Bound

C. 4: The First Night Pt. 2

“We are saved… Daas and his men were able to break through their defenses,” Gabriele gloated proudly.

Still hesitant and nervous, Soleil questioned him doubtfully,“How can you be so sure?”

“The knocking… It’s the rhythm Daas uses as a signal.” Running to his mate, Gabriele picked Soleil up and spun her around kissing her happily. “He has come for us!”

            The two listened silently for a moment, willing the knocking to start again; before the moment could end, a firm knocking began. The rhythm was soft, as if it were a lullaby… something inviting and safe. While Gabriele only listened for the knocking, Soleil tried to hear everything she could from their side of the door. Her instincts were telling her it was a trap… how could Daas have made it through the courtyard? Had the Panthers joined them as Gabriele’s father had promised? Guiltily, the most important question going through her mind right now was how could Daas not save her mother… if it really was Daas, he would’ve done all he could’ve to save her. Her instinct told her it wasn’t him… Gabriele always told her to trust her ‘gut’, but on the other hand she wanted to hope that this wasn’t the end for them.

Needing no further reassurances, Gabriele pried himself from Soleil’s tight grip and ran towards the door: ignoring Soleil’s frightened protests.One by one, Gabriele undid the locks and spells that protected them and threw the doors open with wide inviting arms… only to end up on the bloody edge of elvish steel.Within seconds the room was filled with elves all clad in their armor donning the print of a large, golden stag with white antlers, the sigil of the High Elf King and Queen.

“Gabriele,” Soleil screamed, trying to run to him but was instantly apprehended and surrounded. She hadn’t gotten far before a soldier grabbed her by the silver curls of her head. The pain was excruciating.

“Let go of her! Soleil!”

            Instantly, Gabriele’s body began to shake violently as his anger grew. In a blind rage Gabriele had forgotten all about the sword at his throat and maneuvered around the elf. He could see nothing but Soleil… and the more pain he saw her in the more his beast fought him for control, wanting nothing more than to come out and tear all of them apart for making his mate cry out in pain. His nails began to slowly extend into to claws and the hair that he already had on his body began to thicken. Soldiers began scrambling to restrain him before he could reach his mate. Had it not been for the fear coursing through her, Soleil would’ve found this entire scene hilarious…

            Ignoring Gabriele’s commotion, a low-ranking elvian soldier forced his way to the front of the cluster guarding Soleil and whistled, immediately gaining everyone’s attention. Slowly, so Gabriele could see, the soldier pulled a blade from a hidden sheath and pressed it firmly against Soleil’s throat. A small bead of blood pooled at the tip of the blade causing Soleil to wince and Gabriele to whimper.

“Still dog or I’ll slit her from ear to ear,” the elf ordered; his voice coming out as an echo through the small slits of his armored helmet.

            Gabriele had gone so still that for a moment it seemed as if he hadn’t been breathing at all… As he complied, dropping to his knees and surrendering; allowing them to chain him up and dragging him back to the entrance. Soleil’s wrists were gently bound together by leather as she too was pushed to the front of the room. Soleil wasn’t ready to see what they had done to her people and to her home; she tried resisting but the soldiers didn’t even seem affected as they pulled her along as the walked.

Gabriele’s beast was barely managing his control… not only was his mate afraid, but she bleeding from an elf’s blade, a wound he vowed to pay back threefold. His beast begged him to let him free and let him kill them all, but Gabriele refused. He wouldn’t risk her life anymore than he already had. If only he had listened to her… but now wasn’t the time for that. What was important was finding out how the elves knew Daas’ knock and how they were going to get out of their currently situation alive; at the very least he wanted Soleil to make it out alive…

“I was betrayed,” Gabriele growled out loud stopping the procession. The grinding of his teeth bone chillingly audible…

“Brighter than the average dog I see,” the same elf said; his voice again echoing through his helmet. “It seems not all of your father’s Alpha agreed with this little coupe.”

            Gabriele’s shoulders sagged in defeat… him and his beast’s pride wounded. “We’re to take him to the General.”

            Not wasting a moment, two burly elves started dragging Gabriele away again. Gabriele wouldn’t dare look up into her eyes, his mate’s eyes and watch himself be helpless to save her in their reflection… not even his beast could break free of the guilt and disappointment in himself to fight back. Not only had his pack betrayed him but their betrayal would lead to something he now realized was impossible to stop. How could he look at her? How could he not feel the slight strumming of their tether begging him to look at her? But how could he when he realized she was going to die?

            Twenty-four elven soldiers followed behind Gabriele and the soldiers that carried him; Soleil listened to the elf that still held his dagger to her throat count the soldiers as they filed passed him. As soon as the last soldier was counted, the elf began to push Soleil in the same direction. Leaving their protective walls, Soleil’s heart fell into her chest; the feeling of pain and death engulfed her entire being. Her body slumped in defeat; when the elf realized she wasn’t going to walk, he painfully pulled her along. When she didn’t squeal in pain the elf had to stop and make sure she was alive… Soleil saw no reason to make any kind of outburst… Soleil knew she was going to die.

            The deeper the pair was pulled inside the decimated walls of her home the less they recognized it; try as she might, Soleil couldn’t mask the smell of blood and burning flesh; the combination of both smells making her gag uncontrollably. The taste of blood clung thickly in the air and bodies littered the floor staining the stone with their blood…

Soleil begged herself not to give into her curiosity and rage, she didn’t need to peek at the c*****e… but a small part of her felt like she owed it to her fallen soldiers, as their Princess. No matter what direction she looked, there was someone she knew laying still and dead for trying to defend her union… she was going to pay this transgression back tenfold. It was at the same moment she made her vowed that she was thrown to the ground; Soleil opened her eyes and immediately fell blind with rage.

“This use to be the Great Fae Hall… you elves will rue this day,” Soleil spat venomously; no longer wanting to hold back the ire that brewed inside of her.

            Every elf shivered hearing Soleil’s vow and hatred firm in her voice; even Gabriele was affected by the amount of malice held in her voice.

“Sol,” Gabriele whispered in warning.

            A loud whistle and pop pulled Soleil from her hatred and rage. Gabriele’s groan of pain forced her to understand what had happened and what she had done… the whistle and pop sounded again as Soleil watched an elf swing a sturdy-looking riding crop. Blood splattered onto the floor; Soleil blanched and whimpered for her mate.

“No talking dog,” the elf with the riding crop shouted.

My love, Soleil thought to herself sadly… I am sorry, I shouldn’t act so rashly.

            The soldiers marched them straight to the newly guarded Grand Hall; waiting as the two soldiers guarding the door pushed open the golden doors for them to enter. There was little difference in appearances from the Great and Grand Halls… blood and c*****e stained and tainted the walls and floors of the hallowed halls.

            The pair had been spaced apart and thrown before the Ethereal Throne, her father’s throne, where the High Elf Commander, Cirdan wrongfully sat. Upon seeing the infamous ‘Bound’ knelt before him, Cirdan’s eyes were bright with excitement. He had done what no other High Elf could…he had captured the elusive ‘Bound’ and he was going to be handsomely rewarded for it.

            The High Elf King and Queen had only asked Cirdan for two things… one, an end to the dogs and two, the safe delivery of their distant niece. For centuries, the mangy dogs refused to live under High Elvian rule; the two enemies often found themselves feuding over unclaimed lands and the riches within them. Their distant family the Fae, on the other hand, were different; they didn’t outright refused High Elvian rule but they didn’t rebut it either.

            For all the centuries since their Creation, the Fae were always deemed neutral; they sided with no clan but the lands and all that comes from it. An alliance between any other clan was allowed, but never this one. Through this union the scales of power would be tipped and the peacefully neutrality the High Elves had grown accustomed to would disappear before them… that was unless the pair found themselves before a Counsel of Clans to prove that their bond was true; which were the claims of the Fae King when approached about cutting ties with the alliance.

“Princess Soleil,” Cirdan chirped happily. “I do apologize that this is the first time we’v met, but I must say it is a pleasure.” Cirdan tried to give Soleil his most charming smile but immediately changed his face when her scowl deepened.

“General, the pleasure is mine,” Soleil replied with not an ounce of generosity in her face. “And pleasure, no matter the mess… this was only my home you destroyed and my people you murdered.”

            Cirdan chuckled and nodded his head, signaling to someone behind the pair. The new and now familiar whistle and pop sounded through the Grand Hall, echoing off of the massive walls. It was Gabriele’s cry in agony that filled Soleil with guilt and caused her to flinch as if she too had felt the lashing from the crop… as if Gabriele would ever allow her a glimpse into his pain. Gabriele couldn’t begin to imagine the hurt and rage coursing through Soleil, he wouldn’t dare blame her for feeling. Cirdan’s sadistic smile broadened as Soleil’s eyes reached his own, his eyes baiting her into doing more damage…

            Taking a deep breath and forcing a smile across her lips, Soleil ground out the pleasantries she had been taught since birth through clenched teeth. “General, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

            The room filled with happy laughter from the elvian soldiers at Soleil’s polite attempt at defiance, but Cirdan’s face was the only that held disgust. The dog clan had truly turned the gentle creatures, like the Fae, into aggressive heathens. He wasn’t particularly excited about relaying that bit of news to the High King and Queen.

“I am going to have so much fun breaking you,” Cirdan told her flatly as everyone in the room but Cirdan and the pair continued to laugh.

“This, my dear Princess, was an attack and you are here to surrender… of course,” Cirdan said looking around the room with arms stretched wide. “These ruins, while yes sadly this is your home, will be the last offer of solidarity from the High King and Queen,” he continued.

            Cirdan stood from her father’s throne and walked to Soleil confidently; his blonde tresses bouncing softly as he grew closer to her. Slyly sending and impish grin towards Gabriele and only slightly picked up his pace to close the distance between Soleil and himself… a deep, threatening growl filled the room, daring Cirdan to test him.

            Slightly frightened, Cirdan stopped mid-stride causing the soldiers, his soldiers, to whisper in low shocked and conspiratorial tones. “Bring her to me!”

            There was no way her would allow that abomination to slander the reputation he had worked hard to build. There was no way he’d allow that half being to make him look like a coward in front of his men, in front of Soleil herself… how would she ever look at him after that. Damn that feral growl, he thought angrily to himself.

            The moment they moved toward Soleil, Gabriele began fighting to free himself from the chains and shackles. His beast didn’t trust how close that elf Cirdan wanted to be to his mate. Just the thought of that elf touching his mate made his blood boil, sending Gabriele into a blind rage. The chains began to wheeze and strain under the pressure of his growing parts. Gabriele’s eyes never left Cirdan’s face even as his muffled voice shouted for his men to restrain Gabriele before he was able to complete the change.

Good, Gabriele’s beast thought proudly. At least he knows they are no match for us as one in my form…

            Soleil looked on at the scene fearfully knowing that if she didn’t do something, and soon, Gabriele was sure to get himself killed right in front of her and she didn’t think she would be able to survive after that… she had lost her entire family in one night, she couldn’t lose Gabriele too. Her mother’s prophecy whispered in her mind; a tearful smile spread across her face. “Tha mi a ‘faireachdainn gu bheil thu Mama, tha fios agam gu bheil thu comhla rium,” Soleil whispered quietly to herself. I feel you Mama, I know you are with me.

“Bi socair Gabriele. Cha b’urrainn dhomh a ghiulan  man mharbh iad thu,” Soleil called out to her mate and gaining the attention of everyone in the room. Be calm Gabriele. I couldn’t bear it if they killed you.

            All the elves in attention melted from the beautiful, soft tenor that had left Soleil’s lips. To them her soft pleading for her mate’s life sounded like a mother’s lullaby to her restless child… The melodic and magical tenors and lilts gave her otherwise timid voice and alluring pull. Soleil knew that, to them, her native tongue held the sensual pull of her matriarchal heritage and they could feel its power; their almost forced concentration on her… it wasn’t often that outsider, even low ranking High Elves, were blessed to hear the Royal Fae speak a tongue only blessed to their lineage.

            Cirdan struggled to move or speak, even though he knew he wanted to… but he wanted to keep looking at Soleil too. Cirdan began willing himself to move, to clap, to speak anything to break the spell. That’s what it had to be… no woman could control a room full of men in such a way without magic. Cirdan couldn’t fathom the thought of women holding any true position of power, their delicacies were too soft for such matters as war and assassinations. He couldn’t understand how the Fae had flourished for so long under the rule of women… it was then he decided that he’d make sure Soleil would never be able to use this kind of magic on him. It was a glamour of some kind, and he was going to break it.

Clap, Cirdan shouted in his mind. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.

            All eyes fell to Cirdan, he self-consciously shifted looking down at his hands that were clapping to the pace he’d be going in his mind. Had he been clapping the entire time? Had he actually spoken his thoughts aloud? Cirdan had no time to ponder the possibilities; he wanted to finish this quickly.

“Ah, what a delight,” Cirdan said in mock wonder. “You elves have just been blessed to have heard what few like yourselves have ever heard before. Such a beautiful and sacred tongue.”

            Noticing Cirdan’s close proximity to Soleil, Gabriele’s body began to thrash around once again. “Marbhaidh  sinn e mus buin e ruit a-rithist a charaid,” Gabriele’s beast swore. We will kill him before he touches you again mate.

            Cirdan blanched  angrily as he realized, not only could that beast understand such sacred tongue but he spoke it fluently as well. What had the Fae been thinking? To align themselves, their ancestors with such abominations… Why them? Why not him? The Fae had always been off limits to all… How could those beasts do what he couldn’t?

“Chan urrainn dhut sabaid ris idir,” Soleil cried. She grew worried that his beast would no longer allow him to listen to reason; if that happened and he lost all control surely he would kill plenty of Cirdan’s men but eventually he would be overwhelmed and killed. You cant fight him either!

“Bidh mia ‘basachadh gus do dhion,” Gabriele vowed. I will die to protect you.

“Agus bhithinn a ‘basachadh airson an aon rud a dheanamh,” Soleil promised. And I would die to do the same.

            The faces that were once filled with adoration and awe, were now filled with disgust. The thought of the Fae and wolves was blasphemous, but here they were watching the possibility. It was disgraceful, especially to someone like Cirdan… Gabriele by all rights was a prince, but he was only half a man. What had Gabriele done to deserve such beauty and grace to bear his children? Cirdan, even though he was a High Elf and a well sought after bachelor in the kingdom, was no prince… he couldn’t understand why Soleil wanted to be with an animal?

            Cirdan watched the way Soleil’s silver, pearls liquified as they melted into pain watching Cirdan’s men whip and s***h at her mate; she was ethereal, they way her tears glowed gold as they raced down her brown skin. The way her single, long braid looked like boiling mercury made her usually slender face full; the small, curly silver wisps of hair framed her face and highlighted her eyes even more. Why couldn’t Soleil look at him in that way? Why couldn’t he wake up in a halo of her silver tresses? Cirdan wanted Soleil more than he had ever wanted anything before… and he was going to have her.

            Kneeling down, Cirdan was face to face with Soleil and ever so gently caressed her tear stained cheek. Beside him, Gabriele struggled to pull himself free… Cirdan ignored him and reveled in the feeling of the Fae Princess’ skin. She was soft against his fingers, she radiated warmth and kindness. His mind began to wander off, imagining what it would feel like to have Soleil’s naked skin pressed against his own. Cirdan couldn’t stop the slight moan that escaped him…

            Their eyes met, one in infatuation and the other with  a palpable disgust. “What are you terms General,” Soleil forced out.

“You are to come with me to the Capitol to speak with the High King and Queen… about our impending nuptials,” Cirdan explained breathlessly.

“I’ll kill you first,” Gabriele seethed. He now, viciously tried to rip himself free of their grasps.

“Fight me elf!”

“Gabriele,” Soleil shouted in warning.

            He ignored her and kept trying to persuade Cirdan to fight; what Gabriele didn’t know was that Cirdan had no intentions of fighting him. Cirdan was going to make the dog kill himself instead…