Hope
#3 of Short Stories
Just a little somethin' I came up with recently. Hope you enjoy. :3
The seemingly endless hall stretches out before me, the ever present cold of this hollow manor hanging above me like a broken thought hinges on the cusp of a broken man's mind.
Master Cheren has requested my presence, yet I feel uneasy about stepping within his chambers. I have tended to him since he was just a pup, happily skipping through the busy streets of Estronya. I have watched him bloom into an elegant and poised young man. Such grace he has to him. If only I could touch this manor's rose without pricking my finger on his thorns...
_ No. I mustn't further dwell on such ideas. Such perverse ideas have no place among my thought; they shall not take homage in my mind. He is my Master and I am his dutiful servant: this is how it has been since the day I signed the contract. He has requested my presence and that is all that my mind is to focus on._
I promptly halt, pivoting on my heel to face the intricately decorated door that led into my Master's chamber.
A gentle knock of three followed by a polite request to enter signals my arrival.
"Please come in, Gordon," the vaguely feminine voice replies, the feint trace of stress befalling his statement.
Without a sound, I open the door and slip into Master Cheren's bedroom.
"You requested my presence, Master?" I state, quietly closing the door behind me.
As usual, my Master sits in his velvet red chair, the arms of the furniture molding perfectly to his own.
"I did. You should learn to be more expedient next time, Gordon. You are, of course, the best there is, are you not?" he jeers, his voice precise and swift as his Father's.
"Pardon me, Master Cheren. I will take note not to delay further conversations."
"Are you implying that your tardiness was planned?"
"No, Master Cheren. Please forgive my lack of precision with the spoken word. The language of man is not my first."
He pauses for a moment, rising from his seat.
"Is something the matter, Master Cheren?"
The sting of silence settles into the base of my neck, the unease of the atmosphere rousing my paranoia.
"Nothing, Gordon. Please, open the curtains for me."
"As you wish, Master."
I step over to flowing fabric that gently caresses the grand windows beyond its veil, parting the two halves with little effort.
The pallid light of the moon pours through the glass panes, dappling the room with an almost ethereal glow.
"Please open the window. I wish to take a moment on the balcony," Master Cheren orders, his gaze still fixed on the small fireplace before him.
Without a word, I do as I am told, swinging the small door leading onto the balcony ajar.
"Gordon?" the familiar voice queries, the gentle flicker in his voice as he speaks my name enthralling me.
"Yes, Master?"
"Carry me," he orders, his words as piercing as his lavender eyes.
I hesitate, his choice of words seeming strained.
"Are you sure I may do so, Master? You've let no one touch you since-"
"I made a request, did I not?"
"Yes, Master Cheren. I will do as you ask of me."
I make my way to my Master's side, taking a moment to observe his evening attire.
A loose gown of sorts hangs from his shoulders down to just below his knees, the fine white fabric seeming to glow in the light of the fireplace.
"Are you just going to stand there like and oaf or are you going to do as I asked?" he sighs, looking up at me.
His eyes glare deeply into my own, his porcelain skin complementing his unmoving expression in an almost fictionally perfect manner.
"Please, forgive me Master."
With a single swift motion, I sweep my Master off his feet, cradling him in my arms.
"Are you comfortable, Master Cheren?"
A quiet grunt responds to my question, the faintest hint of pink showing through his soft cheeks.
Without a sound, I carry him out to the balcony, draped in the light of the moon.
"Set me down."
I crouch down, slipping my right arm from underneath his legs to allow him mobility.
Master Cheren dismounts, taking several steps toward the edge of the balcony, gently placing his hands against the marble wall reaching to his mid-torso.
"A beautiful eve, is it not?" I state, my gaze shifting to heavenly bodies, like pearls among black fabric spun by the Gods.
"You have a strange affinity for the Lady of Night," Master Cheren states, the velvet flutter of his voice plucking the strings of my heart.
"I am a wolf, Master. It is only natural for me to feel a connection to Her majesty."
A queer silence slips between us, the soft hum of the quieting summer still flitting through the air.
"Such a night is one to be shared with a lover, not spent with one's care taker," I chuckle, stepping to his side.
A quiet grunt resounds from my Master, his gaze shifting to the ground.
"You still have time to make such decisions, Milord. And when the time comes, I will advise you as best as I can."
"Who is to say I have not already chosen?" he states, showing me a glimpse of his wavering stoic expression.
"You have? You still have much time, Master Cheren. There is no need to-"
"I never said that it was a choice I was willing to pursue," he interjects, his lavender eyes piercing my mind.
I pause for a moment, considering my words.
"Do you wish me to advise you, Milord?"
My Master hesitates, the awkward sensation of paranoia taking root in my consciousness once more.
"What do you know of inter-species relationships?" he queries.
Inter-species?
"If man and beast wish to wed, then the normal laws of marriage do not apply. Usually, the male's familial marriage traditions are used rather than that of the female. Few chapels will offer the rights of marriage to such couples, but those that do, do so with open arms. Now, if the couple consists of two same gendered individuals, then marriage is not possible, for the state has outlawed such activity. The provinces of Ebynheart and Ryndora, however, freely wed those of the same sex. As far the actual relationship goes, I know very little. Most work as normal marriages do. Any offspring that are had will more likely represent the mother than the father, though there are some physical features that are more likely to carry over, such as eye color and height. Children fostered by such relationships are often healthy and live long lives, though there are still social hurdles that can lead to premature death by... very unpleasant means... However, such occurrences are rare and are becoming lesser and lesser as the years progress. If you wish to speak to such couples, I can arrange meetings and take care of all other-"
"That's quite enough, Gordon."
I catch myself, taking a deep breath to bring closure to my ramblings.
"Yes, Master Cheren."
"You mentioned that marriages of the same sex are not permitted."
My ears twitch, the grip of curiosity taking me.
"Yes, Milord. Only Ebynheart and Ryndora permit such weddings."
"Why?"
"Those in power believe that such partnerships are established on the basis of lust and primal pleasures. The clergymen believe that only human men are to be with human women and that anything outside these boundaries is the work of unholy temptation."
Master Cheren looks up at me, his eyes filled with the same curiosity as my own.
"What do you make of this, Gordon?" he queries.
I take a deep breath, my shoulders tensing.
"If you will indulge me the opportunity, may I speak my opinion, Milord?"
He nods.
"I requested that you do. You are my advisor. I expect honesty."
I take another deep breath, the thick summer air filling my chest.
"I doubt the words of the clergymen. Love is such a strange element that has been bestowed on those who inhabit this world. Love is something abstract yet very tangible... To give such an emotion constraints seems rather odd. I believe that the right to love freely is one that all provinces should grant its citizens. Depriving lovers of their ability to become one in the eyes of the Gods seems rather cruel, though that is merely my own opinion."
Again, the constricting silence settles into to the atmosphere, the familiar sting of fear searing the back of my neck.
"I never figured you to be a very religious wolf, Gordon. Perhaps you and I will be able to better uphold such conversations in the future. Also, your view on the subject is unheard of. It's rather refreshing, really. Perhaps I will one day venture to a freer land to be with my partner of choice. You give me hope for such a thing."
"You give me hope..."
_ _ "Hope, Milord?"
"Yes, Gordon. Your words bring me hope. It comforts me to know that there are still places in this world that have kept their eyes open and their minds free. The idea that I may one day stand along side my love is... reassuring. It allows me a moment of clarity and happiness. Perhaps we may see such a day together."
"Perhaps we may see such a day... together..."
_ _ "Please excuse me, Master Cheren. I believe it is time I depart for the eve."
"Thank you for such a pleasant conversation, Gordon. I missed them."
His words lingered for a moment, clutching the air like a child that tugs at his mother's apron.
"I rather enjoyed our conversation as well, Master."
"Rest well, Gordon."
"The same to you, Milord."
"Together..."