Amelia didn't move much, at all, the next day. Her whole body ached and her right arm, still pained her greatly. The fearful female, stayed in her corner, waiting for the beast to approach her, first. She witnessed the Elder glance in her direction, every time he passed the inner threshold. The Wraith never lingered, displaying a distasteful expression, then moving hastily out of sight. The beast refused to truly acknowledge her existence, for countless hours.
The entire day passed, without an exchange of words between the battered human and her Wraith captor. Amelia continued to cower, in her corner, drifting in and out of conciseness. It was a futile effort, to suppress her physical pain and growing hunger. The timid female started to wallow in an unending sea of self-pity, and betrayal.
*~*~*
"A-m-y." A soothing multi-toned rumble caused the female's mind to stir, slightly. The feeling of warmth against her cheek, caused her eyes to open, slowly. The timid female cringed when she saw the Elder's form hovering, over her sleeping flesh. "I can, s-e-n-s-e, your lingering pain. You do not, u-n-d-e-r-s-t-a-n-d, what you have done? Do you, human?" The beast sighed tone-fully, when Amelia shied away from his, offered generosity.
"Human, females... Are, r-e-g-r-e-t-t-a-b-l-y, traded, like possession's, among the higher-ranking males. It is not, a practice, I will, e-v-e-r, condone. H-o-w-e-v-e-r... By, turning the head of, e-v-e-r-y, male, in attendance!" The beast took in a tone-full breath. The female caused a flurry of emotions to swell in his belly, uncontrollably.
"You have set yourself, a-b-o-v-e, all other females. You have made yourself, a, p-r-i-z-e, worthy of their interest!"The Wraith hissed tone-fully, unable to feed his anger. Fear permeated off the cowering female, causing his rage to dissipate.
"Some-t-h-i-n-g, to be, w-o-n... Or, t-a-k-e-n, forcefully. An action, I have no, d-o-u-b-t, will be attempted... At some point, s-o-o-n." The Elder tried to calm his own disposition, as he continued to speak. No matter which emotion he displayed, his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. The female's glossy blue eyes refused to peer in his direction.
"There is a truth... I am reluctant to share." The beast groaned carefully. Once he settled into a seated position near the cornered human. He noticed the female glance in his direction, for merely a second, instigating the Elder's next remark. "I have not lied to you. Everything, I have shared with you, is accurate. But... I do not believe you understand, the, t-r-u-e, cause of my... Perceived anger." The beast sighed deeply, when the female continued to ignore him.
"When, h-h-e-e, looked at you... plotting your fate." The Wraith whispered in regretful tones and Amelia looked up slightly. "They, a-l-l-l-l-l-l, glared at you... Imagining something they will, n-e-v-e-r, have!" The Elder hissed, trying to keep his emotional outrage contained.
"Jealousy doesn't suit you." The cornered female whimpered carefully. She might have been flattered, by the notion, if her wrist wasn't throbbing in agony.
"N-N-N-N-o-o-o-o." The Wraith smirked slightly. "It does not." He continued to admit, more scornfully. Amelia released a small grin and turned away. She wanted the Elder to leave her alone. There was no way to predict, how he might react, to her current condition.
"A-h-h-h!" The battered human hissed unavoidably, when the Wraith grazed her right forearm. Confused by the female's displayed pain, the beast instantly withdrew his touch.
"What has happened?" The Elder moved to one knee, beside the cowering female. "Tell me, w-h-y, you are in, p-h-y-s-i-c-a-l, pain?" The Wraith demanded an answer, more sternly, yet Amelia refused to give one. "I will not, a-c-c-e-p-t, your silence, in this matter, A-m-y." He reached one hand under the female's reluctant chin and carefully turned her frigid expression, toward his own. "You will tell me, w-h-o, is responsible, for this?" The beast purred firmly.
When the bashful female still refused to answer, the Wraith pushed at the human's mind. The beast continued to dig, until he could sense her prevailing fear, 'In this moment and she was terrified of him.' The Elder hissed tone-fully in disbelief, and withdrew his touch, from the female's flesh. It took him a mere second, to recall his own unbound anger. Realizing, the possible effects on fragile human flesh, weighted unexpectedly on the Wraith's soul.
"I-I-I-I... a-m, the, c-a-u-s-e..." The beast confessed painfully. He lingered close to the female's timid form. Much like a beaten puppy, silently begging its master's forgiveness.
"You warned me... Things, would be different... Out there. You won't surprise me... Next time." Amelia displayed a scornful expression that was difficult for the Wraith to ignore.
"Will there, b-b-e-e, a next time?" The Elder's hissed tone-fully. His yellow eyes examined the timid female's position, carefully. "Will you... Allow me... To undo, my mistake, A-m-e-l-i-a?" The beast's predatory eye glanced upward, to meet the females blue-eyed glare.
"You've done enough. Thank you." The Wraiths offer made Amelia nervous and she shied away from his soothing gestures, blinded by her own rage. She didn't want anything from the beast, 'This Elder is no different, then all the rest.' The bruised human's flesh didn't allow her mind, to focus on any other thoughts.
"U-n-a-c-c-e-p-t-a-b-l-e!" The Elder growled fiercely, forcing his feeding hand against the female's chest. Amelia gasped loudly, when the beast pinned her back against the wall. The terrifying Wraith continued to hiss tone-fully. The female's life, was literally, in the palm of his hand.
"No- No-No!" Amelia yelled, unable to fight the creature's hold on her flesh. The humans limited strength, left her unable to fight. She was hardly able to push against the Wraiths chest with her left hand.
"Do not struggle." The Elder leaned over Amelia's form, and released a pleasurable hiss. The beast weighted heavily against her sternum, causing the females form to freeze beneath the Wraith's terrifying attack.
Instantly, the female's sight darkened, as if she had blacked out. Yet, her mind continued to spin, unendingly. The captive human expected pain, instead her body was flooded with overwhelming waves euphoria. Her outward senses, instantly, dulled by an ocean of never-ending darkness and zero-gravity.
A single shimmering star started to glimmer brightly, far in the distance. The sight was enchanting, unavoidably mesmerizing, drawing her attentions toward its glowing center. Eventually, the light overtook her vision, completely. The starlight didn't burn, or blind, as a true celestial body would. Instead, this unknown source of light radiated with a burning warmth, that eased the female's unsettled fears. The added sensation of weightlessness was oddly comforting, as her naked flesh bathed helpless in the stars blazing light.
A drift in a sea of nothingness, Amelia quickly realized it was impossible to navigate, effectively. The light's source seemed, so far beyond her reach. The distance between them was peerless and ever growing. She could feel her heartbeat once, forcing her body to gasp for air. The exhale was delayed, hesitant, as if her flesh waiting for some unknown trigger to ignite her soul.
In the distance the star, pulsed, and in response, Amelia logo a breath, that rivaled, the first she took in life. The humans heart thrust again, and the starlight pulsed in secession, allowing the humans breathing to slowly steady. Each triggered breath brought her drifting existence, a tiny bit, closer to the unreachable light.
Waves of euphoria crashed into the captive female's mind, repeatedly. Each breath, she took, increased the intensity of the sensation, tenfold. Each radiating pulse of light left her drowning in a sea of unfathomable possibilities.
'The beast... No...' The female's mind began to wither with exhaustion. 'Elder.... No... that's not right...' Her mind continued to drift, confused. Something about that thought didn't seem, accurate. 'Guide me through the darkest night and let me live by guided light.' The females mind gasped at the realization. 'It's not what you are... but who you are. Why can i feel you..? How do i know..? You wont hurt me...'
*~*~*
"Holy crap!" Amelia cried out, when her mind thrust back into awareness, suddenly. The last thing she remembered was, the beast forcing her flesh into submission. The confused female quickly sat up, gripping her chest, in terror. 'Nothing was out of place. There was no visible mark, of the Wraiths attack.' She glanced at her right hand; her forearm still hurt. Yet, she could flex the muscle's and use her wrist, much more effectively.
"Elder?" The terrified female called out, carefully, into the empty room. After several silent minutes, Amelia grinned happily. She decided she was finally, alone in the strange organic bedchamber. The timid female was undeniably grateful to awaken in a comfortable bed. But it was the lack of Wraith companionship, that brought her the most joy.
Amelia breathed a sigh of relief and started to search the shadows. 'Wraith where infamous for their cat-like stealth.' The timid female hesitated to move until she was undeniably certain, she was alone. She had hardly moved an inch when her ear's resonated with the swishing sound of the outer threshold. The irritated human instantly laid back down and tossed the blanket over her head.
"I-n-t-e-r-e-s-t-i-n-g." The Elder's voice resonated loudly throughout the room. He was certain the human's mind was active, when he entered. The female's form was motionless and quiet. 'She couldn't have sensed his approach, could she?' The beasts mind rumbled with curiosity.
Amelia laid still, listening to the rhythmic thud of the beast's firm footsteps. The Wraith entered the inner chamber, without hesitation and approached the large central bed. The shocked female was suddenly unable to hold onto her cloth covering, when it was quickly removed.
"You drugged me!" She sat up with a horrified expression. Strangely thankful the Wraith had left her clothing untouched.
"Is, t-h-a-t, what you, b-e-l-i-e-v-e?" The Elder placed one knee on the edge of the bed and leaned forward with a tone-full hiss. "Tell me, A-m-y. Does your flesh, still pain you?" The beast crawled slowly onto the bed. Continuing his advance on the human's central position.
"I've seen, what your 'Gift', does to humans." Amelia looked upward, to face her encroaching enemy. The Elder hovered over the female's knee's, shrouding her position on the bed precariously. She didn't get any sense of anger or aggression from the Wraith's actions. Instead, he seemed to want something from her unyielding form, something unknown that confused her unaccepting mind. "Ok, not seen. I did read the reports. Your 'Gift' is a drug. I don't want it! Not ever again." The cornered female's rage lashed out, loudly.
"I-n-t-r-i-g-u-i-n-g." The beast halted his advance inches from her face with a curious expression. The humans musk was unusually strong, and entrancing. The contentment she was hiding caused a pleasurable purr to overtake his calm disposition. The sound caused several waves of goosebumps to overtake the Amelia's body.
"What?" Amelia huffed, unable to meet the Wraith's yellow eyed stare. She could almost smell the beasts intent and he was anything but angry.
"You are healing well?" The Elder purred tone-fully, uncertain if he should speak openly. The Wraith shifted his weight to one side, with a caustions hiss. The motion freed his right hand, allowing it to grasp Amelia's, gently.
"Why are you doing this?" Amelia groaned, shying away from the Elders touch. She released a pleasurable gasp, when the beast lean-in to purr senstally in her ear. The feel of hot breath tormented the sensitive hairs of her neck, causing her to fight the involuntarily, favorable reaction. The Wraith was careful not to violate the human's flesh. He then adjusted his own position, to meet the human's reluctant eye.
"Can you, not sense..." The Elder's soft and tone-full purr refused to continue speaking. He could sense the humans emotions, feel her thoughts, too clearly. The human resisted the persisting connection, with every ounce of her awareness.
Her flesh might have gasped pleasurably, when he taunted her soft lips, yet her mind remained lost to struggle. The captive female physically fought the creature's advance, by pushing at his chest harshly. The Wraith allowed the struggling female mere inches between their forms.
"...Your intent?" The beast kept the females flesh close to his own. Giveing no argument or response. That inaction, instigated the trapped human's abrupt response. She proceeded to guessed the rest. "You explained already. Don't make you angry... Or jealous..." Amelia whispered carefully. When she pushed against the Wraith, again, her supporting arm gave out. The stunned female gasped, when the beast allowed her to fall against the soft bed.
"Perhaps, it is better... If you, continue... To remain oblivious." The Elder released a tone-full sigh, then turned away from the female's horizontal position. For a single moment the Wraith was prepared to discuss the impossible. For a single fleeting moment he could have sworn, the seansation was, shared. 'If she felt the same? If their connection was real... I cannot permit this to go any further.' The beast diverted his thoughts toward the day's responsibilities.
"What a minute? What does that mean?" Amelia mumbled, slightly offended. 'The Elder was being more cryptic than usual.'
"It is good, to see, your spirit returned, A-m-y. But that, conversation, must wait for another time." The Wraith moved toward the edge of the bed and stood up. "If, you are able? There are certain responsibilities, I must see too. I do not wish to leave you unattended. Accompany me?" The Elder extended his hand generously, toward the female's reluctant form.
"I thought, you liked explanations?" She grumbled, hesitant to accept the beast's extended hand.
"A-n-o-t-h-e-r, t-i-m-e. I have been summoned to the lower levels, a-l-r-e-a-d-y. I insist, accompany me. Without further hesitation. There is, m-u-c-h, you have yet to learn, about our ways." The Elder purred tone-fully, as he gently pulled the female to her feet.
*~*~*
Amelia tried to suppress her cheerful grin, when the Elder kept her close by his side. The beast escorted her by arm, as the moved through the outpost's halls. The sight of them together, on equal footing, seemed to leave echoing whispers in the wake of their passing. The Wraith kept a slow and steady pace, as he escorted the small human past each gawking onlooker. The Elder held his head high, easily ignoring everything else.
'Left, right, right, left...' Amelia's mind tried to make a note of each turn. The passageways all looked the same, it was difficult to find any unique landmark to properly navigate. After more turns, then her mind could track, the Elder brought the human into a small room. It contained a pedestal and a motionless Warrior Drone.
"He is harmless." The Wraith whispered softly to ease the female's tenseness. "The Drone is merely a means of securing transportation. Since, humans are not permitted on the command levels, without proper escort." He nudged the female forward toward the central pedestal.
"Am I going to wake up... in some strange room again?" The resistant female muttered quietly. The beast stepped up onto the pedestal and turned slightly to coax the timid female forward.
"Come. Unless you wish to leave my protection?" The Elder hissed sternly. Amelia glanced at the Drone, then back at the Beast with a huff. She answered the expectant look on the Wraiths face, with a scowl and stepped forward onto the pedestal, next to him. The Elder Wraith nodded toward the waiting Drone and the pair was engulfed in a shimmering light.
The worried human breathed a sigh of relief when her vision changed almost instantly and the shimmering light vanished, leaving her mind still conscious. This new location was almost identical to the last, expect it was backwards. The Drone in this room was on her left, instead of her right, and the exist was in front of them, instead of behind.
The Elder took the female's arm in hand and started to move forward, insisting she continue to walk beside him. Unlike the housing level's Amelia witnessed very few human's, in these lower areas. The amount of Wraith rushing about, had doubled, there was a different male around nearly every corner. Unfortunately, the same could be said of their distasteful mannerisms.
Several times the Elder stopped, abruptly, allowing another to pass first, the hall. The beast usually released an irritated hiss, then continued walking. They traveled down several more passageways, then entered an enormously long and open chamber. The sudden activity in the room was so mesmerizing, Amelia would have stumbled over her own feet, when they entered. If the Wraith hadn't kept her form steady, at his side, with his firm and supporting stance.
The room itself, was far different, then anything else the captive human had seen, yet. The far wall was made up of large window like structures, Amelia could see the familiar chipped wall of the Mine's, through them. Rows of command consoles occupied the empty floor space throughout the organically grown room. 'There had to be ten, no twelve other males' tending to odd tasks about the 'Command deck?'. The female gulped, 'but for what? The mine's?' Amelia's mind rumbled with an unending curiosity.
"Stay here." The Elder groaned quietly, when he positioned the female just inside the large entrance. "Speak to no one." 'Trust no one' Amelia swore she heard the beast's voice, even after his lip's stopped moving. "Do you remember, what I told you?" 'Watch closely.' It happened again. The Elder Wraith's yellow eyes whispered into her ears, when his lips, maintained silence.
"Yes." Amelia curtsied respectfully, always, keeping her eye on the Elder's form. 'I remember.' Her eyes whispered, causing the Wraith to nod slightly in return. 'Cheating Telepaths.' Her mind grinned, hoping the Wraith was reading her mind. The Elder afforded the human a small grunt, before he turned to move a crossed the room, away from her.
Amelia watched closely as her Wraith, tried to intermingle with the others about the room. When any other random male approached another, they nodded slightly they started to converse easily. The situation was different for the Elder Wraith as he moved about the room. They all ignored his presence until they were confronted directly. The indiscreet exclusions caused the Elder to repeat his command's often, using a dominatingly loud voice. Unfortunately, it was all useless information, the shifting of Drone positions and the redeploying of miner groups.
She was mildly surprised when her eye fell on another lavishly dressed female, standing quietly on the opposite side of the same threshold. Unfortunately, the blonde-haired girl tossed up her nose and looked away when Amelia nodded politely in her direction. 'It seems, arrogance, is not limited to Wraith, in this place.' Her mind huffed quietly, noticing the flame-like mark displayed on the girl's clothing.
Hour's continued to pass, while Amelia struggled to remain standing, in one spot. She was thankful for her past military training; she had stood at attention for over eight hours' once. Unfortunately, the throbbing ache in her right leg, made it difficult to remain still.
"Come." The Elder's tone-full voice stopped the tormented female from attempting to soothe her leg cramp. She gasped, when he appeared next to her form, with his right hand extended. 'No weakness.' She could hear a subtle whisper, when the beast used his left arm to support her quickly failing flesh.
*~*~*
Amelia was grateful to be able to walk and move her legs, despite the agonizing sensation, worsening with each added step. She continued to lean on the Wraith heavily, even as they returned to the upper levels.
"Explain to me, e-x-a-c-t-l-y, what you are experiencing?" The Elder stopped suddenly, pushing Amelia against a nearby wall.
"How did you know?" The exhausted female groaned in return. The beast held her shoulders gently, keeping her body upright. Despite the stunning confrontation, his expression displayed genuine concern.
"That does not matter." The Elder glanced over her shaking form. "Your flesh trembles, but not out of fear." He moved one hand to the embrace the female cheek. "Your flesh burns. Does your strength fade, as quickly?"
"Yes." Amelia whispered softly. The beasts caress was soothing, even as his right hand moved carefully down her neck. "No... Please, no." The females gasping voice begged the Wraith to withdraw his feeding hand.
"You should not be suffering, W-i-t-h-d-r-a-w, from a single feeding." The Elder responded in confused tones. The cornered female pushed powerless against the beast's chest, as she shied away shamefully. "My gift... Was not your first." The Wraith leaned forward realizing her secret, far too late.
"Don't, make me remember." Amelia cringed at the thought. She had allowed herself to drown in the Elder's companionship the last few days. Nearly forgetting Scarface and the hellish time that occurred before.
"I can alleviate your struggle... For a short time." The Elder whispered as he pulled the female's withering form against his own. The Wraith was certain the offer would be refused, so he moved to support her failing strength instead.
"He always took it back." She whispered painfully. The beast swept the female's feet up in his arms. Her blue eyes disappeared when he lifted her body into his full embrace. The Elder glanced both ways down the hall, before choosing to disappear into the nearest shadow.
*~*~*
Amelia drifted in and out of consciousness for several hours, before her mind finally grasp ahold of awareness. The captive female tried to sit up, when she recognized the walls around her. The soft surface she laid upon, was covered in the same familiar blankets she knew well. The female's blue eyes could find no sign of her Wraith Master, when she started to examine the surrounding chamber, carefully.
"Finally." A feminine voice rang out, in a singular tone. "I was starting to believe; I may have been wrong, about your perceived aliments." An elegantly dressed human, stood towering over the side of the bed. Amelia clung to the closest blanket and shied away from the imposing female. The women let out a boisterous sigh and reached for something on a nearby table.
"Eat." The intruding female picked up a steaming bowl and shoved it into Amelia's lap. The captive human adjusted her position carefully and peered into the bowl. It was stew, brown gravy and it was littered with colorful chucks of, 'what must be vegetables?'
"Who... are you?" Amelia's voice stuttered when her eye's looked upward. The towering female was well dressed and confident. She had a large silver cowl, draped over her shoulder and around her neck. A large metallic clasp held the shawl-like contraption in place. Familiar lettering was etched into the clasp, representing the word 'Matriarch'.
"Who, I am, depends on who you ask. To you, I am Matriarch and we have meant once before." The intruding female sat down on the edge of the bed and glared sternly at Amelia's resistant demeanor. "Try this." She smiled, while offering a small wooden spoon.
"Thank you." The captive female snatched the spoon quickly. She then turned her focus to the bowl in her lap, ignoring the intruder's presence.
"It's good that you don't trust me. No one survives long, among Wraith, by trusting other humans." The Matriarch smiled when Amelia afforded her an irritated glance.
"The Elder told me, not to trust anyone?" Amelia set the spoon down, in the bowl. "You look like, anyone, to me." She continued to glare at the seemingly self-assured women.
"The Elder thought, you might react, more favorably. If he was not here, when you woke, from your illness." The intruding female tried to grin pleasantly.
"Where is he?" Amelia asked reluctantly. The starving female picked up the spoon slowly, continuing to sip the stew. She kept one eye on the strange female, while they spoke.
"The old Wraith is never far. I have no doubt he will return soon." The Matriarch stood up before her voice rambled on. "Your condition... Will require you, to nourish yourself, regularly. I would advise sticking to human food. Or your fever will return." The women turned around, continuing to display an overly pleasant grin and calm disposition.
"What condition?" Amelia muttered in confusion. She released a small sigh when the stew bowl, had nothing left to offer.
"It may be difficult for you to understand. But... Most Wraith would never consider..." The women displayed a defeated expression when she hesitated to finish her statement.
"What do you know?" The annoyed female prodded for answers, while she moved to the edge of the bed.
"Everything. The Lord Elder took an enormous risk by summoning me, here. Believable excuses had to made. No one else has been made aware of your condition and they never will be, unless you tell them.
I had to be informed, so I could treat your symptoms, effectively. There's is no proper name, for what was done to you. Since Wraith rarely acknowledge the condition, among humans. 'Withdraw' is perhaps the most common expression used." The saddened Matriarch tried to maintain a neutral disposition.
"It's a chemical addiction, to the feeding process. Wraith know all about it. The Elder knew what he was doing. When he did it." Amelia set the empty bowl down, beside the bed. Her mind was horribly fuzzy. She could recall the confrontation in the passageway. Then, nothing, until waking up, in this room. 'He did this to me.' The captive female clung, to what bits and pieces she could remember.
"I have received, the Gift of Life, before myself. From my chosen mate, many times, over the course of several lifetime's. I have never once, suffered, as you did. This is likely the reason why, the Elder summoned me, instead of a Wraith medic. I do happen to be the oldest human, inhabiting this outpost." The Matriarch stated plainly.
"How?" Curiosity caused Amelia to mutter softly. She was distracted by the realization; she was hardly dressed. The captive female sighed, when her exposed legs dangled off the side of the bed, in the cool air.
"The Gift of Life grants youth..." The women started her explanation confidentially.
"How? Are you not addicted to it?" Amelia interrupted, while tugging slightly on the oversized cloth shirt, she currently wore. "Who changed my clothes?" The confused female's blue eyes look up to meet the Matriarchs confident disposition. "Why don't you hate them?" Her unforgiving expression demanded answers.
"Most girls would have asked my age. But you're not like most girls, are you? I will answer your questions. Only because I do not wish to see a noble Wraith, such as the Elder, torn down by a young girl's foolish mistakes.
The Elder changed your garments the first night. It is rare when a Wraith volunteers his own clothing, for a human's use. Your fever continued to rage out of control for three days and nights. During that time, I was able to suppress your mind with herbs, allowing your body to heal. When your fever finally broke last night. I stopped giving you my sleeping brew, allowing your mind to return.
There is a physical balance that must be maintained between Wraith and human, for us to truly coexist. When that balance is upset, the resulting illness can devastate a human's physiology, sometimes resulting in death. I believe, that is what happened to you.
One Gift or connection with a Wraith, would never have triggered this server, of an adverse physical reaction, in any human. Unless..." The furious glare Amelia suddenly formed, cause the Matriarch to examine her next words carefully. "...You already had contact, with another Wraith." The Matriarchs respectfully insinuating statement caused Amelia to shy away, shamefully.
"There all the same." The cowering female groaned. She fussed with the cloth blankets around her, pulling them tightly over her legs.
"Wraith, you mean?" The Matriarch moved to sit down on the bed. When she received no response, she sighed heavily. "I am going to tell you something I wish someone had told me, when I first came here." The Matriarch waited for Amelia to glance in her direction. "You are wrong."
"You, are wasting, your time." Amelia hissed coldly in return. She was done listening to this seemingly brainwashed Worshiper.
"There are two kinds of human females in this place. The purebreds or Hive-born Worshiper's, they are actually very few in number. They are easy to identify, being the most conceded and prideful, humans around. It's common knowledge that, they consider all other's to be soiled and beneath them. They are only loyal to the Wraith Master's. I have always considered it wise, not to trust them." The intruding female did not give up easily, reaching for Amelia's hand as she spoke.
"Why?" The captive female gasped retracting from the encroaching intruder. Her inquiry seemed to fall on deaf ears when the women continued her explanation.
"Those of us that were Culled, do not necessarily behave any better. Displaying loyalty to another human, tends to enrage the Wraith. Undeniably, they are a bit overly possessive." The women's small laugh was meant with a stale and irritated expression from the captive female.
"Why, do you defend them?" Amelia redefined her inquiry.
"I found, Parvana." The Matriarch grinned heavily when the captive girl tilted her head and huffed slightly.
"How... What does your soul have to do with anything?" The confused female stuttered slightly. She heard the spoken syllables 'Parvana', but her mind instantly translated the word, into English. The Matriarch's claim seemed outlandish and farfetched. 'How could anyone find their soul in this forsaken place?' Unfortunately, neither female had opportunity to elaborate, when both their heads turned toward the swishing sound of the outer threshold.
"Another time, perhaps." The Matriarch stood up before the second echoing swish confirmed someone had entered the room.
"Don't go out of your way." The captive female's last comment was ignored, when the intruding women quickly disappeared into the outer chamber.
~
"She is... Awake?" Amelia could hear the low multi-toned rumble, resonate from the entrance. But from this distance, she was unable to understand the conversation that proceed.
"She is recovering well, my Lord." The Matriarch's responded in a soft voice, to keep her words from projecting. The women then froze mid-curtsy, to greet the Elder's newly arrived presence.
"How is, her mood?" The Elder stepped toward the Matriarch with a low toned purr. Then with a silent commanding motion of his hand, the female stood up and sighed heavily.
"Difficult, as expected. She must eat a solid meal, twice a day, or her fever will return. Her mood may continue to suffer, for several weeks to come. The girl is young, she will recover, given enough time." The Matriarch bowed her head slightly when she was finished speaking.
"Are you able to return to your duties, unnoticed?" The Elder purred quietly in return. When the female nodded 'yes' in return the Wraith tipped his head in a respectful manner and released an exhausting sigh. "I believe, we have tempted fate, l-o-n-g, e-n-o-u-g-h, don't you?"
"I have taken solitaire meditation for several weeks, in the past. I can, try to speak with her. If you wished it, Lord Elder." The women's stance tensed up when the Elder Wraith hissed tone-fully, in her direction. "My Lord." She curtsied respectfully, then moved cautiously toward the outer threshold.
"Matriarch." The Elder afforded the female a respectful nod, before she exited the room. When the door closed, he turned to see Amelia leaning against the inner threshold with a sour expression. "You should be resting." The Wraith sighed tone-fully in the human's direction.
The captive female glanced around the room and nodded in agreement. Her movement toward the bathing chamber caused the Wraith to block her advance. "What are you doing?" He questioned the female's intention.
"I have disturbed you, long enough." Amelia whispered as she leaned against the wall. The beast had moved so quickly, he instantly stood blocking her way forward. The human female gasped fearfully when the Wraith rested his hand against her neck, gently.
The Elder's fingertip's curled around the human's ear, embracing nearly half her head in his warm grasp. His thumb was used to raise her chin to eye level. The beast hissed painfully when her eyes glimmered with fear and hatred. 'There all the same.' Resonated repeatedly in the depths of her mind.
"Come to bed." The beast leaned forward to purr in Amelia's ear. She then gasped loudly, when her feet where swept out from under her. The female's arms instinctively wrapped around the Elder's shoulder's, embracing him tightly, as he returned her to the enormously soft bed. The captive human opted to remain quiet, as the Wraith tucked her securely beneath a blanket.
~*~*~
Amelia laid still in the Wraith's bed for some time. She felt overtaken with a strange sense of exhaustion, despite just waking from an extended slumber. After several hours of ineffectually closing her eyes, she finally conceded the emotion might not be her own.
"When did you, sleep last?" The captive female let her voice echo in the silent room. When nothing responded, she looked to the last place, the Elder had been seen, in the room. She giggled slightly when she spotted the large motionless Wraith draped uncomfortably over a small chair.
The captive human moved slowly, trying desperately to maintain complete silence as she pulled a large blanket free from the bed. She then tiptoed a crossed the room and stopped to examine the beast carefully. His stiff posture and closed eyes made him appear more like a kitten, then a lion, in the dimly lit room.
The small stool he perched upon was positioned next to a waist high table, which he used to support his left arm. Somehow the Wraith had managed to balance his bent limb, against the side of his head, steadily. The scene made Amelia feel old, as if high school had been lifetimes ago. The sacred art of sleeping in the upright position, was something everyone strived to master in the face of boring teachers. 'I know a bunch of high schoolers, who would envy those sleeping skills.'
The pleasant thought caused a small giggle to escape the timid female's lips. The sound caused Amelia to tense up and rapidly cover her mouth. She waited to see if the beast moved or noticed her at all. When he remained still, seemingly unconscious, Amelia took another careful step forward. She held the blanket up and released it over the creatures legs.
The pleased human smiled slightly, when the added weight didn't seem to disturb the beast. 'What am I doing?' Her mind suddenly questioned the impulse to cover the sleeping Wraith's form. 'I might appreciate the gesture. If I was forced to sleep so uncomfortably.' Her mind tried to formulate logical excuse for the impulsive action. Amelia stepped backward quickly when the Elders free hand shifted slightly, a moment later.
The captive female quickly returned to the oversized Wraith bed, a crossed the room. After several minutes of silent contemplation, she sighed heavily then buried herself beneath the layers of blankets. She had ideal how long it would be until morning, or worse. How long it would be until this Elder Wraith tired of her companionship. The humans mind continued to twist around wild thoughts, she used the chaos to drown her conscious mind. Eventually lulling her flesh back to sleep.
~*
The Elder waited until several minutes of total silence passed, before opening one eye slightly. The Wraith had not slept in three nights, this night was no different, then the last. Each night he kept a close watch over the humans sleeping form, she never once attempted to get up, before. Curiosity caused the Elder not to act, when the human female rose in the middle of a sleep cycle.
The kindness she displayed was unexpected and unnecessary, but the Wraith accepted it nonetheless. It caused his mind to spend the remainder of the night analyzing his previous decisions, closely. The awkward situation made it impossible to predict the course of any future crossroads. The female's presence affected everything, including the Elder's uncanny ability to keep his thoughts in proper order.