Fencliff: Part II

I watch as the men lead Asha away, her hands bound and her body limp. She seems to have grown steadily weaker as we made our way to Fencliff, the once vivid violet of her irises now dulled and returning to their naturally brown state. Its almost as though the life is being taken from her, her spark dulled. I had originally suspected that perhaps she was mentally and physically exhausted – a mixture of exertion and maybe even guilt. But the longer I observe her, the more I suspect that there may be a magical element to this – and I’m certain that Brunella will agree.

I weave my way through the cavern toward the makeshift bunks. I glance around but cannot find Brunella anywhere-

“Laurel, are you lost?” I turn to find a familiar face, round and slightly flushed. Aside from greetings and congratulations, Purdy has barely stopped for a moment since our arrival. I can see the sweat beading upon her brow as she mops it with the back of her hand.

“I was looking for Brunella” I reply, handing her the flask of water at my hip.

Purdy thanks me profusely, before taking a gulp.

“Ahh, then you’ll be needing to double back toward the kitchens – walk with me?” I nod, thanking her as we stride.

“How are you keeping, dear? The pregnancy appears to be treating you well” She smiles genuinely.

“Truthfully, I feel… the same. I had no idea until Asha mentioned it” Theres a note of sadness in my voice when I speak her name and I know Purdy picks up on it.

“It must have been a difficult to find out in such a way. Are you sure certain her word is to be trusted?”

I nod and explain that Ayris confirmed the news in a rather… awkward exchange. He said he could smell the change in me just moments before we went to speak with Asha. *I had no idea lycans could even do that*.

“Ah yes, a mate always knows” She smiles “If Ayris is certain then there is no mistaking it”.

We walk in silence for a few moments, my brain still struggling to grasp the concept of my mate knowing I was carrying a child before I did. I know logically that there is no way I could have known. I don’t possess the kind of preternatural instincts he does, but I can’t deny feeling rather more… disconnected. Like I’m some sort of bad parent.

Purdy pats my arm in a gesture of comfort, as though she can sense my thoughts.

“You will make a fine mother” she says warmly. “You will get to experience so many aspects of carrying the child than any male could ever hope to comprehend. We can permit Ayris this one thing, hmm?”

I nod, her words comforting me. She’s right. I will get to feel baby’s kicks and movements, the weight of he or she as they grow, and my belly expands. How could I have even thought that I would be more disconnected from the pregnancy.

“He will make a good father”.

I nod. “I know”

“He’ll be bloody insufferable whilst you’re carrying, and probably after the birth” Purdy chuckles.

I can’t help but laugh, recalling Ayris’ protective antics during and after the mating.

“I don’t doubt it” I reply, taking a mouthful of water from my canteen.

“Truthfully I am surprised he’s let you out of his sight for this long” Purdy muses as we walk through a wooden doorway, the large wooden handle carved with fish.

“He tried to assign me an escort to show me around, but I refused” Purdy laughs at this.

“Lycans are loyal beasts… they cannot always help their *protective* ways. It’s just how hey care for those most important to them”.

“You sound like you’re speaking from experience”.

Purdy nods, wistful look in her eye for the briefest of moments.

“Ayris’ father was the same, particular when I was carrying his pups”.

I’ve never heard any of them speak of Ayris’ father much and the admission catches me slightly off-guard.

“So, Ayris and he, they were similar?”

“Yes and no” Purdy answers, milling over the question. “Drake was protective, yes. But he was… surprisingly level-headed and patient for a lycan, as they are said to be prone to temper”.

I huff a laugh *prone to temper – don’t I know it”.

“I suppose Ayris’ temperament changed afterwards”.

“After Belmore?”

Purdy rests her hand atop my arm.

“After you, dear”. I pause, catching the genuine warmth radiating from her as she continues “You have brought him back to me, to us. And now you have blessed us once more” she glances down at my belly. “We are forever in your debt”.

I’m not sure if I have pregnancy hormones, but I can feel the heat of tears prick my eyes as she hugs me warmly. When I pull back, I see she too has a glassiness to her eyes that she attempts to casually fan away.

“Come now, let us find your friend”.

We eventually come to a stop at a large wooden dining bench situated toward the back of a large kitchen area. Two figures sit astride the bench, one greedily devouring an apple, whilst the other sits dissecting a second.

“I should have known” I mutter, mostly to myself, but it doesn’t escape Purdy’s ears.

“Indeed” Purdy replies. “No matter the hurt they cause one another they always find their way back to each other eventually”.

I turn to look at her.

“You know all about Brunella and Kel’s… *situation*?”

“*Of course*, I know about it” Purdy says, implying that the information is obvious.

“The daft idiot is bloody infatuated with her; trouble is he doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. Never has. Gets close and then pushes away. Breaks her heart and then leaves her with the broken pieces” my mouth hangs open. I had no idea Purdy knew any of this.

“I’m surprised she’s opened herself up to him again. He’s maligned the fact he broke her heart ever since he called off the engagement. The guilt gnaws away at him terribly”.

“As it should” I reply, recalling to Purdy the manner in which Bru had her heart broken.

“Just disappearing and joining the legion without even telling her. Not even a letter”

Purdy looks aghast and I realise I’ve overstepped. Apparently, she wasn’t privy to that information.

“Laurel!” Brunella interrupts as Purdy and I stride toward the carved bench. She places down the freshly peeled and sliced apple as Kel continues to devour the fruit laid in front of him.

He practically looks the picture of health, colour in his cheeks and twinkle in his eye as I catch him eyeing Bru from across the table as she walks toward us.

“Purdy, it’s been a while” she says. Purdy pulls her in for a tight hug, catching Brunella off-guard and making her laugh.

“It’s so good to see you, dear” she says honestly, sizing her up. Purdy gently cups Bru’ chin in her hands and turns her this way and that, as though checking her for injuries.

“Have you been taking care of yourself, dear?”

Brunella looks embarrassed and shrugs off the comment.

“Just a little tired from all the travelling” I can see she doesn’t want to continue this line of conversation any further and try to shift the focus. As I turn to Kel, I notice something akin to concern flashing across his eyes.

“You’re looking a lot better” I gesture to Kel, who straightens and flashes me his canines before inhaling two more slices of apple.

“It was only a scratch” Bru and I both huff a laugh, and Kel simply shrugs in acquiescence.

“I was well taken care of” he continues, and I notice Brunella’s cheeks flush pink.

A conversation ensues, and I wait for a natural pause.

“Would you mind if I borrowed Bru for a moment?” I ask.

Purdy shoos us away, telling us to take some fruit for ourselves as we make our way back through the doorway.

“It’s good to see you Purdy” I hear Kel say from somewhere behind us. A loud smacking sound swiftly follows.

“OW!” Kel yells. “Purdy, what the hell was that for?”.

And I can’t help but chuckle to myself as Brunella and I continue down the corridor.

“So let me see if I have this right” Brunella says as we walk “You want me to help you interrogate the prisoner *without* Ayris or any of his guard present”

I nod.

“Ayris will be thrilled when he finds out” She muses, eyes rolling. “And you think Asha will be more receptive to questions from us?”

I nod again. I explain to Bru that I think she’ll be more willing to open up to friendly faces; and if not perhaps she could figure out a magical way to convince her to talk to us.

“I need to know why she betrayed me” I continue. “I know that’s a selfish reason, but I also think if she’s willing to tell us, it may help us with how to get her to open up about Zora’s plans”.

Brunella mulls this a moment.

“You may be right” She concedes. “It would make sense that the more we know of the inner workings of a person, the more we can work out how best to get them to open up and divulge other information to us”.

I recall the last line of questioning we had tried before arriving at Fencliff. How she had announced my pregnancy and it had caught everyone so off-guard that we weren’t able to glean much from Asha at all. That and she still seems to be delirious from whatever magical influence had a hold over her.

As we approach the tunnel leading to her location I notice a single guard stationed at the entrance.

“You and Kel seem very… *tolerant* of one another” I muse as we both observe the guard and watch his movements.

Brunella says nothing for a beat or two.

“I thought he was dead” she states finally. “It was like every bad thing I had ever said to him flashed through my mind. I felt like I could not breathe for the weight of it. The weight of the hurt between us”.

I squeeze her hand in mine reassuringly.

“You were allowed to be angry, Bru. But I understand not wanting to have bad feeling between you”.

She nods.

“I have no idea what we are, or what we could be. We have not discussed nor decided anything” I see the pensive look on her face “For now I will let fate decide”.

“Right then” Bru says, breaking the silence between us. “Let us go question your prisoner”

She breaks into a stride and I jog to catch up.

“Wait, what about the guard?”

“Do not worry about him. Leave him to me” Brunella smiles.