“I know it sounds unpleasant, my lady, but he has helped many people with it. He doesn’t use it often.” She gives me a reassured smile. It’s hard to believe such a gentle person has such a scary ability.
“As I’m sure you know our fairy prince uses air magic, much like myself. Faires have more elemental affinities than most but others also share that trait, like the nymphs for example.” It kinda makes sense, the fairies and nymphs are very down to earth and care very much about nature.
“Come, my lady. Your first lesson is to ride and bond to a irhoth.” She says taking my hand and leading me to the door.
On the way Arabella explained what the irhoth are. She said they can live up to one hundred and seventy five years. They have up to four babies every six years.
The females mate for life, but males are secretly promiscuous. The Irhoth family group is large, has a strong bond and is led by the mother. Young males leave to join new families when they are of breeding age.
They communicate by tapping and thudding the ground, and have an affinity for shiny objects.
We finally make it out to the back stables. Willow and Sona are already there.
“Hey Beatrice!” Willow runs up and gives me a hug. “Are you excited?! I’ve never done something like this before!” She says excitedly, looking up at me with a beaming smile.
I hug her back “No I haven’t. I’ve raised horses and farm animals, but never anything like this.” She pulls back, Sona walking over in her forest green suit. Actually we all have similar ones, just different colors. Willows is yellow and it brings out her clear gray eyes.
“Sona is secretly looking forward to it.” Willow says with a playful smirk. Sona gives her a glare “I never said I didn’t look forward to it.” She crosses her arms, turning to me.
“Do you know when we’ll be starting?” I ask her.
“Once all the girls get here they’ll let us out to find the herds.” She explains, I look over to see our maids socializing in a seated area.
“Our maids will follow us silently.” Willow says taking my arm in hers. I let her and Sona lead me to a gate. “Once we go in we’ll have to separate. My maid said that there will be someone either with a herd or one specific irhoth.” Sona turns to me “They tell you what to do next.”
“Can we fail doing this?” I ask her, Willow letting go of my arm as the gate opens. “I think you can, so make sure which irhoth you see is the right one for you.” I look at Sona puzzled “How can you tell something like that?” I ask her, she smiles, the first one I’ve ever seen on her face. My breath is taken away from the gesture.
“You’ll know, for those who don’t care and just want to win will fail.” She says stepping past the gate way and running off.
Willow and I watch as she goes. “I wish you luck Beatrice! I know you’ll do great though!” She gives my hand a gentle squeeze before skipping off.
I take a deep breath, putting on my game face, I run off as well.
I’ve passed a couple herds and some of the other chosen, trying to find my irhoth. I feel like I’ve gone further than anyone into these forests and meadows.
I slow to a stop, checking my surroundings before going off to the left. I sigh, looking around for anything. I really hope I can find mine, it would be embarrassing and less appealing if I lose today. I need to fight hard in these trails!
I walk through some rose bushes before stopping completely. Straight ahead I see a man with huge horns and a bull tail. His chest and shoulders are bare and broad. His hair cut clean, a little stubble running down his jaw. His body and hands are massive. He looks like a ruthless god.
He turns to me, his eyes a deep black, matching his horns and hair. I hold my breath at his dark beauty.
He straightens his back at my stare, I blush looking away before my eye catches an animal next to him. It has A large, unique oval head with a hairy mane, two dull blue serpentine eyes situated high on its head, a long torso, and a long snout filled with flat teeth. It has a wide neck, and its shoulders are broad. It has two stem-like ear tentacles, four very long, strong legs that end in two forward-facing hooks and no tail.
It’s head is covered in luxurious fur, while the rest of its body is covered in thick, rubbery skin. Most of its body is black with white swirls, while the rest of its body is sandy yellow.
I’m guessing it has to be the irhoth. I walk closer to the man next to it. He nods “My name is Novak, I’ll be helping you through the bonding process if this gal is the one you choose.” His voice is rough in a sexy way, I bite my lip and hold my thighs together.
I look over to the irhoth, I think he said gal. So it must be a she “I heard the females travel in herds.” I say and he smiles slyly. “They do, she has just left her herd to start her own.” I look at her, for some reason I’m drawn to her.
I feel like we could understand each other. She seems just as curious about the world like I am. I step closer to her, seeing the spark for adventure in her eyes.
“I would like to bond with her.” I turn to him prepared to do whatever I must. He gives me a sexy smirk before nodding, why do I find this man so appealing?!
He takes my small hand into his big one, placing it on the irhoths shoulder. Her skin shivers from my foreign touch. “Let her know your touch.” He says softly into my ear, moving my hand in his to stroke her.
He moves my hand away and brings it to her nose. “Let her know your scent.” His breath hits the side of my neck, causing me to shiver. She breaths in my hand, a snort leaving her nose. I smile at the gesture, turning to see Novak smirking down at me.
He moves back “Now you must get on her.” Without warning he picks me up effortlessly, placing me on her back.
Oh my goddess it’s high up here! She’s over seven feet tall! I calm myself not wanting to spook her.
“Now, take both of these.” He guides her tentacle ear things, which I found out actually aren’t her ears. They’re just above her ears. He guides them to my hands gently,she uses them to push past my palm and circle around my wrist.
Instantly my breath leaves my lungs, and my eyes roll to the back of my head, my back fully straightening. The only thing I can do is hear Novak’s voice.
“Don’t fight it! Let her in, feel her. Feel her breath, how her strong legs move. What she's feeling.” What she’s feeling? She’s feeling excited?
I can feel how her legs move, each breath she takes. Her hooves stomping the ground in excitement. We share a breath and another before I can feel her move like I want her too.
“Ask her, her name.” Her name? I can feel her instantly pushing it to the front of my thoughts.
“Purrna.” The name leaves my lips softly. She moves her body excitedly from hearing her name. “So that’s her name.” Novak says, my body relaxes into hers. Finally able to see again, I look down at him.
“This is crazy.” I say with a smile, I’ve definitely never done anything like this back home!
He smirks at me “Take her for a run.” I look at him shocked “Is that ok?” I ask, still smiling. He nods smacking her rear, forcing her to run.
I giggle feeling the strength and excitement from her. I can see and feel what she does, she feels free…
I take a deep breath of air, loving the feeling of it running through my hair, and so does she. I feel her tense, a male irhoth is nearby.
I look to my left to see Novak catching up to us on his own irhoth. Purrna sees through my eyes and runs like the wind from the competition. She doesn’t want to lose to Novak and his irhoth.
I encourage her to do her best and that I got her back! Who says a race isn't a good bonding exercise!
Novak and his irhoth are catching up on our rear! Purrna jumps over big logs and rocks, trying to lose Novak.
“Whoever makes it to the watering hole wins!” He yells from behind, hearing the laugh in his sexy voice. How did this even happen? I giggle to myself.
Purrna doesn’t give up, she pushes and pushes. Before we know it we can see the watering hole! Yes, we got his Purrna! Just as were about to touch the sand, Novak and his irhoth run right past us.
Purrna and I are both shocked, how the heck did he beat us?! We were ahead of him! He looks over his shoulder and gives us a cocky smirk. “Don’t get to cocky noobie.” He says a glint in his eye, me cocky?! Look who’s talking!
I'm about to give him a piece of my mind before I hear a familiar shout. “Beatrice! You got irhoth too!” I turn to see Willow with Sona. She’s waving her arm at me, Sona telling her to stop before she rips off her poor irhoths tentacle off.
I look back to find Novak gone. Huh?! Where did they go, Purrna doesn't know either. She was busy eating grass.
Sona and Willow come over still on top of their irhoth. “Glad to see you made a bond.” Sona says smiling proudly at me. I smile back “Me too, it took me forever to find her. I was worried everyone already took them all.” I giggle, Willow smiles as well.
“I know what you mean, I’m so tired and hungry already!” Willow says, looking like she’s ready to eat a whole feast.
“Come on then, I heard that they prepared dinner since it’s so late already. A lot of people took longer than expected and it's already past lunch time.” Sona gives both Willow and I a look. I blush, feeling embarrassed that I took so long.
We all head back to the palace on our new irhoth companions. We all wash up and get ready for our early dinner.
Arabella puts me in a comfortable loose flowy dress. I look around at the dinner table “Hey guys have you seen Lucy I didn’t see-” I finally spot her sitting next to Annabeth from the carriage.
Willow and Sona follow my line of sight. “No she fucking didn’t.” Sona says angrily, clenching the fork in her hand.
Willow looks down the table to Lucy sadly. “She looks like she’s laughing and smiling so fakely.”
“Oh yeah? Or is that just truly how she acts?!” I can see and feel Sona’s anger growing. Willow turns to her and takes her hand “Calm down Sona, getting worked up won't help anything.”
“That's easier said than done!” She takes her hand from Willow and starts stuffing her face with food. “Annabeth is a huge bitch! She’s been spoiled since she was a babe! She could care less how anyone feels!” She says between bites “I just can’t deal with her! She pisses me off to no end, and I can’t believe Lucy would want to hang with her!” She growls out, looking pissed as hell.
Willow looks at her with sad eyes. “I’m sure there's a reason.” She says softly. “You can never see the bad in people Willow! You always think that no one could be so awful! Until the day they sold us off here! Then for a few seconds you realized that life can be shitty!” Sona barks out at Willow, I’ve never seen her so mad!
Sona stands up from the table and leaves without saying a word, her maid following closely behind. I turn to make sure that Willow is alright, though she only watches her go and sighs. I’m a bit shocked not to see her in tears.
She turns to me and gives me a sad smile with a tilt of her head. “Sona can get like this sometimes when the stress can be too much. I’m sure seeing Lucy so close with Annabeth really did it for her.”
“Why does she hate Annabeth so much?” I ask, genuinely curious about the relationship between them. “Annabeth told on Sona for sneaking off and playing with the boys, and wearing boys clothes.” She takes a deep breath “Sona’s parents had money and because of it they were greedy for more. They didn’t want Sona to be a tomboy and running around with other boys. It would make her look bad for possible wealthy suitors.” It makes a lot of sense now, Annabeth took away something Sona loved most, and that was being herself.
After dinner I decided to go back to my room and rest for the rest of the day. Arabella finally left my room when I told her I’d be fine on my own and that she could go take a break and enjoy herself.
That woman really works too hard, she’s always doing so much for me. I should really get or make her something to thank her for all her hard work.
I was just about to rest when the door to my room opened again. “Arabella I told you already to-” I turn to find Novak, closing the door to my room.
Hello! I apologize for grammar and misspelled words!
I’m not able to edit much, so you can point something out if it looks wrong!
I’ve seen y’all mention it in some reviews hehe
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