The bond we share

9. A powerful imbalance

I don't know how much time has passed while I rock myself on the floor. I know there is truth I'm meant to find here, but there is only so much I can take. The look on Leandra's face when Mitace's fear of losing her took him over, pushing him to do such an unspeakable act in front of a room full of people, sickens me.

Tom has tried to calm me, but the scene plays over and over in my head.

"I felt her fear, Tom. She was confused. They are new to these feelings and experiences. They are like children exploring the world."

"You have to go back Bree. You wouldn't be seeing this if there wasn't a good reason, I know it."

I look up through the flames into the darkness beyond, screaming as loud as I can to the maiden. "Why are you doing this to me?! Why? WHY? WHYYY?"

The ground shakes as the maiden's voice rumbles and echoes. "All will be revealed in time."

Pain rips through me as the fire dims enough to see through the flames again. I'm still on the floor, unable to stand yet. Leandra is on the floor looking very disheveled, her blood staining the small area between her thighs while she sleeps.

The air around her is hot, heavy, and carnal. Bodies are entwined, not loving acts but the most animal, primal acts. Mitace walks toward Leandra with a drink in one hand and a small plate of fruit, cheese, and bread in the other. Hands reach out for him from the masses of naked bodies rolling around on the floor. He propels their advances away with a nudge of his foot, not giving them a second thought.

Mitace reaches Leandra's side, his cloak that covered her moments before seems to have slid off her a little, exposing her far more than Mitace is now comfortable with, he places the plate and cup down at her side to pull his cloak back up, covering her naked form once again.

Leandra stirs and flinches a little when she opens her eyes to find Mitace so close at her side. He does not say a word as he sits beside her. Gently he pushes a cushion behind her, propping Leandra up enough to have some food and drink.

Leandra winces as she gingerly moves to adjust herself, causing worry to mark Mitace's face.

"Are you alright?" he asks.

Leandra shoots him a look that makes Mitace shrink back. Leandra looks around the room at the others, fornicating and losing themselves. The grunts and groans fill the room and the heat increases.

Leandra moves in closer to Mitace when a naked man walks past and winks at her.

"Why are you not acting the same as them?" Leandra asks in confusion.

"They seem to not care who they do it with. They have tried to get me to join in, but the thought sickens me. If it is not with you.... I am sorry, I cannot take back what I did. I cannot even begin to explain how I feel or what even possessed me to do such a thing. When I look at them and where they have taken this, I realize what the wise ones were saying, it took me to a dark place too, but seeing that look on your face will haunt me until long after my light is extinguished." Mitace says mournfully.

"I am not saying I'm okay with what happened nor do I understand, but I must admit, when I looked around, the first thing I thought was, I'm glad Mitace isn't doing that."

Mitace allows himself a hopeful smile. "I swear to you I'll never let anyone touch you." he says, reaching out to her, but retracts his hand quickly when Leandra flinches at his advance.

"Leandra, I'm sure I feel for you what the underlings call love. I have been running it over and over. When you love someone, you have a ceremony with flowers and talk about how you feel. Once you do the binding ceremony, you are bonded together forever. I want you with me for all ways, an eternity, feelings like that, I can't just forget like the wise ones want me to." Mitace says in almost a whisper.