Bonded

Chapter Fifty Six

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India

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When we all finally feel as though we are safe enough to let out the breaths we had been holding the entire time King Xiang's presence was felt as he passed through the hall... Such a heartfelt sob leaves Jian that it makes my heart ache...

My wonderful friend is so strong in the face of so many things... But even I know that the mad King has always terrified him... Though I do not think I have ever actually seen him shed tears quite like this just from the man's passing presence... But before I can even try and speak to try and comfort him...  To tell him that the King is gone and that none of us have anything to worry about... I find myself stopped by Jian himself, his words mumbled through his tears, "H-He's going to... I... I have to go warn Q-Qiao! H-He's been sneaking i-ink... I h-help him hide it! He-He-He said... He said it was for HAIR!"

The poor thing barely breathes with how hard he is crying... And not all that he has said has been properly understood by myself... And I do not think I understand even what I did catch...

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Kavya

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Witnessing Jian's distress is so very gut-wrenching that even while I know that the ink his bonded soulmate sneaks every few weeks is for my hair... I cannot seem to actually form the words my mouth needs to release... I feel too caught up in Jian's fear and the rage of my beast over seeing someone I've grown fond of so distraught...

Someone weaker than I by far... Nearly falling to his knees from just the mere idea that the man he loves may be in danger...

It causes my inner fires to roar and it seems that the only control of myself that I truly have is being able to take a step away from our tight-knit gathering behind the shelf so that no one is burned or roasted from standing too close to me at the moment...

It is too strange that King Xiang is taking such pleasure in the very idea of mounting my head on his onyx walls... Too unthinkable for me to even truly imagine that I myself am the one that is in danger...

And for what?

Because my hair is brighter than the muted copper and inky tones that run rampant through this kingdom...

Because of my hair...

If anything... This is proof to me that I have been making the right decision all of this time... Staining my hair with the darkest inks I have been able to get my hands on in order to avoid unnecessary attention... Even though I despise the process and hate the smell...

Even though I know my Ronin actually very much adores my natural shade made of bonfires and burning embers and that he always has found himself so drawn to... That he loves running his fingers through... That he pulls on with adoration when the two of us make love to each other...

The rage I feel...

Is very...

Very hard...

To separate from all of my other emotions...

All of which are strong enough on their own...

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Ronin

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The look of determination and anger that I spy on Kavya's face almost frightens me... And what bothers me even more is that when I reach for his hand he moves away from me... The heat radiating off of him leading me to believe that my lover is more than just upset over what we just heard... Jian's sobbing clearly distressing him as well as myself, and India too I am sure...

I normally am not one to volunteer my touch to those who I am not feeling extremely close to... My embrace saved for those who have captured my heart and my family when they are in need of support...

And yet it is I who finds myself opening up my arms to gather up the weeping Jian as he trembles, India still seeming too shocked to be able to fully offer his support at the moment...

At first, Jian struggles to accept my kindness... And then he melts into me as if he has never actually been embraced before... His tears soaking into my chest so thoroughly that it almost is comparable to being caught in the rain... The only goal of my words is to soothe his worry, "Hush now, Jian... His Highness does not know the identity of the staff member with firey hair... Nor does he have the patience to truly search for them... This I know for sure..."