Ariana
The basket I hold is rough, its straw tappings have splintered to the point that my palm has turned into a a bruising shade of red. I didn't care about it though because my pain was nothing compared to the pain of a little boy who lay on his deathbed.
I was rushing through the forest, my feet crushing the canopy as my mind still wandered back to Will, my heart pulsating with hurt from his blatant disregard for me after I had visited his chambers a week ago. I hadn't met him since, too embarrassed from our last encounter, but he had still sought me out. Three days ago, in a dark hallway, telling me that he was leaving for the next few days. I didn't know what to feel about it. A part of me was rejoicing at the idea of not having to hide from someone, while the other half felt like crying at the very idea of him leaving me.
I still didn't understand why he left, especially just a few days before the coronation. It just didn't make sense. There couldn't possibly be anything more important.
My mind comes to a sudden halt when I spot Jocelyn and Jamie's cottage in the distance, a small smile breaking out on my face as I hide the basket behind my back. Greatfull that I could find my way here as the last time I tried, I almost got lost.
I spot Jocelyn near a bush of cranberries, plucking out the fruit from the bushes with her slender fingers, avoiding the thorns. I walk towards her, making sure not to make a single sound as I close in on her like a wolf on its prey.
She startles and jumps when she notices my presence behind her. I could faintly hear her heartbeat escalating in her chest, something that surprised me. I guess Will was right about my wolf returning, as I had recently noticed significant changes within my senses in the past few days.
She looks at me with spooked eyes before she calms down and says," Oh Goddess, it's you, m'lady! I almost got a fright."
I give her a small apologetic smile, " It is me. I thought I'd pay you a visit to see how Jamie's doing."
"Well, m'lady, he is the way he was the last time you saw him," Jocelyn said, her eyes dejected. Her shoulders sliming downwards in defeat.
"His condition hasn't improved?" I ask, my voice timid as I try hiding my excitement, knowing full well how happy Jocelyn will be once she hears the good news about what I have found.
"No," Jocelyn says, her eyes roaming over my figure before they narrow down on the basket I hide behind me," what is it that you hold, m'lady?"
"A suprise," I say, my voice giving away my emotions.
"A surprise?" Jocelyn asked, her eyes questioning with a frown etched onto her face, "m'lady there was no need for that."
"Yes, there was. You need all the help you can get," I say with a cheery voice to make her feel happier, which only causes her frown to deepen and her forehead to wrinkle.
"No... you can not waste your time on peasants like us, for it will bring shame to your name," Jocelyn said, shaking her head, " It is already shame enough that we trouble our king so greatly."
"My dear friend, there is no shame in helping another if it brings great honour and happiness to one to help another in need." I say, my voice calm and steady, so she understands that I won't be leaving without offering what I have to give, "now, take me to little Jamie."
She hesitates before she turns and walks towards the little cottage, signaling me to follow behind.
We enter the small derelict home, the floor croaking beneath our feet as I take a mental note to ask Will if Jocelyn and Jamie could stay at the palace instead of the nostalgic home.
Jamie lay on a cot, his eyes half open as his forehead welted in sweat. He notices us approaching and tries lifting his head towards us in acknowledgment, only for it to fall back down on the hard straw mattress as if a painful headache was pressing against his skull, a grimance etched on his face.
His breathing seems heavy, his chest expanding and falling rapidly. His eyes pushed open with a lifeless glimmer inside. I could feel my body coil with a slight panic at seeing his condition. My heartbeat increasing, as well as everyone else's in the room, when he grabbes a hold of his neck and began to choke on air.
I rush towards him, the basket loosely held in my hand as I grab a hold of my water flask that was hidden underneath my cloak and put it to his lips. Unfortunately, the liquid doesn't work his choking only gets worse.
My eyes seem to bulge out when I see him cough out blood, my eyes finding Joclyn's frantic ones as I ask her if this is normal for him. She shakes her head in no, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears.
My mind in coils, my knowledge of healing seemingly not enough as it scrambles to find a cure when the weight of the basket in my hands seems to increase as my eyes land on it, eyes widening in realization and at my stupidity, as I remove the cloth draped over it to uncover the golden pettled flower.
Avax Clara.
I grab a few flowers, scrunching them up in my palms before shoving them into Jamie's mouth and forcing his jaw shut so that he chews on the plant.
His face turns an alarming red once he swallows the flower, his cough continuing as he smacks his fist against his chest, making me question if the plant is the Avax Clara.
I hope it was. Jamie couldn't die like Burty.
Only when his eyes turn into a slight shade of gold, that I feel a hint of hope. His cough slowly dieing down. His relieved eyes find mine, showing me his gratitude.
Before I know it, Jocelyn has her arms wrapped around Jamie as she crushes him to her chest, sobbing out her relief. I can't help but sigh in relief as well, my shoulders slumbing and my body relaxing as the adrenaline leaves my bones, knowing that he would be okay. My hard work payed off.
I was about to leave, seeing that the mother and son were too emotionally shaken and probably wished for some time alone. I reach the front door of the small cottage. Small hands trail around my waist, hugging me from behind.
I gasp as I see two wide eyes staring into mine. It's Jamie hugging me tightly, his eyes the size of saucers as he studies me before whispering out, "Thank you,"
I nod in appreciation before bending to his level and pointing towards the basket, " you see that. Tell your Mama to make a soup out of it for you. You have to have it three times a day."
He nods his head vigorously in understanding, but I still decide to question him further on it, " How many times a day?"
He points his three fingers up at me, a childish smile playing on his face, which causes me to give him one of my own as I nod in agreement before getting up to my level and meeting Joclyn's watery eyes.
She doesn't give me a moment to think before I feel her pull me into a friendly hug as she whispers, "Thank you. For saving my baby,"
I nod before untangling myself from her grasp and saying, "Remember to tell me when it finishes so I can bring more."
"Ok," she says as Jamie stands next to her, his eyes still big as I say a quick goodbye and turn to leave when I feel Jamie tug gently on my wrist.
"You will come back, right?" He asks, his eyes hopeful, causing me to smile as I ruffle his hair and say a wholehearted yes before leaving.
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I am walking back to the palace, the trees seemingly denser than before as the sun sets overhead, making their shadows twice their usual size as I struggle to see clearly. It's a shame that my hearings have gotten so much better while my sight is the same.
I wince in pain when my foot smashes against the bark of a fallen tree, my eyes watering slightly from the pain resonating out of my toe as I curse loudly. I look around ,feeling as though, I had been walking in circles for the past few hours, when I spot the same big tree. I had seen ten minutes before, which makes me curse again.
Great, just great, I am lost.
Dread fills my stomach when I don't recognize anything else. I begin to wish for a miracle. I retrace my steps to Jocleyn's cottage, only to come out short when I see the big tree again.I'll be honest. Being lost is a horrible feeling, because it makes you realise how small you are in this big world.
I am about to start walking again when I hear a swoosh of air and the crunching of leaves in the distance, making my skin prickle with goosebumps, as I frantically look around to see who it is.The darkness makes it impossible to see anything as I repeatedly swivel around to see who it is, hearing footsteps from all directions.
My heart picks up speed as I feel the thundering presence of someone nearing, my body breaking out into a sweat from my fear as I take a step backward in fear.
My hands move upwards in the defense position Nathaniel taught me. A year and a half ago, something I rarely practiced.
I wish I could say I felt slightly prepared for what was about to happen but I wasn't, when the air in my lungs was pushed out as I found myself pushed up against a tree, its rough texture biting into my back as I let out a cry of surprise.
My eyes meet menacing blue ones, they look angry as if they could kill, but my body still rejoices at seeing their owner.
"What are you doing here?" Will whispers, his lips dangerously close to my ear making my spine straighten from his proximity. My mind repeatedly wandered back to his exposed chest causing my cheeks to heat up at the intrusive thoughts.
His panting and lack of proper clothes make me wonder if he was coming from a run.
"I..I...when did you come back?" I try to deflect his question, my heart doing strange things in my chest as I eye his muscular torso, my mouth going dry at the sight of him.
"ARIANA!" Will screams at me making my eyes meet his angry ones, "I asked you first."
"Well...I went to visit Jocelyn and Jamie," My eyes shut when I felt his hands tightening around my upper arms, I could almost smell the anger wavering off of him as I let out a small whimper.
He lets me go, a small amount of panic lighting his eyes at the sound of my whimper, his eyes still holding mine captive in a war of inconceivable emotion, as he lets a small question slide by his lips," Why?"
He almost sounds calmer now, his eyes no longer a midnight blue but a softer tone of that color.
"I found the cure for Jamie, so I went to give it to him," I say, my heart missing a beat when he trails his nose against my neck. First down, then up, his light touches making it harder for me to think.
"How...Is he better?" Will asks, his voice filled with a sad plea.
I nod in yes, a small smile forming on my face at the good news when I feel Will's bruising lips land on mine. My body slightly trembling in his hold at his surprise attack on my lips.My insides convulse with want as he deepens the kiss, his tongue brushing against mine, as desire coils in the pit of my stomach.
I grab onto his neck pulling him closer to my body so that his presses against mine, the warmth of his body doing crazy things to my mind as I moan against his lips as a breathy "please" leaves my mouth.
He chuckles, his voice husky as he leans his head against my forehead, the anger gone from his eyes causing a smile to break onto my lips, as he finds mine again.
This kiss is ferocious, his tongue battling with mine as he lifts me so that my legs are wrapped around his torso, the new position making it clear how aroused he is, as his erection rubs against me. The friction is so deliciously illicit that stars form across my vision as he repeatedly moves his hips against mine making me gasp out loud into the kiss.
The crunching of leaves is heard with a small bark in the distance, causing the two of us to snap our necks towards the sound. It's a wolf, it's big grey eyes almost shimmering in the darkness as it shakes its big head towards us and runs off towards the opposite direction.
My eyes widen and my cheeks heat at the realization, that we'd just been caught, as my legs loosen around Will's waist, causing me to land on the floor in the least lady-like fashion, it almost looked as though I was squatting.
Will, however pulls me up into a standing position, his hand reaching for mine, as he presses sweet feather-like kisses onto my knuckles. I breathe slowly, my knuckles almost white with stress as I wonder who could have been the wolf. Its eyes, so very familiar, but who...There where thousands of wolves in the palace, could've been any of them.
Could it have been...
My thoughts are interrupted by Will, who uses his hand to tilt my head up, so that my eyes meet his," Stop thinking, it doesn't matter who it is, you're my mate, so it's fine."
My annoyance flares at his carelessness as I narrow my eyes at him and cross my arms against my chest before, saying "You know that, I know that, but the rest of the world doesn't. Only Goddess knows what they'll think of me once they hear of this,"
"It doesn't matter, little mate, because they will all know you're mine at the ball of the coronation," Will says, pushing a loose hair strand behind my ear.
"Really?" I ask, to which he nods with a small smile.
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