For the first two days when Fafnir was riding back to Draka, he was too restless. He hadn't even had time to be with his mate and he was ordered to march back to Draka. He felt like galloping back to her at every given opportunity, but every time he had that thought, he also knew that Draka was without a King and General or the Alpha. Alrakis had gone to Stourin with Taiyi.
On the third day, Fafnir tried to busy himself with the normal court work. While he remained busy, he was feeling occupied and his mind was distracted, but the moment the night came, Fafnir became anxious. His thoughts were full of his mate, of how she smelled, of how her body felt next to his and how luscious she was. He couldn't sleep well for three straight nights, tossing and turning in his bed. In the middle of the night, he decided to go on a run in the orchards. He circled the orchards that lay in miles and miles of expanse, once, then twice and when he was dead tired, he simply crawled on the grass and looked at the moon. "Dear Goddess, what should I do?" he murmured, rubbing his chest.
On the fourth day, the situation hadn't changed. He was growing ever-more restless and that was now mixed with a feeling that whether she was safe or not in Orion. He hated the fact that Princess Tabit was all alone with no one to look after her. Her brother was in mourning and he had heard that his coronation had taken place. So obviously, Rigel was busy with the court and kingdom. He didn't have time for his poor, little Tabit.
On the fifth day, he heard that King Eltanin was coming back with his queen and that was a relief. The moment Eltanin came to Draka, he was going to take a private leave for a week and go back to Orion, marry Tabit and get her back here. With that thought in mind, he worked excitedly for the whole day, but at night--it was the same.
Fafnir looked like a homeless man by the sixth day. He had a stubble, his hair was mangled and his eyes were red rimmed. There were dark circles beneath his eyes and his lips were chapped. He had lost his appetite and to add to that, his merman was clamoring inside to be with his mate. It was impossible for him to wait even for one more day. He wanted to go and see her, touch her, feel her, smell her and all those feelings multiplied by a hundred. No. A thousand.
"You look like you've walked through a hell hole, General Fafnir," said one of his senior commanders, Orin. "Whatever happened to you?" They were both practicing in the training area where Fafnir had called twenty men to exercise and then train with swords with him. And Orin found that odd because most of the soldiers wanted to go home considering how little time they had to be with their families. The training proved to be tiring because Fafnir was too aggressive.
Fafnir couldn't say that he had found his mate and that too to Orin. No. Never. Tabit was unmarked and unclaimed. She was so beautiful. What if Orin went and tried to seduce her? "Calaman's horns!" The thought was enough to twist a thousand knots in his belly. He rubbed his sweat slicked body with a towel and shook his head. "Nothing!"
---
Lerna had informed Rigel about Tabit and Fafnir and also told him that she was going to Draka. "Gods above! Fafnir?" Rigel let out a shocked cry. "How is that possible?" He couldn't believe that his little sister had found a mate and that too Fafnir.
Lerna giggled as she settled in his lap. They had had a wild session of love after he had returned to his bedchamber. He had pulled her in his lap and had rested his head on hers when Lerna dropped this bomb.
"What do you mean, how is this possible?" Lerna teased him.
"I mean--" Rigel didn't have words to speak. After a long time when the news settled, his lips curled up. "So you girls have disguised her?"
Lerna nodded. "I have informed everyone that Princess Tabit won't be coming out of her room and wing for the next few days."
---
Tabit was dressed as a soldier as she rode on the horse with the royal carriage. Her restlessness was only increasing by the minute. The anticipation of meeting Fafnir was building to a fever's edge.