Timeless Two

7

"Grey we can't leave today, I'm sorry. There is something wrong with the car. The motor pool is looking at it and it looks like we'll have to get a part in from the nearest town. Which is half a day a way. They sent someone immediately but they won't be able to install it until tomorrow." Anna says when she enters. At first she doesn't see the sleeping girl on his bed.

"Keep your voice down Anna. That viper probably found a way to disable the vehicle. Very well stay then. Just stay out of the castle for now." Grey says stretching his neck trying to relieve the stress there.

That's when Anna spies the girl lying on top of Grey's bed. She looks at Grey and her eyebrows rise. "Replacing Sheila already Grey? She's not going to like this."

"No, Anna. This is the girl that is my prisoner. She is going to be tried in the world court." Anna shuts up with Grey's muted angry reply.

"Have you found any trace of your father Grey?" Anna says in a quieter voice.

"Nothing yet." Grey replies. Ari gasps. In the dream world or other world she had seen a fleeting look at Grey's father.

"Grey do you have an image of your father?" Ari says coming fully awake.

Grey doesn't think Ari can help him with this, his father would likely have been dead even before Ari was born. But he shrugs and pulls out an old photo of his father.

"Some of the Aelven would take a fancy to someone that came to court and if the queen allows it takes that person as their personal slave. If that slave becomes a favorite then when they die they are buried in a special location otherwise they are just dumped into an unmarked grave where ever." Ari says and watches both Grey and Anna's faces fall.

"One of the old ones of the court used to tell us of the man she made her slave. And she'd tell stories of him, ones that perhaps wouldn't be acceptable to tell children in the human world. She showed us his photo once, it was this man. I would think that since he was a favored slave she buried him in the special place. Those graves aren't marked but they are carefully placed so that the master can find the remnants should he or she be so inclined." At Ari's words Grey practically jumps over his desk towards her.

Ari shrinks back from him. She can't help it she flashes back to when Aelven would do that and corner her. She curls up in a ball on his bed shaking so hard that the bed shakes too.

Grey is sick at the state he put her in. He backs off talking to her softly. "I'm sorry Ari. I was just excited is all. I have been searching for my father for a long time. Your lead is the best one I've had in years. I know he came here but there is no record of him leaving. Please anything you can tell me will help."

Anna looks at Grey to the girl cowering on the bed. "Ari?" She looks at Grey and he nods. "Ari, it's alright I won't let Grey hurt you." Anna moves closer to the bed and the shivering girl. She starts stroking the girls hair but it doesn't seem to help.

"Ari, I'll leave if you wish, but please tell Anna what you know." Grey is actually begging her. He just wants to take his father home and bury him properly.

"No, don't go Grey." Ari manages to get out as she forces herself to straighten out and sit up. She's still shaking uncontrollably but she's doing her best to calm down.

"What do you want me to do Ari? My presence isn't helping." Grey says helplessly. He's never hurt a female intentionally before in his life.

"Just hold on Grey I'm trying to pull myself together. Her stories told of his sexual prowess. But to me it sounded like he was forced to do things to keep alive. As far as I am concerned your father was raped until he died. He may have been an active participant but he had no choice." Ari is now sick, she doesn't like remembering the stories. When she was younger she didn't understand, when she was older she understood all to well.