Shattered (Series, UC, Mi/L, Mature) Part 8; 7/21 complete
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:24 pm
Title: Shattered; Spoils of War Series
Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, and 20th Century Fox. Lyrics to Shattered belong to Trading Yesterday.
Pairings: Polar; Mi/L (What else?)
Rating: Mature
Summary: Post Grad; Liz gave Max up, but war still came to Earth. It’s Post-war and Liz, one of few free humans, is informed by the Council that Rath is determined to claim her as a mate because of her bond with the Granilith. Fearful the Granilith will fall into enemy hands, the Council orders her to bond with Michael.
AN: So I've been accused of only giving "bits and pieces of a rather delicious feast" and figured I'd write prequel to the Spoils of War series. This story covers the three weeks prior to Liz going on the run.
Thanks to Whimsy for my awesome banners!
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Yesterday I died, tomorrow's bleeding
Fall into your sunlight
The future's open wide beyond believing
To know why hope dies
“You’re certain about this?” Michael asked quietly, running a hand though ruffled, tawny waves, his brow furrowed thoughtfully as he paced the length of the room, his back coiled with tension. Rubbing his hand over his face wearily, he stared around the war room blankly as his mind quickly assessed the potential level of threat the news contained and cursed under his breath. Any threat to her was too great a threat.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Davin responded, keeping his eyes leveled on Michael seriously, hating that he had to break such bad news to his commander and friend. It was well known through the ranks how much the woman meant to him. But at least they got the information in time to hopefully prevent it. “Our spies had evidence to back it up.”
“Did they mention when this is supposed to happen?” he queried, fixing his second in command with stoic look, trying not to give away just how badly his news had shaken him. This was bad, very bad. Damn, he knew he should have moved faster.
“Rath didn’t mention a time table,” the man responded, shrugging his shoulders helplessly as he saw Michael’s face darken at his twin’s name and wondered for the hundredth time how two men with the same DNA could be so different. “But from the sounds of it, he’s planning to make his move in the next couple of weeks.”
“Fuck,” Michael muttered under breath and closed his eyes, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. He should have seen this coming. He really didn’t think the other faction would slink away into the night when their leader died; groups like this only retreat until they could regroup and someone made a play to be leader. And what better way to establish your hold than by kidnapping the Granilith’s priestess?
Damn Rath.
“Yeah, that about sums it up,” Jarid sighed as he walked into the room, watching his brother contemplatively as Michael’s head shot up, irritation flashing over his face as his eyes raked over Jarid’s formal robes. Noting the telltale signs of Michael’s growing agitation, Jarid braced himself, knowing that his news was going to enrage his brother further. How did he get himself stuck in these situations?
“I’m guessing the Council is here to put their two cents in,” Michael bit out contemptuously, his hard gaze settling on his brother, apprehension trickling down his spine as he noted his brother’s solemn expression. He had grown to understand that look all too well and knew that whatever Jarid had to tell him, was going to piss him off, as many of the Council dictates did.
Jarid met his eyes unflinchingly for a moment before sliding his gaze over to Davin pointedly and then back to Michael, cocking a brow and indicating that it might be best they have this conversation in private. Michael’s head shot over to his second in surprise as he wondered why Jarid didn’t want him present – unless…no, they wouldn’t. Nodding to Davin discreetly, he sent him a look that said he’d fill him in later and watched as he left the room before turning back to his brother, arms crossed over his chest and lips pursing.
“You had to know this was coming,” Jarid replied quietly as he clasped his hands behind his back, meeting his brother’s cool eyes stoically and squaring his shoulders for the impending maelstrom. Turning away, he walked over to the window, well aware of the impatient bourbon eyes following him, and stared at the garden helplessly, stalling the impending announcement for as long as he could.
Michael watched his brother’s actions suspiciously, his face devoid of emotion as he clawed at his brow and waited for Jarid to stop stalling and get to it. He didn’t have time to waste with Rath’s threat looming on the horizon. He had to talk to Davin about doubling the men’s training schedule, select an elite guard, have the perimeters checked for weaknesses in their shields and much more. If the Council had an idea on how to keep her safe, he needed to know now, not in ten years at the rate Jarid was going.
Biting back a grunt of frustration as the silence continued, he studied his brother’s aura for signs as to why he was hesitating and his stomach sank as he saw the tendrils of unease and fear shimmering in his typically placid dark blue aura. There was only one suggestion that would cause that reaction in his sibling, but the Council wouldn’t….
“Yeah, they can’t seem to help interfering in affairs that are none of their business,” Michael spat, his heart speeding up as he read the jump of apprehension in his brother’s body and cursed under his breath as his suspicions were confirmed. If they even thought they were going to take her away from him, they were delusional. “Let me guess…they want her to bond.”
“It would be wise,” Jarid responded neutrally, keeping his back to Michael, sliding his eyes shut as he slumped with resignation. He should have known he’d figure it out. His sibling had always been sharp and had an uncanny ability at reading auras, seeing many things that most people missed. It’s what had made him a great general and invaluable to Zan as a second-in-command.
“And just who do they hope to force on her?” Michael queried in a low dangerous tone, his shoulders tensing as he stared at his brother. Compressing his lips into a thin line, his eyes narrowed, arms straining with agitation and his turbulent emotions built in his chest like a pressure cooker as he thought of anyone other than him claiming the pretty brunette.
“You,” Jarid informed him, cringing internally as silence permeated the room, not because he thought Michael unwilling, but because he knew that his announcement was completely unexpected after everything that happened two months previous. Not to mention the fact that his brother had a stubborn streak a mile wide, and was just as likely to refuse because it was something the Council wanted.
“What? Why?” Michael choked hoarsely, his head reeling and he inhaled sharply, his blank façade belying the hope sluicing through him. They weren’t going to separate them? Furrowing his brow in confusion, he fixed a cautious glance on his brother’s stiff back and quirked his lips thoughtfully. There had to be a catch. There always was when it came to the men that tried so hard to shape his life. “Just months ago when I stated my intentions to ask her to be my mate, they fought me tooth and nail. Not that I cared what they thought.”
“Months ago, they didn’t realize she was bonded to the Granilith,” Jarid countered, pressing his fingers against his eyes as he bit back his irritation with the Council for once again making him their liaison to Michael, as well as how they were handling this situation. He had a bad feeling that this was going to blow up in their faces. Liz was just as stubborn as the man behind him.
“Right,” Michael scoffed bitterly, shaking his head in disbelief. And there it was – the catch. They didn’t give a damn about her or his feelings; they were just worried that they’d lose their seat of power if the Granilith fell into the wrong hands. Self-serving bastards. As long as nothing rocked the status quo, they were now happy to grant his request. “They didn’t care until she became useful to them.”
“They want the link to the Granilith secured,” Jarid shrugged, turning back to Michael and searching his face for indications as to his feelings and potential actions. He could see this playing one of two ways. His brother would either agree heartily to keep the woman he loved safe or he’d balk, digging in his heels rather than to give the Council the satisfaction of planning his life.
“Oh, well in that case,” Michael mused, his tone dripping sarcasm as he rubbed his jaw mockingly and cocked a brow at his sibling’s exasperated expression. No way was he going to play into what those controlling, self-centered bastards wanted. He’d never kowtowed to anyone in his life and he certainly wasn’t going to start doing so now. He’d handle this his own way. He’d promised her a long time ago she’d be free to make her own decisions. “No.”
“But…but…I thought…” Jarid sputtered, clearly confused and frustrated with his obstinate sibling. Not that it should have surprised him any. Rath had always done things his own way on Antar and that hadn’t changed in this incarnation. This was going to get ugly really fast when he learned that the Council had anticipated this very reaction, and taken matters into their own hands. He’d vehemently protested, but had been outnumbered.
“You thought wrong,” Michael stated succinctly, bristling at the Council’s audacity and their chauvinistic tendencies, thinking that women were helpless and needed to be protected from the harsh realities of life. Maybe this was true with the weak-willed sops that graced the court, but not his Liz. If his race actually allowed women warriors, she’d be the best of his army, blessed with a strategic mind that blew him away. And little did the Council know; she had helped him plan more than one war campaign. They could handle this together as they did everything.
“I don’t get you, Rath,” Jarid shook his head, running a hand through his hair as he fixed his brother with an impatient moue, fighting the urge to shake some sense into his younger sibling. Gritting his teeth, he threw his hands up in annoyance because this was exactly what the obstinate man wanted. “You’ve intended this very thing for months and now that you have their blessings, you’re refusing?”
“I want her to bond to me because she wants to,” he retorted, running a hand through his hair in agitation, spinning on his heel to pace the length of the room as his mind ran over the other options to keep her safe, like a secreting her in a safe house. Shaking his head at that thought, he ruled it out immediately, not liking the idea any more than when it was first broached in the beginning of the war. He maintained she was safer with him. “Not because she was forced to do it.”
“What does it matter as long as you get what you want?” Jarid argued quietly, thoughtfully watching the stressed man in front of him, noting the lines marring his brow as he traveled back and forth. He knew how much his brother loved Liz and that he was scared to say anything because he was afraid she didn’t return the sentiment, although any fool could see she was just as in love with him. Well, other than the fool in front of him.
Rubbing the back of his neck, he sighed wearily and prayed for the Granilith to guide the two stubborn souls, knowing that they were going to need all the guidance and patience they could get in the coming days once all was known.
“The fact that you have to ask that shows just how little you understand her or me,” Michael stated coolly, flicking Jarid a pointed look as he halted his pacing and stared off into space. Bonding to her would ensure her safety as both sides highly honored them regardless of their political leanings. Marriage was sacred on Antar and divorce unheard of, which is why he couldn’t make himself force this bond on her. Especially after what happened to Maria. “The answer is no, I will do this my own way.”
“They’re not giving you a choice, Rath,” Jarid warned softly, his body tensing as the other man’s head whipped up and he pinned him with fiery glare. Michael was going to be furious with him for his part in this mess and would likely never speak to him again, but so be it. Someone had to give them a push. “Even now they’re meeting with her and handing down their decree.”
“What?” Michael growled softly, his body rippling with tension as he caught a certain tone in his brother’s voice that sent his heart into a frantic pace and unease curling in his gut – regret tinged with a note of finality.
“She’s being told now,” Jarid repeated, looking at his hands, unable to meet his sibling’s eyes as he delivered this news, cringing when a furious string of profanities filled the room and something slammed against the wall.
“And you’re just telling me this now?? Why…” Michael accused, his temper finally snapping as he turned back to his brother, wondering why he had waited so long to give him this bit of news, his gut sinking as he made a startling realization. Betrayal and rage ripped through his heart as his brother’s attitude and actions suddenly became all too apparent. “You were sent to detain me…son of a bitch! You were sent to make sure I arrived too late to stop this…”
“It’s for the people’s good, Rath,” Jarid muttered weakly, his heart going out to his brother, but his hands were tied, as they had been since he joined the Council, and it wasn't until they had ordered him to do this that he realized how much he stood to lose, immediately tendering his resignation. They had overstepped their bounds this time. But he still had to carry out this last charge of office no matter how distasteful. “And for the two of you as well.”
“Screw that! You have no idea the damage you’ve done! Liz will not be pushed!” Michael grated, his fists clenching so tightly that his knuckles cracked under the strain and fury seared through the blood boiling just under tight, hot, prickling skin. It whipped through him with blinding intensity, aching to erupt in an explosion so fierce and destructive, the devil in hell would be impressed. Stalking over to his brother, he pinned him with a hard, furious stare and vowed. “If I lose her, if she runs…there will be hell to be paid.”
Jarid swallowed harshly at the barely contained rage simmering in his brother’s normally cool, slightly bored gaze and stepped in front of him, hoping to halt him before he did anything rash. He held his gaze as Michael stepped up to him menacingly, getting in his face, his body strung as tight as a bow as he stared down on him with contempt, a threat implied with every move of his body.
“Get. The hell. Out of my way…” Michael snarled, enunciating the words slowly and concisely so as there could be no mistaking that he meant each and every implied threat raging through his eyes. Tracking his brother’s movement as he slowly stepped aside, he fixed him with one last infuriated glare before stalking out the door and heading to the Council Chamber to head off what was sure to be a disaster in the making.
Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, and 20th Century Fox. Lyrics to Shattered belong to Trading Yesterday.
Pairings: Polar; Mi/L (What else?)
Rating: Mature
Summary: Post Grad; Liz gave Max up, but war still came to Earth. It’s Post-war and Liz, one of few free humans, is informed by the Council that Rath is determined to claim her as a mate because of her bond with the Granilith. Fearful the Granilith will fall into enemy hands, the Council orders her to bond with Michael.
AN: So I've been accused of only giving "bits and pieces of a rather delicious feast" and figured I'd write prequel to the Spoils of War series. This story covers the three weeks prior to Liz going on the run.
Thanks to Whimsy for my awesome banners!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday I died, tomorrow's bleeding
Fall into your sunlight
The future's open wide beyond believing
To know why hope dies
“You’re certain about this?” Michael asked quietly, running a hand though ruffled, tawny waves, his brow furrowed thoughtfully as he paced the length of the room, his back coiled with tension. Rubbing his hand over his face wearily, he stared around the war room blankly as his mind quickly assessed the potential level of threat the news contained and cursed under his breath. Any threat to her was too great a threat.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Davin responded, keeping his eyes leveled on Michael seriously, hating that he had to break such bad news to his commander and friend. It was well known through the ranks how much the woman meant to him. But at least they got the information in time to hopefully prevent it. “Our spies had evidence to back it up.”
“Did they mention when this is supposed to happen?” he queried, fixing his second in command with stoic look, trying not to give away just how badly his news had shaken him. This was bad, very bad. Damn, he knew he should have moved faster.
“Rath didn’t mention a time table,” the man responded, shrugging his shoulders helplessly as he saw Michael’s face darken at his twin’s name and wondered for the hundredth time how two men with the same DNA could be so different. “But from the sounds of it, he’s planning to make his move in the next couple of weeks.”
“Fuck,” Michael muttered under breath and closed his eyes, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. He should have seen this coming. He really didn’t think the other faction would slink away into the night when their leader died; groups like this only retreat until they could regroup and someone made a play to be leader. And what better way to establish your hold than by kidnapping the Granilith’s priestess?
Damn Rath.
“Yeah, that about sums it up,” Jarid sighed as he walked into the room, watching his brother contemplatively as Michael’s head shot up, irritation flashing over his face as his eyes raked over Jarid’s formal robes. Noting the telltale signs of Michael’s growing agitation, Jarid braced himself, knowing that his news was going to enrage his brother further. How did he get himself stuck in these situations?
“I’m guessing the Council is here to put their two cents in,” Michael bit out contemptuously, his hard gaze settling on his brother, apprehension trickling down his spine as he noted his brother’s solemn expression. He had grown to understand that look all too well and knew that whatever Jarid had to tell him, was going to piss him off, as many of the Council dictates did.
Jarid met his eyes unflinchingly for a moment before sliding his gaze over to Davin pointedly and then back to Michael, cocking a brow and indicating that it might be best they have this conversation in private. Michael’s head shot over to his second in surprise as he wondered why Jarid didn’t want him present – unless…no, they wouldn’t. Nodding to Davin discreetly, he sent him a look that said he’d fill him in later and watched as he left the room before turning back to his brother, arms crossed over his chest and lips pursing.
“You had to know this was coming,” Jarid replied quietly as he clasped his hands behind his back, meeting his brother’s cool eyes stoically and squaring his shoulders for the impending maelstrom. Turning away, he walked over to the window, well aware of the impatient bourbon eyes following him, and stared at the garden helplessly, stalling the impending announcement for as long as he could.
Michael watched his brother’s actions suspiciously, his face devoid of emotion as he clawed at his brow and waited for Jarid to stop stalling and get to it. He didn’t have time to waste with Rath’s threat looming on the horizon. He had to talk to Davin about doubling the men’s training schedule, select an elite guard, have the perimeters checked for weaknesses in their shields and much more. If the Council had an idea on how to keep her safe, he needed to know now, not in ten years at the rate Jarid was going.
Biting back a grunt of frustration as the silence continued, he studied his brother’s aura for signs as to why he was hesitating and his stomach sank as he saw the tendrils of unease and fear shimmering in his typically placid dark blue aura. There was only one suggestion that would cause that reaction in his sibling, but the Council wouldn’t….
“Yeah, they can’t seem to help interfering in affairs that are none of their business,” Michael spat, his heart speeding up as he read the jump of apprehension in his brother’s body and cursed under his breath as his suspicions were confirmed. If they even thought they were going to take her away from him, they were delusional. “Let me guess…they want her to bond.”
“It would be wise,” Jarid responded neutrally, keeping his back to Michael, sliding his eyes shut as he slumped with resignation. He should have known he’d figure it out. His sibling had always been sharp and had an uncanny ability at reading auras, seeing many things that most people missed. It’s what had made him a great general and invaluable to Zan as a second-in-command.
“And just who do they hope to force on her?” Michael queried in a low dangerous tone, his shoulders tensing as he stared at his brother. Compressing his lips into a thin line, his eyes narrowed, arms straining with agitation and his turbulent emotions built in his chest like a pressure cooker as he thought of anyone other than him claiming the pretty brunette.
“You,” Jarid informed him, cringing internally as silence permeated the room, not because he thought Michael unwilling, but because he knew that his announcement was completely unexpected after everything that happened two months previous. Not to mention the fact that his brother had a stubborn streak a mile wide, and was just as likely to refuse because it was something the Council wanted.
“What? Why?” Michael choked hoarsely, his head reeling and he inhaled sharply, his blank façade belying the hope sluicing through him. They weren’t going to separate them? Furrowing his brow in confusion, he fixed a cautious glance on his brother’s stiff back and quirked his lips thoughtfully. There had to be a catch. There always was when it came to the men that tried so hard to shape his life. “Just months ago when I stated my intentions to ask her to be my mate, they fought me tooth and nail. Not that I cared what they thought.”
“Months ago, they didn’t realize she was bonded to the Granilith,” Jarid countered, pressing his fingers against his eyes as he bit back his irritation with the Council for once again making him their liaison to Michael, as well as how they were handling this situation. He had a bad feeling that this was going to blow up in their faces. Liz was just as stubborn as the man behind him.
“Right,” Michael scoffed bitterly, shaking his head in disbelief. And there it was – the catch. They didn’t give a damn about her or his feelings; they were just worried that they’d lose their seat of power if the Granilith fell into the wrong hands. Self-serving bastards. As long as nothing rocked the status quo, they were now happy to grant his request. “They didn’t care until she became useful to them.”
“They want the link to the Granilith secured,” Jarid shrugged, turning back to Michael and searching his face for indications as to his feelings and potential actions. He could see this playing one of two ways. His brother would either agree heartily to keep the woman he loved safe or he’d balk, digging in his heels rather than to give the Council the satisfaction of planning his life.
“Oh, well in that case,” Michael mused, his tone dripping sarcasm as he rubbed his jaw mockingly and cocked a brow at his sibling’s exasperated expression. No way was he going to play into what those controlling, self-centered bastards wanted. He’d never kowtowed to anyone in his life and he certainly wasn’t going to start doing so now. He’d handle this his own way. He’d promised her a long time ago she’d be free to make her own decisions. “No.”
“But…but…I thought…” Jarid sputtered, clearly confused and frustrated with his obstinate sibling. Not that it should have surprised him any. Rath had always done things his own way on Antar and that hadn’t changed in this incarnation. This was going to get ugly really fast when he learned that the Council had anticipated this very reaction, and taken matters into their own hands. He’d vehemently protested, but had been outnumbered.
“You thought wrong,” Michael stated succinctly, bristling at the Council’s audacity and their chauvinistic tendencies, thinking that women were helpless and needed to be protected from the harsh realities of life. Maybe this was true with the weak-willed sops that graced the court, but not his Liz. If his race actually allowed women warriors, she’d be the best of his army, blessed with a strategic mind that blew him away. And little did the Council know; she had helped him plan more than one war campaign. They could handle this together as they did everything.
“I don’t get you, Rath,” Jarid shook his head, running a hand through his hair as he fixed his brother with an impatient moue, fighting the urge to shake some sense into his younger sibling. Gritting his teeth, he threw his hands up in annoyance because this was exactly what the obstinate man wanted. “You’ve intended this very thing for months and now that you have their blessings, you’re refusing?”
“I want her to bond to me because she wants to,” he retorted, running a hand through his hair in agitation, spinning on his heel to pace the length of the room as his mind ran over the other options to keep her safe, like a secreting her in a safe house. Shaking his head at that thought, he ruled it out immediately, not liking the idea any more than when it was first broached in the beginning of the war. He maintained she was safer with him. “Not because she was forced to do it.”
“What does it matter as long as you get what you want?” Jarid argued quietly, thoughtfully watching the stressed man in front of him, noting the lines marring his brow as he traveled back and forth. He knew how much his brother loved Liz and that he was scared to say anything because he was afraid she didn’t return the sentiment, although any fool could see she was just as in love with him. Well, other than the fool in front of him.
Rubbing the back of his neck, he sighed wearily and prayed for the Granilith to guide the two stubborn souls, knowing that they were going to need all the guidance and patience they could get in the coming days once all was known.
“The fact that you have to ask that shows just how little you understand her or me,” Michael stated coolly, flicking Jarid a pointed look as he halted his pacing and stared off into space. Bonding to her would ensure her safety as both sides highly honored them regardless of their political leanings. Marriage was sacred on Antar and divorce unheard of, which is why he couldn’t make himself force this bond on her. Especially after what happened to Maria. “The answer is no, I will do this my own way.”
“They’re not giving you a choice, Rath,” Jarid warned softly, his body tensing as the other man’s head whipped up and he pinned him with fiery glare. Michael was going to be furious with him for his part in this mess and would likely never speak to him again, but so be it. Someone had to give them a push. “Even now they’re meeting with her and handing down their decree.”
“What?” Michael growled softly, his body rippling with tension as he caught a certain tone in his brother’s voice that sent his heart into a frantic pace and unease curling in his gut – regret tinged with a note of finality.
“She’s being told now,” Jarid repeated, looking at his hands, unable to meet his sibling’s eyes as he delivered this news, cringing when a furious string of profanities filled the room and something slammed against the wall.
“And you’re just telling me this now?? Why…” Michael accused, his temper finally snapping as he turned back to his brother, wondering why he had waited so long to give him this bit of news, his gut sinking as he made a startling realization. Betrayal and rage ripped through his heart as his brother’s attitude and actions suddenly became all too apparent. “You were sent to detain me…son of a bitch! You were sent to make sure I arrived too late to stop this…”
“It’s for the people’s good, Rath,” Jarid muttered weakly, his heart going out to his brother, but his hands were tied, as they had been since he joined the Council, and it wasn't until they had ordered him to do this that he realized how much he stood to lose, immediately tendering his resignation. They had overstepped their bounds this time. But he still had to carry out this last charge of office no matter how distasteful. “And for the two of you as well.”
“Screw that! You have no idea the damage you’ve done! Liz will not be pushed!” Michael grated, his fists clenching so tightly that his knuckles cracked under the strain and fury seared through the blood boiling just under tight, hot, prickling skin. It whipped through him with blinding intensity, aching to erupt in an explosion so fierce and destructive, the devil in hell would be impressed. Stalking over to his brother, he pinned him with a hard, furious stare and vowed. “If I lose her, if she runs…there will be hell to be paid.”
Jarid swallowed harshly at the barely contained rage simmering in his brother’s normally cool, slightly bored gaze and stepped in front of him, hoping to halt him before he did anything rash. He held his gaze as Michael stepped up to him menacingly, getting in his face, his body strung as tight as a bow as he stared down on him with contempt, a threat implied with every move of his body.
“Get. The hell. Out of my way…” Michael snarled, enunciating the words slowly and concisely so as there could be no mistaking that he meant each and every implied threat raging through his eyes. Tracking his brother’s movement as he slowly stepped aside, he fixed him with one last infuriated glare before stalking out the door and heading to the Council Chamber to head off what was sure to be a disaster in the making.