Hell Bound

CHAPTER 7

Allesandro and Weylyn drifted off into a companionable silence. With his niece's departure, they had both sat down and had talked about the old days, and had a hearty laugh over their past endeavors and grieved in silence at the loss of their friend and brother. Now, no words passed between them, but still the atmosphere around them hung thick with unspoken but acknowledged emotions. 

"That niece of yours was promised to a very powerful demon, Allesandro. Are you sure that you will not regret your decision?" 

Allesandro looked at his long time friend. Weylyn may be a human born to beasts, but his wisdom, even at a young age, was very much appreciated by the elders and leaders of the pack. It was the very reason he was raised in rank to be a shaman for the clan. Now at fifty years and five, the young man he had known for so long was reduced to a bony man, yet he somehow, still had the wisdom and the strength of heart that he had had when he was but a young lad. Allesandro only knew a few humans. Among them, Weylyn's views and ideas are the opinions he valued the most. Right now, he took his friend's words to heart and thought over his answer carefully. 

"Dragon is a powerful ally to have at your side, Weylyn. Even a powerful enemy. But blood is blood. I cannot let my niece suffer the darkness of this world alone when she has a perfect chance at thriving under the most powerful and influential being that ever existed next to Satan himself," he said. 

"What about the gods, then? Have you lost your faith in them, my friend?"

At this, Allen laughed. "I am a demon Weylyn. I do not have faith. I only have trust. And even that is a powerful emotion to have, for lords of higher power can very well learn to exploit it at their will. 'tis not often that they get a Morfron who trust those he holds dear so easily," he said. 

Weylyn nodded. "That is true, my friend. For you trust so easily. I only hope that your niece hadn't inherited that unfortunate trait from you or your brother,"

Allen shook his head. "Nay. My brother was not as soft hearted as you may have believed. True, for Deidre, he he had revealed the softer, more tamed side of his, but he didn't trust as easily as I do. His experience in the battle field had hardened his heart to all and every emotions,"

"Until Deidre," Weylyn said. 

Allen nodded. "Aye, until Deidre," he looked at his friend. They settled into a companionable silence. Allen didn't look at him, but gazed into the fire of the bonfire as he asked his next question. 

"Do the beasts know of her, my friend?" he was dreading the answer. 

Weylyn shook his head. "Nay, my friend. They only know that she is human. Nothing more, nothing less, "

"Good, good,"Allen said. 

After a moment of silence, Weylyn spoke again. "She hates the sight of blood," he remarked. 

Allen looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Yes. And?"

Weylyn shrugged. "It is merely surprising, given her heritage," he said. This time it was Allen who shrugged and continued to stare into the firelight. "I've seen stranger things,"

Then a moments silence. "I've heard...rumors," the shaman spoke hesitantly. Allen turned his head to look at him, his eyes, curious.

The shaman rolled his shoulders, uncomfortable under his friend's scrutiny. "Have you ever heard of a woman named Annabelle Shaw?" he asked. 

Allen nodded hesitantly. Then frowned. "She is a human. I've seen her, though. On multiple occasions. Her father has powerful connections with some of the demon nobles. Why?"