The Night's Song : Chapter Two
#2 of The Night's Song
Chapter 2
Birds could be heard chirping outside as warm sunlight drifted down onto my exposed shoulder. With a soft groan I sat up, wincing as I looked at my surroundings. I was back in my room. My ears perked up as I tried to remember what all had happened after the rooftop incident. I remembered going to the garden at midnight, and the scent of lilac, or was it rose? I shook my head and sighed before pulling the bedsheets back and turning to step down.
Something inside me felt different, almost broken in a way. How I wished I could remember! With a soft grunt of effort I stood up, teetering and catching myself on the dresser beside my bed. Why won't my legs support me? With a sigh I sat back down just as my door opened, revealing my mother, Melody.
"Oh good your awake Samani," she said with a soft huff. Something was bothering her.
"Is everything okay mom?" I asked softly. She came and sat next to me with a small smile as she hugged me. I looked at her in confusion for a brief moment before hugging her in return. She was never like this, not that I had seen.
"'Mani, I was afraid I had lost you last night. I came up to check on you and you weren't in your room," Her voice was shaking as she spoke. "Thankfully Techinasa found you. He said you had gone out to the Chandou tree and had fallen asleep in the roots. He carried you back up to your room and tucked you in like a gentleman."
Memories of what had happened between he and I left my stomach in a knot. I nodded and gave mom a soft smile as I pulled away and smoothed the fur of her cheek back.
"I couldn't sleep so I had gone for a walk. I'm sorry for worrying you mother."
"Well next time just leave a note so I don't worry please," She said with a soft laugh. I gave her a curt nod and watched her stand.
"Your' father and I will be in the Diplomat's hall for the night, please make sure to tell Techinasa when he wakes up that you both are to work on making our rooms a little more presentable before our Lord comes for his inspection. There is no guarantee when he will arrive but we must be ready"
Our lord only shows up every few years, never when you expected either. I stood and followed her to my door. I smiled and nodded as I stopped paying attention to her words, my mind reeling as I thought of last night. She finally said goodbye as my father, Hexiah put a paw on her shoulder. I gave them both a small wave before retreating back into my room. I latched the door and leaned my back against it.
What have I done? Techi and I had embraced one another in those roots. I looked down at my paws, his blood still on my nails from where I had pulled him to me. I slowly slid down the door to my knees. This couldn't have happened. It shouldn't have happened.
I was torn from my thoughts by a knock at the door. I stood shakily, barely able to hold myself up as I opened the door a crack. Techi was standing there, his quirky smile standing out against his pelt.
"Good morning 'Mani, how did you sleep?" He asked softly. I slammed the door in his face backing away from the entryway in fear. I couldn't look at him right now. Not after that. The door-handle turned as he opened the door once again, stepping inside and closing it softly.
"'Mani what's wrong?" He asked softly. I shook my head and sat on the bed heavily. I just realized that I had started crying. He reached over to wipe the tears from my cheek. I winced at his touch, fearful that he would try something.
"'Mani," he whispered. I could see the sadness cloud his icy blue eyes as he drew his paw back. "Do you not like my touch anymore?" he asked. I couldn't look at him, I grabbed my cloak and darted past him. I heard him hit the ground as I ran out the door.
"'Mani come back here," he shouted. I didn't listen, I didn't stop. I just kept running up stair cases and down long hallways. I had gotten myself lost inside the royal castle before but not this badly. I walked until I found a window to glance out of. I was almost to the rooftop, but I couldn't yet see the tops of the nearby buildings. I could hear multiple voices calling for me from the garden down below. Techinasa was down there running towards the Chandou tree.
"Samani, where are you?" He shouted my name over and over, the fear evident in his voice. He turned around for a brief moment before leaping up into the branches of the tree. Its ancient branches audibly creaking under the weight of my brother. I watched as he went from branch to branch, almost slipping to his death a time or two as he went.
He was a floor or two beneath my position when I saw him pause and lean against the trunk of the tree. His head leaned back against the bleached wood as he slipped into a sitting position. As he opened his eyes, he looked up. I could tell from the way his ears perked that he had seen me.
"Everyone stop looking I've found her," he shouted to the others," She's on the abandoned floor!" I ran as hard as my legs could carry me. The creaking of the trees' branches getting louder as I heard him making his way up to my floor.
"I've found her thank you for your help everyone," he shouted. Thankful agreements could be heard from the far below courtyard. A loud thump sounded from the hallway behind me, he had made it inside. I didn't look back in fear that he would catch up with me.
"Samani wait please, I only want to talk with you" he pleaded as his footsteps became increasingly louder. I glanced back over my shoulder, a mistake I quickly regretted. My foot caught my gown and I was soon sprawled upon the dusty floor, my cloak fanned about me like a welcoming bedsheet.
Before I knew what was happening, Techi had pinned me to the ground where I came to rest. His paws held mine at the wrists.
"Samani why are you running from me?" He gritted through his teeth. I looked up at him, my eyes filled with fear as I caught his. I tried to pull my paws free from his, struggling under the weight of him upon my legs.
"'Mani please, tell me," His voice had gotten softer, the anger and fear had left it as he watched me struggle. "Is it because of me 'Mani?" he asked, almost pained.
"Techi you know exactly what you did! You drank the Elderberry wine and came up to seduce me on the roof-top!" I shouted at him, pain evident in my shaking voice. He let go of my arms and backed off my legs, his face in a mask of shock. I sat up, shaking as I rubbed my wrists.
"I-I didn't realize you felt that way 'Mani," he whispered, "I thought you felt the same way." I glared daggers at him, tucking my legs under my rump. He sat back and looked at the ground.
"I love you Samani, more than a brother should and I thought you loved me the same way." I gave him a slight nod as I let myself relax. I couldn't stop shaking as I watched his ears droop as he poured his heart out.
"I do love you Techi, but why did you wait till I was in heat to do this? Why did you wait until the night's song was the loudest to drink the wine?" I asked softly. He looked up at me tearfully, silence almost drowning out the sound of my own breathing in the stale air of the abandoned floor. With a shake of his head he crawled over to me, tears running down his cheek.
"Samani I waited because I knew this would hold us together as a family. Mother and father will be away most of the night with the other Delegates of the court. And with the kings lord coming soon we can hide everything under the readying for his visit. This is the only chance I have to be with you Samani, the only time we have to pull away from the family and make our way to the new lands across the desert. We will be free from all these rules and regulations that that cruel dragon created."
I looked to the floor, tears streaming down my cheeks. Techi embraced me, holding my head to his chest. I could hear his heart racing beneath the cage that held it, almost like it was going to burst free of his chest.
"Techi it's bad enough that we are hybrid outcasts. Why did you choose me, of all people to love?" No matter his answer, I would never know what was going through his mind. I felt a soft tender kiss to the top of my head before he pulled my chin up to look him in the eyes.
"You are the only woman I feel close enough to entrust with my cubs 'Mani. No one will understand, so please keep this secrete from mother and father. Away from everyone if you can." I leaned up to kiss his lips softly, melting against him as I did. He tensed up for a brief moment before holding me closer to his chest.
"I think I heard something up here" My ears perked up. I looked at Techinasa in fear. He gave me a soft smile before nodding and standing up, helping me to my feet.
As I stood, he pulled me to him and whispered in my ear, "Just play along." I tilted my head at him as the familiar faces of Chronose, Gheran, and Chimise all ran up the hallway from the stairs.
"Techinasa you found her!" Chimise exclaimed in excitement as she ran over to us. She grabbed my face and looked into my eyes. The hamster medic was quite short compared to Techinasa and me. "She seems to look alright hon. Just get her back to her room before that fever comes back,"
I looked up to Techi in confusion. What had he told everyone when I ran off? Why did he rush and involve everyone to help him find me? I shook my head, putting a paw to my cheek. "Techi I feel dizzy, would you help me back to my room please?" I looked up to him, asking him with my eyes if I was fallowing his preplanned script. In one smooth movement he had scooped me up into his arms.
"Thank you for helping me find her, but I can get her to the bedroom on my own." I hid my face against his chest, faking a soft cough as he held me closer. I heard Chimise mumble something about getting some herbs for me and Techi declining with the grace of a diplomat. I felt two hands on my back, the way the claws rested atop my fur let me know that Chronose and Gheran, the ferret twins from three floors down, were trying to comfort me.
"Hope you get well soon Samani,"they said in unison. Those two creeped me out slightly, but when you're identical twins some sort of twin-leapothy happens and things can get weird.
With a nod, Techinasa started down the stairs. I looked back at the others as we left their field of vision before letting out a soft sigh. I don't know what this feeling in the pit of my stomach was, but my best guess is fear. What all had they heard of our conversation? What did they know?
"Samani how are you feeling?" My ears perked up as I switched my gaze from our retreat to Techi's emotionless face. I gave a soft shrug before hiding my face against his shoulder.
"'Mani you know you can tell me anything," Yes I knew, but I didn't know how to put everything into words. I nodded against his shoulder. I could feel him relax, but not enough for him to drop me.
"Can we go back to my room Techi?" I asked softly, my head was hurting and speaking made it ache. He replied somewhere along the lines of yes, but I wasn't sure. I had lost myself in a long list of things that could now go wrong in our lives. Because of one night, we could lose it all.