AN: Hey dearest fans!
I wasn't supposed to update so fast, but a dear fan made me realize that 'Pirate Chains' reached 1M readers!!! Like O.M.G XD
Also, remember when Aella started? I actually aged it as a 'short novel'. Now it's turning into a long/very long one. I usually don't prefer long books, but what can I do. Our hubbies still have many things to deal with.
That being said, LET THE SHOW BEGIN! ;)
Ithel
"What do you mean we can't take them to the mountain??"
"Hasn't he invaded enough of our territory, now you want to take him to our home!"
The third Aella sighed, "We won't actually let him climb the mountain. We do as we always do. It's not like this incident is unprecedented."
"Exactly! We cut off his head and send it back to his kind!"
"Breathe Preeta, you're the youngest and yet you'll get snow hair before our Elders"
The so-called Preeta glared at her, "I don't get how you can make jokes in a situation like this, Trin!"
Trin smirked and continued calmly, "No need to fret-"
"No need! We've been chasing him for days!!!"
"Indeed," the other Aella confirmed. Preeta motioned to this latter who was standing behind me and complained, "Emer and I haven't been back to the mountain for four days!"
Emer shook her head in disbelief, "I'm so sick of this! We better end this matter at once. This is so frustrating, we've been trying to catch him for days now. That never happened before!! If Drita hadn't found them, we'd be still chasing his old tracks on the wrong side of the territory. How could we have taken so much time!"
Trin glanced my way suspiciously, "That's because Aellos usually move more discretely and they head as quickly as they can to the mountain. This one, on the other hand....... for some odd reason he's been running around like a blind fox"
"Still! He attacked an Aella-hunter!"
No one responded to that. As if the mention of it brought shame to all of them. Silence, however, didn't satisfy the Aella. So she continued to argue. "He had all of us looking for days!!!"
"Oh, stop whining, Preeta. Your voice is irritating". With that, Trin grabbed Ceri's arm and resumed walking.
My Aella was worn out. The hunter's grip wasn't gentle, but it was clearly helping him move. I hated that the Aella was pulling him with her, but I appreciated that she was advancing slowly and not rushing him as he limped.
I was pushed roughly forward and ordered to walk. I didn't say anything, I couldn't anyway. They put a piece of wood in my mouth and used a cloth tied tightly behind my head to keep it in place. Hands tied behind me and a rope attached to both my feet, keeping me from any attempt of running. They didn't know, however, that I had no intention to flee. For my purpose was here, doing his best despite all his injuries.
I followed the ones before me, my eyes never leaving Ceri. He was silent, head hanging low. His clothes dirty and torn on the edges. His upper clothes were slightly bigger than him since I've given him mine when he I found him half naked. It was falling from one shoulder and barely hanging on the other. I worried so much about him, especially because of the sweat that meant his fever was alive again. Hang in there, my Aella. Just a little more, my love
"YOU! I KNEW IT!!", the hateful red-headed hunter appeared and immediately lunged for Ceri. I growled and went to attack her, but the Aella behind me struck me on the back of the head, making me sink on my knee. Luckily, that Preeta woman held the red-headed one back. Ceri looked alarmed and he quickly retreated to hold onto a tree, prepared to use it as a shield if needed.
"Rhonwen-", Trin tried to reason with the now fifth Aella hunter to escort us, but this one wasn't having any of it
"I knew it the second Cailyn asked about you!! I cannot believe how much trouble we let you cause to the clan since the day your mother birthed you, you fatherless vermin!!"
"This is not the time nor the place. We have a mission here-"
"A mission???", Rhonwen spat back, and then she turned to sneer at Ceri behind the two Aellas blocking her way, "Do you have any IDEA how much trouble you've caused this time! How many Leaders do you want to see falling before you realize your doings!"
Leaders falling?
"That has nothing to do with hi-"
"IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HIM!! What proof do you need before you decide to protect the clan! Look around you, Aellas! His mere presence right here isn't enough for you?"
She wasn't making a lot of sense to me, but Preeta looked over her shoulder at Ceri. She seemed to agree with some of what Rhonwen said, if not all of it.
Tell them, Ceri! Tell them what happened!!!
Rhonwen noticed Preeta's hesitation and she tried to draw her more to her side.
"Preeta, the oath we took as Aella-hunters, the oath we stake our lives for every day, it is to protect the Aellas and not the other clan. Halina protected him over her own, Sosanbra did the same and look at where we are today!"
Preeta stared at Rhonwen. Her gaze settling on me afterward. Her intensifying glare didn't affect me in the least, but my heartbeat picked up when it shifted to Ceri.
Why are you silent! I groaned and tried to go to him, but the tip of Emer's spear made me rescind the steps I took. I grunted again, not to the Aellas, but to my mate who quietly kept his gaze lowered.
This was not the time to fear their presence. This wasn't the time to be shy or weak and unable to answer! This was the time to talk! This was the time to reveal what that heartless Aella did to you! An Aella who was trailing behind us in ominous silence!
Expose her and ask that she'd be ended for her cruelty!
"Preeta", the Aella behind me said trying to calm her friend, "We have the truth to uncover before we take action"
"Or we could cut their heads off and go home to our children for the first time in a while. What do you think, Drita?", she asked, eager to get the hunter on her side. But she received no reply from her.
Trin stuck her spear to the ground in a threatening thud, and then she puffed her stance and faced Preeta and Rhonwen.
"We follow our customs as usual."
"And take them to the other Aellas?? They were idiot enough not to find them, so we just lead their way, is that it?"
"Don't use that tone with me Aella!" Preeta seemed to reconsider upsetting the older hunter. Trin didn't give her time to answer. She continued with an authoritarian tone, "We'll take them to the bottom of the mountain. We'll keep them in the snares while one of you informs the rest of the clan with the facts."
Preeta scoffed, "You're still asking about the facts???"
"Yes, Preeta. I will ask about the facts. Because unless you're blind, it is obvious that this isn't just another Aello trying to mate with one of ours! Look at him!!!" All eyes settled on Ceri who indeed looked in a horrible shape. "We'll inform the Leader of the facts and she'll make a decision that we will enforce."
Rhonwen challenged, "Which Leader exactly?"
Trin didn't answer this time. She looked at Emer and jerked her head at her to follow. Emer pushed me roughly forward and we were advancing again. Trin grabbed Ceri and continued. Before she passed Rhonwen, she threw a nice threat.
"There will be no decisions made on a whim. Touch any of them, and I'll personally whip you and your obnoxious daughter"
Preeta looked impressed by the threat, almost amused, while Rhonwen seemed ready to pounce at both Trin and my smaller Aella limping by her side.
~~~~~
Once we arrived at the mountain, there was no path to be seen. They weren't taking us to their main entrance. They stopped near a set of seven large animal snares. They were large holes dug into the ground to capture lions, tigers, and wolves. And even though those large animals became scarcer on this island, the Aellas seemed to keep these snares, but for another use.
I was led to one of them and Emer pushed me inside. I took one last glance at Ceri who was also looking at me desperately. I couldn't reassure him, for I found myself flying into the hole. I grunted as I fell on my side, but rolled over to ease the impact.
I immediately pulled myself up and yelled at the hunter standing above the snare. She smirked victoriously at me. She thought I was angry or something, but all I wanted was to ask them not to throw Ceri the way they threw me. He was too fragile, especially now.
I turned away from Aella Emer and walked closer to Ceri's direction. I couldn't see anything but the blue sky from where I was, yet I kept calling his name.
Emer scowled at me and went to join her friends, "I'm leaving. I'll go inform the rest of the clan. If he keeps yelling like that, I can't promise I won't snap his neck"
"Take those two with you." Trin's voice answered.
"No," another Aella said. From her voice, she was more likely to be Preeta. "I'd rather not face the Aella's hysteric questions right now. I'll tour the area, make sure no other idiot is out there"
Trin came to my view and looked at me. A moment later, her eyes trailed and focused on something behind me. When I looked back, I found Drita's cold emotionless eyes gazing at me. My teeth bit into the piece of wood. I growled at her and my body leaned forward slightly, wishing I could attack her.
A moment later, Trin said while gazing at Drita.
"You should go with them, Drita. I'm sure they'll want to know how you found them and what exactly happened"
Drita ignored her. She was too busy glaring thousands of mute threats to me. And I didn't give her the pleasure of backing down either. I growled at her and showed animosity that I've never shown to a creature before.
"Well", Trin sighed, "they'll come ask you eventually. Now, all we can do is wait. Of course, if the decision is to slice his head off, I'll give you the honors. Seems like you couldn't finish him off with his hands untied."
I smirked, joining the Aella's amused tone. Drita's jaw tensed and she didn't acknowledge Trin. Instead, she glared at me a bit more before retreating from my sight.
Trin gave me a last inquisitive look before something drew her attention and she quickly disappeared.
"What are you doing??", Trin's alarmed voice soon came to my hearing
"Get out of my way", Drita said coldly.
"Not before knowing what you're up to."
"Do NOT speak to me that's way, Aella!"
"Or what? You'll twist my foot as well?"
My breath halted and we all drowned in silence. I was shaking from fury and anxiousness. No matter what happened, that creature must not put her hand on him! Even if I gave my life for it, she WILL NOT touch him ever again!
I heard some sudden shifting, and then one of them snarled.
"Do not become my enemy, Trin!"
"I hope not! You're one of our best hunters. And the coldest, which used to earn you my admiration. But I just don't get your involvement in this"
"My involvement is that the Aella behind you is mine"
Trin scoffed, "Since when?"
"Since always!"
"See, I never really understood the fuss about this boy. Sure, his birth happened in unusual circumstances, and the Aellas are not fond of him. But what does any of that has to do with us, hunters? We are protectors. We never bother with the Aellas' absurdities. So why?"
"I'm not here to amuse your thoughts, Trin. Get out of my way, because my patience is running thin"
"Mmm... Why would the brave and reasonable Rhonwen hate the kid with so much passion? And why does the heartless and loner hunter Drita obsesses about him?"
After a moment of silence, Trin continued, answering her own questions. "Well, Rhonwen is crazy, that's for sure. I mean that hair color is bound to affect her. But you... up until today, I thought you doted on the boy because he was lonely like you. I thought you sympathized with his weakness. Until today."
They remained quiet for a moment before Drita said in a voice that feigned calmness. "You can think whatever you want."
"Why was he tortured, Drita!"
"I did not-"
"You did! He looks like he's been thrown off a cliff!! The boy can barely move! I don't particularly care about him, but he's just a child!"
"He's not a child anymore!"
"Tell that to Halina when she sees what you did to the only memory of her dead sister!"
"That woman has no rule on him! He's mine!!"
"He's her son-"
"No HE ISN'T!"
"No matter what he is to Halina, he is an Aello. One who's part of Cailyn's clan, or have you forgotten about that as well??"
"He's on our soil-"
"Still doesn't remove the bud between his leg that makes him Cailyn's. The clan is unstable, we are fighting amongst ourselves, our relationship with the Aellos is wavering and you want to add this problem to the fire? The Aellas can be unreasonable, hell, even Preeta and Rhonwen can be short sighted, but you? We expect more from you in times like these! But you're never around anymore! And now this situation... Have you even thought about how this might sully our dignity? Our reputation?? We, the hunters, are the only ones standing still and strong in our clan right now. We cannot risk angering the Aellos a couple of weeks before the Agape!"
"You think I care?"
"........."
"I don't care who the Leader is! I don't care if Cailyn is upset or happy. And I definitely don't care if Ceri is an Aella or an Aello! HE. IS. MINE!"
".......... We'll follow our customs-"
"You want customs? Ceri trespassed to our territory. He did so without permission from us nor from his stupid Leader since he, himself, sent asking about him a few days ago. And then, he stole from me"
"Stole???"
"I was hunting as usual to feed the clan, including your children. And I found Ceri, stealing my prey and carrying it back to his dear father. I punished him. And when he didn't learn his lesson, I punished him again. So it doesn't matter if he's Cailyn's now. And I don't care when the Agape is. He stole from me, so I have the right to take back what's mine in any way I deem appropriate"
I was dumbfounded. For a moment, I wondered if that could be true. Then I regretted it instantly and grunted loudly for them both to hear my protest.
"Are you girls about to fight?", Preeta suddenly came back and interrupted the heated tension. She walked close by, biting into a fruit and carrying a dead rabbit. "If you are, please wait until I prepare some food. I'd like to watch Trin get beaten"
I waited with bated breath, terrorized of the possibility that the Aellas might actually give Ceri to Drita. The anticipation was torturous, and it ended when Trin announced her response.
"They'll both stay in the snares until a decision is made. And that is final"
~~~~~
"You are, literally, the last person I expect to step into our territory", Trin said to me. Drita had apparently left...... for now. Trin sat at the edge of my trap while Preeta went to bring water and more food. I just paced, unable to get out, unable to help the only person I cared about.
"I mean even the little boys may want to come see their mommies, but you? Your prowess is very questionable, from what I heard, and you didn't even show up to the Agape for years. I really don't know why you decided to torment us with your useless presence. Or has your manhood grown overnight?"
If she wanted to anger me or provoke me, she'd have to try better. I'm not a person who can be angered by words. Instead of giving her what she wanted, which was probably a snarl or a glare, I walked to the wall and rubbed my face against it. I kept doing so while ignoring the scratches on my face, until the cloth around my mouth loosened and I was finally able to spit the piece of wood away.
"Ceri... is he alright? Check on him, he's very ill!"
"You know, I can beat you up for speaking when we ordered you to keep quiet"
"I know", I breathed heavily, still exhausted from all the events of the past week, "But please, first make sure that he's ok. He has a fever because of the burn in his foot"
"Burn???"
I nodded, "That hunter, Drita. She took him from my den and forced him to stay in a cave at east side of your mountain"
"That cannot be true!"
"I've seen it! And Ceri would tell you, if......"
"If?"
"If only he would talk. He's scared and hungry. I don't know when was the last time he ate! You know he cannot speak normally around you people"
"What do you mean 'around us people'?"
She seemed to take that as an insult, but I didn't care. All I wanted was to make sure my sweet Aella was surviving. "I do not mean to anger you, Aella-hunter, but if you spared Ceri a look in the past years as he grew up among you, you'd know that he cannot speak when people are fighting around him. Especially if he's being accused of something, and even more so if those people are hunters! But... maybe if you let me talk to him, or just see him...... I can make him talk, I'll get him to tell you the truth!"
"The truth, as in you are both innocent and never trespassed into our territory. Instead, it a 'HUNTER' who brought you here by force?"
I sat on the ground with my back against the wall, feeling too tired and desperate about Ceri. "I will tell you everything. Just please tell me if Ceri is alright"
Aella Trin narrowed her eyes at me. Then another voice snickered, "Great. Now we're taking orders from the trespasser!"
When Trin ignored her, she continued incredulously, "Don't tell me you believe him, Trin!!!?
"Shut up, Preeta"
Preeta scoffed and Trin pulled herself up and disappeared. I tried to understand what was happened beyond my sight, but I wasn't sure. Preeta suddenly questioned, "What do you think you're doing??? Wha-! Don't go in there! I will not pull you out if you do!"
"If you don't pull me out, I will pluck your all your hair one by one. And I'm not just talking about the hair on your head."
After a few moments, Preeta sounded exasperated as she sighed, "Great. He's dead"
I felt like a rock had fallen on my heart, pressuring it to the breaking point. My eyes instantly overflowed with tears, and I started calling him frantically
"Ceri! Ceri, answer me! Please, my dearest, say something! I-I-I'll take you home, Ceri... Please wake up. CERI!!"
"Shut up!! He just fainted", Trin said, and then she spoke to Preeta, "Hand me some water. And maybe go get some more, he has a high fever."
"Why are we saving him? Won't we kill him afterward?"
"For once, Preeta, just do as I tell you"
"You're not the Leader! No one is, actually"
"PREETA!"
"Fiiiiiine! By the spirits name, when will the Agape come? I'm desperate to sleep!"
I saw the hunter pass by as she went to do as told. I wiped my tears on my knees and tried to sound as polite as possible. After all, my mate's life was on the line.
"Aella Trin, please check on his foot. It wasn't infected this morning, but he used it a lot today. And without proper healing herbs, it's causing him a fever"
"...... Heavens! .................... Did.... Did Drita do this?"
"Yes! And she beat him badly, so please, just......" I felt broken, more so than if the injuries were mine to bear, "... Don't pressure his side or his shoulder too hard..."
"What's with all these bruises and scratches!?"
"I...... I don't know, but he's in a lot of pain"
".............. No..."
"What?? What's wrong? Is he alright?"
"He's fine!! He's... alive. But these cannot......"
"Aella, please talk to me-"
"These cannot be caused by an Aella hunter!! These...... You monsters, what have you done to this boy???"
"Drita took him away from my den and-"
"It can't be-"
"It's the truth!"
"IT'S A LIE!!", she yelled furiously, "Especially in this case! Drita would never......... she'd NEVER hurt this boy like this! She protected him his whole life-"
"She wants him!"
At that moment, Preeta came back in a hurry. She glanced inside my snare to make sure I was still there, and then hurried to her friend's direction. "Trin, you're alright? Why all the shouting?"
"Get me out of here." ...... "NOW!"
"Heavens, I'm coming! I'm getting the rope"
There was some shuffling. Then Trin showed on the edge of my snare, heaving in anger with a weapon in her hand.
"You ruthless, abusive Aellos!"
I looked up at her. I wanted to scoff and roll my eyes. She couldn't even fathom the fact that a friend of hers could be so heartless. I didn't care what she thought, only the fact that if the truth was not revealed, if Drita was not held responsible, she might actually...
No, no matter what, I'll never allow her to come near him ever again!
I stared back at Trin's accusing eyes and said, as calmly as I could manage. "Drita walked into the Aellos' territory. She came to my den and she took Ceri by force-"
"STOP! How low can you fall? You do not care about breaking the boy, you do not care about tarnishing the reputation of our clan!"
"I told you, it's the truth!!"
"He has scratches and bruises around his member and on his lower back!"
What? .....
"You Aellos have no heart! To strip a kid of his innocence... to attack another brother of your-"
"That's... that's not correct-"
"IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE!!!"
I stared at her with a deep frown while she glared at me. Yes, that was my clan. And that did happen before, but it wasn't the case with Ceri.
My sweet Ceri was not attacked by a man. The only fault of ours was that I left him alone and didn't look for him as soon as I came back and found him gone.
But the one who hurt him, the one who tortured him and broke him was an Aella. It was that treacherous hunter who always wanted to claim him.
She said he was hurt......on his member...... on his back.........
I gulped at the realization. My sight wavered when I looked at her again, and my voice weakened with the weight that settled on my heart
"Ceri...
Ceri will speak the truth"
~~~
AN: What is going to happen to our beloved Aellos? :(