Chapter 10: Chaos and Lost Angel
I shift nervously as the attendant tells us that the space plane is approaching space port. I start to sit up and freeze when I realize that Nel is asleep against me. Four days aboard his shuttle thing and I found it even harder to consider walking away after I get her to her grandparents. I just find that I can't bear to leave her, I love her and even though I have to find my brother, I can't stand to walk away from Nel.
I smile as she snuggles closer to me, then gently I push her hair from her face and whisper her name.
She stirs after a minute and blinks awake.
"Hmmm?" she murmurs.
"They said we need to get ready to port," I tell her, gently pulling away.
After all, I have so much baggage…would she truly want me as a husband? Would see be willing to wait for me as I look for my brother. I best just stay a friend, leave it at that.
"Thanks," she murmurs.
"No problem," I mumble.
She kisses me on the cheek and I jump. She giggles as I blush.
"For being my pillow," she adds.
I blush and look away. Does she like me? How? How could she…but….it makes sense I guess. I still don't understand what she sees in me though. I have so much baggage.
I mumble something I don't even know and put the seatbelt on.
"Leh'ya…I'm…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to-," she starts.
I realize I've been ignoring her as she asks me something and as I turn to look at her I see the hurt there.
"Nel," I whisper, gently cupping her cheek and turning her face toward me.
She sniffs and tries to pull away.
"I love you," it comes out before I can stop it.
She looks at me in confusion.
"But-" she starts.
I kiss her and then pull away.
"I'm just confused," I tell her softly.
She nods and takes my hand. An angel still, my angel. I have so much to figure out.
~*~
It's nearly three hours later when we leave the space plane and find our ride to her grandfather's. I instantly know something is wrong about this man, when Nel tells me she's never met him before. That her father and grandfather fought constantly. As we get out of the car and start to walk in, me carrying the majority of our bags, mostly her's, I really only have my swords, Raph's Sai, and the clothes I'm wearing. I flip the collar of my jacket up to hide my scars as I get a wary glance from the driver. The house looks like some sort of old style antiquity. Something that should be well kept up and cherished…and expensive.
"My lady, your slave must go in through the back entrance," a man tells us, he looks like a bellhop or something.
I freeze in shock and I see Nel's eyes widen in horror.
Now I know why Lahur and his father fought so much. Lahur hated slavery, while his father kept slaves.
"He's not my slave he's…he's my promised," she sputters.
Why do I have a bad feeling about that statement? Promise…oh shell…did she just say we're engaged?
"Oh…well…I'm sorry sir…ma'am," the man apologies.
I grunt and walk up to the man, wrapping an arm around Nel before walking past with her. Best play the part for a while.
Nel leans into me and grips my hand.
I hear devious whispers as we walk into the courtyard. I see a few slaves, marked by brands on their biceps, their eyes flicking over me and Nel.
A small boy spots us and walks up to me.
"Sir? Sir? Do you have any candy?" he whispers.
I blink and look at him in surprise. I mentally search my jacket pockets. I don't have anything and then I see the brand on the boy's arm and feel sick. He's a slave.
"HEY! GET BACK TO WORK KID!" I hear a man shout and glance up to see a large foreman striding my way.
I quickly hand a lighter bag to the boy and urge him to follow. The foreman stops and glares but lets the boy follow. He's working right? Ha!
As soon as we are out of sight I stop and find the small piece of chocolate that I have left and give it to the boy.
He grins broadly and takes the smallest bite and savors it.
"Thanks mister," he whispers.
I smile sadly as he slips off, back to whatever duty they are making him do.
"Humph…that boy is always up to something. Sorry about that, probably got candy out of ya' huh?" a man greets.
I turn and see a man that vaguely resembles Lahur and feel my stomach turn. This is the father of a man I admired.
"He was helping me carry something," I defend.
"Oh…well good then," the man replies before casting me a slow, calculating look and turning toward Nel.
"You…you keep slaves?" she whispers.
"Yes my dear I do. Treat them better than most though. Now I hear you are promised to this young man?" he looks at me with a barely hidden glance of disgust.
She moves toward me and I wrap a protective arm around her.
"Yes," I say firmly.
Nel leans into my embrace as I stand tall.
"Well, we'll just get the wedding set up then won't we?" he says curtly.
Nel entwines her hand in mine as we follow the cold figure before us.
It's three weeks later after Ku'geh and I have had a shouting match that I come home to find the boy, whose name I now know is Joa, standing anxiously around the main entrance.
"Mister!" he hisses, I stop and look at him in surprise.
"Afternoon Joa, I found my brother," I greet, clutching the piece of paper that holds the address where Raph is being kept.
Joa gives me a scared look.
"He sold her," Joa whispers.
I blink.
"Her?" feeling very nervous suddenly.
"You're lady," he whispers, "he has a buyer for you too. You better run!"
I growl and sprint toward the house. I hear Joa cry my name in warning. I storm in and slam doors open. I spot him the man who sold the only woman I've ever loved.
"You b******!" I growl out, knuckles white with how hard I'm clenching my fists.
"Just business kid," he mutters without looking up.
"You sold your own granddaughter!" I shout.
"And you," he whispers as he stands.
"You won't touch me," I snarl as I lash out at him and send him flying into his desk.
I grab the front of his shirt and growl, teeth bared and snarling, I've learned more than a few things from Raph over the years.
"Where. Is. She?" I spit.
"Gone, you'll never find her," he gasps, despite his attempt to look cool, I see as well as smell his fear.
"Tell me," I growl, "or I'll make your death slow."
He freezes when I say that and fumbles around back toward his desk. I spot the security button and throw him away from the desk, block the door, and turn around. He's holding a laser pistol at me.
I roll my eyes and leap forward using the training that my father taught me, not a single blast touches me. Ku'geh ends up slammed against the wall as I invoke every single bit of pent up rage and fury into that man's frame.
In the end I get a name and storm toward my room, gathering my things, and a few of Nel's most cherished items and leave, stealing food out of the kitchen and grabbing Joa.
We leave, I'll find them. My brother and my love.
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