SUMMARY: Corals temper has landed her in a spot of trouble. Will she make it back to the Hawks keep? Or will her fear and anger push her hosts over the edge?
WARNING: I do not know what this story will have, so ratings will change at any time. Cussing, blood... The usual warning on any of my stories.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the original characters.
AUTHOR NOTE: I know I planned on making this a ZaneXoc but well... That was before I decided to keep Gregory alive so... Pairings are up in the air again!
CHAPTER TWO
Voices drifted in and out of my hearing as I struggled to open my eyes. My body was being in uncooperative as I struggled. These strange smells... This was defiantly not the Hawks keep.... What had happened to me? Images seared my brain and I gasped, my eyes flying open in shock. Why was I still alive? Had my guard come? Wait, no, If they'd heard me and came I'd be in the keep so... I tried too lift myself up but was pulled back by a ban of iron wrapped around my waist. A blush bloomed on my cheeks as a serpiente snuggled against my neck. I imagined fangs piercing me, bleeding me dry. Fearful, I wrenched myself from his arms, falling from the raised slate I'd been on and onto more pillows. They enveloped me with warmth and broke my fall. Peels of musical laughter rang above me as the serpiente who'd held me stretched.
"Ah, I slept great!" He winked at me and I recoiled out of instinct, blood pounding heavy in my face. Others cat called, making gestures to me and my dress. Confusion rippled through me. A woman whose eyes were of polished silver came in with a stern expression.
"Savoal," She addressed the man who held me. "Stop it now. She is probably scared enough without having to think your ugly face ravaged her." She knelt beside me and I forced myself to be still, unable to stop a small shiver. I must have looked quiet a sight, cowering away from the woman whilst she laughed. Angry with my reaction I made my hands and muscles unclench. I was avian. More so a hawk. I was not to wear emotions on my sleeves. Speaking of... Where were my sleeves? Before sneaking away from my guards I'd worn a cream dress with ballooning sleeves. Now I wore... Oh, fuck! The thin hold I'd gained crumbled as I belatedly realized I wore a serpiente dress. The trembling began again and I blushed. I barely glanced up as a canteen of water thanked softly on the pillow before me. Gregory Cobriana sat gingerly down, sporting a cast. I lowered my gaze, sure I was over. I barely caught him looking my body up and down, pausing here and there. Weakly, feeling worn out and weary, I vainly tried to pull the flimsy material over my long legs.
"Don't fret hawkling. None have taken liberties with you." The cobra said, mocking. "Well, except Savoal who was gracious enough to keep you warm." I was proud when the tattered remains of my poise gelled together to calm me down. I leveled my now calm gaze on Gregory.
"When my mother realizes what you've done she will send an army." His garnet gaze caught mine and I quickly lowered my own gold gaze. It was never a good idea to hold a serpiente gaze. I'd learned that first hand in the clearing. Gregory shrugged indifferently, leaning back on the pillow.
"If that is what you believe then that's fine. But in that pretty brain of yours ask yourself this; will your mother risk more lives to fight a battle in our territory?" In despair I knew the answer. No, my mother would never risk her soldiers in a losing battle. It would have been different had we still been in the fields but we weren't. We were somewhere in serpiente territory, a place no avian had gone before and returned alive. Except for, I amended with a rare pain, Valene. Our troops would be blind in a fight they didn't know the terrain of. In fact my remaining family probably believed me already dead.
The woman from before came and knelt beside Gregory, her emerald gaze stoic. She kissed his cheek, and then willingly offered her lips to be taken by his own. My face remained stoic as they kissed, only my thoughts being rude. How can you let a snake touch you? I thought. Though I should have been horrified I wasn't. Once she was satisfied she moved closer and I'd been too tried that day. Unable to stop or hide it pure instinct came over. My feathers rose as my skin became hypersensitive to catch every movement of theirs. The woman looked pained as the others tensed, sensing my reserve and mask cloaking me fully.
"Please do not be alarmed. I am called A'isha and as long as you are here with me, you will be safe." My feathers relaxed a fraction at the sincerity in her words. I was even able to lose some clarity of my heightened sight. Then a dark cloud skittered in my mind. My mother herself had tutored me on Alasdair, the first of our kind. While her pack was turned a serpiente coward stabbed her in the back. Her warmth and kindness had been repaid by betrayal and blood. What if I was repeating the same mistakes, making myself an available target? Lowering my guard so they could make dinner out of me? My feathers rose again. A'isha sighed mildly.
"I won't ask." She said simply. "But Zane has given his word that you are not to be harmed." My whole body rose uncaring in my new rage that slivers of my breasts were revealed, all my tanned legs. My voice was acid as I addressed her words.
"Your prince's and royal house have taken away all my aunts and uncles, my father, brother and sister." Fury slithered along my skin as I recalled Xavier. "My brother was thirteen and yesterday he lay in the fields, dead. My sister Alistair died defending her and as she dropped her reserve to weep a blade cut her down. My own Alistair has not been dead a month and I still can't shed a tear for him because of other friends and family already lost. My sister hesitates to pick up her crown because her Alistair will be a bigger target.... Don't ask for my trust when all your kind has done is taken from me." I was trembling so bad I was amazed I didn't topple over. Zane had come in and I managed a faint blush. He affected me in an odd way. His garnet eyes flicked down my body, lingering here and there, bringing a peculiar sensation over me. His people all expressed utmost joy to see him, crowding him. He settled beside his brother on one of the many soft plump cushions with one leg bent and the other straight.
As I noticed both the princes wore pants with iridescent shimmers I pondered with a hint of hysteria which of there kind they'd had skinned. Time hung in a suspended arc, all waiting for the Arami to speak. The only sound was my heart which beat one hundred times per minute at rest. Zanes shoulders and chest were broader than the slender avian frames I knew. Worse, in his current position with his silk shirt pulled taut across his chest his muscles were fully evident. Then he caught my gaze which made me uncertain. I folded my legs under me as I sat down again so I didn't embarrass myself further by falling in his lap. He cocked his head and A'isha smacked him gently. He offered her a smile that had me wondering if serpiente shared lovers.
"A lovely speech." He mocked. "But consider your people have taken from me as well. To this war I've lost a father, two uncles, a sister and a niece in a single blow. What harm could that infant have afforded you, Coral?" I stiffened in shock. He couldn't mean what it sounded as could he? But of course he could and did. Never had I paused to wonder how cold we avian had become about the serpientes. When I wished for peace I'd never considered they would possibly want it as well, that they had also lost. A life was a life right, even if it was serpiente it was still precious... How long had this war gone on for? And for what? A past we couldn't remember. I met Zanes eyes and dropped my avian mask completely, letting him see the true me. My voice burned in sincerity as I whispered.
"I'm sorry." A murmur of disbelief followed my words. Gregory silenced it with a fiery glare. Zane shook his head, sighing.
"No apology is necessary of you, Coral. I want only to try and insure my loss doesn't grow. You saved my brother and my sister and mother both agree that alone makes my plan worth a shot. Your outburst cemented my resolve to try at least." I didn't pull away as he shifted ever so closer but I couldn't keep the fear and doubt from my eyes.
"Convince your family to meet with the Mistari Disa and Dio." He said no more, letting me work out the kinks. It didn't take me long. The Mistari Disa had aided in the ending of many wars but...
"I am not the heir." I told them. "Nor have I my Alistair to back me up with his position. My mothers counsel lay with my sister and the Royal flight." Gregory Cobriana argued my words.
"But you are there blood. That ought to count for something...." I shook my head at there naivety on avian.
"That is possibly how it is here but... I see my mother in market, when she deems me worthy to call on, or for required events. My sister hides in fear for her future children... Though it sounds terrible I don't think either could weep if I died and... I feel the same." There was silence after my words, my dead emotionless voice echoing off the walls. Zane implored me silently with his eyes.
Try... After my claim to Gregory in the fields what could I say?
"I'll try but..." But the chances are higher of avian flying to the moon.
END CHAPTER TWO
AUTHOR NOTE: I hope you enjoyed this chapter.