Chapter 9: The Guardians of the Gates II

The entire walk back was tense and quiet. Oona didn't say a word, she only followed Sage. She could see that he was upset about something. He walked really fast and Oona could hardly keep up.

She was beyond exhausted, her body ached on every side, she turned to Sage who had cushioned her for the past days. She could only wonder if he was tired as well.

"Aren't you tired?" Oona whispered, unlike Sage who strode with his long legs, Oona was left skipping and jogging.

Sage stopped walking and turned to her "you must be exhausted from the journey and wedding"

"Not really" Oona could hardly read his emotions, even though his tone was sincere and caring, his face was still plain and stiff.

"Come" he stretched his hand to her. Oona stared at his hand and placed hers on his. There was a hole in his hand, although it had healed, it formed a black dot in his palm. She noticed the same with hers.

Sage pulled Oona gently and carried her. Oona stared at him dumbfounded, she wanted to protest but only when he had carried her did she realize her feet were aching.

Sage stared at the shoes Oona wore, he could tell by a glance that her legs were swollen.

"Do they hurt?" Oona who had her hands clasped to one another, shook her head denying it. "You lie a lot" Sage retorted.

She turned to him with a slight frown, she didn't like the phrase 'lie' been directed to her. Growing up, Nohr always complimented for being truthful and honest.

Trying not to remember her pain, Oona looked round the building, it was huge and decorated in simple yet regal manner. "You're a Prince?" She turned to Sage who's eyes were glowing. Oona's eyes glimmered, she had never seen eyes glow this bright. It somehow reminded her of Nohr when he had first prayed with his gift.

"I am" Sage replied shortly before frowning "and I'm cursed with 4 more brothers and an annoying sister" Oona really didn't need such information but it startled her.

"Are you the second child?" She continued the conversation.

"No, third son, third child" he replied "Manasseh and I have an older brother as well" Oona nodded slowly.

"You must have had a nice childhood experience with so much siblings " she smiled sadly as she gradually remembered her childhood. Sage watched the girl in his arm closely.

'She lacks self worth' he thought to himself 'that won't help you over here'

He walked into a huge room. Oona's eyes widened in shock when she saw a large bed at the end of the room. Though she wasn't one to think perverse things, right now her mind ran wild.

Oona jumped down from Sage's arm. Her feet arched badly when she stood on them but regardless she limped towards the door.

Sage who wasn't much surprised by her attitude tailed behind her slowly. Like a predator hunting it's prey, "you must have forgotten about the consummation"

Oona's stomach churned hearing his words. She held the door knob but then Sage slammed the door with both hands, trapping Oona in between him. She didn't know what to do, turn or plead.

She was never taught things like this, Oona's education as a princess stopped the day she killed her mother. "Please-e l-le-let's not do this "

Sage whispered in her ears "not do what?" Her cheeks burned pale red, she was even more embarrassed saying it. Sage pulled her arm harshly and dragged her to the bed. Oona struggled to release herself.

"Let me go" she could hear galloping horses in her head. It was probably her heart but fear changed the sounds she heard. "Anyone who wishes ill against me faces death" she couldn't help but scream, though she wasn't ready for consummation, she didn't want Sage to die.

Sage threw her on the bed forcefully. Her eyes brimmed with tears, she didn't want to do this. Sage unbuttoned his russet and then his shirt. Oona closed her eyes waiting for the worst to befall her.

She felt his hands crawl up her skirt up to her thighs then down her knees till it got to her feet. He pulled off her shoes gently and stared at Oona's leg, they looked like a boiled potato.

"Does it hurt?" he blew on it gently, causing her to shiver. "Wait here let me get some ointment"

Oona's eyes shot open, she sat up quickly and adjusted her gown while wiping off her tears. For a minute there she had already imagined herself being raped.

"Your thoughts are not pure for a lady" Sage walked out of another room with a bowl and towel. Her eyes darted around the room trying to hide her embarrassed face.

He walked to her slowly and knelt on a knee. He raised her leg up to rest on his lap.

"Stay still" he held her legs in place and picked up the towel, wetting it he pressed her swollen legs lightly. Oona flinched at first but then relaxed.

Oona watched Sage carefully tend to her wounds, every action he took caused her heart to flutter. The room was dimly lit and the fireplace was far south from the bed to brighten up the place.

She stared at Sage's green glowing eyes that were glued to her feet."Looks like the boots were heavy" he bent slowly to her feet, blowing on it gently.

"It's done" he gently placed her feet on the ground. "Let's get you undressed and ready"

The once calm Oona turned agile, she stood up from the bed totally forgetting the pain in her legs. Sage stretched his hand forward to help her but she refused. "You know it's a must right?" Her face and neck were red and glimmering, she has never thought of consummating with anyone before, no she never believed she'd get married not to talk of consummating.

Sage shook his head and sat on the bed, he unbuttoned his shirt completely and pulled it off. Oona shut her eyes tightly not wanting to see things against her will. "Aren't you going to sleep?"

He asked "or do you intend to sleep with the dress on?" Oona bit her lower lip and looked at her gown. She didn't want to undress in front of a man, but this man happened to be her husband, one who she married having no choice.

"Come here, let me help you with the strings of the corset"

"I can do it myself" she quickly declined

"It's an order" he retorted coldly. "Now come here, you won't like it if I get up from here"

Oona gulped in nervously, her feet wiggled lightly. Summoning courage, she walked to him and turned her back to him. Her heart beat accelerated with every passing second.

Sage untied the knot and slowly pulled out the strings. Oona felt relief with every lose string, she didn't know how much she was compressed in the corset until now.

The corset fell off her upper body to the ground. Sage started the next corset which was right after her bare skin. Oona was about to flinch but stayed put when he cautioned "Don't"

Her ears vibrated in tune with her racing heart. She shivered lightly when she felt cold breeze brush through her skin. Sage gazed on the faint marks on her back. He wanted to ask how she got them but he didn't want to pry.

"There's a room over there" he pointed at a door at the other end of the room. "There are dresses in there, find a nightgown and put it on"

He stood up slowly, Oona who could feel the close proximity of their bodies felt weak in her knees. "Go on, I won't look"

He walked towards the other side of the bed, putting on a light shirt he laid on the bed. "You're not my body type anyway"

Oona's nervousness gradually turned to anger, she never thought a word like that could get her annoyed. She could still hear the praises of her brother about her nice physique.

She turned to Sage who faced the the other side of the room. Not only had he seen her body, he also downgraded it. Veins popped on her head.

She dragged her gown and walked to the room Sage pointed out.

Sage who heard the door slam hard smirked. He sat up slowly and turned to the door. "What kind of life did she have?" Though the marks in her back were faint, he could tell she wasn't cut once neither twice. He opened a drawer beside his bed. Pulling out a dagger out of the drawer beside the bed, he slid it under his pillow.

Oona looked at the gowns in the dresser. She could hardly pick, all the colours were bright and alluring. She has worn no other colored clothes but white, so it was difficult to pick.

She rummaged through the nightgowns and finally picked a gown, it was light blue and had a faint colour of white at the tip.

She walked into the room puffing out steam from her head, but then came back to her senses when she realized she was going to share the same room with a man. The only man who had ever spent nights with was her brother.

She walked towards the bed very slowly. "It seems you aren't tired as I am"

"I-i thought you were asleep?" She replied and quickly walked to the bed. Sage turned to her, his eyes grazed through her from head to toe.

"Lay down" he said in a commanding yet calm tone. Oona nervously slide into the bed, her heart was pounding once again. Sage sat up on the bed, before Oona could anticipate for anything he was on top of her.

She screamed "what are you doing?" She was about to push him but he caught her hands and pinned them above her head. He used one hand to hold her in place while he slid the other under his pillow, bringing out a dagger.

Cold sweat rolled down Oona's face, she didn't know what was about to happen but she could tell it wasn't going to go well for her. "Stay still"

"What are you doing?" She yelled at him.

"Consummating" Sage replied "now stay still, I want to get a clean cut" he backed up a little and tried to open her slammed legs. "I'm really tired so stop struggling"

"You can't do this to me against your will" she struggled with all her might. Sage rolled his eyes at her words, he drew down her gown till it reached her laps before prying her thighs with his body. "Please stop" Oona whispered, tears brimmed her eyes.

Sage ignored her pleas and bent down to her knees. Oona shut her eyes expecting the worst. She felt her skin pierced by a very sharp object. Her eyes shut open.

"Stop shaking will you" Sage gently pierced her skin. Blood rolled down her thighs and dropped on the bed, he wiped off the blood from her tigh gently. "Done"

He sat up and licked the blood on his dagger. "Good night"

Oona opened her eyes gently, blinking a few times then turned to Sage. "That's all?" she asked.

"You seem disappointed" Sage teased

"G-good night" she panicked and turned away from him, hiding under the blanket.

Manasseh walked into a dark room, the moonlight reflected little light in the room.

"So?" He talked to a woman who sat on the bed with her eyes on the ground. Her eyes were spilling out tears like waterfalls.

She stood up and wiped off her tears. "I can't see anything, almost as if I'm being shut out"

Manasseh's frown grew deeper "what do you mean by that?"

"I can't access her soul" the woman replied with her eyes on her hand "what's the problem anyway?"

"He's up to something" Manasseh leaned on the wall, he stared at the ceiling "Sage isn't one to go for common"

The woman watched Manasseh closely "Vilma was the best priestess in the kingdom, beautiful at that, yet Sage stalled their wedding till she breath her last"

"What if he has decided to settle down, after all you all aside Erik of course are married, he was the only one yet to get married"

"No, if Sage really wanted to get married, he'd let Mother bring any woman she is pleased with" Manasseh retorted "he must be suspicious of me, i can't get caught not by Sage at the least"

The lady walked to Manasseh and knelt down in front of him. "I will make sure I complete my task, Lord Manasseh"