Blue

Shit.

Fun fact, this chapter was written entirely in one of my classes as I was listening to the lecture on Mary Edgeworth's novel, Belinda.

I also delayed the update because I find that I am writing a lot lately and I don't want to finish this too quickly because I must come up with more to write and that means I have to have a creative thought process and lately it's hard. I had so much planned for this story that writing it has become easy. But creating something new after this, I don't know where I would begin. What would you want from me after this book? Mind you I still have so much left to write here so itll be a long ish time before I begin a new project but I would like to start thinking about what's next.

-Sharon
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Shit.

Tallulah was in trouble. She'd been so forgetful since the oath ceremony in taking her repression herbs. And the evidence was staring at her in her clothes.

"Ander! Mykel! I need help! Fetch me a dress please, I need to go into the city," she hissed, it was still early in the day, light was barely visible. And she had no time to waste. Thankfully they all shared quarters, but they had one other person in the room as well, dragon kin too so time was for sure of the essence. If he woke up he'd be able to smell her.

"You stupid woman," Mykel groaned. She threw her pillow at him. Ander ignored their actions.

"Forgive me, but we have been utterly busy since training camp," she replied in a snarky manner.

Mykel was the one to escort her, they snagged some clothes from the maids' quarters.

The dress was immensely itchy against her skin but she could not complain. She had grown so used to trousers that her thighs rubbing together was murderous, she had to adopt a new stance in her walking gait.

"Stop that, you seem like you've got something in between your legs,"

"You would too if you had to wear this with your thighs rubbing together like cricket legs," she replied. She was thankful that the dress was conservative because it hid all but the very top layer of scales on her neck, she had to layer a tunic under the dress to cover her arms, and for the most part it worked, but she was hot.

Vendors were still setting up, but she knew which would have her herbs. Mykel stayed back as she went up to the vendor she knew would have them

"Ah, good morning sir, lady, how may I assist you today?"

"We need some repression herbs, please," Tallulah said, hurriedly.

"Ah, I have just what you need. I would caution against their continued use though, they can c-" Tallulah cut him off.

"Please, I need them today," she insisted. Right now she couldn't care about the side effects.

"Very well,"

"I need enough for four cycles please," she figured if she had them for that length of time she wouldn't forget to re-up her supply or forget to take them.

"I would not recommend any continued use after that young lady, your husband would question your fertility thereafter,"

"It is none of your business sir, as to why I need these," she spat. After her transaction she turned to find Mykel had disappeared from her sight. She looked around, through the busyness of the vendors setting up and spied Atlas.

Shit.

She didn't blame Mykel for leaving and suspected she'd find him back in their quarters. She acted as natural as she could because she had to walk back towards Atlas in order to return to her quarters.

She really should have brought her trousers.

She passed him easily enough, but her whole being was an explosion of sparks and he smelled so good, she had to dash away before he could realize anything.

She felt the surprise and shock resonate in their bond and then confusion. Wrapped up in her own head she almost ran smack into another person.

"I'm sorry," she said before getting a look at the person "Oh thank goodness it's you," it was Mykel.

"I don't know why you fight it, Tallulah, you're meant for him and him for you," he said.

"Because I am already married, lest you forget, and I'm also a bastard child. In no way would I be accepted in the court," she reminded him. She knew Mykel wanted to argue, but the look she gave him shut him up.

"I have what I need, we can head back," she said. It was getting later in the morning and soon they would have to be at their posts. From Ander, their other party had left the room so it was safe to return in full female getup in order to get ready for the day.

She dressed last, Ander and Mykel had been first to dress for the day, it was their routine in order to preserve her secret. Today was different though, she could smell herself even after taking the herbs so she took a double dose which helped tremendously. Often times when she was alone she would stare at herself in the mirror that stood in the corner of their room.

She would look with hatred at her scars and the defamation of her body. She had nothing on the left side of her chest. It was inverted almost, barely any muscle existed there anymore. They had told her that she was lucky the infection hadn't taken her entire chest. She would have preferred that to this outcome. She had half a mind to lop off the right side as well, but considered against it when her husband had threatened her death when she mentioned it out of spite for his actions

She stared next at the scars that laced the rest of her body each memory seemed to burn itself further into her memories. She hated it. Gods. She could have been beautiful.

She loved the way the ink color spread through the blue, she loved it. She didn't doubt that Atlas could take care of her and protect her, but it was currently her job to protect him. From herself and the rest of the world. She wanted to stitch her body back together, to get rid fo the shame that would forever haunt her life.

She dressed quickly after realizing the time.

"Are you okay, girlie?" Ander asked. She replied that she was, but she knew they could tell that she wasn't.