Chapter Six [Part Three] (PHIL'S POV)
After trudging through the deep forest for a while, my captor and I arrived at the castel gates. I had wanted to run, and I almost had, but the thin piont of his dagger on my back kept me there. Occasionally, whenever I made a sudden movement, or opened my mouth to talk, it would dig into my skin, just scraping the first layer, becoming deeper every time.
We soon arrived at the tall gates that were my home. I had passed through these gates a thousand times but this time it seemed so much more scary.
The guard led me into a big hall with gold piping along the side. Everything was white and gold, blinding me slightly. At the end of this long hall, I saw the cheif. I had never actually seen him before. He was extrememly fat, barely fitting in his throne. I had heard stories about this man. Stories from the war. People had said he was an amazing fighter, strong and handsome. Was this not the cheif? Or had twenty years of the palace life style put a few extra pounds on him? He was wearing a white robe, and seemed oddly sophisticated for our world. The world of surviving in the wild wearing dirty clothes, and eating whatever we could catch. I had been with Dan so long, it seemed like was starting to think like an Atova.
Arriving a few feet away from where he sat, my guard pushed my down onto my knees, a bit of dust flew off of my pants, dirtying the polished floor.
The cheif looked down on me, his green eyes seemed excited, like a new idea had sprung into his mind. His gaze went from me to the guard. With a nodd, the guard cut the ropes over my wrists, and left the room. I hadn't realized until now how much the ropes had been burning my skin. I started rubbing them, soothing the pain slightly.
"Can I get you some bandages for those scars?" He asked. His voice had the same imaginary ring of care hidden in it. Like Chris.
I scowled at him. I wouldn't say anything. I couldn't put Dan in more danger than he already was.
When I didn't answer, the cheif wobbled over to a table, and picked up two white rags. I winced as he placed them on my bleeding wrists. It felt good though. The cold cloth removing the pain.
"There. Looking mighty better?"
I still didn't answer. I wouldn't even look in his eyes. I could stand whatever he did to me. For Dan.
"You seem to be shy. I'm just here to talk."
I kept my gaze on the floor, afraid to show him the fear in my eyes.
"Are you not going to talk?"
Silence.
"Fine." He said, walking back over to the table, fingering a bottle with a purple-blue substance in it. He placed the unknown liquid-full bottle on the floor beside me. The cheif then grabbed a fistful of my hair, leaning my face towards his. I seethed at the pain of his tight grip. He starred into my eyes. "Listen here, Philip." He spat out my name. "I know what you've been up to. Did you think I never wouldn't? I own this forest, and I know everything that goes on." He growled. Letting go of his grasp on my hair, he picked up the bottle, turning his back to me. My hand flew to my head, feeling it ache.
He swung around. "Do you know what this is?" Silence continued to follow. "No? Well Philip. This is what's finally going to happen because of your mistakes. Do you know what those mistakes would be?" I looked away. "No? That's surprising. You have been having a love affair with an Atova, yes? I don't even see how you can 'fall in love' with someone so hidiously stupid as-"
"SHUT UP!" I screamed, before I could stop myself. He had a satisfactory grin on.
"Why?" The cheif had the same smug and mockery tone that Chris had. "He's just an Atova. You couldn't care less, right?" He snarled.
"No." I choked out. "He's not and this isn't right. Dan is perfect, and these birthmarks don't define who we are." I was yelling at myself inwardly. Everything I am saying is going to put Dan in even more danger. I needed to stay silent, but his words had boiled up rage inside me that I had to let out.
"Oh really? I would hardly call this perfect" He pointed to the ceiling and a screen suddenly appeared. Dan was in it. He was unconscious on the ground.
"Dan." I whimpered. Hopefully this wasn't where Dan was now. He looked so cold and.. dead. I ripped my eyes away from the image, knowing I would cry if I gazed any longer. The screen vanished.
"So, would you like to know my plan?" He didn't give me a chance to answer, even though I wouldn't have. "Well, you see this bottle?" He held up the liquid. "This contains some pretty nasty juice. One sip of this, and your bodie pretty unresponsive. Practically under my control." He grinned maliciously.
I shook my head in shock. I couldn't get any words to form. I instantly closed my mouth. He gripped my hair again a lot harder than before. The pain burned through my scalp.
"Open up." He commanded. I shook my head vigouresly. "Don't make me get Chris." I continued to shake my head. "Chris!" He called out loudly.
The door slammed open, and the strong man walked in. I looked up at the cheif, his eyes dancing insanely. "Why don't you go bring in Daniel."
My eyes went wide. Would opening my mouth save Dan? I slipped my lips apart slightly. Without wasting anytime, he flicked the corck off the bottled juice, and forcefully started pouring it down my throat, tears streming down my cheeks. It tasted like ice, cold and wet, dripping down into my stomach.
'Anything for Dan.' I thought.