Raven's Bow

[21] Vows

 Colin's heart broke. Never had he felt such betrayal as excusable as it was. He knew she denied his courting, but still he vowed to prove her feelings for him. Perhaps it was wishful thinking on his part, but after seeing the smile on her lips as she and her friend parted, Colin had no more delusions of love.

His hands clenched at his sides as his brows furrowed into a frown, his lips pulled back into a snarl before he turned away and marched out of the bar, no longer able to withstand the sight of Cerise's gaping expression. Part of him still hoped she'd follow him and explain to him how it was in the heat of the moment.

She hadn't.

Though the cheers of the bars and taverns were loud and raging, they fell on deaf ears. His blood thumbed in his ears violently as he threw his leg over Saphire's back, accidentally kicking her in the side and sending her off. They galloped down the brick roads, too angry to care about the passing night walkers.

He saw red. Nothing but red.

This is good, he thought. Now he can focus on the Raven. Nothing else but the Raven. Never again would he trust another woman. Never again would he let his heart cloud his judgement. Never again will he derail himself from his ultimate goal and future.

He will catch The Raven, if it's the last thing he does.

~~~~~~~

Cerise watched Colin rush out the tavern door, skin boiling red in anger. Her fists clutched Niklaus' shirt, keeping herself from running after him. Niklaus, noticing Colin as well, looked down at her in question. "Leave him, at least now he'll stay away." She muttered, trying to believe it herself.

Niklaus nodded but remained worried nonetheless. Cerise's smile was no longer wide and cheerful but forced, he noticed. He tried his best to encourage her spirits once again but she remained sorrowful. As much as he liked to believe she didn't, he knew Cerise still had lingering feelings for Colin.

Niklaus sighed and took Cerise's hand, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulled her out of the tavern. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"You'll see." He pressed a kiss to her cheek and let her to an alley wall, where they scaled all the way to the roof.

Cerise, confused as ever, followed Niklaus to the very edge of the roof, where the early dawn lights began to show themselves. The smile slowly made its way back as she saw the glorious red, purple and yellow colors splatter themselves across the sky.

"Thank you, Klaus." She leaned on his shoulder, loving how much he really knew her.

"Care to tell me what's on your mind?" She didn't answer at first, only staring into the sunlight as if hesitant to answer.

"Those 200 slaves weren't enough." She said looking down, knowing Niklaus knew she lied.

"How so?" Cerise let out a small chuckle, knowing he let her off.

"There are new shipments every week; slaves and resources. All those Desaphorians, captured and enslaved simply because of their ancestors. Forced to be bound by those suppressing collars around their necks." She sighed in defeat. "There are thousands of slaves in Espen alone. 200 slaves isn't enough to even it all out. My God, there must be something I can do." She groaned frustratedly and threw her body back, laying on the roof with her legs dangling over the edge.

"Why is this so important to you?" He'd never seen Cerise show so much passion. She didn't answer, and he knew this time it would be harder for her. "You don't have to tell me." He reminded her quietly. Seconds turned to minutes before she answered, leaving him baffled.

"Because it was my home." She let out silently. "I was one of them, long ago as a child. I was taken in by slave merchants after the age of 8, losing my parents in the auctions. Vayne bought me instead." She laughed bitterly. "He said he loved how I fought off the merchants; screamed, yelled, kicked, bit, etc. He said I showed fire. So he bought me and beat me and tortured me until that fire was put to use." She looked away in shame. "I'd bought my freedom months ago, but I had nowhere else to go, nowhere I could be The Raven."

Niklaus remained quiet, unsure how to respond. He'd known Cerise since they were children, and never had he heard so much about her past than now.

Shocked was an understatement.

He laid back with her, grabbing her hand at her side without looking at her.

"Very well." She turned to him in confusion. "I'll help in anyway I can. I love you Ris, even though I know you can't say it back." She closed her eyes, squeezing his hand in reassurance, an action without the words. "Just one question: Are you an Elemental?" She choked on a laugh.

"Honestly out of all the questions!" She laughed into his chest, enjoying the feeling of freedom.

"It's a good question! Gadreel was known for hunting them all down!" He mused, loving how he'd made her laugh.

"God, no. I'm not. My grandmother on my father's side was, but he didn't get the gene. My mother was human so I didn't have any possibility of having an Element, but they still sold me off." She sighed. "It was to be expected, we knew it would happen eventually."

They both settled into a comfortable silence, watching the sunrise from behind the mountains. Niklaus knew that wasn't the whole story, but he wasn't about to ask for more, not when she willingly gave him so much. So they laid and watched.