Page 10 of Fated to the Alien Chieftain

“If Krogoth had aided me, or if I had cheated in any way, the Gods would have not shown me their visions, and I would not have been gifted this warvisor,” Pebbles says, as she climbs down from the wooden platform to stand before the elders. Who, despite their age and idleness, still tower over her.

Zyraxis scoffs. “Your arguments are more pointless than Krogoths,” he sneers, looking at Harkus “Because of a silly technicality, your lover escapes justice... At least for now,” his orange eyes lock onto me, promising future trouble. “Stop wasting our time offering more defenses for him.”

“But this is about you now,” Pebbles says. Her voice carries a hint of amusement. My heart soars, watching her bravely, confront Zyraxis unfazed by his retorts. “Your theories and accusations about Krogoth have been proven false by the Gods themselves,” she taps her warvisor. “You lied about Krogoth, you lied about Harkus’ claim, you lied about the Prospects. You’re a big liar.”

“Outrageous accusations!” Zyraxis roars, causing me to step forward in case the coward tries anything.

Pebbles continues “Look at my face,” she steps even closer for the elders to see. “Notice the scars? The black-haired one did this to me,” her voice quivers as she turns her scarred cheek towards them.My poor Pebbles.

“Looks like the claw marks of a hydralith to me,” Zyraxis states as he squints down at Pebbles.

Nyxius tuts “Are you blind Zyraxis? A hydralith claw would leave scars twice as big. These are the marks of a warrior’s claw. No doubt about it.”

“There are more, many more,” Pebbles says, as she loops her arm out of her dress.

Shocked, I call out, “No, Pebbles.”

She looks back at me, her eyes glistening with moisture. “It’s ok, Krogoth, they need to see.”

The sorrow etched into the depths of her captivating eyes, masked beneath a fragile veneer of a smile, twists my guts like the most brutal blow.

Pebbles slides her other arm out of her dress, causing it to fall to the ground, revealing her beautiful, naked, curvy body. Her bold actions draw the breaths of many of the elders and the crowd. Because of her stunning beauty or the patchwork of brutal looking scars, I cannot tell.

“By the Gods,” Vereth says, his blue eyes widening.

“These are from Xyronath the venefex,” Pebbles says, pointing towards the four massive scars that almost cover the length on one side of her body. “The rest,” she pauses, taking a deep breath, “the rest are from the murderous Prospects.”

Pebbles looks towards Zyraxis. “When the red-haired one attacked me, he claimed you had promised to make the voices stop if he killed me,” her voice grows more heated. “For days they hunted me, firing plasma, their claws and teeth tearing at me. I was so frightened, on the verge of death more times than I can remember,” she turns to Vereth, “You wanted evidence? It stands before you now, begging for justice.” She finishes by taking Vereth’s hand.

Only the sound of my footsteps can be heard as I approach Pebbles, eager to hold her, to shield her. The crowd waits in anxious anticipation as Vereth stands motionless, seemingly lost in his thoughts, until my approach snaps him back to reality.

“I’ve heard enough,” Vereth says finally. He looks to the other elders, ignoring Zyraxis. “A tickle of water may just be a tickle of water, but when so many converge to create a flood, then it can no longer be excused,” he pauses, taking a deep breath.

My sweet Pebbles.I lean down to grasp her black dress from the floor.

“Esteemed brothers, in light of all we have learned here, I motion that Zyraxis be removed from the Council of Elders for violation of our sacred oaths. All who agree raise your hand,” Vereth says, but I barely notice.

Manually, I move Pebbles’ arms to fit them into the dress openings. So transfixed on the elders, she doesn’t move, she only mutters, “Come on.”

“You can’t do this! I was recommended to this Council by the War Chieftain himself,” someone complains bitterly nearby.

If only I had made better arguments, she wouldn’t have needed to show such vulnerability!A sense of shame washes over me.

“Very well, by a majority of ten to three. Zyraxis, you are hereby stripped from the Council of Elders. You have behaved in a manner that has brought shame to our sacred brotherhood, pursuing personal vendettas over divining justice. Were it not for the lack of physical evidence linking you directly, I would have you cast into the volcanoes of Scarn,” Vereth says.

I straighten Pebbles’ dress so it’s properly level at the neck.She’s so beautiful. I only want to keep her safe.

A loud clack rings out nearby. My first thought is a weapon has discharged until I realize Vereth has brought his staff crashing to the ground again, causing the crowd to erupt into raucous cheering. The sound is almost deafening.What in the void is happening?

“We did it, Krogoth!” Pebble exclaims as she leaps into my arms. “We got the bastard,” I spin her round in my arms,enjoying her joyous laughter. Only when I see Zyraxis on his knees with his head in his hands being consoled by the other two Magaxus elders, do I understand.

“You did it, Pebbles! Because of your bravery and quick thinking.” I look into her glistening brown and green eyes, feeling elated and brimming with love for her. I nudge my nose against hers, giving it a gentle rub. “I love you.”

She returns my affections with a human kiss on my lips before saying, “You better,” she smiles cheekily as I set her back on the ground.

“You think any of this matters?” Zyraxis says, his voice dripping with resentment. “You cling to these old traditions, but they are like a dying ember, soon flickering out of existence,” he laughs bitterly, rising to his feet. “We all know who holds the actual power.”

Zyraxis turns his attention to me, his orange eyes burning with hatred. “You smile now, but I’ve already informed the War Chieftain of your treachery. He will come and he will kill you,” his venomous gaze shifts to the other elders. “He handpicked me to be on this Council,” Zyraxis aggressively gestures to himself. “Me, not you! Do you simpletons know what this means? The Scythians themselves must have chosen me.”

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