“Alexyon Rayn Devvan Rowan Yarrister VI, what am I to do with you? Why can you not be like other sons and simply follow the rules?”
His use of my full name enlightened me as to how furious he was. It did not stop me from bristling at his words. “I am not a rule breaker, Father. I only stand up for what I think is right!”
“And crossing the line is right in your eyes? That is what you are desirous of achieving? Give it up, Rowan, for you know it cannot be!”
“Why not? I only want permission to get to know her better.”
“And pray tell, what will that accomplish? What if you end up in love with her? Then what? Oh, I am sorry, Anna…”
“Annalise,” I supplied.
“I am sorry, Annalise. I love you, but that is all I can say. I must go now and find another female as my mate! Is that what you want?”
I leaned against his desk and dropped my head into my hands. “No. It is not.”
“Then forget about her and find a female worthy of you.”
I jumped to my feet at his words. “How dare you! She is worthy of me. Don’t ever say a thing against her. You do not even know her!”
My father extended his arm with his hand facing me. “Cease your prattling this instant. I Command it!”
His Power of Command, a talent known only to Vesturions, forced my jaws to slam shut and I was silent. My face twitched in pain, for Command was a very unpleasant thing to experience. It controlled every muscle and movement in one’s body, making it even difficult even to breathe. Resistance was futile, yet the inclination to do so overrode any coherent thought in my mind. I was bound in torture.
The word, “Release” echoed in my mind and I dropped to my knees in a crouch on the floor. I panted, trying to draw in as much air as possible, for moments earlier, I felt as though I were suffocating.
“Rowan, I expect you to forget about this female and focus on your studies. As First-Born, you cannot afford to be the laughingstock of society, nor can I; and trust me, if you insist on seeing this female, that is exactly what will happen.”
I felt myself being teleported back to my quarters.
Well, that went well! Next time, Rowan, block your bloody thoughts when he’s around.
Chapter 4
We were about to begin the portion of our training that everyone dreaded. It was dangerous and terrifying. It centered around the Forest of Hills, or “The Unforgiving Forest” as the trainees commonly called it. It was a dreadful place filled with horrible creatures and nasty plantlife. Thick vines and thorns reaching a foot long made it nearly impossible to navigate. It was difficult to survive in the forest unless you came prepared.
We would be sent there on an undisclosed mission. Sometime after the completion of that, our torture training would ensue. I know it sounds odd, but they wanted to test us to see how much suffering we could take before we actually broke down. It was something every Guardian in training dreaded, including me.
I forced myself to focus on nothing but the mission at hand. Any distractions could mean a forfeiture of the operation, and that was the kiss of death for a Guardian.
I was dropped into the forest with instructions to rescue a group of stranded travelers. I was not given any instrumentation in order to locate them. I had to go on instinct. It took me several hours before I uncovered any tracks. Two days later, short on food and water, I finally discovered their location and instigated the rescue.
My mission was deemed a success so that meant I would now advance into the torture training. It was an arduous process because we went through multiple layers of espionage instruction that culminated in the final torture session. The problem was they wouldn’t tell us when it would occur. They would usually come for us in the middle of the night, waking us so we were disoriented. Then it would go downhill quickly, like a giant boulder picking up speed and momentum. It was explained to us that if we performed well in this exercise, the rest of the training would pale in comparison. I was praying for a successful outcome.
The day finally came, and as I had been warned, it wasn’t long before I was begging them to stop. It started with an absolute deprivation of the senses. No sound, light, taste or smell. The only thing they couldn’t remove was the sense of touch. Even for Vesturions, who had supreme night vision, the cell was plunged into total darkness. I felt around with my fingers and hands and discovered I was encased in a four-by-six-foot chamber of sorts.
I wanted to scream after being locked in there for hours, but I knew it would be hopeless to do so. After an unknown amount of time had passed, the silence was broken by a low hum. The sound increased in intensity until I thought my head would explode. Then my cell was plunged into silence again. This cycle repeated itself until I thought I’d go insane.
Eventually, someone came for me and placed a dark sack over my head. I was dragged by my feet into another chamber and thrown into a chair where they hosed me down with frigid water. Then they turned the fans on and I immediately began shivering from the cold. This continued for hours. I focused my mind on one thing—Annalise’s face. It wasn’t long before my thoughts became so disjointed and scrambled, that I could no longer force my mind to comply with anything. I remember swallowing lots and lots of water, as if someone were attempting to drown me. I couldn’t recall much more than that, for I lost consciousness.
**********
When I awoke, I found myself in the medical facility. My body and mind felt battered and betrayed. It was a horrific feeling to recall the extremes I had been forced to endure. My father was present, along with the First in Command at the academy. Their smiles told me I must have passed muster, but there was no joy in it for me. I questioned my sanity and why I had chosen this path.
“The worst is now behind you, my son,” my father informed me. “The rest of your training will be like a holiday for you.”
I dared not speak, for I feared my anger over the entire episode would be my undoing. I nodded instead.
The healer at the facility entered my room and checked all my vital signs. “Physically, you are fine. How do you feel?”
“How am I supposed to feel?” I snapped. “I have just endured the most brutal torture one can imagine. Therefore, I feel like bloody hell!” With each word I spoke, my voice rose in volume, like an approaching thunderstorm.
“Well, you have adequately summed it up,” the healer said matter-of-factly. “You will be required to have a psychological assessment so we can ascertain if any permanent damage or post-traumatic stress has occurred. If all goes well, you will be released from here tomorrow.”
I noticed my father was smiling.
“Is there something amusing about this, Father?” I fumed.
“You outperformed everyone in your class. No one came close to your level, my son. I am smiling because I am proud of you.”
“Well, right now, I would ask you to save your cheer until I am of a mind to enjoy it!”
He chuckled as he turned to leave. “I will be back to check on you later. Your mother is insistent on making an appearance here as well. Be gentle with her when she arrives.”
“I always am, my lord.”
**********
Later that evening, my mother arrived.
“You are looking well, my son.” Relief was written all over her face.
“I am fine, Mother. It was quite an experience... one that I never wish to repeat.”
“I suspect so. Rowan, your father tells me you have an interest in a lower class female.” Her words surprised me as they came out of nowhere.
My mouth formed a huge “O” and I was speechless.
“You know that nothing can come of that?”
At last, my voice returned. “Mother, you do not know the circumstances. Annalise was terminated from her position at the Academy because I spoke to her. That was grossly unfair. So I demanded she be rehired.”
“Well, I can certainly understand your desire to help her. But your father told me you had a kee
n interest in the female. Is that true?”
Deciding on the honesty path, I replied, “Yes, I am interested in her. She is the loveliest thing I have ever seen, Mother. I desire to get to know her better. But my intentions toward her are honorable. Is that such a bad thing?”
She came and sat on the side of my bed and reached for my hand. Giving it a squeeze, she said, “Rowan, you understand it is not possible for anything to develop between the two of you?” She brushed my hair off my forehead and her eyes softened as she gazed at me. She had always been loving and affectionate toward me. I was fortunate to have such caring parents.
“Why does it have to be that way? It seems like our Council says everyone should be treated as equals, but they have this caste system established prohibiting us from socializing with those in the working class. It makes no sense, Mother.”
“They want our bloodlines to remain pure, my son.”
“It is not like she is from another planet. Her blood is Vesturion. She is one of us. Our rules need changing, Mother. They should have been changed years ago.”
“So like your father you are! Rowan, if you feel this strongly about it, you should approach the Council with your suggestion.”
“Father would kill me!”
“Sometimes you have to stand up for what you think is right, my son. If you don’t try, will you be satisfied to abide by these rules?” She was challenging me and what she said made sense. Instead of doing nothing, I could at least try.
“I think you are right, Mother. But when Father has a fit, I am going to tell him it was all your idea.” My eyes danced with mirth.
I was awarded with one of her disarming smiles. “Don’t you worry about your father, dear. I can manage him and he won’t ever know he was managed at all!”
She placed her palm on my cheek and said, “It is nice to see you smile, Rowan. It lights up your whole being.”
With a whirl of her silk gown, she was gone.
She had given me a lot to think about. If I wanted to pursue getting to know Annalise better, I would have to approach the Council. But before I did, I wanted to make sure it was worth my time. I didn’t want to spend hours over something that was futile. If Annalise consented to at least see me on occasion, I would go forward with my plans.
I was released from the medical facility the next day. I met up with Voldruk as we were checking out. He had not fared as well as I and was unable to endure as much of the water torture. Truth be told, I think he was the one that had come out on top.
We made our way to the Academy, comparing our horror stories. “How did you do it, Rowan? How did you maintain throughout it? I thought I would lose my mind in the chamber.”
“It was with great difficulty, I will admit. I put my mind in a different place. Another plane, if you will. I would not allow myself to focus on what was happening to my body. I have always been told the mind is much stronger than we think and can allow our bodies to do things we never thought possible. I guess there must be truth to that because it worked for me.” I dared not disclose to him it was Annalise’s face that prevented me from unraveling.
Voldruk just grunted and shook his head at me. We parted ways as I headed for my quarters. The first thing on my agenda was to locate Annalise. When I discovered her residence, I wasted no time in heading over there.
Chapter 5
I lived in the Capital City of Aurora, which was where all the universal and Vesturion government offices were located. Annalise resided in a community on the outskirts of Aurora called Leato. It was a village where many of the working families lived.
Using my locator, I guided my speedster, a flying vehicle similar to motorcycles found on Earth, down the streets of Leato, seeking her residence. My eyes eventually landed on it so I pulled to a halt and headed for the door. There were children playing in all the nearby yards and they ran toward me, excited to see a speedster here. They circled my vehicle and I called to them, “Careful, do not touch anything!”
I approached the entrance and was prepared to knock when the door swung open to reveal an older woman, perhaps Annalise’s mother.
“My lord, may I help you?” she blinked with surprise.
“Yes, ma’am, I should like to speak with Annalise, if she is at home.”
She gaped at me in stunned silence. I shuffled my feet, not sure of how best to handle this.
“Er, is she? At home? Annalise?”
“Oh, well, yes,” she stammered. “Please, come in, my lord.”
“Rowan.”
Her brows raised and I supplied, “Please, my name; call me Rowan.”
She smiled then and I noticed the resemblance between mother and daughter. Annalise had both her mother’s eyes and smile.
“Annalise! Annalise, someone is here to see you!” she called out.
I heard footsteps patter down the stairs and there she was, standing in front of me in the flesh. She blinked with surprise, then her eyes widened in alarm.
She bowed her head saying, “My lord. What brings you to our humble home?” Her voice was strained. She twisted her fingers and stared at the floor.
I turned to her mother, who stood stock still in silence, and inquired, “May I kindly have a moment alone with your daughter?”
Her head began bobbing up and down as she backed out of the room.
“What are you doing here?” she hissed.
“Please, Annalise, look at me when you speak to me,” I softly demanded.
Her eyes met mine, and I felt myself liquify in her presence. My throat went dry and I licked my lips. My stomach fluttered as I spoke the words. “Annalise, I have come to ask if I may court you. Please hear me out. You have bewitched me. Your voice is like a symphony to me. I get lost in the depths of your eyes. The very thought of you hypnotizes me. I am yours to do with as you please. If you will only say the words so we can get to know each other.”
I unclenched my fists and extended my arm. I brushed my fingers across her cheek, beseeching her with my eyes. “Please, I beg of you,” I whispered.
“How?”
“I want to petition the Council. I want our covenant in this regard to change. But it won’t if someone... if I don’t try. And I cannot try if you won’t give me cause to. Please. You have captured my heart. I do not know how, nor do I care.”
She took one step then two, before launching herself at me. “Are you sure about this?” she asked as she wrapped her arms around me.
“Yes... yes! Never more sure of anything else!” I whispered into her silken tresses.
She lifted her head and her eyes locked onto mine. She placed her hand on my cheek and said, “You will be ridiculed. Your subjects will cause problems for you.”
I placed my hand on top of hers, wanting her to keep it there forever. “I care not about that. And it will all be moot if they change the covenant.”
“Promise me something.” She took a step back and slid her other hand into my hair. “Promise me if you get to a place where you find it not worth your time and trouble, you will be honest and tell me.”
“I promise, but I swear to you, that will never happen.” As I spoke, I took her hand from my face and placed it over my heart, holding it there. “As my heart beats, I know it will always be yours.”
“How shall we begin?” she asked, her eyes brimming with joy.
I was intoxicated by her response. I wanted to leap into the air and shout with glee. “I believe the proper thing to do would be to ask your mother if it would be okay.”
“Yes, of course, we must! Mother! Mother, come here!”
Her mother must have been eavesdropping, for the door immediately opened to her presence.
She was beaming with pleasure. “Yes?”
“Ma’am, I would like to ask your permission to court your daughter. I know it is not normally acceptable, but if all goes well, I want to petition the Council for their official permission. You do understand though, we must be discreet initially?”
“Of course, my lord. And yes, you have my permission.”
Annalise and I slipped out the back door and sat on a swing, talking. She told me of herself—how she finished her basic education and worked at the academy for a year. Her father worked at the space dock and she had one younger brother who was still in school.
She had a sharp mind and keen wit and was a pleasure to converse with. She was confident in herself, and like a breath of fresh air. She didn’t fall all over me like most females, but challenged me often when she disagreed with me. Annalise told me many times how handsome she thought I was, but nothing in this universe could come close to her beauty. Her golden hair was like a satin sheath that framed her face and I couldn’t look into her sapphire eyes without drowning in their depths. I could barely stop myself from ravaging her lips every time I saw her, and many times, her radiance left me speechless. I could stare at her for hours on end and be perfectly happy. This often made her uncomfortable, so I did my best to control this urge of mine.
I knew I was madly in love with her. My plan was to approach the Council directly after my graduation from the Academy, which would take place the following week. I felt that with Guardian status, the Council would take my request more seriously. I was positive it would take several sessions, but I was persistent, and where Annalise was concerned, I refused to take no for an answer. My stomach churned every time I thought about what lay ahead.
Chapter 6
“Where are we going?” she asked as I pulled her hand, smiling. I indicated with a flick of my head and watched her as her eyes landed on the speedster.
Annalise’s head jerked back to me and her eyes grew wide as saucers. “Where?”
“I want you to meet my mother,” I softly told her.
“But, I didn’t think…” her voice trailed off.
“She knows about us and has asked to meet you.”
“Oh, Rowan, I do not think…”
“Please Annalise. You will like her. She is very kind.” I wanted so much for them to like each other and I knew if my mother met Annalise, she would see her for the lovely female that she was.
“Do you think this is wise?”
“Yes. Now come.” I guided her to the speedster and helped her up. I took my place in front of her and we soared away, heading toward the palace.