Bab 11: Catharsis
The music from the Great Hall filled the entire room and lingered out into its entryway. Alekai stood rigid, keeping watch over the night's festivities. The suit he wore almost fit too tight, not giving much room to move around in, almost like a second skin. Everett had demanded that they all be dressed to impress, not that he could see why it mattered, unless you were newly retired and searching for a partner to marry. Everyone's attendance was mandatory, and everyone had better damned well be happy about it, regardless of how you truly felt.
He had decided to keep his distance from the crowds. Every year, it never failed, girls of all ages would throw themselves at the closest male, liquid courage on their breath. The Unionization was a breeding ritual disguised as a wondrous celebration. Throughout the week, after this initial gathering, the women and men who had retired would be busy among themselves. It wouldn't be a shock. Having been celibate for so long for most of them, they would be expanding their newly found freedom. They would be allowed normal feelings, and let normal situations preoccupy their every day routines. They would have children, and find jobs to help the cause that didn't involve battle any longer.
Alekai observed the room, his hands secured behind his back, letting his sight pause here and there. Everyone was laughing and carrying on as if nothing bad in the world was happening. Everyone, except one. The dress she wore cut dangerously low in the front. The pearl colored material shimmered with her every movement, clinging to her curves in all the right places that made his cock twitch with desire. The back only had straps to keep it in place, leaving her tanned skin bared for view. The dip of her lower back disappeared under the snow of the flowing train that tightened around the perfect heart of her ass; a slit up the side ended just about mid-thigh, where she kept her most prized weapon strapped to her bare leg. His hunting knife.
Fuck me.
Kordelia was a goddess in the flesh. Her hair was as wild as ever, scarlet ringlets falling haphazardly around her shoulders and down her back. She had done her make-up, a rare instance. She hated the way it felt on her face. She had even covered most of the scars around the optical. A pang of regret settled in his stomach. She was beautiful regardless, and he had lied to her to get her to back down. He had avoided her, just as he was ordered to, but tonight he couldn't seem to let her leave his sight. He knew she was beyond upset, and knew he had fucked up. But what other choice did he have? It was either lie and live, or confirm the truth and die. She had to know he hadn't meant a word he had said that day in the hall. His knife on her leg gave it away. Even though she was cold and distant in the past few days, she had to know somewhere in the back of her mind that he had lied.
She appeared sullen, standing awkwardly just outside the crowd right next to Everett, whom was obviously enjoying himself. She didn't smile, or try to engage in conversation. She just stood there, the fire in her eye was only a slow burning ember. Meanwhile, Everett was boisterous and loud as he laughed and carried on with each person that presented them-self to him.
Adonai came next, and Alekai had to exert self-control not to stride over and kill the man in front of his entire regime. Rumors had circulated around about how he had spoke to Kore the day of the Signing Ceremony, and had only reached his ears this morning. He had wanted to rip the man's throat out then. Only now, did it seem like the best approach to ease his own raging anger and jealousy. He knew Kore despised him, for her own reasons, yet Everett kept him near.
He observed as Adonai bowed before them, acutely aware at how dangerously close he came to touching Kore. She had moved a whole step away, under the guise of messing with a strap of her dress, as not to make others aware of the real reason for moving back. Everett erupted into laughter before patting Adonai on the back, turning to offer his hand to Kordelia. She hesitated before placing her hand with Everett and he in turn placed it into Adonai's. Horror flashed briefly across her face, before she replaced it with cool disinterest. Alekai swallowed his building rage.
Adonai wrapped an arm around her waist, placing a too firm hand at the small of her back. In her heels, she reached his shoulders in height, and still she tried to shrink away from him. Everett coughed loud enough for her to keep from resisting, and let Adonai lead her to join the other dancing couples. Alekai squeezed his fists behind his back, trying to keep himself under control. His unchecked emotions were going to end up getting him killed.
"Hey, Commander." He hadn't even noticed that Felix had joined him, his greeting stopped short when he realized where Alekai's attention was focused.
Alekai said nothing in return, watching as Kore twirled and spun in Adonai's arms. Her face was a mask, but her eye said it all. And there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. He turned on his heel and left Felix standing alone, unable to witness the torture Everett was knowingly putting Kordelia through at his expense.
***
Adonai and Everett had finally left her in peace, and the night was getting late.
The commotion happening downstairs had fueled her desperation for a need to escape. The seven days of Unionization were always a lonely process for those who didn't meet the requirements. The joyous sounds of laughter and dance would fill the halls with merriment for the rest of the week, women would be found blushing while sitting in groups gossiping of their newly found husbands, and the men boasting of how they had fucked them. It was gut-retching.
Somewhere deep, hidden in the darkest parts of her heart, Kore longed to be one of those women. Not in the same setting, of course. Falling in love was something that came after you were bound to your partner, and for some reason, that didn't sit right with her or her beliefs. Alekai was the person among the ranks she had known the longest. He was her Commander, her trainer on and off the field, her savior, and possibly the light she had been searching for in this never-ending darkness. No, she internally groaned, but the light fluttering in her stomach spoke volumes.
Just, where is he?
Bottle of wine in one hand, she took a large swig, ignoring the protest of alcohol mixing with the contents of her stomach. She had not seen him for the last few hours, and begrudgingly that was what had set her feet in motion in the first place. Usually, the Elite would casually stand guard over the nightly festivities, only his presence was missing tonight.
And now yours.
Kore shook the thought away, taking another drink of her stolen prize, exiting the Great Hall.
The hallways were bare, just as they would be. Everyone either enjoying the party, sleeping, or doing the same as Kore was now, wandering the grounds, drinking themselves into a stupor. Her feet were slowly leading her to the Elite sleeping quarters, finding her door becoming a slight issue in itself. She dragged on, leaning against the wall for support, watching her feet take one step and then another. She reached a wing she had not yet explored, her attention caught up in the huge paintings that adorned the hall. Previous OTA General's lined up on either side, their cold faces staring off into the distance.
Kore swallowed the last of her feelings, hurling the bottle suddenly at the nearest portrait, aim off balance and connecting with the door just to the right. She snarled, the shattered glass peppering the floor and glinting hatefully in the moonlight streaming from the closest window. She sulked forward, resting her head upon the door frame where her impromptu weapon had made contact, her crimson hair falling as a curtain around her face.
All of a sudden, the wounded door jerked open. Squeaking, Kordelia launched backwards, stumbling on the glass shards. She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the impact that never came. A sturdy arm encircled her waist, warmth radiating her chilled body. Chancing a look, she peeked through guarded eyelids.
Her fingers splayed across muscles of a bared chest. She swallowed hard, following the scars that decorated darkened skin upwards into familiar silver eyes. Surprised, she recoiled to some degree.
"Major General MacIntosh." His voice raised the hair on her arms, and sent a chill down her spine, no matter the thick undertones of sleep.
"Commander Ivanov." She spoke formally on a slur, trying to hide the breathlessness from her suddenly winded voice.
"Is there a threat?" He stole a quick glance down the corridor before landing his gaze back to hers.
"Besides myself?" She finally giggled, releasing the absurdity of her current situation. Her eyes glinted with quick humor, trying to stifle the small noise.
"Are you drunk, Kordelia?"
"Maybe, if only slightly, sir." She erupted in full laughter. "I came to find you, tried to decide against it, got lost, and ended up here. Mother, I must be glutton for punishment."
Alekai groaned, and against his better judgement he swept her in one quick motion into his room. Just inside the door, he looked down to gauge her sobriety, and stopped. Kore had fallen silent resting her forehead against his massive chest, her frame small and frail in comparison.
"I'm sorry, Alekai. It's helping with the spinning." She mumbled from her mess of curls shadowing her face from his view. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." His chest finally rumbled.
"Am I so unappealing?" She choked on the last word, trying hard to swallow the building lump in the back of her throat.
"Unappealing?" He responded, the question echoing in the small space between them. He decided then to drop his arm from her waist.
She shrank back gently, silently pushing up walls against her heart to protect it from the truth in the answers she was prodding for. "You don't want me." An emotionless statement. "Am I really so unappealing...to you?"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone