Chapter 28
Milla watched as the fight ended with the beast rendered Tal unconscious. The watery window disappeared and the Crones began to mutter something under their breaths. Milla caught the gist of it and heard a whispered 'weak' from a small group of Crones. Milla frowned at this comment but couldn't complain because she also thought the mercy shown to the beast was weakness. Milla none the less was worried for Tal. The silent form of Tal didn't move for a few minutes and then as the Crones settled Tal opened his eyes but they were still red. Milla moved forward and was about to beat the Beast senseless when it looked at her and stumbled towards her Milla reflexively caught Tal's body moving her arms underneath his. As Milla hefted Tal's body upright the red hue in his eyes dimmed and became the normal dark brown pits. Milla crouched and gently laid the body down and rested Tal's head in her lap. The beast had gone back to sleep and left Tal in a state of unconsciousness.
"This meeting will continue," the Crone said unphazed by the duel.
Milla looked at Tal and took of her coat. She rolled it under his head like a pillow and left him on the floor near her. The Crone in the chair then spoke to everyone out loud.
"We have all seen the power the emperor possesses and have all seen the power of the beast be crushed within him. I believe it is safe to let them proceed with their plan. Please decide now, if you are against this move to the left, if you are for this then move to the right," she said as the Crones moved to get on a side.
Then before anyone else could move a young Crone came into view and addressed the moot.
"I have a question," she said getting everyone's attention then she spoke to Milla "Do you understand what having a relationship with this Chosen entails?"
Milla wasn't really stunned by the question but she wasn't prepared to answer it with certainty. Milla had expected as much ever since she had slept with Tal. Her actions that night came about partly because of her respect for him and partly because she was under the influence of the alcohol. Milla was uncertain on how to answer properly so she spoke the truth.
"I have no certain answer. You have seen my thoughts and emotions. I am confused about where I stand with Tal," Milla said with all sincerity.
The Crone nodded but just as Milla relaxed another question was sent to her by another Crone.
"We can understand your discretion. It is vital that we know what you feel before leaving on your mission so we can better prepare the Emperor for the trials," she said causing Milla to show her shock visibly.
The Trials were a series of bonding tests that a couple had to under go to see if they were meant for each other. Milla regretted having spoken the truth. Since she was unsure of her fate with Tal she now had to undergo the Trials. Her tests would be more demanding that Tal's but since Tal had not witnessed a session of the trials he would not find them easy.
Tal started to stir. His groans made him known to the moot and the meeting progressed quickly as he stirred.
"Milla we leave your fate with Tal to the Trials that will start tomorrow due to the lack of time but you may choose your team. Choose wisely War Chief and good luck," the Crone said as her chair swiftly descended.
Milla clapped her knuckles at the Crone before she left and bent over as the Crones left. Milla could feel the stares of the Crones bore holes into her back but she didn't mind. She would rather be stared at by them than face the Trials. Tal started to awaken and as he did the Far Raiders Crone and her bodyguards left them to be alone. Tal fluttered his eyes open and saw Milla's face staring down at his. Tal smiled weakly and as he moved to get up he fell back down as a splitting headache cracked through his head.
"Just breathe," Milla coaxed as she sat down next to him and supported his head.
Milla seemed lucid to Tal but he sensed a distance inside her and couldn't help but question why.
"Milla? Milla what's wrong?" Tal asked.
"Nothing. . ." she said placing a hand over his eyes and running it down his face "Rest now. . .you'll need your strength tomorrow," Milla said in an unusual sweet voice.
Tal couldn't help but fall asleep listening to her voice.
"Rest Tal. . .Rest. . ."
That night Milla didn't sleep well. When sleep claimed her she had a nightmare of the Trials and when she called for the Crones they didn't come. So she had to let it play out. She dreamed of holding hands with Tal on a mountain top. Suddenly a chasm split them apart and Milla was stranded by herself on one side and Tal on the other. Milla then heard a voice behind on her side offering her a safe way down the mountain. Milla turned to look at Tal who was beckoning her to go to him. She was at a dilemma and couldn't choose when finally she chose to be with Tal. Milla took a run up and jumped through the air and for a moment she felt as though she would make it but to her horror and dismay the chasm got wider as she was in the air. Milla couldn't reach the other side and fell into darkness. Milla awoke with a start! Cold sweat formed on her brow and soaked her back and chest. Her breathing was irregular and came out in short sharp breaths. Milla looked around frantically and saw Tal next to her wide awake and looking at her in concern.
Tal then held her in an embrace that calmed her nerves. Never had she been that scared in her life. She was never afraid of anything because there was always a solution to things but that dream had made her know fear. Milla didn't let go of Tal until he pulled her away from himself to look into her eyes. Milla looked back but had problems focusing on what Tal was saying to her. Instead she started to notice odd things about Tal. Strange things that she would never have took notice of before. Like that amount of perspiration he had on his naked torso and the fact that his hair wasn't dangling so messily in front of his forehead. It wasn't until Tal shook her gently that she started to focus.
"Milla are you alright?" Tal asked concern set in his face.
"Yes, it's nothing I just had a nightmare," she said face as white as her under shirt.
Tal raised an eye brow.
"Milla, you never have nightmares," Tal said slowly now starting to feel a little scared himself.
Milla simply nodded and laid back down. Leaving Tal to find a way to help her calm down he had never once seen Milla lose control like that and the fact that she did unnerved him and brought back the pounding headache he thought he was rid of.
"Milla tell me of your dream," Tal said lying down to face her.
Milla retold the events of her dream and Tal listened intently to all of them and was surprised to know that he was in her dreams.
"Then I fell into the chasm," Milla said breathing hard as if she just relived the whole thing.
Tal slapped himself mentally and cursed himself for making Milla relive the dream. Tal was speechless. He didn't know what the dream meant but he thought retelling it to get it out of her mind would work, apparently he was wrong. Milla's ragged breathing didn't calm which made Tal helpless to do anything but hold her closer to him and coax her to calm herself.
"Slowly Milla, deep breath now, in. . .out. . .that's it. . .good,"
Milla calmed but was now trembling, she was afraid to go to back to sleep. So Tal stayed awake with her all night just holding her to stop her trembling. Tal was worried now and was beyond scared. Whatever made Milla frightened out of her wits was making Tal very nervous.
Milla watched as the fight ended with the beast rendered Tal unconscious. The watery window disappeared and the Crones began to mutter something under their breaths. Milla caught the gist of it and heard a whispered 'weak' from a small group of Crones. Milla frowned at this comment but couldn't complain because she also thought the mercy shown to the beast was weakness. Milla none the less was worried for Tal. The silent form of Tal didn't move for a few minutes and then as the Crones settled Tal opened his eyes but they were still red. Milla moved forward and was about to beat the Beast senseless when it looked at her and stumbled towards her Milla reflexively caught Tal's body moving her arms underneath his. As Milla hefted Tal's body upright the red hue in his eyes dimmed and became the normal dark brown pits. Milla crouched and gently laid the body down and rested Tal's head in her lap. The beast had gone back to sleep and left Tal in a state of unconsciousness.
"This meeting will continue," the Crone said unphazed by the duel.
Milla looked at Tal and took of her coat. She rolled it under his head like a pillow and left him on the floor near her. The Crone in the chair then spoke to everyone out loud.
"We have all seen the power the emperor possesses and have all seen the power of the beast be crushed within him. I believe it is safe to let them proceed with their plan. Please decide now, if you are against this move to the left, if you are for this then move to the right," she said as the Crones moved to get on a side.
Then before anyone else could move a young Crone came into view and addressed the moot.
"I have a question," she said getting everyone's attention then she spoke to Milla "Do you understand what having a relationship with this Chosen entails?"
Milla wasn't really stunned by the question but she wasn't prepared to answer it with certainty. Milla had expected as much ever since she had slept with Tal. Her actions that night came about partly because of her respect for him and partly because she was under the influence of the alcohol. Milla was uncertain on how to answer properly so she spoke the truth.
"I have no certain answer. You have seen my thoughts and emotions. I am confused about where I stand with Tal," Milla said with all sincerity.
The Crone nodded but just as Milla relaxed another question was sent to her by another Crone.
"We can understand your discretion. It is vital that we know what you feel before leaving on your mission so we can better prepare the Emperor for the trials," she said causing Milla to show her shock visibly.
The Trials were a series of bonding tests that a couple had to under go to see if they were meant for each other. Milla regretted having spoken the truth. Since she was unsure of her fate with Tal she now had to undergo the Trials. Her tests would be more demanding that Tal's but since Tal had not witnessed a session of the trials he would not find them easy.
Tal started to stir. His groans made him known to the moot and the meeting progressed quickly as he stirred.
"Milla we leave your fate with Tal to the Trials that will start tomorrow due to the lack of time but you may choose your team. Choose wisely War Chief and good luck," the Crone said as her chair swiftly descended.
Milla clapped her knuckles at the Crone before she left and bent over as the Crones left. Milla could feel the stares of the Crones bore holes into her back but she didn't mind. She would rather be stared at by them than face the Trials. Tal started to awaken and as he did the Far Raiders Crone and her bodyguards left them to be alone. Tal fluttered his eyes open and saw Milla's face staring down at his. Tal smiled weakly and as he moved to get up he fell back down as a splitting headache cracked through his head.
"Just breathe," Milla coaxed as she sat down next to him and supported his head.
Milla seemed lucid to Tal but he sensed a distance inside her and couldn't help but question why.
"Milla? Milla what's wrong?" Tal asked.
"Nothing. . ." she said placing a hand over his eyes and running it down his face "Rest now. . .you'll need your strength tomorrow," Milla said in an unusual sweet voice.
Tal couldn't help but fall asleep listening to her voice.
"Rest Tal. . .Rest. . ."
That night Milla didn't sleep well. When sleep claimed her she had a nightmare of the Trials and when she called for the Crones they didn't come. So she had to let it play out. She dreamed of holding hands with Tal on a mountain top. Suddenly a chasm split them apart and Milla was stranded by herself on one side and Tal on the other. Milla then heard a voice behind on her side offering her a safe way down the mountain. Milla turned to look at Tal who was beckoning her to go to him. She was at a dilemma and couldn't choose when finally she chose to be with Tal. Milla took a run up and jumped through the air and for a moment she felt as though she would make it but to her horror and dismay the chasm got wider as she was in the air. Milla couldn't reach the other side and fell into darkness. Milla awoke with a start! Cold sweat formed on her brow and soaked her back and chest. Her breathing was irregular and came out in short sharp breaths. Milla looked around frantically and saw Tal next to her wide awake and looking at her in concern.
Tal then held her in an embrace that calmed her nerves. Never had she been that scared in her life. She was never afraid of anything because there was always a solution to things but that dream had made her know fear. Milla didn't let go of Tal until he pulled her away from himself to look into her eyes. Milla looked back but had problems focusing on what Tal was saying to her. Instead she started to notice odd things about Tal. Strange things that she would never have took notice of before. Like that amount of perspiration he had on his naked torso and the fact that his hair wasn't dangling so messily in front of his forehead. It wasn't until Tal shook her gently that she started to focus.
"Milla are you alright?" Tal asked concern set in his face.
"Yes, it's nothing I just had a nightmare," she said face as white as her under shirt.
Tal raised an eye brow.
"Milla, you never have nightmares," Tal said slowly now starting to feel a little scared himself.
Milla simply nodded and laid back down. Leaving Tal to find a way to help her calm down he had never once seen Milla lose control like that and the fact that she did unnerved him and brought back the pounding headache he thought he was rid of.
"Milla tell me of your dream," Tal said lying down to face her.
Milla retold the events of her dream and Tal listened intently to all of them and was surprised to know that he was in her dreams.
"Then I fell into the chasm," Milla said breathing hard as if she just relived the whole thing.
Tal slapped himself mentally and cursed himself for making Milla relive the dream. Tal was speechless. He didn't know what the dream meant but he thought retelling it to get it out of her mind would work, apparently he was wrong. Milla's ragged breathing didn't calm which made Tal helpless to do anything but hold her closer to him and coax her to calm herself.
"Slowly Milla, deep breath now, in. . .out. . .that's it. . .good,"
Milla calmed but was now trembling, she was afraid to go to back to sleep. So Tal stayed awake with her all night just holding her to stop her trembling. Tal was worried now and was beyond scared. Whatever made Milla frightened out of her wits was making Tal very nervous.