The Marks that Define Them

Chapter 2:

"What about if you do I will help you with your situation," Her head dropped down to hint at the useless limbs her called legs. He hated them, the fact that he was limited to a chair that acted as his legs but couldn't be his legs.

"If you don't help me make sure you never find your treacherous son alive ever again." Her voice was a raspy whisper that had a venomous sting. Bringing up Cairo made the anger within him he couldn't control himself.

"You evil evil b!tch how dare you bring him into this. I know you had something to do with it-" Before he could even get another word out he felt an immense burning in his cheek. Realization hit him before she could again. She had slapped him. Her face held shock that he of all people would say that to her. Aine was seething.

"Don't ever speak to me like that or i will have you tongue cut out, every tooth you have removed and your mouth sewn shut. Now, do we have a deal?" Aegus thought about it, giving the Queen someone desperate for power Astraea' s secret could mean his life but in return it would mean he wouldn't be looked down upon and maybe just possibly he could get him back. Poisonous thought entered his mind as he bargained her life for his greed.

"I'll do it. What do you need?" In those small seven words Aegus not only sold his soul but he sold the one person that didn't look down to him. Aine wasn't surprised by his decision all she needed to do was push his buttons and he would crack. And he hid,he shattered.

Astraea:

Her steps were shaky, lips quivering as she neared the entrance of the room. She wasn't bothered but the classed but more of the teacher of the class. With her textbook in her hand she took to the seat neatherest Caitriona. The textbook left her hand to greet the table with a thud. She tensed when the chimes were rung indication that class had started.

"Class today is special day. You know why? Because today marks your second day of practice. You finally know what you all will be getting yourselves into or leaving and joining those broke savages outside. " Outside. The very word brought chills to Astraea's spine. How she longed to feel the air whip around her chilling the air and the rays of the sun, the droplets of the rain. Her dream wasn't to serve someone who will never appreciate anything she'll do for them because they just expect her to do it. She was determined not to be like her mother. While she was thinking Catriona's voice drowned. A high pitched voice snatched Astraea out of hr fantasy.

"Headmistress Catriona, can you please go over what to do if your selected was thinking of breaking the sacred rules and what they are again?"

With a sigh Catriona replied," Right if your selected was thinking of unbalancing things or as you put breaking the sacred rules you have to stop them. If they unbalance the world only the opposite action has to occur in order to balance it out again. The rules would include using their magic, which is based off of their origin, to hurt someone intentionally unless in the case of war, using magic for political gain, now here's the tricky one magic can not be sold or bought or gained, if a selected dies and their magic isn't given off to the person the person born then the first person to encounter the body magic abilities will only be heightened. No new ones gained." With that she ignored the girl's still confused face and rang the chimes alerting that class has ended. SHe tried to make her escape but Catriona's eyes had caught her.
"Astraea, may I have a word with you?" Astraea tensed at her voice but shook her head yes in response. Her steps were forced as she made her way over the desk.

"Astraea, I was just wondering how things were going from your perspective since later today I am going to see her majesty the Queen and hopefully the king and see how they thought you were. If everything goes well then I will be adding a new charge to your list, the prince."

"Ev-ev-everything's going swell," Her stutter gave herself away but she tried to conceal it by painting on a smiling face. There was a pregnant pause which gave Astraea the impression that their conversation was over. So with a spin of her heel she began to leave. Just before her figure left from Catriona's sight a Catriona decided to make her nerves to rile up in a hope of her messing up with the king and Queen present, she yelled that her father would be docking in Vepos soon. A sadistic smile formed on Catriona' s face with satisfaction her most dominant emotion know that she had gotten to her once again. And soon she would be getting to her father every chance she got. She was truly excited for every fantasy she had come up with while he was gone and she was at home with her husband. The thought of him created another ounce of hate for him. The only good thing he had given her was a child and even then he couldn't do that right. She loved her son unconditionally and was will to do anything for him. It was just his appearance that irked her.

Nestori:

Nestori was woken up by the Queen's haunting eyes.

"Take your clothes off. I want to see you. All of you." He did as commanded and stood off of the bed taking his night robe off as he went. For a while he stood there while her eyes examined over every body part, every nook and cranny, every blemish on his body till she found what she was looking for, his arms.

"Show me your arms," She insisted. Without any hesitation he thrusted his forearms forward. Internally he knew what she meant but wanted to keep up the act of being uneducated foreign savage as they would call him. To his surprise her expression was calm and then she did what amazed the most. She laughed.

"Ah you must take for a fool. To think that I of all people would fall for this. Stop joking and show me your arms.Your real arms," Her voice went from a calm laughter to a tyrant sound. Nestori walked over to fountain of water that was to the left of the entrance of his chamber and began to scrub the to sand and mud layer off of his skin that held his true marks not the fake ones he used to protect himself. As the layers of his protections washed down the drain of the fountain Nestori saw his life seeping down the drain along with her possible life to get better. In the moment he stared at the drain as he felt failure smack him across the face.

As he turned around to come face to face with the person handing him his death. She stalked up to him and grabbed his arm. She rubbed up and down the gold and charcoal marks that occupied his arm defining him as an outcast, imbalanced, threat to society. Yet she didn't seem threatened or horrified her face held a pleased look to it.

With a puzzled look on his face, he asked, "You're not going to kill me?"

"Kill you? Why would I do that when you are just what I need." Her sick smile made Nestori lurched. He was slightly confused by what she said but was anticipating her telling him that she was going to use him. They always did. In a split second an immense pain shot through starting where her hand met his arm and spreading all across his body. The pain he felt brought him to his knees as he slowly crumpled to the ground making incoherent pleas for help. The Queen's grip only tightened, Nestori started to feel something being drained or rather sucked out of him. The only movement he could make was turning his head to see a light shooting out of him.

"NO" He tried to choke out. In his head he began the memory of his mother warning him to be strong and that people will try to use him. A tsunami of blackness overcame him as he blacked out. The Queen, however, was elated as her suspicions were valid. She closed her eyes simultaneously as she leaned her head back. After a while she began to grow tired so she dropped Nestori's arm.

Looking down at his unconscious naked body she whispered," You are a just what I need, the missing puzzle piece, the step closer to taking the power you don't deserve and replenishing the power that is rightfully mine." With a vile look she left with an even more evil mind and plans and more power to carry her plans out. 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter please comment and star. Please excuse the grammarical and spelling mistakes. After I am done with the book I will begin the full intensive editing process. More will be explained in a later chapter.