The Beasts of Men

Chapter 23

A couple of heads turned again once they noticed that she was holding Elijah's hand. "Wow this young woman is bold", said Solomon. "She doesn't care about status." "What makes you say that?" Asked Elijah. "She's being openly affectionate with you. It's either she is really digging you or she's putting a target on your back." Said Solomon. "There Already is one, why should I care now?" Elijah replied. Solomon made a face. "Fair point but it's...never mind he says rolling his eyes." They finally made it to the library. "Thanks for holding Elijah's hand the whole time I would have gotten lost if you hadn't been holding it". Sarai smiles. "I just didn't want you to get left behind plus I like seeing the others' reactions." She says letting go of Elijah's hand. "I'm so confused, you blew me off the first time now you're acting friendly towards me. I'm not complaining, just confused". "Let's sit down", she says as they make their way towards a table. "I was rude the first time and I apologize I thought you were shallow and entitled." Elijah tries not to make a face because he was thinking, "that's exactly what I could've thought about you." Sarai continued "once I saw you lose yourself for a second. I had remembered the burden you carry on your shoulders". Elijah swallows the whole back pill of emotions coming to his mind. "So tell me how you have come to know the truth about my people." Elijah said, making eye contact. "Well..." Sarai said looking down. "I kinda want to get to know more about you and how you grew up". Elijah made a confusing face. "How come?" "Because the story I' m going to tell you is really personal,'' she said, blushing. "Alright" said Elijah "What do you want to know"? "Tell me about your family and your place in it". Sarai said, "Straight to the really personal stuff well ughh." Elijah pauses. "tread carefully Elijah" said Solomon. "Ima just be honest"Elijah accidentally said out loud. "I'd hope" Sarai replied by making a suspicious face. "What I mean is... First I want to tell you directly that it's true I can't transform into my beastmen form." "How is that possible? Your willpower is so high she said not breaking eye contact. Which got Elijah a little nervous. Elijah swallowed because he didn't know what she would think. He continues. "It was the very first time I transformed. I was in the courtyard playing with My younger brother Isaiah when it happened, it was high noon when the Sun was the brightest. It went exactly how they told me it would be the pain anyways. I was only in My beastmen form for maybe a minute or 2 I was conscious then but then I transformed again." "Again? Sarai said, confused. "Yes into the complete beastmen form. By that time I lost consciousness and attacked my little brother. Luckily mother moved quickly and got him out of there. It took 4 clansmen to restrain me during the 12th hour of the day. When I finally calmed down I didn't transform back. I was stuck in that form for 3 days". Elijah could see the shock in her eyes when he said that. "You were one day Shy of turning into a demon beast?" "Yes, which scared parents about the future plus the arrest of beastmen transforming outside of their territory at that time". "Right because Lion beastmen can't control their transformation naturally like others can right." Sarai said. "Exactly" Elijah Said. "So how do you control it then, I don't see you wearing Spirit gems like other lion beastmen do." "My parents did the only thing that they knew would guarantee no incidents like that would not have happened again. Elijah cleared his throat. "Go ahead and get up and act like you're fixing the collar around my neck and look at my back." Sarai actually did it without question, to Elijah's surprise. Once she did, Elijah knew when she saw his tattoo because he heard her gasp. She went back to her chair and Elijah noticed her eyes getting watery. "When did you get that?" Sarai asked. "That same year". Elijah replied. "You were 15,?" she said. Elijah nodded. Then she started to cry which choked up Elijah. She looks so pretty he thought. "Why are you crying?" She sniffles "I saw first hand that tattoo put on before I can still hear the screams of that person." "Yea it doesn't feel good." Elijah said with half a fake smile. "Stop Elijah Sarai said. This person was a full grown man, an expert beastmen. He kept coming in and out of consciousness because of the pain. Some say that a tattoo seal is worse than death and you say something like that. You hide your pain too much with a smile." Sarai said, Elijah quickly broke eye contact because she saw right through him. If he would have looked any longer at her he would have broken down. "I can't imagine how painful that must have been for you and for the person who had to do it too, especially with you only being 15." Sarai said. "I didn't think you would tell me something that personal." Elijah made eye contact with her again and said "I really want to get to know you so I'ma be as open as I can be with you I hope you can do the same." "I will", Sarai replied. Wiping away her tears. Elijah couldn't help but think she would think less of him because he cannot turn into a beastmen. "Our powers pretty much double while in that form so I will always be at a disadvantage, will she think less of me?" Elijah zoned out for a second till Sarai started her story. "I came to Crescent Moon Kingdom when I was 13 years old. The memories I have of Elijah's home country are still pretty clear. I remember the people better than the place but I think that both have changed so much since the last time I visited. The first 2 months here I thought it was a lot like my home, just people with different faces. We would come to the capital often so I would play with the local merchant kids often while My uncle did political meetings. I gained a friend coming to the market every day. Her name was Mia and her family owned a bakery. She was a lion beastmen,dark brown skin and around the same age as me. We wore our hair the same way the first day we met. She didn't even notice I was nobelity only that we had the same hair. Other people would think that we're sister's till they noticed I was a Noble because of my clothes. One day I asked Mia to bring me some of her clothes so we really could be sisters that day. I was also going to introduce her to my uncle that same day at this restaurant he wanted to eat at. We played like we did normally that day and around lunch time we headed to the restaurant in the high capital." On our way there Mia said she's never been to this part of the capital before and I quickly replied "Really I always come here. I think the food in the lower capital is a little better though" I say . As we get to the restaurant we are being looked at by everyone walking by. Mia says "I don't think we are supposed to be here." "They always look at me like that too when I walk around here." She was very uncomfortable with the looks they were giving us but I just kept reassuring her it was fine. We finally got there and I tried to talk to the host at the desk but they looked confused on why I was there. I told them who I was but they didn't believe me. I started arguing with the man behind the desk and he called the guards. The guards try to restrain us but I'm fighting them trying to get them off of me. Mia was complying the whole time. One of them slams me to the ground. Next all I heard is the roar of a lioness saying "let her go!". Mia had transformed into her beastmen form, "I didn't know when I was 15"Mia said panicking. Before the situation Escalated to far my uncle showed up and released his spiritual power to catch the guards attention. "Can someone explain to me why my Niece's face is on the ground like she's some kind of criminal?" Yelled my uncle . Instantly all the air in the area got warm . The host came rushing out bowed and apologized to uncle about the confusion and I was quickly let go. "What about my friend?" I said "she was the one I wanted to introduce to you too". The officer in charge stepped forward and said, "she's under arrest for transforming in the capital". Release her, she's my guest, my uncle said. "She's not only being charged with that but lion beastmen are not allowed within the high capital." My heart dropped when he said that. There were people gathering outside of the restaurant and one of them yelled. "Charge the other beastmen lion girl as well." My uncle roared at them and pushed me behind him. "Those who come seek death" he said. Then he turned to me and said "Sarai I've done all I can. I can't save the girl from any punishment they give her." Tears ran down My face. I couldn't even look up to make eye contact with Mia. They charged her twice. Her punishment was 300 lashes. I stayed there for each and everyone even though my uncle insisted not to stay. With every sound of the whip hitting a raw back flowed a scream that even heaven could hear . She only made it halfway before she died. I was there to see her family cry over her body. Asking why ? Why there little girl? All I could think about was how that could have been me, I literally played with this girl everyday and people thought we were sisters. But since I was a tiger beastmen I got treated completely different. I kept asking my uncle why they treat lion beastmen this way but he ignored my questions. I had to find out the truth and I found those answers in the high capital library and read every book on how this kingdom was formed and who formed it. That's how I came to know the truth about your people." Elijah was trying to hold back tears but his but couldn't stop them from watering. Wow this was some first date huh he said and they both start laughing.