Bound by Choice (Closed)

[Kaena]

It took all of Kaelira's energy to hold back her anger at insolent way Lucian looked at Rowan as he approached him. Instead, she clenched her hands at her sides and stayed standing by her father watching. She had given Rowan the authority to carry out this part of Lucian's punishment and she had no intention of interfering. There were audible gasps from the crowd as Rowan pulled his tunic over his head and Kaelira could feel her father tense at her side as well, but, like her he made no move to interfere. The injuries on Rowan's body made it impossible for Lucian to deny what had happened.

To hear the words fall from Lucian's lips as to what happened rekindled Kaelira's anger and had Rowan been looking at her instead of Lucian he would have seen that her eyes had deepened in color. Her hand moved to the whip on her belt for a moment but then she let it fall to her side again. She could feel the crowds attention peak as Rowan spoke of what was to come next.

Rowan's shouted response to Lucian startled her. Up until then Rowan has been calm while speaking with Lucian. She knew for him to raise his voice she knew his patience with Lucian had come to an end. She could tell that Lucian was struggling with the apology by his mumbled response, however, she was happy to see that Rowan didn't let him get away with it and made him repeat it louder for all to hear. She felt a sense of pride towards him that he followed through on what he had asked for without faltering.

When he finally turned towards her, she knew what he wanted. Her hand hesitated on the hilt of her sword before she drew the blade and passed it to Rowan. She didn't speak but the fact that she relinquished the sword to him spoke volumes of the trust she had in him. Her face was unreadable as she returned to her father's side and watched as Rowan placed the sword on Lucian's shoulder, the blade dangerously close to the soft skin of his throat. The crowd fell silent as Rowan raised the blade and made as if to strike to only bring it back under Lucian's chin and force his head upwards so he had to look at him.

Kaelira couldn't help smiling when Rowan spoke of the day they met and her protection. She had meant what she had said those many years ago as a young child and they still held true today. She would do anything to protect Rowan and had proven it many times over the years. She listened as Rowan spoke of how striking him was like striking out towards her and through her to her father and though he spoke before that of her mercy, she was feeling anything but merciful in the moment. When he finally returned to her and knelt offering up the sword, she took it and slid it in its sheath, her eyes never leaving where Lucian still knelt. As she studied Lucian's face she swore she saw him smile as if everything that had just happened had done nothing to teach him a lesson.

"This isn't over yet," she said as Lucian started to get to his feet. He looked up at her startled. "What do you mean?" he stammered, his face going pale as he noticed her hand moving to her whip.

"That part was the punishment Rowan wanted for you," she said, undoing the whip from her belt. "This part is mine. Did you think you would get off as easy as only a public apology. You attacked someone under my protection and I am within my rights to enact my own punishment."

"No, please," Lucian pleaded, his eyes going to Garrick who still stood silent not interrupting. "I said I was sorry. I begged for forgiveness. I did what he asked me to."

"As Rowan said, attacking my servant is an attack against me and not something I will tolerate." Kaelira took a step forward, unfurling the whip as she walked. "My punishment to you is ten lashes, which you will count as they fall. If you falter in your counting I will start again. Do you understand?" Lucian fought to get his words out, his heart racing. He knew by the look in Kaelira's eyes there was no avoiding what was coming.

"Please Kaelira," he begged, his head dropping in defeat as she raised the whip. Kaelira paused for a moment looking at Rowan. She didn't know what he was going to think about what she was about to do since she had asked him what he had wanted for Lucian's punishment and her she was doing something else. She hoped he wouldn't be too angry at her for it.

"Remember, count," she said, turning back to Lucian and bringing the whip down across his back. Lucian cried out and then shouted "One". The whip eight more times with Lucian counting between each strike and begging Kaelira to stop. When the whip fell for the ninth time Lucian's voice was barely a whisper and Kaelira paused.

"I didn't hear you Lucian," Kaelira said, her voice cold. "Should I start over." Lucian's head snapped up, fear in his eyes.

"Nine," he screamed loudly. "Nine. I'm sorry. Please don't start over. Please."

"Better," Kaelira said rising the whip one more time.

"Ten," Lucian managed to say loud enough for everyone to hear before, his head lowering as he started to cry, his body shaking with his sobs. Kaelira stood there for a moment before walking over to him. Kneeling beside him, she placed her hand under his chin, her steely gaze meeting his.

"If you ever dare to touch Rowan again the whip will feel merciful to what I will do to you," she warned before getting to her feet and brushing the dirt from her knees. Seeing the shirt Rowan discarded earlier, she picked it up before turning to her father and taking a deep breath.

"One more thing father," she said. Garrick gave her a questioning look. "He is your warrior. Do you feel he has been sufficiently punished or do you wish to add to it." Garrick stood silent for a moment before speaking.

"Rise Lucian," Garrick ordered, his voice echoing through the yard. Lucian struggled to get to his feet and turned toward Garrick. "Lucian, as one of my warriors I hold you to a high standard. What you did not only brought shame to yourself but also me as one of my men. For that you are as of now stripped from your rank and are assigned to the northern border patrol for the next six months. You will be under Captain Thorne's command. You will not ask to be reassigned and you will obey all orders given to you. After the six months you may return but you will not be given back your rank unless you earn it and prove that you deserve it."

Lucian stood silent as Garrick spoke, all signs of his earlier confidence or cockiness was completely gone. Replaced was a look of shame and remorse. He had walked into that ring that day so sure that he was in the right and now he had been firmly put in his place. "Yes Alpha," he responded, his head lowered. Garrick waived some of his warriors over and they each grabbed one of Lucian's arms. He didn't fight them as they led him away.

The crowd dispersed quickly when it was all said and done and Kaelira stood alone with Rowan. Walking up to him she slipped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, his shirt still held in her hand.

"I know you may not be happy with what I did today," she said softly. "But I hope you understand why. Let's go home." Taking Rowan's hand she turned back towards the castle.

 

[Lucian_Devine]

Feeling the sword lifted from his grip felt was akin to a weight being lifted from his shoulders for Rowan. He hadn't asked for any of this, for Kaelira to choose him, give him the protections she did, and that was to say nothing of the jealousy that so many held for him. He had just been in the right place at the right time so to speak, and yet he never flaunted his protections, used them to bully or threaten people. He respected his Mistress, and always tried to act in a way that best represented her, and act as though she were around, even on the rare occasions that she wasn't. So, when he was finally free of the burden, he simply turned to watch as she headed towards Lucian. Was he surprised that she was going to further punish him outside of what he'd done, despite her saying that he could choose it? If he was being honest with himself, no he wasn't. Did he understand her desire for revenge, even if it might potentially be under the guise of justice? Yes.

Rowan couldn't help but flinch a little when he turned on his knees and saw Kaelira unfurling the whip at her side. Yes, he'd seen it on her, but it was a part of her battle uniform. So he hadn't really given it a second thought until now. He flinched again when he heard the number and the conditions that came with it, knowing that she wasn't going to be holding back as she struck those lashes. He saw her look back at him, but he kept his back straight, his shoulders squared, his head held high, and his face stoic, lest she reconsider on his behalf. She had given him the respect of letting him have his justice. Now it was his turn to do the same.

It was a fight for Rowan not to flinch with every crack of the whip and the cry of pain that followed, but he kept his ears tuned for the count, just in case Kaelira tried to get especially vindictive, because if he could hear the count, then he knew for a fact that she could. He did get worried when he didn't hear the count of nine, and worried that she might start over, not that many would have blamed her under the circumstances, but to her credit, she asked him to repeat the number, giving him a second chance before doing so, which he was able to take advantage of and speak the number loud enough for everyone to hear.

When the last blow was struck, the last cried screamed out, and the number ten uttered, Lucian broke down and cried as Rowan finally let his shoulders sag, thankful that the ordeal was over, or so he thought. He watched and listened as Kaelira now handed the proverbial stage over to her father, seeing if he had anything additional to add as punishment to the man, which it turned out he did. Lucian was stripped of his rank and current station, being given one of the worst posts, northern border patrol, under the particularly strict Captain Thorne and ordered not to ask to be reassigned. So he would be there for the entirety of his six month redeployment. Garrick then waived some men over to help Lucian up and back to the castle, and while Rowan could have tried to intervene, demanding that the man walk or crawl back under his own power, he once again remained stoic and silent.

With business concluded, the group dispersed quickly until it was just Kaelira and Rowan. He rose to his feet as she approached him, so that when she moved to slide her arms around his waist and rest her head on his chest, he was ready to wrap his good arm around her and hold her. He then listened to her words before nodding against her hair on his chest. "No Mistress, I didn't like what you did, but yes, I understood why you did it." He said, pressing a soft kiss to her hair before he felt her slid to his good side and take his hand, his shirt still clutched in her other hand. "I know that it likely had to be done, and I would have stepped in if you had gone too far, but...I am glad that I didn't have to be the one to say it...or do it..."

As Kaelira started to walk the pair towards the castle, Rowan lifted their joined hands, pressed a soft kiss to the back of hers. "Yes Mistress, let's. I think we've had enough...excitement for one day."