Revelations- part 1

The intense movement in the castle's courtyard was followed by angry shouts as the carts were loaded with groceries with large wooden crates.

The weather throughout the day had been tense and overloaded with the servants cleaning the floor after the controlled fire. Faith stood there for a long time, sitting on the stairs without believing. I would naturally have expected Willian after so many years to face the Council.

Cassie was missing. Another time ... No one could have imagined her whereabouts, but her father still hadn't done anything or questioned her. An intense hurt arose at the thought of the younger sister always deprived of small pleasures. It was supposed to be a day of celebrations and parties. The girl was fifteen years old. Only the night came to an unexpected end with the intervention of the council.

They dared to interfere in everyone's life.

Faith listened to the suggestion that she accepts Lord Kaios as a husband. The contract was to be signed later that day, despite all her vigorous protests and the discussion with her father. She could normally have asked Morgan for help, but he had a dark and bitter look, discounting the enviable humour in the crew. She had refused to attend the ball.

Two ships were anchored in the cove. They were floats prepared for combat on the high seas in the hunt for pirates. In recent months, the Sucessorium has struggled with the smuggling of bewitched pieces, cursed talismans, and goods whose sale had been banned. There was still a lucrative trade in witch hunters.

Richard Morgan, as an older brother, had taken over the helm of the ship after Will had been wounded fighting the hunters. The leg had not been amputated, but its movements were slow and painful. Richard checked the preparations made onboard the Gaia since his destination would be Chabone.

She listened in horror to her sister, thinking of the Successor Court's intention to stop the illegal trade of these hunters without success. She had heard in disbelief that a charge with the eyes of sorcerers had been intercepted. Humans used them as powered amulets to attract good luck.

-Lady. - Someone called down.

Faith sighed in dismay. She should have been in her room, perhaps could refuse the unwanted visit on the grounds that he was unwell. The girl forced a smile as she stood up, accepting his hand in discomfort. Kaios was very pleased with his growing discomfort.

-My father must be in the library, my lord. We had some problems. - A reasonable explanation. She intended to get away. Saw the man bewildered by the hand.

- Can I help you with something?

Kaios was a single, middle-aged man. After a promising career with the corsairs, his greatest ambitions attracted the attention of the Successorium. Faith couldn't imagine how anyone could tolerate those people in their black uniforms that brought justice to those who violated the Elementary Laws. He was older than she was.

The eyes were capable of causing chills by the way the man watched her whenever he was present in the castle. She didn't appreciate his company at all.

-You could then show me the way, my lady. - His suggestion came as a surprise to Faith. It was not appropriate for her to be alone without the company of a maid because of customs.

She hadn't seen Carol anywhere after all the fuss. Sighed despondently. She could very well imagine where the friend was. Euphoric Adam made plans for his trip. The hidden romance between the two was not yet known even to the family. The girl had been taken in after her father fell out of favour with the wolves and condemned to exile.

-Naturally. - she replied annoyed. Kaios had a very satisfied smile. The contract concluded for the union of the families had only one setback that irritated.

Willian had demanded that his daughter still had two years to prepare for the ceremony. Anxious to secure the girl's dowry, he had reluctantly agreed. Except for that glimpsing Faith, she realized what her old father hadn't seen.

The daughter was no longer a girl, she was old enough for marriage. The crafty old wolf was perhaps looking for a way to buy time while negotiating with the Council, for perhaps another more advantageous marriage. A contract can be cancelled at any time. Or else ...

He ruminated with possibilities as he walked down the corridor. It could compromise the girl's honour in a delicate position that would force William to hand over his daughter right away. Kaios smiled even more. The girl was young, younger than he normally would have chosen. The simple, homemade cotton dress accentuated a perfect body with feminine and insinuating curves. Her black hair fell over her shoulders in unruly strands, but her amethyst-coloured eyes were capable of condemning a man to hell.

Now, he was not that young to wait. The young woman was old enough for marriage. Confident he took her arm and led her over the castle balcony with another smile, even more satisfied.

-Kaios, the library is ... the way is wrong. - Faith started to get alarmed.

Although Will was lenient with his upbringing, Faith had grown increasingly protected within Black Gaia alongside his father. No other man would have such an audacious attitude. Even though he was her promised husband, customs did not allow the couple to remain alone and without a company to care for the bride's bloodline.

-Come on, my dear. It's too hot an afternoon. And stuffy. Some fresh air ...

Faith sensed a terrible unease surrounding her.

Her mother had been a skilled sorceress before she died and a priestess among the sorcerers. Before the war between the clans started. She was the daughter of a wolf and a witch, but the gift of shape-shifting had not been inherited in her blood.

The Council's elders had placed the child at a young age on trial with the Scarlet guardians. She had endured the test without attracting the attention of these creatures. Sometimes, like that, the girl captured emotions. Wizards were by nature equal. She was slightly aware of Kaios' intentions, disturbed and anxious to leave.

-It's inappropriate, even if you're a promised husband. - She started to change. - Anyway, I didn't agree with that commitment.

Those words sparked a tantrum in Kaios. Hadn't she consented? Now, since when should a woman judge such an issue?

Promising and strong alliances have always been made through marriage to take root and increase power. Faith expected what? The Council had seen with great interest the union of the Scarlet clan with a member of the Court of the Succession. They were in the 18th century.

- Dear Faith. We can avoid the inconvenience of this arrangement and not wait as your father asked. You are already a grown woman of marriageable age.

-

She is old enough to conceive strong and healthy heirs.

Just the thought made Faith shiver. Terrible disgust. The sweaty hand touched her arm in unwanted contact and she tried unsuccessfully to pull away. She just thought about getting out of there and going back to the security of your room. Was also beginning to notice his breath, which resembled wine.

-Kaios is better...Faith looked up in astonishment to feel her arm being pulled onto a dim, deserted balcony. It was bad. A decent man would not do that. A warning cry echoed in his mind. That man was dangerous.

-Oh, Faith. Be nice. I can be a nice husband. Just be gentle.

Gentle? Terrible anger enveloped her. She didn't agree with the damned marriage. And was going to announce it loud and clear in front of the entire Council. Had Will lost all sense, forcing her to become this man's wife? Stunned, she found herself without action pulled into his arms, while Kaios pressed roughly against the wall without any modesty.

How dare the miserable?

She was not a young woman raised to be treated this way, but the daughter of one of the board members. She was screaming furiously when she was silenced by a suffocating kiss. What did he intend, sir? The big body next to yours was suffocating. He was an older and much stronger man. To manage to dominate it with total ease regardless of the clenched fists that beat in protest against his chest.

-Kaios, stop! Please. My dad...

-No, Faith! So, my dear. Even your father will agree to hand it over to me. It is not inappropriate for a bride to please her promised husband.

She managed with horror to turn away from the face, fleeing the kisses that provoked anxiety and returning to fight against him, noting with horror that the man was beginning to get excited by her refusal. Kaios had managed to interpret the reaction in the worst possible way, believing that the young woman just wanted to be flattered and provoked. Her dowry was a fantastic fortune with the family's prosperity in the Navy business. He would soon be a member of the Court of Succession.

His hands went down her body, tearing with fury and without the patience to touch the soft skin. Perhaps with luck, that girl was in her bed before dawn. Regan was your friend. She had advised him to make sure that William did not find ways to break the contract. Faith stiffened as she felt her hands on the lap of her breasts trying unsuccessfully to close the dress.

-Kaios, no! Stop!

-Come on, don't be silly. You will like it and not even care afterwards. - He guaranteed excitedly.

Faith was baffled by his behaviour. It could only be the effect of the drink. Even so, she managed to capture his intentions with panic as the man intensified his unwanted caresses. It was a natural reflection of her latent ability that emerged in the situation in which she found herself. Willian had managed to hide from almost everyone that Lizandra was a witch.

Except that Faith's gift at that moment surfaced with intensity driven by anger. It was not an object to be treated so reprehensibly.

She was possessed. She unconsciously channelled the anger, absorbing the energy around it and projecting it in defence. Kaios would have thought carefully about his intention when he saw the brightness that lit the eyes of the woman who was his betrothed. They gleamed with silver. A sorcerer could not be touched against his will. He walked away with his hand burning with intense pain. Faith made an attempt to recompose the livid outfit.

She needed to get out of there. She wanted ...

-Your bad blood whore. - Kaios cursed at the limit of patience. - Never a woman dared to refuse me. Who will say a bastard like you?

His hand came down violently against Faith's face and she fell dizzy and without action. At that moment, it didn't matter if everyone discovered her bloodline. Fear and anger dictated his emotions. It wasn't fast enough to try to get away. The man knelt beside her furiously, tearing the rest of the front of her dress, showing off her underwear without hiding the look of greed.

She tensed even more and began to project all the anger and revolt that fueled her fear in a violent and unexpected onslaught so strong that a terrible cold enveloped her. The man opened his eyes in surprise before falling to the floor thrown against the opposite wall.

The noise would be enough to get the attention of the castle's inhabitants, but Faith was unable to move.

Her body did not obey any will in the bewildering confusion her mind was experiencing. The magic surfaced ahead of time and her mental scream echoed loudly

.-But what the hell ... - a thick voice echoed in the silence of the place and a torrent of plagues soon broke out loud.