Lycan's Affection
The Body

Conaan took a deep breath as he got to the darker shadows of Meredith's abode. The place was only illuminated every full moon, else nothing, not even the sun shines above it. It was the only place in the entire world of shifters where his rule did not quite extend to.

There was no need for it to. Only Meredith and a few of her brutes lived here. He raised his eyes to the high mountains and the dark shadows that was casted over them by the clouds. If Eleanor was here, he would hold her hand. Or maybe she would hold his first.

He missed her already. But two days away from her was not such a short time.

"Your Highness?"

He turned to one of the soldiers, and the man pointed in front of them. Conaan turned, squinting his eyes a little. At first, there was nothing, except for the misty clouds covering the cave he knew he was going to be entering.

Soon, however, figures started to appear from within it. Conaan raised a hand, signaling for them to stop in place. He stayed in front, his fingers going back to the reins of his riding lycan

"I have come to see Meredith." His voice was low, authoritative, and it showed just how little they could instill any fear in him.

"Sounds like the beautiful king. I am afraid however, that I can not let you pass yet."

Conaan got down, then fixed his robe around them. He raised his hand to stop his soldiers from coming after him.

His hands clasped elegantly behind him as he walked the short distance, his head held high. The figures spread into three big men, each probably a foot taller than him.

"Why so?"

The man in the middle shrugged. "We do not have what you are looking for."

"I must check with Meredith herself."

The man's eyes squinted as he stepped closer to her. Slowly, he leaned forward to him, then grabbed Conaan's hand roughly.

"Meredith is no longer with us."

Conaan's eyes widened as he turned to the man, his blood running cold.

"She sent me...."

"I know. But Meredith broke the moon Goddess's rules, and she had to pay. She was not supposed to interfere, but she has."

Conaan's eyes darted across the man's, his brows furrowing. "Is it because of me?"

The man nodded, pulling Conaan further into him. He felt a paper fill his hand first, and then the man's hushed whisper.

"I shall not repeat what is written in there, but Meredith is now in her perfect place. Everything that happened to her is a sign that you shall prevail, because you....you will be tasked with the responsibility to give us another priestess who will dwell here, with us."

His hand released Conaan who took a small step back, his eyes wide. He didn't understand anything at all. And for the first time, he felt fear. Fear for something that was not Eleanor.

Suddenly, the man grabbed his knife, and before Conaan could react, he passed it skillfully over his face, tracing again the same mark that Eleanor had left.

Conaan gave a small gasp, his hand coming over his eyes, the wet, sticky fluid clinging on to his palm.

He looked up to the man, his breaths short.

"You will know why later."

Without another word, they disappeared with the mist, leaving Conaan standing there, his hand clasped over his face, the scroll in the other.

Eleanor dropped the wet towel she had been cleaning Matthew with, then gave a small smile. He was a little less pale, not quite noticeable, but his pinky has a small red patch on it now. Not a lot of progress, but progress nonetheleess.

Slowly, she left his side to wallk to the window. The sun was setting, and she felt her chest tighten. The palace felt miserably empty without Conaan. His endless heat, his scent, his face.

Weirdly everything seemed to remind her of him, even that one door to the bath house where she had seen him standing shirtless.

The memory always made her blush, and it made her miss him more. More than she thought she could contain for much longer.

She sighed one more time, then picked up the towel and walked away. It was evening already, time for her to go over the petitions brought in in Conaan's absence, and to help him in the only way she now could.

The fear stricken servant ran through the woods, the loose branches tearing at him yet he seemed to be unfazed. He ran through the woods and headed straight for Lucas's house. It had been two of them, and while the other, Jay had thought of reporting to the palace first, Benjamin had thought of Lucas.

He knew the face he saw very well, and he was not mistaken. He had seen the portrait countless times especially the ones in those secret meetings.

The door was open, and very unusually of him, he ran in, dropping straight on the floor, his chest heaving, his heart constricting as it beat rapidly.

"What is happening?"

Lucas was alone, something that was new these days, and Benjamin sifted his hands through his hair.

"A...A...."

"Speak!"

He swallowed hard, closing his eyes as the horror came up again in his mind, causing him to almost vomit.

"There...there is a body. A. Bo..a body has been...washed ashore."

Meanwhile, Brandon simply nodded at the imformation. He knew whose nody it would be and he was somewhat glad. His task of replaceing her would now be removed from his shoulders.

"Go with a few others and bring her back. His Highness will know what to do once he comes back."

Eleanor raised a brow. "You do not seem fazed that a body has been found washed ashore. Is it because it is not in the supplying water body?"

Brandon shook his head. "It is Esmeralda's body. His Highness particularly wanted her that way. Left out in the sea to reflect for the rest of the time she had. She was bound to be washed ashore."

Eleanor swallowed. "Esmeralda?"

Brandon nodded again, the entire thing feeling like music to his ears. Now that she was dead for sure, the plans of her being Conaan's potential breeder would take a pause. Hopefully till the very end of time itself.