In Her Element

Rupert sat up in bed with a start. His instinct was like a soldier’s, and he knew something was not right he was so much in tune with his surroundings. Quickly pulling on his favorite tunic and grabbing his small dagger, he burst through the door joining his room to his Almyra’s, calling out her name frantically as he did.

She was stretched out on her bed, the heavy blankets wrapped around her as she twisted and turned. The canopy was half-pulled out of its hangings. Her mouth was wide open in a silent scream, her face contorted with the horrors she thought she was seeing, and Rupert could see the beads of sweat that glistened on her face in the light of the small candle. Periodically, she emitted a low moan, a strangled sob.

Rupert shook his head at the scene that was not as unusual as he wished it was. His charge had more on her mind in her young age than many an adult that Rupert himself knew. What with her abilities that she had to keep a secret and the recent loss of her father, it was amazing that Almyra was able to cope, to go about her business day after day without an ounce of her hardships showing on her smooth face so as not to burden others with her issues.

“Almyra, wake up!” Rupert reached her and started to shake her, gently at first, then harder when she would not awaken. He did this, dodging balls of fire and spurts of scorching air and water in the process.

He managed to seize her flailing arms at her wrists and he held on tight. He closed his big, roughened hands around her delicate small ones, squelching the torrent of nature that she attempted to assail him with.

Almyra’s hazel eyes finally fluttered opened, and he sighed with great relief.

He reached for the washcloth on her night table and held it out to her. She grasped it firmly for a moment in her right hand, and then placed the now-dripping cloth on her pale forehead. She took in a shuddering breath. Closing her eyes, she exhaled slowly, attempting to calm herself and stop her shaking.

Rupert smoothed her hair slowly, pushing strands away from her heart-shaped face, and pulled away her covers. She automatically sent a soft breeze over the length of her body to cool herself off.

He stroked the raised mark on the side of her neck, his calloused fingers running over the smooth feature. She shivered a little as he did so. It reminded her that she was different. Rupert always said she was unique; she thought of it as unusual—weird.

“They are getting worse, Rupert,” she whispered. Tears pooled in her eyes, then ran down her cheeks. They fell on her pillow, staining the silk. “Every night. And…and…,” she sobbed, swallowing the rest of her words, unable to continue in her distressed state.

“And?” he whispered, continuing the steady soothing motions on her at the point where her neck almost met her shoulder at the back.

“He is in them, and I cannot understand what he is doing.”

“He’s in them because he is on your mind a lot lately. He is probably the last thing you think about before you go to sleep. You write about him too, am I right?”

She nodded, wiping at her face again with the washcloth. “I thought it would help but perhaps it is making it worse.”

He held her face carefully in his hands, caressing her wet cheeks with his thumbs. “You must get yourself to relax around him. Play his game. Act natural around him, as one your age should. As a young lady.” He looked down and grinned, “Flirt with him, and he is sure to let his guard down. Then perhaps you can back him into a corner.”

Almyra perked up and looked immensely thrilled with the prospect of rendering Frederick defenseless with her female wiles—not that she was entirely sure how to.

He let go of her and stood. “I’ll go bring you some mint tea. It will soothe you.”

He walked to the door, but paused, as he thought of something important, and turned around. “And flaming him is not a solution, Miss.”

Almyra rewarded him a watery grin and a shaky laugh.

He turned back, opened the door, and started. Frederick stood there, arms folded, with a really curious look on his face.