by Beth Wright
feels as if he is trying to curse me or something. "Maybe this young, human female won't die as fast as the others we have placed down here with you, Mongoeliliens." Vultar's hands leave mine and he proceeds to step into the space between me and our captor. "Oh, I see, this one is different than the rest. Does she remind you of a daughter you have? Or is it much more than that?" His grin turns evil and twisted with hate and anger.
Noise from the cells all around us starts to rise. Then all start to yell and curse our captor. "Leave her alone, Darmark! We will kill you if you harm our leader's Tellianar!" Then one by one they soon stand at their cell doors. All of them are Mongoeliliens.
The one who touched my shoulder earlier is now raising his voice for Darmark to hear him and only him. "You harm her and I will help my father kill you slowly and painfully."
Lost and very confused about what is going on around me, I try to take in what's being said and what they all mean. Questions start to cram my thoughts; what is a Tellianar? Vultar is their leader? He has sons and daughters? Other human females? After pondering over question after question I soon realize it is silent all around me. Looking up I see all eyes on me. Even Vultar has turned around and is now facing me with a small grin on his face.
Darmark's evil grin widens then he speaks in a deep rough voice. "Yes. There were other human females." Growls and curses proceed to arise from the Mongoeliliens. "But they are all dead now." He steps closer to the light. "So, Little One, let's see how long you will survive down here. Maybe Vultar will care enough to keep you alive, unlike all the rest." He then lets out a very soft, evil laugh. "Or maybe, just maybe he will do as we all do here in this world. Mate you, then wait ‘till the child is born, then let you die. For then there is no need for you no more."
His laughing is soon drowned out by all the Mongoelilien's yelling and growling. I feel fear covering me once more. Fear of the unknown, fear of not knowing what's going to happen to me now. Vultar must have sensed my fear. He places his arm around my waist and takes me up into his strong gentle arms. Feelings of security soon replace the fear.
While in his arms I hear his voice louder than all the others. "Setiana is my heart, body, and soul mate!"
I have no idea what he is talking about.
"You did not forget that is what Tellianar means in our language? Did you, Darmark? For if you did know what it means then you also know I would give up my life first before I would ever let my Tellianar, Setiana die! "I notice his anger is growing as he states these words.
"I know all that you have said is true Vultar. But I must also let you know, one of my leaders desires to have your Setiana as his mate." Darmark replies in a salty, gruff voice.
Vultar is so pissed off now. I can feel all the heat building up as I also feel his muscles tighten up. "He may try to take her, but he will fail!"
"He will never be able to get her out of the cell with my father." Chains rustling and clanking against bars all around us are getting so much louder by the minute.
Darmark then turns and starts to leave. "We will see. Us Sorceurians can be very dangerous when angered!" he yells over his shoulder as he continues to leave.
Vultar's muscles start to relax. "Do not forget Darmark, Mongoeliliens are much more dangerous." Agreement from the others is soon heard. I then hear the dungeon doors slam shut behind Darmark.
All eyes then turn to me once again. Being the center of attention at times like this is really making me feel really embarrassed and shy. "It is okay now love, he is gone," Vultar whispers into my ear. "I will never let him or anyone else, harm you, Setiana." He then places me on my feet. Turning my head slightly I notice all the others smiling at us.
"My name is Gontar; I am one of the leader guards of our village. It is our job to keep our leaders and their scented ones safe. You have nothing to fear. We will be leaving here soon, young one." He then backs away from his cell door and sits down in one of the back corners.
"I never told you my name Setiana," Vultar's son then says softly. "My name is Tronarc." He then smiles at me. His smile is so much like his father's; warm and caring. "Soon our warriors, guards and other leaders will be here to free us all."
Hearing this brings back the reality of the situation. I have no place to go. No home, no family, everything is back in my world. I let my body slide down the bars to the floor. I don't know what to do now. Vultar kneels down within eye level to me and his expression reminds me once again my thoughts are not my own here.
"Setiana love, you have a home," he says ever so softly. "You are my Tellianar. My home is your home." Hearing his words melts me from the inside out. "You are mine and I am yours. No one else will ever have me from this day forward." His hand brushes my cheek ever so gently.
"How long have you all been down here?" He smiles, kisses my forehead and then stands.
"We have been here for two days." He stops then stares as if in a trance. His smile brightens and then he reaches down for my hands. I take his hands and he slowly helps me to my feet. "They are here. Soon we will be on our way home."
Loud noises and yells from above start to echo throughout the dungeon walls. Something is suddenly slammed against the dungeon doors from the outside. The sound of it being opened is heard shortly after. Mongoeliliens are now walking down the walkway. They look different. Unlike Vultar and the others they have tons of armor on them; beautiful, strong, looking armor. One stops in front of our cell. His armor is gold, black, and red. His cloak is black with red trimming. His face lights up with a smile then he grabs the bars and turns to face Vultar. "Vultar I think it would be best for your Tellianar to back away from the bars."
Vultar places his one arm around my waist and ever so swiftly and gently lifts me up and places his other arm under my legs. Being held in his strong arms makes me feel like a child. Oh great, I keep forgetting he can hear my thoughts. Soon I hear everyone laughing including Vultar. "You may feel like a child, but in all ways you are a woman." Once we got to the back of the cell the other Mongoelilien started his task of breaking the bars. They are so much stronger than I ever thought they could be. "We could not break the bars ourselves because of these magic bracers they had placed on us." Vultar softly says as he shows me his one wrist. "That is also why we do not have our," he pauses with a little chuckle. "Hmm how did you put it? Oh yes, our beautiful strong armor." He then laughs softly. Okay, now I definitely know my face is even redder then the last time.
The other was still busy at his task of freeing us, but somehow was still able to laugh when he heard what Vultar said. "Yes, that is what I heard as well, Vultar." He then looks up from his task to me. "Thanks, Setiana, I think my armor is very pleasing to the eyes as well."
Okay, this is the perfect time to hide my bright red face, and what better place to do it then to hide it against Vultar's wonderful strong chest? Thinking this soon brings lots of laughter from all the Mongoeliliens. "Okay, you know what? Since you can read my thoughts, then I do not need to ever talk again," I decided to point out.
"Yes, that is true. But then I would miss your wonderful voice." He then delicately places a kiss to my cheek. The other one is now standing in front of us. "Norgon, see if you can remove these," Vultar says as he places me to my feet and hands one of his spell bound bracers to Norgon. Norgon steps closer. He takes the bracer into his hands and crushes it to pieces, then reaches over and does the same to Vultar’s other bracer. As soon as Vultar's bracers are off he starts to change. Not really change, but armor starts to appear out of thin air, more like it is growing all over his body. I cannot help but watch in amazement as the armor finishes its appearance. It's more breathtaking then the others’ armor. His armor is gold and black with no red to it at all. So he's not human, but oh my god does he have a wonderful body. The armor just makes it more noticeable than before. Plus looking into his bright, golden eyes makes my heart skip a beat.
Idiot, why, oh why am I thinking about all of this? Of course, they all heard it too. All of them are now engulfe
d into laughter. "Alright you caught me, I'm a woman. We think like this a lot." I stop, and then softly say, "Okay, not a lot."
"Sure, Love. Not a lot,” he softly states with a grin. "Let's get out of this place, Love." He takes my hand and starts to lead us out of the dungeon. Once we have made it through the dungeon doors I soon come face to face with what slammed against the doors earlier. Both of the dungeon guards lay on the floor all mangled to shreds. Nausea hits me at the sight and smell of their deformed bodies. Vultar notices and lifts me once again into his arms and proceeds to carry me the rest of the way out of the castle. Once outside he places me back on my feet. As we walk through the gate to our freedom I start to see more and more bodies everywhere. My mind and stomach start to do flips and turns. Before I could do anything to help myself, once again I am being carried like a pampered child. He even covers me with his cloak so I can no longer see what is around us. My stomach and mind start to calm down finally.
Still unable to understand their language and it starts to frustrate me a little. Especially since Vultar is talking to his warriors and guards. Laughter comes and goes throughout their conversations. Even Vultar starts to laugh at certain things being said. They are more than
