NiGHTS glared at Reala, but inside she was shocked beyond belief. What in Wiseman's name was he up to? Jackle was in here, holding onto some piece of paper. Why on earth was she in his room... on his bed!
NiGHTS tried to sit up, but Reala forced her to lie down again. NiGHTS struggled to fight Reala off, but felt weak as a nightopian.
"Relax NiGHTS." Reala ordered. She could hurt herself if she kept fighting him.
"Like hell I will!" NiGHTS furiously shouted. "Let me go!"
Reala sighed before grabbing her around the waist, trapping her flailing arms at her side. This didn't deter NiGHTS as she now began kicking Reala with all her strength. NiGHTS found herself being carried and then forcefully placed in an arm chair before the fire.
She tried to sit up, but Reala made her sit back down again.
"NiGHTS I will bind you if I have to." He threatened. "I'd prefer not to, I just wish to talk.
After being hung from the ceiling for so long, chains were the last thing NiGHTS wanted to see, let alone be bound again. She could always fight him off later if need be, so she settled herself into the chair. Reala smiled, it seems she could be reasoned with.
"Jackle, in cell 16-B, bring up the prisoner." Reala ordered.
Jackle nodded solemnly and then waved enthusiastically to NiGHTS before darting out the door.
"Nice to see Jackle's the same as ever." NiGHTS muttered.
"As if he could ever change." Reala answered.
He glanced at NiGHTS and saw her glaring at him yet again. She hadn't meant to be heard.
"What do you want Reala." NiGHTS hissed.
"I want to talk." He said, moving to sit down in the chair beside hers.
"Pardon?" NiGHTS asked. "You don't want to talk! You're trying to trick me! Well fool me once shame on you, fool me twice...*groan* can't remember how to finish this."
Her head lowered. That was not what she was going for. But what did Reala want? He was trying to trick her, defiantly. But what exactly did he want?
Reala hid a smirk. NiGHTS was frowning slightly, giving her a different look. He still preferred her face calm, but this was fine to.
Reala stood up and marched to the table and retrieved the dark binding from where Jackle carelessly dropped it. He did a quick once over as NiGHTS watched curiously from the chair.
"What are you doing NiGHTS?" NiGHTS thought to herself. "Run while you have the chance!"
NiGHTS attempted to lift herself to her feet, but her legs collapsed underneath her as she crashed to the floor. She tried to get herself out of the embarrassing situation, before Reala noticed.
Too late.
"That is why I wanted you to sit down." Reala said from the table. He had heard her attempt to stand, and the thud from her fall. He wasn't worried, it would be sometime before NiGHTS would be able to support herself again.
"A healer can do that to you." Reala continued as he walked over and helped her to sit again.
"Why would you heal me?" NiGHTS asked still upset about needing Reala's help to get back in the chair.
"You were hurt." He shrugged, trying to blow it off without her getting suspicious.
"I've been trained by you before!" NiGHTS shouted furious. "You never healed me then, you laughed at my pain! You're a sick, twisted-."
"Watch your tongue." Reala hissed, so much for brushing it off. "I healed you because you would have bled to death without it!"
That shut NiGHTS up. She frowned and glanced into the fire. She watched it dance around and burn the logs. Just when the fire seemed to be getting bigger and stronger in one area of the log, it would suddenly change its angle of attack and burn another place that had previously been safe.
"If I'm not careful," NiGHTS thought afraid. "I'll be the log and Reala will be the fire."
Reala looked at her face. It was glowing in the firelight, the flame's reflection danced around in her eyes. He had never noticed her eyes before; they were full of emotion, such a deep blue-purple you could drown in them.
NiGHTS noticed Reala staring intently at her face. It was as if he was focusing in on her, zeroing in on the kill.
"What is it?" NiGHTS asked angrily.
Reala snapped out of his trance as he handed NiGHTS the parchment. He watched as she realized what is was, and when she gasped when she read the words.
"No!" NiGHTS shouted. How in Wiseman's name could he even think about that? Had he completely lost his mind?
"The rules are simple, you won't be able to leave Nightmare castle without my permission," Reala went on as if he hadn't heard her answer. "And even then it will only be for a limited time."
"Are you deaf?" NiGHTS continued to scream at him. "I would sooner die!"
"Oh, and you would be unable to harm yourself... or anyone else for that matter." Reala carried on. "You also aren't allowed to free any of the prisoners or stop them from being trained."
"No, No, No!" NiGHTS had heard enough. She'd rather be back in that nice, comfortable, safe torture room of a cell.
NiGHTS tried once again to force herself to her feet. She got some response from her legs this time; it must have been the adrenaline. However her non-existing escape plan ended when Reala rose to his feet and grabbed onto her gently. He sat down again with NiGHTS fighting him on his lap.
"In return you'll be cared for and protected." Reala told her while forcing her to sit and listen. "As time goes on and my trust in you grows, you'll be allowed more and more freedoms, including Nightopia."
"What?" NiGHTS asked. Was he being serious? He'd let her go to Nightopia?
Reala smiled, not to scare her. It was a genuine smile.
"Of course, the first few times will have to be with me." He told her. "But eventually you'll be allowed to go alone as long as you return before daybreak."
NiGHTS stopped to think about things. She wouldn't be a prisoner, or slave. She'd be allowed to... wait, what she was thinking! Mate with Reala? Never!
"No!" She told him, right to his face in a clear strong voice.
Reala looked her in the eyes steadily. He had known she'd say no, he'd even expected her to throw herself in the fire (which is why he grabbed a hold of her). But he wasn't worried, he had prepared for this outcome.
The problem with NiGHTS was she made friends, and she kept them. She even made friends with those weak little nightopians. There were plenty of those to chose from, but he had decided to select a more suitable bargaining chip.
Who had taken NiGHTS in after she had fled Nightmare? Who had protected her, taught her how to live in Nightopia? Found her a home and helped her with information, along with countless other deeds of friendship.
"I brought him Reala!"
NiGHTS turned around to see Jackle walk in through the doorway... dragging Owl from the dream gate in with him.
"Hoo! NiGHTS?" The old bird asked. "What are you doing here?"
NiGHTS looked in horror at her dear friend. He might be annoying but he was the closest thing to a father figure she had. He looked worn; a stay in the dungeons will do that, with a dusty, dirty torn coat and ruffled feathers. Owl's glasses were also cracked and broken beyond repair.
NiGHTS shivered as she felt Reala wrap his arm around her waist. With a cold realization, she knew the unspoken threat. She could clearly see Jackle fiddling around with one of his deadly cards beneath his cape. Reala's cold smile bearing down on her from behind and Owl's worried expression.
"Damn you." NiGHTS hissed. She could feel her eyes watering over as hot tears began flowing from her eyes. How could he? This had never been done before! Well, at least to her knowledge. But still, this was low.
NiGHTS felt Reala give her a quick squeeze, as if he was trying to reassure her.
"It will be ok NiGHTS."Reala murmured to her. "Just sign it, and I'll let him go."
NiGHTS tried wiping the tears from her face, but more came. If she signed that contract, the magic of the nightmaren would force her to follow the terms, but if she didn't Owl would suffer the consequences.
She couldn't put Owl through that.
"I-I'll... do it." NiGHTS whispered, forcing the words from her mouth.
Reala smiled, relieved. He honestly didn't have a plan after this if she still refused. He helped her to her feet and began walking her to the table where the contract rested.
"What is the meaning of this?" Owl was hooting, flustered. "What do you want with NiGHTS?"
"Quiet." Jackle hissed as he watched NiGHTS approach the dark binding.
The dark binding has been around longer than anyone can remember. Jackle didn't quite know how it worked, but it was imbued with the power of Nightmare and its god, Wiseman. Any nightmaren who signed the contract were forced to follow it by the magic in their bodies. All creatures of the night dimension had magic in their very beings, it could be locked away, but it was still there.
Reala walked to the contract and formed a pen in his hand. With a quick flick of his wrist he signed the binding and held it out to NiGHTS. NiGHTS' hand trembled furiously as she accepted the contract. She took a few deep breaths as she formed her own pen. She was shaking all over now, and she felt herself lose feeling in her legs.
Reala saw NiGHTS was about to collapse and he quickly caught her. She was breathing deeply, her eyes wide. He had never seen her so upset and it worried him. He drew up a chair for NiGHTS to sit on and put it against the table.
NiGHTS was feeling dizzy now, if she signed this, she signed away her life. She couldn't disobey the binding, it wouldn't let her.
But it wouldn't be all bad, in time Nightopia would be hers once again. She could see all her friends from both sides of the war.
"Just think about the good things." NiGHTS thought.
She reached out her still trembling hand and gripped the pen. Quickly, without letting herself think twice, she signed her name.
The dark binding began shaking as it dissolved into black wisps of smoke that began circling around both NiGHTS and Reala. NiGHTS felt it force itself inside of her, moving down into her very soul.
By the looks of it Reala felt it to. He smiled softly. NiGHTS was his, she had to stay with him now. A soft gasping sound snapped Reala out of his victory. He saw NiGHTS fall, emotionally worn from her half hour of conciseness. He quickly moved to her and managed to catch her before her delicate body hit the ground. He held to close to him gently as he turned to face Jackle and his squawking prisoner.
"How dare you!" Owl hooted angrily. "NiGHTS? What have you done to her?"
"She's just sleeping." Reala said, carrying NiGHTS and laying her down on his... no, their bed. "Now we made a deal. Jackle, take him back to Nightopia."
"Alright." Jackle nodded as he walked away, dragging the old bird with him.
"Also," Reala called after him. "Bring a white ideya crystal on your way back. She'll need it."
Jackle waved as he continued on his way.
Reala watched him walk away, and then sighed as he sat himself down beside his mate-to-be. NiGHTS was curled up and was managing to get some rest, thank Wiseman. Reala didn't know what to do after she woke up, hopefully sleeping next to the white crystal will help her heal, but he couldn't hope for miracles.
Reala lay down beside the sleeping NiGHTS and pulled her next to him. She had signed the dark binding, agreeing to be his... but he didn't know when to take her. He didn't want her to hate him for taking her too soon, and he defiantly wouldn't force her.
Reala sighed and he decided to see how things went over the next few days. He would have her, but she would want him.