I guess being sick has its advantages. I can get knocked on my ass long enough to write. I was a bit loopy on cold medicine when I wrote this, so it there are some serious spelling errors, I do apologize. Sentence structures and fragments are intentional; I was aiming to mimic staggered thoughts, or trailed off phrases. Enjoy, and please... Review... There's one person who has read my last three chapters almost immediately after I post them... I really want to know who you are. My curiosity is killing me!
Chapter 31
Sheeva leaned against the wall outside of the boardroom, waiting while the Elders discussed whatever matter they decided they needed to in private. She kept her gaze to the floor, avoiding looking around. She felt that she may have said too much, worried that Jazper, Bacchu, and Valrigard were displeased with their presentation of Humans.
Joseph studied Sheeva from behind his bangs, watching her facial expression flicker from worried to angry and back again. She was frustrated, but of course she would be. She had more attachments to the humans, whereas he did not.
He shook his head. He hadn't said much, but what he did say he felt helped their case greatly. Besides, it was the truth. He straightened himself and stretched, happy to be able to move freely.
Kagure watched the two, worried for them more than for their humans. If this deal did go south, and their Elders decided to launch an all-out offensive, Humankind would not stand a chance, he felt. Not only that, it would be devastating for Sheeva.
For as long as he'd known her, she had a motherly attitude. If any harm came to her humans at the hands of their kind, she would blame herself. Possibly, she would claim that she "allowed it to happen", because she "was not quick enough".
The door opened, and Valrigard stepped out, shutting the door behind him.
"Sheeva Jules... we require your presence a little longer." He stated, dark green eyes glimmering.
Sheeva nodded and stepped bravely forward, shuffling past Joseph and Kagure without another word. She sat down at the head of the table, facing the Elders. Valriguard glanced at Joseph and Kagure, and nodded reassuringly. She would be out of questioning soon.
The room darkened as the sun began to set in the East, casting an eerie firey glimmer along the table and walls. Sheeva took a deep breath, and stared Jazper in the eye.
"What else do you want to know?" She asked, getting straight to the point. She wanted this over and done with. Her patience was gone.
"About the raid that you led on Mayfil's capital city, why? What was your motive? Revolution?" He asked. Sheeva shook her head.
"Revolution was not on my mind then. As I said, I had lost my husband in the war. I was a mourning widow, in search of revenge. I rallied a team, and stormed the capital palace. Mayfil's leaders were at fault for my husband's death, I thought. Zarkas betrayed me, and my team and I were captured. My team was slaughtered in front of my eyes. I was held as a prisoner of war. I was beaten. Starved. Raped. At one time, I was... I was pregnant. They..." She started. She forced a breath, and braced herself.
"They cut out my womb and ovaries so that I could never have children again." She admitted. Bacchu stared at her sadly, seeming to have been "hit in the feels" as some of the first-year students would have said. Jazper kept his composure.
She shook her head, averting her gaze. She didn't need their sympathy. She needed to continue telling them the truth.
"Zarkas kidnapped Tazaro and I's child... Kadie." Kadie's name felt foreign on Sheeva's lips, and she felt a pang in her chest at the mention of her name.
"He brought her to me, so that I could see her, one last time. She was only five. I was chained to a wall! I could not even hold my daughter as she bled to death!" She continued, shaking now. She fought to keep herself, but failed. Her head dropped, and she set her forehead on the cool table. She covered her head with her hands, and bared her wings, wrapping them around herself for comfort.
She didn't care that she'd shown them her wings at the moment, too focused on weeping.
The Elders waited patiently, thinking, their stomachs clenching with fear that the same thing could happen to them. They had children themselves. Jazper had grandchildren, and a great-grandchild on the way.
Sheeva regained herself, wiping her eyes with her cloak, staring at the middle of the table, embarrassed.
"I apologize. I do not mean to be a pity case. That is not my intent. I am only trying to tell you my side of the story." She muttered her apology. They dismissed the matter.
Continue. Why have you bared your wings? Apamycus asked. Sheeva took another deep breath.
"I... I made a deal with a demon. If he could get me out of my hell and allow me to kill my captors, I would be in his service, as... somewhat of a reaper. You could say I was to be a bounty hunter. I tore myself off of that wall I was chained to. My wings burst from my back. I felt... more alive than I had in months. I had so much power coursing through me. I destroyed every inch of that prison. In my hatred, I slaughtered countless people. Now that I reflect on it, I am ashamed, for I am sure I killed innocents in my blind rage." She muttered, the sudden realization hitting her like a brick. She hoped that conveying the message this way, that they would understand that she was truly sorry.
"How did you come to meet these Humans? Did you run to them to avoid conviction?" Jazper asked, her story not surprising him. She looked at him.
"May I request that Kagure be back in the room? It was with his help that I was able to go to Earth." She asked. They arched an eyebrow. Jazper seemed almost... pissed. Valrigard stood once more, and opened the door, calling out to Kagure.
Kagure snapped his head up, and so did Joseph. They were both worried now. Kagure walked in, looking around. Sheeva looked pitiful, and she had her wings bared. At a closer glance, she appeared to have been crying, and quite hard. He sighed, and sat down next to her.
"Senator Bakhrieva, Sheeva has just told us that you aided her in going to the Human's realm. How is that possible?" Jazper asked, displeased. Kagure's stomach dropped, and he was glad that he wore a mask. They wouldn't be able to see the look of shock. More like a look of "Oh, shit".
"I was... experimenting, sir." He stated simply.
"You were harboring a fugitive, Bakhrieva!" Jazper spat, slamming his hand down on the table. The other Elders turned and looked at him, surprised for his sudden outburst.
"I don't care if you are the Senator! Harboring fugitives is an illegal, immoral act!" Jazper hissed, pointing at Kagure with emphasis on "illegal" and "immoral".
"Is protecting the woman that raised me immoral? If so, I'll throw my status away. I did what I had to. I highly doubt that my actions in the past are what's currently important here." Kagure calmly replied. Sheeva almost thought she felt Apamycus laughing out of amusement. Bacchu had an impressed glint in his eye.
This was shaping up to be the most interesting meeting they had ever been to.
Jazper took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Kagure had a pretty valid point; he should not have let personal conflict get in the way.
How did you reach this... Earth? Apamycus asked them.
"I built a portal. When I first used it, I assumed that it would only send her somewhere else on Sferra. I was not aware that it would send her to another world. We destroyed the evidence, so that others could not follow. I feared that someone would try to kill Sheeva." He admitted. Jazper nodded in realization.
That had been the true cause of the fire in the basement in the west wing.
"If you eradicated the evidence, how did Mayfil scientists manage to develop this... portal?" Jazper continued. Kagure dropped his head.
"I too, was foolish. My work must have fallen into the hands of a spy, sir. Despite your attempts to keep us segregated, we are already mixed. There are spies among all of us, from all of us. Zarkas is a clear example. We may have no other choice than to start working together."
"We will discuss that at another time. How is it that Sheeva is here now?" Jazper veered the topic back on course.
"I crafted another portal. A mirror. It has a twin, stationed in a library on Earth. Sheeva and Joseph can travel freely... with your permission, that is. I built them shortly after reports of various attacks on Kadessa's towns and smaller cities by... Sheeva's husband." He replied.
Bacchu looked up from his drink in a now drunken stupor.
"Didn't you say that he had been killed on the battlefield? Were you wrong in your assumption, Sheeva?" He asked, slurring. Sheeva shook her head.
"I was not wrong. He is dead. However, his soul lived on. Perhaps, he could not bear the circumstances of his death. I will never know. He made a deal with Balthazar... I am not sure what for. I did not get to ask him. From my understanding, Balthazar used him, swaying him with false knowledge that I had abandoned him and settled for another." Sheeva explained to the best of her ability.
What of the Humans? Can they travel to and from... Earth and Sferra? Apamycus asked, curiosity piqued. Sheeva shrugged, and shook her head.
"I do not know. I... am not sure if I want to try." She admitted. What if, during their time in the void, they got lost, or even separated? Where might they end up?
Pity. I would very much like to meet one of your humans. If they are as curious as you say, they must also have vast knowledge. Apamycus mentioned. Sheeva smiled. Kathryn would be the perfect human for him to meet, she thought. With their curious natures and great intelligence, they could probably talk for hours on end.
"Maybe you should try." Kagure suggested. Sheeva looked at him, the fear evident in her eyes. The other Elders slowly nodded, and she looked at them, completely shocked.
The clock struck twelve, and as their stomachs growled, it registered that they had also not eaten all day. Jazper collected his files, stacked them, and set them back down again.
"I think we can adjourn. Sheeva, we will send a letter to Kagure informing you of our decision. Until then, you are dismissed." He announced. Sheeva's mouth dropped. She wouldn't be hearing for a few days, it seemed.
She stood and nodded at them, then walked out of the room. Joseph had sat down, leaning his head against the wall. He'd fallen asleep. Sheeva bent down and shook him lightly. He jerked awake, and scrambled to get to his feet.
"What happened? What did they decide?" He pleaded to know. Sheeva chuckled, and blinked, unsure of what to say.
"They're going to send me a letter 'informing us of their decision'. Come. Let's get something to eat; I'm starving." Kagure stepped in, walking on to the dining hall.
When they stepped into the dining hall, Sheeva grinned. She hadn't seen these foods in ages. She strode over to a bowl of yellow fruit, picked one up, and inhaled its scent deeply. A citrus scent tickled her nose, and her mouth watered. She hastily bit into it, and seemed to fall into bliss. It reminded her of a lemon, with a slight tomato taste to it.
She sunk into a chair, lost in the exotic fruit.
Joseph arched an eyebrow, but forced his focus on piling food onto his plate. True, it'd been a while since he'd had cluckatrice meat, and he missed the rich, bloody taste of it.
They ate their fill, sitting in silence and comfort. Each felt that they had talked far too much today, Sheeva especially. Kagure led them back to their room, bade them goodnight, and shuffled back to his own.
Sheeva and Joseph stared at the small bed, happy to find that there were a change of pajamas for both. Sheeva picked her clothes up first, and stepped into the bathroom, eager to take a nice, hot shower.
Joseph sat down on the bed, trying to keep his thoughts clean. A few seconds later, Sheeva poked her head out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.
"Cowles, how in God's name do you work this shower?" She asked. Joseph laughed, and stood, turning to her, unaware of how she was dressed. He froze, unable to keep his eyes from looking her over.
"What are you staring for? Help me out with this thing." She ordered. Joseph blinked, and walked into the bathroom, showing her. The handle was tricky; you had to turn it a certain way, then pull it out, then jam it back in to start the water running. Again, there was a lever included.
She thanked him, ushering him out and shutting the door.
He cursed himself, finding that his temperature had risen. He strode to the window and opened it, the cool night breeze a relief to him. He plopped down on the bed and closed his eyes, trying to focus on anything but the woman in the shower.
Impossible, as the sound of falling water reminded him she was currently there. It'd be hitting her head first, damping her black, wavy hair. It'd fall slowly down her back, along the curves of her butt, and down her long slender legs. It'd meet her narrow shoulders, roll down her chest, and fly off of her nipples, probably perked from the stark contrast of hot and cold.
That skin... those hips. If he reached out, he could almost imaging touching them himself. Not just her hips, no... her legs, inner and outer thigh. That flat, toned stomach, despite it being riddled with scars. Her neck, her shoulders.
He snapped his eyes open, sat up sharply, and smacked himself as hard as his body would allow.
He couldn't be doing this! He shouldn't be doing this! She was married; she was his captain! She was...Captain...
His eyes drooped as they closed again. He imagined what she'd do if she knew the sensual thoughts he had when it came to her. She'd smirk. Call him a dirty pervert. Ridicule him, maybe... and he wanted that. Perhaps she'd even teach him a lesson, or help him rid himself of these foolish desires.
Pin him down, his arms held behind his back, with her legs straddling his waist. Staring down at him with that sadistic glint in her eye that she held while mutilating an enemy. Smirking, sneering. She'd kiss his lips, ever so lightly, take one between her teeth. Bite it.
He'd shudder in anticipation... want... fear. He'd never thought that a woman besting him in anything could hold this much power over his drive. Dead wrong.
She'd drag her fingernails along his chest, down his stomach. Tug at the belt-loops of his pants. Maybe even touch his–
"You can take a shower now, Cowles." Sheeva stated, bringing him back to reality. His eyes flew open, and in the mirror, he saw her standing on the other side of the bed, arms crossed. Her hair was still wet, hanging loosely. The nightgown she wore seemed silky, and he thought he could see the perk of her nipples beneath the fabric.
His thoughts began to race. Just how long had she been standing there? He hadn't said anything, had he? He looked to his hands. One was propping him up, held slightly behind himself, and the other had the thumb tucked in his belt-loop. For once, he was grateful that his back was to her.
He forced himself to calmly stand, grab his clothes, and steadily walk into the bathroom. He shut it, locked the door, and sighed. Hopefully, his actions weren't too suspicious.
He cranked on the shower, turning it to as cold as he felt he could stand, chastising himself for his thoughts. If they weren't home by tomorrow, he was going to lose his god-damned mind.
Hahaha... I love to tease. Writing is my only outlet at the moment, so expect some racy chapters in the next few days.