Chasing Sparks

Chapter 26.3

Celie wasn’t sure what was happening but her sixth sense told her it wasn’t good and so she made a dart for the door, but as she started to move Bolo pinned her arms to her side and held her firmly. It was like being held between two trees. There was absolutely no give in his grip.

Tiel then nodded to Alona who produced a small twig from her pocket.

Alona squeezed Celie’s cheeks until she opened her mouth. “Bite on this,” Alona said, placing the twig in Celie’s mouth, “It will help.”

Celie just spat the twig onto the floor, “Get lost.”

Tiel laughed out loud. “I think she likes you less than me.”

“No, you are the biggest jerk,” Celie said. Not quite sure what was going on.

Alona winced again.

Tiel then turned to Celie, “Earlier you said this was the part where, how did you put it ‘you do what I say or I tell Daddy’. Well you were half right. It is the part where you do what I say but not because I will tell Daddy, but rather…” Tiel paused for a moment “... but rather because of this.”

With that Tiel, gently laid his hand on her shoulder. He channeled some cold into her body and the pain in her shoulder began. It wasn’t long before she was screaming in agony. Bolo held her impassively. Alona reached down and picked up the twig and placed it back between her mouth. Celie spat it out again and said between gasps, “Get lost.”

Tiel then changed to the other shoulder and started channelling cold into that one. The cold feeling quickly became a pain akin to an unbearable burning agony and caused Celie to scream uncontrollably.

Tiel continued to channel his cold agony into Celie. Bolo and Alona wondered if she would pass out at several points, but Tiel was practised at this now. Just as Celie’s pain became unbearable and her eyes were beginning to roll up in her head, he released the flow slightly holding her in excruciating agony for an extended period of time, never quite allowing her to reach the point where she passed out.

But Celie was a stubborn one indeed and was taking her time to break.

Celie had never felt pain like it. She imagined it was like putting your hands inside a furnace, but there was no trace of a burn or damage to her skin. She felt she was on the verge of collapsing but the release never came, the pain just continued.

She had the twig in her mouth now and bit down hard. It did help. It gave her a focus away from the agony of the burning cold.

The pain continued for what felt like forever. She had given up struggling but the big man still held her in a vice like grip. Without his support she would have slumped to the floor a long time ago. And the Forester woman just looked on, putting the twig in her mouth whenever it fell out.

The pain was too much. The twig fell from her mouth again as she screamed. It was too much. Her head was screaming. She didn't know where she was. She didn’t actually know if she was even screaming anymore. It was just pain, nothing else, just the pain. She would have taken death at that point, anything to stop the pain. She gasped again in agony and then it suddenly stopped.

She slumped in Bolo’s arms, head sagging, all energy drained from her body. Totally exhausted. But relieved, so relieved the pain had stopped.

Her body was still shaking involuntarily at times, as it remembered the pain. She then threw up down the front of her silk dress. The big man just continued to hold her. She tried to say something but her teeth were chattering. She hadn’t known such pain was possible.

Slowly the ringing in her head died down a little, her breathing slowed along with her racing heart and she started to notice the people around her again. The other sparked affines were just looking at her calmly.

Tiel then slowly reached up towards her shoulder again.

“No, No, No!” Celie screamed. Fear sending her into a complete frenzy. She went crazy trying to escape Bolo’s grip but couldn't. She cried and screamed hysterically, “No, no, no.”

Tiel hadn’t even touched her, yet the terror in her eyes was plain to see. Tiel nodded at Bolo. Bolo released Celie and she immediately dropped to her knees and started pleading with Tiel. “Please. No, no, no.” She pawed at his feet begging him not to do it again.

An hour ago Celie would have thought it impossible she would be on her knees before anyone begging them not to hurt her. But that was then and this was now. And there she was. And she didn’t care. All she knew was that the pain must not start again.

Tiel looked at her. “I think you have learnt today’s lesson. I trust you will show the proper respect due to your fellow sparked affines in the future. Alona, see Celie to her room. It’s time for me to get back to the dance.”

With that, Tiel and Bolo left.

Celie just curled up into a ball on the floor trying to forget what had just happened. Every minute or so her body shook with the remembered pain.

Alona sat quietly next to her holding her hand. There was nothing she could do for her. Time was the only thing that helped. She knew this from experience. It was over ten years ago she was curled up on the floor like Celie, but she could remember the experience vividly. How could anyone forget. No amount of time would ever completely erase the experience from her mind.

Marsh noticed Tiel and Bolo returning to the Royal Hall a good while after they had left. Celie had put up quite a fight he assumed. He then turned his attention back to Queen Kaliron who had sought him out amongst the throng of guests.

“I trust the banquet is to your liking,” Marsh said.

“I don’t think I have ever seen so many delicacies in one place at any one time. You truly are spoiling us,” replied Kaliron.

“If I can’t spoil my new friends then who can I spoil.”

“So we are friends now,” Kaliron said. "That is good. So as my friend you won’t mind if I ask the Council to sort out the details surrounding the borders of Mabel Forest as a matter of priority. I would like a clear document labelling the precise location of the boundaries, under my authority as soon as possible, to avoid any unfortunate misunderstandings.”

“Of course,” Marsh replied. “I have already instructed Viri to visit you tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Kaliron said, “I look forward to it.”

The Queen was about to leave when Marsh put in, “And as friends, would you be able to make my visit to the Forest Vaults, a matter of priority, too”

“Marsh, I am unable to do so from here,” Kaliron said, “But you have my word that I will make the necessary preparations when I arrive home and will send an invite when all is in place.”

“Thank you,” Marsh replied smoothly. “I Iook forward to visiting soon. Very soon, please.”