A deep furrow appeared between my brows. He was…. disappointed that I was training? And here I’d thought that two and a half hours had been too little..
But when he spoke of a healer, I drew back in surprise. “With all due respect, would that be necessary? I have some cream in my room, I could just use that.”
I looked back at him, raising an eyebrow at his reaction.
“It would be better to heal this quickly,” I informed him. “I’m not a healer. I can’t tell if you’ve overworked your hands or not. The healer would determine if there’s anything wrong or not.
After a brief pause, I nodded and assented, suddenly realizing how far down my guard had slipped.
“Alright,” I answered, making to follow after him.
Thankfully, his skin was just a bit bruised. Otherwise, his hands were okay. The bruises were healed in no time, and then Elliot and I were making our way back.
Key, who had been gone from the moment Elliot had noticed me, returned, flapping his wings, shooting me a smirk. I chose to ignore him.
Walking back into the dorm, I turned to Elliot.
“Rest,” I commanded him. “Dinner will be in a few hours. Either study and learn more about the Oath, or relax yourself.”
My eyes, which had been fixed to the bondmate hovering near Colton, snapped back to my trainer. “I will,” I promised him, flexing and curling my newly healed fingers.
A few days later….
"Elliot!" I tilted my face up, grinning at my redheaded roommate, who was currently lounging on one of the many plush sofas in our dormitory. "Truth or dare?" Tapping my lip thoughtfully, I curled my legs beneath me, leaning against the side of the armchair beside me. "Uhh….."
The golden sun beyond the school walls had finally dipped below the horizon, signalling the end of my first Saturday at Rubinem. Outside, the sky was painted in rich swirls of indigo and fading periwinkle, the colours of the dusk that so matched the design of our rooms. Tomorrow, Sunday, would be a free day for everyone, and all though I already had plans to train, I was looking forward to a break from the strict and overflowing schedules that had been handed to me on my first day.
So, naturally, the boys in our dormitory (except for the Prince, who was off doing something important, as usual) had all gathered around the sofas and couches with snack food stolen from who-knows-where, cards, and an impressive mental arsenal of Truth or Dare questions.
"Truth," I finally decided, meanwhile shuffling the cards I held in one hand. My roommate, Andreas, gave me a mischievous grin, which of course made me instantly regret my decision. He leaned in, wiggling his eyebrows comically. "Who was the last person you, er, 'did the do' with?"
I almost choked on a salted cracker.
After a lot of spluttering and uproarious laughter, the boys forced a name (which, of course, had been gender-bent) out of me.
”Again,” I ordered Key, who immediately opened his mouth and let out a whirlpool of fire. It burned hot, and had I not been used to the pain, I would have ended up with blisters from the head. The second he fired, I thrust my hand forward to mix a tornado of wind into the flames.
What we were trying to do was make the flames stronger. The wind inside the fire would act as fuel, thus increasing the intensity of Key’s attack.
For a second, it worked. Then it exploded, flames biting into my skin, causing me to hiss. I didn’t know what I was missing, but whatever it was, I wanted to overcome it. Even if it meant I’d get out of here burnt.
”Cole, we should stop,” Key finally spoke, his breathing heavy, his wings flapping weakly. ”We’re using up a lot of energy.”
Just as he said this, I realized he was right. It wasn’t just him who had trouble keeping himself upright. We’d been practicing since dawn, and it was late in the afternoon. I took a seat on the ground, breathing harshly, wiping the sweat from my forehead. I wasn’t as exhausted as Key, I knew. He’d had to perform much daunting tasks. He used up more of his energy than I did.
”Sorry, Key,” I breathed out. How could I ignore my bondmate like that? ”Come, shrink yourself. There must be something we can eat in our dorm.”
Key responded immediately, shrinking and perching himself on my hair. I stood up, took another deep breath, and walked to the direction of my dorm.
“Who was the last person you, er, ‘did the do’ with?”
I paused, my hand a few inches away from the doorknob. I heard Elliot’s splutters and sighed. Of course.
Turning the handle, I stepped inside, watching as everything fell silent.
All three of our heads turned at the sound of our door swinging open. At the sight of Colton, we all fell silent, laughter fading away. Across from me, Andreas fidgeted awkwardly, tugging at the messy strands of his shockingly ginger hair.
Finally, I dared to speak, calling an inviting smile to my face. "Hello, Colton." It felt so strange to be calling him by his first name, despite the fact that he'd made it clear that his official title was not to be used. He looked exhausted, drenched in sweat, his bondmate perched in his mussed nest of dark hair. "We're just playing some games, since it's an off-day tomorrow. Would you like to join us?"
My eyes swept across the room, landing on each individual before finally resting on Elliot. The other roommates, Andreas and Kaden, a dark skinned boy, cast their eyes down, fiddling, their eyes going anywhere but me.
Games.
“Elliot,” I nodded in his direction, taking steps towards the kitchen, walking over and pouring water for Key who immediately drank till the last drop, falling back-first on the shelf when he was done.
”Join them, Cole,” Key insisted once he refreshed himself. “It’ll be fun.”
I didn’t know what would be fun about playing games and wasting time, but Key wouldn’t take no for an answer. He shot me a stubborn glare rivaling the look I sent in his direction. I sighed, running my fingers through my damp hair.
“All right,” I muttered in a raspy voice. “Key wishes to join you.”
I shared a triumphant smile with Andreas, who had been taken off-guard by both my question and the answer I'd received. He shifted off his spot on the sofa and settled beside me on the floor, offering up the seat to Colton.
"Glad to hear it," I responded, resisting the ever-present urge to call him 'Your Highness', or 'sir', at the very least. My eyes sped to those of his bondmate, widening ever-so-slightly in the awe and admiration that always came hand in hand with the sight of the creatures.
"Have you ever played Truth or Dare before?" Andreas directed the question to them both, voice bordering on timid. "I can explain the rules, if you want."
Picking up a rather useless Key, I walked over to the group slowly, eyes landing on Andreas, who'd given up his seat for me. Other royal, would have approved. I didn't. I sat on the floor, crossing my legs and straightening my back. Kaden, who was closer to me than the other two, immediately scooted back, nervousness present on his features.
Elliot's eyes never once left Key, who was basking in the attention he constantly received from the juniors. He wiggled from my hold, once again nustling himself in my hair. To others, it may seem like an affectionate gesture. I, on the other hand, knew what it was meant for. Being there gave Key an opportunity to attack if he ever got offended.
I rested my eyes on Andreas and I opened my mouth to answer.
"I have," I answered, courtesy of my sister who liked everything normal children played. Kaden swallowed thickly, shifting again.
Tension hung between us, so thick you could have cut it with a knife. The boisterous laughter and easy going, high-on-life attitudes the three of us had shared previously had evaporated like morning mist July, but I didn't let that stop me. Back at home, I'd always been the social butterfly, the one to keep conversations going, crack jokes, perform crazy dares. So I let a bit of my own personality seep through the firm façade I'd set up, flaunting my Elle rather than my Elliot.
"My turn to ask, thanks to Andreas's incredibly mature question," I said playfully, scrunching up my nose a little. I earned a quiet laugh from Andreas, who relaxed visibly. "Alright, Colton and Key, truth or dare?"
Elliot looked far more… playful than he did before. His eyes, that once held nothing but determination, now had space for mischief. It was like he knew how to lift up a quiet atmosphere because it worked. Andreas and Kaden immediately relaxed. His nose scrunched up merrily, his attention turning towards me and Key.
Key selected dare, choosing to scream in my mind rather than say it out loud. I could feel his screeching voice tear at my brain, and I knew he was doing this on purpose to agitate me.
"Truth," I answered instead, earning a puff of fire in my hair, Key pulling at my hair. I forced myself to keep the amusement out of my expression.
"Too bad, Key."
I didn't bother stifling my amused grin as a tiny puff of smoke went up from Colton's hair, presumably Key's doing. Finally, I felt like I could relax, unwind, drop the mask and just be myself… A luxury that I would not be permitting often.
"By the way," I added, trying to come up with an appropriate question. "Nothing anyone says is meant to offend or cause disrespect. Also, what happens in the dormitory—"
"Stays in the dormitory," Andreas finished. I snickered quietly.
"Truth…. uhh….. I popped a caramel into my mouth. "If you weren't the heir, what would you want to grow up to be? Career-wise, I mean."
Elliot grinned at Key's antics and I allowed myself to relax a little in their presence. It seemed my junior was a completely different person, which was a bit difficult to digest.
I nodded at what they said, waiting for the question I'd get. In the end, games were games. Nothing to be taken seriously.
I didn't even need to think over this question.
"Soldier," I answered, reaching out to remove Key from my hair, who fisted my hairs in his claws. "Protecting the country. That wouldn't change."
I tossed Colton a caramel, knowing that whatever casual bubble we'd slipped into for now would have popped by the time the sun rose tomorrow. I would go back to being the respectful, obedient student, withdrawing again behind my carefully constructed façade.
"Cool," Andreas and I responded in unison, causing us both to chuckle a little. "Your turn to ask someone, now."
I caught the candy thrown at me between my index and middle finger, looking over at it before giving Elliot a nod of appreciation.
“Kaden,” I addressed the other junior, fixing my stare on him. “Truth or dare?”
I felt silly sitting here playing like a little child. I didn’t remember the last time I played like this, choosing to train rather than indulge in these activities. Key pulled at my hair again, and I knew he wouldn’t be getting any treats tonight.
I waited for Kaden to respond, letting my eyes skim briefly over Colton, who appeared to be unsurprisingly uptight. When was the last time he'd fooled around, allowed himself to play a little?
Probably years, I thought, recalling his intense, hardened manner from our training sessions. This was not a young man who had fun very often.
Kaden swallowed, contemplating what he should pick, I suppose. Finally, after some serious thinking, he opened his mouth to answer.
“Truth… sir,” he added, his voice a bit shaky. I didn’t comment on the title he used. “I pick truth.”
Perhaps the questions I would ask would be more… of my type. Serious, challenging, not at all fun like the ones they like. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea.
“What type of creature would you like to bond with?” I finally asked, pretending not to notice Elliot’s eyes on me. Kaden visibly relaxed.
“A healer,” he answered rather excitedly. “I’d like to heal people. Anyway… it’s my turn, right? Andreas, truth or dare?”
Andreas perked up at the mention of his name, rocking back and forth in subtle motions. "Dare!" he replied almost immediately, a daredevil grin working its way onto his lips.
I stifled yet another chuckle, leaning back to observe the two.
Kaden smirked, cracking his knuckles. I raised an eyebrow. Was he getting this worked up over a small game?
“I dare you to remove your socks…” he started. “Using your teeth.”
I burst out laughing as poor, very inflexible Andreas tried to lift his foot close enough to his mouth to complete the dare. After a few hilarious seconds of frustrated groans and snapping teeth, he finally caught the edge of his sock. Unfortunately, the abrupt movement caused him to topple, rolling around for a moment as we stifled yet more laughter behind our hands. A couple minutes later, he sat up, gripping two socks victoriously in his fist.
"Ha! Alright, my turn…." His eyes darted over each of us. "Uh, Your Highness, truth or dare?"
I let out a small chuckle escape my lips in amusement, before immediately sealing them shut. I shook my head, trying to keep my expression black.
I was about to respond with truth again, just to get on Key’s nerves, but he was faster. His hand come out from my hair, slapping hard on my forehead. He crawled to my face and attached himself there stubbornly.
I sighed loudly, hearing stifled laughter. The next time we fight together, I would not go easy on him.
“Dare,” I finally responded. Key, overjoyed, let go of my face.
My eyes glittered as I pressed my fist to my mouth, trying my absolute hardest not to laugh aloud at the Crown Prince. Beside me, Andreas was doing the same, though he was much less successful in hiding his amusement. There was a little bit of awe present, too…. neither of us had ever seen a member of the royal family loosen up this much.
The redhead scratched the nape of his neck, biting his tongue in thought. "I dare you to….. show us your best attempt at a cartwheel." But he suddenly went pink, remembering exactly who he was talking to. "I mean–You don't have to—If you don't want to—"
I raised my eyebrows. That was it? Just a simple cartwheel? Even asking me to do that made him apprehensive. I pulled myself to my feet, eyes darting around for some space in the dorm.
Finding a rather open spot, I walked towards it, and Key tightened his hold on my hair. Completing my task quickly, I landed on my feet, knees bent a little before I stood up and shook my head.
“Elliot,” I addressed my junior. “Truth or dare?”
(Sorry, it’s a bit lame. 🤷♀️)
(Not at all!)
I was slightly caught off-guard by the question, the sensation of goofing around with my trainer more than a little strange. “Uhh… I clicked my tongue in thought, shaking out my mess of blond curls with one hand. “Dare.”
(Sorry it’s short, I’m at a restaurant)
I walked back to my spot, sitting down and crossing my legs again as I thought of a dare I could give him.
Finally, something good came to mind. Locking eyes with Elliot, I opened my mouth to speak.
“Do a handstand,” I said. “For one minute.”
Saying I felt silly was an understatement. I felt utterly ridiculous playing like a little child, daring others to perform certain acts. But I couldn’t get rid of the fact that it was fun. Was this how a normal teenager acted instead of being obsessed with wanting to get stronger? Was this how they spent their time, relaxing rather than keeping themselves busy?
A loud groan parted my lips, which were coated in the excess syrup from the caramel I'd just polished off. "Oh come on….." Still, there was laughter evident in my tone. "You know my weaknesses, that's not fair." But I got to my feet, pushed by Andreas from behind, and went over to a clear spot in the room, tucking my shirt in as best I could. If it fell and exposed my chest bindings….
Finally, I went up into a handstand, my gymnastics training helping me stay perfectly straight in the air. But before the first thirty seconds were up, my arms began to tremble lightly. By forty seconds, they were ready to give out. At fifty seconds, I almost fell over, and had to actually start staggering around on my hands to keep from falling over. When Andreas finally called "Done!", I decided to show off a little and sprang up into a backflip before landing squarely on my feet.
I bit back a snort, chuckling at the way he showed off at the end. I didn’t think he’d be able to do it for a minute, but clearly he was determined.
Key jumped out from my hair, flapping his small wings as he hovered in the air, raising his claw in the air.
”Me! Me! I want to go next!” he exclaimed loudly in my head, causing me to shake my head.
“Key wants a turn, too,” I shook my head, blinking my eyes. Despite being older, Key still acted like a child. Perhaps that’s what made him appear to be cute, especially in his little form.
I shook out my arms, curls flopping across my forehead, which was beaded with sweat. Approaching the others again, I gave the Prince's bondmate a grin edged with a slight wistfulness. "Alright, then. Truth or dare, Key?" I plopped back down next to Andreas, who handed me yet another caramel.
