Chapter 75: Won's Work
ELIA
When Reth disappeared from the market with the other n, Elia was at a loss again. Why did this keep happening? Why was he always taken from her?
She turned, uncertain where to go, and found Candace behind her, grinning.
"Where are they going?" she asked.
Candace shrugged. "That's one tradition I know nothing about it. It happens every ti one of those n mates, but they don't tell us what they're doing."
"Alpha-male bullshit." The words were muttered to Elia's right and she turned. Aymora stood, arms folded, glowering in the direction the n had disappeared. "They hide off in so little cave they discovered as cubs and beat their chests and roar, and decide they're big, strong n because they keep secrets," she snorted. "They all crawl back in later looking sheepish." She waved a hand. "They do it every ti one of them mates—as if they just discovered the practice, or sothing."
Elia bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Why didn't they do it after the Flas and smoke then?" she asked, curiously.
Aymora looked at her evenly. "Because in Anima, mates aren't truly recognized until their scents entwine. Which happens after they… consummate."
Elia flushed, her cheeks going hot. She wanted to hide her face. "For a minute I'd forgotten that everyone in this place is… I an, that they can tell…" she mumbled, rubbing her temples. "This is so embarrassing."
Aymora frowned. "Embarrasing? Why? Everyone mates eventually. Why would they mock you for doing the sa?"
"No, not that, I just an… that people know… Nevermind," she finished laly as the woman only looked more confused. But Aymora sighed and seed to shake her confusion off. "Don't let it concern you, girl. The n have… you would call it a secret society, I believe? But it's really little more than n playing at being boys and making themselves feel important. The real work today will be done by the females. Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?" Elia asked.
"To et the Won's Council. They're eager to get to know their Queen. We spoke about this, rember?"
Elia looked at her, speechless for a mont. "Oh, right. I an, I guess? I didn't realize—"
"Don't worry, girl. Nothing is going to happen to you. Won work with their wits, not their fists. Most of the ti," she grinned, and the expression looked so odd on her usually sour face, Elia wasn't sure whether to smile back.
"Well, then, sure," Elia said. "Can I grab sothing to eat first?"
Aymora winked. "You won't want to—we have the best baker in the city and she made butter cakes this morning."
"In that case, let's go!" Elia said, trying to sound upbeat and not let on how nervous she suddenly felt. As if she could tell, Candace squeezed her shoulder, then waved as they moved away.
Elia wasn't sure what she'd expected about going with Aymora, but it wasn't a twenty minute hike through the forest, then a five minute climb up a mountain path to her cave. Elia was sweating and breathing heavily by the ti they got the cave entrance—a fact made even more embarrassing by Aymora—who was clearly an older woman—not even puffing.
"You need to start working your body, girl," Aymora growled as she pushed aside a curtain and entered the cave. "You'll be surprised how your body responds here in Anima. Much faster than in your world, I'll bet."
"Responds to what?"
"To hard work. Humans live such unnatural lives these days their bodies have a lot of toxins that hold them back and make them weak. A few weeks of Anima air and food, and you start exercising, you'll be surprised how quickly you build muscle and fitness."
"I… okay. I'll try."
Aymora nodded like that was only expected, and led her into the cave.
Elia peered around, fascinated.
The cave appeared to be one large room with what was either a kitchen or a laboratory on one side, a large cage at the end near the door, and a small bedroom set at the other. As if Aymora literally lived her work.
"Welco to my ho," she said quietly.
In the middle of the large room was a massive table—a solid slab of rock, polished smooth on top, sitting atop two wide, round cross-cut tree trunks. It was beautiful, and imposing, and surrounded by six other won—females, Elia reminded herself—who watched her with keen interest.
Aymora swept into the space dropping her bag near the door and ushing Elia towards the table and the won seated there. They were all older, like Aymora—still fit and strong, but their skin weathered and in so cases, hair graying.
She introduced Elia to all of them—who promptly forgot their nas and prayed she wouldn't have need to use them before soone else did to remind her.
Aymora offered her a chair on the long side of the table, which she took, then she was passed a plate of what looked to be fresh muffins and told to help herself. So she did.
They were the most delicious she'd ever eaten. "Thebe are 'mazing!" she mumbled around her second bite. "Who made them?"
"That would be Suze, our best baker, like I told you," Aymora said as one of the younger of the won waved at her from the other end of the table, "But don't gush too much. It'll go to her head." All the woman at the table chuckled and the woman nad Suze blushed.
"But enough about baking, we aren't n to get stuck in silly details—we're here for a reason… which is you, Elia."
Elia blinked and stopped chewing as the won all turned their eyes to her—so with curiosity, others with suspicion. "What did I do?" she said, swallowing a lump of muffin and almost choking on it.
"You mated the King, of course," Aymora said, as if Elia were slightly stupid. "Which ans you beco our Queen—which ans its our job to prepare you and guide you."
"It is?"
"Yes. In the prides the females always take the lead on… well, pretty much everything except politics and war. And as Queen, you have an important role to play."
"I do?"
Elia wasn't sure whether to be excited that she would, apparently, have a job to do here, or terrified, as the disapproving murmurs around the table rose.
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