Kaena
Tiger on the Inside
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2007
- Posts
- 4,065
It took all of Kaelira's energy to hold back her anger at insolent way Lucian looked at Rowan as he approached him. Instead, she clenched her hands at her sides and stayed standing by her father watching. She had given Rowan the authority to carry out this part of Lucian's punishment and she had no intention of interfering. There were audible gasps from the crowd as Rowan pulled his tunic over his head and Kaelira could feel her father tense at her side as well, but, like her he made no move to interfere. The injuries on Rowan's body made it impossible for Lucian to deny what had happened.
To hear the words fall from Lucian's lips as to what happened rekindled Kaelira's anger and had Rowan been looking at her instead of Lucian he would have seen that her eyes had deepened in color. Her hand moved to the whip on her belt for a moment but then she let it fall to her side again. She could feel the crowds attention peak as Rowan spoke of what was to come next.
Rowan's shouted response to Lucian startled her. Up until then Rowan has been calm while speaking with Lucian. She knew for him to raise his voice she knew his patience with Lucian had come to an end. She could tell that Lucian was struggling with the apology by his mumbled response, however, she was happy to see that Rowan didn't let him get away with it and made him repeat it louder for all to hear. She felt a sense of pride towards him that he followed through on what he had asked for without faltering.
When he finally turned towards her, she knew what he wanted. Her hand hesitated on the hilt of her sword before she drew the blade and passed it to Rowan. She didn't speak but the fact that she relinquished the sword to him spoke volumes of the trust she had in him. Her face was unreadable as she returned to her father's side and watched as Rowan placed the sword on Lucian's shoulder, the blade dangerously close to the soft skin of his throat. The crowd fell silent as Rowan raised the blade and made as if to strike to only bring it back under Lucian's chin and force his head upwards so he had to look at him.
Kaelira couldn't help smiling when Rowan spoke of the day they met and her protection. She had meant what she had said those many years ago as a young child and they still held true today. She would do anything to protect Rowan and had proven it many times over the years. She listened as Rowan spoke of how striking him was like striking out towards her and through her to her father and though he spoke before that of her mercy, she was feeling anything but merciful in the moment. When he finally returned to her and knelt offering up the sword, she took it and slid it in its sheath, her eyes never leaving where Lucian still knelt. As she studied Lucian's face she swore she saw him smile as if everything that had just happened had done nothing to teach him a lesson.
"This isn't over yet," she said as Lucian started to get to his feet. He looked up at her startled. "What do you mean?" he stammered, his face going pale as he noticed her hand moving to her whip.
"That part was the punishment Rowan wanted for you," she said, undoing the whip from her belt. "This part is mine. Did you think you would get off as easy as only a public apology. You attacked someone under my protection and I am within my rights to enact my own punishment."
"No, please," Lucian pleaded, his eyes going to Garrick who still stood silent not interrupting. "I said I was sorry. I begged for forgiveness. I did what he asked me to."
"As Rowan said, attacking my servant is an attack against me and not something I will tolerate." Kaelira took a step forward, unfurling the whip as she walked. "My punishment to you is ten lashes, which you will count as they fall. If you falter in your counting I will start again. Do you understand?" Lucian fought to get his words out, his heart racing. He knew by the look in Kaelira's eyes there was no avoiding what was coming.
"Please Kaelira," he begged, his head dropping in defeat as she raised the whip. Kaelira paused for a moment looking at Rowan. She didn't know what he was going to think about what she was about to do since she had asked him what he had wanted for Lucian's punishment and her she was doing something else. She hoped he wouldn't be too angry at her for it.
"Remember, count," she said, turning back to Lucian and bringing the whip down across his back. Lucian cried out and then shouted "One". The whip eight more times with Lucian counting between each strike and begging Kaelira to stop. When the whip fell for the ninth time Lucian's voice was barely a whisper and Kaelira paused.
"I didn't hear you Lucian," Kaelira said, her voice cold. "Should I start over." Lucian's head snapped up, fear in his eyes.
"Nine," he screamed loudly. "Nine. I'm sorry. Please don't start over. Please."
"Better," Kaelira said rising the whip one more time.
"Ten," Lucian managed to say loud enough for everyone to hear before, his head lowering as he started to cry, his body shaking with his sobs. Kaelira stood there for a moment before walking over to him. Kneeling beside him, she placed her hand under his chin, her steely gaze meeting his.
"If you ever dare to touch Rowan again the whip will feel merciful to what I will do to you," she warned before getting to her feet and brushing the dirt from her knees. Seeing the shirt Rowan discarded earlier, she picked it up before turning to her father and taking a deep breath.
"One more thing father," she said. Garrick gave her a questioning look. "He is your warrior. Do you feel he has been sufficiently punished or do you wish to add to it." Garrick stood silent for a moment before speaking.
"Rise Lucian," Garrick ordered, his voice echoing through the yard. Lucian struggled to get to his feet and turned toward Garrick. "Lucian, as one of my warriors I hold you to a high standard. What you did not only brought shame to yourself but also me as one of my men. For that you are as of now stripped from your rank and are assigned to the northern border patrol for the next six months. You will be under Captain Thorne's command. You will not ask to be reassigned and you will obey all orders given to you. After the six months you may return but you will not be given back your rank unless you earn it and prove that you deserve it."
Lucian stood silent as Garrick spoke, all signs of his earlier confidence or cockiness was completely gone. Replaced was a look of shame and remorse. He had walked into that ring that day so sure that he was in the right and now he had been firmly put in his place. "Yes Alpha," he responded, his head lowered. Garrick waived some of his warriors over and they each grabbed one of Lucian's arms. He didn't fight them as they led him away.
The crowd dispersed quickly when it was all said and done and Kaelira stood alone with Rowan. Walking up to him she slipped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, his shirt still held in her hand.
"I know you may not be happy with what I did today," she said softly. "But I hope you understand why. Let's go home." Taking Rowan's hand she turned back towards the castle.
To hear the words fall from Lucian's lips as to what happened rekindled Kaelira's anger and had Rowan been looking at her instead of Lucian he would have seen that her eyes had deepened in color. Her hand moved to the whip on her belt for a moment but then she let it fall to her side again. She could feel the crowds attention peak as Rowan spoke of what was to come next.
Rowan's shouted response to Lucian startled her. Up until then Rowan has been calm while speaking with Lucian. She knew for him to raise his voice she knew his patience with Lucian had come to an end. She could tell that Lucian was struggling with the apology by his mumbled response, however, she was happy to see that Rowan didn't let him get away with it and made him repeat it louder for all to hear. She felt a sense of pride towards him that he followed through on what he had asked for without faltering.
When he finally turned towards her, she knew what he wanted. Her hand hesitated on the hilt of her sword before she drew the blade and passed it to Rowan. She didn't speak but the fact that she relinquished the sword to him spoke volumes of the trust she had in him. Her face was unreadable as she returned to her father's side and watched as Rowan placed the sword on Lucian's shoulder, the blade dangerously close to the soft skin of his throat. The crowd fell silent as Rowan raised the blade and made as if to strike to only bring it back under Lucian's chin and force his head upwards so he had to look at him.
Kaelira couldn't help smiling when Rowan spoke of the day they met and her protection. She had meant what she had said those many years ago as a young child and they still held true today. She would do anything to protect Rowan and had proven it many times over the years. She listened as Rowan spoke of how striking him was like striking out towards her and through her to her father and though he spoke before that of her mercy, she was feeling anything but merciful in the moment. When he finally returned to her and knelt offering up the sword, she took it and slid it in its sheath, her eyes never leaving where Lucian still knelt. As she studied Lucian's face she swore she saw him smile as if everything that had just happened had done nothing to teach him a lesson.
"This isn't over yet," she said as Lucian started to get to his feet. He looked up at her startled. "What do you mean?" he stammered, his face going pale as he noticed her hand moving to her whip.
"That part was the punishment Rowan wanted for you," she said, undoing the whip from her belt. "This part is mine. Did you think you would get off as easy as only a public apology. You attacked someone under my protection and I am within my rights to enact my own punishment."
"No, please," Lucian pleaded, his eyes going to Garrick who still stood silent not interrupting. "I said I was sorry. I begged for forgiveness. I did what he asked me to."
"As Rowan said, attacking my servant is an attack against me and not something I will tolerate." Kaelira took a step forward, unfurling the whip as she walked. "My punishment to you is ten lashes, which you will count as they fall. If you falter in your counting I will start again. Do you understand?" Lucian fought to get his words out, his heart racing. He knew by the look in Kaelira's eyes there was no avoiding what was coming.
"Please Kaelira," he begged, his head dropping in defeat as she raised the whip. Kaelira paused for a moment looking at Rowan. She didn't know what he was going to think about what she was about to do since she had asked him what he had wanted for Lucian's punishment and her she was doing something else. She hoped he wouldn't be too angry at her for it.
"Remember, count," she said, turning back to Lucian and bringing the whip down across his back. Lucian cried out and then shouted "One". The whip eight more times with Lucian counting between each strike and begging Kaelira to stop. When the whip fell for the ninth time Lucian's voice was barely a whisper and Kaelira paused.
"I didn't hear you Lucian," Kaelira said, her voice cold. "Should I start over." Lucian's head snapped up, fear in his eyes.
"Nine," he screamed loudly. "Nine. I'm sorry. Please don't start over. Please."
"Better," Kaelira said rising the whip one more time.
"Ten," Lucian managed to say loud enough for everyone to hear before, his head lowering as he started to cry, his body shaking with his sobs. Kaelira stood there for a moment before walking over to him. Kneeling beside him, she placed her hand under his chin, her steely gaze meeting his.
"If you ever dare to touch Rowan again the whip will feel merciful to what I will do to you," she warned before getting to her feet and brushing the dirt from her knees. Seeing the shirt Rowan discarded earlier, she picked it up before turning to her father and taking a deep breath.
"One more thing father," she said. Garrick gave her a questioning look. "He is your warrior. Do you feel he has been sufficiently punished or do you wish to add to it." Garrick stood silent for a moment before speaking.
"Rise Lucian," Garrick ordered, his voice echoing through the yard. Lucian struggled to get to his feet and turned toward Garrick. "Lucian, as one of my warriors I hold you to a high standard. What you did not only brought shame to yourself but also me as one of my men. For that you are as of now stripped from your rank and are assigned to the northern border patrol for the next six months. You will be under Captain Thorne's command. You will not ask to be reassigned and you will obey all orders given to you. After the six months you may return but you will not be given back your rank unless you earn it and prove that you deserve it."
Lucian stood silent as Garrick spoke, all signs of his earlier confidence or cockiness was completely gone. Replaced was a look of shame and remorse. He had walked into that ring that day so sure that he was in the right and now he had been firmly put in his place. "Yes Alpha," he responded, his head lowered. Garrick waived some of his warriors over and they each grabbed one of Lucian's arms. He didn't fight them as they led him away.
The crowd dispersed quickly when it was all said and done and Kaelira stood alone with Rowan. Walking up to him she slipped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, his shirt still held in her hand.
"I know you may not be happy with what I did today," she said softly. "But I hope you understand why. Let's go home." Taking Rowan's hand she turned back towards the castle.
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