Chapter 14: A Forced Mate
Olisnia’s small boat creaks as she nears the shore. She breathes in deeply, a profound ache of missing home vibrates through her body.
Although her trajectory was originally for Murduk, even her abilities are useless in the raging waters. She knows she is in Climont by the violet flags whipping in the wind. It will not be easy for her to travel within this country.
As though to reinforce this, as her boat docks and she jumps off onto the pier, a horde of heavily clad soldiers make their way toward her. They push a few bystanders away, so that they are not deterred.
“Good day,” she states first as they halt in front of her.
The urge to sigh builds in her chest, but she pushes it back down.
“Where have you come from, outsider,” the man in the front demands.
Olisnia does not answer, eyeing the men.
Irritation twitching at the soldier’s brow, he growls out, “I will not repeat myself.”
One of the men behind him, leans in, half whispering, “Sir, she is a—”
“I know what she is,” he waves off who must be his subordinate.
Olisnia allows the smallest of smiles to form on the edges of her lips. So they are educated well enough.
“I gave you a chance to defend yourself. Drulians are not allowed within Climont borders. If you are from the Hendrick Islands, I suggest you sail back.”
Cocking her head to the side, eyes glowing, Olisnia chuckles and thinks to herself, “I have not had fun in a while.”
>><<
Slowly, Jasper opens his eyes. Every part of his body aches and there is a heavy pressure on his chest. Once his vision clears, he glances around, but Eliana is nowhere to be found. His heart drops and he allows disappointment to take over. Gritting his teeth he sighs, the burning in his chest increasing.
“Honey, you are finally awake,” Beatrice exhales, her face relaxing as she enters the hut.
“Mama,” he rasps out, “How long has it been?”
“We have been here for four days. You have been asleep for the last day and a half.”
Jasper almost chokes on his words, “Has it truly been that long?”
She laughs softly at his reaction, “Yes. You have been in and out of consciousness. Eliana refused to leave your side, but I told her to take a walk, so that she can finally stretch her legs.”
Pushing himself up on his arms, he winces. “Is she alright?”
Mama sits on a chair near the cot. “Yes, her ankle is healing nicely, and because of you, she barely has a scratch from the soldiers.”
Jasper sighs with relief and relaxes, a smile pulling at his lips, “I am glad.”
He ponders on their last interaction. He had been terrified that he was going to say something out of line, so he had blurted out the only words he could come up with. “By her expression, I offended her,” he says in his mind. “How, though, I do not know.”
Beatrice’s expression falls and her brow hardens. She sits next to her son. “I am sorry to tell you so soon after you have awoken, but your father has made a decision.”
Freezing, Jasper holds his breath. He watches his mother for a moment, “A decision for what?”
She averts her gaze, “On your mate.”
“What,” he coughs as the word gets caught in his throat. He groans from the pain in his body and lies back down.
“He has arranged the marriage. You will mate with the woman in two days time, once you have recovered more.”
“Am I to marry her without ever meeting her first,” he questions his mother. Before she can respond he continues, “Why did he not consult me first?”
Her gaze softens as she intertwines her hands, “I fear your father knows that you will not choose a mate if given the choice. I am sorry, but his decision is final.”
“Mama,” he begins, but is unable to come up with an argument. What is he to say?
“Jasper, I know. Your father and I only want what is best for you. Once the marriage is complete and we bring Eliana back home, we may all return to the cottage.” Strands of her long hair fall from her bun and rest on her shoulders.
Jasper scoffs roughly, “But what about the men following her?”
“We need to get her back to her father and her village. She will be much safer there. If the Climont soldiers arrive here, the Chief will not place his people in danger because of her. I am sorry, but she must go home.”
“Are you positive she will be safe there?”
Beatrice sighs, “We can only hope.”
He stares up at the top of the tent, pondering to himself, “What will happen once she is home? Will I never see her again. No, Jasper, you will be married and back at the cottage.”
“I know you believe there is some deep emotion there, with her.”
Jasper frowns, keeping the shocked shiver from quivering his body, “What?” He turns his head so that he is able to see his mother.
Beatrice does not look at him, instead she picks at her fingers. “I am sorry, dear. It does not matter what you feel, she is a human. It will never work between the two of you. You are from two different worlds.”
“Mama, I do not know what you speak of.” Jasper holds his thundering heart down, keeping his mind clear. How could his mother know what he does not truly understand himself?
“Just remember, alright?”
Without thinking, he nods, his shoulders too heavy for his body to move.
“Now rest, you will need your strength.” She stands from her chair to kiss his forehead. “I am going to go to the next tent over to ask the healer for more ointment. I will be back momentarily.”
Jasper waits for his mother to leave and continues to wait for a few moments, before forcing himself into a sitting position. He grimaces as his entire torso is engulfed in a burning agony. Groaning, he puts pressure on his legs and stumbles to a stand.
As he releases a long breath in order to gain the strength to take a step, Jasper holds his chest, keeping his upper body from moving as much as possible. He limps to the flap of the tent, pulling it aside to glance out. His mother is still not within eyesight and the entire community is bustling about. They do not notice as he slips from the structure and slowly slinks down the road.
“Where is she? She could not have gone far,” he grumbles in his mind. His breath comes out in huffs as he exerts excess energy trying to stay standing.
He almost walks halfway around the sanctuary before he spots her. He knows it is her, by her glistening hair and her thin frame. She is the smallest adult in the city, almost as small as the children. As he sees her elegant face, the anxiety and pain wash away and a warmth replaces it. A smile tugs at his lips.
That all disappears, though, when he sees who she is facing. An excessively burly man, about papa’s size, with a completely grey beard. He carries a cane with him, although Jasper knows he does not need it. He is not weak, by any means. The man that has just approached Eliana is the Chief of their clan. The man known for his love of younger woman. The suspicious werebear, Nile Gander.