Thread: The Wolf, the Forge, and Love Forbidden - Raivh & Abovetheroses

Her chest heaved with each breath she took, feeling the cage rattle beneath her. Cold air whipped about her feet and she felt its chill against her skin. It felt like a terribly long time before the wind stopped and then she could hear the sounds of laughter and amused chatter, smell the aroma of food drift to greet her. Rather than entice her, though, it made her stomach sick and turn. She wanted to vomit. Where were they taking her? She could hear the clatter of the wheels moving over stone, jostling the floor of her small prison. She braced herself as best as she could against the hard iron bars, felt the cloth slide against the skin of her back. When everything came to a halt, it was so quick that it flung her forward, and she fell to her knees. Pain strummed along every nerve in her body, but adrenaline was kicking in. Outside of the mobile cell, she could hear Luca's excitement. She didn't know where exactly they were, but she heard his fanfare speech about the hunt. Alden, she whispered, rasping through tears that filled her eyes and spilled down her dirty cheeks, leaving small channels in their wake. She choked when she heard the doors open, clutching at her abdomen with one arm and using her freehand to pull herself to her feet. Desperate lungs fought to pull enough air in as the cage once more came to a halt. She could hear a voice, the same voice as the woman who had come to see her in the dungeon before. Elise knew the woman's pleas wouldn't be enough. It was never enough to beg for mercy from these hunters. They were barbaric, savage to their very bone. The cover was ripped off, and she quickly found herself on display in front of what must have been hundreds of faces. She focused on one that stood directly opposite her. It was older than she remembered, but familiar. Behind her, she could hear the woman shouting at the young Lord of the House. She felt the cage shift as the Lady reached inside of the cage, but she didn't move her gaze from Ahren. Ahren? Ahren heard her small voice echo in his thoughts, bewildered to see him once more. He looked on, inhaling slowly as he listened to an exchange between the Lady Alice and her father. It was evident by the displeasure etched on the Lord Rosca's face that he had heard enough of his daughter's cries for mercy. Ahren? Please, Ahren! Listen to me! Elise's thoughts were growing louder in his head, but he continued to stare at the Lady Alice make her plea to her father to listen to her. Luca stood in front and off to the side of Ahren and let the cloth fall to the ground. His face was growing red with anger the longer his sister went on. Hush. Ahren met Elise's fearful gaze for but a fleeting moment. The woman bit her quivering lower lip and sunk to the floor of the cage. She hung her head and sobbed quietly, knowing her fate was sealed. Sister! Luca bellowed, throwing his hands in the air to express his fury. This beast is not innocent! None of her kind is innocent! Luca crossed to Alice quickly and pointed an accusatory finger at the nude woman. Elise, finally realizing Ahren wasn't going to acknowledge her cries for help, turned to face the Lady Alice and the young Lord who intended to hunt and kill her. She crawled to them. Milady, Elise said, speaking softly. It was enough to startle Luca, for he stumbled a few steps back. Thank you for your kindness, but the young Lord is right. Tears welled in her eyes once again, and her chin quivered as she spoke, grabbing a hold of the woman's hand and pressing a kiss to the back of her thumb. Ahren, it's not this young Lord whom wrongs me today. Ahren shifted uncomfortably, averting his eyes from the scene now. Elise's words swirled in his mind. He could feel her anger and hatred, and it made him shudder. She'd never once spoken like this before. Shakily, Elise rose to her feet, straightened her spine, and stood proud before the Lord and his House. She spat in their direction. We are not innocent, all of us, she shouted, her voice breaking as she spewed venom in their direction. She held herself steady against the bars, but allowed one hand to travel back down to her abdomen. Ahren's eyes followed and stayed. As though possessed by a ghost, his body grew cold from the top of his head to the tips of his toes, and he felt himself fade from the room. Soon, he felt himself looking down over the whole scene, watching it unfold before him, everything entirely out of his control. Elise, are you with child? Ahren's thoughts were like a whisper to the young woman, and she smirked, laughing under her breath. You really have become like them, haven't you? You can't even sense the change it brings to a female's body. She kept her stare fixated on the table before her. But this pup growing in my belly has no charges in this world, and so he will be innocent in the next! Her scream was so piercing, so loud, that it made Ahren's ears ring. Enough! Luca reached in and pressed his thumb into one of the wounds around the woman's ankle. Elise howled in pain. Her breathing became ragged, rough, and she stared down at him with a satisfied grin. You're the beast, she uttered to him, her eyes changing. I just bear its form. As she began to change, many in the room gasped and shouted in disbelief, having never seen the spectacle for their own eyes. Ahren heard Rinan fall flat on his ass and scramble back a few feet. He turned to the boy and looked down at his eyes. Rinan, he said in a low voice, You don't have to be afraid. Rinan, however, didn't hear Ahren speaking to him. Instead, he got to his feet and fled the keep, leaving Ahren behind to witness the coming events alone. When he turned back to the cage, a black wolf paced back-and-forth before him, panting, tongue lolling from its mouth riddled with foamy saliva. Her eyes were on him, trained on his, never moving. Her lips peeled back, revealing large sharp teeth in something akin to a smile as her tongue pressed out the opening between her front teeth. They gnashed closed quickly before opening once more, sneering in his direction. Alden doesn't know yet, so perhaps you're not the only one with an untrained nose. This way, his pain will be lessened when I die, at least. Ahren heard her thoughts and took a deep breath as crossed over to where Luca stood. Milord. His expression was like stone. I will be happy to escort the Lady Alice away so you can enjoy your hunt.