Taming An Immortal Ch 09

NB: There is still about 3 weeks left till the 60

th

day at this point in the story, so there is still time - in case any of you were wondering.

For this chapter, there will be a lot of small scenes so you can imagine it like a movie zooming it on various moments as the characters battle on to survive. Hope you enjoy it!

***

During her stay in Kirke's village, Rose was aware of the human Lord who reigned over the southern lands. As the only child of a long line of single-heir kings, Lord Adam Tsara had taken many wives in his bid to break that pattern.

Alas, neither bore him an offspring. Was that why the hyenas wanted to attack the humans? To gain control over a territory upon the death of its human Lord?

"Have you met him before Miria?"

The Pureblood shook her head; patting Alduin's neck as a signal for him to return home on his own. The dragon now sporting a single head gave a low moan, as though crying in sadness.

"We'll see each other again Alduin," said Rose gently, releasing the reins around his neck. She was going to miss him truly. He had been her only companion during those times Etienne had left her alone while he ventured into unknown territories.

With a heavy sigh, she watched as the beast took off into the clouds, standing still until she could no longer see his shadow in the sky.

"Come my Lady. We do not have much time," ushered Miria, guiding her by the arm into the castle grounds. The moment they were inside, Rose couldn't help but look up at the ceiling in wonder for every inch was covered with elaborate paintings of angels, each with real gold for wings.

Unlike the cold, almost impassive interior of the Western Castle, here the walls were draped in bright gold and red and decorated with an assortment of plush chairs and ornate sculptures.

"My Lady, how would you like to be announced?"

Rose lifted her head at the gruff voice of the guard before her. Beyond the heavy golden doors at his rear was probably the private chambers of Lord Adam. But before she could reply, Miria stepped forward and made the introductions.

"The Lady of the West requests to be by his majesty's side," she said, ignoring the murderous look Rose was trying to give her.

But it did the trick. Once the door swung open, Rose was allowed inside; Miria closing the door behind them.

"I will remain here," she said, standing by the doors. "The scent of impeding death particularly affects me..."

Rose made no comment on that. It must be frightening to have such senses to detect the end of someone's life, watching them leave right before your eyes. Perhaps that was why humans fight so hard to live meaningful lives, she thought - even if it means fighting right till the end.

Moving closer to the bed, she noted that the elderly king had his upper torso wrapped in bandages. By the looks of it, Rose could tell that it was merely a flesh wound but at his age, healing even that would take a tremendous toll on his body.

"My Lord, my name is -"

"Yelene? You came..." he lifted a trembling hand towards her. Rose had to resist the urge to turn around for she knew there was no one else in the room and moved closer towards him.

"I am Rose my Lord," she whispered gently, allowing the elderly king to hold her hand in his. "Lord Etienne sent me."

Lord Adam forced himself into a sitting position; cloudy eyes narrowing as though to study her face. He even managed a small laugh before coughing heavily into his hands.

"Arceneaux you bastard. Why do you always get the beautiful ones?" he wheezed, prompting Rose to look around for a glass of water to soothe his throat.

"I hear you haven't been eating well my Lord," she said, taking the empty glass from him. "Would you like me to brew something for you? I studied medicine with a Priestess before -"

"Yelene you're too kind. What would Montgomery say?" Another cough before he leaned backwards onto the bedrest.

Yelene... so that's her name - the woman in the photo. She could understand why he had mistaken her as Yelene for they had the same long black hair and dark eyes. But apart from that, they looked nothing much alike.

However, at that moment, Lord Adam seemed to think she was the mate of the Western Lord -oh the irony -and so, Rose would play along for now, if it helped him feel better.

"He sent me here my Lord. I don't think he would complain." She covered her hand over his.

He gave another cough and looked away; turning his head to face the wall. "I have grown old while you... you've remained young and beautiful Yelene. You break my heart."

Rose hated pretending but having helped Kirke for years in the infirmary, she knew how important it was for the patient to believe she was their sister, mother, wife... for it gave them that extra push to survive a bit longer, to heal.

"I only wished you had found your love too my Lord," she whispered, feeling the drops of tears slowly escaping the corner of her eyes. Was this how her final days would be like? Alone and pining for the love of someone who belonged to someone else?

"Do not cry for me Yelene..." He turned to look at her. "If I feel better tomorrow, will you have breakfast with me?"

"Certainly my Lord."

"Good..." He closed his eyes slowly; his breathing deep and slow.

Rose remained by his side; her hands in his until she was sure that he was fast asleep. Only then did she gently remove her hands and pulled up the blankets to cover him to the shoulders.

***

Alduin had joined him two days after, as they journeyed southwards along the coast from the Western tip. By the end of the week, Etienne had led the Nobles to the mouth of the long mountain pass.

What he thought was initially human blood turned out to be hyenas'. Getting off his dragon, he ordered the squadron to rest, keeping alert and within formation while he scouted.

So much death here...

Contrary to human's belief that Vampires were soulless beings; his race were in fact the most sensitive to death -being able to sense it even from a distance. That was how he knew his father had died - the sudden great change in balance of the life forces around him.

But beyond that, Purebloods in particular had the uncanny ability to see the scale of one's mortality; pinpoint the exact moment in a person's life to determine the years lived and the years left.

It had taken a lot of self-control not to look at Rose with this ability. Her coming into his life had been like a monsoon after a long, harsh drought, making him pay attention to things he used to find useless and boring -flowers, music, laughter... love. How could someone so young and tiny have learnt the compassion and patience that he, after all the time spent in this world, had not?

For that alone, he would rather not know when she would take her last breath...

Pushing thoughts of Rose to the corner of his mind, Etienne continued studying the ground, reaching down to rub his fingers over the crimson-soaked soil. Whatever carnage that had taken place was cleared out quickly and efficiently. Hyenas were not known to clean up after a kill -then who?

Following his sense of smell, Etienne tracked down what appeared to be the site of a struggle between a hyena and a human -or perhaps not. Someone had forgotten to wipe clean the prints here. Unable to retract their claws, hyenas often left deep grooved markings but here, claw marks, padded footprints and human prints trampled each other.

Another Changeling then.

Moving back towards his Nobles, Etienne mounted Alduin; his command whispered at a low frequency only meant for their ears.

"Look up as you pass but not a sound."

The horses moved silently in the darkness, their eyes closed by flaps. It was for the best, seeing that some of the younger Nobles were panicking soundlessly at the sight of hyena Changelings -in their various transformative forms -skewered through the branches of the trees high above.

It continued as such deeper into the mountains as they went until finally the stench of hyenas cleared as they reached a small water hole. This had to be done recently. By the looks of it, a trench had been dug deep enough to drown whoever tried to pass.

Etienne was almost tempted to pin it on pumas but a more familiar -and equally revolting -scent caught his attention.

"Wolves."

The ice blue of their eyes peered down on him; a cluster of wolves hanging by the branches. Seeing that they made no move to attack, Etienne continued, stopping only when the water lapped at Alduin's feet.

"It would be a shame to leave the horses my Lord," said Keiko, coming up from behind. "And... I think these wolves are simply waiting to watch us drown."

Indeed. Etienne looked up to see one particular wolf strutting on a branch; her sleek body at attention as though anticipating a show. Well, he'll give her one then.

Drawing his seven-branched sword, Etienne leaped off his dragon, flying straight at the rocky edges of the mountains; sword slashing down against the hard surfaces.

At first nothing happened -but then the mountains started to grumble; the ground shaking as a gigantic portion of the slopes broke off and crashed down, shattering as it hit the middle of the water hole.

Landing amongst the rubble, Etienne brought his gaze up to the trees - golden eyes meeting blue.

He recognised this one in particular.

"Aren't you so far from home, princess?" It was a strange hierarchy these wolves. All of Ulrich's concubines were addressed as Lady while his own heirs addressed as prince and princess, though the identities of their mothers were a mystery. There was never a Queen of the East.

The wolf looked at him arrogantly, leaping off the branch as she shifted mid-air, her white pelt melting away to pale blonde hair, long and wavy as they cleverly covered up the bronzed flesh of her breasts.

"Lord Etienne." She bowed slightly; her actions serving as a stand down for all the other wolves prowling on the trees.

"Eulalie." He noted how some had leaped off to stand protectively close behind their princess. Again, another Changeling quirk. Purebloods would scoff at the thought of a lesser trying to protect them.

"I must say that was quite... impressive, my Lord," she tilted her head to the rocky path he had created. "Though now you've completely ruined the trap."

Etienne frowned at her words. "I thought the message you left behind was quite clear." There was no mistaking the unspoken threat from the hyena massacre on display.

She didn't take the bait.

"If you're thinking of heading up to An, forget it. There is nothing left but death and decay." The anger was ripe in her voice.

"Wolves?" When she nodded, he was genuinely surprised. Wolf Changelings rarely ventured this far south from the comfort of the central mountains. What more, to live so close to a human village. "I am tracking the hyenas. They went this way."

Eulalie tilted her head back and howled a laugh. "Hyenas aren't clever enough to dig through the mountains! The only way out of An is through here and I promise you, none managed to come out alive this way."

No, there was one more way -by sea. It was a longer and more dangerous route, seeing that the rocks, extending from the mountain faults made the seas treacherous. But a very skilled navigator could easily circumvent the obstacle.

"So then where are your kin now if there is nothing at the end of this pass?"

Eyes of blue hardened as Eulalie looked towards the empty darkness. "Gone."

Changelings! Instead of hunting down the scent, it was so like them to set traps - a waste of time. Fools!

"Do as you please." Etienne turned to Keiko and motioned for the Nobles to follow suit. The sooner they tracked down the migrating hyenas, the faster he would be able to return to Rose.

***

Rose had instructed the royal physician to see to it that a special salve made of seaweed be applied to Lord Adam's wound regularly. This close to the sea, the seaweed of which Kirke used for her patients were abundant here.

"He's doing much better," said Miria when she came into the breakfast room that morning. "Whatever it is you're doing, keep at it. That impeding scent of death I sensed a few days ago has lightened considerably."

Rose looked up from her porridge, her heart filling with some hope. Lord Adam hadn't made it to breakfast with her as he wanted to for a few days now. Perhaps today would be different.

Jumping out of her chair, Rose headed straight for his chambers, knocking twice before peeping in.

"My Lord? I was wondering if you'd like to join me for breakfast?"

She heard slow shuffling footsteps and banging of a walking stick on the floor.

"Damn rickety legs. Give me a second, love. I'm coming."

Rose couldn't believe how much better he sounded. All those evenings spent talking and reading to him -it was as if he pushed himself to live, for another day with Yelene.

She must be a captivating woman if she managed to melt the will of two men. How had she died? From old age as well?

If so, then at least she had lived a fulfilling life with Etienne's father -until her final breath. Rose only wished she had a chance at that too.

"Yelene... oh!" Lord Adam opened the door fully; his frame slightly bent but Rose could see the slight glow of pink on his cheeks. He was indeed better.

"Who are you my lovely?" he asked, not with suspicion but a slight hint of disappointment.

It seemed his eyesight had also returned to normal.

"I am Rose my Lord. Lord Etienne sent me here to take care of you." She curled an arm under the crook of his elbow.

"Why that cheeky little..." Lord Adam turned to her. "I hope I have not been a burden to you my dear. Court physicians can be so impersonal sometimes..."

Rose patted his arm gently. There was no need to apologise -not to her.

"I used to live in a village not far from here; running an infirmary together with Priestess Kirke. So, I'm used to taking care of others."

"But you said Lord Etienne sent you here. Was that where he found you, Rose?"

Oh where should she start...

"Let's get some solid food into you first and I'll tell my story," she said instead, ushering him towards the breakfast room. But first, she was going to have to explain why there was another Pureblood standing watch over her, instead of the Lord of the West himself.

***

Etienne was right.

Though the human footprints were indistinguishable, Etienne could see that some made a deeper impression on the muddy sand than others -arguably, since Changelings were heavier and larger in stature than most humans.

"The Southern Lord held them off here," he said to the Nobles and wolves, following the tracks to the crashing waves off the rocks before them. It was indeed unimaginable how Adam managed to evacuate the villagers in this condition. No boat could have survived those waves. Most of them had to have drowned before even reaching the mother ship.

"But... where have they gone?" asked Keiko, coming to the same conclusion as him. "Just look at those waves! There had to be children and elderly -"

"The wolves..." whispered Eulalie from behind.

Etienne followed her line of sight to the glimmer of rocks barely visible under the onslaught of the ocean. But she was right -where the waves crashed, there had to be rocks and who would know these coasts better than the wolves and humans who lived there?

Testing her theory, he leaped to the nearest rock; steadying his feet as a wave came crashing onto him.

"Master!" shrieked Keiko from afar. "We will find another way!"

"Quiet Noble. Do you forget your Lord can fly?" hissed Eulalie, even as she folded her arms. "Fool!"

Etienne shot her a sideward glance -her last comment was meant for him, he knew. Focusing on the next bed of rocks, he leaped, continuing to search for the next steadiest base to land on.

Already on his own, he found it hard not to slip with every oncoming wave -to think that a red wolf much smaller than their cousins had carried a human one by one across this tempest was beyond impressive.

It was sacrificial.

Landing on the last rock he could find, Etienne turned back to look at how far he had managed from the mainland. From here on, there was only one way to reach the calmer waters.

They had to swim.

Flexing his back muscles, Etienne prepared to spread his wings to fly back when he heard Keiko's shout -

"Master! Watch out!"

Too late. The oncoming wave crashed from above; sending him under in a tumultuous pirouette -swallowing salt, sand and sea as the powerful current drove him deeper underwater.

***

"The Lord of the West sends his chief of army here - why?" asked Adam, his spoon trembling in his frail hands.

"My Lord, we received news of the demise of An and we are here to help," replied Miria.

"I do not need your help! Am I not capable of protecting my own lands?" Colour returning to his cheeks as he stood up; hands pressed on the edge of the table. He may be feeling better but if he made any more unnecessary moves, Rose was sure his wounds would reopen.

"My Lord," said Rose; a hand gently soothing him back to his seat. "Miria is here not in her position as an army commander, but she is here to watch over me."

Lord Adam wasn't expecting that. Slumping in his seat, he turned to Rose, a look of worry on his face. "Does he feel it not safe for you to be here without a guard, Rose?"

She shook her head. "There have been attempts on my life, several times my Lord. In fact, Lord Etienne sent me here because his castle is no longer safe without his presence."

"Lord Etienne has a theory that the hyenas are somehow pawns used by someone to try and eliminate the reigning Lords. They've tried to trap him once but failed." Miria.

"So they're moving on to the easiest first..." said Lord Adam, finishing her sentence. Looking then at Rose, he shook his head as though making sense of things he didn't before. "Arceneaux men have such good taste... but so often costly. He warned me that this would happen."

"Who, my Lord?" asked Rose.

"Ealdwin -his uncle." With his elbows on the table, Lord Adam covered his face with his hands, as though trying to step an impending headache.

"What? That sneaky bastard -" Miria gave a quick apologetic look at Rose. "I mean, Vampire! What did he say to you?"

Rose had to throw her a warning look. Lord Adam was in no position to hold a confrontation. "Miria, would you be so kind to let us finish our breakfast? I will find you in a while."

She could tell from the arrogant tilt of her chin that the Pureblood was hesitant but after another warning stare, Miria bowed and left them alone.

"Do you wish to grow old and be alone like me Rose?" said the elderly Lord once he was certain Miria was no longer in sight. "Pining for something you can never have?"

Rose wanted to deny whatever he was insinuating but she understood there was no reason to lie for he saw everything clearly in her eyes.

"Yes my Lord," she replied in a soft whisper. "If that is the only way to keep his lands and the loyalty of his people."

The corners of his mouth tilted slightly but his blue eyes remained expressionless as he looked at her. "You have an enormous heart Rose. I hope Etienne realises that before it's too late."

Rose could only smile back.

"Tell me about him - I barely know the son as I had known the father. Etienne was not the... talking type, which I'm sure you know. In fact, I can't be more surprised to know he has kept you by his side all these years! It's common knowledge that he hates humans."

"He is much kinder than he lets on my Lord. For years, I have travelled with him after he saved me from the Eastern forests - my village was burnt and pillaged you see."