Over the next few days Crystal stayed in the wolf camp. She was well looked after and fed. She was even able to take baby steps around her bed. The wolf king would often come back and check on her. He had given up his camp for her to stay in and himself stayed in the adjacent one. He was very polite and warm towards Crystal, but never out of the line. There was a news about an infiltration in the nearby valley. The king had to leave along with the soldiers. But Crystal was not yet in the position to walk by herself. So the king instructed two of his trusted men to stay back and take care of her.
” I will come back in a few days. Till then rest assured that they will take good care of you in my absence. “He looked up at Crystal with spark in his eyes, ” Crystal, I hope you recover well till I am back. When I return, there is something in my heart that i would love to share with you. Till then take good care of yourself. ” He pressed her hands in his and kissed them.
Crystal felt a strange sensation sweep down and then up her spine. Her heart was pounding at an uneven space. She had no idea what this feeling was. Though she had read in certain romantic novels what love felt like, according to Crystal, the descriptions didn’t quite match the mark. She thought it felt more like she was getting sick. Her stomach was having a fluttering effect. Her heart was about to come out of her chest. Her tongue was loosing moisture and there felt like a pit down her throat. She gulped as he let go of her hands and marched out.
When she had fled the waters, her only wish was to protect the innocent creature infront of her. She knew she was endangering her life but it didn’t matter to her as long as her soul was at peace. But now her heart was dancing to a new song. She didn’t know how she should react. She sat there staring at the door from where he had just left.
Days went by. By day she looked after herself. Did some little reading of the few books that were left in the camp. The two guards brought food and fresh clothing for her everyday. She would often ask them about the update at the front line. The guarda would tell her whatever information they would have. By night she would sit staring at the empty door, waiting. Every wind that passed through, every breeze that blew, reminded her of the missing person. She would often breath heavily sighing as the night would turn into the day.
A few days later, Crystal was sleeping sound on the bed. She was breaking into a sweat as she dreamt of the mer-witches chasing her. She flipped and tossed in her sleep and almost sprang up in horror. Just before she was about to hit the cold hard ground, a pair of hands pulled her over. She opened her eyes. And without realising, she sprang on the person and hugging him in a tight embrace.
“You are finally back. ” She looked at him with joyful eyes, “do you have any idea how I have missed you? ” She planted a kiss on his cheeks.
The wolf king was taken aback. Crystal too, immediately regretted her actions. But they were impulsive. There was no denying she had fallen head over heels for him. And she had no idea how she could control it. Rescuing her from her own thoughts the wolf king offered, “Do you want to go on a ride with me. You are from the human world. I bet you have seen the beauty of my country. ”
Crystal nodded, glad that she could shift the topic.
“Guards, prepare a carriage for the lady. ” He yelled.
The two of them went ahead with their romantic break. The new terrain of the wolf kingdom enchanted and bewildered Crystal even more. She felt like she was living one of her favorite fairy tales. When night came, they put on two seperate camps, connected to each other. They went fighting their own fire. Looking for their own food in the woods. Hunting games and ticking fruits. They drank from the wild streams and splashed each other with it’s cold serene water.
” Crystal, tell me, what is it that you want the most in this world? ” He asked her as they both sat soaking their feet in the cold water of the stream.
“What I want most? ” Crystal thought. The water tickling her body was awakening myriad of senses. She could feel her cheeks getting hotter and flushed. There were sparks following up her every vein. Unable to control the heat building up in her body, Crystal jumped in the stream. The water here wasn’t like that of the southern seas, but it was water nevertheless. She left herself float as the current drove her down stream. The wolf king who was unaware of all these, could only see Crystal falling in the stream and drifting in the current. Without hesitation he jumped behind her and swam towards her in an attempt to save her. But her speed was too great to keep up to. He kept swimming as fast as he could. It wouldn’t have been easy for anybody normal but him being a sturdy wolf, helped him to soon catch up as Crystal neared the cliff near the waterfall. At this point he was no longer in control. Still he held onto Crystal, in an attempt to save her. She laughed as she grabbed him back and pulled in against the flow. His touch seemed to have activated Cryatals basic instinct to mate as she was supposed to and in a fit of list, she pulled him over on one of the boulders on the stream, and started kissing him passionately.