Dark Ones 2: Taken Away

Ch 1: The Game Begins By: Helena F. Lupin

The sun glistened off of the high white marble walls, making the veins of pale gray stand out sharply in early morning. The castle with it’s tall spires and towers stood out more then the kingdom around it’s base because of it’s jeweled and golden doors and window frames. The castle itself was built up into the side of the massive mountains that surrounded the kingdom in safety, mountains the color of pale blue due to thick sheets of ice that were laired upon them from the constant cold and attitude. An inner garden of the castle known as Ice Marble was surrounded by a warmth spell to keep the flowers fresh and alive, but it worked for only the flowers, those who walked outside would always feel the bite of cold air.

A white puff of breath escaped from full lips as Arius moved through the garden, picking various flowers and setting them gently into a basket, later he would work on arranging them in a vase. He raised a hand to absently brush back a loose strand of deep auburn hair, the mass of which was braiding down his back and tied off at his waist, but that all left another foot or so of hair loose to his knees. Eyes the color of liquid emeralds moved over the roses, trying to determine which were the very best. Arius looked the exact image of his father, Aaron, with not a trait physically of his other father, Deekon. He had gained some abilities from Deekon, and that was about it. He was so much like Aaron, quiet, sweet, always gentle.

Delicately an elegant hand reached out and plucked a scarlet red black rose and slid it behind one ear, it blended well with his dark hair. His slender form was clad in black riding pants, and a dark matching long sleeved shirt that was fitted with a black sash thrown about his waist and tied at the hip. Black gold wire was twisted through his braid with crimson rubies scattered here and there. He hummed softly to himself as he moved through the garden, his basket soon filled with large lilies, roses, passion flowers and so many other lovely blossoms. Arius gave an approving smile as he moved back along the path and into one of the many cool halls of the massive castle his father Deekon with the help of his uncle Diranus.

It had taken five years to build the kingdom again, which was actually a short amount of time. Arius had been conceived shortly after and born upon his eldest cousin’s tenth birthday right after the party to be exact, that had been fifteen years ago. Arius had been blessed with an extordinary beauty that surpassed even that of the Alananie and Balarma combined. It was the reason that a veil always covered his face, it was attached at the center point of a black gold and ruby circlet he wore and at a point at either temple, leaving his eyes free to see, but nothing else of his face. Even if he was not the heir to the combined Alananie and Balarma kingdom many more had sought out his hand over his cousins’.

He was moving down the hall when he ran into a fairly solid object turning the corner. He made a startled ‘humph’ sound as he fell backwards, the flowers in his basket scattering as it fell tot he ground. Steel like arms came about his waist and drug him against that solid body he had hit, keeping him upright. Arius blinked slowly as he took a deep breath to calm his thundering heart. Slowly his eyes moved up from the thick powerful chest before him clad in dark red and black and up to eyes pale as the moon with rings of scarlet in them. Being raised among the Balarma as well he knew those kind of eyes and found them to be beautiful because scarlet was rare in any eye color be it Balarma or Alananie. “Oh...” He said in a weak and shaky voice.

“You should be more careful.” A deep, rolling voice moved along his senses. Those strong arms kept a hold of him, keeping his smaller body pinned, crushed against the far more powerful one. Like Aaron he was far shorter then the other races.

“I will be...” Arius replied softly as he realized his hands were gripping the biceps of the other, feeling muscles flex and tense under his touch. He felt a hot blush spread across his cheeks as the other did not let go. “Uh...I think I can stand now...” He said softly. The Balarma released him carefully onto his feet and reached down to pick up the basket and put it into Arius’ hands. “Thank you.”

“I’ll help you pick all these up.” The Balarma stood back then and Arius got a real look at him. His hair was a perfect copper red, a human color, and it was short, just long enough to curl into his eyes and into the collar of his shirt. Almost no one in the kingdom kept short hair. But like all of them he wore a half black mask.

“I have not seen you before. Are you new?” He knew there were many scattered about the lands. The Balarma nodded to affirm he was a new one to the kingdom. Arius smiled as he picked up the flowers as well. “You will like it here, I’m sure you will. I’m Arius, and you are?”

“Aiden.” The other replied as he laid the last flower into the basket. “And I’m sorry for this.”

“For what?” Arius asked confused as a moment later he was backhanded hard and he staggered into the wall. His vision blurred as he slipped down the wall, his head spinning with pain. Strong arms slid under him, raising him up against a powerful chest he had ran into. His head tipped back and he let out a soft moan of pain. And then all was darkness. Aiden smirked down at the lovely in his arms.

“And so the game begins.”

Bum bum bum! I leave you with a cliffy as my returning chapter! Do not hurt me for if you do I will not be able to continue, and I am after all in a writing mood, but I must ask that I get at least five reviews to give up chapter two! (holds chapter two tightly to my chest and hides it from your sight)