New Thangs

He heard the movement in the water and glanced back to catch her movements. She was coming toward him, not away. He moved one ear to keep tabs on her as his gaze moved out to the scenery. He was just about to huff and pull himself out when he stiffened as he felt her rub into his shoulders. He eased his head down to rest on the side of the spring, a low half contented rumble his response to her feeble attempt at massage. He would get these weekly as the ruling god prince of the land. A luxury he had taken as if it were granted to him, his royal and holy right for his muscles to be eased and relaxed as he protected and conquered the kingdoms for Archnemes.

The weeks of his exile had started to wear on him. He had not given himself the time to truly process what had transpired, the cruelty of his father, and his fall from grace.

He allowed her to work his shoulders and neck, though her strength was nothing like the bathing slaves of his home, nor her expertise. But to have her run her paws over him, of her own volition, was something he would not admit he craved. He just wished it was another's paws and not this tiny scrap of a silent girl that would never speak to him, never tell him her name from her own lips. Silent like all of the other servants he had grown up with.