Blood and Bonds II - Salvation's Prey

6. Secrets Revealed.

Suffocated by thick woven fabric, Isabella struggles to breathe as she is dragged into what she can only guess by the reverberating noises, a is large hall. The echo's inside are undeniable. The shroud is roughly removed and Isabella blinks wearily into the bright light. Her eyes drift around the spacious hall, carved into the mountain side. It is magnificent in it's construction. Giant pillars ceiling to floor, carved and depicting ferocious regal tigers. Fire's roar in large gold cauldrons dotted around the space, filling the air with aromatic scents of pine, cedar and birch. Vines with stunning white, pink and yellow flowers spread across the roof and stretch and wind their way down the pillars. Isabella  marvels at the wooden chandeliers that hang from the ceilings. They illuminate the hall so impressively. She can't understand how they glow without igniting.

A loud crashing thud draws Isabella's eyes. Roman is being shackled to the ground in front of 2 very ornate thrones. Charlotte is marched in beside him in chains and held by armed guards. Her eyes find her friends, all watching Charlotte stand solemnly, eyes to the floor. They are cuffed, arms behind their backs, ankles together, but only Bronson, and Andreas wear collars. Isabella notices she is only bound by chains. Isabella turns to see Nuka, Sloan and Thaeyard, arrested and restrained behind them.  To her shock, Nuka and Thaeyard have been placed in collars as well. "Nuka?" Isabella calls out, but he doesn't look at her. "Nuka?! What's going on? Where are we?"

"Shut up!" He grits without raising his head. "You'll only make our deaths quicker." He sours looking hopelessly at the ground.

The room is surrounded by guards, all tigers, all armed to the hilt. There is no show of force or escape well planned enough for them to get away. Isabella and Cartia become increasingly fearful as the guards around them begin to jab and prod them all with their spears. Bronson growls, trying to shuffle to Isabella and shield her from their barbs, but a guard yanks him down to the floor by his collar, making Bronson roar in pain. Isabella cries out for Bronson, her voice ringing with pain and concern. A guard kicks her in the jaw. "Silence! Mutt!" He spits over her.

Large doors open, and the moonlight streams in behind them. The same heavy slow thuds echo through the hall. Isabella shudders as the immense presence begins to almost suffocate her. Slowly she draws her courage to look at the source of the power spreading through the hall. There, slowly stalking into the hall, is the biggest tiger she has ever seen. Bigger than she ever believed conceivable to exist. He is almost a full head taller than Roman. She gulps nervously. His eyes threaten more than his growl. He prowls in front of the Alpha Elite, ignoring them completely as he growls angrily at Charlotte and Roman. Charlotte visibly trembles as Roman tries to lie lower to the ground. The tiger rears up and shifts into his human form. A large dark skinned man looms intimidatingly tall and broad over Charlotte. 

Silence takes over the hall. No baited breath escapes to disrupt the quietness. Everyone watches the man with Charlotte. He broods fuming over her, boring his angry eyes into her, burning her with his glare. "Have you -" with a mighty backhand, hits Charlotte across the face, sending her hard into the granite floor, "ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!" He booms ferociously. Charlotte whimpers on the ground, but she doesn't look up. "Do you realise the laws, THE ANCIENT LAWS, that you have broken?" The man roars over her again, as though powerful enough to shake the very mountain itself. 

Charlotte props herself up and glares emboldened at the terrible figure in front of her. "I know what I've done." She utters softly. The man turns enraged at her. Charlotte pushes herself up to her knees, before she struggles to stand. "I know exactly what I have done... Father." She spits angrily. 'The fabled King of the Tigers.' Isabella gasps inwardly. Even more regal and formidable as the stories tell. He stands marinating in rage glaring at her. Charlotte wills her eyes to stay clear as she stands quaking before her father. "I broke the laws because our people need a chance to live!" she shouts.