The White Phoenix

A/N: This chapter is beta by Kylee.


Chapter Two:


Eighteen year old Mira looked as if he would rather be anywhere but there in the demon king’s castle, standing in front of his future dad in law’s chamber with his dad by his side. Dressed in a nice pale blue robe, Mira wore a crystal clear teardrop hairpiece that rested on his forehead between his eyebrows.

“You do know why you have to do this, don't you Mira?”

“I know Dad,” replied Mira.

“Maya is a nice person Mira, you have nothing to fear from him,” said his dad.

“It’s not him Dad, I already know that Urian’s dad is a nice person. It’s Urian. What if he is still mad at me for that slap and kick I gave him when we were seven?”

“Then he will have to get over it,” Maya answered the young man’s question from behind the two, giving them both quite a startle. He chuckled.

“Alexis, you still look as pretty as ever,” Maya commented to the young man’s dad, right before giving him a hug.

“And you also Maya. Your appearance never changes even after all these years. Not even a wrinkle on that youthful face of yours,” said Alexis with a smile of his own.

“Thank you for the compliment Alexis,” said Maya. Then he turned to the beautiful boy standing quietly to his side. Mira had grown up quite nicely. Long dark hair with captivating brown eyes and light skin, full lips and high cheekbones. Plus he was as tall as Urian. Beautiful was the only word he could use to describe this young man before him.

“Mira, I must say that you have grown up quite nicely. You were a short little boy back then, now you are as tall as Urian,” Maya complimented the boy.

“T-Thank you,” said Mira, his face turning bright red from the compliment.

“Alright, lets get inside. There is no need for us to stand around outside my chamber talking, when we could sit comfortably on a chair inside, enjoying a nice cup of hot tea,” said Maya as he swung his door open and let his guest inside.

“Where is your son Maya?” asked Alexis once they were seated comfortably across from each other. “Shouldn't he be here as well?” he added.

“He ran away as soon as his father told him that you and Mira were coming,” replied Maya.

“What?” Alexis uttered in surprise.

“See! I told you Dad that he hates me!” said Mira. “He still bears a grudge against me for kicking him in the knee and slapping him in the face.”

“I can assure you Mira that was not the reason why he ran away. I don't think he even remembers it. Urian does not want to be tied down to one man. He also doesn't believe that he could ever come to love someone he hasn't seen since he was seven,” Maya explained to the devastated boy.

“What are we going to do Maya?” asked Alexis.

“I will answer that question as soon as he gets here,” replied Maya.

“Who?” asked Alexis with bewilderment. He glanced at his son and saw that Mira was confused as well. They got their answer two minutes later when a tall man with curly light brown hair and light brown eyes entered the room.

“Sorry for being late,” said the tall man as he came towards them.

“Alexis, you remember Danny, Alistair son, don't you?” said Maya.

“Yes I remember Danny. He was a lively little boy, always making mischief. I remember his brother Marcus was always chasing after him, just to keep him from getting into trouble with the demon king,” replied Alexis. He still could not imagine that the chubby little boy from back then had grown up to be such a handsome young man.

“And he also chopped off your precious hair when you weren't looking Dad,” Mira reminded his dad as he recalled his childhood days at the demon king’s castle.

“Sorry about that,” Danny apologized as he tried hard not to grin.

“There is no need for you to apologize for something that happened ages ago. Besides, I needed a haircut anyway and you were just kind enough to do it for me,” said Alexis with a laugh. Then he turned to Maya.

“Now that Danny is here, would you mind telling us what your plan is?” he asked.

“Before I tell you my plan, I want to hear what news Danny has for me,” replied Maya.

“I received word from my father that he, Urian and Keriya are now on their way back to the castle along with your brother, Uncle Maya,” Danny reported.

“What about Noah? Where is he right now?” Maya asked Danny.

“According to his father Cain, Noah will be back here by tomorrow morning from his mission,” replied Danny.

“That's great news,” said Maya. “Now my plan is....”

-----------------

“You won't get away with this!” Skylas said loudly as Alistair bound his wrists together and tied him to a tree. “This won't stop me from trying to escape from you lot. Just you wait and see.”

“Then I shall do just that boy,” Alistair said with a cold smirk.

“For God’s sake Alistair, do we really have to tie my uncle up?” grumbled Urian.

“Yes,” replied Alistair, as he shoved a ball of cloth into Skylas’ mouth to stop him from uttering another word. “I don't know about you Urian, but I am tired of having to give chase everytime he tries to escape. I want to rest peacefully tonight without having to worry about your feisty uncle running off in the middle of the night to get himself killed by stray demons.”

Urian sighed with both hands on his hips. “What if I promise to keep my eyes on him the whole night? Would you reconsid----”

“No! Your uncle will remain as he is now,” Alistair interrupted firmly. “Your uncle is my responsibility until I get him to your dad and wash my hands of of him. Urian, you have no say in all of this,” Alistair added.

Urian didn't argue this time. As much as he pitied his poor uncle, there was not much he could do once Alistair had his mind set. He let out a long sigh. “Very well. Do as you wish Alistair, but don't forget to send me an invitation to your funeral. For I have no doubt in my mind that my dad will certainly kill you when he hears of this.” With that said, he turned and walked away.

Bound and gagged to the tree, Skylas watched his kidnappers in silence. They started a fire and sat around it, talking among themselves. Once in a while the older man would turn his way. Skylas would give the man a mean glare and the man would return his mean glare with a cold one. One that left him trembling in fear for his life. He had no doubt in his mind that the older man had killed numerous people before with that same cold look in his eyes. Skylas’ eyes widened when the older man got up from his spot at the fire. He grabbed a small satchel and walked up to him.

“What do you want?” he asked as soon as the man removed the ball of cloth from his mouth.

“You must be hungry since I haven't given you anything to eat all day,” said Alistair as he reached inside the satchel and took out a loaf of bread. He broke it in half and offered a piece to the boy. “Here eat this. It isn't very tasty but it beats being hungry."

Skylas had forgotten about food the moment the damn man bound and gagged him. Seeing the loaf of bread in front of him got his stomach growling, but being stubborn, he ignored his rumbling stomach.“I would sooner swallow poison than accept food from the likes of you!” he told the man off.

“Eat!” Alistair said sharply, ignoring the boy’s words.

“But I don't want to!” Skylas snapped at Alistair.

"Eat or I will force it down your throat!” Alistair warned the boy.

“Don't I have a say in all of this?” Skylas screamed out right before Alistair forced his mouth open and shoved the bread in his mouth.

“No!” came the short reply from Alistair after he stuffed the boy’s mouth with the bread in his hand. Then he stood up and left the angry boy alone.

Skylas watched the man walked away, his eyes burning with rage as he chewed the bread in his mouth. He watched the man sit back down near the fire. Then the young man who called him uncle stood up and walked towards him with water in his hand. By the time the young man reached him, he had chewed and swallowed the last of the bread.

“I am really sorry Uncle for what Alistair did,” said Urian as he reached behind his uncle’s back and untied his wrists.

Skylas snatched the water canteen from the young man and gulped it down. When he was done, he returned it to the young man. “Why the hell does he hate me so much? What did I ever do to him to get treated this way? I thought that he was to return me to my family, but the way he is treating me is more like i'm---”

“He hates Grandfather and he is taking it out on you Uncle Skylas,” Urian cut his uncle off.

“Why?” Skylas asked with bewilderment. “What did your grandfather do to him to make him take it out on me?”

“From what I heard from my dad, Grandfather killed the person Alistair loved the most in his life,” replied Urian.

“Then why the hell was he ordered to bring me back to your dad?” Skylas could not help but ask this very question.

“Good question there Uncle Skylas. Neither Alistair nor I know the true reason why my dad made my father order Alistair to find you. You will have to ask my dad that question when you see him,” replied Urian.

Skylas sighed and slumped back against the tree. “Am I really your uncle?” he asked the young man after a moment of silence. He still had doubts in his mind about the whole story of being kidnapped from his real family.

“Isn't it a bit late to be asking me that question Uncle?” remarked Urian with a smile. Then he sat down next to his uncle and gazed up at the orange and pink sky.

“I suppose you are right,” replied Skylas.

“Urian, isn't the sky lovely tonight?” they both heard Keriya say as he walked toward them with a big smile on his face.

“Not as lovely as you Keriya,” remarked Urian with a smile.

“Your charm doesn't work on me Urian, so you might as well save it for your fiancé,” Keriya commented.

“Damn you Keriya. Why did you have to bring up that subject? You know how I hate to be reminded of Mira!” Urian complained with a frown.

“Who is Mira?” Skylas asked before he could stop himself.

“Urian’s fiancé,” Keriya answered for Urian with a grin.

"Keriya, I swear that if you mention Mira again, I am going to tell Noah that you have a thing for him next time I see him,” said Urian.

“Hell, you can't do that Urian! You swore that you wouldn't tell him,” Keriya said in worried voice.

“Then I suggest that you stop mentioning Mira,” Urian said as he crossed his arms in front of him.

“Fine!” Keriya finally agreed not to mention Mira again in front of Urian. He swore silently that he would have a good laugh if Urian ever ended up falling in love with his fiancé Mira.

"You two, we have company," all three of them heard Alistair say as he came toward them.

“How many?” Urian and Keriya asked, knowing very well what Alistair meant when he said that they had company.

“We will get our answer soon enough,” Alistair said as his eyes gleamed with anticipation. He reached around the tree and freed Skylas as Urian and Keriya drew their weapons. Flaming arrows came flying towards them just as Alistair grabbed Skylas by the hips and slammed his body against his side. He managed to evade the burning arrow in time. He glanced down to see Skylas staring up at him. Their eyes locked.


End of chapter two.