My Telija Ch. 04

I looked to Jordan then, calculating his expression, and feeling my heart torn at the sight.

****Jordan****

Not once did Guardwin defend Jameen during his speech, but then again how could he? No one knew for sure what was happening; only that the Hunter's were involved, and that Jameen had been seen with them for sure. He couldn't have done it. My heart told me there was no way. Even though I had never met my dad, I knew this was true. As mad as I was at Vendish right now, his love for my dad was sincere. He wouldn't lie about something like that. Would he?

Slowly I began to unravel, my thoughts taking me to a dark place. First, there was the issue of Hazia, who sat across from us eating me with his eyes. I sighed, looking at my feet, so I didn't have to see him. Had he been with Vendish, had he....slept with my... I shook my head. No, he wasn't my anything yet. I couldn't be mad right? Besides Vendish had said it was nothing, but then why did my heart hurt? Something wasn't right about this and as much as it pained me to say...I think he was lying. To protect me, I don't know, but he wasn't telling me anything.

Second, there was the fact that my dad had been deemed enemy number one to the Fae. As Guardwin went on, detailing the pixie messaged reports, that fact became rather clear. The other leaders got glints of retribution in their eyes at the mention of Jameen's name and talks of a hunt circulated throughout the room. I gripped the arms of my chair in anger. In fact, I was so pissed off that I could feel the shadows start to creep forward.

"Until we know the facts to be true, we will wait to take action," Guardwin concluded and Orla nodded gravely.

"Wait?" Brutus stood and growled. "You wish us to wait while the bastard walks our realm, plotting the murder of our Ghea and pups? You're mad! I call for a hunt!"

"I second this," Rain stood, glittering stones covered her teal dress, like a waterfall come to life on her body. "He has done enough Guardwin."

That was it. The shadows had heard enough. It was close. Whatever was missing was very close. Close enough that they could come out to play. I stood slowly. Vendish's sucked in a sharp breath and tried to grab my arm.

"You have said enough you fucking asshole. You will sit and know your place!" I hissed. The shadows licked to life on my hands and Brutus growled. "And you," I pointed a finger to the Leader of the Water Fae. "You would do well to shut your mouth for once, you miserable old hag."

"No one asked for either of your God damned opinions and as for a hunt... If you so much as think about killing my father, I will hunt you..." The inky shadows twisted and grew, whirling over my body.

"Jordan?" Vendish was behind me, his breath hot on my neck.

"No! Not you either. Don't touch me," my voice was deranged, an echo of what it normally was.

"Telija..." He whispered.

"Jordan," Guardwin was in front of me in the blink of an eye. "No one is going to touch him until we know for sure. Until sufficient evidence has been collected, we wait..." He put his hands on shoulders slowly.

"Your word..." I hissed.

"I solemnly give you my oath as King, that no harm will come to Jameen of the Royal Fae right, unless he is found guilty of treason." He crossed his heart and I was able to breathe.

"No!" Brutus roared. "You cannot give that oath! What if he attacks us this night and you do not have your 'proper' evidence? We will have to kill you too!"

"I would die to protect my child anyways Brutus and as for killing me...you could try," Guardwin's voice was like steel down my spine, calm and deadly, his threat completely rendered with his tone.

"Touch a hair on his head and you are mine," I pointed at the man who was slowly starting to fur from head to toe. His yellow eyes slanted and grew brighter. The more I pissed him off, the less control he had over his animal half.

"Come and get me Shadow freak," he growled and his nails protruded from his fingers.

"ENOUGH!" Vendish roared, his red staff growing into his palm out of thin air and pointed it at Brutus. "Ever since we were young you had it out for Jameen. I know it and so does everyone in this room. You were angry that he was a better warrior than you, even though you were built as a natural predator. I do not care about your petty hate, but I do care that you threaten my Ghea. If you touch him, even bare your beastly teeth to him, I will rip them out one by one, and gut you like an animal. Am I clear Brutus? HUH! Am I clear enough now?" Vendish's eyes were so bright, I thought they would explode with his fury. His muscles strained under his tunic and his hand gripped his staff so hard, I thought it would break in two.

The wind of his ability whipped around the room, waiting for his violent commands, and the plants that had sat on the floor, burst into fistfuls of ash and soil. He was pissed and suddenly I was scared enough that my friends crept under my skin in hiding. It wasn't that the shadows were afraid of his power, it was that I was, and I controlled them. I stepped back with the realization....I did control them, not the other way around. When I was sad or angry, they were trying to protect me because I couldn't control myself. They were trying to help.

I looked up with a smirk and brought a hand out in front of me. Come on damn it, come out, come out, wherever you are. A rush flowed up my arm and on command came a thin shadow that hovered in my palm. What's more, is that this time it swirled with blue tendrils, and water dripped onto my skin from underneath. Awesome, I thought in awe.

"Back down Brutus," I looked up into his completely shocked eyes. His fur melted away into his usual thick coat of body hair.

"He commands them," he breathed.

"Telija, how did you..."

'Because no one tells us what to do anymore...." I grinned and narrowed my eyes.

****Cellan****

It had been over nine hours since we first reached the bog and we had yet to call a pixie to us. Every one of us had tried to transport out of the bog, but were met with interference from the staff. I had never seen anything like it, not even from the hunters.

"We have to touch it eventually," I sighed. "It's not like they'll just attack us where we stand."

"Oh yeah? We can't move Cell, how you spose we run away from them if they do?" Jambi shook his head in irritation. The Nuku Fae was in a mood, and who could blame him? We were hungry and tired and rather sick of each other at this point. "Why can't Ven's Ghea sense this damned thing anyway? Why it led us here in the first place?"

"Who says it led us here? Maybe it was supposed to lead Jordan here, not us." I turned over my shoulder to look at Jambi.

"Uh, because he's a Spirit Fae? Maybe that's it," Quimm snorted sarcastically. "By the whole Fae realm Cell, I told you this was a horrible plan. But, you couldn't listen to anyone but yourself could you? Oh...no. That would require you being wrong for once, and we can't have that. Oh, no we can't."

"Stuff it would you? For a warrior you sure whine a lot you know?" The youngling grumbled and crossed his arms over his knees, and set his chin down.

"Well I'll be. The wee one has a pair. Will ya look at that," Quimm laughed. "Oh I can stuff it, but you might not like where I put it."

That caused all of us to laugh, except the youngling, who growled and tucked his face away in shame.

"What I wouldn't give for one em sparkly bugs to buzz through here," Jambi groaned. "Send word back to Ven. Isn't he wondering in the lease where we at? The other troupes must have reported back by now."

"I'm sure he's got his own troubles my friend. This Jordan seems to be a handful from what I've heard," I offered.

"Uh, guys?" The youngling piped up. We looked around and followed the blue glow that slowly pulsed at the tip of the staff. "Is it summoning them? Oh Mother, help us!" He cried like a babe.

"Oh shut up you baby," Quimm clamped a hand over the boy's mouth. "Cellan?"

"Well if we're going to starve to death out here anyway, might as well find out what it wants," I shrugged.

"Cellan, I know you's a thrill seeker, but don't do it friend. Just don't do it," Quimm pleaded, his voice rough.

"Then do it with me," I smiled. I had no fear of death really. Maybe it was being a warrior that made me less afraid or maybe it was something natural, but I sought adventure and I wouldn't be missing this one.

They all took a deep breath, the pulse of the stone getting quicker. "If you get us killed, I'll come back as a thorny branch up your arse. You hear me?" Jambi smiled.

"I hear you friend. On the count of three..." I looked around at the small group of warriors, who smiled back one by one. My brothers were with me.

"One...Two....Three," we grabbed at a spot on the staff, and black shadows swirled around us, shutting us off from the bog. The dirt under our knees disappeared, being replaced with gleaming marble. Slowly the shadows that rocked us faded away.

Jameen? I took a sharp breath as did the others and stood. The staff whipped towards the golden haired male and landed into his open palm. His fingers curled around it in wonder. Vendish? I looked from right to left, taking in all the members of the counsel.

"Ven?" The golden haired male's voice quivered and Vendish rushed to his side. It was the last thing I remember before the room exploded with a blinding blue light.