It wasn't long after the incident that she was standing before the door to her home, feeling like she didn't belong. She hugged her favorite silk cloak to her body in an attempt to cover herself from the world. Eventually, they'd discover that she was even more of a freak now because of those monsters.
No one would give her the time to speak about it and explain what happened. Those fears quickly became reality.
Just as she twisted the handle of the front door, the man willing to mate her swung it open and took in her haggard appearance. She cast a look of bewilderment at him. Why would he still be hanging around?
"Eledorah's back!" He exclaimed loudly, then pulled her into his arms as if his strong male presence might soothe her. He squeezed her into his body to feel how nicely she fit there, where she was meant to be. Greedy hands stroked her back, only to assure her that she already belonged to him. "What's..."
The bumps. He felt them and not her wings. She didn't expect him to be here-
He gripped the silk in his hands and denuded it from her, despite her attempt to keep it wrapped around her shame. It tore from a small rip it already had in it from an accident during her childhood, shortly after her father had it crafted for her. After that one time, she treasured it so dear and hardly ever let it touch the ground. Now it ripped into two halves.
If she thought Davient was frightening whilst he held the blade above her head, not hesitating to swing it down upon her... This new male was ten times that. It was in his blind fury that he spun a tale the whole witnessing neighborhood believed as they came out to stand watch.
"You sold your wings so I wouldn't mate you?!" He bellowed, the silent night unforgiving and allowing everyone within a square mile to hear. Angered, he shoved his hands against her chest to send her back a few steps away from her own home. A place she was meant to feel secure. "How dare you disrespect your race in that manner! Who did you sell them to? Pirates? What did they give you? That silk robe?"
No, her father gave her that-
Something struck her cheek so hard it rattled her teeth. She expected it of the man, but not from her own mother, who now stared her down with embarrassment. The woman cast shame on her own daughter, who looked like a mirror's reflection, and declared banishment.
"Get off this property. Better yet, get off the land your ancestors protected for generations so we could feel safe in our own sector of Sepulchre. You've made a mockery of them and me. Your father would have turned you away too."
Tears brimmed around Eledorah's eyes. It would be her own mother that would send her away? That can't be... It's not right... She trailed her gaze to where the man had his stubby fingers around her mother's waist. Now it all made sense.
Numb to it all, not willing to allow her hands to attempt to tell her story, she turned from the doorstep and walked down the street she was raised on, with her head lowered . People who've known her for all her life closed their doors as she passed. Whispering how cruel and disgraceful a person would have to be to do such a thing.
If only they knew.
If only they'd seen the satyroids corner her and strip her of everything a faenix was. They were still here in Sol Pago, right under the detection of warriors tucked securely in their homes with families they swore to protect. Most of which were flightless because it was no longer a necessity. Only a select few were trained in using their wings as their ancestors had for hunting purposes and border patrol.
If she had the courage to take flight, as her father once taught her, she would have been able to escape those horned beasts with ease. Yet, whenever faced with danger, Eledorah always failed to spread them and take flight.
I have to leave this place. Reality dawned.
And go where? Anywhere she could go would recount how arrogant and xenophobic her people were. Even though her views were different thanks to her open-minded father, they wouldn't even give her the chance to speak before striking her down. If they gave her a chance... They'd only be amused by how she spoke and belittle her for it.
The only safe place she had even been was in the arms of her late father. It was there, on his lap in his study, that he told her fascinating stories of other species that weren't so different from them after all. They had hearts that beat, lungs that breathed, and families of their own.
He indulged his mute daughter's mind knowing that she could use to be powerful in her own right. Not long after, she would sneak into his office and read the forgotten books, soak in the history, and revel in the fact that she was stronger than most in this sense.
People never wasted a moment to teach her where she really belonged. A being that should have been erased at the first hint of her lack of speech.
There's only one place I can go now.
Just as the thought entered her head, she shook it away. The gods would curse her if they were able to read her thoughts on the place she nearly sought to venture.
Even so, she mindlessly headed in that direction after it crossed her mind, unaware of where her feet carried her. The first thing that gave it away was the change in architecture and spacing of the homes. The familiar mud-brick homes of Sol Pago, cramped upon one another on narrow, cobblestone streets, soon turned into wide paved roads without holes or imperfections.
Homes aligned the roads that were far larger than she was accustomed to. Each had green grass yards of their own, and the houses that sat on those lawns were mini stucco palaces. The term 'mini' meaning at least four times the size of her childhood home.
While lost in thought, thinking about her father, she had stumbled into the place she was trying to avoid. Now that she was here, she couldn't help but to enviously glance at how well these people lived. Not even two miles away from the outskirts of Sol Pago was the residence of the noble sovereign of Sepulchre. And where she stood now, down the street from the gates to the castle, were the upper-class homes owned by various beings of nobility.
Some were-folk, a handful of satyroids, creatures she's never seen... Amongst the few that chose life here rather than with their own kind. A mixed community.
In the castle remained the purest bloodline of them all. Full-fledged vampires that hadn't mingled with another being to mate and create offspring. Never once in their history had they steered from ever mating with another pureblood.
These manicured homes filled with nobles were visiting here for one reason and solely that alone- To gain the respect and backing of King Jyosith. So that whatever wars they waged or countries they infiltrated, at least they would have his highly respected army of soldiers who would go against commonplace morals for their King.
Eledorah scoffed at the thought that bloodlines were held in such high regard. What do his ancestors say about his ability to fight and lead? Nothing! She sneered at the people in their homes, though they couldn't see her doing so. It was enough to make her feel satisfied, silently cursing them in their streets.
The ancient metal gates creaked open, turning out onto the street to allow two guards to pass through. They swapped positions with two other guards on the scene. Since she stood still so far down the road, they hadn't seen her. But she decidedly crept into the shadows that a tall fence offered.
What am I even doing here?
The internal question made her groan. This was so pathetic...
"Come out and state your purpose!"
She snapped her eyes shut and pretended that wasn't meant for her. Without her feathers giving away her position, what could it be?
"We will ask once more! Come out and state your purpose, faenix!"
They... Knew? Realization dawned on her when she recounted her father's teachings- Vampires had the most acute sense of smell amongst any other being. They wouldn't have to have seen her to know of her presence. The distinct scent of her kind, the smell of the gleaming sun that she soaked in daily, was enough for them to pick up on.
No longer able to avoid it, she came out of hiding with her hands held high.
Realizing she was without her wings, their stances faltered and they became more curious than on-guard. She wished more than anything that she had the ability to easily explain to them, maybe spin the lie that she was simply lost, but she only gestured to her throat as she had been accustomed to.
"Do you have a mute deformity?" One guard completely dropped his sword at his side and approached her, the look of pity apparent. When she nodded, that sullen look turned into a nasty sneer. "Mmm, all the better. I like when they know how to be quiet."
A mix of feelings erupted in her. Fight or flight were voided and instead she became so numb that she dropped to the ground, curling into her own arms for protection. Not again. Not someone else that wished to cause her harm.
If his intentions weren't transparent enough before, they were now as he grunted while removing pieces of heavy armor that clanked on the street when he dropped them. More pieces were shed as he approached her.
"You're next, take off your clothes." He hummed into the cold air of the night.
"Callous! She's not of age. You might as well stop before jeopardizing your position in the guard."
The man paused in his war path towards the trembling body on the ground he wished to seek pleasure with. She could practically hear him sniffing the air when the breeze picked up. "Is he correct, girl?"
So many were picking up on a forming scent, one that would be more pronounced in three days' time. She was so close, yet untouchable. He growled out his sheer displeasure when she nodded. It was her saving grace.
When his growl continued to deepen, she thought he was tempted to continue his assault regardless. Something in the air told her that growl was no longer directed at her. Beings far more worth his time and combative skill neared the castle gates.
The sound of their hooves were distinct and forever burned into her memory. There would be no chance of more than one group of prestige satyroids in the local area, ones that equally held the stench of alcohol to where it burned her own eyes being in the same vicinity.
Three shadows with massive horns displayed on the ground before her. The guards present righted their weapons, readying for a fight, now completely dismissing her where she sat in the middle of the battleground.
Although she couldn't see their faces, she was sure that the band of brothers hadn't noticed her small form curled up pathetically like that of roadkill. She crawled her way to the edge of an outlying fence and allowed herself to take in the gravity of the situation. Once again faced with the men who mutilated her body, while also in the company of another man who was about to do the same in a different, yet similar, way.
Destroy her soul... That's what all men sought to accomplish with women.
Oxin spotted her then, the look of shock quickly replaced by a casual wink. "Thanks for luring them out here and distracting them, babe."
Her mouth hung open, realizing she must be playing into the 'mission' she heard them discussing mere hours ago. How their paths crossed twice in a single night was a sign from the gods that they thought her to be an abomination. Eledorah was sure of it.
All she could do was witness the bloody battle silently- Unsure of which party she should be rooting for. When the satyroids drew more blood than their opponents, and quickly dismantled their weapons, she feared what came next. The streets were soon stained red with dhampir blood... The guards never had a chance.
For good measure and lack of honor, Claymore waltzed up to the fallen corpses, tugged them upwards and cut their heads clean off.
"The one was partially undressed. Why?" Claymore asked as he wiped their blood against the linen of his own pants in some proud display of his kill. When he looked at her, expecting an answer, he laughed. "I forgot you can't speak. But I think I know what he was about to do..."
He sauntered over to her crippled form and stared down at her. "He wanted to fuck you on display for this entire god-complexed city because, despite their air of nobility, they're all cowards who would stand by while it happened. Do you know why?"
To get his point across, he bent down and spoke into her ear in a chilling tone. "Because they're all sadistic bastards who get off on belittling us common folk. Even though we're more powerful than them. Funny, isn't it? And here you sit mourning their deaths while you should revel in their pooling blood."