With a silent sigh, Sydney drew her face from Ash's big hands. "Don't fret....I'm not dying! It's just a nosebleed and it's not dangerous" she said and stood there with a red face. He's so handsome up close~ his eye lashes are long and his eyes lids cut to the point of giving him a sharp appearance.
His face was clear of any facial hairs and his irises kept constricting. His hot breath which was fresh reached her warming up her already red face further.....she wanted to cry out loud at his beauty but couldn't. The whole of her body was giddy to be in his presence and his scent of mint and something she couldn't decipher stung at her senses.
"But you are sick!" Ash said his voice smooth but laced with worry. Not only was she bleeding but her face kept becoming red every passing second. "Parrick....water and skin cloth!" he instructed not bothering to look back at the pitiful parrot beastman.
"I'm not!" She denied and side stepped him to get to Shawn's side her eyes never leaving Ash's face. He looked like the panther who is the city Lord. She looked towards Shawn for help and he circled his hand around her waist.
"Lord Ash... Sydney, I'll take care of her." he said sensing her unstable in emotions.
Confirming that it was indeed that panther, Sydney looked at Ash with a slight frown but it left as soon as it came.
A bowl of water was passed to Ash by Parrick. Ash used a clean skin cloth and dipped it into the water then brought it over to her face only to hold back a little. Seeing that she wasn't backing away, he brought his hand closer and whipped the blood from her small nose. It had stopped flowing but her face was still flushed and red. Her green eyes shimmered as she looked at him.
"Thank you. You can go back to what you were doing I'll be around and watch." she said when Ash finished cleaning her nose but he was reluctant. She looked up at the other beastmen and they all seemed reluctant to leave her when she had just bled.
"The witch master is not in his home. He went out to collect herbs and we can't find him!" the beastman who had gone to get the witch master returned with the news.
Sydney sighed in delight and held Shawn's hand. "...let's make ourselves useful!" she grinned.
Just in time, a flock of eagle beastmen with stone boulders seamed in. Caden placed what he was carrying and shifted into his human form a few feet from where Sydney and Shawn stood. "You are up already? Did you eat?!" Caden showered her with questions.
"You left me out!" Sydney pouted. "We had agreed to work together but you ran off and did everything yourself....I'm disappointed." she pointedly said.
"That.... that's....it would be difficult to carry stones around and you could easily get hurt!" Caden expressed his concern ganering the affirmation of other males around. Which male would still hold their head high if they let their female work?!
"Then...I would have supervised the construction..." Sydney huffed.
"Okay....you can supervise..don't be mad at me okay?!" Caden said and walked over to her. He walked past Ash whose attention had been stolen. Sydney wasn't looking at him anymore like he didn't exist. He felt sour from within and clenched his fists.
Silently, he turned around and went to continue building her home. He carried the huge stones and punched holes and dents in them to make the house ware that she had wanted.
Ken who was also part of the group building didn't come close this time round, he remained on what he was doing but his ears were strained to catch whatever she was saying. He had called a few of his clansmen to help with the miscellaneous works around. Ash, Ken, Caden and Shawn had agreed to accept help with bringing in the materials but the construction was to be left to them and since the three held high ranks, they managed to get lower rank beastmen to help.
Though these beastmen would become infatuated with Sydney, they wouldn't dare covet her with the presence of a nine rank beastman. Ash's presence was good enough to ward off annoying pursuers but that didn't mean that they weren't round the area.
The beast city was an enormous settlement and for the record if it's to be said on the number of males that had gotten a chance to see Sydney, the number wouldn't even equate to a quarter.
Word had been going around in hushed tones and the likelihood of high ranking beastmen to flock on the day of the bonfire was likely high. After all, all males desired to have a female of their own and birth off springs to win her favour.
The construction of the house went faster than Sydney would have ever anticipated and in two days, it was done!
The once enormous piece of land held a magnificent mansion with beautifully craved and smooth stone slabs, the front yard had a swing she had sturbbonly asked for and a few fruit trees had been transplanted and brought over to bring life to the yard. A few patches had 20 centimetre thick stone slabs lay there as the foot path and an out door stone bench just below the fruit trees. A five feet high fence had been constructed around the place using stone boulders too. The whole place was outstanding and beautiful though it lacked in colour and was only a dull gray, it was far better than the city hall!
"It's really done!!!" she almost cried looking at the place. Behind her were the four males two of whom had shamelessly decided to stick around. Only a stupid male would leave her side!
"Do you want to go check it out?!" Caden asked and she nodded heavily. Was that even a question?! Sporting her skin pants and skin shirt, she pushed the wooden fence and walked into the court yard and continued to observe the place with happy eyes. Reaching the front of the house, she walked over to the door and pushed it open to reveal a wide sitting room. Stone seats were perfectly organised and covered with animal skins, the ground too was covered with the animal skin carpet she had stitched together with Shawn who had been by her side and worked dutifully. The place felt cozy!!!
The many windows were also covered with heavy animal skins hanging off the curtain holders Ken had made. She looked to the west of the sitting room that had the staircase Caden had spent day and night crafting to her liking and though the idea of the railing failed, the stairways wide enough and one could watch out from falling over when reckless.
Before her stood her dream house...she thought it was impossible but these men made everything happen like it was nothing! Back at earth, she was still struggling to find the collect funds to do the job for her but it was still a little hefty with the money and it'd take a while for her.
She turned back to the four men standing by the door way in equal amazement. Shawn felt warmth flow in his chest at the soft fluffy surface under his feet, though he couldn't see, he knew the place looked amazing since it was Sydney's idea.
Ken had never seen a place was warm as this. Initially he was confused with all the additional work but now he could see why. As she stood there, she shone beautifully making this place more homey... he'd do anything to reside here with her, to be a part of her family.
Ash had his gaze trained on Sydney's back as she stood there. He had a gift he wished to offer her but that could wait..she looked so happy that he wanted to imprint this image in his mind for ages to come.
I'm off to see my room!" she ran off after letting the men know where she was off to. On the second floor was her bedroom and a few other bedroom on each side of her own totaling to nine bedrooms. The third floor had her play room and three extra wide rooms. Running around to her satisfaction, she dashed past the confused men to the kitchen that was furnished with the fire place, utensils crafted from stones, and everything that was required, the store room was a bit empty but that would be dealt with soon, the dinning room which was attached to the kitchen and a four empty rooms. She ran back to the men who were patiently waiting for her to let off the steam. "I love the place..thank you guys so much!!!" she graced them with a heart throbbing laugh which drove them to have silly grins on their faces.
"I'll move your clothes over so we can settle in." Shawn said and dashed off to the city hall to get his clothes.
"I'll go hunt." Ash said and also disappeared from the place.
I'll go look for wild fruits to store." Ken also found himself what to do and ran out.
Sydney raised a brow and watched as these men ran off . She looked at Caden who gave her a helpless smile, they were great candidates to become her mates most especially Ash..he didn't have the heart to throw them out but if that's what she wanted, the he'd do exactly that.
"What happens to the bonfire night?!" she crossed her arms at him."
"Well...you, um..." Caden stammered.
"You told me it'll only be fair if I chose from the other canditates at the bonfire but you are playing favourites now..." she stepped forward.
"Playing favourites? When? Ash is the city lord...he, I respect him!"
"But I thought this is MY family and I get to chose who stays and who leaves!"
"You didn't send him away or reject him...I thought you had liked him.." Caden defended himself vehemently. Her room back at the city hall was cramped with the four beastmen at night. She didn't throw a tantrum to chase Ken and Ash out so he believed she had accepted them!
"He is good looking that's a given but I can't take in everyone that's good looking..." Sydney continued to press Caden. She acknowledged him as her first mate and was willing to take in more to which she had...Shawn..she had accepted Shawn.
"He is very strong...with him around, no males would dare to....I mean he can protect you better!" he said feeling flustered but still admitted. He was just an adolescent who had just attained his human form not even for a week when she came to them..he needed an elder and more experienced male to learn from. Shawn was out of the box, Ken...well he was extremely unreliable and a boastful bastard while Ash...he was everything that a young male like him would like to learn from. With him around, as a family, they'd train together and become a force to be reckoned, capable of protecting their female at all costs.