I tried to hide my face as I stepped out of the privy. I moved to the fireplace and sat in my father's chair. Laying my head on the back I could smell the musky sent of smoke. Sighing I closed my eyes.
When I opened my eyes I saw him. Sitting up, I must have had a surprised look on my face. "Would you prefer the previous form?" He was smiling from ear to ear. "I figured this would make talking easier." He sat in the chair across from me.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Robert of the clan Sye."
My dream lover was there in front of me and was the same being as the mystical creature? My head was racing and was beginning to hurt. I rubbed my forehead trying to grasp my mind around this concept.
"Are you unwell? Perhaps I should..." Robert was standing when I looked up.
"No, I'm alright. This is just all so much to take in." My voice trembled slightly.
He moved to squat beside me. His eyes full of concern, he brushed the strands of loose hair behind my ear.
I watched his glowing green eyes. The same eyes that I had imagined in my dreams and the same eyes I had seen in the being that had been here before. Cautiously I reach out to touch his face. He didn't move as my fingers traced his facial features. "I dreamt of you." It was barely auditable.
Smiling he waited for me to finish exploring his face. I knew every curve of his face, every shadow. My emotions were jumbling together. I didn't know whether I wanted to push him to the ground and ravage his body or run away. Suddenly I was snapped back to reality and I withdrew my hand.
"What's you name?" He moved back to sit in the chair.
"Jessica."
"Jessica. That's a very pretty name." He paused. "I've been looking for you Jessica. If I had known that you were a woman I might have found you sooner."
Looking for me? How could he have been looking for me? I had been found on the side of the road, a cast away!
As if he were reading my thoughts, "First, let me explain what you are and what happened."
I nodded not knowing what to say. I sat silently as he spoke. He spoke of a dark wizard that had created the wolf-like creatures. Slowly he told me of life as it had been, before the war between Liken and Gargoyle. He explained that during an attack on a mixed clan, those who had escaped previous raids, only one female was able to flee. In her arms she carried her only child. She had attempted to reach the small hoards of the north when she too came under attack. Fearing for her babe, she hid it along a well traveled path before leading the Liken away. A small army had been formed by the northern hoards and had happened to come upon the wounded mother. After driving off the attackers, the mother told of her babe with her dying breaths. Robert's father had been among the army and vowed to find her child. After his death, Robert went looking for the only hopeful member of his species still in the northern parts of Kinderwood.
He sat back in the chair after finishing. I sat quietly, thinking on the vast knowledge I had received, seeing if I believed the story. I had been lost in thought and hadn't noticed Robert leave to prepare breakfast.
"Try and eat. We leave as soon as you are ready." The tone had been commanding, but even so, full of concern. Slowly I ate wondering where we would be going. I hadn't finished eating when Robert headed for the door, a small pack over his shoulder.
"Let's go, we've no time to waste." That being said he stepped out into the sunlight. Pausing a moment I set the plate onto the floor.
'No sense in cleaning.' I thought to myself as I gathered myself and followed.
After adjusting to the light I saw that Robert had changed, back to his Gargoyle form. I stood watching for a moment. I saw now in full clarity that his skin was a deep and rich brown. His wings unfolded to reveal a soft creamy brown. His massive body was muscular, his arms easily as large as my body.
He turned and looked at me. He was stunning beautiful in a manner that I hadn't thought possible; his green eyes shown like emeralds against his dark face, his hair blowing lightly in the breeze. I found myself gazing at the bulge between his legs. He wore now only pants that clung to his thighs like they were about to burst at any moment.
A slight chuckle made me aware of the fact that he knew what I had been looking at. Blushing I looked away.