Elodie
My eyes flick open, blinking against the bright light that floods in the room from the window. It's a sunny day today, a harsh contrast to the rain that usually graces the planet.
I'm warm, wrapped all up in a strong pair of arms. I don't want the feeling to end.
I squeeze my eyes back shut, but it's too late, Barre sees that I'm awake and attacks me with neck kisses.
"How are you feeling?" He murmurs against my ear carefully, as if a single syllable could break me in half.
I hadn't even thought of Locanas until this moment. I cringe, twisting away from Barre as memories grip me. I usually welcome my sweet rescuer's touch, but the overwhelming remembrance of my attacker causes sudden dizziness. I try to stumble out of bed, wrapped in a long blanket that causes me to stumble.
Barre is quick to pull himself from bed, in all his tall, shirtless glory. His eyes are flooded with concern as he reaches for me, I put my hand up for him to stop. He does, but not too far away from me.
"Tiny, you look unstable, let me hold you." His rough words sober me.
"Unstable?" I gawk at him, he quickly shakes his head.
"You look as if you'll fall over. I only wish to aid you. Always."
I smile softly at him, reaching out and gripping his forearms, because truth be told I'm not completely stable right now. He has reason to worry about my balance.
"I'm sorry, Barre. I just can't stop myself from being overwhelmed sometimes. I remember his hands on me, the heat of his skin and I..."
"And you.. Think that I am him?" My eyes snap up at the Rytarian that I trust with my life. The sheer pain etched into his face is enough to make my heart wrench.
I stand on my tip-toes to take hold of his shoulders.
"No, no. Of course not. But when it's so fresh, sometimes it's hard to tell anything apart. I just need some time. I'll get better, especially when we get out of here." I insist, and my assurance seems to calm him.
His large hands tentatively hold my wrists where they connect with his broad chest. I notice his effort to distance himself with any association with the monster that traumatized me.
"Speaking of going. We cannot, not until we figure out what is to be done with Locan.." I flinch. Barre clears his throat. "With the despicable excuse for a Rytarian."
I look down, suddenly nervous to face this whole situation.
"What is to be done with him?" I ask softly.
Barre shrugs under my touch. He's silent for a beat.
"There's been no decision. We should speak with the Emperor as soon as we can." He huffs in disgruntled annoyance. "The truth is that I wish to encourage execution, and I want to be the one to end him."
I gulp, hating the image of violence. I've never been one to stomach blood.
I can't imagine Barre being so volatile. He's just so gentle and kind, I would hate to associate him with any sort of pain and brutality. I have no doubt he's capable enough of it. He's covered head to toe in muscle, and he's taller than any other Rytarian I've encountered before.
"Okay. Then let's go talk to him. I want to go home."
Barre's dark eyebrows raise in surprise.
"I mean, I meant to say your home, of course, I didn't mean to suggest that I.."
He cuts me off by cupping my cheek and smiling down at me.
"It's as much my den as it is yours. Nothing would make me more happy than for it to be a home for you." His voice is brimming with joy, and my heart booms with warmth.
"I never thought I could be this happy. I never thought someone could love me the way you do." I admit, shame heating my cheeks as every cruel word spoken to me about my appearance comes back to me.
Barre stiffens, his face scrunching in confusion.
I try to hide my face automatically. My freckles are likely all too visible in the fresh light of morning shining through the windows.
Barre grabs my hands, pulling them away from my cheeks.
"What do you mean?" He demands, and I flinch, not knowing what to say.
A firm finger presses against the point of my chin, demanding my face to turn up and my eyes to meet his.
"Tiny, my sweet human, please tell me why you would think such a thing." His voice is even, concerned, any coarseness vanishing to make way for tenderness.
"Well, where I come from, my hair and my freckles... well... I am considered very ugly." I pause, and Barre's mouth drops open in shock. Before he can speak, I continue. "So much so that I was destined to live a life alone. No hope for a marriage, I mean, no hope for a mate. No one wanted their children to inherit my coloring. Since I was young I was taught to accept my fate. But then you came along."
I'm absolutely mortified by the end of my small speech. I want to run and hide. My secret is out, what if he decides to reject me too? Knowing now that I am a reject of society, he likely wants nothing to do with me, just like everyone else.
"They're fools. Every one of them." His words reverberate through me. I can't hide my shocked reaction. I gasp. He can't possibly think so. Can he?
"Wha.. what?" I ask quietly, taken aback.
For a second I think he's joking with me, but one look at his face and I see how serious he is.
"It would be a blessing for any of our kits to take after you. In looks and temperament. You are the most beautiful of any creature I've laid eyes on, and you're too kind for your own good."
A sweet kind of pain pangs in my chest. Butterflies erupt, batting their wings against my rib cage, making breathing difficult.
"But, surely you're put off by the fact that I'll always be seen as an outcast by my race, even the humans here on Rytaria. That type of prejudice would transfer to any of our children that get my red hair and freckles. Are you sure you could handle that kind of rejection?"
I practically choke trying to get each word out. I feel like I'm digging my own grave. A sob leaves my throat when Barre pulls me to his chest, lifting me off the ground as he crushes me to him.
"No, of course not, Tiny. I've never cared what society has to say of me, and trust me, they have said many things." I sniffle as he plays with the hair at my scalp, his fingers etched into the strands.
"Like what?" I press, desperate for any distraction from my sudden tears.
He's quiet for a while, before sighing and giving in.
"I am a gladiator."
I pull away to look at him, sniffling still.
"A what?"
"A gladiator. Or, I was. I would fight and kill in an arena for the entertainment of the public. Of course, I only fought criminals who committed capital offenses, sentenced to a fight to the death." He presses his lips together as I process what he's admitting to me. "I have never lost a battle. I ended each opponent."
I gulp, feeling uneasy. I can't picture my kind, sweet Barre hurting anyone. Then I remember Locanas after I was recovered from his clutches. I was too hysterical to notice the fight taking place, but I definitely saw the aftermath.
In all my life, I've never seen such brutality. And to think, it was all caused by Barre. Unfathomable.
"You.. you never lost?" I sound out the words, more so trying to get a grasp on the concept than actually asking him.
"My love."
"Yes?"
"Do you know what a threat level is?" I giggle, suddenly remembering.
"Yeah. Soleil said something about it when we were having our check ups. She had a translation chip, and our doctor was freaking out about our threat level. I have no clue what it means."
Barre shifts uncomfortably, slowly dragging me down his body as he places me on the ground.
"It's a basic ranking that a living thing has, rating how large of a threat it poses." He scratches the back of his head. "And humans, well, humans as far as we know have a threat level of 1. Which I didn't know until recently. I would've been more careful with you had I known. I thought you would be at least a 10."
I hold it in for a moment before choking on a giggle, and covering my mouth in embarrassment from the sound.
"A 1? That's hilarious. You must think I'm ultra fragile now." I laugh at myself, and the ridiculousness of the situation.
Barre doesn't look as amused as me. He cups my face in both of his warm, rough hands that swallow my cheeks. I cease my giggling and look up at him.
"Yes. You have no idea. I've never met someone with a threat level so low. And mine, well mine is the highest ever recorded. That is why it worries me." He breathes, and I feel my eyes widen.
"You mean.. You're the strongest thing on this planet?" I demand, and Barre swallows, hunching his shoulders as if he's ashamed. He nods.
"You don't understand, little female. I am like a god to these people."
A chill runs up my spine. I want to ask what his oh so impressive threat level is, but I'm honestly too afraid to pose the question.
"What that means is that mating me is like mating my reputation, my love. Eyes will follow us wherever we go. Everyone will know what I am capable of. Some will fear me, others try to challenge me, but most respect me."
I stare forward blankly. Everything he says feels too sudden, and I'm nearly overwhelmed with the information overload.
"Elodie." He murmurs. I look back up at him against my will as he uses his grip on my face to turn me towards him. "I would never, ever, hurt you. I would rather hurt myself. The only thing I will use my strength for from here on out is your protection. I only want to keep you safe. It would be my honor to keep you safe. It's as if my strength has purpose now. I can do good by being what you need."
Every word is like a kiss, every lilt of his deep voice like a warm blanket around my heart.
I guess I'm quiet for a while, because pretty soon Barre is shaking me a little.
"Elodie. Elodie, say something, tiny." He demands gruffly, and I grab him by the shirt, trying to drag him down to me. "What are you doing?"
"Come down here. Now."
He scoffs.
"Why?"
"So I can kiss you, bossy pants."
And just like that, he's on me, his lips meshed with mine as I show him just how much he means to me.
"Elodie, please sit." I tuck a stray piece of auburn hair behind my ear, looking at Barre uneasily as I slide into a chair. He smiles a small, reassuring smile before putting his hands on my shoulders as he stands behind me.
The pregnant, human Empress stands tall and regal ahead of me. She brought us into a small office room for this discussion.
Soleil and Fray are here, along with another human girl and her Rytarian mate. The girl holds a chunky baby in her arms, bouncing him on her knee as she glances around nervously. Her mate stands at her side, arms crossed over his broad chest. He looks pissed to just be here.
"I brought a friend to help discuss this.. Situation. Elodie, this is my friend Penelope." She gestures to the mousy girl who meets my eyes for a split second, smiles, and looks back down at her baby who gurgles as he shoves a chubby hand in his mouth.
"Hi." I say, waving slightly. She doesn't seem too talkative.
"Penelope and I were held captive on Earth by men who did.... Unspeakable things to us." She clears her throat, her robes sliding across her skin as she straightens, still so graceful in the face of an uncomfortable conversation.
I look down for a second, knowing that human men are capable of many horrible things.
"You see, I wanted Penelope and you here to discuss what's to be done about males such as those, males like Locanas." I look away at the mention of that name, and Barre squeezes my shoulders a little too tightly.
"Assholes like that deserve to rot." Soleil exclaims, jumping out of her chair in anger.
The only reaction in the room is all the males nodding their heads in silent agreement.
"Let me dispose of him, your majesty, I beg of you." Barre raises his voice slightly, but the Empress raises a hand to get him to be quiet. I feel the tension blooming in him.
I put my hand on top of his, staring at the beautiful leader with baited breath. She smiles grimly at me.
"I have come up with an idea to ensure justice for any female wronged by a male in such a way. A male convicted of any sexual assault or any aggressive attack on a woman, the female in question may decide what is to be done with him."
I'm speechless for a long time, sitting and marinating in the possibility. Something like that on earth would never be allowed.
"Of course, we still believe in innocence until proven guilty. But, when a male is tried and proven to have committed the assault, then his victim will choose his punishment. It only seems fair. And since there is no question of Locanas's guilt, you would choose what we do with him, Elodie."
I'm still silent, completely stricken and frozen in place. The only thing that finally thaws me is Barre kneeling in front of me. He grabs for my hands, holding them in his to garner my attention.
My eyes meet his own mismatched set, sizzling with determination.
"My love, please, allow me to end him. It would be a great honor to avenge you in such a way." He pleads with me, squeezing my fingers as the idea of inflicting harm makes his jaw tighten.
Everyone around us is silent, backing away from Barre as they are reminded just how dangerous he is. I gulp, feeling a bit nervous myself when I remember the conversation we had this morning.
Clearing my throat, I look up to the Empress.
"Can I.. can I think about it for a while? I'm not ready to make a decision quite yet." I ask, my voice sounding more like a croak than any language.
She smiles again, nodding gracefully.
"Of course. Take all the time you need."
I'm tired lol
Hope y'all enjoyed. Love you❤️