When Morning Breaks
Chapter 9
Two days followed and both refugees were still on the run. Felony's escape of course was well known but soon the whole realm knew of the supposed mutant who molested and kidnapped her. They spent the last two days just trying to stay two steps ahead of their searchers. Both were exhausted from the constant running and dodging, neither knew what to do.
“Draven…” Felony gasped as they reached a safe point. Safe points were common among the underworld unknown to those in the palace. At times when gargoyle soldiers terrorized the denizens through torture and hunting, the hidden safe points were used as sanctuaries. They were areas underground, built over thousands of years by the bare hands of souls.
Even now people were captured and tortured on front of hundreds for no reason. Be it by the gargoyles themselves or worse creatures like dragons, chimeras or drudges, former souls who had been stripped of their will and thought to serve as mindless minions. Usually they retained a humanized form but sometimes they would be mutated under torture.
Draven told Felony of the goings on in her monarchy, the truth of it, not the lies he had made up for fear of being overheard telling the reality in the castle. She was horrified to find out of such goings on but the momentary shock was usually interrupted of them having to run again.
“Draven…” she repeated as they collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, “…You should go! Your father will be worried and they won't be looking for you anymore.” Draven understood of Felony's fear for him. Worse than torture could be carried out for the supposed abducting of the princess. Still he shook his head.
“No!” he said. “I promised I'd help you!!” He was adamant to stay by her.
“But your father?!” Up in the palace all souls had been held captive in case they'd hinder the search. Beings that hadn’t gone to the bastion two days ago were found and brought back, safe points were being discovered by the dozen. It was said they were put under torture firstly in order to discover whether they had any information on Felony's whereabouts. If such accusations were true and they were making people suffer to discover where Felony was then who knew what they were doing to Drake.
“What about him?!” Draven said quietly.
“They suspect that you’re kidnapping me. They might try to get to your father for information.” Draven nodded but didn’t say anything, he understood the risk but going back for his father wasn’t worth leaving Felony.
“He's strong!” Draven said gently. “He can handle himself.”
“But…” Felony tried to think of a reason for Draven to go back. Never having a loving father made her appreciate just how important it would be to have one.
“No buts!” Draven took her by the hand. “I swore I'd protect you, I'm not letting them get you!” Felony's eyes softened as she gazed upon Draven's face. His weary eyes showed how the lack of sleep had affected him over the last two days. His hair was messy and sticking up everywhere and sweat covered his torso. He was panting loudly from the sprint. Felony felt horrid about dragging him into this all. If caught, who knew what would happen to him. Draven looked up at an opening in the hard rock above, terrified that another foot soldier would uncover the breach. He wrapped an arm around Felony and pulled her close, sinking into the shadow behind them.
“I promised.” He whispered. “I won't let them get you.” Felony hid her face into him and closed her eyes.
“I know!” she muttered. Both became silent. They lay in the shadows of the cavern, a soft dripping of water from the roof echoed loudly in the quiet. Felony felt Draven's heart thud against his ribs, he hardly dared to breathe, terrified they'd be found already. Images of his father flashed upon his inner eye, chained, tortured or worse. He had to shake the images from his mind, no distractions. The rhythm of his heartbeat caused Felony to drift in and out of a small slumber. Yet again her dreams were filled with the drowning sensation of icy water.
As Felony finally drifted off Draven sat awake as he so often did. His breathing was quiet and slow despite his racing heart. Felony muttered in her sleep causing Draven to look down at her. Gladly, he spent the next few minutes gazing at the incredibly beautiful woman beside him. Her black hair fell limply over her eyes and the occasional moan or grunt would escape her deep red lips. Her pale, unblemished skin glistened like porcelain in the eerie blue light the cave cast. Her long nails occasionally scratching his chest as she clutched madly in her sleep but he gritted his teeth and bared it. He just laid there with her in his arms.
“Gryknook febah ﺚ reβa?!” A loud grunting awakened Draven from his distraction. The loud cry was followed by footsteps. It was the gargoyles; the one above them spoke in his native tongue. Draven knew enough of the language to know that febah meant anyone and reβa meant look. ‘Did anyone look here?’ was all he could presume it meant. Another loud short replied and even louder, stone footsteps approached. Draven jumped up and began to look for the back exit in the safe point. Felony roused from her sleep.
“What's…”
“Shhh!!” Draven hushed her as he ran his hand along the rock at the back of the safe point. Turning to Felony he pointed above them. Gargoyles he mouthed. Felony nodded, indicating she understood. Draven smiled and returned searching for the secret egress.
“Hreeten reßa meᾇdar п whaҹht!!” Draven looked to Felony who learned the language.
“Hey, look what I found!!” she whispered loudly. Any colour that remained in her face left it as both got the same idea. They were about to be found out. Draven's hand began to shake as he searched faster. His hand slid into a nook
“Yes!” he whispered as he pulled it out. A small opening appeared in the wall. He called Felony and both ducked into the passageway. Draven pulled the entry shut as an ugly head looked down the entrance. He gazed around at the empty cave and stood up.
“Zsëa Ā corebine fﻴﻚerrs!!” another gargoyle nodded and gave a move on signal. There was no one there. Slowly they began to search again. Five soldiers stood at the back of the party. Large steel chains lay in their hands as they lead a giant fire-dragon. With a sense of smell sixteen thousand times better than any other creature a fire-dragon was the best creature for the job. Felony was sure to be found.
“Draven…” Felony gasped as they reached a safe point. Safe points were common among the underworld unknown to those in the palace. At times when gargoyle soldiers terrorized the denizens through torture and hunting, the hidden safe points were used as sanctuaries. They were areas underground, built over thousands of years by the bare hands of souls.
Even now people were captured and tortured on front of hundreds for no reason. Be it by the gargoyles themselves or worse creatures like dragons, chimeras or drudges, former souls who had been stripped of their will and thought to serve as mindless minions. Usually they retained a humanized form but sometimes they would be mutated under torture.
Draven told Felony of the goings on in her monarchy, the truth of it, not the lies he had made up for fear of being overheard telling the reality in the castle. She was horrified to find out of such goings on but the momentary shock was usually interrupted of them having to run again.
“Draven…” she repeated as they collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, “…You should go! Your father will be worried and they won't be looking for you anymore.” Draven understood of Felony's fear for him. Worse than torture could be carried out for the supposed abducting of the princess. Still he shook his head.
“No!” he said. “I promised I'd help you!!” He was adamant to stay by her.
“But your father?!” Up in the palace all souls had been held captive in case they'd hinder the search. Beings that hadn’t gone to the bastion two days ago were found and brought back, safe points were being discovered by the dozen. It was said they were put under torture firstly in order to discover whether they had any information on Felony's whereabouts. If such accusations were true and they were making people suffer to discover where Felony was then who knew what they were doing to Drake.
“What about him?!” Draven said quietly.
“They suspect that you’re kidnapping me. They might try to get to your father for information.” Draven nodded but didn’t say anything, he understood the risk but going back for his father wasn’t worth leaving Felony.
“He's strong!” Draven said gently. “He can handle himself.”
“But…” Felony tried to think of a reason for Draven to go back. Never having a loving father made her appreciate just how important it would be to have one.
“No buts!” Draven took her by the hand. “I swore I'd protect you, I'm not letting them get you!” Felony's eyes softened as she gazed upon Draven's face. His weary eyes showed how the lack of sleep had affected him over the last two days. His hair was messy and sticking up everywhere and sweat covered his torso. He was panting loudly from the sprint. Felony felt horrid about dragging him into this all. If caught, who knew what would happen to him. Draven looked up at an opening in the hard rock above, terrified that another foot soldier would uncover the breach. He wrapped an arm around Felony and pulled her close, sinking into the shadow behind them.
“I promised.” He whispered. “I won't let them get you.” Felony hid her face into him and closed her eyes.
“I know!” she muttered. Both became silent. They lay in the shadows of the cavern, a soft dripping of water from the roof echoed loudly in the quiet. Felony felt Draven's heart thud against his ribs, he hardly dared to breathe, terrified they'd be found already. Images of his father flashed upon his inner eye, chained, tortured or worse. He had to shake the images from his mind, no distractions. The rhythm of his heartbeat caused Felony to drift in and out of a small slumber. Yet again her dreams were filled with the drowning sensation of icy water.
As Felony finally drifted off Draven sat awake as he so often did. His breathing was quiet and slow despite his racing heart. Felony muttered in her sleep causing Draven to look down at her. Gladly, he spent the next few minutes gazing at the incredibly beautiful woman beside him. Her black hair fell limply over her eyes and the occasional moan or grunt would escape her deep red lips. Her pale, unblemished skin glistened like porcelain in the eerie blue light the cave cast. Her long nails occasionally scratching his chest as she clutched madly in her sleep but he gritted his teeth and bared it. He just laid there with her in his arms.
“Gryknook febah ﺚ reβa?!” A loud grunting awakened Draven from his distraction. The loud cry was followed by footsteps. It was the gargoyles; the one above them spoke in his native tongue. Draven knew enough of the language to know that febah meant anyone and reβa meant look. ‘Did anyone look here?’ was all he could presume it meant. Another loud short replied and even louder, stone footsteps approached. Draven jumped up and began to look for the back exit in the safe point. Felony roused from her sleep.
“What's…”
“Shhh!!” Draven hushed her as he ran his hand along the rock at the back of the safe point. Turning to Felony he pointed above them. Gargoyles he mouthed. Felony nodded, indicating she understood. Draven smiled and returned searching for the secret egress.
“Hreeten reßa meᾇdar п whaҹht!!” Draven looked to Felony who learned the language.
“Hey, look what I found!!” she whispered loudly. Any colour that remained in her face left it as both got the same idea. They were about to be found out. Draven's hand began to shake as he searched faster. His hand slid into a nook
“Yes!” he whispered as he pulled it out. A small opening appeared in the wall. He called Felony and both ducked into the passageway. Draven pulled the entry shut as an ugly head looked down the entrance. He gazed around at the empty cave and stood up.
“Zsëa Ā corebine fﻴﻚerrs!!” another gargoyle nodded and gave a move on signal. There was no one there. Slowly they began to search again. Five soldiers stood at the back of the party. Large steel chains lay in their hands as they lead a giant fire-dragon. With a sense of smell sixteen thousand times better than any other creature a fire-dragon was the best creature for the job. Felony was sure to be found.