Fie Wright's P. O. V
The clinging of metal on porcelain fills the otherwise silent air. My eyes stayed fixated on my plate piled high with food which I would have usually devoured within minutes but alas this situation is nothing but unusual. Dining with the King who sits to my left at the head of the table while I sit adjacent to him and the rest of the rag tag group sitting scattered around the rather large table. Larger than necessary if I'm being honest.
I lift my eyes from my plate just in time to see Ezra open his mouth, almost like he's about to say something before his gaze actually flits around the table and assess the situation- being smart for once in his life- as he finally clamps his mouth shut and digs into his food once more. I try my best to not let the awkwardness get to me but my untouched food speaks volumes as everyone else eats like they haven't in days.
The rumbling in my own stomach has died down but that's not good enough for my mate besides me who eyes me out of the corner of his eye which is another thing I try to avoid desperately. Unfortunately the man doesn't seem to take the hint as he touches my arm for a split second so as to gain my attention. Unable to help myself, I give in and raise my eyes to lock with his only for him to do the obvious and motion for me to eat my food. My stare back is unwavering as I incline my own head towards his untouched plate.
The sigh I hear leaving Malleus' lips is short lived as he picks up his cutlery and adds his on din to the already loud clamour. I follow suit and soon enough am devouring my food like I haven't eaten in ages which to me, a few hours is exactly that.
The awkwardness doesn't seem to want to dissipate and my mind flashes back to painstakingly uncomfortable dinners with family members no one could stand but just inviting them out of common courtesy.
Trying my hardest not to fidget around, I shove a mouthful of food in my mouth and chew for longer than necessary, avoiding everyone's gaze.
"So...," Ezra speaks out, the first to crack while Marcus pauses his chewing and merely closes his eyes for a second. Probably asking for supernatural strength to save him.
"Yes?" The man besides me questions as his attention directly lands on Ezra who gulps and leans back in his chair, shaking his head in dismissal before grabbing his glass and downing the contents in one go. Malleus stares at him with a blank look on his face for a few more seconds before finally turning his gaze away and letting the poor boy breathe unrestricted.
"N-nothing." Ezra's murmurs more so to himself since everyone is already back to eating their food while he seems caught up in a daze.
"We all should get as much rest as possible. After eating, I guess we should hit the hay since we have to be up bright and early tomorrow. Except for you, of course, Ezra." Marcus announces to everyone at the table, earning Malleus' nod of agreement while Ezra seems to be too overjoyed merely by the fact that he won't have to wake up at the brink of dawn.
Wiping my mouth with the napkin besides me, I place it back down while I connect the mindlink between Ezra and I.
You do know we'll be seeing them off, right?
The mental groan echoing through the link is enough indicator that he'd rather do anything but that. The man's laziness getting in the way of everything remotely functional.
Who knows when we'll see them again. I reiterate to which I get a pondering gaze before a sharp nod of his head, in agreement with my words.
Ezra, I practically shout through my mindlink to which I see the man jump in fright, his drink in hand nearly sloshing over while he tries visibly to calm his heart rate. The glare he sends my way causes me to purse my lips as Ezra's annoyance leaks into his tone.
What is it woman?
My eyes flicker across the table, darting from people one by one and lingering for longer on my mate before they refocus on Ezra who stares back at me with weary eyes.
Ask Malleus what's going to happen to us.
The answer I get is plain as day as Ezra's brown eyebrows pull together, the questioning gaze being amplified as he tilts his head to the side.
What exactly do you mean?
Well we're training to be Advisors. If we're meant to stay in the castle does that mean all our training was for naught? My words cause the man's eyes to widen as he stops his chewing. Confused just as much as I am about the whole scenario.
I am sure as hell not bringing that up. He's your mate you ask him. The words are practically hissed at me while I squirm in my seat, finding the courage to bring the topic up increasingly difficult simply because I don't want all my hard training to go down the drain. Nor even Ezra's. The poor boy worked hard to get to where he is.
Sending him a quick glare, I divert my attention to Malleus who, unsurprisingly, is already staring back at me.
"Um, what about Ezra and I?" The question comes out not at all like how I wanted it to but holding back my cringing expression, I meet my mates gaze who raises a single brow.
"What about you?" I'm uncertain if he left out Ezra on purpose or merely misheard what I asked. One part does think he most certainly skipped over it on purpose.
"Well the both of us have been training to be Advisors. Ezra has a month's training to go and all I have left is my induction ceremony. What will we do in regards to that and how will we cover the gap up back at our Pack?" Silence rules across the table as even the two warriors put their fork down which they had previously kept consecutively in their mouth without even breathing and relaxing to chew.
I don't get an immediate answer from my mate as Marcus coughs in an attempt to clear his throat. I assume the man is taking time to come up with an adequate answer that won't have my wolf's jowls wrapped around his neck just in case his ignorance gets to me.
"You shouldn't have to worry about the Pack. We can take care of ourselves Fie," I'm just about to intersect Marcus' words by stating that I, myself, am apart of the Pack but I halt in the process as a thought hits me, "-Ezra can join us soon after so we'll have him and we can simply conduct trials in order to allot the now empty roll." His words nearly fly out of one ear after entering another as one thought resounds within me.
Marcus is right.
The Pack. The Fenrir Pack is no longer my pack. It won't be that soon since I'll be staying here. The King doesn't belong to any one pack for reasons cornered around feats of loyalty to reigning over all and not just wolves. Witches, Vampires, Fae. Whatever the hell exists in the Realms. Supernatural ones of course.
My heart sinks in my chest as I clasp my knife in the palm of my hand, grip tightening till it's digging into my skin as I tense up all over. The wolf within me nearly howls at the thought of no pack. No one single pack that I will belong to. No place to call home truly. It goes against every nature of my wolf and I. Wolves were meant to be apart of one big unit and the mere thought of it being no more seems abhorrent to me. I'll always be able to go back to the place I grew up in but it won't be the same. It won't be the same as when it was my home.
A sizzling encompasses me and I nearly jump at the shock but settle down when the calm touch of my mate registers within me. Looking up into his stormy blue eyes, it's almost as if he senses the agony coursing within me. A nod is what I receive along with his hand gently working its way on mine, making me loosen my grip from around the knife that I only now notice is bent in half. A grizzly line marring the skin of my palm which he takes in his own and presses onto it lightly, almost as if he's massaging the tender skin that's already rapidly healing.
Not letting go of my hand, his eyes lift from mine as they settle on the rest of our company, "You are correct of course Marcus. Ezra can take up the position once he goes back to Fenrir. As for the choosing and training of another worthy advisor, I can send one of my own to help you through the process. It'll help exponentially in the replacing of what I'm sure, a great advisor my mate would be." My once wailing in sorrows wolf, now purrs in delight at the outright compliment from our mate.
Nonetheless, I myself stay silent and don't bring up the fact that he's considered half of my question in regards to Ezra and the replacement of me but not entirely what it matters when it comes to me separately. I'm not going to sit around and complain about not being an advisor but one part of me is greatly disturbed that I won't get the chance to even have a go at being one. I went through extensive training for year and more or less more than half of my life due to my father being an advisor. I prepped myself physically and mentally for the burdens I'd carry along with the ups from helping my pack yet it'll all go to waste.
I'm not going to lie, it does sting a bit.
Chewing on my lip, my grip tightens on my mate's hand subconsciously. Me not even realising it if not for the increasing vibrant shocks that run up my arms aimed straight for my heart.
"What about Fie and all the training she's had?" A certain voice speaks up, the nervousness swept out and only a deadpan tone seeping through it, as if the man didn't expect anything but for the question to be answered.
My eyes find the person to whom the voice belonged to as I send Ezra a small smile, thanking him internally for the question I knew I would not have mustered up the courage to ask for. For fear of what the answer would be.
The tightening of my mate's hand in mine is what I get in return along with a slow exhale of breath that I'm certain only I managed to hear considering how close we're sitting. Turning my attention to him, my teeth dig deeper into my bottom lip causing his own eyes to dart down towards the action. Stormy blue eyes turning even darker causing me to let go and nearly blush a bright red which I manage to hold back from showing up.
"Asha can take Fie under her wing. She can be assessed and then according to her level of skill either go through more training and building or be giving a place amongst my advisors. She will have a proper ceremony if she wishes and you all can be invited back along with most of your pack. If that is what Fie so wishes, of course." My mouth drops open lower and lower as he goes on with his words. Surprise coursing through me along with complete and utter joy.
Be a part of the advisory to the King? That was huge. Bigger than I'd ever imagine achieving.
Shit. Maybe I should've been mated to the King. I don't mind being apart of the main advisory, Ezra's voice echoes through our mindlink. All he gets is a scoff in return even though my wolf growls in rebuttal at even a playful quip of someone else being even close to my mate in the manner Ezra is hinting at.
If it was anyone else, I might have bitten their head off.
"Wait," Ezra says before anyone can get a word in edgewise, "Whose Asha?" His words are laced with curiosity as the image of the beautiful woman in gold flashes through my inner eye.
"Asha is Head Advisor to the throne." Is all Malleus says before refocusing all his attention on me. An unsaid question lingering in his eyes and only then do I remember him stating that it was entirely up to me to choose if I wanted to pursue that or not.
I go to open my mouth but am cut off once again. My eyes nearly flash the colour of my inner wolf as annoyance courses through me but like I've been doing through this entire dinner, I reign it back as the person finishes their question.
"I apologise for intruding or speaking where I might not belong," Brutus voices with a hesitance in his words, "But Fie is to be Queen. Can she take up such a duty? Will other's not question the actions taken?" I tilt my head in through at his words, deeply considering them since they are laced with truth.
I've only ever thought of King's and Queen's sitting on their throne and rifling through endless piles of paperwork in regard to the state of their country and estates and what not. I've never heard of direct royalty having proper jobs. Then again, I've never really bothered myself with the royal family or anything that they do. Other than what was part of my training of course.
A need to know basis.
"I am King. She will be Queen. We can do what we want as long as it does not have dire consequences in relation to other duties and matters of state." That answer seems to appease me quite enough as I let out an internal sigh of happiness. The only sadness running through me being at the thought of rarely seeing my pack but I'd rather focus on the good happening in my life instead of the bad.
That seems to be the end of discussion and I relish in the fact that my mate never once let go of my hand. Be it because he forgot, too wrapped up in his thoughts or he left it there on purpose; I was a purring wolf either way.
It seems all too soon that we're getting up from the table causing Malleus to let go of my hand as we take the rest of the group to their separate chambers with promises of meeting them before they leave. All except Ezra try to get some sleep as he follows behind Malleus and I like some over excited puppy.
"Why are you acting like we're having some kind of sleepover?" I whisper at him besides me while Malleus walks in front of us.
"Because we literally are. We're having a sleepover in a castle. That belongs to your mate might I add. You dreamt about being a princess but damn Fie, you're a whole damn queen." He says with more excitement than I could muster in my overwhelmingly tired state.
I blink for a few seconds before letting out a sheepish shrug, not really processing much of anything anymore as the corridors start to get more familiar and we finally reach the sitting room main door. Entering it, Ezra wanders off to the side almost immediately while Malleus turns his attention on me.
"Does he have to be here?" Is all he gets out while I nod my head fervently.
"Yes he does. We're just going to watch a movie or something. Pass away the time till Marcus and the warriors leave. Then he'll head to bed and so will I. You don't have to worry about us, you can go sleep." I say with what I hope comes off as a kind smile. My prior increasingly comfortable nap left me rejuvenated when it comes to my sleep meter even though the rest of me felt drained whereas Ezra barely slept and could live off of doing normal things on a couple hours of sleep.
"I will not be sleeping." He says adamantly before heading to his room and shutting his door behind him. I turn my attention to Ezra who's already fiddling with the television coming out of the wall, trying to turn it all while eyeing the shut door out of the corner of his eye.
"That man scares me." He grumbly while I let out a short laugh.
"Rightly so."
It doesn't take us long to figure out how to work the damnably complicated television and soon enough we're sitting peacefully while some psychological thrillers plays out for us. The genre of movie being a favourite of Ezra's and I. Even with all the gore and blood, I do find myself slowly getting closer to closing my eyes but an opening of a door not even half an hour later along with the scent of my mate getting stronger, jolts me upright. Glancing over my shoulder, I catch sight of Malleus coming out of the bedroom with his laptop in hand and coming towards me. I try my best to keep back the squeal of excitement threatening to escape out of my throat but instead send a quick prayer of thanks at Ezra's smart move of sitting on the one seater instead of cozying up to me.
His precaution over my mating seeing me close to him being for the better as the man takes a seat right besides me, the two seater sofa doing me a huge favour as Malleus settles himself down before typing away on his laptop without a pause in between.
I shift in my place as that nagging feeling of wanting to touch him rises up again. I listened to it once and he didn't mind. Maybe he won't again?
Deciding to take that chance, I scoot down further as I pause for a moment before deciding to just go with it; laying my head down on his shoulder. The clacking from his typing momentarily freezing but then starting up again as I feel the pressure from his own head pressing down on mine before vanishing in the next instant. The contact is all I need, however, as the movie continues on.
We manage to go through a few movies, Malleus sitting besides me the entire time and not even moving an inch except for his fingers typing away. Before I know it, the sun is peeking through over the horizon as the moon makes its decent, resting for the next night to come. Daybreak causes me to grab the remote as I pause the movie. The action causing Ezra's attention to divert towards the window as Malleus stops typing.
"I guess it's time." I mumble to the now silent room as I get up, still in my attire of Malleus' clothing which I find slightly surprising since I would have half expected him to tell me to change especially when I went for dinner. I guess he knew he'd have his ear chewed off if he so much as so mentioned my clothing.
The three of us make our way to where the other's rooms were situated; Malleus telling us this would be where we'd be saying goodbye from instead of out on the castle's steps. I'm not entirely sure why that was but my brain being too tired to care just went in the flow as a smile graces my lips at the trio standing at the end of the corridor.
Getting closer to the group, I realise there are two other's shrouded in cloaks and standing further than the rest. A sign they weren't going to be exchanging farewells with any of us, I presume.
"As promised, the mage and one of my advisors will be going with you." Malleus informs as we come to a halt in front of the group.
Marcus beams up at the man with his kind smile, "Of course. Thank you so much your highness. We shall be taking our leave then if that will be all." Is all he says while Malleus nods his head in understanding.
"Well, I'll be coming back in a week or so. I think." Ezra says after a pause, glancing at my mate before shaking his head like he wasn't so sure of anything now.
"Please let me know how the Luna fares. I'll come visit when she gets better," I hope, I add mentally but not daring to say it aloud, "I'll visit as much as I can anyways." I finish as Marcus smiles.
We all exchange farewells and I manage to slip in a hug with my uncle and a quick handshake with the warriors. The two mysteriously clad men of Malleus not even turning around to wait for them but instead walking off.
A sigh escapes my lips as I find myself back in my room. Ezra down the hall and Malleus in his own room. My eyes threaten to close even more since I've crawled into the overly soft bed but one thought runs rampant through my mind this entire time.
I really hope this works out in the end.
———————
AN: Hope you all liked this very very slightly extra long chapter. Let me know your thoughts!
Question: What is your most comfortable article of clothing?
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