Life of a Phoenix - Chapter 14 - A little fun conversation

The halls were quite as Aryun made her way through them, noticing the changes that evolved over her long period away. The colors had faded slightly upon the wool of the carpets, and the tapestries looked weathered and worn.

She shook her head, thinking about this last curve that Fate had thrown her. She frowned slightly. Life was becoming strange for her.

"I hate fate," she muttered softly to herself. "I seem to be thrown at this young man's feet, and I don't know what to do." She sighed, running a hand through her loose hair and shaking it out slightly. "Well, life is life and therefore it's hell. Isn't that what I always say?"

She stopped in front of a solid wood door, and knocked softly.

A soft, lyrical voice gave permission to enter.

Aryun slowly swung in the door, and stepping inside the plain room, shut it without a sound.

There was hardly any decoration to the room, except for the plain wooden bed and a tall dresser. Aryun's eyes scanned the room to rest upon a normal looking woman sitting beside the bed.

The woman was all curves, and a near perfect symbol of what women should look like. She was dressed much like Aryun with the black leather pants that clung to her legs, and a soft, white silk shirt. Her long sun-spun hair was done into a single braid down her back. She turned her face to smile at Aryun, and Aryun returned the smile.

The woman's skin was like alabaster, and a delicate rosy hue highlighted her face. Her eyes were wide and round, and within their violet depths, there shone a love greater than any would know. She nodded her head; flipping back a loose strand of sun touched hair, and motioned her to sit next to her in the vacant seat.

"Tyral decided to pay a visit to KimVay. The baka won't be back for a little while."

Aryun shook her head, laughing slightly as she slipped into the chair at the bedside of her general. "Ah, so he's an idiot now instead of a bastard?"

"Well, he is a bastard, and he can be an idiot."

"Ah, off time."

"What is that supposed to mean, Aryun Narice?"

"Ah, nothing, Lethe. Nothing at all." A smile curved Aryun's lips. "So how's my bodyguard?"

"He's a lot better than a month ago." Lethe sighed, her thumb gently brushing against the limp general's hand. "His fever has gone down. Iraina says it's gone for good. Hopefully, it won't spike up anymore."

"Poor leopard."

"I take it you got the baka's letter?"

"Yeah I did. I had no clue it had gotten this bad."

"War is never a pretty sight, and Voaton is willing to kill anyone associated with him."

"I figured as much, but how did he get wounded?"

Lethe sighed, "We don't know, Aryun. That's the problem. Until Ashitare can awake and tell us what happened, we won't know."

"How long before he awakens?"

"A day or two, she said, but I'm not sure."

Aryun sighed and looked at the wan face of her general, one of her few friends, and her bodyguard whenever she came home.

His once delicately tanned face was pale and wan. His long, slender fingers were limp upon the coverlet and within Lethe's hand.

Aryun reached forward, brushing his wet white hair out of his face as her fingers trailed down the sharp features of his face to his sharply pointed ears. She laughed slightly before she ran her hand through his bangs.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, I just think he needs a set of fuzzy ears to match his abilities."

Lethe choked back a snicker. "You're right. Most do have fuzzy ears on the top of their head, and not pointed ones."

"Ah well, when he gets to feeling better, we'll have to make him some to match that tail he's got wrapped around his waist."

"Oh gosh, I forgot about his tail . . . maybe that's why Cerith is chasing him around."

Aryun arched her eyebrow. "Cerith? Are we talking about the same man here? Long cinnamon colored hair, kind of tall with slate colored eyes, and has a very bad tendency to tie people up with that damned ninja weapon?"

"The very same."

Aryun snorted, grinning like mad. "I would love to see that one." With a slight sigh, she rose, brushing a kiss across Ashitare's pale cheek. "Inform me when he wakes. I'll likely be back to see how he is. Right now, I've guests to entertain." She winked at Lethe before she walked out of the room, softly shutting the door behind her.