The Beast Within Us

Chapter 11: ↭ Yara

↭ In truth, Darryn was extremely capable of protecting Lady Wheiler. The strong soldier had done so before countless time since Yara was a young girl, but Darryn was ultimately human. His blood and soul was not forged from the deities' magick and his human life was frail. Yara's coal gaze remained on Chala as she spoke, keeping the thought of her safety in mind as Chala took her hand and pulled Yara closer to her.

Yara inhaled sharply at the small prick of her fingertip on Chala's fang. It was brief and nearly painless, but the informality of the gesture had shocked the wardeness. Many were not as comfortable to touch a lady of her importance, better yet bite one.

Yara had vaguely heard the mentioning of blood pacts when she was younger. It was an intriguing Hewani tradition and humans had often tried to replicate the assumed magical pact bond that came from it. The information on it was rather lacking, however, as humans were not magical at all and could not successfully reproduce the remarkable treaty. Her brain struggled to remember what she did know of oaths such as these. For humans, a warrior's oath was a legal binding. When a soldier pledged themselves to a lord or lady, their sword and shield was theirs until they were released from their oath, by death or dishonor.

Chala mashed their fingertips together and Yara held her gaze as she recited the Hewan oath. The warden frowned as she paused for her response; Yara did not know how she was supposed to answer.

"I, Lady Yara Wheiler of Strathmoore, First of my Name and Warden of the North accept your oath. You are bound to me by blood and spirit, swearing to be my sword and shield in the nights to come. In the light of the divines we are bound, so mote it be." She had settled for the response to the human warrior oath and vaguely wondered if the 'blood and spirit' binding that humans spoke of could possibly be derived from their obsession with the magic of the blood pact.

As her voice died around them, Yara felt her stomach lurch and vision blur at the sealing of the oath. The world around her whirled at an alarming pace and Yara yanked her finger from Chala's grasp with more force than she had intended. It was over as soon as she began and Yara stared back into the face of Chala, who looked as if she hadn't felt a thing at all. Her stomach reeled from the effects of the recent vertigo episode as Chala tugged along the length of the heavy chain attached to her collar.

"Yes, you are bound by oath now, I don't see why you would need it anymore."

Yara led Chala from the inn with heavy silence settled around them. Her stomach was a knot of anxiety and her head was woozy from the morning's events.

As they approached her banners, Yara noted that her traveling party was ready to depart. After informing Darryn and the others of her demands, Yara unchained Chala from her bindings, instructing the Hewan to stay nearby at all times. Without much else, the group found their mounts and continued their journey.

• • • • •   

By late afternoon on the road, Yara had calmed enough to allow her horse to fall in step beside Darryn. He greeted her with a formal nod, and Yara's knowing coal eyes greeted him warmly. It was known that he advised her, the extent of their closeness may have been a mystery, but his counsel to his warden was not.

"I spoke to my ward. She agreed to fight for us." Yara's voice was kept low and she kept a serious expression as she spoke to her lover. It may have been wise to mention the blood pact and her reasoning for her success with Chala, but Yara felt the news would put strain on her relationship with Darryn. While he had always been understanding of her courtship, Yara could tell the marriage agreement wounded him emotionally. The blood pact would concern him needlessly, and as Yara watched him beside her she couldn't help but notice the way he rode on. He was still strong and fine-chiseled as always, but he looked different as of late, weaker in a way. His eyes were sad and his form looked tired. Her beloved warrior was beginning to wear.

"I think we should see what she is capable of. What do you advise?"↭