Arzhel, submerged himself in the icy water. He stayed in that position for hours, letting the ice cool down his burning fury.
Why had he held back?
He had her within his grasps after many centuries and yet, he still let her go.
It took all the self control and will he still had, to stop him from charging into the wolf town and, snatching her away but he knew that the time was not right. Any wrong move he made, would be used against him and give other kingdoms the grounds to attack him.
He scoffed at the hypocrisy of other immortals. It wasn't as though they loved the wolves, they were just looking for reasons to get rid of him especially since her had broken out of captivity. He knew that their greatest fear was him and the fulfillment of the prophesy and they would try any means to stop him.
The wolves, were merely small fishes in the sea.
The prophesy. He hated the word. It sounded like a grand event or a ceremony but it was nothing of that sort. It was the very chains, that was going to bind him forever and also, the key to the hell he would unleashed upon earth.
Arzhel, sat up slowly and the now warm water, rushed down his body. He ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it as far back as he could. The last time he had cut his hair was before he was chained. Now, it flowed down his back like a waterfall.
"How long are you going to stand there and watch me?" Arzhel called out to the nothingness.
A figure, emerged from the darkness and walked towards him. "How long have you known I was here?"
"Long enough." He said, with his eyes still closed.
"I expect nothing less from my Lord."
Arzhel, opened his eyes slowly and started blankly at Raven, one of his trusted allies and one of his people.
Her skin was extremely pale and her dark hair, had streaks of silver which was common to vampires. She moved gracefully, like a temptress awaiting to devour her prey.
"You haven't aged a day from the last moment we saw, you still look as beautiful as before."
Raven, chuckled as she approached him. Her hips, swayed slightly and her dress which stopped below her knees, hugged every curves of her body.
"Did getting bound make you more handsome? You certainly look more rugged."
Arzhel, shut his eyes as the thought of what he had gone through for more than a thousand years. He had wallowed in guilt and pain, his pain had driven him over the edge to the point that he lost most of his memories.
"I remember people's names and what they meant to me, but it's quite difficult to grasp the emotions I once felt for them." He said once he opened his eyes to look at her.
Raven, nodded and bent over the tub. "It's expected. It is because of how strong you are that you survived that. A normal man would have perished."
Arzhel, snorted at her words. It sounded unbefitting coming from her.
He stood up from the water and the water, ran down his body, revealing every inch of his manliness. He ignored how red Raven turned and walked instead to where his towel was.
"I doubt you came here to sympathize with me. You of all people should know it's a waste of time."
"You're right, that's not why I'm here."
"Then why?"
"I heard you've been looking for a girl. Your former beloved to be precise." She paused to look at him and continued when he remained silent. "I hope you don't plan to repeat history?"
"Repeat history?"
"Yes my Lord. Even if she is the one, as long as she has not awakened, she is as good as being a mere human."
Arzhel, wrapped the towel around his waist and turned to look at her. "Get straight to the point."
"What if she rejects yours and never gets awakened? There's a high chance for that?"
"Why are you certain she won't be awakened?"
"It is a probability." Raven, eyed him and when she was sure she had his attention, she began to approach him slowly. "My Lord, you need a woman that you will be certain about, one that will give you strength."
"So you plan to be her substitute? That's degrading."
Raven, placed her hands on his chest and looked into his eyes. "We were once lovers before she came into the picture, it won't hurt to reenact memories. You are a man after all."
Her hands, moved to where he made a knot on his towel and she loosened it. She smirked when she saw the towel drop on the floor. "You must have been quite lonely my Lord, allow your servant to keep you company."
Arzhel, grabbed the back of her neck and pushed her away from him. He grinned when he saw her grimace in pain as her back hit the wall. "You want me to use you?"
"Yes" Her voice, becoming raspy.
"So be it." He walked towards her and slipped his hands into her dress. "Show me the memory you wish to reenact."
***
"I understand the fact that you want us to be fit but, this is the seventh time you're falling today, don't you think you should take a break?"
Eloise, turned back to look at her sister who sat on the floor, she was certain that she was covered in bruises.
Ruelle, stretched her hands out. "Help me get up, I can't give up yet."
Eloise, had every urge to drag her back to their quarters but she understood why her sister was doing this. She also couldn't bring herself to be the one that'll crush her morale.
"I get you want to be stronger, I really do. But at this rate, you'll end up in the infirmary. I'm sure you don't want that?"
"I'd rather bleed to death than have those wolves touch me."
Eloise, rolled her eyes at her stubbornness. She just couldn't wrap her head on why Ruelle refused to listen to her.
"If you hate the wolves so much, then let's leave "
"We can't."
"Then you suck it up and learn to coexist with them. Do I look like I love being here? Haven't you for one day thought about how I'd rather be in the comfort of our little home admits the poverty?"
"El–"
"If you can't change the situation, then you learn to live with it. You say our life is in danger and the wolves are our best bet? Then we get them on our side, nothing good will come out of going against them."
Eloise, rubbed her temple and tried to get her head clear. This was so unlike her. She never got this emotional about anything so why was she? Had the short time she spent here changed her?
The sound of Ruelle's laugh, drew her attention. She was puzzled as she watched her sister, clutch her stomach while laughing on the floor. If not for the fact that Ruelle was covered in dirt and her hair was an absolute mess, Eloise would have thought she was happy.
"You know sister–" Ruelle blurted out once her laughter died down. "Never would I have imagined a day you would snap over something. I almost thought you were not human?"
Eloise, snorted and turned around. "Sit on the floor all you want, I'll resume running."
She picked up her pace, trying to ignore what her Rue had said. But she couldn't, it wasn't as though she was lying.
Many thought that she was the emotional younger sister, lively and free but in reality, she couldn't care less about anything.
All her life, she had to pretend that she was okay, she had to pretend everything was alright even when she saw how much her sister had suffered. She hated herself, hated her weakness and inability to protect Rue as much as Rue herself protected them. She had to watch in the sidelines as Ruelle was beaten, used and abused. She has to pretend every single day that she didn't see the blood that dropped down Ruelle's leg's whenever she stayed out too long.
Soon enough, the pretence became reality. She faked smiles and gave shallow compliments. She decided that the only way to truly survive was to be a shell. Even if it hurt, she wasn't supposed to care. Even if it pained her, she would still smile. The only person that saw through that mask was her sister. No matter how hard she tried to pretend, Ruelle saw past it. But she never questioned her.
Why?
She had longed to ask her for many years but, she feared the answer to the question. So why was she feeling the need to release all the buckled up emotions that she had for many years? What had changed?
"Did you really think you could outrun me?" Ruelle called out to her, as she drew closer.
Eloise chuckled. This was right, asking all these questions was going to lead her nowhere.
"I didn't think I'd stand a chance. When it comes to your speed, you're as fast as ever."
Ruelle, ran past her, with extreme speed and her long brown hair, swayed in the wind."Catch me if you can."
Eloise, laughed and picked up her pace, taking up the challenge. She however, didn't bother herself because she knew that no one could outrun Ruelle. She was just that fast and athletic for some reason. They had both been involved in sports and martial arts, for many years. While she excelled in weights and fighting, Ruelle seemed to have the grace of a feather and the skill of a hunter.
Ruelle, however had one weakness. Whenever she was at her max in speed, she always fell. After the first fall, her speed would reduce tremendously and she would keep falling if she kept running.
Ruelle, screamed as she slipped and tumbled on the floor. Her fall was stopped by a rock, which made impact with her leg, grazing her knees. "Shit!"
"Are you okay?" Eloise called out as she caught up with her. "That was one nasty fall."
Elosie, knelt down to examine her exposed her leg and frowned when she saw blood oozing out of the exposed cut. "We should get that treated before it becomes bad."
Ruelle, grimaced at the pain but managed to smile. "Yes doctor."
"Don't call me that, I don't have my degree yet." Eloise said as she examined her wound.
"You're still very skilled. It's no wonder you managed to get a scholarship at such a young age." Ruelle said with a proud smile on her face.
"Yes yes, but you still need to be careful. I won't always be able to treat you."
"Don't tell me you're planning on charging me?"
Eloise, gave a mysterious grin and stuck out her tongue. " That means you have to get rich little miss lawyer."
Ruelle, groaned and she remembered she had to complete her degree. "Taking online classes suck but we don't have a choice since we're here. I miss the smell of coffee."
"But you're allergic to coffee."
"I still love the smell."
"Weirdo."
Ruelle smiled and placed her hands on her sister's knees, as a form of reassurance. "You're right. Asides that, I think we've had enough running to last us a life time, let's head back."
"Finally, you could have said that an hour ago."
"How long have we been running?"
"At least four hours." Eloise stood up and helped Ruelle to get up. "careful now."
"That long? We need to go back, I need to sleep."
"Sleep? You've been sleeping a lot these days haven't you?"
Ruelle nodded and began walking, while assisted by El. "Yes I have, I'm waiting. "
"Waiting? For what?"
"For a particular person to show up in my dreams. It's been a week already"
"Why would someone show up in your dreams?" Eloise said as she looked at her sister.
"I wish I knew."
"Well, while we're at it, we need to dye your hair. It's obvious your hair is white, the dye has basically faded."
Ruelle looked up, as though she could see the top of her head. "Has it? I've been too caught up and haven't noticed it."
Eloise snorted at her sister's oblivious behavior. "One can see that from miles away."
"I can't wait for the day I have to stop dyeing my hair, then I'll be truly free."
"As if, I doubt such day would be coming soon." Eloise scoffed at her words.
"Well, until then I must get stronger."
Eloise, remained silent, focusing on getting back to their room. But she couldn't help but think that Ruelle would have to make a drastic decision soon enough.
***