Chapter 11: The lamb

                              LaRanzo

"There once was a boy who wanted to die, to die so much he started to cry but when the time came they started to fuss to call him selfish and that they needed him much. So the boy now man contenued to breathe those it hurt him indeed and when the time came he finally cried he was told to stop for they still needed him most. So the man ceased to cry and locked away his pain from prying eyes but still so alone that he needed another, so he broke off a limb and created another and secretly he opened up to himself whim he could trust until the day he-"

"Omg Ayioshi! That's depressing as fuck! Who told you this song? Jesus!" I said glancing up at him from my spot on his lap as he carded his fingers through my hair.

"Hmm no one taught us this song we have always know it." He said as his head dropped slightly to the left as he thought about it.

It had been three weeks since I was 'saved' as Van had said but it didnt feel like being saved as much as captured.

The fourth day I had snuck out of the room, the strange men from the first day had come back everyday but left in an angry huff when they saw me still there but they didn't show today, I wanted to explore, find a way out and escape with Ayi before they returned. Instead i got lost, ran into some guards who chased me down a long corridor before running into the tall man from when I first arrived.

His face never changed as he grabbed my arm, keeping me pressed to him but he made no other movement and I stared at his blood splattered black boots.

I heard the guards speed around the corner but they clamored to a stop in front of the man, scared that they would see me i wrestled from his grip which was surprisingly gentle and easy to break before i hid behind his large frame.

"My king! W-we are sorry! The-the child of water was wondering around and we wanted to lead him back but he ran?" The guard ended in a squeal but the man only growled and the guards bowed and then ran back down the hall. Was this a normal occurrence?

I stiffened when he turned to me but he did nothing but stand there, i felt like time had slowed down and were were standing there for hours.

"Um... hi? Is-is your name Grim? Your brother told me that was your name, thanks for s-saving me." He said nothing but stepped closer to be and I made the mistake of letting my eyes slowly glide up his body. Hot damn he was Gorgeous, his horns were elegant like a gazelles twisting up and away and if I looked closer the black of his eyes were like the nights sky like Ayi were but instead of the bluish hue it was pitch black.
I didn't notice I had walked towards him or that he had knelt down so he was my height or that I had rested my hands on his broad shoulder until I felt him tense.

Was he shaking?

"So pretty" i muttered and reached to touch his hair which he had let fall into his face as if to hide from me but his hands never moved from his sides. Then I heard it or felt it i don't know how I knew but I needed to get to Ayioshi, the need was so strong I screamed and feel to my knees before taking off back down the corridors.

I didn't know how I knew where the room was after all my exploration but I did and when I opened the door I screamed at the sight of him being kicked in the gut over and over by the two men who were there the first day. While the one kicked him the other beat off before flipping him over and tearing the thin gown like clothes he wore.

I didn't think, all I could think if was my step-brother trying to do the same to me. I grabed one of the fancy vases and went to hit the man on the head when my arms were grabbed and i was lifted off my feet.

It was the creepy man whose wrist was broken by Van.

Shit.

"Well well well, what do we have here? A little mouse wanting to play? All you had to do was ask." He laughed shaking the vase from my hands, the other two had stopped and were watching with some hesitation at me and the man while Ayi tried to get up and come to me but was kicked in the stomach and strange gray fluid spilled from his mouth.

"Hey Cil, didn't Advisor Van say we couldn't touch him? I dont think thats a good idea..." the one muttered and the other agreed nodding his head.

So I was protected but Ayi wasn't? Wasn't he his brother?

"Shut it Vorh! What are you gonna tell him? If the mouse just happens to have an accident who would know better?" He chuckled and tore my shirt open while he licked my neck, i kicked screamed and yelled but he backhanded be so hard i felt blood rush from my nose, my eyesight was foggy and I felt myself thrown to the floor as my clothes were being yanked then a scream so loud I had to cover my ears and I was sure some of the glasses broke that were on the table.

The weight was off me and when I opened my eyes Grim was there and that scary look was on his face as he pulled the tongue of Vorh out of his mouth with and dropped him. The other two were huddled on the floor on the opposite side of the room, Grim wiped his hands on the dying man's shirt and i ran over to Ayi but he was unconscious and more of that gray stuff was coming out of his mouth.

"Take them to the dungeons" his deep voice sounded through the room and guards from no where and everywhere filled the room and forced the two men out and the one named Cil gave me the dirtiest look that made my stomach drop. He wanted me dead, i could feel it.

"Grim! I said grabbing one of his hands and he stopped and I saw the shock on his face and when i looked around everyone stood in hushed shocked silence as if waiting for him to throw a fit or me to burst into flames...ok. " Um th-thank you for saving me but I was wondering if i could have a request?... Please?" I said but his eyes never left my hands holding his. His nod was cutly and short but it meant I could continue.

"I- could- could you please put an order of protection on Ayioshi? These men have hurt him before, and I think others too?" I said and he tilted his head as if it was the strangest request he had ever gotten but before he could answer one of the guards laughed.

"Protect the lamb? He's for our pleasure! Why would you want to protect a useless slut? He matters to no one just here for us to let off steam." The guard said before laughing some more while the others nodded. The shock went through me like ice water as I stared at them, this this treatment was allowed? Anger flew through me replacing the shock and i looked at Grim to see him just watching me before I flung his hand away and backed up away from him, he looked shocked again then stared at his hands before an angry look over took his face and he bared his very sharp teeth at them as if his hands had offended him somehow before turning and walking out the room but his voice drifted to me with the words "Granted" . The soldiers looked shocked and some looked angry but none said anything as they filed out.

Sometime later Van showed up but I was pissed at him too, how could they let this happen to their brother! After I yelled at him I told him to help me get Ayi on the bed then take the body and get out, he tried to talk to me said he could explain but I threw a pillow at him and he just looked at me like a lost puppy before leaving.

It took a whole day before Ayi woke up and he explained it was his chosen duty to be a distraction for the troops, that they had lost so much and so many in this war that they needed an outlet. To that i booped his nose watching as he wrinkled it and told him how much he was worth and he wasn't some 'Lamb' to be tossed to slaughter and that his brothers should have protected him to which he pleaded for me to forgive them and that thwy were never taught to value themselves like that. I agreed but it would take some time.

That was two and a half weeks ago, slowly I settled into a routine and my day always started with listening to a song/poem or lullaby from Ayi but today's was another depressing one, alot of his songs were sad songs.

"Hmm how about I sing a song for you?" I said playing with his long fingers, why the hell was his nails so clean?

"A song? For me? " he said and i saw the giddiness flow through him, he loved when i sung to him but today I wasn't going to sing a lullaby I wanted something fun and happy.

"YUUUP!!!" I laughed jumping up and taking his hands to pull him up too. He looked confused and i was absolutely sure he had never danced before.

This was going to be GREAT!

"What are we doing?"

"We are gonna dance! Hmm got it!" I began singing will I ams drop it low from that children's cartoon about birds i had seen when i was little, i loved that song! Granted I didn't have the beat but I still pulled the tall beautiful man along with me as I taught him to shimmy and twist and 'Drop it low' he was laughing like a mad man and so was I because he absolutely could not dance.

  But neither could I, im sure we looked crazy when Van walked in with out lunch.

"Are you both ill? I had wondered why the maids said you did black magic and now i see why, you both look crazy"  he said with an exasperated sigh but I saw his lips turn up slightly and his face was relaxed but he still glanced at me nervously as he put the food down and separated it on the table for us. 

"Yes Van we were dropping it the low! I havent felt so... so? What am I feeling?" He asked looking at me as i sat down and patted a nervous Vans hands as he gave me something warm and purple to drink making him smile and sit to eat with us.

"Thats happiness" I smiled "You are do for some happiness and ill make sure you get it. All of you, ok?" I said and started to eat, it was SO good.

"Why? Why make us happy? You dont know us?" Van said looking all disturbed. What was his issue? They were all so... alone and hurt.

No wonder they didn't think it was wrong to use their bother like a sex slave! Im sure if he wasn't here Van would be in his place. They had no idea about that self care, not that I was one to preach.

"I know you enough to care, no one has shown you that you matter so I will, because you do matter to me." I had claimed them as my friends and my friends mattered *shrug* ! I just wish I could let the others know I was ok, im sure they were worried sick.

I went back to eating but didn't notice the awed look on Ayioshi's face or the possessive look on Van's.