Ileus: The Dark Prince

The servants brought Olivia's chest and she took out a light pair of slacks and a full sleeves tunic with a belt that tied on the left. She changed into her fresh clothes after she lightly brushed away all the dirt from her from the water that a servant had left for her on the outside. She wore a thick knitted sweater and socks. 

The snow was still falling down in soft flurries. After all the exhaustion, she was feeling very sleepy. She heard Kaizan talking on the outside with his men and couldn't help thinking how he carried her all the way to the tent. She wanted to protest but she had a pounding headache and felt pretty weak. Had it been at her mother's place, her parents would have fussed about it, but over here, in the enemy camp, when the peace treaty had just begun, but the emotions amongst the foe ran the same, Olivia didn't want attention. She just flowed with what happened. Kaizan was the General of the Silver Vales and she didn't want his position to be questioned either. 

With a sigh, Olivia slipped inside the fur and then closed her eyes. Soon she drifted off into a deep slumber. 

Kaizan was extremely tired. Except for a few hours here and there on his way to the Whiteclaw pack, he hadn't slept ever since he had arrived two days back. He was in such a hurry to leave the pack that he started earlier than expected. They were attacked by the enemies and luckily Finn, his cavalry captain, had come to help Kaizan with his men. 

Finn came to him and bowed. "M'lord, you have come earlier than I thought you would. We were thinking that you would reach here tomorrow. 

Kaizan pursed his lips as he didn't want to speak about his restlessness to leave the territory of the Whiteclaw pack. Inadvertently, his gaze went to the tent where Olivia. He knew that the road between the Whiteclaw pack and Silver Vales was a dangerous one. There were too many bandits, but the attack on them looked like it was well planned. There was something which she wasn't telling him and he didn't press her. With Finn and his men, the odds grew in their favor and they would be easily able to overcome any bandits or thieves on their way back. 

"I have some urgent work back in Silver Vales, and so we left early." Kaizan glanced beyond Finn's shoulder and saw his men hammering the pegs of the tents in the soft ground and wondered if Olivia was getting disturbed by their constant noise. "Who do you think attacked us?" he asked, returning his attention to Finn. "I don't think that there were just some rogue bandits. They were pretty well organized and were waiting for us for an ambush."

Finn dug his cloak's pockets and took out a velvet bag. He opened the silk thread of the bag and spread the contents on his palm. "We have been busy pursuing some of the thieves in order to keep this path clear for you." He picked up a coin from his palm and handed it to Kaizan. 

Kaizan brought the coin to his eye level and narrowed his eyes. "This one is from the Whiteclaw pack," he growled. His eyes went to the tent where Olivia was and fury rose in his chest. There were so many skirmishes between the two packs that Kaizan had taken this extreme step to marry her. Yet there was someone in the Whiteclaw Pack who was funding these squabbles. It was obvious that the peace and trade treaty between the two packs had destroyed someone's plans. Since the enemy wasn't strong enough to fight the two kingdoms combined, they attacked on small travelling parties. Flipping the coin in his hand, Kaizan caught it with a slap in his palm and asked, "It is time to send a message. Retrieve the body of the man who attacked Olivia and send it to the Whiteclaw pack's beta." 

Finn raised his eyebrow. "Are you sure, m'lord?" 

"I am," he nodded. The two made further plans for the journey ahead. They all decided on stopping at fewer places and then doubling the guard when they stopped. When they finished talking, Kaizan walked to his tent. Feeling awkward about how he would address her or what he would talk to her, he lifted the flap and to his surprise found her sleeping with the fur thrown on one side. She was on the edge of the pallet. Gently, he pulled her back to the center and tucked her in the blanket. She murmured something softly and then went back to sleeping. He knew that she wouldn't be happy if she saw him sleeping without his clothes or with just pajamas, so he slipped beside her with his clothes on. Olivia turned away from him and tugged the fur. He let it go. He too was feeling too tired and exhausted. It was as if someone had attached weights to his eyelids. Within minutes he went off to sleep. 

A few hours later, the night had become too cold. Snow was falling on the outside continuously. The small lantern that was burning was also half covered in the snow. Olivia started shivering. She had never been out in the cold like this. She tugged at her fur and then some more. Too tired to open her eyes, she moved closer to what felt like a fire hearth but very soft and very cuddly. She grabbed the cuddly thing and took a deep breath as if feeling so relaxed in the heat and warmth of it. Olivia curled herself around it and hugged it and went back to her sweet sleep. She awakened hours later, to dawn's dim haze and her soft fluffy, warm… something. She opened one eye to see that she was curled against a massive brown werewolf. She had hugged him and was almost half over him.. Her eyes jerked wide open when she turned her face up to find him staring at her with his soft hazel eyes.