Dragon's Dismay with Absent Family
Chapter 11
Artemis coughed a few times and she could feel herself fading away into unconsciousness. No matter what she tried, which wasn't much, she couldn't get her wound to stop bleeding and she was losing too much blood at the rate that it was coming out. Her breathing had changed rate in the speed in which she breathed in and breathed out. It hurt like hell when she did breathe. Her blood had already traveled and made a trail to the end of the clearing. It stained the once brown dirt and colored it a sickening red. She tried to drag herself to a nearby tree to help herself stand up but she wasn't making it far. She rolled onto her back and groaned before her ears picked up the rustling of tree branches and other foliage around her. She turned her head to the side and they met with a pair of black boots that emerged from the bushes along with another pair of gray ones behind them. Slowly her vision raised and her heart skipped a beat as her eyes met with those beautiful sapphire ones.
"ARTEMIS!" Sting shouted bolting forward towards her.
Her husband collapsed beside her quickly wrapping his arms around her and curling her up to his chest. His left hand flew down to her wound gently grazing over it causing a small groan to escape her lips. Artemis gripped her hand onto his jacket trying to pull herself up so that she was sitting. She now realized that Rogue had been the other one to emerge from the bushes with Sting. Looking up at the raven haired man she couldn't help but to picture poor little Rio, the one who had been the most scared out of all three of them and then when looking at Sting the image of her own little girl flashed before her eyes forcing tears to spill. She cupped her hand over her mouth and closed her eyes shut tightly while leaning on Sting's shoulder trying her best to hold back sobs.
"I'm so s-sorry. I couldn't . . . I couldn't do anything. Rogue I'm sorry I couldn't protect her, I couldn't protect Rio and I couldn't protect Peyton. He took them; he stabbed me and then took them away. He left me here to die thinking you wouldn't find me." She choked out as best as she could, her mind still slowly becoming fuzzy from the blood loss.
"Easy Artemis your hurt, please don't strain yourself. Now who took Peyton and Rio?" Sting asked gently running his hand through her hair.
"Jo . . . . Jo . . . se . . ." She panted and her eyes flicked to Rogue who she could tell was burning up inside with pure rage. "I'm so sorry Rogue . . . I didn't mean for Rio . . . to get taken . . . I'm so sor-"
"I don't blame you for this. I'm just grateful that you were there for her and by her side when neither I nor Celestine could be. It's not your fault Artemis." Rogue whispered. "Do know which way they went?"
Artemis shook her head no. She had been dragged away from them before they took off in the carriage. They weren't going to leave without Jose after all and he had been busy playing Mr. Stabby with her out here. She felt too weak, way too weak for this right now and her pain was sliding a crossed her body with every passing second making her body go numb and leaving a miserable feeling hanging over her. Sting picked her up and held her bridal style in his arms. She could hear them talking about something but it was so hard to make out when their voices were fading and becoming so low to her.
"I want to go after Peyton but I can't just carry Artemis around while she's bleeding like this." Sting sighed.
"You shouldn't be leaving her at all at this point. She probably needs you there to comfort her after having someone attempt to end her life even if it hasn't been the first time. I'll go look for Rio and Pey-"
"No!" Sting snapped cutting Rogue off. "I want to get my hands on that dirt bag! I won't let them live after trying to kill Artemis and kidnapping my daughter!"
"You think I'll just let you beat all of them up yourself? Last time I checked they had my daughter too." The shadow king growled stepping forward dangerously.
". . . Guys . . . stop . . ." Artemis breathed out instantly catching Sting's attention.
"Whatever, I have to get Artemis back to the castle." The blonde grumbled.
Sting paid no mind to the mutters coming from his 'brother' behind them as he followed them back out to where the little hideout was. Upon reaching it though a dark blue haired man stood in the clearing, his clothes all tattered like he had just been in a brawl. Artemis smiled knowing who it was but of course Rogue and Sting were only thinking the worst right now. The shadow dragon was quick to step in front of Sting and herself knowing that the blonde would be more focused on protecting Artemis if this guy were to attack them.
"Your highness. . ."
"Take a step closer and you'll regret it!" Sting growled.
"No Sting . . . it's ok, he won't hurt us." Artemis whispered.
"Not like I could anyway. I already told you my magic isn't for attacking." The man muttered.
"I know that Xander."
Xander smiled and stepped forward disregarding the threat. The battered man knew he had to be cautious around the Sabertooth kings for if he made the wrong move they would attack him without mercy at this point. He was lucky enough Artemis was there to protect him and calm them down slightly this time. Sting was still on edge though, after stressing out and trying to find his wife and daughter in which his daughter was still missing, he wasn't about to let anyone else lay a finger on his queen.
"Xander, what happened to you?" Artemis forced out from her throat.
"I would think you'd be a little more concerned about yourself your highness. I'm not the one who's bleeding here." Xander snorted. "I'm sorry I couldn't bring them back with me. I almost had them too but Azazel had to be the prick who figured me out before I had a chance to escape with them. Please forgive me your highness."
"It's alright Xander; you tried as hard as you could. Jose isn't one to be messed . . . with . . . ugh Sting, I can't hold on . . . much longer."
"Ok sweetheart I know I'll get you home. Rogue take this guy with us . . . as long as Artemis trusts him I'll let him be for now."
Sting quickly let the light glow off his skin as he quickly made his way back down the trail. Xander put up no fight in letting Rogue drag him along back to the castle. By the time they reached the back garden Artemis had no sense left in her. She was only gargling random things now, not even full words. She cringed at Sting's loud voice as he shouted for Rufus and Totomaru, the blonde quickly soothing Artemis seeing that she didn't like the volume of his voice. The two seemed to have been waiting at the back door since they came rushing out before Sting even finished calling them. Totomaru was quick to aid Rogue in helping with Xander while Rufus helped Sting tend to Artemis's wounds once she was placed down onto the grass.
"Have you healed this yourself at all?" Sting asked looking over the wound as best as he could through the ripped fabric.
"I couldn't . . . I grew weak when I last used it. The cell they had me in, the bars, they were made of some weird material that blocked my magic from flowing throughout my body. I went to go put up a shield and it . . . it made me feel all weak from my magic not reaching parts of my body. If I tried to go heal myself I don't think it would do anything anyway plus . . . I'd just pass out anyway." Artemis explained, most of it just gargles anyway.
Sting gave a curt nod and before he even opened his mouth Rufus was calling the medical mages to the garden. Along with them Artemis could see Weisslogia, Minerva, and Riku coming out to join the crowd. The medical mages knelt down beside her and began working their magic on her wound. Two of them worked on the fatal spot while the third one checked for anything else that may have been fatal; she only said that Artemis was in need of water and food after the wound was tended too. The brunette groaned, if that were the case then what was Rio and Peyton going to be like when they came back home? She squeezed her eyelids down trying to hold back the tears and only opened them feeling a hand go to her forehead, Sting's hand.
"I know what you're thinking. Stop acting so hard on yourself ok? I'll find our little girl I promise and Rio will come home too. You did well, they needed someone to be there for them and you did that." He whispered down to her before leaning over and kissing her forehead.
"I know but still . . . . too be honest I think Peyton would have been strong for Rio even without me there. She sure had her temper every time Xander came in . . . I can only wonder where she gets that from." Artemis coughed before giving off a small smile.
"Very funny Artemis . . . by the way who is that guy?"
"He was forced to work for Jose . . . his family was threatened and he asked me to help them if he helped me. He was trying his hardest to help get Rio and Peyton away from them once I got separated from them. Sting . . . he has a wife and a little boy he said was around Peyton's age. I couldn't stand to hear that a little boy like that and an innocent woman was being threatened . . . especially by Jose. Please don't hurt Xander; he's trying to help us." Artemis's voice was now raspy along with being gargled.
". . . Okay sweetheart . . . I'll trust him. You look weak and tired. Get some rest now and your wound will be almost fully healed when you get up."
Artemis nodded her head slowly and hesitantly let her eyes close. Sting sat there beside her until he heard her breathing pattern change to tell him that she was asleep. He brushed her hair aside before standing up. He knew Rufus would make sure she got back to their room so there was no need to waste his breath on that. He turned on his heel to see Riku clinging to his father's leg sniffling and muttering something about not crying because his father didn't cry. This of course brought a smile to Rogue's face. It seemed like Minerva had grown attached to the little boy as well since she wouldn't step away from him even when Rogue said she didn't need to be there if she didn't want to be anymore. His father and Totomaru were surrounding and keeping an eye on Xander. Leaving Rogue to have some time with his son, Sting walked up to Xander and frowned down at him. Xander narrowed his golden orbs up at Sting and slowly stood up.
"It seems my wife made a deal with you. I'm sorry if I exploded but I'm sure you would do the same thing if you wanted to protect your wife after finally finding her and worrying about her."
"Yeah you're right, I would act the same but the fact is I haven't seen my family for a while now if your wife explained the full story. I have no intentions of harming any of you. If anything I wish to help . . . I want to be set free. Please let me help you." Xander pleaded, Sting could see his eyes flicking behind him to look at Artemis laying there.
"She trusts you so I will too, for now anyway. You make a wrong move and I will have you locked up. You can start helping by telling me where they're taking my daughter and my brother's daughter." Sting said sternly, almost as if her were talking to one of his own guards.
"Of course your highness . . . Rogue's daughter, she's . . . I hate to say this but they're planning to sell her off, have her killed first and sell her for her eyes on the black market. As for your daughter, Peyton, they want to make her into a peasant, a hard working maid for anyone who's willing to pay enough. The auction, it's being held not too far from Phantom Lord and I'm sure King Gajeel doesn't know a thing about it. It's being held in a cruel little town, on the outskirts of the kingdom that broke out of Phantom Lord's government a long time ago. I'm . . . I'm sorry I could get your daughters back here before the carriage got too far away, I tried your highness I really did." Xander explained and curled his fingers to make fists.
Sting let his eyes flutter shut and curled and uncurled his fingers trying to calm himself. He knew Rogue's good hearing probably let him hear everything that was just said as well. He couldn't waste time losing his temper at this point especially if all of those things Xander just said were true. They needed as much time as possible getting to that village. Sting looked over his shoulder at Rogue and both of them shared a quick nod understanding each other perfectly. The blonde looked back at Artemis who was now past out on the garden grass and his eyes softened. His wife had been through enough, it was time for him to play his main part in saving Rio and Peyton. Taking a deep breath his eyes locked with Xander's golden ones once more and he gave a curt nod.
"Thank you . . . I'd ask if you came with Rogue and I to this village. Anything more that you need to tell us will be important. Rufus, bring a carriage around quickly. Father please look after Artemis for me. Rogue . . . let's go get our daughters back." Sting said, a sly smirk melting to his lips as he looked his brother dead in the eye.
He wasn't letting this go.