Chapter 22: Abusive Relationship?
Tonus walked slowly up the stairs to the entrance of his wife's home. He felt so shameful. He had stolen from his father, rattled off some of the worst lies he had ever made and just before all of that he had hurt Florien, the dearest elf in all of arda to him.
Tonus tapped on the door before entering, he never waited to have Yàviel open the door for him, and he found it unnecessary. Yàviel immediately took Tonus by his wrist and dragged him to their bedroom without a word. As he quickly went along with Yàviel he saw Florien and Nenmir playing with what looked like newborn puppies. Well, not playing, but just adoring them.
Yàviel pushed him in their room and entered after, shutting and locking their bedroom door.
"It's early, why are the elflings up?" Tonus asked trying to pretend he did not know how angry Yàviel was.
"Why would you care, Tonus? After hurting Florien like you d-
"I did not do that purposely!" Tonus said, gasping when Yàviel slapped him.
"You know, you know so well, that you should never shake a child! You want to be a healer Tonus? That won't pass well! You took so many lessons when you where being tutored on healing and childcare! You know better! Damn Tonus, what kind of father are you?" Yàviel shoved her husband into the wall behind him.
Tonus let out a quiet moan, he had thrown out his hands to lighten his fall and they had barely begun to heal from the weeding.
"I'm sorry." Tonus said, not bothering to protect him as his wife kicked him in his chest. His head banged against the wall, and his vision was full of black dots. Tonus gave up and fell into an unconscious state.
Yàviel would have hit Tonus again, but she first bend down. He was not talking, so she made sure he was alive. Yàviel was relieved to find out Tonus was alive, so carefully lifted him onto their bed and tucked him in.
"I can't help but hurt him. Why? I love him so much but I hurt him… physically and verbally… All the time!" Yàviel said quietly to herself, looking into Tonus' blue eyes. She had always loved his big blue eyes, and still did. She kissed him on his cheek and left the room to care for their elflings.
Tonus woke up half an hour later, alone in the room. Tonus got up. His head was sore, but not more than that. He peaked his head out the door and heard his wife playing with Florien, Locien asleep near the puppies.
"Hey Florien." Tonus said, smiling as he entered the room. Florien looked up at his father and did not say anything, only looked at the prince with terrified eyes.
Tonus bent down to look his son in his eyes. Florien began to quiver.
"Listen ion, I am so, so sorry about this." Tonus said, putting a hand on his son's shoulder, wishing Florien would be at more ease.
"Don't touch me…" Florien shrugged off his father's hand. Tonus took his hand away sadly.
"Florien, lift your tunic for me please, lad." Tonus asked. Florien looked at his father but did not lift his tunic.
"Do as ada asked, sweetheart." Yàviel helped Florien lift his tunic, she knew what Tonus wanted to see, if the red marks from Tonus' violent shaking where still there. The red finger marks had disappeared to Tonus' relief but there were tiny scratches in their spot. Tonus looked at his own nails. They did need to be cut, they where not long like the she-elves kept their nails but they where not as short as they should have been.
"Oh ion-nin. Is that sore?" Tonus asked. Hesitantly, Florien nodded his head.
"Come with me." Tonus ordered. Florien took his father's hand but was nervous of being hurt.
Tonus brought him into his bedroom and pulled out a small bottle of alcohol.
"Now listen little one, this should not hurt too much. Just take my hand, it will make the hurts go away very fast." Tonus squeezed his son's tiny hand as he dribbled on a bit of alcohol over the cuts. Florien winced and his grip tightened but he did not cry out.
"Don't worry little one, I am done. Florien, now I must beg of you for forgiveness." Tonus held him son. Florien wrapped his arms around his father.
"You are forgiven." The elfling squeezed his father. Tonus smiled.
"Glad to be forgiven. Now come, you and your brother have some picking to do. I want one of the puppies to give to my brother, so I want you two to pick which puppies you'd like to keep." Tonus said. Florien nodded and he and his father went back to where the puppies where. Tonus awoke Locien.
"Alright Florien, Locien, there are five puppies. You can each keep one, plus the dog we already have. So that means we keep two puppies. The other two I will bring with me home, and one will be sold when it is older. Alright?" Tonus said. The elflings nodded, and in a little while they each help a puppy. Florien chose his puppy because the dog looked different from the rest, and Locien chose his because the dog had a spot on its ear and eye.
"Good choices, both of you." Tonus kissed his two children and took two of the puppies that remained in his arms, and handed Yàviel a sack of coins.
"Here, money for the bed and some food." Tonus said, kissing his sons a second time before leaving. He was almost afraid of kissing Yàviel, after she attacked him like she did. But he was used to that, Yàviel often hurt him and calmed down by his next visit.
When Tonus arrived home, he showed his father the two puppies.
"You got Cield two? In his states Tonus, he cannot manage such." Thranduil said, though the two little puppies where adorable.
"One is for Legolas, I thought he'd-
"Yes, he would like a puppy." Thranduil smiled, taking one of the puppies into his arms.
"Who is this puppy for?" Thranduil asked.
"Legolas. Hold on to him, please, while I give this puppy to Cield." Tonus turned and headed to his little brother's room. Cield was awake, reading a book. He looked tired and the lines of pain he had had since his burning where still there, though they had lightened slightly. Cield looked up, noticing his brother's presence. Tonus held the dog behind his back.
"I have a present for you, Cield." Tonus smiled, approaching his brother and placed the puppy on his abdomen.
"For me?" Cield smiled at the puppy.
"Yes. It's a newborn puppy, do you like him?" Tonus was glad to see his brother pat the dog on its head.
"Thank you." Cield smiled, pulling the puppy closer. "I will call him Galil. I owe you, Tonus. Thank you so much." Cield beckoned his brother closer so he could kiss him on his cheek.
"Get well soon." Tonus smiled before returning to his father
"He loved it." Tonus took the puppy from his father.
"I thought he would. Now, give Legolas his little dog." Tonus nodded and Thranduil smiled.
"Don't think I wont punish you for theft, though. But first, puppy to Legolas." Thranduil said. Tonus took the puppy to Legolas, who got, of course, very excited when he heard the bark come from behind Tonus' back.
"What you have? Oh!" Legolas was beaming when he saw the puppy.
"For you." Tonus smiled.
"For me? Yay! Tonus I love you so much! I will call this puppy… Tonus number 2!" Legolas grinned as Tonus let him hold the puppy.
"Now be careful with him, he's very young." Tonus said, glad to see his little brother so joyful.
"So he cant do much yet?" Legolas asked. Tonus nodded.
"Not much yet… But he'll grow into a dog you can play with." Tonus pat his brother on his head and left, he still had a punishment with his father.
"I'm proud of you, Tonus. You made your little brothers very happy. Things have not been so well since…" Thranduil pulled Tonus into an embrace.
"I know adar. I know." Tonus squeezed his father.
"You will one day be a wonderful king, my son, I can tell." Thranduil kissed Tonus on his cheek, and turned to return to his work.
"But ada, you said I was going to be punished…?" Thranduil turned around and smiled.
"No, I cannot. You are forgiven, since you where so kind to your brothers." Thranduil then left.
Years went by, and Florien and Locien grew older but their family remained poor. Tonus had not told Thranduil of his sons, and now Florien was 13 and Locien 17. But something grave was about to happen to Florien's poor family, something Florien would have most trouble coping with…
To be continued…
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