Kail paces the length of the tent, anger rising off him in waves of visible heat; John rummages through some paperwork, the title reads “Death Certification”.
“We can’t just assume she’s dead! We need to know for sure! We have to find proof!! Aren’t you even the least bit concerned that your daughter may be out there somewhere?? Cold and alone and scared???”
“If she was anywhere near by then she would have turned up by now… If I know her like I hope I do, then she’s out there somewhere, beyond my grasp… And honestly it’ll be easier for her if my enemies think she is dead…”
Kail growls lowly, remembering seeing a shadow on the ground that day “And what if they already got her?? What if she was kidnapped?”
“What makes you think that Kail?” Kail sits down in front of John and tells him of the odd shadow that crossed the ground, about how the shadow passed in front of the castle and suddenly disappeared.
“Oh no…” John’s face turns grim, a sadness and anger rippling along his frame “That Son of a……”
“You know something about this???” Kail almost screamed the question, jumping up and knocking his chair backwards.
“Sit down… Let me explain….” Kail stubbornly stands still, glaring at John. John sighs and readjusts a pair of reading glasses “When Caroline and I got married she told me about a man she had met while she ‘traveled.’ She said his name was Sam, or something like that, and that he was very good at controlling the weather, even though she said he was a master of Fyre Magyks… I’m guessing that he is possibly the shadow you saw…”
“Did Caroline say if he was dangerous or anything?? Could he have kidnapped Anne???? I swear if that bastard hurt her I’ll rip his throat out!!!”
“I don’t know, I just know she had this aversion to some weird game and that she would leave home every few months to go play a tournament of it. And if He did want to hurt Anne he could have just left her here, that’s if he’s involved and if he actually has her…”
Kail growls lowly in frustration “John we can’t just sit on our asses and do nothing!! We have to find her!! Do you know where Caroline is now??”
“No, it’s that point in time where she vanishes for that tourney. And before you ask, yes, I’ve tried, and failed, many times to track her. I get to the other side of the world and the trail just cuts off. And I’m not just ‘sitting on my ass’ as you put it, I’m trying to salvage my home and my position so that, if Anne is alive, she will be able to come home as if nothing ever happened. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to finish all the papers that will insure that I keep my life and job.” With that he shooed Kail from his tent and returned to his desk
Kail grumbles lowly and returns to the pile of rubble that used to be the kitchen, this was where Anne’s scent was the strongest at, this was where his tracking would start.
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Anne sits on the cabinet of the sink and stares at her reflection I can’t go back anymore… I have to stay here now… I may as well make this as easy on my new roommate as I possibly can… She takes her crown and carefully bends it in places, breaking it down the middle. She looks around, looking for something sharp to use, settling on a razorblade in the mirror. Carefully avoiding all the important veins, Anne slices her wrist open and plants the blood on the crown. she wraps the wound tightly and gets dressed. She takes the broken bloody crown to her mother “Here momma… you can plant this on another planet, it’d be a great way to truly fake my death….”
“Hmmm??” She looks up from a board game and jumps in shock “I guess you’ve decided then??”
“That took courage to do, I’m not sure whether to be proud or sad for you kid.”
“Do I really have another choice…?” she sighs softly “It’s time I grew up… quit living behind my crown… Maybe a few millennia away from my home will help…”
“Oh my baby girl..” her mother says, standing up from the table to come hug Anne.
“I guess I should take my own shower now and give the two of you time to prepare.” Shan smiles softly and goes into the bathroom, closing the door behind himself Anne tightly squeezes her mother, burying her face into the comfort of her mom’s shoulder as she cries “I’m scared Mom.. I don’t know what to do.. Who I am… Mom… What do I do now??”
“Listen my child, you are who you want to be now, all you have to do is find a path you feel comfortable walking and follow it proudly. Just know that both your father and I love you and that if all else fails then I’ll drag him to my castle.” Her mother said with a half playful, half sad smile “Oh you’ve grown up without my knowing, and now you’re leaving home! Just be careful, and watch out for Shan, he’s a bit of a bad influence.” she winks and turns to go, holding onto the crown.
“Thanks mom…” Anne tries to smile as she says “He can’t really be that bad.. So far he’s… Well he’s been really nice… I mean it’s not like all men have only one thing on their minds and will do backflips just to get that… would they???”
“You’d be surprised, he did hit on me while I was here, but that’s a different story.” She stops at the door and turns back to wink at you “Behaved now, you hear?”
Anne grins “Why don’t you ask Kail what happened when he hit on me the last time” she winks “I don’t know what got the worst bruise, his ego or his gut”
She laughs and goes, the door closing behind her. Anne looks down at the table, trying to control the tears streaming down her face, her hands balled in fists in her lap. She hisses softly as blood trickles down from the side of her mouth where her incisor has placed itself deep into her skin.
Shan comes in in shorts, the towel wrapped around his shoulders as he dries his hair “She leave?” sits across from her, he lets the towel slip into his lap
Anne clears her throat as she wipes the tears away “Yea… Just a moment ago…” looking up Anne realizes what a hunk Shan really is, she watches as a stray bead of water travels down his perfectly sculpted chest to his navel. Quickly she looks away “Is that how you normally dress?????”
“No, but I have company so I thought I’d spruce up a bit” he winks somewhat playfully and stretches out some “Besides, it’s not like you aren’t enjoying letting your eyes dance along my body.”
Anne shrugs softly, causing the strap of her tank top to slide down her shoulder partially exposing her breasts. “Maybe.. too bad for you though, I’m engaged..”
“Poor Anisa, so caught up in her thoughts that she’s letting the fruit before her go to waste.” He chuckles, and gets up, going to the fridge to retrieve a drink.
Anne grins wickedly “How can I possibly let said fruit go to waste when it’s years past gone?”
“Now that all depends on the type of fruit, there are some in this galaxy that only get better with age.” He chuckles, holding up an empty glass in a “do you want something” way.
She nods softly, accepting his offer “Now I’m still new at understanding what a guy says, how it has two meanings and everything, so please correct me if I’m wrong, but are you hitting on me?”
He chuckles again, the sound of it visably rolling across his chest, he hands her the drink and sits in his spot “That all depends on if you want me to be or not, you are going to be here a while, might as well be friend in the least.” He winks, a playful look covering his whole face.
She tips her glass towards him “To friendship?”
“To Friendship.” He says back, mimicking the action, smiling broadly he sips at the drink for a little before setting the glass on the table.
“So.. Shan… Since I’m going to be staying here awhile… any rules I need to know?”
“Yep.” he smiles wickedly “For the first month, ’til you get used to it here, you do everything I say, unquestioningly, after that we’ll start your training.”
She looks up from her glass, a slightly annoyed look on her face “You’re not serious are you???”
“Dead, you get to relax and take it easy for a month, then we get to training you for your new life.” his wink was both wicked and playful at the same time.
She shakes her head softly at his unbelievable sexiness “Whatever you say boss…”
“Good girl, now finish your drink and we’ll go back up stairs.” he smiled softly after saying this.
she looks away again, quickly finishing her drink “Fine.. Where’s my room? Or do I get to sleep on a couch?”
He sighs “There’s only one bed, and we have to share, there is no couch, and the chair I was in earlier isn’t meant for long rests, only short naps.”
She nods softly “At least tell me I get my own blanket??”
“You do, but it’ll be getting on toward winter on this planet soon, and we’ve no heating unit other than the stove, and a fireplace in my study.”
“Now that’s just harsh Shan.. I’ve not been here a day yet, and your telling me that we have to combine our body heat to survive the winter? And you manage to say it all with a stone cold look.” she closes her eyes and shakes her head “Not the best way to get a woman in your bed” she winks softly at him.
he chuckles, breaking into a big grin “I know, it’s bad, but that’s the truth of it. Eventually we’re going to have to get real close.” He winks, downing his drink and getting up from the table.
She grins back at him “How soon are you planning on this ‘eventually’?”
“Well, it is night time, and we both need sleep. why not now.” he grins and winks, going into the bedroom
She smiles softly, trying desperately to hide the fear and panic welling up inside her “Do me a favor. Stay on your own side of the bed. and keep your shorts on hotrod.. I believe you promised a blanket of my own?”
“Ok, ok, keep your pants on,” at this he chuckles and winks going to the closet in the room, tossing a blanket onto the bed.
She shakes her head softly, grabbing the blanket she curls up on the bed “Good night Shan….”
He curls up behind her, smiling softly “Night Anisa, sleep well.”
She chances a glance over her shoulder at him, smiling softly she whispers “you too Shan…”

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