Onyx

by Kimra

Chapter Three

Onyx twisted her legs below her, face rising up to view the midnight sky. The cold night air was damp in her lungs, soothing on her skin and calmed frayed nerves. She was tired, but she feared the dreams that would crash down on her if she let her eyes slip closed before exhaustion hit. If she forced herself awake now the sleep would came faster and time to think would be limited.

For a week the Eagle’s had haunted the corridors of the Tiger’s Lair. Most of whom granted her the same respect the majority of the Tiger subjects did. The only real exception to the rule was Talon Brown whom she had avoided with diligence.

“Weapon of the Land.” She breathed the title she had translated thoughtfully. The dignitary was an odd choice to send for peace talks with the Tiger Lord, usually for such matters of delicacy a herald would be sent, a Beak not a Talon. But Talon Brown, for all the obscurity of sending him, seemed an ideal choice in some ways. He was very alert, aware of what was happening, took up the leadership that was required for such a large group of dignitaries, and was young enough to be overlooked.

But he was too young. Far too young to realise how obvious he was, how dangerous the game he was trying to play was. She shook her head, he could not have been beyond 22. His features where still too fair, his smile too real and his eyes where to bright for him to be older. That was the risk foolish Animals took by sending their young to do the business of the old.

A smile tinged the corner of her lips. He was endearing though, his attempts at flattery more entertaining then flustering. He had a certain flair to his words that made what would in another man’s voice sound false, sound honest. Maybe it was the age, perhaps he wasn’t yet at the age she anticipated the deceit from. At least, not deceit so well executed.

The night before at the party which she realised now she should not have attended he had been the most interesting thing to happen.

She released a sigh of surrender, secure in the knowledge of her solitude at the peak of the Tiger’s Lair. No one would hear her here. She had climbed silently through dust covered stairs, up towers forgotten until she had come to this open roof to watch the night away. It was only here like this that she could forget and release the things that pinned inside her.

Absently she considered not sleeping, the fatigue of her body already releasing into the nights soothing air. She could go a lifetime without sleep and it would not hinder her performance in any way, it was merely a luxury she had become used to in the Tiger Lands and tonight she wanted to enjoy the small freedom her perch granted.

Resting her weight back against her arms she tilted her head up to the sky, letting thoughts of what was below sink from her mind.

* * * * *

Talon did not attempt stealth as he approached the bridge, he doubted he was any good at stealth and doubted even more it would fool her. She did not respond to his presence as he hoped she would as he lazed parallel to her, his back pressed in against the stone railing of the structure.

“It’s rather quiet out here.” Her began casually, shielding his eyes from the sun’s rays as he tried to keep her profile in view. It wasn’t a hard task, her entire posture and attitude was unflinching even in his presence. He wet his lips in thought, a little frown drawn, he didn’t like the feeling he got from being ignored by her. “I see your much more talkative outside of party’s.” He drawled teasingly but again received no response. “Fine, whatever. I’ve got nowhere else to be.” He muttered softly and turned his back to her and the sun. He looked down the bridge to the chasm that separated the Tiger Lands from the bare terrain that separated the Lands.

He was a little angry, as he strained his eyes to see how deep the chasm was, that she was still ignoring him. And his irritation help him in place, he would outwait her, that he could do.

Two nights of thinking about her after being released from diplomatic meetings since the ball and he had found himself restless. That’s what had lead him out here, to this bridge. He had even tried looking for her the last night but hadn’t really known where to start. At least here, he knew she would be, something about her spoke of dedication.

“Funny, that the Lord Tiger doesn’t have his own guards as well. I would, no offence.” He muttered to the air, knowing she was not going to respond for what ever reason. “I just wouldn’t trust the guardianship of my land to a single creature, yet alone one that was not my kind.”

“Stone’s are not creatures in the same sense as the Animals are.” A whispery voice informed him.

Talon jumped and spun around to stare into curious purple eyes.

“What?” He asked too surprised to process the situation properly. The purple eyes moved backwards and he took a full look at the lady dressed in a soft lilac dress. “Oh! I beg your pardon Stone Lady Amethyst.” He pressed his hand to his chest in dramatic appreciation. “You startled me.”

“Of course.” She replied, her eyes shifting across the bridge to the setting sun. Talon glanced as well not really interested. Fingers of red stretched across the sky, touching the blue and tinting it pinks and purples. Then he looked back at the passive violet eyes.

“But, none the less, I know Stones are not like the Animals, but I would still have other guards.” He debated it lightly, not wanting to offend with disagreeing but not willing to concede the point.

“Then perhaps you are wiser then the Lord of the Tigers. But why would you not trust a single sentry?”

Talon’s eyes moved across the bridge to rest on Onyx, and found her unmoved still.

“Just that.” He muttered, his lips pressing in thought before his attention snapped back onto Amethyst. “A sentry. You are not necessarily keeping out those the Tiger Lord does not wish to speak with, just his enemy’s. My party for instance, the Tiger Lord, if his own guard was here, would probably never have let us in. But it is not your duty to turn away the non-hostile creatures so you let us in without a second thought.”

“I am sure the Lady of Onyx had more then ten thoughts before any of you crossed this bridge. As too would I have had.” She went to say something else when her eyes shifted to the sun as it cast a last fleeting blaze of light across the scene then sank away. Without a word she walked up to Onyx, her stature more alert. Onyx had turned to face the lilac clad lady.

“My duties are done.” Onyx voiced, her eyes intently focused beyond Amethyst.

“My duties are begun.” Was the chanted response and they stepped past each other. Onyx towards Talon, Amethyst to the spot where Onyx had been standing.

Onyx’s eyes shifted over him in deep scrutiny making his pulse quicken with uncertainty before she turned sharply from him and began walking deeper into the Tiger Lands.

“Wait.” He called after her softly, and moved with a quick pace to catch up with her. Her pace was much faster then it seemed to be, her movements made her walk look casual, but it was at a speed he couldn’t keep up with, without half running. “Wait.” He repeated exasperated, he wasn’t going to lose this chance to speak with her now that he had made it.

Just as he was about to grab at her sleeve she spun around and stared deep into his eyes.

“Idiot.” She breathed out harshly, the black of her eyes alive even in the darkness of the forest around them. She went to turn around and he caught her sleeve preventing the movement.

“Why?” He demanded sharply. She turned again glaring at him, her skin an almost luminescent white in the still fading light.

“You-“ She shook her head and went to turn, only to be forced around again. Something told him when he turned her again that she was allowing it. There was a strength to her that suggested he couldn’t force anything on her. “You-“ She breathed again, her tongue shifting out and wetting her lower and upper lip’s, her eyes still a deadly black. “You went to my guard post!” She hissed lowly. He expected it to come out as a scream, but she seemed to be restraining.

“Why does that make me an idiot?” He asked carefully, he could feel her tension, it had seeped into the air around them.

“I suppose you didn’t need help to get that title.” She hissed, and yanked her sleeve from his grip before spinning and storming off without him. He ran to catch up, knowing that if he let her leave now he would probably loose the chance to talk to her for another night. Black hair and partly black skin would give her an amazing camouflaging skill of a night. He wondered briefly why she didn’t guard of a night considering Amethyst would blend better with the daylight as well.

“That wasn’t an answer.” He growled. He didn’t know why he was being so adamant about this conversation, but he couldn’t let it stop.

“It was, it just wasn’t the answer you wanted.” She snapped, then immediately her posture changed, her back straightened and her eyes faded to a mocking black. He was quite enthralled by her eyes, he had never thought black could be so expressive. “Why, Lord Eagle did you chose to visit my guard post?” The tone of voice had changed from the accusing and angry to that soft voice she had spoken with at the party. He did not feel any more secure with that tone then had had with the other.

“Perhaps I just liked the view.” His eyes swept over her boldly, his own mind berating what he was doing. His voice was a little teasing, now she had stopped, now she had the appearance of calm, he was ready to take them back to where he thought they where up to before her departure at the party.

“Do you know what I am?” She asked, her voice rigid.

He raised an eyebrow at that, and looked her over again, carefully scrutinising her form. “An angel?” He teased again, and was impressed that his sharp eyes picked up her sudden flush. If it hadn’t been night, he doubted she would have allowed it to happen.

“No.” She whispered in reply, her hand reached out and caught his chin, and she drew his face to her, their eyes locking and close. He found silver speckles in her eyes at their proximity and couldn’t look away. “I am a Warrior of Onyx, I am a Lady of Stone, and I am the guardian of that bridge from dawn till dusk.” She sighed sharply and the warm air moved across his face tickling slightly. “Do not speak to me when I am guarding, I will not respond, and I will not register it again. When I guard I am nothing else but the embodiment of my duty. Yes it is quite on the bridge, no I am not more talkative when I am guarding because I will only talk when it is part of my duty. And if I where the Lord of the Tiger’s I would indeed have two undeclared guards protecting the passage to my Lair who could turn any unwanted guest back.” Her breath moved across his face again and he realised she had released his chin, still he did not want to move until he had to. “And if you feel the need to stalk me, don’t let Amethyst see you staring at me!”

“I’m not stalking you!” He retorted sharply, then a smirk came across his lips. “Well not yet.” He whispered breathily, making sure his breath moved across her face as hers had his. And before she could respond he did something that he had wanted to do since seeing her. He breached the small distance between them, his lips capturing her black ones.

She went to jerk backwards and he caught her, one hand about her neck, the other tight on her waist and pulled her closer still. He realised as he took as much as he could from the kiss, that he was right her skin was smooth, and strangely cold, but that took nothing from his body’s reaction. When he realised the kiss was perhaps a bit abrupt and not entirely wanted he went to release her, but he never got the chance.

Like reflex to his small withdrawal her hands caught at him. One of her own behind his neck, the other deep in his hair and she intensified the once almost innocent kiss. Her body arched against his, and his grip tightened bending her a little as he twisted his head, trying to find a better angle for a kiss he never wanted to end. She wasn’t at all tentative in her response to him, taking as much incentive as he as the heat between them intensified.

Then abruptly her fingers weren’t embedded in his hair, and the kiss stopped.

He shook his head for a second and looked back up at her, to find she was already walking away from him, her black dress swirling about her smooth legs. He went to breach the distance between them again, when he heard a low growl to his left. He turned his head to find a Tiger citizen watching him.

“Problem Birdy?” The Tiger asked sharply. Talon frowned, his eyes skipping ahead on the path to find it empty. He restrained from cursing out loud, but his head went through every oath he could think of before his attention moved back to the Tiger citizen.

“Not at all Land-crawler.” Talon replied casually as he walked away from the creature, not really interested in a fight that could happen, or the political damage of using offensive slang on Tiger citizens. He was far to frazzled from the unexpected termination of what had to have been in his list of best kiss’s ever. He honestly believed as he returned to his rooms that if he had managed to ride the kiss out properly it would have rivalled perhaps even the top of his list.

* * * * *

Onyx stormed into her room with a flourish of movement, the door behind her slamming shut with her anger. Her eyes skipped about the room quickly, taking in the reassurance of the black lined walls and floor, pieces of onyx settled about the benches in differing shapes and sizes.

She ordered herself to breath in the serenity of her kindred and calmed as the stones about her whispered of ancient patience and devotion. Deftly she stripped the dress off her body, throwing it into a corner and paced the room. Again the brush of reassurance from the stones about her room assisted in calming her.

“Fine.” She muttered at them, a small smile playing at the edges of her lips. She stepped out onto her balcony, and collected the pieces of stone she had placed along the sandstone railing their warmth pushing into her cold fingers. Then returned to her room. She gestured the blinds shut vaguely as she passed them and walked across the room to the large bathroom. The giant basin of water waited for her and she dropped the collection of stones into it. Listening to the hiss as the sun soaked items touched the cold water. She gave commands and returned to the bedroom, rolling her head on her neck to try and remove the stress chinks that had appeared.

She flung her body across the bed, the silk sheets warm under her flesh.

A sigh escaped her lips and she flipped over staring at the roof as she waited for her orders to take effect. Above her, across the roof tiny onyx stones looked down at her and another sigh came from her lips.

A hand reached up and brushed at her lips thoughtfully. The Eagle was an idiot, there was no question about it. Having gone out there in the first place, when there was nothing between them. And then kissing her, as if he had a right to, as if he expected her to enjoy it. And the cursed thing was she had enjoyed it and she would do it again if the opportunity arose.

It was dangerous, this game, and it could not end well. But she could not help but return the kiss once it had begun. She cursed her body, the agitation rising once more and the soothing press of the Onyx about her fought the rising emotoin.

A soft call came from the bathroom and she rose from the beed and entered it, glancing down at the clear water to find the rocks smoothed about the surface of the basin giving it the same black sheen the roof and floors of her bed room had. A faint layer of steam rose through the air and she gave another sigh, but this time of contentment as she lowered herself into the warm water.

“Thank you.” She whispered her attention gone as she lowered her head beneath the water.

	Property of Kimra Lelanst, do not duplicate without consent.