"Why did my soldiers find you washed up on the shore the day they captured you?"
The sky was sprayed in splotchy colors of gray. Rain dripped from the dark depths of the clouds painted in bruised shades, and the atmosphere was wrapped in a harsh, chilly wind. The kind of wind that mimics the stillness and coldness of death. The kind of wind that burns the skin.
Seagulls cried out among the thrashing of the waves that curled and lapsed against the rocky shores. Shores were embroidered with stones of all shapes and sizes. Shores that bore the tiny grains of sand which once were large rocks and boulders but had been worn down by the ticking of a clock and the waves which assaulted them.
One breath and Kyros felt like he had plummeted back into that day. He could still faintly hear the questioning voice of Asheria, but he was lost.
He opened his eyes.
Still, images from that day flooded into his vision.
How he had felt so exhausted. So hopeless. So worthless and worn down. He had been mentally and physically sick with guilt. He had been in pain. So much pain. None of which was physical.
And that day, like many times before, he had tried to be his judge, his jury, and his executioner.
The ocean had looked so far down when Kyros stared down the cliff he stood atop of. He could taste the sea salt on his tongue, or was that his tears? Perhaps it was both, he hadn't known for sure.
So he jumped.
So he had jumped and collided with the bitterly cold ocean waters below. The pain of the collision shattered his being. The water felt like the solid ground which gave way as he soared into the dark depths of the raging ocean.
"Kyros?"
He had always wanted to die at that point, but to look death in the face as his lungs constricted as he suffocated in the water had been terrifying and agonizing. His chest had felt like it was cramping and twisting. Burning and turning into withered ash.
But the ocean tossed him to the surface.
He shook his head and took a deep breath. His flashback had ceased. "I knew I was being tracked that day."
"You knew?"
"I didn't want to live anymore. The loathsomeness towards myself that I felt was deep."
Asheria couldn't fathom what it would've been like for Kyros. To be driven to the point of wishing for death. Fearing death was something that understandably came naturally to many, it was obvious because most people spent time running away from death, not chasing it.
They worked to prolong their life. Not end it.
Life itself was wired to survive. Nature echoed this testimony. Those that bore a heartbeat were equipped with bodily systems that tell them to fight or flee in the face of danger. Some have camouflaged feathers or fur, so that they may hide in their environments by means of hunting or evading. Beneath their skin, muscle covers their skeletal system to support the decision to fight or flee even further. Their bodily systems fuel their drive to reproduce and survive.
Some were very specialized in a specific skill or sense, while others were damned to flee from every sound for the rest of their days.
The instinct to survive was a terribly strong one. Screaming, kicking, clawing to the surface with profound strength. This instinct found in every creature on earth drove life to reproduce and birth a new generation into this cold, cruel world.
But there was more to their bodies than beneath their skins. Some sported claws and canines to protect themselves or to continue their survival by hunting for their meals. Powerful jaws, speed, intelligence, strength, agility. Those were some of the qualities that could be found in predator and prey alike. Those were some of the qualities that could be found in those built for survival.
Those who lacked efficient, natural hunting or sprinting skills had brains that were built to outsmart everything and everyone else. These were the beings that relied not on their strength or speed to flee or fight the danger but on their brains. They could build fortresses and weapons and clothes. They could write laws and speak with eloquent words of wisdom that would help protect their future generations.
Even in humanity's worst of times, survival was nearly always a priority.
Their lives were built on survival. The ache to live. The urge to thrive. The instinct to survive.
And for one to willingly deny - reject their basic instincts, their basic biology to survive, the damage they must have suffered was great.
Kyros had gone silent for several moments. His fists were loosely clenched, his eyes drifting off into a realm of bitter emptiness.
"I felt empty. Worthless. If guilt was a fever, I was deathly sick with it. So ill with it, that I was sure it would be my death sentence." Kyros whispered.
He looked down at Asheria who looked up at him. No trace of emotion was written on her face. She simply listened.
"I knew that I was never destined to live in the first place. To live to old age, of course. It's something that was unfathomable to me. I felt like I was born on this earth to die early. My purpose was to be nothing but a beast who would live the rest of his short life in pain. That's what I believed I was damned to."
"So you longed to grant the destiny you were certain of," Asheria spoke quietly.
"Yes," He said, looking down at Asheria, now aware of how close they were standing, "And yet, I failed. I could not escape the true destiny that has been carved into stone."
"And what is your true destiny?" Asheria asked.
"Well, I do believe that I am to be your king," A grin spread across Kyros' face, an expression that Asheria found to be truly endearing.
His smile was contagious, and for the first time, Kyros felt his heart - his soul truly jolt in his body that caged it. He had never felt such things while he was with Candie, and for a fleeting moment, he wondered why. But thoughts were erased when he looked into Asheria's eyes which flickered like the candles around them. They were as golden as the sun and more beautiful than any precious stone or serene landscape he had witnessed.
His wolf felt vibrant and full of life, yapping inside of him and wagging his tail like a puppy in excitement. Kyros smiled a toothless smile, and, without thinking, he placed both his hands on either side of Asheria's face and pulled her head gently forward.
He proceeded to plant a single kiss on her forehead.
Asheria felt tingles dance around her body and ripple down her spine and quietly absorbed the feeling. She felt surprised Kyros had made such a move, and she wanted to be the one to do so next.
Boldly, she looked up at Kyros' twinkling eyes and felt her heart flutter at the sight of Kyros' shy smile. He seemed to be shocked himself, that he had made such a move and his face was slightly flushed red.
Asheria found it absolutely adorable.
And Kyros, he had never done such things. Candie was always the one in control and she was the one who always forced herself on him through tactics like manipulation and abuse. He felt more confident with Asheria, and that confidence was quickly growing, urging him to do things he would have never thought he could or wanted to do with anybody.
Ashera placed her hands gently around Kyros' waist and pulled him forward. He was nearly against her now, and she stood on her tip-toes and placed a delicate kiss on his lips. His body responded to the immediate contact and it felt as if pleasurable fire liquified his veins.
Her lips were soft against his. And warm, too. Combined with the growing mate bond between the two of them, the feeling was euphoric.
And though it was only a simple kiss, a mere peck, it felt longer for both of them. Asheria wasn't quite sure how to kiss, so she had only settled on an innocent and sweet kiss that told of her feelings toward Kyros. And though Kyros had a bit more experience, he was by no means a good kisser, either.
Candie had never kissed Kyros very often. It was a rarity, saying that only people who love each other do such things.
Kyros' heart leaped in his chest. Did Asheria love him? Could she love him? He was akin to a puppy at the thought, and his wolf was most certainly reduced to one at the moment. Even dogs long to be loved.
Candie had said so, after all. That only people in love do such things as kissing. His heart warmed at the thought of being loved.
Don't we all long to be loved at some point in our lives?
Asheria giggled awkwardly while kissing him since she had no idea what to do, exactly. Giggling had been her natural reaction, and she couldn't stop it. She could feel her face flame in embarrassment and Kyros smiled against her lips, which, immediately broke their kiss up. One cannot smile and kiss at the same time. Or, it was hard to, at the very least.
The two parted from each other, and Asheria let her feet touch the ground all the way once more. Kyros looked down at her face, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a toothless grin gracing her lips. She was a composed queen. Regal and elegant in every way. Especially during court orders and trials.
But she simply could not be composed around her mate.
Normally, wolves move rather quickly once they find their mate. After all, what's the point of waiting around with someone who is one's destiny-given, soul-inspired, guaranteed, and promised life partner?
But both Kyros and Asheria were indeed a very unique and different couple compared to other wolves, and their experiences and lives were the same way.
Asheria let out another awkward giggle when she looked up at Kyros. "Sorry, I really need to reign myself in."
He smiled at her, and for a few creepy moments, they stared at each other in content quietness.
"I liked that." Kyros broke the silence with immediate honesty.
Asheria smiled. "I liked it, too. A lot, actually."
"Want to do it again?" Asked Kyros.
Kyros playfully went in for a kiss, only he landed it on her cheek instead.
"You missed," Asheria said, peering up at him. She grabbed him by the face, forcing him down to hers.
Again, the two merged together. Both of them were still not confident enough to take anything further, so they only relished in the feel of each other's lips meeting and the way their hearts emanated joy within their chests.
Asheria tilted her head and moved her lips in sync with his. Gently, softly. The care they had for one another cascaded through the room and the two seemed to be glowing. And in a way, they were. Their wolves came alive within their souls and ignited flames that would light the darkness that was and is.
And is yet to come.
A/N: Oof! Been too long, I'm tellin' you! Hope everyone had a good Christmas and hope you all have a good new year!
I had half of this chapter written for a month, and then yesterday, a fellow Wappadian (you know who you are) thankfully urged me to update! Thank you so much!
Good riddance 2020 ;)