Chapter 16 Captured

The bodies of Forsworn were piled at their feet as they fought on, together Tai and Serana held the small circle, using the bodies as a wall. Still the Forsworn had power in numbers as they continuously bore down on Tai and Serana.

Tai could no longer see the foes charging endlessly at him, he saw only blackness. There were voices calling to him as he struggled, slashing downwards then across. Wildly he was fighting, listening to the singing of the void to guide his hand.

Serana struggled; her slashes were growing weaker with each stroke. She couldn't believe how Tai kept fighting; obviously he was not using his human instincts. She couldn't help stare as he slashed again, blood flicking onto his arms as he tore his blade free of yet another warrior. More Forsworn closed in.

"Tai we need to talk" Serana struggled out, slashing her dagger across yet another Forsworn's throat savagely, spinning in a flurry of her cloak and dark hair.

Tai slashed, dropping to his knee with a scream as two more fell. He rolled his shoulders happily as the sticky, warm blood sprayed across his back. Tai was incensed as he stared, blood dripping down his entire body. His eyes flared, widening madly as the corner of his mouth twitched between stern and smiling. He shook his head, clearing the killers' fog before rising. All this came to pass within a few seconds.

"You want to talk about this now?" He demanded, flicking his blade past Serana's ear to swipe away a blade almost against Serana's head. She flinched momentarily before her eyes widened.

"No time like the present" She replied calmly as she pulled Tai's head down, the blade bound to behead passing over him harmlessly.

"We're in the middle of a battle Serana!" Tai spat as he gripped Serana's arms, her own hands wrapping firmly around his forearms as she threw her feet back into two on coming battle mages. She groaned as she dropped to her behind, knees bent. Tai threw his feet back into another on coming warrior, his feet landing on the ground before Serana rose again.

"So? Talking won't kill you Tai!" Serana had been quite moody lately, Tai had picked up this moment was going downhill. He knew he couldn't hold much longer as he wiped blood and sweat from his forehead.

"You've already killed me once" Tai retorted. His arm quickly shooting out over Serana's blocking the staff that would have broken her arm. He groaned in pain with the clash against his arm as he pushed his end down, sending the other end into the attackers chin, another unconscious Forsworn hit the ground.

"That was your choice Tai!" Serana stumbled from a blow; Tai lashed his blade out, relieving the attacker of his hand.

"What do you want to know?" Tai's voice echoed loudly as he deflected another warrior's blade. He leapt suddenly, his blade forcing an arrow to the ground right before Serana's eyes. He then spun tossing his hair as he raised his blade directly even with his nose. Serana's eyes widened as the arrow hit the blade, bouncing to the ground a shattered mess. How Tai did this still stunned her.

"What it meant to you!" Serana struggled with her words loudly, tiredness obvious in her soaking hair. Tai was also soaking as he pulled her into him, saving her again. She spun outwards, slapping the next attacker square across the face.

"Define IT Serana. A lot happened that night"

"You know exactly what I mean" Serana fell, grateful for Tai's sudden arm around her waist, again pulling her to her feet. She winced as she noticed the large gash across his knuckles, and the various welts from the weapons he had been blocking.

"If you want to know a serious answer ask like an adult Serana, not a child" Tai's voice was heavy as another staff punished his back. He screamed but remained on his feet, spinning his top half to bring his sword through the abusing weapon.

Serana's knees collapsed as she tumbled, hair floating on the wind as she plummeted to the ground. Her head bounced weakly as she moaned, unable to fight off her weakness any longer.

"Serana!" Tai hissed, the savage beast returning as he crouched around her, swinging left and right. He could care less what harm he did, only survival was important. He was disarmed as his knuckles were punished again. The next few jabs from the staffs were agony as Tai collapsed over Serana, her eyes closed to Tai's blood draining onto her face.

"We've got them now!" Several attackers yelled. Then they all cried.

"Glory to the Forsworn"

Tai gasped. His hands were splayed on the ground, chest now positioned over Serana as his blood dripped on the dirt above her part. Tai raised his eyes, again the animal and the man fighting within them. Both shone defeated. The sweat was pouring from his body, running down him like a stream, causing him to glisten perfectly in the setting sun's rays, a flaming sculpture. The only words to escape his mouth were all for one woman. It was sad how far he had fallen.

"Kill me. But please, spare Serana… Spare Serana" he sighed, head bowing as he stared into Serana's now bloody face, gut knotted as he felt the staff bare down across his back.

His body gave way, falling over Serana's, his cheek resting against hers as his face neared the dirt beside her head. The second blow was across his head; still Tai struggled to keep from crushing Serana. The third blow was to his bent elbow, as the forth came from another landing harshly into the back of his head. The world went black.

Tai groaned weakly, wiggling his toes until he could feel his numb legs again, he rolled his shoulders as best he could. He started twitching his neck as he felt the sticky blood plastered to him. He kicked a few times; shaking his full body against its own weight. The corresponding rattling sound stunned him into stillness. His fingers curled around something that shook him to his core, before freezing him. Chains.

"No!" Tai growled, pulling his body up by the arms, feeling the instant burn in his muscles as his hands tightened. He twisted against the chains again, a scream ripping through his core to his throat with his effort. With a gah sound he flopped, head bowed as he released his hands. He screamed as he reached the end of his chain, his shoulders been wrenched from the sudden stop. He growled again.

"Be still meat!" An Orc growled an order. Tai turned his eyes ferociously to the cage door, seeing a solid group of Forsworn with spear like weapons. Tai glared at the circle formation, they were surrounding someone. The Orc smiled, shifting onto his left foot with a high right knee before stepping aside in one fine sweep. Tai's jaw dropped as he stared into a shaking Serana's face, pale, expressionless with blood trickling down the corner of her mouth.

"Serana!" Tai yelled, shaking once more against his chains as the Orc laughed. Carelessly what Tai assumed was a male Orc threw Serana through the cage door, ensuring his hand slapped Serana's behind. Serana turned and bore her teeth at him, Tai smiled at the sudden fear in the Forsworn as they slammed the cage door shut.

"That's my girl" he groaned weakly as Serana stumbled to her feet, eyes suddenly worried on Tai.

"Are you alright?" she asked, walking slowly towards him. Tai shook his wrist causing another orchestra of clunks and rattles.

"I'm chained to a wall dangling by my arms. What do you think?"

"You shouldn't have eaten so many sweet rolls" Serana spoke with a straight face, despite her twinkling eyes. Tai fixed her a look, smiling at how easily he could read her emotions by the shine of her eyes. Tai often wondered how many people could do this, since becoming a vampire for a brief time Serana seemed so easy to read.

"Maybe I shouldn't have saved you so often" Tai's tone was flat also, despite struggling to hide a smile. Serana noticed his mouth twitching however, her own was following.

"You couldn't live without me" she laughed confidently, it felt good. Not arguing with Tai. Tai sighed heavily, Serana had hit a nerve.

"You're right. I couldn't"

"Tai" Serana seemed pained to say his name in the tone she did, dismissive. Tai swallowed, was this rejection or was it her own fear.

"No Serana. Don't dismiss me. You asked what it meant to me, what did you mean?" Tai was equally as pained, Serana fixed him with her own look.

"That we slept together" she said finally, a slow blush building at her collar. Tai loved how she blushed there; it was so hard to see unless you were looking. It made her ivory skin however seem softer.

"It wasn't the most important thing to me…"

"So I'm just another mark to you?!" Serana yelled, cutting Tai off. He growled deeply at her.

"No! You could never be just another Serana, don't you dare even talk like that"

"You just said it wasn't the most important!" Serana was bellowing now, Tai cut her off with a whisper.

"The most important thing is you said you loved me" Tai finally got his words out, perfectly timed and spoken. Serana stood silent, stunned into stillness. She blinked the same blink that usually marked Tai's confusion.

"That's what meant the most to you? A few words?" Serana was beyond dumbfounded.

"Serana... I'll admit they are just words in some cases, until you mean them. You're so afraid to trust, to show your weakness and yet you trusted me with your body, and your heart. I've never been trusted that way, so selflessly. No one has ever cared for me the way you do. And I've never felt this way about anyone" Tai mentally kicked himself as he saw the tears forming in Serana's eyes.

"I've never mattered Serana. I was a slave, just another hand to shift dirt and find ore. No one cared if I lived or died. I was an assassin, a reasonably good one but I wasn't the Listener, I wasn't Z. I was just average, no one really cared. I was a Companion, no one cared, they just wanted me gone. I was myself, no one saw me. I've never been lucky Serana; everything has been a fight, a fight I can't win. I've never been important" Tai sighed sadly, seeing the tears openly streaming down Serana's face despite her lack of sobbing. She smiled at him, a true smile that warmed Tai's entire freezing core. It vanished.

"Tai. I'm from a different era. I should be married to you for that. I can't act the perfect woman Tai, and you deserve no less. I'm not the right one; I have gotten you chained up and in a trap. I waited thousands of years to be saved, and it had to be you that opened my tomb. If you stay with me you'll end up dead… I can't kill you Tai, not again"

"Serana. I would rather be dead than not with you. I'm lashed, you're the mistress. I'm in love with you, I'm not tame myself, nor perfect. I don't deserve you, I'm not important enough to hold your heart. I'm just the ghost; I was trained to be a ghost. No one sees me, only what I show"

"You're important to me Tai. I see you, I always have seen you" Serana confessed, and then had to ruin her perfect words.

"Currently chained to a wall" They both laughed as Serana wrapped her arms around Tai, her head only reaching to his abs due to his situation with chains and a wall.

"I guess we're good again" Tai almost questioned, Serana gave him a look and slapped his belly lightly, Tai grunted. Serana gave him a mock look then pressed her lips gently to where she had slapped. Tai laughed and closed his eyes, drifting slowly into sleep despite the bloody kiss.

Tai woke weakly, lying face down in the dirt; his arms were bound thickly behind him. Wrist chained together by several thick leather binds, the knots each harshly covered in steal. It seemed the Forsworn were not as primitive as Tai had believed. The second binding went around his chest, thick leather, it continued to lace around his forearms, along with a thick chain missing several links to be replaced with the same rough leather. Tai shook angrily as he shuffled his knees beneath him, butt raised to the skies. Tai then groaned, pulling from his core so he sat upright, behind now against his calves and heels.

His arms were suddenly snatched roughly; he was hoisted to his feet. Tai stumbled weakly after his attackers, aware of his mainly bare body, save his underclothes. He blinked at the harsh sunlight as it hit his eyes harshly like a dragons flame. He enjoyed the warmth as he continued been marched through several tents to a thick wooden rail. He turned his eyes to a mud covered woman, he gasped.

"Serana?" He whispered, the woman nodded.

She looked into Tai's eyes, defeated as the spears were pointed at her back. She slopped thick mud onto Tai's chest, wincing as he flinched and retreated from the thick mess. As Serana coated his entire body in mud Tai's hands were unchained briefly, only to be fasted to the rail above his head. He looked at the sudden rope, realising with horror Serana was bound in the same manner save the looser rope. He then looked beneath him, wood piled. Slowly it dawned on him as Serana came to the back of his neck.

"I love you" She whispered into his ear. Tai responded by leaning his head against hers, kissing her ear gently before whispering.

"I love you too" Serana began to cry weakly.

She leaned backwards and stared at Tai, the mud coating her face made Tai smile his genuine smile before she kissed him gently. When the kiss was broken Serana ran her hands gently over his lips, the mud finishing its coating. The spears left her as she leaned forwards and touched him again, suddenly jerked backwards to be pulled up like Tai was. Serana kicked, cursed and even bit at the thin air around her as Tai growled, his wrist shaking from tenseness.

"You could have let us finish you damn Forsworn. You have no manners for conversation!" Serana spat. Tai grinned at the cries of outrage from the Forsworn as the arrow heads were lit on fire. Tai finally grasped why there was wood beneath his feet, and forks in every Forsworn attackers hands. Tai and Serana were dinner.

"Tai. Don't even think about it" Serana hissed as Tai stared up at his bindings, he looked to Serana with a toothy grin. The yellow flicked across his eyes as he caught the scent of the Forsworn. So primal, foolish, weak. They feared what he could become; Tai did not blame them as he felt more of the cold fog, his skin and clothing falling away.

"Use some spells on out packs, if you haven't already. I'll get us out of here but whatever you do, do not run away" Tai was snarling now as the fog dropped around his midsection, already he felt the chains were too small around his wrist. He growled again, by now he was strong enough. He twisted his wrist, quickly and forcefully against his bindings, they snapped.

Tai snarled as his tail hit the wood, he hated his tail been touched. He loped, fully in form with a roar, swiping his paw through a bunch of Forsworn. Tai couldn't help howl a laugh at how easily they flew. He spun his other paw out, swiping another attacker aside as he managed to bite the strap of Serana's pack. He groaned, loping back to her with his teeth clenched around the pack. He awkwardly stood before Serana, despite the drop he was still the same height as her. His claws sliced through the bind holding Serana to the pole. He noticed in the nick of time he had not released her wrists from each other. He moved into a lope, throwing his head between her arms, she was stuck to him. Tai shifted as Serana locked her legs around his body, holding herself beneath him as he ran.

Tai didn't break stride as he leapt, ducking the Forsworn instead of attacking. He was conscious of Serana as arrows started flying at them. His nose flared as he roared again, causing several of the attackers to cower. Tai panted heavily, aware of the lather forming around his jaws and dripping into Serana's hair as he saw one final Forsworn, bow raised, arrow levelled at Serana. Tai roared recognising the Orc as the arrow was released. Tai dropped his front down thoughtlessly, his back taking the arrows abuse through thick fur. Tai roared in pain, rising to his feet to wrap his paws around the Orc's head.

"Be still" he hissed at the struggling Orc as he lifted the Orc clean off the ground, by his head.

Tai then felt the urge, he loved feeling the rush but he despised the mess it caused. He was already forcing his palms closer together around the Orc's shaking head, Tai wanted to go through the Orcs head as he pushed harder still. Tai growled as more arrows buried themselves in his back, close to the first one. Tai locked his fingers together and slammed his palms; they came together with a sickening crack, a sloppy clap as the blood and brains dribbled down his paws. He stared at an eyeball stuck in his claws before loping off, the eyeball come free in a twig.

Tai gasped as the arrows began to itch, the pain building as he couldn't bleed past the savage design. The blood pooled beneath the skin, forming harsh lumps as he ran. Somehow the Forsworn still were in hot pursuit. Tai stumbled, Serana yelped as her back hit the ground. Tai suddenly paused, slowing his stride as he sniffed the air and flicked his ears. Rushing water. Tai's eyes flashed to the cliff, he set his eyes determinedly as he raked a paw through the dirt.

"No Tai! Not again!" Serana screamed desperately as Tai loped, another arrow narrowly missing Serana's head.

"Actually. Now I think on it, good idea" Serana amended her former complaint as Tai launched from the cliff, his back paws pushing into the edge to further his leap. Serana yelped. The pack Tai still somehow held kept hitting her in the head as they fell to the rapids bellow.