Touch of Flame

Ravina went back and forth around the house trying to find the tools she needed to prepare a bath. She found water outside and thought that she would probably need to boil some. Not knowing how to make fire she took fire from one of the candles to start a new fire. Then she boiled water on the stove.

In the meantime, she found a bathing tub and took it to the small private room. She needed a closed space so the water wouldn’t get cold too fast. She filled the tub with cold water. Soap and washing cloth she found in the private room as well, together with a scraper and shaving tool. Once everything was ready, she went back to bring the hot water and carried it upstairs while being careful not to burn herself. Mixing it with the cold one, the bath was finally ready.

It was steaming hot. She wished heat did burn a dragon then she would boil him in the water. But he was already playing with fire by keeping him his maid. As if his jealousy wasn’t palpable. And she thought he was angry because of the messengers.

Who were they? And why were they interfering? She would have to find out about them. She would also have to know more about the Azar clan. Politics wasn’t easy and King Malachi seemed to be in trouble. It would be fun to see what he would decide to do with her.

Those messengers would certainly come back and try to take her away again and Malachi couldn’t even let her be with his brother. She had to admit he was funny but if he did allow those men to take her, then she wondered how they would use her to get hold of the inventions. That is if they managed to keep her alive for so long. They didn’t know death was within her.

“Is it done?”

She jerked at his voice. Turning around, he was already standing half-naked in front of her, like almost all of them. His vest only covered his back and his trousers hang low on his hips.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” She replied.

He walked in to see the tub and looked at the tools laying around.

“Impressive.” He nodded. “You were born to be a servant. Well, all humans are.”

Now she truly wished she could boil him. “I am NOT going to help you bathe.”

He looked at her and raised a brow. “I did not ask you to. Unfortunately, I can’t bathe right now. I have things I need to attend.”

Things? Or he just made her work for nothing. “Too bad you can’t enjoy your bath.”

“Well, you are here to serve me now. I am sure you will prepare for me many more baths. Just make some lunch until I come back.”

He walked past her not waiting for a reply. Lunch? She turned around and watched him leave.

What if she didn’t? What would he do? He would probably threaten to send her away with the messengers as if that would frighten her at this point.

Ravina looked at the tub filled with water. What a waste of her efforts. She wondered if she should use it.

She went to close the door and saw that it had a lock. So where was the key then? She looked through drawers but found it at last hanging on the wall just near the door. Locking the room, she turned the handle to make sure it was locked. Not that it would make much of a difference if he wanted to enter.

Deciding to be quick, she took off her clothes and got into the bathtub. She washed and scrubbed herself and then quickly got out even though the warm water was so soothing to her aching muscles.

Putting her clothes back on was a struggle when she was still wet. She tried to remember how to fold the skirt and manages at last then she put on the mini blouse that only covered her chest. She did not bother putting all the jewelry back on. Instead, she unlocked the door and went to the balcony to let her hair dry in the warm sun.

She stood near the rim for a while and then went to open the door and remove the curtains completely to let the sunlight peek inside. The light fell on Malachi’s bed and she went to lay down so the sun would warm her. Closing her eyes, she tried to relax ignoring Malachi’s order to make lunch. She would just pretend to be asleep when he returned.

***

Meanwhile, Malachi sat with his brothers and his mother in the main hall to talk. They had different concerns but Saul had a solution.

“Malachi. You know people have already been worried. First, because their king was absent for over two weeks and now he is back with a human breedmate. You are making them lose faith in you and confusing them.” Saul said. “You can keep your breedmate if you want but you need to find a dragon queen so people can feel calm.”

Malachi stiffened. Find a queen?

He looked at Saul, turned to Joel, and then Kenan. They all agreed with him. Malachi looked at his mother who seemed thoughtful and Aaron wore a frown.

Malachi returned to look at Saul and he waited for him to say something. “Are you thinking of making the human our queen?” He raised a brow when Malachi remained quiet.

He could not. “No,” Malachi said. “She won’t be our queen.”

“Good. Then can I send a word to princess Zoila to visit us? She lost her breedmate. She would be a good candidate for a queen and we would have an alliance with her clan.” Saul explained.

“Yes. Send an invitation.” Malachi said.

He had allowed Ravina to get into his head but he was king and his responsibility was toward his people and their safety. He could not let her have her way and it would be fun to see her realize that she would lose the position she was aiming for.

“Good. Then we have a solution.” Saul said.

“I don’t think it is a good solution.” His mother spoke. “You think your breedmate will just stay quiet and accept this?”

“She will have no choice,” Malachi said.

Aaron squinted his eyes. What was he thinking? “You have something to say, Aaron?”

He remained quiet for a while then spoke, “no.”

It felt like he had a lot to say but decided to stay silent.

Malachi stood up from his seat feeling like he wanted to punch both Saul and Aaron into the ground, seven feet below. He strode out of the hall, shifted, and went back home. When he arrived at his room, he saw the bathtub still there, and the water was used.

The wind carrying a sweet scent made him turn and he found Ravina in his bed. He slowly went to stand at the end of the bed and looked at her sleeping spread out on his white sheets. Her knees were bent and pointing left while she lay on her back with one hand resting on her stomach and the other beside her head.

The soft sunlight that came through the balcony fell on her making her wet pale hair glow golden. Her cheeks were slightly burned from the sun.

Anger and frustration gnawed at him at the way she made him feel again, sleeping in his bed in her tempting beauty. She stirred, arching for a moment and turning her face to the other side.

Malachi imagined running his fingers along her bare stomach and watching her arch to his touch. Then he wanted to lean down and mark her slender neck with his lips. His fingers itched and his feet carried him around the bed to come to her side.

His hand reached for her, but he could not bring himself to touch her and when she threw her head in his direction again, he quickly pulled back his hand. The sun hit her face anew and she became disturbed. She put her hand up to block the sun so she could open her eyes. She squinted at him.

He walked away to shut the balcony and close the curtains before turning to her. She pushed herself up on her elbows.

“Did I tell you to bathe and sleep or make lunch?”

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