Untamed Gift (Book One of the Items Trilogy)

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  They walked in and the marble was cooler that the normal stone. Shade and Marlin followed as he walked to the right, of circular the table. Once Rakkian and the other man entered, the doors closed behind. This room wasn’t flamboyant, but it wasn’t passionless either.

  Shade trotted around Alex and made the queen smile when he picked up a chair with his teeth and moved it out of the way. He walked up and sat on his haunches. He wanted to sit beside the queen herself. She didn’t protest, in fact she found it remarkably entertaining.

  Alex pulled the next chair back and sat down. Marlin sat one seat over to his left so Lily could sit between them. Rakkian sat uncomfortably to the right of the queen, but was three chairs to her right. Plus he remained silent, per her standing order.

  “Please leave his items here in front of me. You may then do what you normally would.” The queen said to the guard and he sat the items on the desk before her. Before he left through the doors, he bowed.

  “So what is the law, for what he did?” Alex asked Allahandra once it was awkwardly silent.

  She smiled as she leaned forward. Allahandra had to look around Shade. “In our laws when one party commits a heinous crime, like attempted murder, only the victim, the family or the capturer may pass judgment, with the arbiter’s consent to fairness that is. To make a fair judgment one must have a third party person present; that is impartial to the crime. There are few exceptions to overrule an arbiter, but they are only if an agreement cannot be solved by the present law. As it is, attempted murder is in the law and the victim or the family members of the deceased can ask for an execution. If the person was only protecting themselves and killed their attacker, they will not be held accountable so long as it was truly and justifiably self-defense.”

  Then there was a knock coming from the door behind them. “Come in and join us Lily!” Allahandra announced.

  From behind, the door squeaked on the hinges as it opened. Alex turned in his chair to see Lily walking towards them. She was freshly washed and so was the clothes that seemed to be ringed out by hand. Her arm wasn’t covered in blood and he was grateful that she looked healthier. Her sheathed swords continued to move with each sway of her hips. Her steps made soft clicking sounds while making her approach. She then looked cautiously between each of them.

  She pulled the seat back and sat between Marlin and Alex. She was quiet once she pulled her seat forward. Glancing at her wound from Rakkian, the back of her arm looked better already.

  “Now that we are all here we may get started.” Allahandra began speaking casually. “First off I wanted to thank each of you for joining me. This is my private audience chamber as well as my war room. When something happens, each of these chairs will be filled with my generals, commanders and my aids. But for now, it shall be our private meeting. How would you like to proceed, Alex?”

  He glanced between Allahandra and Rakkian. “I would like to know why you showed up in person today, Allahandra.”

  She smiled because he said her name rather than from the question. “Actually I would have been there sooner if I hadn’t put the pieces together so slowly. I received a report from my men saying that there was a man who could communicate with a fiend, but I was unable to meet you last night as I wished. I would have undoubtedly met you either today or by tomorrow at the latest. Then there was another report brought to my attention that explained about your other companions, Lily and Marlin. When I had everything compiled of you and your friends, I realized too late with the correlation between Rakkian and Lily. Once I found the link and heard that my general called for a practice session, I realized then the true significance of his motives. I called for an escort immediately and made it just in time before everything began spiraling beyond my control. By the time my carrier brought me, you pinned my general to the ground. The rest you already know.”

  While he pondered what she said, Alex glanced at Lily. Her beautiful features were looking at the general in a confused way. “What is the matter, Lily?” Queen Allahandra asked.

  “Your Majesty…”

  “Allahandra,” The queen corrected.

  “Allahandra,” Lily said in modification. “what is the connection between me and the general? I cannot remember if we have ever met, let alone why he would try to do as he did.”

  “Tell them your story Rakkian.” The queen said compassionately and as an order. The once proud and calculating general looked forlorn as he glanced between all eyes in the room. He sighed and put his face in his large hands. His shoulders were hunched and looked withdrawn. All his pride melted away at recalling some terrible memory from his past. It was horrific to him.

  Shade nudged Alex with his nose. “Tell me what he says word for word. I also want to know what has made him so pitiful to look at.”

  “Alright,” The general finally looked up from his hands and his eyes were beginning to swim when he met Alex’s stare. “I might sound weird to all of you, but I’m going to translate everything we say to Shade. He is as much apart of this meeting as we are.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Allahandra said in allowance. “Proceed, general.”

  When Rakkian began speaking Alex began translating to Shade in a quieter voice. The general’s tone became sad and distant.

  “This all started eight years ago. I was eight-and-twenty years and I once had a loving wife and a beautiful daughter. My daughter was nine years old and was the beacon of my life. I joined Freelan when I was but fifteen and that was where I met my wife two years later. Once my family had started we moved into this city. I had a great life and a great family to come home to.

  “One day, my wife gained news that her mother had become deathly ill. I was granted permission from Commander Gambit to escort my wife and daughter to my in-laws. It was a three weeks journey from here, riding horseback.” His face became even more pained, if that could be possible. “Along the way, we were ambushed after we set up camp for the night. I didn’t even know what happened until I regained consciousness. I awoke, securely bound to a tree and stripped of my items. I searched for my family and saw my wife’s lifeless body only a foot away from me. Her throat had been slashed and I can still see her lifeless eyes looking back at me, screaming for help that I couldn’t come to her rescue. I screamed for her, but it had been finished for too long.

  “Then I spotted my little girl…” The general’s voice cracked and a stream of tears trickled down his cheeks. He didn’t want to continue, but had to. “She was close to the fire, but wasn’t alone. I screamed and watched helplessly as she was being raped and tortured before my very eyes. She tried screaming for me to save her, but every time she did, he would strike her face. My screams and demands only made the bastard rape her that much harder. Then I saw you!” He pointed directly at Lily.

  Her eyes were wide with conformation, she finally understood his motivations. Then she balled up her fist and quickly hid it under the table. She was visibly shaking, but it wasn’t in panic, it was from rage. Alex placed a hand in her arm and her eyes cut into him dangerously until they softened from his serene expression. Whatever she was remembering both was and wasn’t specific to this exact event.

  The general continued, despite the fact Alex was trying to help comfort Lily. “I will never forget that night, never. You were just a year older than my daughter, but I remember your white hair and purple eyes along with a dead expression on your face. When you showed up in the middle of my daughter’s rape you said ‘Master Peile, we have other obligations that you need to accomplish.’ He then retorted with ‘I’m almost done here, Lily, I’ll meet you with the horses when I’m done.’ Then you left without another word or look.

  “Once he was finished with my daughter he snapped her frail and bleeding neck. He smiled and thanked me for the best night he’s had in months. He left me there tied up to wallow in my misery. Everything my life stood for was meaningless now. I so wanted to kill him for what he did. And when I find Peile I’ll be sure to kill him.”

>   “Right after I get a hold of him!” Everyone was stunned by the acid coating Lily’s voice. Things went from his sadness to her unbridled anger almost instantly. The muscles in her arms were flexing and straining and her jaw was clenched shut. Her eyes were looking deadly at the table’s surface. Her fair and creamy complexion had now turned bright red. She began breathing heavily while trying to calm herself.

  Once she had she locked her eyes into the general’s again she said “Do you honestly believe your daughter was the only one my master raped?” Rakkian’s expression widened in surprise of her slicing words. “Let me give you a lesson on what it is to be a true Kings Guard. When we are removed from our parent’s homes and taken to be raised in Ravan’s Royal City, we are trained by instructors until we turned to the age of eight. At that age we are given to a specific master, to further our training. I was chosen to be tutored under Master Peile. He is the top general of King Runkamon and they are the best of friends. I was excited to go into the next step of my training until the very first night I was assigned with Master Peile. He raped me too. And he did so every time his whim wanted. I was as helpless as your daughter when it came to his desires. He didn’t like mature and older women because they weren’t fresh enough for him. His only perverted taste was for girls under the age of fifteen. And I learned the hard way not to fight because it only seemed to excite him that much more. When my item’s restraints were freed in my sixteenth year I was finally free of him. I was then able to do as I…”

  Someone had raped the woman Alex cared so deeply for and got away with it? How could a grown man do those things to a child? How could he still be alive after someone told the tale of his raping of young girls? Alex wondered in unchecked anger.

  Suddenly his heart began thundering in his chest from hearing this. His body was feeling hot and he clenched his jaw tightly. Alex began shaking with even more rage than Lily. It was the same sensation again, but there wasn’t anyone to take it out on. Why didn’t it coarse through me hours ago when I needed it most? Alex asked himself. Why did it react now? The feeling is unreliable. The strength came out of nowhere and it needed to be released. He had to find something quick or else he’d go insane from the rage and sudden surge of strength. Alex zeroed in on the table before him for some reason. Maybe it would help calm his rage?

  His assessment wasn’t too far off.

  He grabbed the table itself and began squeezing the wood as if it were little more than wet clay. It crackled and snapped under the superior strength of his hands. The sound of the crunching and splintering wood echoed off the walls with a sickening, grinding reverberation. He just held on to the table so he could relieve the thundering tension his body was under.

  All turned to see where the sound originated and went still at seeing what he was doing to solid wood with only bare hands.

  “Alex! Alex! Alex, calm down! You need to relax!” Allahandra shouted, but he couldn’t acknowledge her at the moment.

  Then there was an explosion as the four guards from outside burst into the room, weapons drawn when they heard her yell. “All of you outside! Now!” She ordered to the four dangerous looking guards back to their posts. They looked worried, but did their duty in obeying.

  He slowly released his grip on the table and the crushed woodchips fell into his lap and floor. Hands clasped together, he forced to calm himself down. Then his power crashed harder than ever as he began shaking even more and it was impossible to stop the rolling tremors. Someone was out there who could do such a despicable thing to Lily… His body wanted to fight this Peile even more. Ripping him in half with his bare hands would be the least of his worries

  “Do any of you know how to temper him? If you do, make it quick.” Allahandra said quickly.

  There was a sudden pressure on his shoulder, followed by a sound of air suddenly being sucked through clenched teeth. “I can’t,” Lily announced as a sensation barely registered on his shoulder again. A hissing sound happened when there was pressure. “He’s too hot to touch! It’s like his skin is on fire! What’s going on? Should I go get water?”

  “Just give me a minute.” Alex said through gritted teeth. He then hugged his ribs to restrain himself before he destroyed anything else or harmed her. The violent, full body, spasms had returned with renewed vigor.

  Everyone sat in silence, and a few minutes later everything began to ease, slowly. Alex was breathing heavily, but he managed to look over at everyone. “Pardon my actions. I don’t know why it overcame me just then.”

  “Do not worry about it, Alex. Just relax and take things easy. We have as much time as you need to take. Relax and cool down.” Allahandra then looked over to the general. “Now do you understand what I meant about not upsetting him? Imagine if he had his hands around your neck right then.”

  Rakkian’s eyes were wide with acknowledgement.

  The story needed to continue for a judgment to be reached so he said “Well this general now has three people out for his head, but that doesn’t answer why you went after Lily. From your story she didn’t do anything. So why?”

  Rakkian looked away in shame. “I thought if he killed my little girl I should do the same to his apprentice.”

  It was silent for several minutes. Alex’s body relaxed and his temper cooled. Lily was looking between her first friend and the woodchips in his lap, rubbing her pained hand. He saw this and asked himself in horror and revulsion; Did I burn her? How? What just happened? Marlin and Shade were pondering something while the queen and general just sat in quiet.

  “So you have heard the honest story, Alex. What will be his consequence?” Allahandra asked and then slid Rakkian’s five items across the table. They stopped in a loose pile in front of Alex.

  He studied the shiny metallic items. “I will not be the judge. He wasn’t after me nor is it my right to decide.” He swept the items to the left. “It is your call, Lily. Your choice will decide his fate.”

  Her amethyst eyes studied his restrained grey, the items before her and the general who sat across the table. It wasn’t difficult to understand why she silently deliberated over the issues. A smile faintly touched her lips when she found a conclusion. Her eyes landed on the general. “General Rakkian, if I was in your position I might have done the same thing. There will be no punishment. How about we call a truce? If I find my former master I’ll let you have the first go. Does that sound fair?”

  Alex smiled faintly and she glanced at him and smiled herself. He was proud of her decision. She didn’t think of revenge, only forgiveness would save them both, but she also gave him a bonus. She gave Rakkian closure and a chance to exact his justified revenge. His heart swelled knowing she was growing as a person instead of a mindless warrior. She was becoming a woman he was thrilled to know. She was Alex’s first and dearest friend.

  The general sat thunderstruck at his sentence. His jaw was hanging by its hinges and his broad shoulders were still slumped in denial. He was not prepared for such a result. In the depths of his dark eyes, he was prepared for the ultimate punishment, but what he received was nothing. It was faint, but he said “If that is your verdict I’ll gladly accept that punishment… Thank you.”

  Lily grinned and used her unharmed left arm to thrust his items across the table. It made all kinds of metallic clattering as it skidded to his side of the table. He stopped them with both hands, but left them on the table. He still looked too shocked for words and for honest realization.

  Queen Allahandra smiled proudly as she clasped her hand together atop the table. The sound almost made all in attendance jump in surprise. Alex’s senses were all still on edge and his hopes rekindled in this group. Her tone hinted on enthusiasm as she said “That was a kind and wise verdict, Lily. I still needed my best general around here. He has a long record of saving our hides. Now that this matter is officially settled it is time for the next one.” She then glanced playfully at Alex. “Now it is your turn to ask the question I’ve seen you chewing on since my arrival.�
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  Alex grinned. “You said you know about what I am or who my clan is… Can you please tell me what I am?”

  She sparkled her white teeth and tucked a few strands of hair behind an ear.

  “Alex, you are what is known as a Furion.”

  Chapter 21

  Furion, what is a Furion? Alex began searching through all of his memories for anything he’s ever come across related to that one single word. Everyone quieted down in the room even more as he leaned back into the chair to think. I’ve never heard nor read the word before, but the meaning feels almost terrifyingly right. He thought to himself.

  It sounded like he was some kind of wild barbarian. It sounded so angry, primal and dangerous, but the earlier reactions associated the word perfectly to him. His fury for Lily being raped had undoubtedly triggered something within him. Furion sounded like the fury his body was thundering to unleash moments ago. Was my clan somehow related to the Fury itself? He wondered absently. It was an original name, hot and untamed. I am a Furion. He declared inside his thoughts. His strangeness had a name now. He was classified for the first time in nineteen years. But what does it all mean?

  “Allahandra, what exactly is a Furion. What are we supposed to be?”

  She leaned to the side and rested her arm on the armrest. “That is difficult to explain because there is so little written about what you are, your capabilities or your people. Very few know the word Furion, even amongst nobles. But from my rare sections of gathered text I’ve pieced together over the years, they were seen as incorruptible and worthy of the truest honor. Their skills in battle and fairness were unparalleled by any other peoples.”

  Allahandra then crossed her legs as Alex mindlessly continued translating for Shade, without even realizing it. She seemed unnaturally accustomed and relaxed to his animalistic sounds despite how some people become anxious when he communicated with Shade. Alex’s focus was only on the queen as she continued her explanation.