BOUND TO HIM

“ May this blood covenant bind us together forever. “ “ May this blood covenant seal our fates forever. “ Those were the young voices of Nathaniel Mortimer who was 13 and Eritrea Radcliffe who was 12 as they joined their bloody palms into a tight fist. The young lovers snuck from school and had ran into fable forest, they settled under a tree which was popularly known as the sorcerer's tree. Nathaniel took the hands of Eritrea, “ Are you sure this would work? “ desperation clinged on his voice. “ We exchanged blood and said the covenant under the tree, I'm sure it would work. “ Eritrea told him. Nathaniel wasn't convinced, “ I don't believe. “ “ Trust me, “ Eritrea touched his chin slightly, staring into his eyes. Nathaniel smiled wholesome, her tender Hazel eyes were one of the reasons he loved her. He shut the words in her mouth with a childish kiss. Eritrea giggled, “ Nate, allow me speak. My mother, you know she is a witch. She has told me stories of this tree doing wonders, I am sure it would work. “ “ Fine then, I love you so much. “ Eritrea let out a subtle smile that proved that his words melted her, “ I love you more. “ “ That's a lie, I love you the most. “ He beamed. “ I talk to you the most everyday in classes, I get you the most gifts, I remember important dates for us, I am convinced that I think about you the most. “ “ Fine then. “ Eritrea agreed. “ Nathaniel, I want you to have this. “ She gave him a beaded bracelet, “ To honor our bond. “ Nathaniel was so thrilled that he gave her a warm hug. “ I will honor it for life. “ Then, sounds came from the bushes. It disrupted their hug. Nathaniel rushed to his feet, “ Someone is there! Quick! “ He lifted Eritrea to a stand, “ Let's run. “ The two dashed into the opposite side of the forest. But their race was caught short when a giant man, muscular and broad blocked their path. Nathaniel aimlessly ran into the man and fell to the floor. The man was his father, Robert Mortimer. The children were dragged to the entrance of the forest where Robert's entourage parked in expensive cars. All the Mortimers security personnels were there. Fear struck Nathaniel but he still stood bravely in front of Eritrea, in a bid to protect her. But when Eritrea saw her father, Pedro Radcliffe knelt to the ground with his head bent, she ran to him. Robert slapped his son, “ After all the money I put into you, you have the audacity to skip school and for what? To hang out with a commoner? “ Robert roared. “ That commoner means the world to me! “ Nathaniel roared back fearless. Robert cackled, he ruffled his son's hair, “ Thats my boy, be defiant, that is why you are my heir. But you know that you have been betrothed to Fiona Thruxton, you should not hang with lowlifes. And because I raised you to be stubborn doesn't mean there are no punishments for bad behaviour. As effective, I am sending you to Europe to further your education. Hopefully you forget about this meaningless trash, you have a bright future ahead of you. “ Nathaniel had tears in his eyes, immediate pain hit him, going to Europe meant that he would be separated from Eritrea. “ Take his ass into the car. “ Robert ordered his security. As Nathaniel was whisked away, he fought to remain with Eritrea, but he was overpowered. Robert moved over to where Pedro knelt and slapped him hard on the cheeks. “ You are part of my security, you should know better than to let your useless daughter mingle with my son. I did enough to let her into that school, I have that much power to revoke her scholarship. “ “ I am sorry master Robert, “ Pedro gave Eritrea a look that sent terror inside her, “ I promise you with my life that it would not happen again. “ “ It better not, or else I would sack you and jail your worthless ass! “ Robert retreated to his car. As the Mortimers drove away, Nathaniel struggled to peer through the window in hopes of seeing Eritrea one last time, “ Eritrea! I love you! “ He screamed as the car departed from view. *************** Whip! Eritrea was laid naked on the table, while her father was whipping her with a belt. “ You useless brat! You dare embarrass me!? “ Whip! “ How dare you? I have always taught you to know your place! “ Whip! “ You stupid animal, you will learn to obey me! “ Eritrea screamed at the top of her voice in abject pain, she yelled her mother's name to help her. But like expected, her mother did not interfere, Paloma merely sat in her garden and sang enchanted rhythms to mother nature. The whipping lasted for about twenty five minutes before Pedro released his daughter. Eritrea was red from her back to her buttocks. Out of pain and distraught, she destroyed the beaded bracelet she made for herself to commemorate her blood covenant with Nathaniel. There was no use loving him, he had been sent to Europe after all. “ It's time I forgot you. “ *************** Nathaniel got home to see his mother, Talia knelt in front of their giant mansion, she was crying and had all her luggage with her. “ Mother! “ Nathaniel went for her and hugged her. “ Son! “ Robert fumed, he ordered his men to separate Nathaniel from Talia, while the young boy cried, Robert had his security load Talia's luggage inside a car. “ As of today son your mother is banished from this family. There is evidence of infidelity perpetrated by your whoring mother. “ “ Thats a lie! “ Nathaniel roared ferociously. “ You evil man! You have two children with your mistress and you plan on marrying her. She lied to you with that fake evidence and you believed her, I cannot believe that you don't know that she schemed all of this. “ Up inside the house, Nathaniel saw his adopted sister, Olivia peeping through her room window, when she saw him, she hid. “ Say what you must, but you will never see your son again! Get her out of here, dump her on the streets! “ As Robert ordered, his men obeyed. Talia was whisked away, never to be seen again. While Robert immediately married Rebecca, his mistress who had two daughters for him. The following week, Nathaniel was sent to Europe to further his education and prepare for taking over the family's business. His love for Eritrea did not die, instead, it turned to desolation.