Feathers and Claws (MxMxMxMxM)

Chapter 86: Home (Pt 2)

Since I can't sleep, here's the second chapter this time from Jude's pov! With a little background on wtf they were up to as well >:)

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Jude pov :)

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My legs were sore and a bit numb as we continued to ride under the barely risen sunlight of morning.

We hadn't stopped riding last night, everyone anxious to get home to our loved ones after so long away.

I hope Theo's alright. . .

When Aldo and I originally left, we had intended to just catch up with the kidnappers who had taken Quinn and be back at the very most the next day, ideally we'd be back before he even awoke!

But things spiraled quickly, far too quickly for comfort.

It took a day of all out running the horses to catch up with the abductors. . .That was where the problems began.

We only took a small group of soldiers with us, expecting to find nothing more than some opportunistic traffickers who flew too close to the sun so to speak.

Instead. . .We were greeted by a small army. . .An angry army.

One thing led to another and we were eventually staging a coup to dispose of the current heads that had a choke hold on Quinn's - now Aldo's new - kingdom.

We had sent what messengers we could back home with letters and an explanation of what was happening so our loved ones wouldn't worry.

So Theo knew what was going on. . .So he would know what happened if. . .We didn't return.

We never got any messages back. . .

While Aldo and I worried about that fact. . .There wasn't much that could be done as we were essentially in the middle of a small war.

We lost so many soldiers. . .We won. . .But it was not worth the cost. . .

''Jude! Come now! Why the sour look dear? We're almost home!'' Aldo laughed out beside me, drawing me from my grim thoughts as he rode up beside me, a lop sided grin on his face.

I could smell the mead on him even from this distance.

He and a few other soldiers - the ones who survived that is - weren't handling the long ride too well with their injuries being jostled.

Their solution was to just. . .Constantly stay drunk while in the saddle, leaving the sober to guide us home.

I couldn't really blame them as neither Quinn's tribe nor our small army had any healers. . .Meaning they were in quite a bit of pain.

Still. . .

''Just thinking. . .I'm not too sure Theo will be very pleased to see the state you are in'' I pointed out softly, reaching a hand out so we could hold hands even while riding.

We both missed our mate so much. . .It felt almost like a Theo shaped hole had been slowly gouged out of my heart with a blunt stone.

A soft groan drew my attention to the tired and weary man beside me.

''I am going to see the healer. . .Take a nice long bath then the three of us are going to take a nice week long nap together'' Aldo declared, a grin on his face as he spoke, making me smile as well.

Before we could continue our conversation, one of the soldiers - Dan - shouted back to us with a note of alarm in his voice.

''Sir! You're going to want to see this!'' The man shouted out as he rode back towards us from the front of the group, a panicked light in his eye.

Oh no. . .

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Theo had imprisoned a Head.

Something that was considered an act of war.

With said Warlord's army right outside our gates.

To say Aldo was angry was an understatement. . .An anger that was only stoked as a palace member - I believe it was a concubine - informed him that his entire council had been imprisoned in some vague version of a coup by his own mate while he was away.

I wasn't able to calm him as he stormed through the halls to our bedchambers. . .Palace guards trying to stop him along the way only to be angrily dismissed.

All I could do was run after him. . .

Our room, which once smelled of all of our scents combined now only smelled of sorrow and our mate's scent.

I silently slipped into the room as Aldo shouted at Theo. . .Seemingly not seeing the tears in our mate's eyes or the way he hunched in on himself like a frightened animal.

''Explain to me. How you managed to fuck this all up alread-'' Aldo started to angrily hiss out to our poor mate. . .Apparantly not noticing the terror in his face.

He didn't even seem to see the slap coming either until Theo stormed past him, visibly struggling to keep tears back as he held in wings in a very strange way.

Glancing between Aldo - Who was silently standing there in angry shock, a hand on his slowly reddening cheek - and the opened door. . .I was partly torn on which mate to check on.

. . .There's got to be an explanation for this. . .

Slowly stepping out of our room, I hurried to catch up with our faintly trembling mate. . .The scent of fear and distress coming off of him practically filling the air like smoke from a fire.

My chest filled with some tight, choking feeling much worse than worry as I picked up my speed.

''Theo? Theo!'' I called out quietly to my mate, as I finally closed the distance between us.

It wasn't my original intention to hug him. . .But. . .My poor mate was so distressed. . .

When he tried to hide his tears from me. . .I couldn't help myself.

Holding him in my arms for a brief moment before he started to pull back, his body still trembling.

''Theo what happened? why is there an army at the gate? please, explain?'' I requested quietly, worried about the shaking, red eyed man held in my arms.

What could have happened anyways?

He shifted slightly at my question, as if he were trying to steady himself. . .That didn't draw my attention though. . .

''Sweet? Where did you get an egg??'' I asked dumbly, a bit caught off guard by the sight of the marbled shell held in my mate's arms.

Is. . .Is this why an army is outside??

''A- . . .I- . . .I've been through a lot while you've been gone-. . .This. . .Is our daughter'' Theo slowly struggled out, his voice barely a whisper which broke on so many of the words. . .Grief staining his tone.

. . .What. Happened. While we were gone???? What the fuck??

Instinctively, as if controlled by some outside force, I started to reach for the egg before catching myself. . .Glancing up at Theo.

I wasn't looking to get slapped thank you very much.

Seeing no protest from him, I slowly rested my hand on her warm, smooth shell.

''That. . .Sounds like an understatement. . .We should probably head somewhere quiet to discuss. . .'' I whispered quietly as I instinctively draped a protective wing over my distressed mate.

I need to get us somewhere else so I can process. . .All of this. . .

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Fun fact! The council had the messengers Aldo sent executed! The one Theo sent got nabbed too :)

Anyways! Like always! Have a good day/night and find a better book! - fallen