The Reluctant Journey Ch. 04

"Have you had breakfast? I have plenty." Tristan said amicably as he sat in front of a large tray full of food.

"Yes." She answered, her nerves dissipating in the presence of his friendliness. He had a gift at putting people at ease. "But I'll sit with you." She tried to match his friendliness but came up short. He smiled at her effort and she laughed at his knowing expression. He had various fruits on his plate as well as a thin bagel covered in cream cheese.

"So what is the schedule for the day Miss Yates?"

The general hadn't said her goal was a secret. "I'm supposed to get you out of this room at least once. Other than that it's open for discussion." He smiled and continued to eat. "And please call me...uh, Olivia." He smiled and nodded.

"Well since we're leaving I want to show you somewhere." He continued to eat his bagel.

"That's it?" She looked at him questioningly. "Where is this secret place?"

He smiled at her. "Not much for surprises huh? Outside the manor there is a lake, it's beautiful this time of year."

She was glad that he was eating because she was sure that her facial expression was damning at that moment. He was going to take her out of the fortress. She could run. He was large framed like his brother, but he was a double amputee she could use that to her advantage. She felt guilt fill her veins the moment the thought ran through her mind. Tristan had been nothing but kind to her. Maybe she could convince him to let her run. He had been sympathetic to her before. She had promised to try every avenue to get home, and if she had to take Tristan out she would. She bit her bottom lip and hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Malia's mind was in overdrive for the rest of Tristan's breakfast. She was somehow able to keep up polite conversation. Luckily he didn't take too long. He called someone and had a light jacket and shoes brought up to her. He then smiled reassuringly at her and led her directly to the front door of the manor. She would have never found it herself. If this plan fell through she had memorized the route they had taken, though she wasn't sure how much good it would do her. Malia could tell that there was heavy security, which didn't surprise her.

They walked out the grandiose front door and started walking. It wasn't a far walk before the lake came into view. It was big and clear and as beautiful as Tristan had promised. Some of the trees surrounding the lake had begun to flower with small white petals. There were trees on all other sides of the lake and a cliff on the right side overlooking the entire lake. Tristan walked over to a bench placed near the closest shoreline and sat. Malia stood to the side of the bench overlooking the lake.

"Sorry, I'm not much for walking as a form of entertainment." He should have sounded cynical, but he didn't, simply stating a fact. She smiled nervously.

"What happened?" She asked softly. She was almost twitching with anxiety.

Tristan smiled. "Cain did tell you then?"

"He told me you lost your legs seven years ago." She replied quietly.

"Ah, always to the point." He laughed. "I had severe frostbite. Both of my legs had to be amputated, one directly above the knee and the other midway down the calf. It also made some of my skin prone to infections during certain times of the year." Tristan didn't sound angry or sad at all.

"How did you get frostbite?" Malia's voice was still soft, full of pity he didn't want.

Tristan smiled at her. "Now that is up for debate. I think I'll hold off on my side of the story though. Ask Cain. I'm interested in his side of the story." Tristan looked sad for a moment as he looked out over the rippling waters.

Malia looked around while he was distracted. There were trees and grassy fields surrounding the large manor. She didn't see a road, but there had to be one somewhere. What then? She didn't know where the unit was in respect to the manor. It had been a long drive; it would be unrealistic to think that she could walk along the road undisturbed until she reached the unit. She needed help.

"Even if you did run, you can't go back." Tristan said sadly. He had begun to watch her again without her noticing.

"Please help me get back to them." She begged. "I have to try. I wont tell them anything, I promise."

Tristan stood and walked over to where she stood. He looked down at her sympathetically. "Olivia, you don't understand. You wont have a chance to tell them anything. The units are on a shoot first and ask questions later mentality with civilians. We have men inside that ensure that no one gets in or out. Even if I took you there myself, we would both be shot on sight." A fat tear dropped and ran down her cheek.

"I can't go back?" She asked desolately, as if finally hearing it for the first time. He shook his head slowly. She began to cry and he guided her over to the bench to sit.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He repeated soothingly as he rubbed her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. She cried until she couldn't anymore. Then she just leaned her head on his shoulder and looked over the beautiful lake. She felt like all hope had been sucked out of her. She felt empty. The only way she would see her family again is if they were released. She had been released only because General Malcolm had wished it. So she had to make him want to release her family. That was the only way to free them. Contrary to what he said, she knew he could get them out if he wanted to. It was just a matter of making him want to. She wasn't sure how to do that, but she had forever to think about it.

"I'm sorry I'm ruining your fieldtrip." Malia said as she raised her head finally.

"Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come out here." Tristan said uncertainly.

"No, I love it. It's beautiful. Thank you for showing this place to me, and, I would rather know where I stand than have false hope. Thank you." She was genuine in her statements and he smiled sadly at her. "Let's make a deal Tristan." She stated suddenly. He arched his eyebrow and looked almost identical to his brother. "You don't pity me and I wont pity you, okay?" He laughed at her lack of tact.

"Deal" he stated, and they shook on it.

They walked back to the manor in a comfortable silence.

"Come on, I want to show you a room." He smiled mischievously. He took her to the second floor and opened a normal looking door into a giant arcade. There were all kinds of games that all powered on when Tristan flipped some switches on the wall.

She grinned while taking it all in. "Seriously?"

He laughed. "Don't pretend it isn't the coolest thing you've ever seen. I believe you will want to begin by losing a game of air hockey?" He looked like a kid and she couldn't help but join in on his excitement.

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Tristan was too easy to get along with. It was like Malia had known him her entire life. They played every game in the arcade multiple times. Then they returned to his suite to watch a movie Tristan had insisted was a classic, and eat lunch. It was like they were kids and the day acted as a salve to her battered psyche.

Before she was ready it was time for Malia to report to the general. Tristan politely excused her when Finn came to collect her. She was surprised when they didn't go to the general's study.

"Where are we going?" She asked Finn who walked slightly in front of her.

"Cain's room" Finn answered simply.

She was going to see where the general slept. Malia imagined blood red walls and tons of leather furniture. She was expecting to be left by the door to fend for herself, so she was happy when Finn knocked and opened the door. She followed him inside and was instantly surprised. There were large windows that let in the light of the late afternoon. There was no red, only earthy colors. There was a large fireplace with a large rustic wood framing. The most formidable thing in the room was a small table of alcohol filled crystal bottles.

The general was standing by a large rustic looking kitchen table, talking on a cell phone. He acknowledged Finn with a nod. Finn then turned to leave.

"You're not staying?" Malia sounded whiny to herself, which was irritating.

He smiled. "No, I have more work to do." She nodded reluctantly as he left her alone. The general would occasionally speak to whomever was on the other end of the line, but completely ignored her. She walked over to the fireplace. There were picture frames lining the mantelpiece. She picked one up with two young boys that looked almost identical, Tristan and Cain as children. They were standing side by side and both had an arm slung over the other's shoulder. They were grinning infectiously. The picture viciously reminded her of her brothers, she wondered if she would see them grow up. She put the picture back and looked at another of a woman. She was beautiful; she had long curly light-brown hair and large pale green eyes. She had delicate bone structure and a happy smile.

"Having fun?" The general asked from behind her. She turned and saw that he was off of the phone.

"Who's this?" She asked.

"My mother." Cain said without looking at the picture she was holding.

"She's beautiful."

"She used to be a model when she was younger." He replied stoically.

"Where are your parents now." Malia asked delicately. Perhaps she could invoke sympathy to her situation.

"My father died when I was a teenager. My mother moved in with her mother a few years ago. Now question time is over. Sit." He gestured to a light brown suede couch. She rolled her eyes but walked over to sit down. He sat across from her in a tan chair.

"I want an overview of your day." The general demanded.

His dictatorial attitude annoyed her. "I woke up and thought about climbing out the window. However, I decided against it. Then I walked through a hallway and down some stairs. Some woman ran into me." Malia had started her overly descriptive rant to be a smartass, but remembering her encounter with the strange woman sparked her interest. "She said her name was Milly and she seemed to have quite a fondness for yourself."

"Skip to your day with Tristan" Cain spoke through his teeth.

She rolled her eyes. "He took me to see a lake." Cain looked like he'd been smacked in the face, though he recovered quickly.

"He did? Awfully bold of him to take you out of the manor." The general said offhandedly.

Malia studied his face, trying to see anything but the calm demeanor he'd slipped on.

"Tristan told me to ask you about the frostbite that caused his leg amputations." Malia cracked the calm vestige. He looked shocked. What happened with these two?

"You reached your objective for the day, you may leave." The general ordered.

"No, I think I'll stay for an answer." She glared at him, furious at all of the secrets being kept from her.

He looked enraged, not expecting defiance from her, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Malia was emotionally wrung out and tired of the games these brothers were clearly playing. Something had happened, and she wanted to know what it was, what she was dealing with. She couldn't hurt Tristan to get back home, not after today. She needed a plan and for that she needed information. She was feeling pretty self-righteous about her response, until he stood up quickly. He was over her in a second; all she could do was flinch.

The next thing she knew she was over his massive shoulder in a fireman's carry and they were moving.

"Put me down!" She screamed at him. They went through a door at the back of the suite and she was thrown down on a massive bed. She tried to scramble up but he grabbed her legs and flipped her onto her stomach.

"What are you doing?" Malia's anxiety was increasing by the second.

"Little girl, I warned you. I'm calling in your punishment." He growled and flipped the skirt of her dress up. She yelled and grabbed at her dress while trying to turn over. He pushed down on her lower back with one arm and grabbed both of her hands in the other. He leaned over her until his mouth was directly by her ear. Goosebumps raised all across her skin.

"You are going to be still and take this punishment or I will call as many people in here as the room will allow. Would you like your new friend Finn to hold your arms as I whip your bare ass? Or maybe Tristan would like to help?"

Malia stilled. She had no doubt that he was completely serious. She also knew that Finn would do it if he were ordered to. She wasn't sure if Tristan would agree, but she didn't want to find out.

"Now raise your arms above your head and keep them there." The general ordered.

Malia was shaking, but she slowly complied. He pulled down her lacy pink panties and she shivered. Without any warning his hand slapped her soft flesh. Malia yelled out, but didn't move. She bit the white fluffy comforter that surrounded her face fore the next five or six strikes. As he began to smack over previously lashed areas she began to yell out again and tears streamed down her face. The pain as well as the humiliation reddened her cheeks. She'd never been spanked before. She'd hardly ever been scolded before, really only once.

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"Malia you are going to go over there and apologize to that girl!" Her mother looked furious, which was so unlike her.

"No I'm not." Malia responded calmly, tying her hair up in a ponytail.

Kristen looked dumbfounded. Malia was the poster child for an obedient, responsible daughter. She'd never defied her parents before and her mother didn't know what to do. Malia was irritated that she was seen as so good and perfect. She was irritated that her complete obedience was expected so unanimously. It was a buildup of things really that had pushed her over the edge, all detonated by a small incident.

Malia had turned sixteen three months before and was getting used to working in the farms. There was a mixture of people working the fields, but it was common for the younger workers to be assigned there. It was hard for Malia to acclimate. The evil blond goddess who had laughed at her two years before alongside her boyfriend, Malia had learned was named Josie, worked the fields with her posse of followers. She had dumped her previous beau over a year ago and was flirting up a storm on a consistent basis. One of Josie's personal items had been a string bikini. Malia knew this because Josie wore it everyday in the fields. She would roll the ugly grey jumpsuit down and tie the arms around her waist and flaunt the hot pink bikini top as she worked. It seemed the more Josie irritated Malia, the more she was assigned to work alongside her. Josie also had no qualms about bringing up their past embarrassing encounter. She made small digs everyday until Malia wanted to strangle her with the stupid floppy arms of her jumpsuit that dangled around her waist.

Malia ignored her pretty effectively until the one day that Olivia stopped by the field. She was fourteen and still was going through her daily lessons instead of working.

"Wow Malia, it's like looking at a picture of you." Josie laughed when Olivia approached Malia. "I would have sworn she wouldn't ever have boobs either, but you seemed to turn out decent. Who would've thunk it right?" Josie said mockingly as her flunkies laughed along.

Olivia blushed and looked towards the ground and Malia just saw red. She picked up some small pruners from the gardening box at her feet and walked over towards Josie, who had once again turned her back to Malia as she worked.

"You know Josie, you have a strange obsession with breasts." She simply snorted a reply as she bent over to grab a weed. "Homosexuality is nothing to be ashamed of." Malia continued.

"What?" Josie turned around at that, facing Malia. "I am not a lesbian!"

"Why else would you insist on showcasing your breasts day after day to your group of female friends?" Malia asked seriously.

"I am not showcasing anything for them sweetheart, but the fact that you noticed says more about your own sexuality than mine." Josie smirked and turned back around to pick up her shovel. Everyone continued to work, though they were all listening to the dispute. Malia closed the distance between Josie's turned back and herself.

"You know Josie, you're right, I've been dying to see these for weeks you little tease." With that Malia quickly brought the shears up and cut the two thin strings at Josie's neck and back. The skimpy piece flung away from her body without the attachments and Josie screamed and turned quickly towards Malia. She brought her hands up to cover herself but the damage was done, everyone had seen. The men across the field were cheering, and all of Josie's followers gasped and looked at Josie and Malia with wide eyes.

"You freak!" Josie yelled at Malia, though she looked scared. Malia simply smiled at her and shrugged. She turned back towards Olivia, who looked as shocked as one of the flunkies.

"Come on." Malia said, and Olivia followed her home. Which is where her parents had found her a couple of hours later. They looked pissed as they lectured her on her inappropriate conduct for nearly an hour. Kristen had thought that they were all on the same page until she told Malia to apologize. Malia had never told her no before, not like that at least, and it was exhilarating. Her father then joined in with the yelling and the lecturing, but Malia wouldn't budge on this. She wasn't sorry and she wasn't going to pretend that she was.

Eventually her mother left the house in frustration. Her father walked back in after talking to her outside the front door. He looked at Malia and laughed. It was her turn to be shocked. He walked over and hugged Malia and started to laugh some more. Even three-year-old Aiden and Derek looked up at their father.

"You cut her swimsuit off of her? In the middle of a field?" He grinned like a little kid. "Good for you princess."

"You're not mad?" Malia was confused.

"Nah, It sounds like she had it coming. And you didn't hurt her right?" He asked suddenly serious.

"No, I mean I just embarrassed her a little bit, but she did the same thing to me." Malia's justification sounded weak, even to her own ears. "She did deserve it." Malia insisted.

"No doubt in my mind." Her father smiled. "Plus you took care of that ridiculous swim suit. Did she really pick that as one of her personal items?" He smirked.

"Yeah" Malia felt a fresh wave of guilt run through her veins. She may not have physically hurt Josie but she didn't feel right about it like she had a few moments before. Which she knew full well was her father's intention all along.

"Fine! I'll apologize!" Malia stood angrily.

Her father smiled at her. "I'm proud of you princess." She rolled her eyes and walked towards the door. "Not only for doing the right thing." He said to her turned back and she turned to look at him, confused again. "Though I am happy that you are going to do the right thing. But I'm also proud of you for doing the impulsive thing. I'm proud of you for sticking up for your sister, and yourself. I'm proud of you for being a fighter."

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If only her father could see her now, sprawled over a man's bed as he smacked her bare ass harshly while she cried. She'd lost count a while back. Malia hated that he didn't say anything. Her whimpering and the slaps were the only sound in the room. Eventually he stopped; his breathing was slightly labored. She immediately reached back to pull her panties up and straighten her dress. She winced as the lacy garment made contact with her sore skin. She wiped the tears from her face and took a deep calming breath before she got up.