So here's the next chapter. Last month was really terrible guys (emotionally and stressfully), so I'm sorry I didn't get this posted a soon as I'd planned. This was the epitome of writer's block. Now that it's out of the way, I'm already onto the next chapter. So please keep reading and REVIEW to let me know what you think
Niall had been walking for some time in the wood when he heard the hollowed sound of female weeping. Or at least it sounded like such. It was a low, grieving whine that reminded him strangely of a wounded animal. And the sound, so strange and unsettling to his hears, was winding its way through the forest, almost beckoning him further.
Tilting his head in the direction of the echo, Niall acutely tuned in to the muffled whine, unsure of its origin. A cool breeze reddened his cheeks and rustled his hair as he stared westward. The sun bright sun was hiding behind an array of clouds.
Niall cautiously took a step in the direction of the noise, his muscles tight, his body on edge. Shall I go see? He wondered.
Not along ago, Niall had set off for the Great Willow hoping to find Irial, hoping to see and taste and feel the strangely captivating faery again. Images of the previous night danced behind Niall's eyes; Irial holding his pliant body with strong arms, running tender caresses on his aching skin. The sound of labored breaths and heady moans as Irial played his body with and almost musical precision…
Niall shook his head once, trying to refocus on the issue at hand, but found it extremely difficult. Thoughts of Irial were hazing his mind, making him want to be nearer to him with more intensity. And as another resounding cry pierced the midday air, Niall was tempted to simply continue going the way he'd planned to go, if not simply for fear of what awaited him if he pursued the foreign sound.
Yet he felt shamed to do so. To leave a potentially helpless, suffering woman to her demise was selfish and cowardly. And I am no coward, he assured himself. Not even Irial would be pleased to learn that Niall had neglected to help someone who was suffering in a time of need.
Staring up at the setting sun, Niall licked his suddenly dry lips and made his decision. Then he veered off the path to the Great Willow and followed weak sobs that echoed throughout the forest.
Niall followed the distant sounds to a shallow creek that ran through the middle of the woodland. There, on the edge of the creek, Niall spotted a girl. She was fey, with long black hair and eyes the color of cerise. She appeared to be fumbling with her hands, seemingly unsure of what to do with them. The whines she emitted did not abate, even as Niall approached her.
"Are you alright?" Niall whispered, reaching a hand out to stroke her shoulder.
Suddenly her eyes snapped towards him. Her screaming stopped. A strange smile worked its way onto her wide mouth. It made Niall uncomfortable.
Then, before Niall could comment on her sudden change in demeanor, he was knocked down by a sudden blow to the head. He hit the ground with a thud, the air leaving his lungs as he fell.
Niall drifted into a strange state of consciousness- not quite asleep but not quite awake either. Blinking with heavy eyes, Niall saw the sky above him, filled with clouds and a distant moon. It looked like it was going to rain soon. Then his view of the sky was obscured by a sinister male face, its features skewed by a mane of dark hair. Niall didn't miss the fiendish smirk on its face, though. Its mouth started moving.
"Well, look, dearies", it crooned in a low baritone. "He's awake."
Niall tried to swallow, but there was a lump in his throat. He tried to sit up, but his muscles were locked. Instead, he let out a small noise.
A second face appeared, also male, but it looked more curious than the first. "Ooh, he's a pretty one. Can I have the first taste?"
"No", another voice hissed." Aragon gets the first of the spoils. You know that, Thadeus."
Thadeus growled. "Fair enough."
Niall tried to speak, tried to do anything but listen to them speak so distastefully of him. "I know not what you seek", he rasped, staring at who he assumed to be the leader of the assembled fey with hard eyes.
The faery, whom he assumed to be Thadeus let out a hearty laugh. "He is an interesting one, is he not?" He turned to the group around him; they were also chuckling. "A ripe prize, this one. May the gods bless Avelia for procuring him."
Niall felt utterly helpless as they stood around him in their loose circle, laughing at his discomfort. His cheeks reddened and his jaw grew taut. To Niall's chagrin, Thadeus took notice.
"I like the way you blush, pet", he murmured, watching with a haughty grin as Niall's eyes narrowed into slits. His long fingers ran along the flesh of Niall's cheek, stroking languidly as one would a lover. Niall felt bile rise in his throat as the other faery's eyes traced the lines of his face. Finally the said, without concealing the malice in his voice, "Though not nearly as much as I like your mouth."
It was then, with those words ringing in his head,that Niall realized for the first time the immediate danger he was in. A fight, he'd been prepared for, even if he was immobile. Even if it meant them attacking him while he was helpless. But this, this was humiliating, and shameful, and meant to hurt him to his very being. Niall could barely stop his lips from quivering or his voice from shaking when he said, "I have no business with you or your kind. If you set me fr-"
In a flash the faery's fingers were bruisingly tight as they gripped Niall by the jaw, forcing their eyes to meet. "You've made our kind your business, Solitary. Now be quiet. We have no intentions of setting you free."
"Please", Niall managed, hating how afraid he sounded. "I have not what you seek."
Thadeus made no hesitation of grabbing a fistful of Niall's hair. Niall cried out. "Do not beg", he hissed, running his nose along Niall's jaw. "We're much harder on beggars than not. And you're much too pretty to tear apart."
Niall whimpered, trying desperately to move the muscles of his arms. He was unsuccessful.
"And", the faery continued, "What would Irial think if he found his whore begging?"
Niall's throat constricted with fear as he stared up into dark, monstrous eyes. They knew Irial? How? Was he in danger? Was that truly why he'd left this morning? Through the fear in his voice, Niall managed in the strongest voice he could, "Do not hurt him. He hasn't done any-"
He was rewarded with a slap so hard he tasted his own blood. "Do not speak of our king. You mean nothing to him", the faery hissed.
Suddenly, Thadeus was no longer sitting on his haunches beside Niall; he was straddling him. Niall felt the heavy weight on his abdomen and stifled a groan of pain. He glared at the faery the fiercest he was able, hoping to hide his fear.
The faery was peering down at him with dark, shimmering eyes, a slow smile creeping over his face. "I can almost see why he's fond of you. It really will be a shame to break his favorite toy." Then he preceded to tear open Niall's thin shirt, baring his chest to the elements. Niall felt vulnerable as the faery's eyes roamed up his body; his cheeks flushing redder with anger, his eyes filled with unshed tears.
"Let me go", he hissed, struggling again to move his arms as he started to regain more consciousness. As something thick cut into his wrist, he was suddenly aware that his arms were bound to the trunk of a tree.
He felt like screaming, but he didn't. He would not give them the satisfaction of hearing him cry.
"You are a feisty one, aren't you? Is that what he sees in you?"
Niall ignored him. "Release me", hehissed again, his anger truly surpassing his fear this time. Especially as Thadeus' hands raked along his chest with slow deliberation.
"Or what?" the other faery mocked, letting out a resounding laugh, pinning Niall with his dark eyes.
Niall really had no idea what would happen. He was immobile. Pinned to a tree. About to be brutalized by strange fey. There was no threat he could truly offer them. Instead he said, "Irial will kill you all."
That same sickly laughter escaped, and this time, Thadeus wasn't the only one mocking Niall's fear. The others were just as amused. Niall sucked in a breath, his face tight, when Thadeus suddenly began undoing his trousers. "Well, that would be a sight, would it not? But not before I finish defiling his pet. Is this how he likes you? On your back?"
Before Niall could respond, a fist was being slammed into his face. His head snapped to one side. Warm blood ran from his nose. He groaned, unable to form coherent words. Another blow landed across his cheekbone, effectively shattering it. Niall couldn't suppress his scream. The blows continued from there, seemingly from all directions, and Niall felt himself nearly blacking out from the pain. He remembered feeling cold inside, especially as he felt the tug of his breeches from violent hands.
Then there was a noise that seemed to make everything freeze in slow motion. The tugging stopped, the weight from his body was lifted, and all Niall could make out through bleary eyes were his captors utterly terrified and fleeing in the opposite direction.
Niall barely registered the deafening growl as it came closer to him. Nor did he make a sound when the ropes around his wrists were untied and two large hands lifted him from the grassy ground. All he felt was warmth as the large body cradled him gently, as if he were a babe. Niall smiled at that, though his mouth hurt. Hmm, me, a babe. Though this does feel nice.
The chest smelled like woods and dirt and something strangely feral in nature. Niall managed to turn his head up once before he completely blacked out. Glowing green eyes glanced down at him.
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