Valerian Empire-Chapter 6

She liked this person, Katie decided in her mind, seeing Sylvia pick a glass of water and place it on her side. Sylvia and Elliot were nice to her and hadn’t been rude by labeling her as human. They were kind and had saved her from the creatures when they were on their way to the palace. She peeked towards the end of the table where Alexander sat talking to an old man. He hadn’t spoken to her as much as Sylvia and Elliot had but he had saved her. She looked at him for several passing seconds until he looked at her making her drop her gaze.

Katie sat next to Elliot as she had her dinner, not looking up once as she feared to see the hatred being spewed from some of the people sitting in the room right now. She wanted her parents; thinking about them made her sad that they were never going to return to her. She clutched her nightdress, holding in the sob before it could pass through her delicate pink lips.

“Katie?” she heard someone call her name. Raising her head she saw Elliot holding a bowl of vegetables that was mixed with something green, “Here, eat this up. It’s hot and sweet, something you might like,” he said serving it to her.

Taking the food with her fork she placed it in her mouth. The food felt like it was melting in her mouth and it was delicious, “I take that you liked it?” Elliot asked her with a smile and she nodded at him.

“Let me get you something else,” he said searching for something on the table. At the same time, a middle-aged woman muttered to the person next to her.

“I can’t believe what I’m seeing, I don’t know what to expect next,” she said which Elliot caught, making him tilt his head.

“Madame Magdalene, may I say you are looking lovely this evening but it seems like something is not right,” he said scrunching his eyebrows as he looked at the woman.

“And what might that be, Elliot?” she asked intrigued by his statement. It was obvious the woman was an empty head who was easily flattered.

“I think you have put on weight since I last saw you, which was yesterday I believe. Could you pass on the bowl next to you before you hog everything and turn to a cow?” he asked her smiling and her nose flared in anger.

“How dare you?!” she demanded, her voice just above a whisper.

“So you refuse to share the food?” Elliot mused looking at the woman he had offended. “That’s very selfish of you might I say. I mean look at that-” Sylvia kicked his leg under the table making him stop for a second.

“I’ve had enough of this nonsense. I’m leaving,” Magdalene stood up walking stiffly out of the door while her husband followed her.

“You know one of these days that mouth of yours is going to get you into deep trouble if you don’t keep it shut,” Sylvia whispered to him, her lips drawing into a thin line.

“I can put it to a better use if you want me to,” he wiggled his brows suggestively with a smirk on his face.

“Did I forget to mention to you about the time when I sewed a mans lips with his own skin,” she said calmly twisting her fork and saw her friend Elliot look at her with horror.

“Shush it, Sylvia,” he said covering Katie’s ears with both his hands, “You’re going to be a bad influence on this child if you talk like that,” Sylvia rolled her eyes upon looking at Elliot’s expression.

Katie looked at both of them, not knowing what was going on as she was too busy concentrating on the food on her plate. When her eyes met Elliot’s blue eyes, he went silent and put his hand around the young girl to hug her.

“Aww she’s so adorable,” he said, not letting go of Katie and so making her sit still, “Don’t worry sweetheart, I’ll protect you from this woman before she utters any more horrific words,” he said dramatically.

“You’re the only one she needs protection from right now you idiot,” Sylvia face-palmed in irritation.

At night, when Katie sat in the room she was given to stay in, she looked outside the window to see flashes of light come out of the cloud. Yawning with her eyes closed she got onto the bed and blew the candle.

The night wasn’t a peaceful one for the little human as she dreamt of the creatures tearing her parents up before coming for her. Her brows furrowed with her lips parted as she started moving on the bed, thrashing in an attempt to escape from the creatures in her nightmare. The rain that was pouring down, along with the thunder and lightning only fuelled her bad dreams.

When loud thunderstruck, it woke her up with a start, her eyes teary. She looked around the room, for any signs of the creatures. Thunderstruck once more, making her heart leap.

Scared to sleep alone she let her feet touch the ground before padding slowly across the room to the door. When she was about to step out of the room a black cat meowed at her. She hoped she would find someone to take her to Sylvia.

Walking through the corridor she found a rather strange looking door that had thorn like carvings around it. Was there a person in there? Turning the knob as quiet as possible she got inside the room and saw someone lying on the bed. Happy about the company she closed the door and crawled under the bed with the pillow she had got along with her.

It had been only twenty minutes since Alexander had gotten into bed when he heard footsteps outside his door but in seconds he saw the knob of the door turn making his eyes narrow. He was sure he had locked the door before turning the lights out. A small figure got inside his room closing the door as it crawled under his bed.

With the smell it was obvious it was the young human but what was she doing in his room under the bed? Moving, he looked down to see the girl curled into a ball on the cold floor while she slept. Her little body shivered due to the cold tiles.

Sighing he got down to where she was and took her in his arms before placing her on his bed. Getting in, he laid on one side looking at the girl. She was nothing but ordinary and he didn’t understand why he got her to the castle. He was known to pick only something unique and exquisite to be it a person or an object.

A small sob passed her lips making his brows furrow. She seemed to be having a nightmare as she called for her mother. Out of instinct he wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back gently.

“Sh, that’s alright. No one’s going to harm you,” he whispered soothingly to her, “You’re safe here.”

Once she had fallen asleep he closed his eyes, wondering what he got himself into. Opening his eyes again he looked at her, noticing she had her head buried in his chest.

She was like a little animal, he thought to himself before going back to sleep.