The Taming

From Me

"Tell them!" She ceased pacing to shout.

What does she want me to tell them? That I wander to help them? That I get hurt aiding one, and still go to rescue another.

No. They would stop calling for me.

"No." He frowned. "What purpose would that serve? There's no need for them to know."

"You're serious!" She was askance.

"You think there's no need?" Her voice was rising to a dangerous note.

What am I missing?

He was baffled, eyeing her warily, as she harrumphed and knelt at his feet. Forcing herself into his eyeline.

He was aware of the hurt written over his face, as she hurled judgements.

"I've never tried to upset you." He murmured. "I hate to see your unhappiness."

"Then take me with you." She put her hands to his knees and leaned up near his face, making her inescapable.

"When?" He asked, turquoise eyes wide. Trying to buy a bit of time to think.

It would be unwise to take her.

She just wants to escape. He had to remind himself, because he really, really, wanted to.

But the idea of taking her with him sounded...Blissful. Her company was always welcome.

"When you go on these...missions..." She continued. "Take me with you!"

"Why?" He eyed her warily.

"So, I can protect you!"

I don't believe you'd protect me.

I don't believe that's why you want to go.

You just want to be free...Of me.

He sighed. "Don't, Els. Please don't."

"Don't what?" She leapt to her feet. Flushing angrily.

"Don't make me say things that'll hurt you." He looked up at her brokenly. "You have me, I'm yours. And if you don't want me, you have every right to turn from me. But don't ask me to say things that'll wound you, just so you've an excuse to loathe me."

"You're saying no!" Her lip quivered slightly, and she bit it roughly. Blue eyes awash with unshed tears.

Please stop.

"Elsabet if you cry it'll break the fragments of strength I possess. It'll shatter me."

"Then don't say no!"

"I can't say yes."

"Why not?" Her fists worked.

Please. I'm so tired.

"I know your tears are because I won't free you...Let you go. If I take you with me, you're gone. You'll leave me and never look back. Never remember a single Christmas, a single dinner across from me, or one moment I held you. I cannot forget you so easily."

I don't know if I could survive without you, anymore. But he couldn't find the right words to tell her that.

He didn't know how she'd react. What if she just saw it as weakness?

Seeing her face when he returned to WaterRose, was what kept him walking when he was often too tired or wounded, to move any longer.

She keeps me sane.

She's everything.

"What if you're wrong Sebastian?" She stomped. Interceding in his thoughts. She was vibrating with a rage that'd completely stopped WaterRose's river walls. And doused every candle in the castle until the room was hollow blackness, save for the red glisten of her eyes.

If she knew what she could do, she'd rip the magic holding this fortress together, wall by wall.

We're vulnerable. He realized. Knowing that without the motion of the water, Radix could sense the castle stronghold at any moment.

"Elsabet, I need you to let the rivers run around this fortress or you expose everyone here to Radix's sight."

She blinked at him in shock. "Radix?"

"The demon."

"The one you hide from?" He heard the rush of water dumping in the moat. Despite that she'd not stopped this argument for even a moment, she'd done as he'd bid. Candles brightened in sequence around the outer walls of the room. Lighting it until it was brighter than when he arrived.

Effortlessly.

He hadn't failed to notice that with every year she was at WaterRose, she grew stronger. Becoming a force so powerful, he wasn't sure anything would be able to contain her in the next years.

She was carefully inspecting his features. Her blue eyes roving over his eyes and lips. Watching for any hint of expression.

Reading me.

"Yes." He admitted. Putting a hand to his side, where many of his ribs were cracked.

It hurts to breathe.

"What if you're wrong Sebastian?" She softened her tone. Repeating that dangerous statement in a hollow voice.

***

I wish I was. I wanted to be wrong.

The minor dragons were scraping at the inside of his broken ribs. Instinctively clawing to be back out. Aware how weak he was, and knowing he felt threatened. Ouch.

It wasn't the kind of threat that they could save him from. It was his fears that brought them to the fore.

"About what?" Bent over, he tried to catch his breath. Clutching his abdomen as he twisted to peer at her. Trying to keep the strain off his face.

I am listening. I just hurt.

"What if I never ran? What if I chose to stay with you?"

You'd never do that.

"I know you, Els." He blew a pained breath. "You'll never stay with me. If given the choice between me and freedom you'll only ever pick one...Don't give me hope where there is none, it's cruel."

"Forcing me to stay here forever is cruel!"

In some agonizing way that felt like an admonition that I was foiling her true intent.

But her words weren't wrong. Hadn't the Alpha said the same?

I know. His head fell.

She gingerly leaned over to push him back in the chair. Ignoring his groan of pain. Catching his forearms, she unwrapped them and tugged until he climbed wanly to his feet.

She walked backward, urging him to trail her steps. Pausing near the blue chair to draw him close enough she could unlatch his belt and partially unlace his breeches. She carefully reached within near his hip bones and caught the bottom of his shirt, pressing her supple breasts against his bare stomach, her chin propped on his chest as she slowly slid her hands up his sides. Moving at an excruciating pace.

Erotically. I recognized, despite my dilapidated state.

She was suddenly changing the game.

"Els, I can't keep up with your moods tonight. I'm not sure if I'm delirious or you're erratic."

"You know very well...it's both." She dismissed.

"If this is a fever delusion, please don't wake me."

Ever.

"I won't." She breathed along his skin. To his surprise, she applied a warm kiss to the spot on his chest where her face pressed.

He sighed. Feeling his whole body relaxing. Even the miniature dragons were settling back into their spaces. Leaving him in peace.

She was coaxing them into relaxing.