Their Promised Queen

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

            Elora had cried herself into a fit last night after telling him everything she saw. Zeke had convinced her not to go out to get Ruby. It wasn’t the time and we didn’t have the manpower. Zeke needed her to establish her powers. That was the only way to keep Seloria safe and get Ruby and the others back. 

            Zeke thought it was pretty nice being able to sit here and cuddle with Elora. Her face just looking up at him, oh how he imagined her lips for so long and then last night, finally he was able to kiss her. Then damnit, Ruby happened. Not only did he stop her from going further just by being Elora’s other mate, but she couldn’t keep their people safe like she promised. This stupid emotional attachment. The pull she has for Elora wasn’t right and is the whole reason any of them were in this mess. 

            Elora started to mumble in her sleep, pulling Zeke out of his thoughts. He leaned down and kissed her soft lips. He closed his eyes, loving the sweet taste. He pulled away and opened his eyes, Elora was staring at him. 

            “Again?” she asked, sorrow deep in her voice. Zeke was only happy to oblige, though with a tinge of regret. He pulled her head up towards his face, kissing her deeply, imagining every kiss would feel this way, this amazing. Elora started tugging on his shirt with need and with passion. He knew he had to stop, that he should stop, but that feeling in his heart…and elsewhere…begged him to continue. Elora is all he ever wanted and in this moment it was almost as if he was all she wanted. He moved the shredded fabric of her shirt out of his way so that he could put his hand on her stomach. The warmth he felt against his hand spread through the rest of his body, helping him make the decision to move his hand up farther. Even though her clothes were shredded, her bra was in perfect condition. The lacy feel of it against his fingers awoke that pleasure feeling he had been waiting for, for so long. He didn’t just want her, he needed her. Her hands running through his hair gave him a calming feeling he didn’t even know existed. It was almost like everything outside of this little hiding spot no longer existed. It was just him and Elora. 

            Alas, he didn’t want her like this. Oh he wanted her for sure. But, he wanted to wait until he could hold her comfortably, when she was happy, and could make the decisions she wanted to make. Right now her emotions are guiding her thoughts and actions. He pulled away from her embrace, shaking his head and looking down at her. Her face was full of pain, he should have stopped himself sooner. 

            “I am so sorry Elora. I love you, but we can’t. Not here.” He said sadly. Dang it if this wasn’t hard. She looked so defeated. “Let’s get back to the castle and from there we can work on a plan to get Ruby and the others back.” Elora pulled away, nodding. Her powers needed to grow for her to even begin to figure out how to defeat Chara. She had to gather her strength, which she wasn’t going to be able to do in this cave.

            When Zeke pulled away from me, I thought it was because something was wrong with me. But then he said “not here”. What was wrong with me anyways? I had spent years trying not to sleep with Dan, yet here I was trying to jump Zekes bones and I barely knew him. Why? Oh man, I miss Ruby. Ruby….tears started to well in my eyes again. Stop. I have to stop this. Zeke left to try and get an animal or something to cook for breakfast. Maybe I can connect with her. Like before.

            I close my eyes and concentrate on Ruby. At first it doesn’t seem to be working, but then that all too familiar weightlessness falls on me and I start to drift. The blackness swallows me up and I know I am projecting myself once more. I think of brightness and hope of finding Ruby. Next thing I know, I am sitting in a cage with a lot of people. Mostly men. I can see Jyr, the old man who was talking to me last time I projected. But, I can’t find Ruby and looking around I don’t see her. I’ll ask Jyr. I focus on him, trying to imagine myself in front of him.

            “Welcome my Queen,” he says. “I am so glad you found your way from these men, although I have to say, I am not happy to be with them myself.” 

            “Jyr, I am so sorry! It is all my fault. If I had just stayed with them they wouldn’t have had a reason to attack you,” I tell him. I grab his hand. “Are you all alright? I saw the damage that was done when you were taken. Is anyone hurt?” 

            “No one but Ruby. She is still knocked out from the blast. I think they were targeting her the most. They either know what kind of fairy she is or who she is to you. Neither are good,” he says shaking his head. 

            “What do you mean what kind of fairy she is? Zeke told me that fae like her don’t usually have fated pulls. But, he didn’t explain what kind of fairy she is.”

            “So, he told you who Ruby was to you?” he asks me. I nod my head. Yes, I know. She would be important even if she wasn’t fated to me. Jyr nods his head and continues. “Ruby is a protection fairy of sorts. Her kind has many powers. The ability to protect whole areas, hide people, almost like invisibility. Which is how she was able to keep you safe for so long. She also has the ability to manipulate time and pass-through realms without a portal. This is what makes her the fairy she is. This is why she is supposed to be alone. If she cannot do these well, then our realm falls. Fae like her are supposed to have no emotional connection to anyone. They are raised alone, without their parents, siblings, or anyone else. There has only been one recorded pull, other than yours, recorded in history for these fae. It did not end well.”

            “What happened?” I asked him. “What happened to the last fated pull like hers?”

            “His mate died. She was killed by humans. When she died, so did a part of him. He was never the same and was unable to keep the realm safe. The realm fell for several hundred years and was under control by Chara’s great, great grandparents. The realm didn’t come back to your family’s control until a new protector had been born and trained.”

            “Wait, so if fairies can live hundreds of thousands of years, this was a very long time ago. Correct?” I asked. Completely confused.

            “Yes, correct. That is why we were so confused when Ruby was pulled to you. Why let so many generations pass before allowing another to have a fated pull? It has baffled us all and is one reason we have kept that pull a secret.”

            “So how do I get Ruby and you all back? Safely?” I ask him, already feeling the weightlessness coming back. I have to figure this out quickly. “What do I do?”

            “Go back to the castle and train. Have Zeke show you how to fight. Have your aunt teach you how to harness your powers. She knew your parents well, you have some of their powers. You also have some that have been gone for a long time. I have books in my study that you may research. There have not been many instances where fairies are born like you were. Look for their stories. Read them and learn from them. Then you will be ready.”

            “That could take forever. I need to get you now!” I almost shout at him.

            “You cannot. Not until you are ready. All you will do is put everyone in danger. Right now the castle has no one to protect it. You need to go back. Also, tell Zeke to look in the red book on my table. Page 273. He will find an answer to his questions.” With that, I felt myself disappearing, back to myself. 

            “AGH! I feel so helpless!” I yell. I turn and Zeke is standing right there with a fresh rabbit in his hands.

            “Ummm…are you ready to cook this?” He asks. Almost as if he walked into a conversation. I mean, I guess he had. He just didn’t know it. I nod and call on fire to help me start the flame once more. Zeke cooks the rabbit and we eat, all in silence. 

            As we are getting ready to leave I tell Zeke what had happened.

            “So you weren’t able to find Ruby?” I shake my head. I hadn’t seen her. “And page 273? Of the red book?” I nod. Yup.

            “Okay. I guess we should hurry up then. Get back so we can train.” And with that, we started our journey back to the castle, away from Ruby and the others. 

            “Wakey, wakey!” Ruby woke up with a prod from something sharp to her side.

            “Oww!” she yelps. She is prodded again with the sharp thing into her other side. “OWW! What the hell?!”

            She tries standing up, soon realizing she can’t. Her legs are tied in several place, her hands and arms are also tied together, and her wings are clamped. 

            “Welcome back to the land of the living!” the man named Ryte laughed at her. “I’m glad you could join us.”

            “Ugh. I had hoped you would die there.” She spat at him. “Let me go.”

            “Ohh, I don’t think I will do that deary. You are important to Chara. I mean, not as important as the little queen. But, still important.” He tells her, still laughing. He is enjoying this!

            “Why would I be important? Hmm?” She asks him. 

            “You’re the little queenies fated one. She will come after you. Wanting nothing more than to save you. And when she does, oh. Well. We will kill whoever we can. You or her. Either way.” He prods her again with the sharp rod again. “Once a fated one dies, especially a gruesome death, the other one is never the same.” He turns the rod over so that the fat side is pointing towards her and butts her in the head with it. Knocking her out. 

            When she woke up later, she had a pounding headache, and her sides were sore. She couldn’t continue to lay in this position. She tried to roll over as best she could. Not that it was very helpful but it was a different position. 

            She wanted to cry and whine and get back to El. How was she supposed to do that all tied up like she was? She couldn’t get anywhere in this condition. Is this what they did to El? Did they hurt her like this? We should have killed Ryte when they had the chance. 

            “El…I wish I had a chance to tell you what you mean to me. I wish I could tell you how much I love you.” She sobs into the ground. “I need you more than anything.” 

            Ruby felt as if her heart was breaking. I wonder if El will come visit me. I’ll tell her everything. I’ll tell her what she means to me. I am tired of keeping secrets.