The Oathkeepers Ch. 07

Thanks so much for reading. I truly appreciate reading comments and messages. Some of you are making guesses on where the the story is going which is fun! I'm publishing each chapter as I write so apologies for any roughness in the editing or story flow. This is in the non-consent/reluctance category, so please do keep that fantasy dynamic in mind.

~~

Zoe sat curled on the terrace with a mug of the strange warm drink that could almost be considered coffee. If coffee were thick and flavored with cinnamon and other spices. Paragon moved around the chamber, munching on his breakfast as he prepared for the day. She tried to let her mind settle into the seemingly calm, domestic picture. From the intense blue of the sky it would be another hot day on Homeworld. Like every day. She sipped at the coffee and glanced down to the book on her lap: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

She'd had to chuckle when she'd found it on the shelf. Paragon had the simple, pale golden dress she'd chosen the first day replaced after he found her sadly fingering the ripped lace. She wore a similar one now in honor of Regency England. She touched the simple white ribbon on the empire waist, sitting in this palace she could almost imagine she'd been transported back in time, back to Earth. Zoe smiled grimly. She'd just been one pilot of thousands within the Confederation, nothing special about her. And now she sat, the lover of an alien king. The reluctant lover.

She let her eyes travel into the room, following Paragon's movements. It was becoming so easy to give into him. All he wanted was her. She'd thought Aegis was on her side, was her one chance of escape...but Paragon had quelled that notion last night. He said Aegis had dissuaded him from letting her go. Was it the truth? As she watched Paragon she couldn't believe he would have actually set her free. He'd given no indications he felt guilt for taking her, had any sort of qualms in using her body, in breaking her. He reveled in it. And he so enjoyed torturing her and Aegis. Perhaps this was just more torturous manipulation. THAT she could believe.

The door to the chamber opened and Aegis slipped in. Zoe snapped her book shut as she watched the two Oathkeepers lean into each other. Aegis's wings twitched anxiously as he spoke to Paragon and she realized he wore his heavy black armor once again. Something was afoot it seemed. Both their eyes turned to her, and she sucked in a breath, feeling their consideration. Her body ached from the day before. The skin still held the pink welts from the whip. She pressed her legs together, her entrance was tender, swollen from Paragon's constant fucking.

Paragon stepped from Aegis and padded lightly across the chamber to stand in the doorway of the terrace. "Duty calls, my love," he said as he ran his eyes over her relaxing form. "I need Aegis at my side today so I'm sorry to say you must entertain yourself while we're gone."

"That's fine. I have all I need," she said softly, letting her eyes flick to Aegis. Something was wrong. His expression was dark as he met her eyes. His and Paragon's wings continued to twitch, flexing and giving away their anxious moods. She'd never seen Paragon show anything but calm authority. It left her nervous.

Paragon stepped towards her and placed a tender kiss on her crown. He paused a moment, lips against her hair, breathing in deeply and then he turned to sweep from the chamber. Aegis followed, sparing her a heavy look before he pulled the door shut behind them. She sat for a long moment staring after them. She trembled with undercurrent of unease they'd carried with them. What could disquiet one such as Paragon?

She flipped the book back to her chapter, but her eyes ran over and over the same sentence. She could not read while her anxiety rippled up through her limbs. She realized it was the first time she'd been truly alone since she'd arrived. As she sat in indecision on the cushions on the terrace her mind began to waver. Should she try to escape? Was this her chance? The door was solidly locked with two Garnets always on guard. She stood and moved to the terrace railing. Craning her neck, she felt defeated. It was a straight drop, hundreds of feet down to the sparkling ocean below. She remembered tumbling through the air, the spray of the waterfall churning around her. The certainty that Aegis would catch her. It left her heart thumping madly, a swelling sense of security in his arms.

She turned from the railing, pushing the feeling of Aegis's arms from her thoughts. She spun in a circle, her eyes darting around the terrace, back out over the Boundless Abyss. Such a beautiful view from her prison. Hopelessness coursed through her veins, mixed with the constant anger she held in her center. With a scream of rage, she sent PRIDE AND PREJUDICE sailing into the sky. It arced, fluttering like a broken bird before plummeting from her view. "Fuck you Elizabeth," she muttered under her breath. "What would YOU do if Mr. Darcy kidnapped you and fucked you brainless?"

~~

Aegis stood to the side of Paragon's throne. The cavernous chamber hummed with anticipation. Word traveled quickly. Aegis let his eyes slide up, up the arching dome to the tiers of glittering Oathkeepers that watched. The handsome Bronzes with their proud eyes gathered together. The steadfast Garnet guards ringed the groundfloor. He traced the other deep gem-like colors that perched around the chamber. Forge and a few other of the Onyx Wardens stood resolute with Aegis around Paragon.

Bastion walked slowly down the length of the chamber towards them. Though Paragon leaned casually as ever on his throne, Aegis felt his agitated mind. A dozen other Onyx paced behind Bastion. The War Warden's fleet sat above Homeworld. He'd taken it upon himself to return from the front, bringing most of his army. Onyx, Bronze, Garnet, the highest colors. Was it a threat? From Bastion, everything was a threat.

"War Warden," Paragon breathed as Bastion came to a stop in front of his dais. Bastion leaned nonchalantly forward, placing his foot on the lowest step. "What brings my fleet back to Homeworld?"

"Your fleet is weary, Paragon. For hundreds of years we've held Oathkeeper space. Never pushing against the human encroachment."

"Yes," Paragon agreed.

"I ask that we be allowed to use our strength. To finally take what is rightfully ours. The humans, their worlds are rich with unused resources."

"Are you so hungry Bastion? I've not heard of reports anywhere within our Oathkeeper empire of want. Of any of my subjects going without," Paragon said softly.

"The humans need to learn their place. Eventually they will push too far. Too long Gilded have let them have free rein."

Aegis stiffened. Bastion's true motives were surfacing. Around him, there were murmurs as an Onyx questioned the last Gilded.

"But that is my will. As Gilded," Paragon's voice rippled with low warning through the chamber. The low colors all shrank from its weight, but Bastion seemed to shrug off the threat. He straightened, his eyes going hard.

"The last. Your ancestors have led us to this state Paragon."

"OUR ancestors, brother," Paragon's golden eyes flashed as wrath began to bubble within him.

"Yes. Our dear mother who died, and with her the last hope for Gilded and Onyx. Will you let us die out slowly, a whisper of memory among the stars?"

"You'd rather go out in a blaze of vicious glory? Bending the lesser races to your will?"

"Yes."

The hall sat silent as the two stared each other down. Aegis's arms twitched at his sides. He fingered his pulse blade, sent his mind prodding at Bastion and the other Onyx that stood behind him. He'd trained at most of their sides. They were his brothers, uncles, cousins. Their minds were hard now though. Anxiety rippled through Aegis as he sensed their battle-ready minds.

"Stand down, Onyx," Paragon's voice boomed as he stood, let loose the full force of his Gilded glory.

He shone beautiful in the throne room; his horns caught the light like a crown. All the lesser colors again shrank in submission, but Bastion and the Onyx behind him hardened their minds, trying to shrug the dominance of their leader from them.

"No," Bastion growled.

He pulled his blade from his belt and the chamber exploded in chaos.

Paragon grabbed up his own dual blades from his own belt and surged at the larger Oathkeeper. They clashed with a roar.

Aegis leapt forward as well, flanking Forge and the three other Onyx that stood loyal behind Paragon. He threw up his psychic shield as they smashed into the larger group of Onyx. The smaller Garnets that circled the chamber shook themselves from their stupor and joined in. Aegis swooped and darted, using his bulk like a battering ram against the traitors.

As he grappled with two high in the air, he heard the screams of the lower colors as they fled the chamber. A severed, red arm tumbled past him through the air and Aegis looked up. The overwhelming force of the Onyx swept through the smaller Garnets like glinting knives. Aegis blocked his mind against their psychic assault, but the weaker Garnets were swept aside like flies. He grabbed one of the Onyx that grappled with him by the neck and sent the Oathkeeper flying to smash into the wall. The other he gripped and plummeted to the ground, slamming him beneath him and cracking the black stone floor of the chamber.

A blade pierced his leg, driving through his armor with a crunch. Aegis whipped around with a thrust of his mind sent the other Onyx skittering across the floor.

He turned, searching frantically for Paragon. The Gilded still danced with Bastion. Paragon had that lithe, warrior's grace, while Bastion was all brute force. He wasn't as tall as Aegis, but he was wider, like a charging, rabid bull he slammed into Paragon.

Paragon met Aegis's eyes, stumbling for a moment and then throwing one of his blades in his direction. Aegis twitched, turning to follow the blade's path to find an Onyx only a step behind him dropping his sword as he frantically grabbed at his pierced throat.

As he turned back to Paragon he felt the world stutter to a stop. Bastion had the Gilded Oathkeeper by the horns. He slammed a foot into his golden wings, knocking him to the ground.

As he raised his blade, Paragon sucked in a breath, holding Aegis's eyes. The molten gold churned in desperation. "Protect her," he rasped across the space.

The words sliced into Aegis as Bastion's blade slashed across Paragon's throat. Bastion hacked like a demented being and Aegis's world fell away as the exalted head of the last Gilded was lifted. The handsome gold body fell heavily to the ground and Aegis howled in grief. The doom of his people had arrived.

~~

Zoe paced within the chamber. Back and forth, back and forth from terrace to dressing table. Her mind darted. She sensed it. Something was wrong. Aegis with his intense eyes and armor kept jumping to her mind. She whipped around as something slammed into the door of the chamber. There was the sound of a scuffle on the other side. Roars of Oathkeepers.

The door exploded open and a pair of huge Onyx stalked into the room. Their eyes fell on her instantly and Zoe was already turning to run. She darted onto the terrace. As she pushed open the door to her little library her heart hammered. Like a rabbit running to ground she could think only of the small, safe space that might give her a chance. As she ran into the low corridor a huge hand grabbed at her shoulder, slamming her against the wall. She yelped and fell to the ground. One of the Onyx stooped, trying to squeeze into the low, tight tunnel. She panted and began to crawl from his grasping hands. The hand again fell on her, wrapping around her ankle and yanking her back. She finally began to scream, there was nothing else to do. The hand crunched around her ankle and she suddenly remembered the terrible, god-like strength Aegis controlled. Even Paragon's hands were gentle in comparison to the vice around her ankle pulling her back.

She struggled, grabbing desperately at the walls, anything to pull her into her safe den. "No!" she realized she screamed, over and over and over as she was dragged backwards. Finally, she was pulled back into the sunlight of the terrace. The second Onyx grabbed her roughly by an arm and yanked her up, her shoulder screamed, and she felt a pop as it was dislocated. She shrieked from the pain and terror, trying desperately to wrench from him.

"Shut up you fucking whore," one finally snarled and smacked a hand across her face.

Her head swam as black edged across her vision and she went limp for a moment. Suddenly the only thing she could think of was leaping from the terrace. A quick fall to her death suddenly seemed so much better than her other options.

The Onyx gripped her shoulder and examined her for a moment. "She doesn't look all that different from any other," he growled as he shook her and forced her face to snap up to him. He glanced to the other that had stalked back into the chamber to look into the hallway. "Think Bastion will mind if we give her a try? See what all the fuss is about Paragon's little cunt?"

The other glanced back, his black eyes dark as he ran them over her. "We'll just have to be quick, I think the battle is still raging in the chamber, but will likely be over soon."

"No..." Zoe moaned as the Onyx pawed at her. He grabbed her breasts roughly as he dragged her back into the chamber. He tossed her on the bed, grabbing again at her swelling ankle as she tried to scramble away. "Stop!" she screamed. "Paragon will kill you if you touch me!"

The two paused and shared a glance before laughing darkly. "No, he won't."

Terror gripped her heart, fell into her stomach as one jumped into the bed after her. She tried to relax, to imagine this was just the unwanted hands of Paragon on her. But it was so very different. He grabbed at her hair, there was no softness in the Onyx's touch as he yanked up her dress to shove apart her legs. She kicked at him, struggling and trying to smack at his face though one arm hung limp, throbbing in pain from a dislocated shoulder. 'Just a body, just a body, just a body," she tried to recite as her thighs were pried apart.

As the Onyx released her for a moment to tug his stiff cock from his armor Zoe smashed a fist into his face. Her hand exploded in pain as he stilled for a moment and then began to laugh. "They really are wild, aren't they?" he chuckled glancing to the other that stood in the doorway.

"Hurry up, just don't break her," the other said, impatience inching into his voice as he listened to a battle Zoe couldn't hear.

The fearsome dark face of the Onyx turned back to her as he freed his cock and again grabbed at her thighs, wrenching them apart with one hand while the other landed on her chest, squeezing her breasts painfully as he smashed her into the bed. Zoe writhed beneath him, her breaths coming so fast she thought she'd pass out but the huge bulk of the Oathkeeper was like a pillar, falling down on her, crushing her beneath him. "Let's see how Paragon's human cunt feels," he whispered harshly to her as he pinned her with his hips.

They both froze as a loud crunch sounded from the door. Before the Onyx on her could swivel his head to look, his head fell off. It landed heavily on Zoe's stomach in a splatter of black blood. He collapsed on top of her, knocking the air from her lungs as the heavy armor dug into her. But then the body was being thrown to the side and Aegis stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes manic. He held a vicious looking blade that crackled with electricity in his hand and reached for her with the other.

"We have to go," he rumbled. Dumbly she reached for him and he pulled her from the bed. "Are you injured?" he asked as he pulled her up and she hissed as her shoulder was jostled. His black eyes went impossibly darker as he swept them up and down her, zeroing in on her shoulder. "It's dislocated," he answered before she could respond. He sheathed his sword and nimbly grabbed at her arm. His fingers ran over her shoulder expertly and with a quick jerk he popped it back into its socket.

"Fuck!" Zoe snapped as she grabbed at it, but the pain was quickly receding.

"We have to go," Aegis repeated as he grabbed at her again. He finally met her eyes as he swept her up, holding her waist tightly with one hand. "You'll need to hold on to my neck. I might need my arms to be free." His eyes held so much back. She knew the look, she'd piloted enough soldiers to be familiar with the grim set of his jaw, the focus only on the practical things like staying alive.

"What's happened?" she asked as he hurried towards the terrace, swiping up a few supplies as he moved through the room.

"Bastion," he growled as he leapt over the railing. They plummeted straight down and the air whipped at Zoe, sucking the breath from her. Aegis pulled up with a single, powerful thrust from his wings. He clutched her around the waist, smashing her face into his shoulder as they were jostled above the waves. Zoe gasped, trying to suck in a breath as he barreled south, away from the palace. She realized his flight from Silverwing Falls had been a leisurely stroll. He now surged over the water, flying faster than she could register. Behind them the palace dropped away quickly, turning to a jagged mark on the horizon after only a few minutes. Aegis swiveled his head back constantly, checking for pursuers she imagined.

"What's happened?" she tried again as they flew. The wind seemed to whip the words from her lips and she strained her head up towards his ear. "What's happened!" she tried again once more.

He turned his head slightly, tilting his hard jaw into her ear. "Bastion. He's overthrown Paragon. He's murdered him."

Zoe sucked in a breath. She thought she should be happy, relieved. She felt nothing but a well of emptiness in her chest. The last Gilded Oathkeeper. Gone forever from the galaxy. She hated him, and yet she still felt his absence ricochet through her. As she looked up into the new, empty sky she saw the low hanging battle cruisers of the Oathkeepers. They sat over the palace, taking possession.

~~

They flew and flew across the ocean. Aegis knew staying lower over the rippling waves was his best chance at avoiding the eyes of Bastion's troops. He could focus only on putting as much distance as possible between them and the palace. To the far south were the Diamond Cliffs. That cold, frozen continent with only a few research outposts dotting its snowy expanse. It was the last place Bastion would think to look. The last place most Oathkeepers wished to visit. He glanced down to Zoe still clutched in his arms. He'd finally allowed himself to scoop her up with both arms and now she lay, her eyes closing in exhaustion against his chest. The wound in his leg throbbed, blood dripped into the ocean as he flew. There was another slash across his shoulder, he wasn't sure when he'd received it, somewhere within the halls of the palace as he'd fought his way to Zoe.

One side of her face was swelling with a dark bruise and fury surged within his chest as he ran his eyes over her face. He shuddered to think what Bastion would have done to her. But now Bastion held the palace. Sat himself on the Gilded throne and apparently prepared to make war against the Confederation. Despair rose to replace his anger. Forge and the few other Onyx still loyal to Paragon were likely dead.

His Onyx brothers, they knew they were the last and had decided to make the world pay for it, it seemed.

On through the night he flew, hours upon hours across the waves until his wings shivered with fatigue. Luckily Zoe slept within his arms, her warm body gave him some strength, helped push him onward even as the air grew cold and seeped into his bones. Finally, ahead he spotted the glittering white cliffs. Banking up, he angled towards the first small research outpost he knew sat somewhere along this northernmost cliff of the icy continent.