Rooftop

AN: Here's the start of Arc Two!



The light returned slowly, infused with some sort of heat riding on its wake. It curled through him, making his suddenly pained body feel less...broken. His blood grew hotter and boiled in his skin, though there was no hurt with it, only a comforting familiar presence coming through him.

Ethan opened his eyes slowly, confused and wary of what was going on. The throbbing in his temple dimmed, eventually diminishing completely, and he shifted his head to roll his gaze to his side. Nothing but darkness, complete and utter darkness, tinted with a vague sort of glowing haze.

God, it felt like he'd been asleep for months.

But that wasn't right, because he hadn't been asleep. He'd been knocked out. In a rush, it all came crashing back.

Gevi frowned and glanced down at Ethan. “I can't believe you actually Bonded with this little thing. And here I had thought you were merely keeping him a sex slave. Though, he's not to my tastes exactly, but I suppose he is sort of cute, in a mutated way.” The white Luftleutian chuckled darkly. “And he has to go with us, you say? Hmmm...Well, I don't know if he'll survive the flip, but if we have to take him with us...” Gevi swung a sudden fist down and punched Ethan square in the gut, knocking every semblance of breath from his lungs and making his vision spin as he gasped. “-he'll have to be asleep. No need to thank me, Urure, I'm just helping the little guy out.” He sent a gleeful look down to Ethan. “Better than risking a sedative to put him to sleep.” His sight lifted back to Fen. “Right?”

Ethan heard Fen struggle then, his chains rattling dangerously. “Bastard!”

Ethan trembled on the edge of unconsciousness, and he was rapidly tipping over that edge, his mind staring down into the dark void. It felt like he was falling, though he was still on the ground. His lungs wouldn't fill back up with air and everything ached so. He needed to close his eyes. As his lids fluttered shut and his eyes rolled back to say hello to his brain, he heard one last thing, spoken by Gevi.

“Well well, my dear prince, I hope you're excited about going back home. Your father has missed you so.”

It all went dark again as Ethan passed out.

And now he was awake, and oddly not in pain. Recalling those bone-breaking blows to his body from that group of rough Lufteutians, Ethan was surprised to find himself resting reasonably comfortable against a warm flat surface. Oh right, he'd been healed when he'd completed the Bond with Fen. But...What about that wound to his shoulder, where the one called Gevi had torn a hole in his skin? Or his abdomen, where he'd been punched hard enough to knock him out? Why didn't that hurt?

As his senses fully returned, he became aware that the heat slowly coursing through him was centralizing from one part of his body. His arm, to be precise. A moment of contemplation allowed Ethan to realize that Fen was gripping his arm. Rather tightly too.

The light familiar touch wasn't required for Ethan to know who it was. A new presence making itself known in his mind told him, without a doubt, that Fen was only two feet away from him. Every nerve ending in his body was straining towards the warmth of his Bonded lying so quietly beside him. This new knowing must be from the Bond. The completed Bond.

Cautiously, he explored the new link. Fen had always spoken of feeling him, of having him in his mind, easy to explore through his mind. Though, Fen had also promised to never do that, unless Ethan gave him permission, because, as Ethan could tell, Fen wanted to.

Fen wanted to just crawl into his brain and pick apart every single thought and memory to keep as his own. Well, shared with Ethan. And he could understand his Bonded's desire to do something like that, cause then there would be nothing secretive between them. Nothing hidden. Though...Ethan wasn't sure he was ready for that. Fen knew most everything about him, but there were some things he needed to keep for himself.

Not that he wanted to have secrets, but there's something to be said for having something that's all your own. Some knowledge or thought that you never share with anyone. Ethan feared that if he shared all of those things with Fen, he would cease to exist.

Silly as that sounded.

Also...if Ethan had to be prodded, he could begrudgingly admit he wanted to be able to do the same to Fen. So, unless they could do it to each other, Ethan wanted to keep his last shred of independence.

But now, he'd be able to do it. He'd be able to share that with Fen, completely with him and get everything in return. The thought made him giddy and he smiled in the darkness.

Though, it wasn't that dark. At least, there was some odd reddish glow suffusing the air. And Ethan tried to remember why the light looked familiar. Something about it was...well, familiar. He'd seen this light before.

Speaking of strange lights, where exactly was he anyway? Did they put him in a jail cell?

Something was off about all this, but Ethan couldn't quite grasp what. The new knowledge of Fen's link bubbled beneath his skin, and though it was odd, it was also comforting, Ethan could feel a tight coil of tension in his stomach relaxing from the feel.

The heat from Fen's grasping palm on his arm was fading, and Ethan abruptly realized why he wasn't hurting anymore. Fen had healed him again.

“Thanks, Fen..” He whispered gratefully, reaching up to his shoulder with his free hand and feeling no more wound, and not even a scar. “Fen?”

But there was no answer.

“Fen?” Shaking his arm slightly, Fen's hand fell off limply and landed on the floor beside them.

Fen had healed him, but in doing so, he'd passed out again.

“Oh for god's sake, you idiot.” Ethan grit his teeth irritably, sitting up and groping out into the darkness, trying to find Fen's face. They'd been in the same position, heads facing the same direction, and Ethan held his palm up to Fen's lips. Softly, but strongly, there were steady breaths puffing past his fingers, calming his fears. “I appreciate the help, but for once, for once, can't you just take care of yourself a little?”

Obviously no answer again, and Ethan snorted through his nose, wanting nothing more than for Fen to wake up so he could whack him.

If there was any doubt to Fen consciousness, it was proven by the larger male's lack of response to Ethan's 'snarky way of thinking'.

Just soft breathing. Breathing, as Ethan noticed more and more in the quiet dark, that sounded slightly strained.

He remembered Fen's wounds. The broken wing, snapped in two by one of that bastard Gevi's thugs. And what of before Ethan had been captured? He was positive that Fen must have struggled quite strongly and most likely acquired more than his fair share of cuts and bruises while trying to defend himself.

There wasn't any lights that Ethan knew of in this room they were in, but he had his hands and he made use of them, feeling lightly over Fen's arms and chest and down to his legs and then back up to his face.

Yeah, cuts and bruises. Or at least, Ethan was pretty sure they were bruises. Raised bumps where there shouldn't be bumps over the forearms and thighs. And blood-crusted cuts, from either branches or from blades, Ethan didn't know. It didn't matter either way, because they were brought about by the same thing. Fen's people. Chasing him through the woods and torturing him.

Ethan sat grumpily in front of Fen's silently wheezing form, glaring at him in the darkness. There nothing he could do. No way for him to help. Uselessness always made him irritable.

Maybe he could search Fen's brain for the answers. Fen could read his thoughts, so why couldn't he do the reverse? No reason. Or why couldn't he just reach out and heal Fen? Like Fen did for him?

Logic was enough to give him the courage to reach out hesitantly towards Fen, smoothing his hands once more over that exposed chest.

“Heal.” He said loudly, pushing down.

Nothing happened.

“Heal.” He said again, more forceful this time.

Still nothing.

“Uhh...” Moving his hands off Fen's skin, he waved them in little circles slightly above it. “I call on the powers of, uhhh...Bonding, to...Umm, grant me the power to...heal?”

Was that a whisper?

Nope. It was just Ethan's shoes scraping against the floor.

Goddammit.

Dejection ruling his features, Ethan sank back, fighting back tears of frustration. He didn't know how. He didn't know how! Damn him! Damn Fen for leaving him all alone and helpless, for not telling him how.

How to heal, how to fix this, how to do anything. And now, he was left alone again and totally and utterly useless. God, he hated feeling useless.

He should just give up. He'd never get it right anyway. He couldn't do anything right. He was useless. Why did Fen even love him anyway? Who would love someone as pathetic as him?

Fen.

Slanting his eyes to the side, he gazed down through the darkness at Fen. By now, his eyes were adjusted enough that he could see the outlined form of the other male. Oh, Fen.

Fen wasn't useless. Fen was good, and kind, and nothing like Ethan. But, he loved Ethan anyway.

If someone like Fen could love someone like him, then...Ethan must not be as useless as he thought.

No, no, he wasn't. Not if Fen loved him.

With a new burst of confidence, Ethan knelt once more by Fen's side and placed his hands on Fen's chest. At first, he was lost for what to do, but then...Then he just let his feelings guide him.

That coil of knowing in his brain began to unravel, snaking out to his arms and down to his hands, lending him comfort and strength he hadn't known was there. Warmth, gentle and slow, spread through his fingers and seemed to melt from them into Fen's skin, creating a faint glow which spread slowly over that broad chest.

Abruptly, Ethan could actually feel each wound. The bruises felt like they were on his own skin, and it felt as if new cuts were opening all over his arms and legs. But, thank goodness, he didn't feel that bone breakage. His lack of wings could be attributed to that, and for the first time, he was acutely glad he was wingless.

But the ache from those other injuries made him start to shake. But, he didn't stop. Without even knowing if what he was doing was right or the correct way, he kept on it. Because, as he focused on each bit of himself that hurt, he was able to make the pain lessen somehow. With one bruise numbed, he'd move on to the next. With all his might, he hoped he was actually healing, and not just killing off brain cells.

It was getting more difficult to maintain that stream of heat through his arms. It felt as if wires were tied from his brain to his fingers, and with each passing second, it was growing tighter, pulled by some unseen force.

Sweat began to form on his upper lip and around his temples, dripping down slowly as he started to pant. The knowledge of Fen's various hurts, made Ethan realize that when he'd slit his wrists, Fen had had to feel them as he'd healed him.

“I'm...sorry...Fen.” He wheezed out, growing tired.

With no clue when to stop, Ethan held fast, determined not to give up until...

Until something happened.

His chest heaved as if he were running a marathon, and his muscles began to cramp. Ironically, his mind felt stronger and more efficient than it ever had before, and Ethan fed from the new heat, trying to overcome the fatigue in his limbs. Mind over matter, right? Or, in this case, mind over muscles.

“Come on, Fen, come on.” He gasped, his heart pounding and making his head ache. “Come on. Just wake up, for god's sake, wake up!”

Deja Vu.

Just like in the hotel room, when Ethan had been begging for Fen to wake up, to come back to him.

Though, there was one major difference between this time and that time.

This time, Fen woke up.

He grunted once, shuddering and coughing weakly.

“Ohhhh...” Fen groaned, voice so deep it sent thrills through Ethan's body. “Ethaaan...”

It was so weird to hear Fen speaking. The difference between hearing Fen's thought-speak and hearing him use speech was minute but still noticeable. Like hearing someone on the phone, and then hearing them right next to you.

“Ah, Ethan...” Came a disgruntled huff, and a clawed hand reaching out to touch Ethan's shoulder gently. “Why did you do that?”

Ethan blinked, puzzled. Scooting closer, he queried, “Do what?”

“Why'd you heal me? I was already healing myself in a sleep. That was stupid of you to waste your energy on me.”

A moment passed, and Ethan sat silent, skin prickling. “Excuse me?”

“Now you're weak, and I'm improperly healed. No good came from your misguided efforts.”

Ethan snorted, eyes narrowing to slits. “Oh. I'm so sorry, you jackass. I didn't mean to waste my energies!” He stood on unsteady legs, fully enraged now. “Not that I even knew what I was doing, or how to do it! Not that I wasn't trying to help you, you ungrateful jerk! Or trying to wake you up, so I wouldn't be alone! Or use these damn useless powers I suddenly have, cause of you, to make you better, because...because...!” Breaths coming hard and angry, Ethan turned away, stalking off into the darkness and hoping he didn't trip over something to make him lose his steam.

But Fen reached out and caught his wrist, slowly dragging him backwards to his chest and curling him close. Ethan fought briefly, then allowed himself to be pulled limply into that lap.

“I'm sorry, my little temperamental love. I just worry about you.” A broad palm stroked down Ethan's spine, seemingly casual but making him arch into it. “If I'm not awake to guide you, I don't want you risking your new abilities. We don't even know if you have all the same as me. There's no recorded cases of a Luftleutian Bonding with a human. Or any other race for that matter.”

“Never?” Feeling a touch of pride and honor, Ethan preened. “No one's done before us?”

“I didn't say that.” Fen corrected. “I said it's never been recorded. I seem to remember hearing a story when I was younger about some woman who Bonded with a human male, and then she went insane and killed them both...”

“...Wow, thanks for that. I'm not worried at all now.”

“-But I'm sure we will be fine.”

Ethan remained quiet, sighing.

Fen barely made a sound, except for the occasional hiss of pain as the room they were in jostled of rumbled. They must be a carriage of some sort, or a vehicle. A large barge, perhaps?

A particularly rough shake had them skidding several feet to their sides, and Fen almost screamed, but it only came out as a thick groan.

“Fen?” Ethan whined, reaching up and grasping Fen's face in the darkness, stroking softly. “Are you okay? I...” He flushed in embarrassment, realizing this might be his fault. “Did I make it worse? By trying to heal you? Did I hurt you more?”

Fen sighed and nuzzled into Ethan's hands, his jaw clenched in obvious anguish. “No, no it wasn't you. You actually did very well. I'm...impressed by how well you did, without even knowing what to do.” A shiver made him shake. “It's actually a little...frightening how well you did.”

Pride made Ethan's flush fade into a contented smile. “Why is it frightening?”

“Because it took me a long time to learn how to heal, and yes it's easier using my mind to heal you because I had Bonded to you, but, I still had to learn before I could do it. And you...” Fen paused, searching for words and obviously having difficulty finding them. “You...Without learning how, or having anyone to help you, or anyone to even demonstrate, you...just did it. I've never heard of that before. Not even the healers, who come from families where that's their strongest power, can do that. They all have to apprentice beforehand. And...I don't know. It's...unusual.”

Swallowing heavily, Ethan bit his lip. “Unusual...bad?”

For the longest time, Fen didn't answer. But, Ethan could feel him thinking. Feel the tumultuous riot of a brain working overtime, but he couldn't see what the thoughts actually were. He was unable to pick them apart and decipher them. They were too...

They were different. Regular thoughts, to be sure, but...The power that had allowed Ethan to heal Fen without knowing how, obviously didn't stretch to helping him read thoughts.

It was all just nonsense to him, so he tuned it out. Apparently. Because as soon as he didn't want to hear those confusing rambling noises, they stopped. Fen was still thinking though, but Ethan had made himself stop hearing it.

“No.” Fen said suddenly, his voice concise. “Not bad. This could be good. I'm...not sure how yet, but it could be very good.”

Relief washed over Ethan, and he breathed out, relaxing once more against Fen's chest. “Thank god. I thought you were going to tell me there was something wrong with my brain or something. You know I'm just waiting for you to go insane and kill me, right?”

Fen laughed, then winced. “Ah, my wing...”

Ethan felt like puking when he pictured the ugly way bone had protruded from bloody torn flesh. The bruises and cuts had been well within his ability, as he'd come to discover, but the wing, well, he hadn't even gotten that far. Fen had woken before he could focus on it.

“Should I try and heal it now?” He whispered, tentatively.

“What?” Fen was firm. “No.”

“Why not? You're awake so now I can heal you and you can tell me how to-”

“No, I said. Ethan,” Fen shook his head with effort. “Bones are different. Big bones are much different. They've got to be set and then binded. The healing ability isn't just some magic poof, and then every thing's healed. It's more like an acceleration. The bone still has to knit together. Without pain relief, I'd rather you not move my wing. It's hard enough to keep it still. I feel like my back is breaking.”

Fen's voice faltered on the last few words, and Ethan could feel the trembles in his large frame. If there was anything Ethan could do for his mate, he wanted to try.

“Fen, I want to try and...I don't know...help you. Is there any way I can, like...make the pain less?”

For a brief moment, it seemed Fen would refuse the help, but he only hung his head and grunted, nodding.

“Okay. But...I don't know how to do it. You've got to tell me what to do.”

Fen took a deep breath and grasped Ethan's small hands in his larger palms. Then he placed both hands on his own shoulders, over the collarbone. “Here,” He murmured. “This is where I hurt most, because I am struggling to hold my wings still. You cannot do much for the broken bone, but...just some heat and numbing would be better for my back. And if it works well enough, maybe...”

“Huh? Maybe what?”

Fen did that damn quiet thing again, biting his lip like he didn't want to say. Ethan glared at him though, and that made him speak.

“Maybe, if it all goes well...you can try and numb my wing, so I can't feel it as much. But...I don't want to push you too far. We don't know your limits yet.”

Ethan thought that sounded fair, and he nodded once. “Alright. Tell me what to do.”

“What did you do before?”

Ethan thought, lightly gripping Fen's broad shoulders. “Well...I...First, I felt your body, trying to feel what was wrong, and I felt your bruises and all the little cuts on your skin. Then, I just...” The memory about how it had happened was still fresh in his mind. “Somehow, I could feel all the bruises and all the cuts on you, and every time I focused on them, they didn't hurt as much. So, I kept doing that.”

“Remarkable.”

Ethan's brow creased. “What?”

“You pretty much described what happens, what is felt during a healing session, perfectly.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I'm...pretty impressed, Ethan. And...I'm sorry, again, about what I said. I was just...” Fen rubbed at Ethan's back gently. “Scared. I really don't want something to go wrong, or for you to get hurt.”

“...Just shut up and tell me what to do, alright?”

Shifting and straightening his back, hissing through his teeth as he did, Fen took a deep breath. “Okay, do what you did before, but this time, just focus on the muscles. Try and...make them warm. When you focus on them, don't try to make it go away, just try and heat where they're tight.”

Not knowing exactly how he was going to do that, Ethan attempted to repeat his earlier task. After a moment, the same feeling began to creep down from his head to his hands and again out his fingers. Almost immediately, Ethan's back seized up, feeling tense and aching.

“Ow!” He whimpered, gripping Fen's collarbone and almost missing the slight grunt of pain it cause in the larger male.

Fighting to ignore the feeling, Ethan willed the warmth being generated by his hands to spread directly to Fen's shoulders, and slowly, ever so slowly, it did. An invisible path from his hands to the muscles below where he gripped began to form, growing wider and sinking deeper into the flesh.

Fen gave a small sigh, and Ethan could hear the relief in it.

A smile, from hearing Fen's reaction, grew on his face and he doubled his efforts. Push the heat out, make it grow, ignore the tightness in his arms or the low throb forming in his temples. His own back was becoming numb, and he felt a small tremble from Fen.

“Ethan...”

Odd how Fen's voice sounded so faint, yet Ethan was sitting right in his lap.

“Ethan.”

Was it growing fainter?

“Hey!”

His eyes snapped open and at once he realized how dizzy he was. “Ohhh...” Swooning, he tilted backwards.

Fen caught him easily enough and helped sit him back upright. Ethan's hands, still holding to Fen's shoulders, were digging deep into his mate's skin, and he had to pry them off with difficulty.

“Ohhh...” He groaned, shaking his head to get out the cobwebs. “What happened?”

“Don't worry,” Fen comforted softly. “You just pushed yourself a little too hard, and almost passed out.”

“Will I be okay?”

“Yeah. I imagine what you're feeling is equivalent to just giving blood. Rest a moment, and you'll be fine.”

Yes, he was weak, but he still had his priorities straight. “Are you okay?”

Chuckling, Fen kissed him on the forehead. “Yes. I feel much better. Still have a broken bone, but my back feels much better, and you having gone too far even helped numb my wing. I don't know how long it will last, but for now, I feel relief.”

“Ah. Good.” Ethan breathed out, smiling faintly. “I'm glad. Jus...Just give me a minute...” His voice was sleepy and he snuggled up to Fen, resting his cheek against his mate's chest and closing his eyes.

Focusing on his breathing, Ethan gradually grew less dizzy, but no less tired. And Fen's body was so warm anyway, it didn't help his exhaustion. All he wanted now was to just lean a little more, and rest his entire body against that well-known form...

“You haven't asked me about it yet.”

Ethan blinked open his eyes, tilting his face upwards to see Fen in the darkness. His mate's barely visible face was impassive and half-turned away. “About what?”

“...My...being a prince.”

Ethan snorted. “Uh, yeah. I already knew you were royalty or something. I'm not dumb, Fen. Jeez.”

“Oh.” Fen remarked, sounding surprised. “You...You really knew?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.”

“Yup.”

Fen seemed mildly embarrassed after that, and Ethan shook his head, sighing. “Jerk. Have a little faith in me. I am somewhat intelligent.”

“Sorry.” The larger male murmured, dipping down to touch his forehead to Ethan's. “I've been so wrapped up in my secrecy, that I didn't realize it was obvious to you.”

“Well...Don't do it again.” Ethan advised, smirking at Fen's botched attempt at sneakyness.

“Okay,” He vowed, kissing Ethan lightly. “I won't.”

“Good.” He remarked playfully, nipping back at Fen's mouth. “Now then,” Pulling away, Ethan carefully got to his feet. “Where are we?”

“I don't know. I know where we're going though. Back home.”

“Well, that's helpful.” Ethan replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

With his arms out in front of him, he slowly walked across the room. The floor was strange underneath his sneakers. It dipped like it was soft and pliant, thought still sturdy. It certainly wasn't made from any kind of stiff material thought. Was it cushioning, maybe? That would make sense if they were in fact in one of those mobile thrones, like he'd thought earlier. A wall met his searching fingers, and he pressed up against it. It was definitely harder than the floor. Maybe made from marble or stone, or some such material. There were also grooves in the wall, every few inches, little lines running diagonally up and down.

Perplexing. Maybe it was a mosaic. Too bad they didn't have any lights. Who trapped people in a dark carriage anyway?

Ethan's eyes were becoming more and more accustomed to that mysterious red glow. There was a strange vibration thrumming through the floor, interrupted every few seconds by a distant thumping sound. Unnoticed until now, Ethan only came to realize it once he focused on it. Like a heavy bass pounding through to his feet, rhythmic and constant.

A sudden thunderous bellow quaked the room, making Ethan stumble as his knees went weak. “What the hell was that?!” He yelped, trying to get back to his feet as everything suddenly tilted and the floor tipped, making him slide down into the wall. Bracing his palms against it's hard lined surface, he tried to stand but it was impossible. A chorus of indistinct voices suddenly sounded over the throbbing hums of their room. “What's going on?!”

Suddenly, Ethan's mind blanked and pictures began to flash behind his eyelids, rendering the darkness null and void. Pictures Ethan didn't understand, couldn't comprehend. A giant wall, seeming to stretch to the sky and rimmed with threatening thunder clouds. A hut in the middle of a barren field, trees visible in the distance, and looking so sought-after. Then, a brief flash of a beautiful face. Like Fen's, but female and so flawlessly featured, Ethan almost wept. But then it was gone.

“Oh no.” Fen whispered, sounding full of dread. “It's the Wall. We're going over the Wall.” Fen's voice rang out somber and bleak, almost too soft in the chaos of the room.

“What wall?!” Ethan squeaked, recovering from the shock of that displaced vision and falling over again. “The great wall of China?!” The floor tipped in the opposite direction then, and Ethan gasped as his stomach flipped from the change of direction and he began sliding the other way, most likely into another wall.

But strong arms caught him about halfway down the floor and pulled him into a warm lap. “Fen!” Ethan squeaked again, clamoring closer to that securely, mysteriously, anchored body and twining his arms around that thick neck. “Please! What-?!”

But he was cut off as Fen abruptly kissed him. Not too strongly, but a little desperately.

{Ethan,} Fen thought-spoke, not moving his lips away and wrapping his arms around Ethan's back to hold him close. {Ethan, I love you. I love you so much.}

Then he was pulling away and burying his face in the curve of Ethan's collarbone. Ethan, for the record, was left a little dazed. “Uh...I do too. What's wrong with you? Are you alright?”

But Fen kept quiet, rocking Ethan in his arms and whispering soft endearments and thought-words simultaneously.

Confused and becoming a little frightened, Ethan clung back, burying his face in Fen's soft body.

The noise stopped. Their carriage stopped. Even the voices stopped. For a brief moment, Ethan feared he'd been struck blind and deaf, so abrupt was the change. But, then the voices started up again.

Fen suddenly tensed, as if to stand. “This is it.”

Then, the wall to their left, opened.

Ethan blinked in the sudden light, watching as the wall just lifted right away and opened to the outside. A figure appeared in the light, backlit by too-bright white, but still Ethan could make out who it was.

Gevi's voice was gruff and slightly fatigued. “Let's go, your highness.” Came his sarcastic voice. “We've still got a short way to walk, and my men aren't going to waste any more of their time on you than needed.”

He left without another word. When Fen motioned for him to get up, he did, and then followed his mate to the opening in the wall.

Outside, in the sudden blinking brightness of fresh air, he couldn't focus his eyes right away. But he could notice the temperature.

It was freezing.

But, strangely enough, when Ethan tried to exhale and see if he could make his breath billow out like clouds, it didn't happen. It was definitely cold enough for it, but the strange air wasn't letting him do that.

Their surroundings came into focus as Ethan's eyes adjusted, and he saw a guard by him, holding Fen's wrists bound behind his back by a short length of rope. When had that happened? Ethan was left untethered.

All around them, men were stretching and chatting softly, too soft for Fen to hear them, and so, too soft for Ethan to understand them. Instead, he examined his surroundings.

They were in a darkened hollow heavily sheltered by a thick canopy of trees. Trees, Ethan discovered with shock and awe, that were so tall, he couldn't even see the tops. Their trunks were broad and brown, covered in faint vines on almost all the ones that Ethan could see.

He'd never seen such trees, and all the surrounding chatter faded as he stared open-mouthed at the forest. The sky wasn't even visible, and though he couldn't see to make sure, he was fairly certain it was night-time. It had been almost sunset when they'd been taken by Gevi's men, so he really had no idea how long they'd been in their holding area.

Curious, Ethan looked back at their carriage, and the sight made him almost shout. Stepping back in awe, he felt his jaw drop. Unbelievable! The thing they had been traveling in wasn't a carriage or car at all! It was an...an...an animal! A living breathing towering creature! Some sort of giant turtle or beetle or insect or something!

Fen rumbled beside him, speaking softly. “It's a schildkever. They-”

Without even a warning, their guard had kicked Fen in the backs of his knees, bringing him to the ground with a hiss. “Shut it, you. No talking.”

How dare he! Ethan fumed, suddenly wanting to lunge at that bastard guard and tear his head off, but something stopped him.

He'd already done something like that, hadn't he.

Glancing down at his shirt, there was blood all over him. He'd bitten one of the guards who'd attacked them, causing him to drench him in the red, but then...even though he knew Fen had been controlling him...he'd still killed a man.

Fen had made him do it. Fen had made him kill someone. Why? Why had it come to that? Turning to Fen with pain in his eyes. “Fen-”

The answering look was one of understanding, but also frustration. “Ethan, just let it go. They would have done the same to you if-Ooph!”

Another swift kick, this time to Fen's ribs, and the guard sneered down at them. “I said shut it!” A baring of teeth was aimed at Ethan. “You too, freak, or I'll kick him again. Just cause I can't understand what you're sayin doesn't mean I'm dumb. You make one more word-” A hand encircled Fen's neck warningly. “And I'll break his neck.”

That was enough to shut Ethan up. But...they wouldn't really kill him, would they? They couldn't. Not after chasing him so fervently. Though, what if Fen were guilty of a crime? He'd never told Ethan why they wanted him back so badly. Not even a hint. Only slight slips and accidental mention of his royal heritage. But, so what if he was a Prince? Did that mean he had immunity? Maybe Fen had to go back for a trial, because he really had done something bad.

Fen, though having felt pain relief a moment ago from Ethan's aid, was now visibly in agony again. The guard hadn't pulled his attacks at all, and Fen looked about to throw up from the boot to his abdomen. He wished he could help him again.

Subtly, Ethan shuffled closer to Fen's side, reaching out with one finger and lightly tapping against the closest part of the other's body, his elbow.

Fen made a soft snort and carefully shook his head, but Ethan feigned ignorance of his signs.

The guard behind them was talking to another guard, seemingly distracted for the moment. Ethan took his chance and quickly reached inside for that spark that came so easily to him this time. He couldn't do much, but in a few minutes, he felt Fen's stomach heal a bit, the pain soothing to a tolerable level. As he pulled his hand away, Fen visibly sighed, looking slightly better.

Ethan, for his part, didn't feel too much more fatigue than before. It was mostly the same.

A glance to Gevi showed him also oblivious to Ethan's actions, so all was safe. The white Luftleutian merely continued chatting with some new people of Fen's kind who hadn't been back at their cabin in Canada. Some of these new arrivals were brown, and there was even another white one, but there were also other colors.

Compared to these people, the human race was drab indeed. One tall guard in similar garb as the previous ones, but colored a deep blue, and another a dull gray. As Ethan stared incredulously at these colorful folk, he heard a slight trembling rumble in his head. Fen, struggling to transmit thoughts to him.

{A...shk...schildkever. We were riding in...a schildkever. They are the main mode...of transportation for groups of my people, or people...who cannot fly. Do not be...afraid of them. We have bred them...for centuries and they are...quite harmless.}

Ethan wasn't afraid, and he tried to transmit that to Fen. Undoubtedly the message was received, because Fen gave him a short nod, smirking through his worn features. Ethan wished he could do something for Fen's exhaustion, but he wasn't doing to well on that front himself either.

Hopefully, they'd be lodging somewhere soon, maybe making camp or just taking a nap.

Right on cue, Gevi's stern voice rang out over the voices of all the men. “Alright men, get your supplies together. We've got to get back before nightfall.”

TO BE CONTINUED