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PARDON:

A gift given by only direct members of the ruling Royalty. A pardon from any crime exonerates even a sentence of death. Sealed only with the blood of the ruling King for justification and as a symbol of rebirth.

Archives of History

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[Graydon Collins]

The human had certainly crossed the line. I was fuming at the mere audacity she had displayed. Going against my direct orders!

Her behavior would be weaned if needed. That I would certainly make sure of.

Cut off from the roots.

Perhaps I had given her too much freedom. Perhaps I had made the mistake of befriending her if I could call it that. I had been too soft that she saw me as less of what I truly was.

Her regional Lord and a Lord Select.

My jaw tightened, as I paced the room angrily.

Yes, I had given her too much freedom! Allowed her to believe she could simply get away with going against my direct orders. My superiority had never been put into question, not as captain of my troop in the lost world, not home on the lands of my father, not even in Fang Court.

The Collins name drew attention in every state it was uttered and yet she, a human from the farthest corners of my region dared to go against me.

She risked so many things by attending the ball.

I was quite baffled that she was still breathing.

I scoffed at this thought. My fists tightened in their hold behind my back.

Had anyone spotted her— I couldn't even mirror the consequences.

She could have been killed or things much worse and what would that have echoed upon my legacy?

That I couldn't protect and control one little human girl from my region.

Years and years of building a reputation for centuries in lifetimes that spanned way beyond mine would have been destroyed and my chances of being the King's Hand would have been disgruntled.

Perhaps her death would have done me a favor. Rid me of this fascination that I have grown with her.

I had been too easy on her, simply because she was the sister of the young Lord and Duke, and her mother was the High Lady to the King's Hand.

This status, however, as she was a human held no significance whatsoever in Fang society.

It did more harm than good to be quaint. She was seen as an abomination to the name of the House of Veridian as the daughter of a High Lady outside the mate bond selected by the gods.

Having even less significance as the human sister of an unmated sworn.

And yet with all this in mind, perhaps the biggest irritation of all was her lack of respect.

First, she calls me a monster to my face, and then she outright disobeys me.

I had never seen a human with so much stupidity I found it infuriating and frustrating, to say the least. How could prey be so careless?

I could feel my hold on her slipping, it was hard to control the young female and I didn't know what irritated me most. How could I control legions of men beneath me but not one simple human female?

Not being able to control her, or not being able to control the fascination that took over me when I saw her was going to cost me.

These feelings of intrigue should never be felt.

That is why I was so easy on her.

She had somehow crept her way into the curiosities of my mind and made a nest in there.

"I-Is this truly necessary, my lord?" her voice echoed, riddled with uncertainty.

I paused at this, eyes flashing to the closed door in front of me.

It squeaked open and she peeked out, an evident frown on her face-

"This is not what I meant by expanding my wardrobe choices," she mumbled softly.

I raised an eyebrow at her statement, not indulging in a reply.

After reading my blunt expression her small smile thinned, pursing her lips as she pushed the door open wider, and stepped out, her head hanging lowly, her wolfish curls falling forward in messy waves.

The Jean overalls were a large fit for her, hanging from all sides describable, the gloves large around her small hands.

The boots she wore seemed to be loose and at least 2 sizes large. Possibilities of tripping were high the longer she wore them.

I stopped myself from thinking forwards. There was nothing I could do about the fit. It was designed for a larger male.

My gaze snapped to hers.

"Follow," I grunted, spinning around and marching off.

I could hear her struggle to keep my pace, her large boots stomping forwards after me. A hard noise against the polished floors. But still, she plopped on.

"I'm curious," she began, and I rolled my eyes at the statement.

Of course, she was.

"What punishment requires me to wear—whatever this is?" She huffed, as we trod down the stairs, moving across hallways. She had to skip sometimes to not get left behind.

"One that will teach you how to serve and respect."

Silence loomed after this, only the plop of her large boots trailing after.

"Lord Graydon." She stated finally after a few minutes of silence.

"Silver," I replied, opening the door at the end of the hallway that led to the outside.

The grey sky illuminated our way as we walked down the stoned path, luscious greens on either side.

"I'm truly sorry." She mumbled.

I froze in my footsteps and I heard her struggle to stop in time as I turned, almost falling over me.

She managed to keep balance, however, now standing only a hairs breath away from me, staring up at me with her big doe eyes, breathing lowly.

I took a breath in at her proximity once more, acknowledging her scent that sent weird tingles through my body-those feelings circling through me.

My eyebrows arched slowly at this, yet the feeling soon subsided as if it never existed.

She took a step back, biting her lip, her gaze shifting to the pavement for a moment before they sailed back to mine.

I held them with a blank stare, but their intensity brought an itch to my fingers, as she spoke.

"You were right, my actions were irresponsible and I did not think of the stain they would leave on your reputation."

I let out a loose breath at her apology, studying her momentarily.

"However," she hummed with a soft gulp, "I do not agree that my actions had no basis, but I can acknowledge when I do something that results in unfathomable consequences."

As stubborn as ever.

My gaze narrowed on her.

"But— l-like I said." She quickly spoke, "I'm sorry."

I watched as her gaze fell to her oversized boots.

I studied the human before me momentarily.

"Your apology is accepted," I stated dryly, catching her shining gaze when it snapped back to me.

A smile wedged against the corner of her lips, growing by the second.

"Your punishment, however, remains."

Her smile faltered and mine grew.

"This way." I motioned to a walkway leading to an open door.

Her eyebrows drew together,  she studied my face for a moment, riddled with uncertainty before walking passed me.

I moved in, and the immediate scent of animals attacked my senses. Horses of the finest breeds neighed in each stall.

I stood behind her as she was frozen in place, staring into the barn.

"Have you never seen horses?" I asked. Gaze snapping down at her.

She turned slightly at the sound of my voice, though her wide eyes remained frozen forward on the horses being tended to by the stable boys.

"N-Never this close.." she trailed off, her breathing increasing for a moment.

I could sense an upbeat rhythm in her heart.

"I was told humans adored horses..." I trailed off moving past her.  She seemed to be exciting a rather fearful aura.

"Not me." She huffed, eyes steadfast on the horse, uncertainty crossing her eyes.

I scoffed inwardly at this reaction.

She had no fear going against the orders of her High Lord, a true blood who could snap her neck at any given moment, and yet she feared horses.

My gaze moved from her, trailing each horse positioned in its stall.

Each of the stable boys bowed, "My Lord Select."

I nodded in their direction my gaze returning to the horses. Silver trailing after me, trying her best not to fall over I assumed, as her eyes kept darting to her boots.

"The House of Veridian has only the finest horse breeds to walk the sands of the earth. Arabian," I began, glancing at the trio of horses, "Friesian, Andalusian, Orlov, and my personal favorite," I paused at the stall of the lone nightmare dark horse, taking in its beauty.

"Huc pulchra" I whispered into the wind, the horse trotting toward me. [Come here Beautiful]

"The Marwari." I smiled up at the beauty, her snout snuggling the palm of my hand, and drawing closer. She neighed softly above my head and I chuckled, my fingers running through her silky mane.

I turned back to the human who stood idly, rocking on her heels. Lips pursed, eyes trailing around the horses.

I shook my head at her curious nature, my gaze returning to the beast before me, "She is your responsibility for the next two hours."

"Sorry, my w-what? My responsibility?" she echoed, her gaze trailing up the horse, blinking at it.

"Wash her, clean her, brush her, and feed her," I ordered, taking a stand, my hands behind my back, face void of emotion.

"I have uh—no experience in horses-" she trailed off, horrified eyes still on the beast.

"Then it's the best time to learn." My gaze shifted to the boy behind her, "Shawn will be of service, won't he?"

"Yes. Lord Select." the Stable boy bowed lowly, his eyes trailing to Silver for a moment."

"You will be in good hands then," I replied, intense gaze never leaving the boy who nodded with a soft gulp, my warning having been received.

"The very best, my lord." he bowed, this time his eyes remained glued to the floor.

Silver glanced at him still baffled.

I moved past her-

"Is this my punishment then?" She stated, turning as I did, her gaze trailed to the horse, gulping softly, her heart pounding within her, "to wash it-"

"Her." I corrected.

"Her." She nodded quickly, pursing her lips.

I stared at her for a moment, my gaze narrowing down on her. "You will serve me for the next two weeks, perched at my every beck and call."

"Two weeks?-"

I stormed back to her, standing right in front of her, searching her eyes, "If you do not know how to obey, then I have no choice but to teach you."

Her eyebrows drew together at this statement.

My gaze dropped to her slightly parted lips, a sizzle of static in the air between us. My eyes trailed once more to hers, letting out a breath that warmed my lips.

"That is your punishment Silver." I breathed, softly.

My gaze trailed sideways to Shawn, whose peeping gaze immediately shot back to the floor.

Clearing my throat, I stood straighter.

"I will be back in the next two hours."

Before she could protest, I moved out of the royal stall.

————

It had been a long time since I had much time to myself and enjoyed luxuries such as sitting in a pool. There were no such comforts in the forefronts of the battle in the lost world.

I lay back in my bath pool, staring at the mosaic ceiling. It was a painted story, one that I was quite familiar with. Stories of gods and blood pacts. My eyes trailed on such a figure, gleaming golden curls reminding me of another curly-haired female I knew.

I wonder how she was faring with the horses. I chuckled for a moment, allowing the water to flow over me.

Finally submerging.

———

I worked on the crossings of my outfit, glancing at my watch.

It was right about time. I grabbed the package, exited my room, and made my way to the royal's mews.

Stopping at the entrance, I paused watching as she brushed down the mane of the horse, a scowl forming as the horse neighed right onto her face.

Her face contorted, stepping away from the beast, "I can not do anything about that breath." She grunted, stepping to the side and brushing down at the side of her mane.

It neighed in her face and she frowned, "hold still, you wild beast!" she huffed, tugging at the reigns as she tried her best to get as many knots out.

I moved closer, stopping when the horse reacted to her crude statement, making a fuss in its stall, sending hay flying over the place, which caused her to yelp, stepping pack and falling into the heap of hay.

She looked up at the horse, jaw dropped, eyes wide and I sucked in a chuckle. I can not say it was not justice well served.

"Why you little-"

The horse trod the hay, sending pieces of it flying onto her face. She froze, her face contorting in disgust, as she took out a piece from her mouth.

"I suppose even horses are monsters to your kind?" I commented, calming the horse down with my free hand, "Shhh." I hushed, my eyes calming hers.

She steadied, calming softly, her hand caressing her snout.

Silvers's eyes darted at me watching for a moment before quickly getting up to her feet and wiping her bottom.

"This one certainly is." She huffed, flashing a look at the horse.

I glanced at her, freezing for a moment when I discovered her state, amusement growing within me at the realization.

Her once clean overalls were stained in mud, her boots darkened with pieces of hay, mud, and other articles best not to mention.

Her wild hair was a frolicking mess, seemingly fluffed due to the humidity in the royal mews.

I raised an eyebrow at this, and her gaze followed me, her hands reaching to her hair in panic, slowly dropping them, embarrassment flooding her cheeks.

I did not comment, though I certainly was this close to laughing I did not want to do it at her expense.

"Here." I handed her the package.

She took it, wiping her hot face, with the back of her wet sleeve, breathing in and out softly like she was cooling down from a short race, pushing away a fuzz of her hair from her face.

Her gaze trailed up to mine, "This is a guard's uniform."

"As my servant, you will need to be identified as one."

"B-but it's a man's uniform—"

"You prefer maids then?"

Her lips slammed shut, her jaw ticking momentarily. I waited for a whisper of a complaint but when nothing was spoken, I added,

"Stalls are that way. Get changed you have more to do."

She pursed her lips at this but marched away. I could almost feel the ground shake at her anger.

I stifled a grin turning back to the horse who neighed softly against my palm.

"Yes, Pulchra, as stubborn as you." I chuckled.

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Word Count- 2630