The next morning the king woke Sienna up with a knock on her door." Get ready quickly, little tigress." Sienna got ready and opened her door." Good morning." she smiled sweetly. Aiden was waiting for her. He nodded and started to walk. She followed him with a tight heart. Aiden took her inside the spacious room and sat her on the chair in the middle of the room. The room had quite big windows, lots of mirrors and a lot of burning candles. Sienna looked around in a daze.
"I will have your portrait painted."He smiled. Sienna nodded and sit still for a few hours as he wanted."I like drawing too," she sighed as she watched the serious black dressed painter take down her likeness. Then the young eagle guard took her to the kitchen again to eat. He was very polite and very quiet. He also moved the chair for her. Sienna gobbled up the rice and fruit quickly, had a drink and looked at the young guard who stood next to her. He helped her to get up and he led her to a wide terrace overlooking the steep mountains. Sienna could see some blue lakes and green meadows in the distance as well.
She stretched her neck to see better when she noticed the dark figure of Aiden. He was standing there with his hands folded on his muscular chest watching her quietly." How do you like my castle?" he asked nonchalantly.
"It looks enchanted." She smiled.
"Double answer."Aiden's lips curled up. "Do you care to play chess? "
Sienna nodded and sat down opposite him behind a carved chess table. The figures were ready to go."What am I to do with you? "he ran his finger on her cheek as they played.
"You know," he looked at her approvingly, "You are not so alluring just because you are so beautiful. It is your soul. It is drawing me in. You are kind, surprising, changing, unpredictable, you are soft and brave at the same time. You are like a never-ending entertaining puzzle. I can see now, why Sarcos love you so much." he said gently.
Sienna just stared at him and got distracted from the game." Will he try to keep me then? Why does he want my picture for? Even my mates did not have me painted yet. So why did he? " she thought and her tiger eyes shone brightly. She sensed the danger in the air. It was seeping from Aiden as a dark cloud, even though he was talking so gently with her. She knew he do not want to hurt her. But he got definitely some dark plan, she was in it to play a role for sure." But what does he want me for?" she thought.
"Checkmate!" the king won."You need to guard your king better." he smiled at her.
"You are an excellent player my king. " she smiled back and bit her lips." He is surely more sneaky than I thought." she thought and picked her white fallen king." I think I lost because I got white figures this time, I prefer the dark wood ones actually." she said cutely and picked a black horse." This one is my favourite figure." she smiled."This one and the towers."
"Why?" Aiden looked at her with interest.
"The horse can attack in difficult L shapes unpredictably, it is fast and elegant." Then she picked a white tower."The towers just flatten everything in their straight path. They feel safe and strong."She smiled.
Aidan picked the white queen figure."This one is my favourite one. It reminds me of you. "He nodded and held the delicate figure next to Sienna's face, like checking for the likeness.
" But she just lost." Sienna sighted."To a strong dark king." she bit her lips and looked into his eyes.
Aidan chuckled." You are so entertaining my little tigress, pity I have a business to attend to. Let me take you to your chamber." He stood up and took her hand. He led her to her room and kissed her cheek."See you later, my pretty white queen. I will send some papers and inks, so you can draw a bit to pass the time."
"Thank you." Sienna nodded and went inside. She sat on the window seat and rest her head on the cold stone wall. The wind was passing around her lightly. She thought of her mates."Where are they now? They are surely looking for me and are worried."
Sienna felt like in the enchanted castle, everything was quiet and dark. Aiden sent the young guard with the book of papers and a small carved box of inks with neat wooden brushes. He also brought a tray with a small dinner of bread and fruits for her and a jug of minty water. She felt like everyone know what she likes to eat and smiled a bit.
She draw and nibbled on the dinner till it started to go dark again, then she ran to the bathroom to get ready till the darkness will elope her room again. She quickly had a shower in chilling water and managed to wash her dress. She hanged it to dry over the bathtub on the broom handle, which she found behind the door. She covered herself in a big linen towel and went to brush her hair with a small wooden comb, which she found on the desk with a mirror. She used a little piece of towel to brush her teeth as well with the mint leaves, which came in the water jug. She could not find any more dresses so she went to bed covered in the new dry towel.
Aiden came to check on her at night. She was sleeping covered in a blanket tightly. He heard some weird dripping sound, so he went to the bathroom and saw her drying dress. His lips curled up."Is she sleeping naked?" he thought. He come back to the room and glanced at the drawings at her table. It was all dress designs. He touched his forehead. " I forgot to get her dresses ready and nightgowns," he chuckled. He watched her a bit sleeping peacefully."Pity I can't have you yet."He ran his hands on her soft golden hair.
When Sienna woke up in the morning, the plate of plain oat porridge with nuts and grapes was waiting for her at her table. She went bathroom first and the bath was filled with warm water. She rejoiced and jumped right in. She had a long bath, washed her hair in fragrant soap and felt quite happier. When she came out covered in the towel, she found a new dress on the chair as well. It was made delicately from blue silk. Sienna felt she saw fabric like this before. Near the dress were leather sandals with silvery pineapple decoration. Sienna was a bit puzzled. She has never seen silvery sandals like this before, but they seemed quite suitable for walking around the gloomy castle. She looked at the dainty golden sandals she came in. She surely liked them more, but she should not refuse what she was given.
Sienna gobbled up her breakfast and dry her hair. She felt full of energy. She ate quite well there and she was ready to take on another day.
Sienna put on the light blue gown. She looked like a fairy in it, it fitted her perfectly and she liked it a lot. She looked in the mirror satisfied. She opened the door and felt the wind hit her in the face. She sneaked out and followed the fresh air. She walked a bit thru the straight corridors, till she came to and opened door to the gardens. She looked in disbelief. The garden was horrible! It was actually a grassy backyard covered in dried-out shiny white animal bones. It felt like around a monster's layer. Sienna turned away from a sad sight to go back and bumped into Aiden. He was following her quietly. He looked at her seriously and held her by waist tight."Are you trying to run? "
"How could I? You are trying to help me, no? You did not say I can't go garden, please forgive me." Sienna smiled innocently.
Aiden nodded. She had no chance to climb down the steep rock by herself. He reached his hand to Sienna's face and fixed her hair a bit. He ran his hand on her cheek."You are so beautiful, but there is one thing I like more than females. Is called gold." he said quietly.
Sienna smiled in relief." I'm sure my mates will pay handsomely for me if you let me go to them" she asked with hope in her voice.
Aiden smiled."No need, come, I have two surprise visitors for you. This blue dress is actually a gift from one of them to you. He said it will match your eyes perfectly and he was right."Aiden hold her chin up with his fingers and stared into her beautiful blue eyes. "I will use you to collect much gold as I can and then I will come to pick you up for myself, my little tigress."He thought with a sinister smile and pecked her forehead. Sienna's heart flinched."Nothing good could be coming from this."She went with him to the Throne room and sighted.