It was time for dinner, she was seated in the dining hall being served with various delicacies. She ate peacefully. By now, her legs were functioning properly, and her headache had evaporated without a sign.
Once done with the meal, she planned to go back to her bedroom. As she ascended the staircase, a sound stopped her in her tracks.
"Did you hear that?" Turning around, Arella asked the cook. The cook remained silent for a while to pick up on the sound, but she could not hear anything.
"No, Madam." The cook bowed politely.
Dissatisfied with her response, Arella took it upon herself to check out the source of the noise. So, she walked in the direction of the sound. The noise was coming from the sky. She tilted her head up and stood motionlessly.
The cook, though unaware of any sound, walked behind, ready for any emergency.
After a few minutes, a silhouette appeared in the sky. It was the airship! Was Adrian back? So soon? An ecstasy took her over.
Excited, she awaited the descent of the airship. The cook looked at the beaming face of Madam and did not know what happy thing had transpired.
It was only a few minutes later that she could pick up on the sound of the airship. With a flash of understanding, a smile appeared on her face. She looked at the beaming Madam and sighed. People in love surely glowed differently.
When the airship descended, Arella waited for Adrian with bated breath. But what met her eyes was not Adrian but the squirrel spirit pilot!
He descended from the airship and politely bowed in front of her.
"Greetings Madam, Sir has asked me to pick you up. Your papers have been processed. Now, you can live in the Elite army's cantonment area." The pilot humbly reported.
"Processed? Can I leave now?" Arella was too excited. A week without Adrian was equivalent to a year for her! Although she never showed, she terribly missed him.
His embrace, breath, comfort, and soft caresses, she missed them all.
'Yes Madam, we can leave now." The pilot affirmed.
Without any moment's delay, she walked towards the airship. Then the instant before stepping in, a thought struck her like lightning, and she stopped.
"Is something the matter, Madam?" The pilot was a little confused.
"Umm, my luggage. I have not packed my luggage yet." A blush of embarrassment coated her cheeks. In her hurry and ecstasy, she forgot about the luggage! Fortunately, she remembered in time! Otherwise, it would have become a little inconvenient later.
She thought it would be better to pack her nightwear and one dress. She could pick other things at some other time. In her head, she was in a hurry to fly to her beloved.
"Madam, allow me to pack it and send it to the new residence. It can be delivered earliest by tomorrow morning." The cook thoughtfully stepped out at the right time and offered her assistance.
Her Madam was like an open book. The embarrassment of forgetting her luggage and the reluctance to waste any more minutes, both were reflected clearly on her face.
"Is there anything specific that you wish to take with you at this instance?" The cook added after some time.
"No, no. I do not need anything now. Just pack the clothes and send them by tomorrow morning. Thank you." She quickly spoke and then stepped into the airship.
Bullshit! Was there anything she wanted more than Adrian? Nope, all she wanted was to fly to him at this instance! She sat inside, and the airship leapt into the sky.
It was flying at a very fast speed, but Arella thought that it was too slow. If only she could fly! Just like Adrian! A sigh escaped her lips. Unknowingly, a thought bore deep into her mind: it would be great to fly.
She could vividly remember the day when Adrian's beast took her up in the sky. At that time, in the sky, she had felt a sense of belonging. The air flew gently, as if, it was welcoming her.
She wanted to feel that once again. She wanted to fly, but asking Adrian every now and then would be too much of a hassle. It could have been better if she could fly.
Dejectedly, she looked out of the window of the cubicle. The airship was making her fly too. But no, she did not like this airship. First, it was slow. Second, she could not see the breathtaking sights from here, and third, the wind could not touch her hair!
But soon, the sadness of not being able to fly was overtaken by the nervousness and excitement of seeing Adrian once again!
Within a quarter to an hour, she found herself in the military compound. Not the usual one, it was the compound of the only Elite army of Planet TOI 7000e. And her Adrian, he was the head of such an exceptional army. Pride swelled in her core. Her husband was just the best.
She did not need to undergo any checking. The silver color of the airship was like an identity card. Nobody could dare to stop it for regular checking.
When the silver airship landed, Arella found that two young officers were waiting for her. When she stepped out, they saluted her and took her to a secluded villa. Yes, it was a villa. Being the Major General came with a packet of its own perks.
Exhilarated, she walked to the villa. She wanted to see Adrian at this moment. But the officers' cold words doused her in chilled water.
"Sir is busy with a confidential meeting. He would be back once it is over. Meanwhile, please wait for him in the villa. If you need anything, just ring the bell, and someone will be here to cater to you." The officer saluted and left.
Coldness seeped not only through his words but through his actions as well. Arella could not blame him for such an attitude. Everybody here had higher aptitudes. They were literally the elites among the clan members.
Even the sweeper here was somebody of B rank! So, here she, a D ranked tamer was equivalent to a nobody. Originally, she could not even be allowed on campus.
Since, she was the wife of their Sir, she not only entered the sacred grounds, but they had to bow down in front of her too. Such things were sure to hurt the pride of a high aptitude beast or tamer.
She could understand the reason behind their coldness. So, she did not feel offended. It was a fact that she was a D ranked tamer. She could not do anything about it.
Everybody here had worked hard, faced countless battles, and went on thousands of expeditions to be able to enter this compound. Their pride came from their own mettle, which is a thing to admire. That is why Arella did not pay any attention to their attitudes.
The officers had disappeared by now. Arella found herself all alone in a big villa. She turned around and started exploring it.
No matter from angle she looked at it, this villa was an embodiment of a stark contrast to their humble duplex. Their duplex was warm, cozy, and comfortable. But this villa was just luxurious!
Every nook and cranny sparkled. A big chandelier hung in the middle, soft carpets covered every inch, and every wall was filled with hides of rare animals and portraits. The chandelier gave off golden light, and it appeared as if everything was made of pure gold.
Her widened eyes kept on exploring the villa. Her mind churned at the sight of it. So sparkly and golden! Was it Adrian who ordered it to be like that? Or was it a member's response to the rumors of Dragons being fond of gold?
Adrian sure was a Dragon and might have a fascination for gold. But to this extent? Arella was not sure. She was forced to think that these were the thoughts imposed on Adrian.
Everybody must have thought that he liked gold, but did anyone ever ask him? Wait, was this true for everything else as well? They did not think that Adrian was ruthless. Did they?
Thoughts swirled in her mind like tornado. She felt speechless at how a rumor or half truths could seal anyone's fate. How things might be different, but members were forced to look at it through a certain lens.
She wondered. Could the reflection through the lens of prejudice be nothing but a distortion? Was the truth simply covered under the veil?
Was her existence like that too? Covered in a mist?
Clan members had said that a tamer could not have senses as sharp as a beast. But in reality, her senses had far surpassed the limits of any beast. They claimed that a tamer's power could only be used to heal. But what if, she could attack as well?
As revolting thoughts waltzed in her mind, she felt a strong force embracing her from behind.