Banished

by Anita Philmar

  Perfect in her naked form, she stood waiting for him to give her an answer. Her nipples tight like berries called him, begging him to sample her soft touch. He lowered his gaze to the pink petals of her pussy.

  If he could only taste her sweet juices one more time and pound out the desire already swelling in his cock.

  “Because the other world is where I belong.”

  She stepped forward, but he lifted his hands to stop her. “You know who you are now and where you came from. Your place is here.”

  “But you can stay here with me,” Kesia argued and advanced toward him.

  “No. The Queen can’t pardon me. Too many others have committed the same crime and are locked out of Ardenia. She won’t be allowed to forgive us all.” He turned and stepped to the door. He needed to leave while he still had the resolve to go home without her.

  “Then I’ll go with you.”

  “You can’t,” he barked, his voice rougher than he intended. “We both know your responsibilities lie here with your mother, in Ardenia.” He didn’t mention how much he’d miss her, or how he really wished she could go back with him. “We must say good-bye now and let it go. You have your life, I have mine.”

  He gripped the latch and opened the door. Without looking, he stepped forward only to come face to face with his brother.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Oxford blocked the doorway, preventing Havyn’s escape.

  “Back to the dungeon,” Kesia said with authority.

  Havyn’s shoulders dropped, and he shifted away from his brother’s bulky form.

  Oxford grabbed his brother’s arm and shoved him out into the hall.

  “Take him there until I ask for him again.” She glanced at her guard’s black skirt. “And get him some clothes. I don’t want women gawking at his, uh, man parts. Something like what you’re wearing will be fine.”

  She shut the door without even glancing at Havyn.

  He turned to his brother. “I guess there’s no way I can convince you to just let me leave.”

  Oxford turned and walked away with Havyn at his side. “From the look on Kesia’s face, she’s not done with you yet.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Would he become her slave after all? If she imprisoned him only to release him when she felt the need to make love, then he could still enjoy her body occasionally.

  He shook his head to banish the thought.

  “Oh, I know that look. I’ve seen it a few times on my wife’s face. Kesia is out to extract some of your blood. She’s making you pay for whatever you did.” Oxford raised a brow of inquiry at Havyn’s crime.

  “I didn’t do anything.” She belonged here, and he belonged in the human world. A fact they both had to deal with. “I just hoped to give her back the life she deserved.” Havyn shook his head in confusion. She must realize they didn’t have a future together.

  “Well, she must not see it the same way, because I’m warning you, that girl is out for revenge.”

  Havyn didn’t argue. Instead, he followed his brother back to the dungeon to wait for Kesia to pass her sentence on his alleged crimes.

  ****

  “Mother, more people were involved in what happened the day I disappeared than just our family. All of Ardenia fell under a cloak of fear.” Kesia examined her mother’s face to judge her reaction. Her mother frowned and set down her cup of tea.

  “Now I’ve returned,” Kesia held her hands out to the crystal rocks in the fireplace, “I think everyone should learn the truth about what happened, but I don’t want to retell the story a hundred times.”

  “And how can we achieve that objective? Hold a meeting?” Her mother didn’t look pleased.

  Kesia thought others outside the royal court needed to hear the tale. “Yes, I invited a few more people to your chamber to listen to what I have to say. That way, I won’t need to repeat myself.”

  “Like whom?” Her mother’s skeptical voice rang through the room.

  “Well, Melvin of course, so he can put the story in his playback shell.” Kesia hit a new finger each time she named a new person. “Havyn because he returned me to you and deserves to know the truth. Rodman, as head of the council, should be here, and Omar could round out the number.”

  Full of nervous energy, Kesia paced across the room. The white silky fabric of her robe danced around her knees. “We need to show everyone we want to be honest and up front about our past.”

  Her mother gave her a funny look. “Yes, but somehow I get this uneasy feeling you’re planning to spring something else on me, too.” The Queen shifted in her chair and lifted her cup of herbal tea. “Is there more to this meeting of yours than you’re telling me?”

  Kesia walked to her mother and kneeled at her feet. “No, you, like everyone else here in Ardenia, don’t know the full truth. I’ve been gone for almost ten years. I’m a stranger in my own homeland. The small childish impressions of this world when I left have changed, people are different.”

  Her mother lowered her cup and took Kesia’s hands. “That’s to be expected, my dear. It takes time to adjust to a new situation.”

  “True, but we should correct the problem my disappearance caused.”

  “What problem—”

  A loud knock sounded on the chamber door, and Kesia jumped to her feet. “Oh good, everyone is arriving right on time.” She rushed to open the door.

  People filed into the room, but her mother kept her seat. Melvin, the first one through the door, walked straight to her side and sat next to her. Kesia could hear them talking, but with other people coming in, she didn’t understand what they were saying.

  Oxford and Havyn were the last ones to arrive. Kesia shut the door behind them. Her gaze caught the thin, black skirt that barely covered Havyn’s butt cheeks. She ignored the cravings his thick thighs invoked in the space between her legs and stepped to the center of the room only to face a sudden bout of panic.

  She clamped her hands together to hold her fears at bay as everyone turned. Her stomach twisted into a knot. Their eyes held questions as to why she’d called them to her mother’s chamber. “Thank you, everyone, for coming here on such short notice. My mother has generously agreed to let me explain the cause of my disappearance from Ardenia to all of you. We want everyone to hear the truth.”

  Kesia turned to Melvin. “After you setup your shell recording, we’ll start.” She indicated the chairs around the room. “If everyone else will take a seat...” Omar sat at the far end of the room by the door, while Rodman, head of the people’s council, took the chair closer to the fireplace. “I think we can get started right away.”

  Oxford and Havyn stood by the door. Two other chairs were available between Omar and Melvin if they decided to sit down, but she wouldn’t force them to. Instead, she placed a small stool next to her mother’s feet.

  Melvin touched her shoulder. He nodded to indicate she could begin. She sat down, spread her robe around her ankles, and turned to her mother. The rest of the people in the room, she ignored. “I am breaking a promise I made to my sisters by telling you what happen the day we disappeared. Noelani and Danella were determined to go into the human world. They had no clue as to what we would face once we stepped on the other side of the gateway.”

  Kesia paused and tried to think how best to continue.

  Her mother took her hand. “Take your time.”

  “We, uh, were playing by the crystal arch.” She searched her mind for the words and impressions her sisters stressed at the time. “We talked to everyone returning home so we could understand what was happening in the other world. Danella, upset about Havyn’s trial, relayed the problems facing our kingdom.”

  Kesia wondered how she could’ve been so naïve. “At the time, as a child, I didn’t know anything about the war going on outside our borders. Giants, humans, wizards, dwarfs were all silly names for mystical creatures that held no threat to my fun or the future comforts of my home.”

  She turned to H
avyn. His gaze showed the pain inflicted in the past. “I’m sorry to admit. I laughed at Danella when she told me Havyn would be exiled. I innocently thought he could never tell a lie again.”

  “A good guess for a small child.” Melvin’s comment drew her attention to him, and he gave her a wink.

  She smiled and squeezed her mother’s hand. The nervous tension running through her drove her to her feet. She walked to the front of the fireplace, then turned and paced back.

  “I didn’t understand what Noelani and Danella meant when they told me Havyn used his skill to help the humans. I thought changing forms was fun. I didn’t see any harm in him using his abilities against the giants and dwarfs. I figured a halfway decent wizard would see through the disguise anyway so in my mind he’d committed no crime.”

  “Here, here, I told you she was a smart girl.” Melvin cheered her on.

  Her mother laid a hand on his arm. “Melvin, we all know how you hated the restrictions we imposed on our people after the war, but let Kesia finish with her story.”

  “Yes, yes, you’re right. Go ahead my dear.” Melvin waved one of his pale wrinkled hands at her to get her started again.

  “I didn’t care what happened to the young boys who left to help with the war. I didn’t see the connection to my world.” Kesia glanced at Omar’s wavy blond hair. His dreamy blue eyes met hers. “But Danella did. She longed for the return of the boy she loved.”

  Omar’s mouth fell open in shock. “A-are you saying she loved me?”

  “Yes, she talked about you all the time. Her fear was that you would step over the line, or do more to help the humans than the government would allow.”

  “But the rules were clear.” Omar straightened in his seat. “We could only be seen in our human form when we were dealing with anyone outside of Ardenia.”

  “Yes, but you felt the urge to change.” Kesia turned and wandered back across the floor. Her mind searched for a way to explain her sister’s concerns.

  “So is that the reason why you went through the gate, so you could search for Omar?” Melvin’s words jerked her out of her musing.

  Kesia stepped to the stool in front of her mother. “Danella, Noelani, and I simply wanted to go through the archway for a moment to see the other side. We never imagined a band of giants would be waiting for us.”

  The tears in her mother’s eyes hit Kesia in the chest. She sat and took her mother’s hand. “They had us under a forget cloth before we could run. Confused, we didn’t fight. A dwarf sold me for as much as he could get.”

  Kesia bowed her head, hiding the tears that blurred her vision. “I never saw my sisters again.”

  Her mother’s arms circled her shoulders. Kesia held onto her mother for a moment. Pain cut through Kesia’s heart at the life she led in the other world. “And I wouldn’t have found you again if it weren’t for Havyn.”

  She whispered under her breath. “I’m so sorry for hurting you.”

  “Well...” Rodman cleared his throat. “Since we’ve heard your story, I suggest we all get back to work.” He scooted to the end of his chair and lifted his round belly. The white toga-wrap bunched around his middle, exposing his fat thighs. His height didn’t top hers by much.

  He stomped across the room but paused near the exit. Havyn and Oxford blocked the door.

  “No, you’re wrong. We need to correct the mistake we made in the past.” Kesia drew out of her mother’s embrace and stood to face Rodman. “I don’t understand why everyone who comes to our world must go to the dungeon first. They deserve better.”

  Rodman turned. “Because we must maintain security. The dungeon has been the entry point since you and your sisters disappeared.” His fat face glowed red, evidently angry at the idea of changing the outdated protocol.

  “Exactly my point, no one stole us. We left of on our own.” Kesia lifted her chin and clenched her fists at her side. “Only people with shape-shifter blood can come through the portal. Why do we need the extra security?”

  “Because exiled people might try to return.” Rodman pointed a thumb at Havyn, a very rude sign of disrespect. “He’s a prime example of why we send everyone to the dungeon first.”

  “And what has he done?” Kesia glanced at the other people in the room, gauging their reaction to her words. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Havyn. He brought me home.” She turned back to Rodman. “Was I greeted with joy and excitement?”

  His stern look told her she wouldn’t find support from his corner.

  “No,” she said before he could answer. “I arrived in the dungeon. Guards grabbed me and spears were pointed at me like I was a threat to...to what?” Anger boiled through her blood.

  “I haven’t done anything wrong. I returned to a home where I should’ve been welcome. But no, no one wanted to believe I could even be from here.”

  “Now, dear, we didn’t know what happened.” Her mother spoke in a calming voice. “If we overreacted, it was because we were trying to protect our children.”

  Kesia turned to the fireplace and stared at the crystal flames for a moment. The world she’d left behind had changed. Fear and doubt had its grip on the whole country.

  Her mind raced over the memories of the last ten years. The life she’d led. The dread she’d faced every morning to just get out of bed. She couldn’t help but rebel against the idea of anyone here having to live with that type of fear.

  With a deep breath that didn’t ease the overwhelming desire to win this battle, she turned to the other people in the room.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “No one else knows about us except other shape-shifters. We shouldn’t treat our own people like criminals when they travel to the other world.” Unable to tame the enraged voice inside her head, she turned and continued to argue. “Is it because of Havyn? Was his crime of saving human lives so heinous we have to live in fear forever?”

  “Now, dear,” her mother said in a soothing voice. “We can review the policy and change it if we need to.”

  “Here, here.” Melvin clapped his hands and stood up. “Finally, we have someone with passion, and we can lift the heavy cloak of the past.”

  “Melvin, don’t encourage her.” Her mother sent him a stern look.

  He grinned and took Kesia’s hand. “You’re right, little one. The time has come to remove the redirect spell on the transport stone. I think I’ll go do it, right now.” His unsteady legs took him pass Rodman.

  “Wait Melvin, we need to get a vote from the council.” The Queen rose to her feet.

  “No, we don’t.” He shook his gray spiked head and continued on his path to the door. “The Queen ordered the spell to be put on. The Queen can take it off.”

  “But I didn’t tell you to remove it.” Her mother took a step to stop Melvin.

  He turned with a wide smile covering his face. “True, but she did.” He pointed a crooked finger at Kesia. “She, my queen, has a say in this country, too. Her power if you remember rivals your own.”

  Her mother stared at him, mouth open, eyes wide. She quickly recovered from her shock. “You’re right, Melvin.” Her eyes glittered with an emotion Kesia couldn’t decipher. “We should remove the redirect spell.” With a regal wave of her hand, she dismissed him and sat back down.

  “The council should vote on this.” Rodman stepped to his chair. “We spend a lot of money to protect our country. It would be terrible to fall under an enemy attack now.”

  “We’ll review our security policies at the next meeting.” Her mother looked over at Kesia. “Does this sooth your desperation to right the wrong your disappearance caused?”

  Amazed by the insight her mother had into her heart, Kesia shook her head. “I’m sorry to admit it’s not enough.” She had to also convince them to pardon the boys who violated the rules of war.

  “I didn’t think so.” Her mother’s gaze peered into Kesia’s soul. “You want me to also pardon Havyn.”

  “No!” Silent through the meeting, Havy
n suddenly stepped forward. “I’m not asking for you to pardon me, and Kesia has no right to ask for me.”

  She looked at him. A stubborn spark lit his dark eyes. She smiled. He would willingly leave her before he’d beg for forgiveness for a crime he thought he committed.

  “You’re wrong.” She turned back to her mother and once again sat down. “Havyn, like the other men who broke our law, are proud of the help they gave the humans. They don’t need to be pardoned. They defeated the giants and dwarfs and established well defined boundaries between each group. We are at peace.”

  “But,” Rodman spoke up. “You’re being young and foolish. You believe we’ve mistreated these men.”

  Kesia took her mother’s hand and ignored the man. “I see a series of events that started with Havyn’s trial. Danella longed to go to the other world because she wanted to save Omar. After all, the courts had exiled Havyn from Ardenia. She couldn’t let it happen to Omar, too.”

  Pictures of her sisters flashed in her head, their smiles, voices, and the strong thirst for victory. Silently, she asked for their support in this battle and forged ahead.

  “Danella, Noelani, and I made a promise. Part of which, I broke when I told you we went through the gate to search for Omar. The other part, we fulfilled without realizing it.”

  “What do you mean?” Her mother gripped her hands.

  “My sisters knew a lot of the boys who left our world to help the humans. They couldn’t bear the thought of them never being able to come home. So we swore, after the war we would travel to the other side, find each boy and bring him home. We’d prove to you and everyone in our world that we supported what they did to help the humans.”

  “Why would you plan to do such a thing? You had no idea of the politics of the time. You were children.” Her mother worried her head back and forth. Her gaze darkened with the pain she’d experienced at the time.

  “That’s probably true, but we did see our friends being locked out of their country.” Emotions gathered at the base of Kesia’s throat. “That’s why I can’t stay. I’m honor bound to my sisters to return to the other world.”