Enslaved

Chapter 22

Balthazar's POV

Over the weekend, having Yulen here had been interesting. I had never seen my son interact with anyone his own age before. I think Azula was a genius for coming up with an alternative for the boy. It was also good for Lui to be part of the punishment since he had provoked Yulen. Yulen had been quiet most of the time, just taking it all in. Our family is much different than other royal families, even different than how I grew up. It was better this way, I think. I was more hands on with my mate and child, more than my parents ever were with us and each other. 

Today Azula and Lui left for the Flaming Fields field trip. When demons took over, our realm and theirs ended up colliding and changing, altering many of the animals and terrain. Luckily it didn't affect demons or the other species. It was something that happened and we all had to roll with it. The Flaming Fields were what they used to call the Savannah. They would be getting their magically of course since normal travel would take take too long. The Flaming Fields had grass that looked like it was actually fire when the sun hit it. People enjoy using it in bouquets as accent pieces. The animals could be rather dangerous if you went unprepared. 

Since they left, I received many pictures from Azula and Lui. Some were selfies were of the two, some of the animals they saw. Around one the pictures stopped coming in, the last one being when they stopped for lunch. I waved it off as their phones not having much battery life. I didn't sense anything wrong with Azula through the mate bond. 

Having fun? 

I tensed when she didn't reply to my mind link. No amount of distance could stop me from getting through to her. It could stop me from tracking her unless she was in pain though. Suddenly my father was throwing open the door to my office, "They were ambushed at the field trip." I stood so fast, knocking over my chair. I didn't think, I just went to one of the magical transportation circles. I hated using these, but I wasn't going to waste time. My son and mate needed me. 

From the transportation circle I flew till I found their bus. A medical team was checking on those still alive. Lui and Azula no where in sight. However, there was a few of the culprits frozen solid. I noticed their eyes were moving, watching me. Meaning she didn't set out to kill them, she left me a delicious bread crumb. 

"I'm sorry your highness," Yulen said, his shirt torn and bloodied. His lip was busted and blood crusted his hair. "I tried to help them, but there were too many." I laid a hand on his shoulder, "Everything will be fine Yulen. You did your best." 

"Someone mocked Princess Azula," he told me. "Laughed and said it was pathetic that someone so powerful can be stripped and cut off from all that power by a little bit of iron. They then managed to knock her out and trapped her in an iron net to cut off her magic." I had read that iron could neutralize a Fae's power, but the stronger the Fae, the more  iron it took and it also depended if the iron holding them was diluted with other metals. Besides taking away their magic, it can also block the mating bond. That was probably why I didn't know anything was wrong. Someone had clearly done their research. 

I went over to the frozen men and I could see the fear in their. 

I stood before them, only in a pair of black leather pants and boots. I would never disrespect my mate by torturing someone while wearing our ring and the bracelet she gave me, so I kept them safe in my room. The men who hung on chains in front of me were pale and sweating with fear. And I haven't begun yet. 

"Who has my mate and son," I asked them, hands behind my back. "W-We don't know," one of them stuttered out pathetically. I looked at him and he flinched. "Whoever you work for may have told you I have grown soft because of my mate. Let me be perfectly clear, the only one I have grown soft for, is my mate. Anyone who thinks to come near her, will unleash a wrath never before seen from me. Now tell me. Who has my mate?" 

They simply cried and whimpered for their pathetic lives. I needed answers. I went over to my table of torture devices when I felt a sharp pain in my right cheek. The iron was keeping me from talking to her, but I can still feel her pain. Suddenly my back was in pain, as she was whipped. I growled, counting each and every lash. Twenty, I thought. As I tortured answers out of them, I continued to feel everything that was done to her. 

Suddenly I could feel her and her pure rage. I knew where she was instantly, meaning she had freed herself. I dressed and tracked her, those in the Legion who could fly, following close behind me. We got to a house, ice coating it, frost covering the grass. Lui was then running out of the house. 

"Where is your mother," I asked him. "They were torturing her, saying their boss was going to give them a big bonus. It wasn't until they set their sights on wanting to torture me that mom snapped. She's still inside," he told me. From the amount of ice that was around us, I would say snapped was an understatement. "Stay here with the Legion," I told him. I was cautious as I went in. It was covered in ice, spikes piercing the ones who had been caught in it. Azula was sitting on the bottom of the stairs, knees up, covering her chest. She was naked. They stripped my mate of her clothing. I removed my shirt and slipped it on her, "You out did yourself my love. Did you save anyone for me?" "The iron chains allowed me to let my magic gather but I needed a good reason to loose my grip and explode like a bomb I guess you could say," she said a little weakly. "I left you the ones responsible for my injuries and stripping me, they're in the basement." I scooped her up and carried her outside. "The ones we will be taking with us are in the basement. I recommend putting on some protectant." One of the Legion members carried Lui while I flew back with Azula. 

"Is she going to be okay father," Lui asked, worry bright in his eyes. I nodded, "She'll be fine." She was taken by the medical staff and Sarshay appeared with another shirt for me. I nodded as I took it and put it on. "Were you hurt," I asked Lui. He shook his head, "Mother did everything she could to keep me safe. We were out numbered and over powered." 

I went and stood outside of the medical examination room. 

I'm sorry, she said to me. 

You have nothing to be sorry for, I told her

I wasn't strong enough to stop them, she said to me. 

We all have our limits. You were out numbered and knocked unconscious, that is not your fault, I told her. 

Soon the door was opened and I was given permission to enter. "Her wounds were fresh enough that we were able to heal them, without them scarring," the doctor told me. I nodded, "Thank you." I then scooped Azula up into my arms and carried her back to our room. I sat on the bed, holding her close to me. "Speak to me, my love," I whispered to her. She suddenly clutched to my shirt, and for the first time since I met her, began to cry. "I was so scared," she whispered to me. "I was scared I wasn't going to stop them from hurting Lui. I was scared of what else they were going to do to me." 

The pure rage I felt as my mate cried and told me her fears. I planned the longest torture I have ever done as I held her, and offered her comfort. When she stopped crying I wiped away her tears and gave her a soft kiss. "I'm sorry I failed to protect you," I told her. "It's not your fault," she whispered to me, her eye lids drooping. "I made a vow to you, and I failed," I told her. "You came for us," she reminded me. "But I failed to find out where you were being held. I didn't know until you broke free of the iron chains," I told her. She looked at me, her eyes so tired, "You would've found out, I'm just faster than you." I kissed her forehead and laid her in the bed so she could rest. 

Lui then knocked on the door before poking his head in. He had changed into a tshirt and sweats, his hair damp from a shower. I opened my arms for him and he ran into them. I could tell he was holding his tears in wanting to be strong. I kissed the top of his head, "It's okay." He sniffled then yawned. I had him crawl into bed with Azula and I watched as she instinctively rolled over to hold her son close, wanting to protect him, even in her sleep. I covered them both up before going down to see our new guests and give them the best kind of hospitality that I only know how to give.