^^To all my fellow Naruto fans out there^^

"Pain of the mind is worse than the pain of the body."

Chapter 22

River's POV

Isaiah continued to eat in absolute silence, completely focused solely on his food as Derek and Hyde bickered in the background like children. Alastair held me cradled to his chest as he left small kisses behind my ear. I probably should have had all my attention focused on my affectionate mate but my eyes couldn't help but wonder back to Isaiah's solemn form. He dabbed his napkin against his mouth before excusing himself and leaving the room. Neither Derek nor Hyde seemed to even acknowledge his leaving as they continued speaking in raised tones.

I patted Alastair on the knee, he unwounded his hold on me as I stood up from his lap. He gave me a quizzical look as I kissed his cheek and followed after Isaiah.

Once closing the door gently behind me, I ran to the one place I knew where he'd be. The place both he and I similarly used as a safe haven. My steps hurried as I heard soft melodies escaping, a voice I could only recognize as his. I'd come to realize lately that, that was Isaiah's way of dealing with things. While most would weep and shut others out, he would sing. Like a writer who pours one's emotions onto a blank paper, he would pour his feelings into a melody that could only be described at his.

I pushed the ivy encased gate open as my eyes landed on Isaiah's form sitting just beside the fountain as he ran his fingers through the falling water.

"Isaiah," I called.

He turned, eyes empty as a small smile flashed briefly on his face before turning back towards the water.

I quickly walked up to him, arms outstretched as I pulled him into a gentle hug. His arms wrapped around my small waist as his fingers gripped onto the fabric of my shirt, nose nuzzled against my hair.

"Why does he have to be like that?" He whimpered.

I assumed he was referring to Derek.

"Like what?"

"Act like a jealous lover when I know he thinks of me as nothing but a close friend," he sighs as he runs his wet fingers through his hair, "I need to stop getting my hopes up. It's an impossibility."

I wasn't sure what to say. I couldn't prove him wrong. They aren't mates. As much as I wish for Isaiah's love to be returned, it's just that, an impossibility. I couldn't say everything was going to be okay. It wasn't. So I did the only thing I could, I hugged him tighter, brushing my fingers gently through his hair in a calming manner.

We sat just like that, silently as I ran my fingers through his hair and he stared aimlessly at the fountain, soaking in my touch as he breathed lightly.

The crunching of leaves interrupted our peaceful moment as we looked up at a smiling Alastair.

"So this is where you went," he bent down and sat beside me, "I should have known," he smiled to himself.

Isaiah cleared his throat and slowly stood up, brushing his bottom of leaves and dirt.

"Thank you, River," he voiced softly.

I nodded with a gentle smile which he returned before bowing towards Alastair and exiting the garden.

"I hope I didn't scare him away," Alastair said as he began to play with my hair.

"No," I shook my head, "He came here to clear his mind and after doing so he probably went to do whatever else was on his mind."

"You're quite intuitive."

"I spent my whole life watching others," I turned to face him as I cupped his face, "I've come to be able to read others quite easily," I brought his lips down to mine in a soft kiss.

"Except me," he laughed against my lips.

"Yes," I laughed, nuzzling against his nose, "except you."

"Why do you think that is? That you seem to be partly blind when it comes to me?"

"Perhaps because you're my mate?"

"Wouldn't it be the opposite? Wouldn't you know your mate more than anyone else?" He brushed a finger across my cheek as I nuzzled against his warm hand.

"Hmm..."

I felt the floor beneath me disappear as Alastair lifted me off the ground and cradled me against his chest.

"I guess you'll just have to get to know me more."

I felt a blush flush my cheeks in an embarrassing, heated red.

"Alastair!"

He laughed as he kissed my nose and pranced to our room, ignoring the maids who were sending us strange looks and raised brows.

As he slammed the door open in haste and I watched as a large lump seemed to move beneath his covers. I raised a brow to which he sent me an equally confused look. A head peered up from beneath the covers, revealing a head of black hair and red lips. She rubbed her eyes and peered up at us, or more like Alastair.

"Ali poo! Took you long enough. How long were you planning on making me wait?"

The comforter on the bed seemed to slip slightly from her form revealing a very naked Feyona.

"No," I gasped as I swiped at Alastair's face, not even bothering to look at him as I fell from his hold, lifting myself and making a break from the room.

No. How could he?

I heard yelling behind me as I rounded the corner, running as far as my short legs could take me. I ran and ran, barely looking to where I was heading just that I wanted to get far from whatever scene I had just witnessed.

I peered behind me, seeing not a being in sight as my breath become ragged and my legs felt like jello. I felt my legs lock as I fell to the ground, arms breaking my fall in a painful crack as w whimper fell from my lips in a pain-filled cry.

"River?"

I looked up as my eyes met Michael's. His shirt was wide open, revealing a chest full of hickeys as he held the door open with flushed cheeks and worried eyes.

"What happened?" He bent down to help me up, I flinched at contact as his hand reached for mine.

His brows furrowed as his arms wrapped around me and he lifted me gently into his arms, watching for my swollen wrist.

Keith sat, arms crossed, on his large king sized bed as he watched Michael walk in with me in his arms.

"Cutie?" He asked, his voice spotted with confusion.

"He must have fallen. His wrist looks broken," he placed me with care onto his bed as Keith came up behind me, placing a pillow below my head.

"What happened, River?" Michael asked as Keith said "I'll get, Alastair."'

"No!" Michael flinched at my outburst as Keith raised a brow, "No, don't call him. Please," I begged.

Keith's eyes narrowed as he nodded. Michael sighed as he reached for a white box beside the bed.

"Goddess, what did he do this time," Michael scoffed.

I turned away as a tear ran down my cheek.

"He was with another," I choked.

"Goddess," Michael sighed, "I thought him finding his mate would rid him of his playboy ways, but I guess I was wrong."

Keith scratched at his stubbled chin as he seemed to be deep in thought. Michael pulled out a cloth along with a bottle of white liquid.

"This is to disinfect any cuts you may have gained in your fall," he said placing the bottle beside me, "and this," he took out the cloth, "I'm going to wrap over your shoulder and arm to keep your wrist in placed."

He took out a cotton swab and began to apply to disinfectant to my arms and legs as I hissed and gripped at the bedding. Michael seemed engrossed in his work, not seeming slightly bothered by my hisses and whimpers as he cleaned any cuts he could find before lifting me up from the pillow and wrapping the cloth around my arm and around my shoulder in a sling-like contraption.

"There," he smiled up at me as he placed his arms by his sides and analyzed his handiwork.

"Thank you," I said as I played with the threads of the wool sling.

"I can get you a better sling when I go to my office in the morning," Michael eyed the sling, "I just don't have that kind of equipment in our room."

"That's okay."

He sighed, "Where are you planning on sleeping tonight, River?"

I looked up from the sling to a sympathetic-eyed Michael.

"I don't know...I haven't thought about it..." I played nervously with my hair.

What was I to do now? I can't very well go back to Alastair's room. I didn't have my own room. For as long as I was here I had merrily slept with Alastair in his bed with no thought to it.

"You can stay with us-" Michael began as Keith cleared his throat with folded arms.

Michael narrowed his eyes at him as I interjected the soon-to-be argument, "No, no, that's okay", I rose my arms. A stupid mistake that resulted in a whimper as my wrist shocked me in protest.

"Where are you going to stay then...?" Michael asked.

I brushed my hair from my face, "Is there a guest room I could stay in?"

Michael scratched at his chin, "Umm, there should be one in the hall over, next to the servant quarters."

"Okay, I'll stay there," I tried for a smile but it didn't seem to fool anyone one as Michael shook his head and directed me in the direction of the guest room, giving me detail by detailed instructions as Keith watched with a contemplating look.

"Thank you, Michael," I said as I hugged his waist.

Everyone's so much taller than me.

"You're welcome," He chirped.

I followed his instructions, almost getting lost twice but somehow making it in one piece as I came to a champion colored room. A chandelier draped in the center of the room as a large, golden canopy bed stood by the wall with an overbearing presence.

I closed the door behind me quietly, not wanting to awaken the servants next door as I jumped onto the bed, staring up at the satin and lace hanging above me in drapes of gold and sequences.

Isn't this room a bit too fancy?

Though the moment the thought had passed through my mind, I had realized how ridiculous that was to think. I was in a palace. If a room were to be overly fancy and sparkly surely it would be in the palace of all places.

A continued to lay there, blankly. I wasn't sure what to do. It had been a while since I had slept alone. Usually, I would sleep curled up to Alastair's large frame as his arms would wrap around my waist, head nuzzling against my hair as I basked in his exotic smell. It felt so...cold without him. The bed was far too big that I felt as if I were to drown in all the silk and blankets by the time morning would arise.

I tossed and turned in the bed, not sure on a position.

How had I slept before meeting Alastair?

I wasn't sure.

I pulled a large pillow from the heading of the bed and decided on using it as a body pillow, wrapping my arms and legs around it like a koala. I sighed as a feeling of familiarity hit me.

Much better.

I sighed as I suck in a deep breath and allowed sleep to take over in the cold, golden room that I was now to call my own.