Randsomed: Short Story

Hey guys!!! Here's another college update! I know you guys are probably tired of them by now, but oh well.  I recieved a letter from Southern Virginia University today and I got a scholarship !!!! Well, two actually. I got an academic scholarship for $6,000 and a housing scholarship for $2,000. Great ain't it?! Well, not really. Tuition is pretty steep, but any amount of money will help. Okay, so uh I don't know if you know that Erin is writing a story called Legacies. I. Love. It. It, like many of my stories, was started from a dream. I'm in it. My character is Alessia. I don't know if I've talked about this before..... but I think I've got a picture of her and Rath up here. If not..... i'll get one. UH. This story here, is from a dream I had. Yes, I dream about Erin's characters. UHHHHHHH to know some backstory, you should probably read her story here.


Randsomed

The air was thick with anger and fear. Everyone sat in the small room, the dragons from the great stained glass window glaring down at them. The room seemed to be angry with the occupants. Elle and Zara sat on the far side of the room with Saige. The boys were in the center of the room, each of them pacing like caged animals. Rath had his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes dark and angry.

He stopped moving and snatched the white-blond haired boy by the collar of his shirt. "Think, Trace!" he growled ferally, "Who would have taken her?!"

"I-I don't know! You think I'm not upset about this!?" Trace snapped back.

Rath shook Trace harshly, "You darn well be upset. It's your fault they got her! Now think! Who, of all your enemies would take Alessia?"

Alik put his hand on Rath's shoulder, a silent warning to cool it.

Saige hopped up from her seat in the corner and ran to Rath's other side. "Rath, calm down. This isn't helping. We need to find Alessia and all this anger isn't helping us find her. She's probably scared, Rath. She needs you to keep your head about yourself." She said, smiling up at him.

He let go of Trace's shirt and backed up. He sighed. "You're right, you're right."

"I promise, I'm thinking. I've been thinking since the moment I found out she was taken. You're not the only one who cares about her." Trace said darkly.

Rath glared, but said nothing.

*****

She cowered in the corner, her hands tied to the pole behind her, her ankles bound tightly with rope. She prayed with everything she had that Rath was looking for her. That was the only thing she had to hold onto. If Trace really owed these people--these monsters--that took her as much as he did, he wouldn't be looking for her. He'd be running for the hills by now. The door opened, light spilling in through the crack. Alessia cringed closer to the pole. She didn't want them to come back. She wanted them to leave her alone. What did she have to do with Trace? She hardly even knew him!

"'Ello love," said a gravely voice.

Alessia wimpered. "Leave me alone!" she cried, tears falling down her cheeks.

He aproached her, untying her arms and grabbing her wrists. She tried to crawl away from him, but he kicked her in the stomach and dragged her out of the room. She twisted and turned in his grip, screaming and crying. She was bruised and bloody and broken on the inside. She needed Rath. She wanted to see his face, to feel his arms around her again. The man dragged her around a corner, her hip banging against a sharp corner. She cried out, feeling warmth leak from her skin. He turned and glared harshly at her. She bit her lip and kept quiet. He dragged her up the stairs, not caring that she cried out in pain each time she hit another step.

The other members of the crew watched with sneering smiles as, Red as he was called, dragged Alessia's bloody body across the deck. Alessia heard a familiar voice curse from the distance. She twisted herself around to see the voice. Trace stood, locked in a choke hold at the end of the deck. She started crying, her body rocking with sobs. Red yanked her to her feet, holding her against his side.

"Nice of you to join us, Trace." Red said. "You know, I was rather surprised to find such a gem as this among your fith. She made it easy for me to lure you out of your little hole."

"Shut up," Trace growled. "Let her go."

"Did you bring what I asked for?"

Trace shrugged himself free of his captor's grasp and threw a sack that fell with a chink! to the ground. Alessia felt Red smile. One of the other men grabbed the sack, opened it and nodded at Red.

"Now let her go," Trace growled.

Red loosened his grip on Alessia and then, faster than anyone could blink, drew his sword and thrust it through her gut. She gasped, blood leaking from the corners of her mouth. Trace rushed forward and caught her as she fell. He pulled the blade from her body, holding her limp body in his arms, looking like a lost puppy. The other men started to converge on him. He gathered Alessia in his arms and rushed off the ship.
He had to get her back to Zara and the other women quickly.

****

Rath sat at the side of her bed, holding her hand gently, waiting for her to wake up. She had barely survived the injury sustained by the pirates. Rath blamed her for every injury, every cut, every bruise. Trace entered the room, quietly slipping in, standing next to the door. Rath looked up at him, glaring harsly.

"Is she awake yet?" Trace asked, keeping his eyes fixed solely on Alessia's still figure.

"No, she's not." Rath answered. He had dark circles under his eyes. He hadn't slept for days.

"Rath, sleep. You're like the living dead. I'll watch her."

Rath glanced up at Trace, but his fatigue won the battle. He stood and exited the room and Trace took his place on the chair beside her, taking  her hand in his. Hours later she stirred. His head snapped up. She groaned, her brow wrinkling in pain.

"Rath?" she moaned.

His heart sunk. What was he expecting? For her to wake up and ask for him? He squoze her hand.

"No, he's sleeping. He's been in here for days without sleep, waiting for you to wake up. Here's the deal doll, we'll just not tell him that you woke up, and you can wake up again for him, deal?" he smiled.

"Fine... I'm too weak to fight you, but Trace..." she struggled to talk, the bandages around her stomach constricting her air flow. "T-thank you for saving me."

She propped herself up on her elbow, trying to sit up straight. Trace stood, and stopped her, gently putting his hand on her shoulder and guiding her back down to the pillow.

"You're too weak right now, don't hurt yourself." he said.

She grabbed his collar, holding his face down close to her. She kissed his cheek gently, and closed her eyes again. His cheeks flushed as he dropped back into the chair, pleasantly surprised.

"Make sure Rath's in here next time I wake up. And don't you say a word about what just happened, or so help me when I can I'll kick your butt." she whispered, falling back asleep.

He chuckled. "Sure thing love."