The Wildness Within

Lesson One - Force - 2

AN: I love when Augus is protective enough to put his own life in danger.

'What did you do to him?'

That was the cold one. Spitting and furious.

Gwyn moaned weakly on the stone floor, uncurled, then curled up again. He was making a humming noise. But it was faint. Over and over. His throat felt like it was bleeding. It wouldn't be the first time.

'I underestimated certain reactions of his,' the Bird King said. He sounded even and in control, and Gwyn was scared of his voice and scared of him.

He could think in proper words again. He didn't want to be a beast. Not the Bird King's version of a beast. That wasn't what an animal was! Even animals could think more than he'd been able to. Even animals! Deer in the forest and badgers and foxes could all think more than that! They weren't mindless.

Gwyn moaned and realised his cheeks and eyes and mouth were wet and slung a weak arm over his face. He wanted to go away.

'You underestimated...' Augus cleared his throat. His breath was shaking on the inhale. 'With all due respect, Your Majesty, if you think that you can do this to him, while he's under my care, and expect that I'll stand for it-'

'Are you threatening me?' the Bird King sounded amused.

Gwyn felt a bolt of liquid terror move through him. He didn't want the cold one to anger the Bird King too. He didn't want that. He shook his head and made the humming noise and his eyes were still leaking.

'Yes!' Augus exclaimed, his voice tight and furious. 'Your Majesty, I know that you have done so much for us in such a very short time, more than we have earned I'm sure. But this is not teaching. If you truly want a student who will respect you and admire you, you cannot only cultivate that student with terror. Especially Gwyn. He responds far better to overtures of kindness.'

'That is why he goes home with you,' the Bird King said.

'No,' Augus said. 'I know you like riddles and games, but he is not either. If you plan on treating him as his cousin did, I will kill him myself before I let you get your hands on him again. And then you won't have whatever precious image of an apprentice you've conjured in your own head, falling prey to your own illusions. You can take my words. You can kill me. But-'

'It seems you have decided how you feel about him after all, Augus,' the Bird King said, sounding pleased and not nearly as insulting or cold as Gwyn expected.

It was too confusing. Gwyn balled in tighter on himself and was shaking so hard that his teeth chattered.

'You'll put your life on the line, your brother's...for that?'

Gwyn realised that the Bird King was talking about him.

'Besides,' the Bird King continued, 'he assaulted me.'

'He likely had a damned good reason,' Augus said, his voice low and soft. 'Tell me he didn't.'

'Where did all this fire come from, Each Uisge?' the Bird King drawled. 'It's almost captivating.'

'I'm taking him home,' Augus said. 'This lesson is over. And I'm not bringing him back to you until-'

'Augus,' the Bird King said, sounding dangerous now. Sounding as dangerous as he had when he'd taken Gwyn's voice away. Gwyn moaned brokenly and hid his face and just wished he could be smaller. 'That's enough now. You've said what you need to say, but you do not dictate to me how this goes.'