11 In the Night: Part 2 (11)

Caeli slowly woke. She had an overwhelming sense of having done this before.

She opened her eyes to the night sky once more. The moon was full and bright and just as it had been before she had fallen asleep.

Put to sleep.

By the creature.

Caeli sat up quickly to find that she was wrapped in the beasts embrace. Curled around her, the creatures red orbs were gone. It took a moment to realize that it's eyes were closed.

As her fear began to rise, she stopped herself. Obviously this creature did not intend to consume her as a meal considering it could have easily eaten her while she was unconscious.

So what did it want with her?

She slowly shifted herself into a sitting position attempting not to wake the creature.

Unsuccessful.

The skulls eyes slowly lit, like a candles small glowing flame slowly becoming brighter, the red orb in the socket she could see swiveled to look at her.

"He-hello.", Caeli squeaked unconsciously. She cleared her throat softly.

It lifted its head to look at her fully.

"Hello.", he said back. His voice was distinctly male now. It echoed less than before.

The thought of the fact that this, thing, was male made Caeli uncomfortable. Her face flushed red and hot. Here she was pressed against him and she didn't know his name.

She failed to realize that this was exactly why Aurum had wanted her to cover herself up earlier.

Caeli wrapped her arms around herself and attempted to make herself as small as possible, pulling her body away from him and trying to fit into the small empty space between his legs and abdomen.

The creature stared at her intently. She looked for anywhere to look other than directly at him.

Remembering the hierarchy of magical Folk, Caeli addressed him the way she was taught by the forest people. She had learned the more powerful a Folk, the higher their status. As this creature was shadow embodied and bore the skull of a dragon, Caeli could not begin to fathom its magical prowess.

"My lord, please, I just want my friends back and to leave. I'm sorry that we trespassed, I assure you we will leave, as soon as you reunite us.", she said quickly. She would die before leaving her companions behind. Her desperation for her friends safety made her forget her manners for a moment. The evidence was in how she had finished her sentence.

"Caeli....", he responded.

"You know my name?"

"I have heard the gelding and the reptile use it. I apologize for any rudeness."

"How long have you been watching us?", she asked lowering her eyes to the ground.

"I began following your tracks a few weeks ago. This is not my home. I simply followed you here. I am as unfamiliar with this place as you are.", he responded looking around at their surroundings.

Now that she was this close she saw that the skull was perhaps a mask. She could see where the pitch black neck entered the base of the skull but all else was concealed beyond that point. It seemed as though he did have a lower jaw but it simply was not made of bone like the rest of his face. She couldn't help her curiosity.

Then again looking at him was almost like looking into pitch black night. It was so difficult to tell.

*Start withs something simple. Try not to push too hard, too soon.*, she thought to herself.

"Why has it been night for so long?", she asked looking to the sky.

"I am keeping it that way. It seems that I can see and enter moments in time. So long as they happen at night. That's all I know.", he said.

"It seems? You are unsure, my lord." , she responded skeptically, quickly interjecting his address. Heaven help her if she offended this entity.

"Caeli.... I know you have many questions. I unfortunately do not have many answers."

"Why are you keeping me here, my lord?", she asked. The one question he knew she wouldn't like the answer to. Having observed her for quite sometime, he knew that she was strong willed and wanted her freedom.

*I can't. Cant tell her the truth. Not yet. What will she think? She'll think you're crazy and for good reason.*, he thought to himself. The girl was terrified. They had already been in each other's presence for almost two days and they had only just started getting somewhere.

He considered her not running in abject terror "somewhere".

"Because you and your friends were in danger.", he said slowly. Yes, that would work for now.

Caeli's eyes widened. Why would he want to help those he doesn't even know?

Suddenly, she realized she had done the same for Aurum. Would it be naïve to think that this creature was helping them out of the kindness of his heart? She was more likely to expect such behavior out of a Fae than a human, so the idea didn't seem entirely far-fetched.

Then again he was obviously very powerful, and the last powerful Fae she had met was considered cold and heartless by her Fae friends.

"Well, in that case, thank you my lord. My friends and I are, unfortunately, inexperienced. My companions do not have much magic and I have none at all. I suppose we are easy targets.", she said seriously. Her brow furrowing at the thought.

The beast tilted his head to the side at her response.

She stopped herself. She should not have disclosed that information.

Her frown deepened.

It was likely that this creature was deeply seeded in magic and would be able to perceive on his own that they were a group of weaker beings. In the end she decided her accidental divulgence would not greatly worsen her situation.

It occurred to Caeli that he could be the dark presence Brego had sensed days ago when they first left Flumen. She was generally unsettled but she also figured things could be much worse.

Caeli hoped, prayed, that he was friendly. She was also grateful that he had not harmed her. She was unsure still of the status of her friends, she would tread carefully in this beasts presence. If she was lucky, her and her friends would escape unscathed. If she was very, very lucky.

"Caeli.", the voice that mimicked the echoing of a cavern, deep and gruff. It's tone was despairingly gentle.

"Yes, my lord?", she said softly in response. Eyes wide with anticipation, guarding herself and attempting to be ready for a sudden and deadly change in attitude from him, Caeli slowly looked directly into the dark and dimly lit eye sockets.

"Caeli, I-I.....", there was a long pause and the creature turned its skeleton face to the sky.

"Please do not be frightened. I apologize that at this point I continue to repeat myself. In the beginning... words were even more difficult for me than they are now. I swear to the goddess I am not here to harm you. You do not trust me, understandably so. I am begging you not to be afraid despite that because it impales me internally in a way that is difficult to convey.", he said quietly to the night sky. His low voice croaked and crackled as it echoed itself. It was so difficult for her to know what this creature was thinking, feeling.

The skull, devoid of flesh and muscle, expressed nothing. With her natural gift of perception, her mind unconsciously adapted, almost instantly she began to rely on the brightness of the orbs in the sockets and the tone of voice in order to better understand the creature and his true intentions. It came second nature to Caeli. So second nature, she was unaware of how she knew that the creature was feeling remorse, heartache.

She just, knew.

It made her confusion climax in a disarray of questions. Frantically her mind worked to try and make sense of things.

A lonely and despondent soul made of shadow and remains, able to control time, that had tracked her slap-dash gang to... to what? Protect them from something? Someone? None of it made any sense.

What did he want? What did he need?

Caeli realized this creature needed something. She felt it the same way she felt the fear and disgust of those she had encountered in her village when they singled her out as strange. She knew it the same way she knew that her suitors had interest in her body but not in her mind or heart.

She just, knew.