Chapter Sixteen: The Unwelcome One and The Scheme
A man walked into their view. He looked young. His eyes were bright blue: his features, prominent. His hair was as pale as Reign's, but his skin had a much darker complexion. And his ears were pointed. When he saw the woman he was looking for he stopped.
"Räénh."
"Ionäh." He looked pleased to see her, but Reign's face remained expressionless. Severus looked from one to the other, and felt completely awkward. When the new elf noticed him, he gave him an extremely malicious glare. Severus raised an eyebrow; he was almost tempted to laugh.
"Cae röe el mor?" the stranger asked. Reign sighed, then looked Severus in the eyes.
"Can you give us a minute?" she asked compassionately. She kissed his cheek, never taking her eyes off of the other elf. Severus rolled off the bed and brushed passed the newcomer, never stopping to look at him. His opposite, however, glared as he strode out of the infirmary. "What are you doing here, Jonah?" she asked in her native tongue. The elf looked back at her, startled at her question.
"Is it so wrong that I wish to see my baby sister?" He loosened up a bit, and moved toward the bed.
"No. It just seems a bit odd that after twenty-two years of no contact you decide to show up here." She got herself out of the bed and met him at the end.
"Come on, Reign. You are the one who ran from us. Just be happy that I'm here now." He tried to give her a hug, but she put little effort into it. He pulled away and looked into her eyes.
"It is good to see you brother, but your eyes tell me that you are not just here to say hello." Jonah avoided the hidden question.
"Who was that human?" he asked with little interest.
"His name is Severus Snape. He's a professor here who is helping me with a potion of mine."
"Is that all he's doing?" Reign's eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared.
"What do you want Jonah? Why are you really here?" The elf sighed and looked quickly around the room. Then he replied,
"I came to bring you home."
"I don't want to go home."
"It doesn't matter," he said, moving closer to her, "Reign, the elders know what you're doing here. They know about the potion, what happened in the forest just outside--and they know about Severus."
"So? What do they care what I do with my life?" She always acted slightly immature when he was around. It was a habit that she hated but could not break.
"They don't. Unless what you do endangers the life of the tribe." Reigns head shot up.
"What are you talking about?"
"Have you forgotten the rules of the elves?" She tilted her head, confused. Jonah rolled his eyes. "The one that says no elf shall ever love a human?" Reign blinked.
"What about it? I'm not hurting anyone--"
"Reign it's forbidden. Elves and humans are not supposed to be together. Our race is pure. If we start mingling with humans then pretty soon our species will be taken over and we will become extinct. It doesn't matter if you aren't hurting anyone; if we let you do it, we have to let everyone do it."
"I'm not going home, Jonah. I love him." Her brother cringed at the sound of her words.
"Reign," his tone was quieter; softer, "the elders did not just send me because I am your brother. They sent me because I am the general of our armies and the strongest in the regiment." Now she was genuinely puzzled, and slightly worried. "You must come home with me."
"Why?"
"Because if you don't, I have direct orders to kill Severus." Reign fell back onto the bed. Her eyes glazed over as she stared blankly at her brother.
"What?"
"They want you back. For your own good and the good of our people." He came to the bed at sat by her side. "Believe me, this is the last thing I want to do to you." He put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.
"You could care less about him," she spat angrily. There was a pause, then Jonah looked her straight in the eye and replied,
"You're right. I could care less about him. But I care so much for you." Reign snorted.
"Come off it, Jonah."
"I have no choice, Reign. I must do what I am told. You can either stay here and I will kill him, or you can save him and come home." Those were excellent choices. The reality of the situation began to sink in as she pulled herself from the bed and went over to the window. It was a beautiful day outside; it was ironic, seeing as her day had just become blacker than the darkest night.
"He won't let me go. Not without a fight."
"Then push him away." Reign spun around.
"What?"
"Tell him you don't love him."
"He would never believe that."
"Make him believe it then," he said as he got up and strode toward her. "Hurt him to save him." Reign fell to the floor, too stunned even to speak.