A L M I R A

Chapter 32
Almira Davenport

The hug from Calix caught me off guard, but I soon came back to reality and hugged him back. It was quiet for a couple moments before Calix finally spoke up. "I'll try. Don't expect us to be like Lauren and Cole right off the bat, though, got it?"

I looked up at him and nodded. "Wouldn't dream of it. I'm just happy we actually have a chance," I answered, smiling.

My body craved his touch, and the sparks and tingles coming from him only made me want to be with him more. Resisting it all this time has been the hardest challenged I've ever had to face. But I don't have to wait anymore. I'm one step closer to what I truly want: a family.

Calix rubbed my back before letting me go, my body wishing it could've been in his warm embrace longer. "It's after sunset, we should go eat and then get ready for the night."

"Alright, let me finish putting the clothes and stuff up," I agreed, walking back to the stuff I had gotten today. I put it up in the closet and Calix was outside the door waiting for me. I smiled and we walked down to the dining room together.

We sat beside each other and everybody soon came down to eat, the maids bringing us our food. I thanked them and they nodded, walking off. We all talked and carried different conversations. The men were talking about one topic and us women talking about another topic. It was a pretty happy and peaceful dinner until I noticed Ryker and Lauren's wrists shared the same 'birthmark'.

My stomach sank again and I suddenly lost my appetite. I played around with my food, trying to hide it. That's four people. The five holy sacrifices are Ashli, Estelle, Ryker, Lauren, and someone else. Why did it have to be people I was close to? I have to watch the people I love die? For what, some idiotic corrupted god who's power hungry?

I scooted my plate away and stood up. "I'm going to bed early tonight, goodnight," I mumbled, waving. I walked up the stairs and made it into our bedroom, changing into a night gown. I opened the balcony doors and looked out over the village. People were all saying goodnight and goodbye to each other and heading into their homes for the night. I smiled softly at the memories I had of being a village girl.

"Bed looks really comfy," A husky voice said. I turned to look behind me and seen Calix walking up to me.

"I just have a lot on my mind," I replied, leaning against the balcony ledge. I want to tell him what's wrong but I know Abelia said I couldn't. Considering the relationship we have, I don't think she'd be too pleased with me.

"Is it the war?" Calix asked, coming to stand beside me, leaning against the edge.

Technically, yes. "Yeah, kind of."

"What about it? I mean, I know you're scared of the war, but you can't be too worried, can you? Considering you went out there and killed a bunch of hybrids?" Calix teased, glancing at me.

I scoffed. "They had it coming. But what if we lose the people we love? Whether they die in battle or some other way, I'm scared to lose them. I don't want to be alone."

"Believe me when I say, that's my worst fear. Losing those who I care for," Calix confessed, trying to ease my mind. "I don't know the outcome of this war, but I do know that to every war, somebody always gets hurt."

"Are you referring to you or Arwen?" I quietly inquired.

Calix was silent for a moment before responding. "Both."

I hummed in response. We stood there looking over the town for a while before we both yawned. "I think I'm actually going to go to bed this time," I noted, turning around to head into the bedroom. Calix followed behind me and changed while I got in bed. I left the pillow wall down, trying to give us both some credit. I turned over onto my back and looked up at the ceiling.

"Goodnight, Almira."

"Goodnight, Calix."

~-~

I woke up early in the morning, yawning. I glanced over to Calix to see him sound asleep, slightly snoring. I rolled my eyes and got out of bed, getting dressed for the day. I made my way down to Calix's office and opened the door. I sat down at my desk and began doing paperwork. I took a little bit of everybody's and worked on that. Calix soon walked in, still half asleep. "So this is where you snuck off to," He grinned, maneuvering through the desks and bookshelves to get to his desk.

"I've been up for about an hour or so," I responded, cleaning up my desk before moving onto the next stack of papers.

"And you've been doing paperwork this entire time?" He questioned, looking at me.

I glanced up at him before continuing to read through a document. "Mhm. Did you know the western village in the kingdom had a shortage of pigs so they sent a group out to go steal pigs from other villages nearby?"

Calix chuckled. "That happens about twice a year. I usually just sign off on it. They get a virus that spreads through their animals so someone usually get paranoid and kills half the pig supply."

I shook my head. "There's not a medicine or something for those poor pigs? They have piglets to come home to!"

Calix looked at me weirdly before laughing. "Really? Pulling a mortal card on pigs? That's a new one."

"I'm serious!" I retorted, grinning. "Stop laughing! I'm going to have an order put in for farmers to pay more attention to their pigs and how they act so they can try to find a cure for them. That'll solve some village tensions."

Calix snickered as he began looking at his papers. "You go on and do that, princess."

Cole and Alexander walked in moments later, chatting. They fell quiet when they seen Calix and I in the office.

"Good morning, you two," Cole greeted, nodding at us both before sitting down.

"Good morning," Calix and I returned the greeting simultaneously, looking up at each other momentarily before shaking our heads.

"Cole," I began, turning towards him, "can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," He replied.

"The western village had a virus outbreak in their pigs. So they kill them off, steal other pigs, and carry on from there. What if we put an order down for the farmers to watch their pigs more often so they can predict it and then eventually find a cure or a way to stop it?" I explained, awaiting his answer.

Cole thought about it for a second before responding. "That sounds like it could work, why?"

I smirked and turned to Calix. "And that solves your village tensions, your highness."

Calix rolled his eyes. "What's to make you think they'll follow it?"

"They'll have to if it's a law."

Calix pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. "Go ahead and write the bill, I'll sign off on it when it's done."

I clapped my hands. "Okay!"

~-~

All four of us had been in the office for hours, writing things out, signing off on laws and regulations, vetoing certain proposal and counter offerings from the villages, and I, I was writing a law for the pigs. That was my big assignment for the day.

"Have you finished that pig law, Almira?" Calix asked, standing up and stretching.

"Mhm," I answered, setting down my pen.

"Good, go get changed," Calix ordered, walking over to the door.

"Why?" I interrogated, standing up. I scooted my chair in and Calix grinned, looking at me.

"We're going into to town on a date," He stated, walking out.

Cole and Alexander snapped their heads up, looking at me and then eying each other. I shrugged and went to our bedroom to change before meeting Calix at the palace doors.

He grabbed my hand and led me out of the castle, into town. Tingles and sparks ran up my arm into my entire body, making me shiver. I seen Calix smirk out of the corner of my eye and I just scoffed. It was nice for a change.

Calix opened the door for me and we stepped inside a restaurant that was beautiful. A waitress seated us at a table and Calix briefly thanked her before paying attention to me. "So the pigs..."

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "You're not letting me live that down, are you?"

"Nope," Calix grinned.

"All I'm saying is it would ease tension," I declared, crossing my arms.

"And I agree," Calix added, taking a sip of his drink.

I leaned on my hands, looking at him. "Alright, Mr. West, tell me about yourself," I smiled. "That's how dates work."

"How do you know so much about dates?" He teased, smirking again.

"Way back, before Ross ever happened, I had a friend named Julia. She found her mate, Zein, way before I ever did. So, she would find these random guys to take me on double dates with her and Zein. It was like third-wheeling with a fourth-wheeler. They we're pretty boring," I elaborated, recalling the times when I would say yes out of the kindness of my heart.

Calix muttered something under his breath before speaking up. "I see. Well, to answer your question, I'll give you a brief summary. Both of my parents are dead, I have my youngest brother locked in the cellar after he attempted to make moves on you, I'm the oldest of my siblings, I run the biggest kingdom of international breeds and species, I'm going to war over my mate, and my favorite color is blue."

I laughed and looked at him with amazement. "All of that action and you end it with your favorite color?"

"Mhm. Green is a close second," He flashed his charming smile at me. I remembering seeing that smile of his once or twice before. "Your turn."

I took a deep breath and thought of some things. "Um, let's see here. Both of my parents are dead as well, I had a close relationship with my father, my mother hated me, I'm the youngest of my three siblings, my oldest sibling is dead, and I also killed her again in Hell, my mate has trust issues, which is reasonable, I have an entire war going on over me, and my favorite time of the day is sunrise," I briefed, trying to conceal my smile.

"Why sunrise?" Calix curiously persisted, softly smiling at me.

"Because sunrise is when the sun first comes up. It shows its a new day for new things and new beginnings," I told him, glancing out at the window.

"You put some real thought into that, didn't you?"

"I did."

Calix and I continued to talk until the waiter brought us our food. We both thanked the waiter and carried on our conversations while eating. Before we got too far into the food, we tried each other's food and made fun of each other for liking it.

Once we finished eating, Calix paid for the food, tipped the waiter, and stood up. "It's getting late, we should head back."

I nodded in agreement and stood up. Calix offered me his arm and I giggled, taking it. He walked me back to the castle and opened the doors for me. We walked all the way up to our bedroom and temporarily went our separate to change clothes before getting into bed.

"Thank you for tonight, I had fun," I said to Calix, looking at him.

"Of course. I said I'd try, didn't I? I'm giving my best effort," Calix replied honestly.

I smiled at his words and turned over to look at him. "Goodnight, Calix."

"Goodnight, princess."

~-~•~-~