Incubus!Yami x Reader: Run and Hide

Chapter 12: Elves are Jerks

I own nothing
Chapter 12: Elfin Council and a Familiar Face
(Y/N) POV
Yami cautiously followed the hunting party through the forest, his head snapping each time one of the elves made a suspicious move. When he caught them glaring at me, he growled, baring his teeth menacingly. I tried to hide myself as much as I could from the eyes of the elves. Their auras gave off a murderous intent and their dirty looks didn't soothe the situation any more. I didn't understand, was me loving Yami really that terrible to them?
Yami kept close to Violet, the only elf who seemed friendly or indifferent enough. He begin talking to her.
"So, you lot seem to know me,"
"You're the king of the Shadow Realm are you not?"
"No, you mentioned an elf named Lily. You said she was my mother?"
"Yes, Lily is a part of our tribe. Many years ago, she returned in daze, saying she had been forced upon by the king. She later gave birth to you and left you at the castle," I felt Yami's arm tense, anger rippling through him. I placed a gentle hand on his shoulder in reassurance. He looked me, smiled a bit, and loosen up.
"Do you know her well?"
"Who?"
"Lily,"
"I would like to think I do...Nephew,"
"Wait! You're Yami's aunt?" She nodded.
"Yes, Lily is my younger sister," Yami raised an eyebrow.
"You seem much more welcoming than I thought any of my kin would be. Shouldn't you hate my existence? And other halflings for that matter?" The she elf gripped her spear tighter.
"I will never forgive your bastard of a father for what he did to my sister. If he wasn't already dead, I'd have his head on a pike! But," she looked at him earnestly "what my sister did to you, leaving you with that beast, was equally unforgivable. You're not your father, so you shouldn't be treated like him. Besides, you seem to hate him as much as I do, so that makes you a friend,"
"For an elf, you're quite liberal," I stated. She sighed.
"Those old tradition are starting to kill us. Maybe you can help fix it,"
"What?" Yami asked.
"I'll explain later, we're here,"
We walked into an opened field filled with oak houses designed to look like growing trees. Left and right I saw basically clones of each other: I had a difficult time differentiating one elf from another besides looking at their clothing. As horrible as I sound, it was the truth: same porcelain skin, same light blonde hair, same purple/red eyes as Yami's, though duller in my opinion, same facial structures, honestly it was kinda unnerving. Another factor that could be how sickly many of them looked, the young ones especially. Another problem was the growing murderous intent I felt from before, multiplied by the entire population of the village. I felt Yami's wings curled around me, shielding me from their glares and more than likely throwing his own back.
"Not exactly the most pleasant place I've been. I think I would prefer the battle at the castle," Violet huffed.
"What did you expect? An incubus and his mate both still smelling of breeding strolling into the village with a hunting party. Save for the fact that one is half blooded, they're a little bit more than angry," I blushed.
"Is it really that noticeable?" Yami chuckled and nuzzled me.
"Don't be embarrassed dear, it's just a warning for others not to try anything," Violet rolled her eyes.
"Oh, you're one of those couples,"
"One of those couples?" I repeated.
"You know, highly dominant male with a female who is capable of holding her own but is still too modest for her own good?"
"Sounds about right,"
"We're here,"
Violet had halted in front of a massive Rowan tree that was clearly in the later stages of decay. It's leaves were a sickly yellow and the bark was covered in an unnatural black rot. A walkway had been built from the ground to the upper levels of the tree. The female elf sighed.
"The tree is known as the tree of life. It's health reflects the health of our people,"
"Looks like a tree of death to me," I elbowed him.
"Yami!"
"No, he is correct. For the past 3 generations, the strength of our clan has waned and the tree has been rapidly declining as well,"
"What's causing this to happen?" Violet growled.
"Oh we know what the problem is. Those gods forsaken elders are simply too blinded by their pig headed ways to do anything about this!" Yami cough.
"You're the only remaining race that outlaws interracial relationships correct? I assume that is part of the problem," Violet nod.
"A race can only reproduce within itself so many times before another species is needed to be introduce to prevent genetics from becoming to interlock," horror clouded my face as it dawned on me why these elves were so sickly.
"Inbreeding!?" Violet nodded.
"We say it's to keep the purity of our blood. A lot of good that's done us. Even the All Seeing Guardian has abandoned us!"
"All Seeing Guardian?"
"A deity of our people. He grows our healing plants and offers us guidance during times of trouble. As of late, he has been silent. Recently, I had a dream I think he may have bestowed upon me: 2 strangers tending to the Great Rowan. Slowly, many others join and restore the tree to its former glory,"
"You think this dream refers to us?" Yami asked.
"I cannot explain. Perhaps if I were to present you to the council and they were to see how strong and healthy you were, perhaps we could finally put aside traditions that are driving us to extinction,"
"I'd like to make one thing clear: I am no savior. I didn't come to restore your tribe. If I were to speak honestly I would be quite content seeing your race drive itself to extinction. The only reason I am in this gods damned place is to find a way to bring myself and my mate home," Violet nodded.
"I understand completely. You have every right to despise us. I simply need you to stand before the council. That shouldn't be too difficult. Just follow me,"
Violet began walking up the pathway. Yami and I, after Yami finally placed me down, followed closely behind, noting a small crowd following suit. Within the droves of sickly elves, one female caught me eye. She seemed much more healthy and carried herself with great pride. And among the crowd of intense glares, her's was the most unsettling and hate filled. I pressed myself closer to my mate, trying to avoid the pair of eyes burning a hole through the back of my head.
Eventually, we stopped at the top of the tree. It was set up eerily similar to the high council room in Atlantis. Across from the elderly elves glaring down on us was an alter filled with offerings. The offerings were set at the paws of an animal statue that seemed...familiar. Before I could decipher why the statue looked familiar, one of the aging evens coughed a warning growl which was pathetic when compared to Yami's.
"Violet! What is the meaning of this!?" She kneeled.
"My apologies elders, but these 2 were accidentally brought to our territory. They simply wish to leave as soon as possible," the one to the far left huff.
"A half breed would have the gall to demand our help!? How distasteful," Yami growled.
"I come to you, not as a spawn of one of your ilk, but as king of the Shadow Realm. My mate and I wish to be out of your hair as soon as possible," a female voice rose up among the crowd.
"The half breed should be destroyed!" The female elf that had been glaring at us before stepped forward and pointed a spear at us.
"He and his mate should be destroyed to preserve our lively hood! As is tradition!" Violet scoff.
"Of course you demand innocent blood sister," Yami and I froze. This was Yami's mother!? The same mother who had left in the hands of his deranged father was now demanding he be killed for a matter that wasn't even in his control!? What is wrong with these elves!? The elf that had spoken first raised his hand.
"Peace Lily. We understand the hardships you've faced and your hatred is justly found, but we must be cautious. We cannot simply execute the king of the Shadow Realm. He has the support of every other race and we would be vastly outnumbered," she growled.
"He must be destroyed! No good could come from such a disgusting heathen,"
Her words echoed in my ears and something just snapped. I marched up to the nitwit and quiet promptly decked her in the face, a fine line of blood dripped from her nose.we stared eye to eye, my own gaze trying to burn her face off. My voiced dripped with as much venom as I could muster as I hissed.
"You. Have. No. Right! You have no right to speak of him like! You abandoned him to the head of a deranged lunatic! I'm surprise Yami turned out half as well as he did with such despicable demons for parents as he had! You left your own son and hated him for the actions of his father! You are no better than his predecessor!" Lily looked ready to kill me as she raised her spear.
"You little-! How dare you speak to me in such a way!" Her spear was ripped her hands by Yami's tail. He whirled around and sent her flying with the blunt part.
"You will not touch her," he sternly stated. Somehow, this emotionless voice was even more terrifying than his normal roars or growls. I saw Lily stiffen and run off like an injuries dog who foolishly challenged a much larger one and lost. Another elder huff.
"I see, so the human whelp is his mate. I can sense she is stronger than most. Perhaps Lily was right in calling for their destruction, we wouldn't want them to reproduce would we?" Yami hissed and encased me in his wings. Violet stood in front of us in defiance of her elders.
"I beg this council, no this tribe to look at this incubus! He is strong and fierce, he loyal and protective of his mate. He is capable of slaying the most durable of evils! He is of our blood! We now face our extinction by our own hands! The time has come to denounce the old laws and forage a path for the future!" The council stood in anger.
"What you suggest is blasphemy! The All Seeing Guardian would have us destroyed for abandoning our traditions and our values!" Violet scoffed.
"The Guardian has abandoned the old ways and left us! The Great Rowan has deteriorated faster than it ever has these past 25 years! I have been given a vision by the Guardian calling for the death of our old tradition, starting with them," she pointed to us. "The Guardian has given me a dream, a dream in which these 2 will bring us back to our former glory and restore the Tree of Life!" From the crowd came murmurs of agreement surprisingly, mostly from the younger elves. The older ones were staring at Violet like she had just suggested to poke a sleeping Sphinx with a stick. The elders slammed their hands on the table.
"Enough of this hog wash! Execute these stains!"
The guards advanced on us. Yami took hold of me and roared, unnerving a few but not all. Violet stood beside us.
"I won't be able to fly all of us to safety in time,"
"That's fine. I brought you both here. Just save yourself and your mate,"
"We can't just leave you Violet!"
Suddenly, blue flames circled us as a high pitched male voice called out.
"ENOUGH!"
The guards dropped their spears and coward, dropping to their knees along with the other elves. The elders trembled.
"All Seeing Guardian! Why have you stopped us? We were simply trying to-,"
"Silence you greedy curs! You and those before you have stained your hands with innocent blood in order to maintain power in your families! You have brought this race to brink of oblivion for your own selfish lust for power! You will know their wrath, their justice will be fulfilled by my own claws!"
I finally pin pointed the voice at the alter. On top of the statue was a animal of the same race with blue and white wings fanning out. His claws were drawn and his teeth were bared.
And those familar, faded pupil, sky blue eyes blazed with anger.
"Jayfeather!?"
Bet you folks didn't see that coming! Sorry about the wait, I've had a lot of school work and I'll try to be more frequent with these.