Fallen - 5

[Gabriel POV]

"So… Gabriel was it…" 

The voice was small, barely audible over the clink and clank of utensils against plates. I felt my cheeks rise, a smile burst from the remnants of my frown. 

"Yes, madam'" It was a respectful answer, one expected of me but more than just that it was in my nature to be polite. To care for the cues and opinions of others, a quirk I found useful in situations such as this. 

As the second nature of mine was so innocent and pure in its intentions, that I had been told, that it was impossible to look past my smile and words. A sort of presence that took the attention of all.

For a moment I could not tell what the atmosphere had turned to, what had happened in the absolute silence that reigned after my answer. But therein was my answer, the tense silence, one that seemed to oppress my soul.

And I shuddered, in belief of some nascent harm, but there was nothing. No strike of words that would crassly place me to the bottom, where I would stay for my life. No words, it was the silence, so oppressive was it, that hit me the hardest.

A shudder of my spine, my smile found it hard to maintain its peaceful atmosphere. But there was nothing I could do to resolve this, other than wait for the judgment of my executioners.

I closed my eyes, the colors and orbs of the world fade to nothing with the action. There was nothing left to do but wait.

Another moment, a second, two. They passed and brought with them a new something, a warm embrace that pulled me from my seat and into the lap of another. For a brief moment I thought of my sister.

Of her excitement and babying that was so endearing, and with that image came a nuzzle. I placed my head into the crook of the embrace and nuzzled further into the hug, as I had come to memorize.

An action restricted to the knowledge of family, but in that moment of absolute panic, where I could not tell left from right. My mind a blank book, overwhelmed by the changes. I found myself leaning further in.

"Shh~" A voice whispered into my ear, mature yet young. And once more my eyes opened, all to the blazing orb of the same person that I had healed earlier. An age that felt so long ago, yer mere hours had passed. Not even a day.

For a moment I just blinked, once, twice, and then a scramble, blocked by strong arms that forced my struggle to the ground. 

Where I was pinned to the chest of the one that held me, I did not even know her name, and already she would defile me as such.

"If you must, then why… in front of all… is that my fate…" I grunted out, my voice soft and tired. If it were my fate to be used in such a manner, then the least they could do was to take me quickly, rather than to extend it to such an extent.

I ceased my struggle as there was no use in doing such a thing, I was sold to their service and on whose will was I allowed to do anything but acquiesce to their desires.

For a moment all stilled, that same oppressive silence brought back from the depths of my mind. And it stayed, for moments. For what seemed like hours.

Only to be broken by a feel of power, mana, aura. Something like it assaulted my body and threw me to the ground. Away from my soon to be defiler.

I coughed, a phlegm of blood turned from the back of my mouth and onto the ground. I could hear the draw of blades as more and more turned their gazes towards the scene in the room.

A familiar orb, no many familiar orbs. It was then that I had realized what had happened. The aura, mana, whatever it was, it was made and sent by the matriarch of the family. Presumably to maintain my dignity in front of the servants.

But the blood and injuries I had sustained because of such an action had triggered those that I had healed, their reactions fierce. Why? I had no idea, it was useless for them to struggle against one such as her after all.

"ENOUGH" A yell tore through my eardrums and shone the seriousness of the situation through my mind even further than it had already placed itself.

"This farce has gone on enough!" 

I felt the orbs around me shiver at her voice. Only to resolve themselves further. I shook my head, a sigh that echoed louder than even the shout.

They looked to me for guidance yet I merely shook my head, I really did not know why they had such trust in me. Such loyalty.

"Abigail, this is unbecoming of a wife, you are to be his and he yours, there is no need to scare him so, especially on his first day." I felt a pause, where I could only imagine a withering glare being sent to this Abigail, my wife apparently.

"And you, my knights, I do not know where this defiance has come from, but we shall talk afterwards." I felt another pause, but this time I was unable to find the purpose of it, only that there was one.

"Take him to the infirmary for his injuries and then straight to his designated room, nowhere else."

A lapse in silence, a roar that held with it the fury of a thousand suns. At the defiance of those she had once trusted. All because they stepped in, at risk of termination, all to help me. Why?

I was nothing special, I had done nothing that I would not have done for another. So why? Why did they risk themselves so? All for me, it made no sense.