Chapter 5

Aubrey awoke with a gasp; her head was resting on something warm that rose and fell in time with the sound of breathing that was issuing just above her head. She froze. She had never been in such close confinements with a man and she felt as if she had been buried alive, literally with the overwhelming male presence next to her. Looking up she realised that she recognised the face and took her several moments before the frown that had formed on her face smoothed out.

“Tiberius,” she whispered as she shook his shoulders and after a groan he rolled his head down to look at her before lifting his arm so that he could glance at some strange watch that was on his arm.

“Wow you really are something else, you’re awake a day early, I don’t think that has ever happened before.” The sound of his husky voice that still held the remnants of sleep startled Aubrey so much that she jumped and smacked her head on Tiberius chin.

“Ow sorry,” she murmured bringing her hand up to rub the back of her head and then looking up at him between her lashes, watching as he brought his hand up to rub his chin before a rumbling laugh came from beneath he head cause her whole body to shake from the movement.

“It’s okay little one. We just have to wait until they let us out, hopefully they will check on us in a few hours but for now we just need to sit and wait.” Tiberius stared up at the thin layer of crystal that was covering the hole they were in. It was frosted but let in enough light so that they could see which was handy because usually you are let out as soon as you wake up but this time Tiberius and Aubrey were in for the long haul.

“Hours?” Aubrey squeaked shifting slightly before realising where her hand was. She quickly pulled it back with another squeak, her face blushing red when she realised that she had been copping a feel of Tiberius’ pecks and she hadn’t even realised it.

Tiberius glanced at her bright red face and laughed even harder. Aubrey smacked him on his chest but then quickly pulled her hand back when she realised where she was touching. She held her hands closely to her chest so that there was no chance of her accidentally brushing him again. The two of them quietened down but Aubrey found her legs shaking and is she had been sitting she was sure that her foot would be tapping incessantly on the floor.

“Tiberius?” Aubrey’s voice started getting squeakier as her pulse spiked and her foot continued tapping. “Can we get out of here, I really don’t like sitting still, I feel like I need to run.”

He glanced down at her and let out a laugh. “You’re overcharged,” he took her hand and grasped it tightly in his, instantly feeling his own body become more energised and alert as her leg slowed its bouncing before stopping all together and she slumped forwards slightly so that her head fell upon his shoulder and she let out a breath of relief.

“That reminded me of the time that I drank too much coca cola but a hundred times worse.” Aubrey said with a laugh burying her head into his shoulder slightly as she tried to get comfortable. It was kind of difficult because of the cramped space and she felt a blush rise to her cheeks every time she noticed that more than an inch of her body was touching his, which at the moment there were quite a few inches.

Tiberius laughed and shook his head before stopping abruptly and frowning. He glanced and the petite girl in his arms and slowly the frown disappeared as he mumbled some words before turning his head away.

“What was that?” she questioned peering up at him curiously. He shook his head no but she poked him in the cheek. “Tell me Mister, you started it. If you didn’t want me to question you then you shouldn’t have mumbled something in the first place. Besides, you actually seem pretty nice at the moment; I get the feeling that the moment we get out of this box you are going to go back to being all macho, no emotion and no laughing mode which to be quite frank with you Mister Maximus, is not a good look for you.” She smiled at the end of the sentence so that he wouldn’t take offence knowing whilst her hands itched to cover her mouth at the fact that she had even had the guts to say that to him.

He laughed before looking into his charge’s eyes. “I just said that I haven’t laughed in a long time. A really long time.” He sighed wistfully and turned his eyes up to the frosted crystal, trying to determine whether it was day or night but with the constant light streaming in from the other side as it flickered with the flames, there was no way to tell.

Aubrey considered this for a moment as she brought one of her hands up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “How long is a ‘really long time’?”

He chuckled and patted her head like she was a child. “Nearly a thousand years. In battle-” he sighed and glanced away from her at the hard packed earth on either side of them, his voice changing so that when he spoke again it was deep and laced with emotions that Aubrey couldn’t comprehend. “When you’re in battle, you see things…you do things that change you…eventually you learn to shut it all out. You’ll learn this for yourself; someday you’ll wonder what it felt like to truly laugh because after a few years, the memories fade.”

Aubrey gasped and pulled as far away from Tiberius as she could; staring at him wide eyed as she pressed her back against the hard earth walls surrounding them. “I hope I never become like that. If I get forget to feel and forget to live, then what is the point in living?” Doing something that shocked the pair of them; she grasped the lapels of Tiberius’s clothing and shook him. “Don’t ever let me turn that way. Do you hear me? I don’t care what you do or what you say but never stop me from feeling. I would rather die than be like that.”

Tiberius stared at the little girl shaking him and couldn’t help but nod in compliance. What he really wanted to do though was tell her that it would make no difference. There are only so many years of death and pain that the mind can take before it breaks and you give in. Instead of saying it though, he wrapped his hands around hers and pulled them from her lapels whilst looking into her eyes.

“I promise.”

She nodded while her eyes stayed focused on his before smiling at him, a light twinkle coming to her eyes as she did. It startled him. He hadn’t seen someone smile at him like that in such a long time that it made him release one of her hands so that he could rub his chest, trying to ease away the aching.

At that moment a shadow fell over the crystal and in a moment the frosted surface became clear. Tiberius and Aubrey looked up and waved at the person looking within which startled them and caused them to jump back several feet before they stomped their foot on the ground. The sound echoed through the ground, shaking the very walls of the little whole that contained the unlikely duo and then with a great big shudder, the crystal drew away.

Tiberius stood up and tugged Aubrey to her feet at the same time before lifting her out of the hole. He then climbed out by himself and went to stand by Aubrey as the Matriarch entered, her arms bundled with fresh clothing. She handled a pile to both of them before pulling down Aubrey’s top to reveal the mark. Both of them didn’t fail to see the look that passed across the Matriarch’s face as she hastily stepped back, her fake smile slipping back on her face as she flicked her head back and forth so that her hair flew over her shoulder and settled neatly against her back.

“Bathe and get changed, afterwards we will complete initiation ritual, then sweetest Aubrey, you will be all on your own with this fine specimen-“ The Matriarch ran her hand up the length of Tiberius’ muscled arm. “-To complete your training.” She sent a sickly sweet smile at the pair of them and then swanned out of the room.

Aubrey gulped and looked at a glowering Tiberius. “Is she…is she always like that?” She cleared her throat awkwardly at the end of the sentence and shifted her weight awkwardly.

Tiberius spared her a glance as he headed towards the door. “No.” Aubrey slumped in relief but Tiberius quickly dampened it. “She’s usually a hundred times worse, she’s just being gentle because you’re new.”

Aubrey’s mouth dropped into an ‘o’ as they came to the door and Tiberius pulled it open allowing her to pass.

“Go and get ready, you’ll be wishing for sleep by the end of the day.” He smiled grimly at her before nodding to a woman that was just outside the door.

“Come on miss, let’s get you cleaned up.” The petite blonde who looked around the same age as Aubrey, smiled before turning down the hall.

Aubrey gave Tiberius a smile before scuttling after the girl, her head filled with thoughts about what her future will hold whilst her hands clutched onto the strange clothing she had been given. She could tell that from this moment on, her life was going to dramatically change and there was nothing she could do about it. It’s already changed, she thought with a snort, a sigh escaping her lips as she continued after the girl with more confidence than she felt.

So sorry it's taken so long, this is more of a filler chapter before all of the initiation stuff begins. The next chapter will be longer but it probably won't be up for at least a month as I have exams to revise for and I want to focus on Excalibur and Devil's Assistant. Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it :D:D:D