It was around a few hours past midnight as a creeping feeling was felt in the air around Marshall's room. He turned lethargically in his bed at the feeling of this disturbance and tried to pull the covers over his face. There was something definitely there as he felt something slowly climb on the bed. It made no sound as Marshall felt knees place themselves on the bed one by one and two hands hold Marshall down. A panic would probably be justified in the situation, but Marshall felt a strange comfort as the person around his size held his arms to the bed. Marshall jerked his head around and struggled to open his eyes as the dry air caused discomfort. Even with his eyes open, the only light in his room was beads of light just barely cracking through the window, causing him to only see a dark blue silhouette of a person in front of him. He could almost make out spider appendages crawling out of his back.
"Good morning Marshall." The boy with spider appendages said quietly with his face just inches from Marshall's face. Marshall's head was rushing, thinking of what to do and what has been happening to him these past days. He turned his head towards the boy with his eyes half open.
"Who are you?" Marshall asked, already knowing it was another boy akin to Norrustus and Amarrustus.
"I'm Lahmir, your fourth... you know the rest." Lahmir said with a soothing voice, uninterested with the rest of the introduction. He relaxed on top of Marshall with his head on top of Marshall's shoulder. Lahmir's warmth sent a warm sensation through Marshall's heart, almost enough to send the anxieties caused by the previous days to fade. Marshall felt as if he'd do anything just to get the thoughts out of his head and just feel normal again. "Your heart... is something wrong, Marshall?" Lahmir asked, feeling Marshall's heartbeat speed up as he reflected on past occurrences.
"No, don't even say anything." Lahmir said, his voice somewhat stronger than before. The jump in aggression almost made Marshall nervous. The feeling was compounded when Lahmir adjusted Marshall's entire body on the bed.
The following events were caused a fire to burn in Marshall's eyes while also a warmth through the body that was a distraction from spiders and everything else. It made Marshall grip onto the bed, dig his nails into his palm before ultimately stopping and accepting the feeling. Why was he so afraid in the first place, he thought, this is what the concubines are for. The feeling of fire burning and various muscles twitching seemingly out of control was enough to clear his mind. This feeling compacted with his epiphany yesterday changed something within his mind like a cog stuck in muck suddenly freeing itself.
It was finished and Marshall stood up and walked out of the room, Lahmir still in bed. He was like an entirely new being, freed from the circumstances and events that happened to him before. In the kitchen, a coffee pot lay half full on the counter and Marshall poured himself a cup. The dim light of the rising sun was the only thing illuminate the surrounding environment and the sound of brief and infrequent sipping and birds chirping was the only sounds in the air. It was the first time in which Marshall thought things for their usefulness. Caffeine, was useful, he thought. Some things he partakes in, aren't, the realization was small but influential.
Marshall didn't notice that Amarrustus lurked in the threshold behind him. He walked with his head down and hands together to the table. It was as if he was asking Marshall if he may sit, and Marshall continued to sip quietly in response. Amarrustus sat down in front of Marshall and the birds were still the loudest sound for a few moments. It was then Marshall started to think: how is Amarrustus useful to me?