first strap that hugged his chest. He was solid to the touch and almost feverish with his body heat warming up her cold, tender hands. She could not control the red blush that took its dominant place on her usual pale cheeks. Gerda was never one to pay attention to a man's physique nor has she ever put any thought into it.
She couldn't stop her eyes from gliding over the strange, hard texture of his pale skin that appeared cracked in some places. He was decorated with various scars that faded into his skin, giving him the appearance of fresh cracked marble. It all indicated that he had been through many battles and was perhaps a skilled fighter. She wondered how something could be so beautifully flawed yet unique in its own nature.
It felt abnormal to be this close to his body without him being aggressive or lashing out at her. This was the first time Gerda had ever been in such proximity to his kind unless she was killing them. Yet here one was, tamed and calm right before her like a leashed animal.
She couldn't bring herself to kill him, not at the moment. Her mind was far too distracted with studying him like some kind of painting that had a hidden puzzle to decipher within it. She always been one who studied their kind like the wild beasts they were.
Her hands moved to undo the second strap that was near his rib, allowing her to get a closer look at his toned abs which in turn made her stomach unnaturally flutter. She instinctively wanted to trace them. Out of curiosity she wondered how the texture would feel. Of course she would never do it unless she wanted to risk broken fingers or loosing a hand. She reminded herself that he was equivalent to a untamed animal.
Instead her fingers continued their task, trying to avoid brushing his skin again. However, the mere thought of it drew out various emotions that she was unfamiliar with. It was as if her body was deeply drawn to his and that alone terrified her.
She couldn't understand what this strange pull was but it lingered down to her core. It was a longing, primal need that only grew with the more time she spent near him. Gerda then backed away breaking the invisible rope that lured her body to his. She was sickened by it and wanted to wash her hands as if she had committed a mortal sin. It only made her despise him even more for simply existing in the same space as her. He was disgusting and vile. An abomination to nature itself.
Her eyes flickered up to his once she was a good three feet away. Borra stared at her for several seconds with dark amber eyes before pulling at the straps, allowing his leather pauldrons to fall onto the floor. Gerda nervously shifted her eyes off to the side feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment and shyness. He seemed too bare for her and she found herself growing uncomfortable. Borra appeared to have caught on to her nervous behavior and stared at her with mild curiosity.
"Have you not seen a bare man before?" Borra asked as if he presumed Gerda had, earning a bashful expression from her.
"I...No, I have not." Gerda muttered feeling her blush intensify as his eyes studied her with a hint of interest.
"So you have never been with a man?" Borra smoothly asked after a moment of silence with a dark glint in his eyes.
Gerda had never felt so exposed in her life, especially in front of a creature who should not be able to draw out such emotions in her. She was a virgin and had not thought much about it till now. Her body had never been touched or explored by a man nor did she ever crave for such distracting affections.
"I only focused on my duties to my kingdom so I had no time for such useless desires." Gerda softly said, trying to keep her voice steady.
Borra's eyes greedily overlooked Gerda's body before glancing back up to her face causing Gerda to shift in an apprehensive manner. She felt a sprinkle of fear growing within her wondering what was going through his mind. He said he would never touch her in a suggestive manner.
"You mean the duties that involved the downfall and slaughtering of my people? Quite the dedicated little worker you were to give up such pleasures in life." Borra bluntly said with his animalistic eyes on her.
"I have my reasons for doing what I did to your people just like you have your reasons for hating humans." Gerda admitted trying to keep painful memories of her past from resurfacing.
"I have a long list of reasons as to why I despise your kind but surely you wouldn't understand. The atrocities and genocide committed upon my people go back long before you were born. You all should be wiped out." Borra hissed at her.
"So that's it then? Hold all humans accountable for the crimes committed by a few? I understand the hatred you feel with me but many have never shed fey blood. You're completely invalidating the innocent human blood that was shed by your kind." Gerda said with her eyes trailing off to the side of him as the memories of a screaming young boy flashed in her mind.
Borra silently studied her for a moment with his now deep golden gaze roaming over her face. She felt vulnerable whenever he looked at her like that. The topic was now heading towards territory in her mind that she had preferred buried away from the world. He then walked up to her till his body was a foot away. Gerda swallowed her mixed emotions as she nervously stared up at him trying to ignore the bareness of his torso.
"You're all the same to me...deceiving, selfish, greedy, and 'weak'. Humans destroy everything they touch, not caring who gets caught in the middle of their thirst for power. You don't know what it's like to lose everything and everyone you love to heartless creatures and slowly see the growing extinction of your people. Don't speak to me about innocence." Borra angrily whispered to Gerda with his eyes boring into hers.
Gerda briefly observed the emotion of pain in his eyes that made her feel obligated to speak a bit of her truth. He was displaying emotions that she didn't think was possible of him. She came to realize that she was part of the reason he held so much hate towards humans. She was part of the problem.
"I-I killed many of your people...I did it for a kingdom who all this time held such little regard for me. I'm the one you should blame. Don't hold resentment towards those of my people who had nothing to due with the slaughter of yours. Let your hate end with me." Gerda softly said with pleading eyes.
Borra's expression faltered at her words almost as if he wasn't expecting them. He stared down at her with hesitance and lingering remnants of his previous pain. She realized that he was showing a vulnerable part of himself to her. She took a deep breath before continuing on with her words.
"And you're wrong about me not knowing what it's like to lose everything...I know 'exactly' what it's like." Gerda said taking in his shift of mixed emotions that now flowed around in his eyes.
Borra appeared taken aback by Gerda's unexpected admission to him. His eyes gazed down at her almost as if he was trying to make sense of what she was telling him. They then slowly shifted down to the bare, exposed skin of her shoulders and neck before glancing back up to her face. He suddenly blinked away and took a quick glance towards his straps and pauldrons that laid on the floor behind him.
"Take those to Rayne and have her escort you back to your room, I'm expecting company. You are dismissed for today." Borra roughly said with a hungry glint in his hard eyes as he stared at her.
Gerda immediately followed his commands and rushed over to grab the straps and cuffs from the ground. Without a single look at him she turned and swiftly walked out his chambers feeling relieved. She was met by Rayne who keenly studied Gerda with prying eyes that made her feel guilty for something she had not done which only irritated her.
"I did not lay with him if that's what you're concerned about. We merely exchanged words before he dismissed me to my room." Gerda explained with a clipped tone.
"I know. You would've been drenched with his scent if you had, which brings up the question of why he would request your presence with no intentions of laying with you. Borra only calls women to his chambers for lustful purposes. What could he possibly want with 'you'?" Rayne asked in a condescending voice as she looked Gerda over with criticizing eyes.
"I don't know, perhaps to keep him company while he waits for his lady 'friend' to arrive. Either way he does not see me in that sense so that alone should ease your worries. Now please take me to my room." Gerda said growing more irritated by Rayne with each passing second.
"I still don't trust you so despite what you say I will be keeping my eye on you. Now hand me those." Rayne said with cautious eyes before walking up to Gerda and snatching Borra's belongings from her.
She then motioned for Gerda to follow her without a single word or glance. They both traveled in silence down the hall and onto the magical tube that then took them down to the first floor. Gerda found herself thinking over the fact that Borra had trusted her within his own personal chambers. She pondered over why he would do such a thing. None of it made sense and it made her wonder why she didn't kill him when she had the chance.
"Celtra should be waiting inside for you. Clean yourself up and prepare for dinner." Rayne sternly said before turning to walk away.
Gerda rolled her eyes at her rude behavior before pushing against the door to her room. She wondered why it didn't magically open for her like it did for everyone else. She shrugged the thought away and entered her room with the need to lie down. However, that was put aside when she noticed a calculating Celtra sitting on the armchair by her fireplace. Gerda closed the door behind her and proceeded to sit on her bed sighing once the soft material came in contact with her hands.
"So how was your first day with Borra?" Celtra asked with interest as if she was some adolescent.
"Exhausting, vexing, and gloomy. Just as I expected it to be with him." Gerda truthfully answered as she recalled the betrayal she felt at the tavern.
"Now you know I'm going to need more details then that. There had to be something of interest that happened." Celtra insisted as she pressed Gerda for more information.
"He requested my presence in his chambers...I found it very odd of him." Gerda said feeling her cheeks warm up at the memory of being near him.
"That surely is very odd of him, what was the reason he requested you for?" Celtra asked with curiosity and a hint of excitement.
Gerda furrowed her brows when she realized she didn't have the slightest clue as to why he requested her. They spoke a few words after she removed his gear but that was it. He claimed that the purpose was an exchange of trust but she found herself puzzled by it.
Surely to her, it was a test of trust because she had the perfect opportunity to kill him but didn't. However, there was no way he would know about the secret weapon she had hidden within her bodice. It was impossible for him to know otherwise he would have her thrown in a dungeon.
"I'm not quite sure...he claimed it to be an exchange of trust and asked me to remove his gear." Gerda silently said, pondering over the strange colloquy between her and Borra.
"What a curious request for him to ask of you. He typically does that himself so I agree with you on it being quite odd. I suppose it was to be an exchange of trust but I'm sure there are other means he could've went by for that purpose." Celtra thought out loud, only adding onto Gerda's interpretation of Borra's request.
"I hope this doesn't become repetitive of him, I don't feel comfortable with the idea of me lingering around in his chambers. I'd prefer my name remain untainted especially with him having a reputation for seducing women." Gerda confessed feeling concerned with the thought of rumors going around about her and Borra.
"As you had admitted before, he has a strong hate for you so perhaps that could protect your name from being ruined by such rumors." Celtra said in deep thought.
Gerda's fingers traced a pattern on her bed as she recalled what Borra had admitted to her back at the tavern. She felt a bit on the edge when he confirmed being able to detect her strange alluring scent that seemed to attract other fey.
"There was something else that happened." Gerda hesitantly said instantly gaining Celtra's attention.
She paused trying to find the words to explain her predicament but struggled. Celtra appeared to grow impatient as she eagerly starred at Gerda with mild excitement. Gerda sighed and continued on with what she had to say.
"I had asked him about why his kind appeared drawn to my scent. He explained how it was due to my body releasing a fertile aroma that fey women typically carry as exceptional mates." Gerda said feeling the previous disgust return before swallowing it down to continue her story.
"I then asked if he too was detecting this scent on me and...the answer was yes." Gerda finished noticing the sudden interest and curiosity grow in Celtra's eyes.
"That would explain his strange possessive behavior towards you at times. It's within our nature to seek the most suitable mates who carry the highest chance at producing strong, powerful offspring. Though it makes no sense as to how you're carrying this scent since you are clearly human." Celtra said with her brows furrowed in confusion.
"That's why I feel it's important to get to the bottom of this. He seems to not care about my predicament but I refuse to ignore it. There has to be some kind of explanation as to why this is happening to me." Gerda desperately voiced.
"Us fey and humans have been at war for a long time over land and resources. This rare phenomenon happening to you might be the key for our kind to ensure its survival." Celtra explained trying to make sense of Gerda's predicament.
"What you're suggesting is absolutely impossible and even then I am repulsed by the thought of it. Fey and humans are not meant to blend bloodlines, it's all maddening to even put thought into. I refuse to believe this nonsense." Gerda said with panic and disgust rising within her.
The sound of her door opening interrupted Gerda and Celtra's conversation. Both their heads turned to look at Rayne as she stood at the entrance with her head held high. Gerda resisted the urge to scorn her for not knocking.