Blue Crystal

Eltanin pursed his lips. He was fuming on the inside, but he did his best to control his anger. A palpable tension hung in the air. Eltanin was the King of Draka, and if he wanted to, he could have easily refused this alliance. But his father was worried. He growled in a low and dangerous tone to show his resentment.

"King Biham is going to be here for only one day, and so I will hold a dinner in his honor," Alrakis said as he slipped a slice of pork in between his jaws. He chewed on it slowly and glanced sidewards at Rigel. He pointed his fork at him. "You better not come up with any foolish ideas to endanger this."

Rigel looked up blankly. "Me?" he asked, appearing flustered. Gulping down his meat pie, he added, "Why would I do anything to destroy a royal alliance? I am not that sort of person." He crossed his heart and shook his head innocently. He mumbled something incoherent and then resumed eating.

Soon, even Alrakis wiped his hands on his napkin and walked out of the dining hall.

Rigel loosed a breath, relaxing back in his chair the moment Alrakis left. "Eltanin, all I can say is that there is no harm in courting Princess Morava. Who knows? She could be the kind of Luna you are looking for. After all, she has been raised as royalty and she must have all the qualities of a queen-to-be."

"Shut up!" Eltanin snarled. "Don't you bloody manipulate me! We've already had this discussion." He chewed the lamb steak in his mouth ferociously, staring at the place where his father had sat. The idea of marrying anyone other than the girl was suddenly repulsive— Wait, what? Marrying her? Where had that thought come from? He lost his appetite, and his mood dived further.

Seeing that his friend was in a surly mood, Rigel asked, "Why don't you go to the Blue Crystal? We can meet later in the evening."

The Blue Crystal was the official chambers of the kingdom, located only one meandering path down the hill on the west of the palace. It was practically in the palace's premises, but far from the it's usual humdrum.

A massive obelisk, a crystal monolith, stood taller than a tusker in the kingdom. A deep blue tinge was revealed whenever a ray of sun fell upon it. It was unknown as to how the crystal menhir had ever come to stand here, but it was revered by the kingdom's subjects. The monolith had become the symbol of the Draka Kingdom, and their ancestors had constructed a small building in front of it that served as the official chambers.

When Eltanin ascended to power, he added a floor above the chambers. Access to it, however, was limited. Later, Eltanin added another floor above it, accessible only by him. That floor had an impressive bedchamber and a balcony with night-blooming roses and floral vines coiled around the rails. He had ordered its construction so that he had a space to work late into the night and then get some rest.

Rather than return to the palace, he would spend his nights at the Blue Crystal, which was just as guarded as the palace itself.

Over the years, Eltanin had started construction of another building in the east corner of the capital which served as a common packhouse for those without homes to live in or children who were orphaned. It was a project close to his heart.

Other than that, Eltanin had private lodges spread out across the Eslam Forest. So private, in fact, that nobody other than Rigel and Fafnir knew about them. Not even his own father knew. Yes, he was a sly wolf with crazy fantasies.

"What about you?" Eltanin asked, wiping his lips with a napkin before folding it.

Rigel chuckled and winked. "I have two she-wolves waiting for me in one of your private lodges near the Shede Lagoon."

"What the hell?" Eltanin snapped, his expressions turning murderous. His servants jumped at the snap. Feeling their fear, he dipped his voice by several octaves, saying, "You know that no one is allowed to enter those cabins. No one knows about them!"

Unaffected by Eltanin's outburst, Rigel stretched his arms above his head. With a wicked smile on his face, he said, "I know about them. Don't worry. They will be blindfolded, bound, and gagged when brought to the cabin."

Shock replaced his anger; Eltanin scowled. He knew of Rigel's excessive indulgences. The wolf was a ferocious predator who loved to pounce on his meat. And sometimes Eltanin wondered what would happen to Rigel if he should ever find his mate.

Rigel waved his hand, dismissing his anger. And only he could take that liberty, or his mother. "Stop getting jumpy at all things in life. Relax and enjoy it! In fact, if you want to come and join us, you are most welcome. I am sure Shede Lagoon will see a lot of naked bodies tonight." He winked again.

Eltanin threw his napkin on the table and shook his head. So that was why Rigel asked him to go to the Blue Crystal. "I have work to do!" Somehow, the idea of joining Rigel repulsed him despite their earlier adventures together with lots of naked women.

Rigel raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

Eltanin grunted. The King got up from his place, kicking the chair behind him, and strode out the dining hall. What was happening to him? Was he becoming lame? He really needed to give exercise to his manhood, yet all he thought of was how to get the girl back. Was he tipping the line from becoming obsessive to insanely obsessive? Was there a difference between the two? He shook his head, grunted more and marched to the portico where his carriage was waiting.

Though Eltanin often liked to work from the palace in the library, the Blue Crystal was his quiet place to work, without his prying father around. And that was not to mention the other cousins and clan members who liked to disturb him as he worked.

All the way to Blue Crystal, his thoughts were occupied by a certain girl who left him in the most tumultuous state he had ever been. He started his day with anxiety, ran to the Eslam to subdue it, made plans with Rigel and was sure that he had it in control. Yet here he was—back to where he started from. He was going to ask Fafnir whether he dug up any information about the girl. How was it possible that she disappeared like she never existed?