Chapter 52

~Centuries Prior~

My attention never wavered as I watched him. He had felled fifteen blood-drinkers in the time it would have taken an ordinary warrior to fell three. His movements were not of our world, he was simply far too strong, too fast and far too cunning on the battlefield. It was as though he knew every move an opponent would make long before they themselves formed the thought. It was a beautiful thing to watch.

I dropped my chin onto my arm and shifted to the edge of my seat. He was so graceful in his movements, while his opponents relied on brute strength and common tactics in their attempt to gain the upper hand.

"He is a formidable opponent."

I glanced at my mother. She was proud of him; it was obvious in the way her mouth would turn up ever so slightly every time he outwitted an opponent. It was in the way she watched his every move; as though trying to memorize each moment. I knew because I too was proud. He was truly like no other and I idolized him for this greatness.

I wondered what it would take to develop that kind of skillfulness in battle. I wondered what sacrifices had to be made and what lessons he had been taught over the years to make him into such an excellent warrior. If only I were allowed to watch him train. If only father were not so adamant that I stay away.

I wondered how it would feel to have the respect of the entire coven. I wondered how it would feel to have the respect of our father; which was a difficult thing to achieve. I stood when his last opponent fell and hopped onto the ledge. When mother grabbed my arm, I glanced back at her with a frown.

"Do not venture outside the coven walls again Riener. Your father forbids it."

"Very well." I appeased her worries and finally, when she released me, I jumped from my perch and landed with a thud in the arena below.

Kandane glanced up when I straightened and beckoned for me to come forward. I grinned and ran to stand by his side. I imagined the jealousy the other coven fledglings would feel seeing me in the arena with him and knowing they could not follow.

My grin grew. Kanadane slung an arm across my shoulders and we walked together, away from our fallen comrades.

"You were impressive brother." I told him. "The best you have ever been. I am certain of it."

Kandane laughed. "You say the same thing after every competition Rien."

"I speak only the truth."

He acknowledged our mother with a raised arm and she nodded in return.

"Will you train tonight? May I watch you? I will not make a sound Kandane I swear it."

I walked with him into the dwelling house and up the stairs. "No training tonight."

He opened the door to his bedchamber and allowed me to enter before him. "Then what will you do? Will you help me to practice my archery" I asked, excited by the prospect. "Or we could take a stroll in the gardens; you promised you would tell me the story of the garden snake that bit father. Or you could show me your secret path to the river; you promised me that you would." I tripped over the boots he had discarded by his wardrobe and he caught me before I could fall.

"Sit down Rien." He instructed and I perched on the very edge of his bed.

"Perhaps we could go for a swim in the lake. We have not been there in a while." I continued my suggestions as he searched his wardrobe.

"Tonight I will hunt." He pulled out his black hunting gear and my excitement grew.

"Who will you take with you? Lord Francois I suppose."

"No one. I will go alone."

I stood too quickly and almost lost my balance. Kandane pointed to the bed and I once again sat. "Please take me with you." I begged. "I have never been hunting before. Just this once I wish to know what it is like."

He shook his head. "You are far too young."

"It has been almost twelve years since my birthing. I am old enough and I wish to go with you." I folded my arms before me and glared at him when he chuckled.

"It has been ten years exactly since your birthing and a blood drinker is not allowed to join the hunting party until his one hundredth year. You know the rules."

"But they are foolish rules; you have said so many a time and I cannot wait so long."

He shed his tunic and reached up to tie his hair in a knot at the very top of his head. When he looked at me he was smiling. "Of course you can wait. Why are you always in such a rush?"

"Because we never spend time together. You are always doing something or the other and I am never invited. Whenever I see you, you are rushing out. What if father were to die before my hundredth year? Then you will become leader and you will be far busier than you are now."

He shook his head. "Do not be absurd Rien. Father is in perfect health and it would do you well not to say such things."

He pulled on his hunting gear, then bent to secure his boots.

"Please Kandane. Just this once."

"You are not permitted to leave the coven Rien. Father—"

"—will never know." I assured him, then knelt on the floor beside him. "Just this once."

His answer was a long time coming, but finally he acquiesced and I felt the excitement build inside me. I rubbed my hands together. "Do you think they will run from us? Marcan says humans are slow. Do you think I will be fast enough? Marcan says human blood tastes much better when it pours directly from the vein, is that true? Is human flesh hard? Marcan says only experienced blood-drinkers can pierce human flesh. Do you think it will be difficult for me since my fangs have not yet come in?" I was starting to worry now.

"You will not come into contact with any humans tonight." He said and I frowned.

"But—"

"You will observe from a distance and if you have any plans to do otherwise then I will not take you with me."

I fell silent and nodded, then I watched as he pulled a black robe from his wardrobe and ripped it in half.

"Stand."

I did as he instructed and he fastened the material over my head. It trailed down to the center of my back. It was a makeshift hood. I turned and looked at myself in the metal-plated glass mirror. If you did not look too closely you would not know it was just a large strip of cloth.

I grinned at him when he pulled his own hood over his head. Now I looked the part of a true warrior. I could hardly believe I was going hunting with him.

"Now listen Rien. This is not a game." He began his lecture as he exited his bedchamber. "You will do what I say when I say it and I wish to hear no arguments, do you understand?"

I nodded. "I understand."

"You must promise me." He came to a halt and I too paused to look up at him. When he held out a hand I took it hesitantly; not quite understanding its significance.

"This is a contract between brothers. You will not disobey me while we are beyond the coven walls." His expression was of the utmost seriousness as he said the words and I nodded.

He did not release my hand as we descended the steps and exited the dwelling house. He led me across the courtyard and even further past the armory and the great hall where father met with the Court.

Kandane slowed only when we passed Lady Adalaide and they smiled at each other. The smiling between them had become a regular occurrence since late and I could not understand it. Whenever I asked him about it he would ignore me and whenever I asked Marcan he would only laugh. Jorlon said he would tell me when I was old enough and Peitre always tried to change the subject whenever I brought the matter to his attention.

When I was older I would know everything there was to know about everything. Many times I found myself wishing I would suddenly grow to a sensible age. Marcan said that if I wished upon the stars it would come true, but I had a feeling he was only jesting.

My excitement grew as we approached the gates. I had only been on the other side a handful of times. On the last occasion I had snuck past the guards when the hunting party had been about to leave, but I had been caught far too quickly and brought back. Mother had not been pleased about it. Now the guards allowed us to pass. Of course they would not dare to stop my brother. I titled my face up to smile at him and Kandane returned it.

The atmosphere beyond the gates was much different from that inside the coven. The air somehow felt fresher and I felt freer than I could ever remember feeling. I tried to pull my hand from Kadane's, but his fingers only tightened around mine.

"I will stay close." I promised him and only then did he release me.

I followed at a sedate pace behind him. I wanted to experience it all while I had the chance and so I trailed my hands against the barks of the many trees we passed and sniffed the air as often as I could; trying to pick up the many different scents that were carried by the wind.

We walked for a long time before the scent of human blood alerted me to another's presence and by then it was past evening; almost close to nightfall. I knew that had I not been there this would have all been done sooner. I knew that I slowed him down. I had not yet developed the kind of speed blood-drinkers had and my mother seemed to think I could not walk a straight line without toppling over, but I refused to be blamed for the obstacles in my path.

Kandane pulled me into a crouch and pointed to the East; there was a lady there. She looked to be gathering berries in a large leaf. She was bare from the waist up and the sight made me blush.

"Is she human?" I whispered to Kandane and he nodded.

"Can you not smell her?"

I nodded. "She smells of blood...and flowers." I told him and he nodded once more.

She looked very similar to us but at the same time I could sense her difference. There was a softness about her and a warmth that I could not liken to that of another blood-drinker. I liked the smell of her blood; it was rich. It made my mouth water.

She seemed so alive, yet so fragile. She was certainly nothing like the ladies of our coven; she did not seem capable of anything really. She was just soft and flowery. I wished I could touch her—just to see if she was as soft as she looked.

When I looked away I realized Kandane was watching me. I raised a brow and he smiled.

"Will you hunt her now?" I asked, though I wasn't entirely sure it was something I wanted to see after all. Kandane ruffled my hair.

"No. I only wished for you to see what they looked like. There are not so different from us you know."

I nodded and titled my nose to the air. "She smells delicious. Do you think she will share her blood with us if we ask politely?"

Kandane's smile grew as he looked at her. "No."

We crouched there for a while as we watched the human move about. Kandane explained to me that she was gathering food for her people. Humans ate fruit and meat just as we did, but they did not partake in the consumption of blood and I could not understand why. They had so much of it and it smelled so good, why waste it?

We waited until she left and by then, night had finally fallen. "Will we go back to the coven now?"

He shook his head. "No. There is one more thing I must do."

I watched him quizzically as he crouched. "Climb onto my back. We have a long distance to cover."

I did as he asked and wrapped my arms around his neck. A moment later, the forestry around me was just a blurry mess of black. I could only feel the wind whipping at my tunic as Kandane ran. I closed my eyes. I had not yet grown comfortable with this form of travel. It always brought forth an unsettling feeling in my stomach.

It was about an hour before we came to a stop and I slid gratefully to the ground. After taking a few deep breaths I looked around us. We were still deep in the forestry, but ahead of us, there was a triangular structure made of brown cloth. There was a flame flickering within and I could sense the presence of another being; not human, not blood-drinker, but something else.

"Come." Kandane instructed and I followed close behind him. He parted the cloth for me and we entered the structure.

It was a small space and it was warm. There was a small fire burning in the center of the room and there was strange carpeting on the ground. On the other side of the fire sat a man; his feet were crossed before him and his eyes watched us carefully as we entered.

Kandane greeted him with a short bow and after a moment's hesitation I did the same. The man gestured to the fire and Kandane sat before it; only a moment later did he pull me down beside him as well.

I did not like the feeling the man carried with him. There was a strangeness about him that I did not understand and it made me uncomfortable. I reached for Kandane's hand and he took it in his, knotting our fingers together.

"You needn't fear me young blood-drinker. I merely provide the answers you seek." His voice was raspy and bizarre. I found that I did not like it. I did not like this place. I wished to leave, but Kandane had already began to speak with him.

"There is one thing I wish to know." He said and the strange man smiled. "Lady Adalaide...I wish to know.... I wish to know what will become of us. I wish to know if she is my future."

The man held out a hand and the fire decreased before his it could pass through the flame. Kandane leaned forward and took it. He looked nervous. I had never seen him in such a state before. I frowned at the man across the flame who had dared to make my brother feel thus.

"You must release the fledgling or I will be forced to tell you his future as well."

Kandane looked at me, but I tightened my fingers around his. "That is fine. Tell me"

"Very well. You wish to know your true mate. Matters of the heart are always trying." He said. "I will give provide what you seek but that is the only answer you will receive from me so do not ask anymore." He warned and Kandane nodded.

"Tell me."

The strange man closed his eyes for a moment, his brows knitting and his lips parting but he uttered no words. It did not take very long before he reopened his eyes and finally released my brother's hand.

Kandane watched him expectantly.

"Your future lies with a human." He said simply and Kandane's eyes widened in shock.

"I—do not understand."

"You will find love with a human and the human with you. That is your destiny."

"But...No. You must be mistaken. I—"

"So will the young blood-drinker."

The strange man had turned his eyes on me and my brother looked between us in horror.

"You are saying we will both be mated to humans." Kandane said slowly. "I do not see how this can be. Perhaps if you were to try again." He held out his hand and the fire blazed up suddenly causing him to snatch it back.

"I have answered what you have asked. Now you will go."

It took Kandane a moment before he honored the strange man's wishes and I was glad to leave the small space and the eyes that followed me out of it.

Kandane said nothing as he ran with me through the forestry. It took us many hours to get back to the coven and through it all he remained silent. When the guards opened the gates and allowed us passage, he was deep in thought and I watched him, worried about what everything could mean.

The strange man seemed to be a prophet of some sort. Mother had once told me about his kind but I did not think they truly existed. I was not allowed to go to my own bed chamber once we returned to the dwelling house, though I was quite tired.

Instead, Kandane lead me to his own chambers and sat me on the bed as he paced; quickly at first, then gradually his pacing slowed, until he finally came to a stop and turned to look at me.

His expression was resigned. He had apparently made up his mind about something, but I knew not what.

"You must not tell anyone about the events of the day. Especially not of what the sorcerer told us."

I nodded. "Was he being truthful? Will we really be mated to humans Kandane?"

He took a long time to answer me and when he did, it was with a slow nod. "I fear he must have been. What reason would he have to lie?"

"How did you come to know of him?"

He shook his head. "It matters not." Then he sat beside me with a sigh.

"You know what this means of course."

I shook my head.

"We will never have father's blessing in this. He will never accept a human in the coven." Then he chuckled; a cold sound. "He will never allow us a human mate. It is forbidden."

"But mother said we cannot choose our own mates. Mother said it is the choice of the universe."

Kandane shook his head. "It will not matter to father. He will continue the mating ceremonies despite that. He refuses to believe there is a power higher than himself.

"Will my human be a lady or a man?"

Kandane shook his head, but when he looked at me he was smiling. "That I cannot answer. Which would you prefer?"

I shrugged. "I do not know. And you?"

"It matters not. I had thought it would be Lady Adalaide but..." He did not continue. He looked conflicted.

"I liked the human from today. I liked her smell" .I told him "Do you think she will be my mate?"

Kandane chuckled. "I doubt it. It may be many years before you find your mate. You are still quite young Rien."

"What will father do once he learns of this?" I asked him.

"Nothing good I fear."

We were silent for a long time afterwards, I in my own thoughts and he in his. I did not know what I would even do with a mate. I wondered if my human would wish to fight with me. Perhaps we could practice our archery together. The thought cheered me, but then something else occurred to me and I glanced at Kandane with a frown.

"Brother?"

He raised a brow. "They are so fragile. What if I accidentally break mine?"

Kandane smiled. "You will have to be gentle of course." He seemed to think about it for a moment. "Humans are very unlucky creatures. They have to be protected from...everything I suppose."

The thought terrified me. I did not want such responsibilities. I did not wish for a mate and especially not one so fragile and what if my human did not like the things I liked? What if my human did not like fighting or archery or sword play? What if my human did not like to play the games I liked and what would happen if my human did not like to swim. I loved to swim. I could not imagine what it would be like to have to be friends with a mate who did not.

I decided then that I would not meet any humans. If I did not meet one then one could not become my mate. It was simple really and then I would not need to worry.

I bit my lip.

"How will I know how to protect anyone? No one will teach me how to fight. Mother forbids it and father says I am not allowed to watch you train."

"Then I shall train you."

My eyes widened. "You will?"

Kandane nodded. "It cannot hurt to learn. You are young so of course we will take our time, but if you are truly serious about it, I will train you every evening until father calls me to Court to learn the ways of the coven.

I was grinning. I had wanted this for so long. "When do you think he will call you?"

Kandane gave it serious thought. "Perhaps in a century's time. We should be able to cover much in such a short time frame, but only if you are focused."

I nodded. "Do you think I will become as good a warrior as you?"

Kandane smiled. "Perhaps you will become a far greater warrior than I can ever be. I will teach you all I know."

......................................

I woke to the sound of raised voices. I sat up and looked around. I was still in Kandane's bedchamber but I was alone.

I glanced toward the door where the voices could be heard beyond. I heard Kandane and mother. They seemed to be arguing.

"You should not have taken him with you. Now you have put him in danger. He is too young he cannot handle what your father will do to him."

Mother was sobbing. I felt my heart lodge in my throat as I climbed from the bed and made my way over to the door. When I threw it open, it was to see mother with her face in her hands. She tried and failed to muffle her sobs. Kandane was no longer there.

"Mother what has happened?"

She looked up at me in surprise, then very quickly wiped at her tear-stained face with the tail-end of her dress. She ushered me back into Kandane's bedchamber and into bed. I watched as she tucked the corners of the sheets around me and when I reached up to touch her face, she held my hand tightly and kissed it.

"Everything Kandane has done has been to protect you all." She said. "You are his brothers and this is his duty." She told me and left before I could question her further.

I could not go back to sleep following the events of the night.

I remained awake and waited for Kandane's return, but it was some hours before I heard the thud of his boots against the floor and the soft whining of the door as he pushed it open. I sat up and he smiled when he saw me, but it did not quite reach his eyes.

I also noticed how carefully he moved; as though moving any faster would cause him great pain.

"Why are you awake Rien?" he asked quietly.

"I heard you and mother. What has happened? Is it because we ventured outside the coven? Is father upset with me?" I could feel the thudding in my chest as the thought of father's anger swirled around my mind.

"What will he do to me?" I whispered and finally, Kandane came to sit by my side.

"You need not worry yourself about father. Rest now. I have taken care of it." he said confidently and I released a breath as I wrapped my arms around him, only to release him quickly when he hissed in pain.

I watched him in shock. "What? What has happened?"

He shook his head and made to stand but I latched onto his arm and noticed that my hands, where they had brushed the back of his tunic, were sticky with blood. I gasped and this time he stood and made his way to the wardrobe.

He very carefully pulled the tunic from his skin, but he was facing me; preventing me from seeing what he wished to hide. I hopped from the bed and ran around him before he could prevent it and what I saw horrified me.

He had been flayed. He turned away from me with a curse, but I had already seen the damage to his back. He had been beaten; his back was rubbed raw from it and oozing blood.

"Why..." my breath was shaky as I began. "Why will you not heal?"

He shook his head. "Do not concern yourself with that Rien. Go back to bed. Please."

I refused. "You...you have scars all across your body. I have always asked you about them and you have never told me why. Why would a blood-drinker have scars when he can heal as quickly as we do? It never made sense to me."

"Rien—"

"Father did this to you. He is responsible for the scars too." I whispered. "He did this because of me."

"No. He did this because I refuse to watch him hurt you; any of you. It is my duty to protect my brothers and I have done so."

He did not replace his tunic as he made his way around to his side of the bed and very carefully climbed in. He stretched out on his stomach and released a breath.

"All those scars from all these years. Father hurt you because you tried to protect us."

"Do not concern yourself Rien." He said tiredly, then he pushed up slightly, wincing as he did. "Please, come and rest."

I did as he asked and climbed into the bed beside him, but I could not rest. "What did he use? I do not understand why you will not heal."

He sighed. "Father has his ways. Sleep now." He commanded and finally, I slid beneath the covers.

"I will never forgive him for this" I whispered as the tears gathered and rolled down my cheeks. "I am sorry Kandane."

Kandane reached across and pulled me closer. "Warriors do not cry." He told me. "As long as my brothers are safe, I will endure whatever father has to offer. As long as it will keep you all from harm I will do whatever father wishes." He said, but it only made me cry harder.

"Everything I have done...whatever I will do, it is for you Rien.It is for all of you. One day you will all see that and you will understand."

He rubbed my back as I sobbed against him. "Warriors do not cry." He repeated.

Why then did it sound as if he were on the verge of tears.

                                                                AUTHOR'S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

Enjoy!!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited