The Beast Within Us

Chapter 5: ↭ Yara

↭ Lady Yara Wheiler's wide coal eyes watched the heartbreaking display with sympathy. As the bronze-skinned Hewan was forced to phase between her forms at the utter of the simple command Yara could feel her insides shattering. The wardeness had always known how cruel Serell could be, but she had never dreamed he would show this malicious side to her. The blazing flame of shame and fury heated Yara's cream skin and her body quivered in response to the pent up rage that coursed through her veins and made her blood boil at the monstrous sight before her. The others would likely assume her rage and disgust for the Hewani slave she had just been gifted and the king may even assume her stifled reaction was excitement, but Yara's resentment was only for the king.

She had never regretted her oath of fealty to the king more than now. Her father's voice clouded her thoughts, sweeping the boiling anger within her away for another time. We were, we are, we will be. Honor, duty, valor. Yara begged for it to be that easy, but she assumed it never would be. Despite every fiber of her being resisting her, the warden knelt before her king, letting her chestnut curls conceal her face as she thanked him for his gift to her.

"Thank you, my king. I will cherish your gift to me until my last breath." The words were strained and taut, as the woman forced her words to sound genuine. Yara rose from her respectful stance and allowed her guards to help her on the tall back of the bay mare. If the king said anything more she did not, could not, hear it. She allowed her banners enough time to mount, the sturdy chain of the Hewan was passed off to Darryn at her side. Without as much as another glance at the king, Yara led her fleet to the kingsroad and began their journey.

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The beginning of the trip to Briniel was filled with stone cold silence. Yara was all too aware of the many eyes on her back and even Darryn's lingering presence. She knew if she were to look back he would greet her with sad hazel eyes and a Hewani slave tethered to his saddle. A Hewani slave that belonged to her.

Yara tried to still her fidgeting hands as she rubbed her leather gloves worn on the fingertips. Her lip was chewed and the rust of blood assaulted her tongue. The rage within her gnawed at her insides and tightened around her lungs with every breath she took. She had found herself in a terrible situation and even the comfort of her white cloak wrapped around her did little to comfort the burning emotions that threatened to swallow her whole.

She needed to speak with Darryn, she needed the comfort of his touch to burn away the fury inside her. Yara needed the man that she loved to help her figure out the chaos that had recently engulfed her soul. Darryn would help her, comfort her, soothe her. She just needed to get him alone.

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When it was too dark to travel the party had stopped in the closest village. Yara had numbly gave orders for Darryn to find room and board for her banners and to then return to her after the camp had settled. She sat entirely too still inside her caravan.

The caravan was made of sound wooden frames and decorated with plush velvet pillows and curtains inside. One wall held a bench for sitting and the other held a pallet of plump mattresses and pillows for sleeping. The window was covered with a lattice wood covering and the door was made of the same lattice screen. It blocked the details of the inhabitants, but shapes and sounds still leaked through the intricate wood. Yara was all too aware of the tinkling of the heavy chain of the Hewani girl outside her caravan, tethered to the large wooden mobile for safe-keeping.

Yara's coal eyes dared to glance out the window, to catch sight of the silent woman. Would she meet slate eyes of a woman or beast if she happened to peek at her? The thought was left to linger as the familiar thudding of Darryn's heavy boots drew him closer to her. The muscular soldier pulled open the screen of the caravan easily, settling in on the chaise beside Yara as if the informal gesture was normal.