Chapter 58
“On the brink of death” Part 2
And while his mistress was on the verge of death, Tsuki was hogging the pillow, taking advantage of the fact that Kalysto had left early that morning and took hold of the comforting warmth she had left on the sheets. At some point, he dozed off again, but a soft knock against the bedroom door caused him to perk up one of his ears and pay attention.
Alynn, the fairy who had been bringing food and clothes to his mistress since they were given this room, entered with a tray in her hands.
“The saintess hasn’t returned from healing the elves yet?” She asked him quizzically, as if he could answer her.
Tsuki only raised his head in acknowledgement, more from the smell of the warm bread on the tray than from the woman’s words, so he turned his head away, pretending he couldn’t understand her.
“I know young Tsuki can understand what I’m saying, so you can stop pretending," the fairy scolded him. “I am perfectly aware that not just any creature can be the pet of a saintess. Least of all the hero chosen by the great fairy queen.”
Alynn set down the tray full of fruits, cheese and breads she had finished baking herself less than ten minutes ago, along with a large piece of roasted meat and another uncooked one she took from the tray she placed on the night table next to the bed and held the plate of raw meat between her hands as she scowled at Tsuki, waiting for an answer.
“Arff!” He barked and shook his head.
“I assure you that they are taking advantage of the fact that the saintess knows little about this world and they surely put her to heal the elves of other regions that have also been under attack, or the survivors of that other kingdom that was destroyed last week! Bunch of freeloaders! If they needed to heal more elves, they should have established that in the contract and give a payment according to what was agreed! I’m sure the saintess could use to get a couple more potions. I heard she spent like five the day before yesterday! She sure is going to need more just to keep healing Lady Artemis! I’m going to inform the queen about this! It took the saintess less than a day to heal most of our sick. Now only the more serious cases are left and they’re still progressing well!” She refuted and lowered the plate with the raw meat to the floor so Tsuki could eat.
“And as far as I heard the elves didn’t have any serious cases like us, so it shouldn’t take the saintess that long to heal them, unless there were many more sick than we were originally warned about," Tsuki frowned from the bed, listening to her carefully. And remembering how much his mistress had worn herself out as she worked for hours healing the fairies. He didn’t like what the elves seemed to be doing with Kalysto. So he barked again, implying to Alynn that he fully agreed with her indignation “But where are my manners? This is your food, young Tsuki. I remembered you liked it the last time I brought it to you, so I asked the guards when they go out to make their rounds to hunt some for you and the saintess. One of them is the grandson of one of the patients the saintess cured, so he offered to hunt once a week for you as a thank you for saving his grandfather. We fairies are more the type to eat just about anything, but we prefer fruits and sweet things. So unless there’s an important celebration, we don’t usually prepare much meat," she commented as she watched him eat. “Oh, by the way, that reminds me!” She exclaimed, turning back to where she had left the tray of food on the bedside table, to point to the small plate with tiny white grains on it.
“I noticed that the saintess likes salt with her meals, so I got some. In this world, it is only used to make bread and cheese as far as I know, but apparently in her world it is different. Please let her know I brought it to her, and she can use it at her leisure. I can always get more, even if it takes a little time," she then pulled an orb out of her pocket and placed it next to the tray. A sphere of energy covered the tray, ruining Tsuki’s plans to get a couple of breads as soon as Alynn left. Well, I’ll be back in a little while to take the dirty dishes and get some juice for the saintess.
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“Arf!” Tsuki refuted, turning away from what was left of his meat to approach his owner’s tray, but even though he brought his nose closer, the delicious smell that until a few minutes ago was emanating from the freshly baked bread had disappeared behind the energy barrier.
“That’s the food of the saintess, young Tsuki! You can’t eat it!” Alynn scolded him, putting her hands on her hips.
Tsuki rolled his eyes as Kalysto did, and with one paw pointed to the four round loaves of bread on the large, now protected tray.
“Oh, I see, so young Tsuki likes my bread too?” Alynn asked, looking for confirmation. And Tsuki nodded his head.
“Arff!”
“Alright, I’ll bring some more! But you’ll have to share them with the saintess, too. I know they’re her favorite!”
Tsuki didn’t want to make it clear to her that although her new master loved hot breads, she also really liked theles as they took away her tiredness. They were sweet and juicy. But he kept silent, and instead finished eating his meat while he waited for the return of Alynn who came back less than fifteen minutes later with two trays each with four round breads the size of an open palm, a glass and a pitcher of juice. She set one of the trays down next to the saintess’s food and arranged another crystal sphere to protect them. Then she took two breads from the second tray, which she left away from the protection of the crystals, and placed them on the tender puppy’s plate.
“Here you go, young Tsuki. I hope you enjoy them!” She commented, trying to hide a smile as the elusive Fenrir approached to excitedly devour one of the loaves. Alynn wished she could pet it, hold it and spoil it, but the elusive pup still wouldn’t let her touch it. I’ll be back before dinner. I hope the saintess will be here by then.
And without further ado, she left, closing the door as she waved to another passing fairy.
Tsuki devoured one of the breads enjoying its tasty flavor.
Master is right, Alynn’s breads are delicious! Tsuki thought.
And remembering what her owner always did, Tsuki took the other loaf and looked for a place to hide it. First, he checked behind the white curtains, but then he realized that the merest of breezes could make someone else notice his hiding place. Then he checked under the bed, but despite how clean everything was, he didn’t like the place.
Then he walked back over to the nightstand and looked at the two trays of food protected by a layer of magic, and wished not only that he could have one of those to protect his food but also that he could stick his paws in one of them.
And he looked at the cheeses, he knew better not to touch them, not only because his master liked them but because they smelled strange.
Then he turned and looked around the sparsely colored room. It seemed that the fairies had decided that the color of the saintess would be white. And although Tsuki liked the color, he knew his master preferred black. So much so that not only did he meet her dressed entirely in that color, but he also knew of a strange backpack of the same color and smelling of food, which she kept in her magical cave.
Tsuki let out a long sigh.
In the end, after spending half an hour trying to pick out various places he regretted later, he lay back down on the bed and hid it under the pillow.
Then he settled back on the white sheets and fell asleep.
Or at least that was the plan until the squeaky voice of a little girl forced him to open his eyes.
- Oh, a cute little doggy! Are you lost, doggy? A little girl with pink eyes and her aquamarine hair combed in two pigtails was peeping at him through the small opening of the half-open door.
Tsuki frowned at the sight of the strange brat he was sure he had never seen before, and growled at her. Not at all pleased with her intrusion.
-Oh, Alynn made bread! -And as if on invitation, the little girl finished opening the door and walked in uninvited, reaching out her small, pale hand to grab one of the two loaves of bread lying on the unprotected tray.
As soon as she was about to touch them, Tsuki jumped up from the bed and growled at her. Medea stopped, looking at him in surprise, not quite sure what to do next.
- I'm just going to take one. They're delicious," she clarified. But Tsuki didn't care about her opinion.
Those were his master's breads, and he knew that later when she came, he could convince her to give him some more. So he jumped off the bed and growled louder at the little invader, advancing towards her and forcing her back.