The Taming

One Reason

The meal tonight was a quiet one.

Afterwards he was up on the high balcony overlooking the bailey, when he glimpsed her below.

Trying to outmaneuver my tether again. Always trying.

He let her pull, tug and fight to reach the bridge tower a long while before he grew impatient. He yanked the line back, with a mere thought.

Sending her rearing back several steps as it retracted. She instantly looked up. Her eyes scanning the window slits and balconies until finding him standing there. His white shirt blowing in the slight breeze and hip propped on the railing. Gold hair free around his shoulders as he watched her.

"So glad to see you better!" Ferocity tinged her tone.

Me too. It was a mite hairy there for a bit.

Recognizing the words for what they were, he responded in the like. Hitching his chin as he called down to her. "Thanks to you, Sweetheart!"

"I could fix that." She grumbled. Shaking a fist up toward him.

"Don't tease me Girl. I feel quite better."

And I'm in the mood to toy with you.

Or love you. Whichever you're up for.

"I see that." She gave him a haughty sideways glance. "Do you ever go away?"

"Often."

"How are you always watching me?"

"Who says I am?" He called down to her.

"I feel your eyes."

"Where?" He smiled.

She scoffed. "You're a cad! With a filthy mind."

Wouldn't be so filthy if you appeased me, woman.

"You could fix that."

"I'd sooner eat a toad whole."

"Don't tempt me to fetch one." He warned.

She quieted. Swallowing. Her eyes narrowed on him disdainfully.

"As I thought." He said, sensing he'd won.

She turned and stalked back inside. Having enough of his teasing.

Aw. Shame.

But the chamber door was abruptly yanked open so hard it ricocheted off the wall. Making him unfold from next to the railing to scowl at her. Fuming in the doorway.

"What?" He asked warily.

She wouldn't have come all the way up here to seek me out unless she had something she needed to say.

After a moment of silence, she murmured, "Why did you leash me after I saved you? After..."

"I wish I had some valiant charming lie. But I don't." He said dismissively. Turning to look back down over the bailey again. Fists clenching the railing.

Purely greed.

He felt her eyes boreing into his back. "I'm just not ready to let you go yet."

She stalked to stand next to him, glaring at him hatefully.

"Besides," He sighed. "We had an agreement on the terms of your freedom."

She shot him a look before railing. "I don't think I ever agreed to anything here!"

"You know what the terms are, just the same." He shrugged.

"Not a life for a life then, huh?" She stared down at the bailey. Back heaving with unspent emotion. But now she was evading his sideways look.

Trying to hide her emotions from me.

At the moment it suited him fine. He didn't want to see the contempt he knew he deserved, in this case.

I'd give you anything but that.

***

Later that day he was in his chamber. Sensing another ripple of energy through WaterRose and recognizing the feel of it he aimed downstairs, he took the shape of Quandary as he walked the hall.

Bast entered the library. Sensing whose familiar sorrow was calling to him.

The feel of it was poignant and beyond painful.

Only one man suffers like that.

Bast rounded the chairs, on slow paws. I heard your distress. I feel your discontent.

He slowly circled the shadow of the man sitting in the blue chair, opposite Bast's usual red one.

Black hair glinted in the firelight and blue eyes were intense with emotion.

Hello, Alpha. He met that gaze.

"Hello, Bast." Deragan murmured. Responding to the mental greeting.

The panther curled up on the fur rug next to him.

What's wrong?

Alpha Deragan Black reached down and absentmindedly rubbed his shoulders.

"She's out there, Old Friend. I can feel her. She's coming into power again. I need your help."

He looked down and met the wide gold eyes of the cat. "Find her. Please."

I always do...

Without hesitation the animal rose and loped from the room. Gaining speed as he hit the foyer. He pushed through the front doors and crossed the meadow at a sprint.

***

Shoving his hand through his hair, The Deragan rose. Pacing before the orange lights of the fire. Energy coiling through him, fueling his sparking rage. At length he collapsed into the blue chair with a grunt. His entire body slumping. And exhaustion taking over his features as he stared at the book on the floor morosely.

Lucien watched him quietly.

"Come, Alpha. Let's get you some rest. You haven't slept in nearly a month." Lucien swept up the book and carefully laid it on the round table next to the jar of smoked nuts. He swept one of Deragan's arms over his shoulders and helped The Alpha up the stairs and into his chamber. He was just turning to the door as Deragan slumped to sit on the edge of the bed.

Deragan abruptly hissed an indrawn breath. Fine hairs rose on his arms and neck. Black hair lifting from his scalp inhumanly.

A moment later, Lucien felt it.

Deragan twisted and lowered into a crouch as he faced the window. Noticing Lucien moving to flank him to look out. Their animal senses alert, they watched apprehensively. Crouched for danger.

Something is coming. Something powerful. Deragan's eyes narrowed on the meadow.

A bird like shriek rent the air down the corridor. The locked chamber door rattled fiercely as the creature tried to get out. Her sounds growing higher pitched.

Stepping to the window simultaneously with Lucien, their pupils tapered to slits and irises yellowed until he could see over the flat land to the dark trees. Lightening brightened the valley in a plume of silver. Frosting treetops and revealing skeletal branches reaching from the snow. Highlighting the animal loping through the tall grass. Skirting the trees of Warlock Grove and cutting into the meadow. Black as midnight silk he glistened under a layer of sweat. Veering toward the castle gate as another claw of lightening speared over him.

"Only one reason Bast comes like that." Lucien commented.