The Guardian

So this is a quick update, hope you like it. Hurry and review so I can post the next chapter! Trust me it'll be worth your while >.O




Syah smoothed her dress as Thane checked their horse in with stable master of the Priest shop. She pulled her hood tighter about her face. She was in town, and didn’t want to be seen as a noble. Her father had eyes everywhere, if she was seen by the wrong people going into a Priest shop things could go badly for her.

“Wait outside; I’ll only be a few minutes.”

He nodded as he led the horse behind the building. She hated to admit that her father had caught her off guard with the information he had about Thane and his behavior towards her. But perhaps he had done her a favor. She hadn’t noticed before how strange it was that he was affectionate towards her. She knew that bondings were supposed to be performed by Priests, but she hadn’t been sure why. Perhaps she had done something she shouldn’t have and it was affecting both of them. She let herself into the dim shop, a small bell ringing on the door as she examined her surroundings. Candles burned on almost every surface, being the only source of light in the small building. It was a single room, a small fire burning in a filthy fireplace that was smothered by old ash from fires past. A single cot was made up in the corner where the Priest would sleep and desks upon desks and book shelves upon book shelves cluttered the room in what seemed to be no particular order. Books and parchments littered every surface, mixed with dust and old wax until it seemed that everything had been that way for ages.

“Ah, my Lady. I’ve been expecting you.”

Out of the darkness the Priest stood. He was a bent old man who looked to be nearing his two hundredth birthday. The hood of his robe was pulled up, shielding his face from her as he approached.

“I was hoping to speak to you. It seems I’ve got myself into a mess of trouble.”

He laughed low in his old throat, growing into a haggard cough as he pulled back his hood with his long aged fingers. The skin hung loose from his thin face, his mouth absent of any teeth as he smiled at her. Taunt skin was pulled across where his eyes should be, the most prominent characteristic of Priests.

“The land has been buzzing with your story. You’ve stood up to your father and his suicidal plans for this land. You bonded to a rogue guardian while still being bonded to Colar. And now you’ve won the hearts of your council and convinced them not to terminate you. Yes, you seem to be in quite a mess of trouble my Lady. How may I be of service to you?”

She lowered her hood to him and untied her cloak.

“It seems that I’ve bonded Thane incorrectly. I’m worried that it may have long lasting effects on our personalities.”

He made a worried sound in his throat as he motioned her closer.

“Let me take a look and see what you’ve done.”

He stretched his hand as the joints popped and complained. His palm exposed to her, he placed his hand against her cheek lightly, almost affectionately. He made another sound in his throat as he breathed, his lips tightening.

“Things are confusing in you my dear. Colar is still attached to you, although only lightly, he can feel the connection you and Thane have and dislikes it greatly. He sees you as a belonging.”

Syah scoffed as he removed his hand from her cheek and took up her right hand, it was the hand she had used to bond to Thane.

“Oh my. Oh my dear you’ve bonded him quite well. I can sense where he is and what he’s thinking, I can feel his surroundings, you’ve done quite well in bonding him. However, I can see why you are concerned. I must ask, have you been having dreams?”

She nodded as he released her hand.

“I see, well then, there’s nothing I can do for you.”

She shook her head as he turned to go back to his dark corner.

“What has happened? My bond to him isn’t normal.”

He turned to her again, his hands shaking and his lips tight.

“He is bonded to you as a guardian. But you are bonded to him as a mate. Priests are to perform bondings to prevent this from happening, to prevent procreation between the species. The only solution I can give you is to sever him from yourself, but I know this is not what you want for he could not be bonded to you again. Can I do anything else for you my Lady?”

She shook her head as she tied her cloak and lifted her hood to hide her face.

“No my good sir, thank you for your help.”

He lifted a shaking finger at her as she pulled four gold marks from her mother’s pouch.

“I beg of you my Lady, be careful, the punishment for affection between noble and guardian is death, a hanging for both of you will be sure if you are caught coupled with him.”

She swallowed hard as she crossed to him, taking his shaking hand and pressing the four marks to his palm.

“I appreciate you helping me, and for your warning. I would be forever in your debt if you would not speak of this to anyone.”

He smiled and closed her fingers around her offered gold.

“Your gold is no good here my Lady. No one shall ever hear of this. Go now, Thane is waiting for you outside.”

She bowed her head to him as she returned the coins to her mothers pouch and took her leave. Thane was leaning against the wall outside, standing to attention as she approached.

“You’re hungry, there’s a tavern down the road if you wish to eat.”

She shook her head at him.

“There are too many eyes here for my liking and I would prefer that no one knows of this visit. Fetch the horse and we’ll take our leave.”

He nodded and rounded the building, sensing the urgency she was projecting. She wanted to get home and away from Thane so she could think. If Thane really was bonded to her like that things could get dangerous. If her father discovered this he would surely move to sever him from her and she was sure the council wouldn’t see a reason to leave him if that were the case. Colar came upon her out of nowhere, his hand placing a grip around her wrist she couldn’t break free of.

“Colar! Why are you here!?”

He dragged her down the road as she tried to slip free. She was done for if he reported this to her father.

“I demand to know what you’re doing here, you’re sill bonded to me you know, you’re still my guardian and as such you are obligated to—“

During her speech he had taken her down a long alley and away from commoner eyes, he firmly slammed her against a stone wall, pinning her beyond any hope of escape.

“You were trying to sever me. I know you where and that’s why you went to see the Priest.”

She stared at him in disbelief, he had lost his mind.

“You know I can’t sever you without you being there. And you shouldn’t be here if my father or myself hadn’t sent you. You know there will be a beating waiting for you at home if he finds you gone.”

He scoffed at her as he easily pinned her arms over her head with one hand.

“Like the ones you’ve brought upon me with your lies. Can’t you see Syah? I love you, I’ve always loved you. Is it really so hard to see?”

She tried to struggle free as his free hand pressed against her throat, holding her still as he kissed her firmly. She bit his lip hard enough to draw blood as he cried out and drew away from her. She was panting with panic as she watched the anger rise in him.

“Fine, we’ll do this the hard way.”

Syah gasped as his free hand began to pull up the bottom of her dress. Panic rose in her chest then but she didn’t want to scream. She didn’t want the attention of commoners.

“Colar you’re on a fast track to the noose.”

He smiled as he kissed about her neck.

“But I love you Syah. I’ve always wanted you, and now I must take you before you’re beyond my reach.”

She flinched as she heard the sound of dense flesh against flesh and the crunch of bones as Colar’s hands flew away from her. Thane was between her and Colar; his lips were curled over his fangs as his claws stood open and ready. His tail was lifted high in excitement as he growled, his ears pressed flat against his head. He was positively bristling. Colar growled back as his own animal came forward, blood was spilling from his split cheek and his face didn’t look right, as though it was broken. He roared and threw himself forward, Thanes hands taking hold of him and throwing him down as though he didn’t weigh anything. His fangs sank into his shoulder as Colar clawed at his chest trying to get him away. A vicious punch landed against Colar’s chest, close to his shoulder as he cried out. Syah flinched at the sound of broken bones and torn muscles. They were both at the later bestial stages, the point of which their human sides are only slightly apparent and their strength is at its peak. She couldn’t do anything; they were too tangled together for her to break them apart. Blood was everywhere as Thane’s wolf fangs ripped at his arms and hands and chest, anything he could reach. Colar was losing to a degree that was alarming, but instead of jumping away Thane continued to tear at him. His jaws flew around Colar’s throat, closing with a sickening crunch as Syah tangled her fingers into his fur in an attempt to pull him back. Colar had lost his animal form, his strength was gone, and he was a bloody mangled mess with a maddened wolf on top of him with a deadly grip on his throat.

“Thane stop you’re killing him!”

With a snarl he leapt away, his jaws closing with a snap. He was panting, blood dripping around his muzzle as he licked his chops. Colar was on his back, badly mangled as he clutched at his throat. His trachea had been damaged but not entirely crushed as he spouted blood with a cough. She knelt at his side to help him but he shoved her away.

“Don’t touch me! You do nothing but destroy people.”

She stood as Thane lost his animal.

“I wanted to make you mine but you lost that chance.”

He lifted a mangled hand at her, pointing at her with conviction in his eyes.

“I swear I will see the day you die Syah. I will see your death come on swift wings!”

Thane’s fingers found hers as he pulled her away; he untied her cloak and wiped away the blood on his face and hands.

“We can’t leave him here he’ll die.”

Thane’s grip tightened on her in fear of her trying to get away, he was still angry as she watched his jaw clench.

“He won’t die.”

She looked up at him as he pulled her along, if she had doubted the Priest before there was no doubt now. In truth Colar hadn’t even done anything but it had provoked a response from Thane that had almost killed him. He must consider her a mate.