28. Framed

Someone framed Brooke, but who and why?

 “You’re hurt; I can take care of this,” said Meredith.

Brooke smirked as the princess’s body continued to tremor. She bent down and held her stomach. Brooke shook her head and placed Yoko in her hands. “You’re in no better shape.”

Meredith’s eyes fell to the ground. “I am sorry for my accusation-”

“Save it for another time.”

Meredith nodded and held Yoko close to her, plopping down on the grass. It was her turn to watch Brooke in action. She stepped forward. “Dorian!” she called. He dropped from the branches above. He didn’t have his sane appearance this time, but one of a monster. His face seemed to have aged from its youthful look. His skin changed from its smooth texture to one of tree bark, an ugly dark, like the bole of a tree. The irises of his eyes vanished, but he glared at her through the composite of his being. “Let’s finish what we started.”

Dorian flashed past her and she dodged him. He landed against one of the trees and then lunged at her. She met him blade to blade and she felt the familiarity of this energy, this energy she despised. Dorian scratched the stomach part of her jumpsuit, ripping the cloth and giving her four long marks on her belly. Her wrist throbbed and she knew she didn’t have much time before she will pass out. She had to act quickly.

Brooke stepped back and charged at him. He grabbed her blade forcing it down and he bent his head to bite her neck. She tackled him instead and caught him off guard making him lose his sword. She sat on him and raised her sword. He slipped from under her and kicked her in the back, sending her body skidding against the ground. She rolled and Dorian bit the trunk of a tree as he headed for her. Her reflexes were slowing down and she felt sluggish. Dorian lifted his head and released a screech that made Brooke’s ears hurt. He lunged at her and she kicked him in the face. She stood as Dorian squirmed. He grabbed his sword off the ground and attempted to strike Brooke, but she blocked it. Her heart pumped faster to keep the blood circulating in her body or at least what was left.

Dorian stepped back and jumped towards Brooke, aiming for her face. She spun and blocked him. Dorian twisted in the sky and tried again, but the same result happened. He landed on his feet and skirted backwards. He reached into the belt around his waist and threw needles at her. She dashed out of the way and tripped as the last one hit the tree behind her. Her eyes widened when she saw the tree die before her eyes.

She stood and lazily blocked Dorian’s lunge attack and ducked. She brought her sword up and he blocked her. Dorian swept his blade below her legs. She jumped and kicked his face. She struck him at the side and he fell on the ground. Brooke leaped, preparing her sword to stab him. He rolled out the way, and she landed hard on her feet. Dorian charged at her, and she kicked him in the knee, propping him in the jaw.

Brooke flipped the handle of her blade around her hand, creating swordplay. She did something unexpected. She turned around and climbed the tree. She grabbed the bark of the tree and some of the corners hurt her feet, but she kept going. Her wrist throbbed and her stomach wounds burned. Dorian watched her as she stood on the branch. It was sturdy enough to sustain her weight. Good.

Dorian lunged at her and she ducked, hanging onto the branch by her hands like a monkey. She swung and kicked him off the tree. He landed hard on the ground. Brooke lifted herself onto the branch. Dorian rose and joined Brooke on the branch. Their swords clashed in multiple collisions. Brooke backed onto the bark of the tree and then she cut the branch. They both fell and she made sure to fall on her feet.

Dorian punched her in the jaw, which caught her by surprise, but the surprise wilted as she remembered. She knocked his sword hilt out of the way and cut him from his leg to his stomach. Dorian let out a loud screech and squirmed away. Brooke didn’t give him time to gasp and followed him, jabbing her sword hilt with all her strength into his throat. He choked and crouched to the ground. Brooke smiled. It was time to finish him off. She sauntered over to him. Brooke heard bushes rustling and she turned to see Athena, holding the unconscious anymalis by the collar of her shirt. Brooke felt relieved to see her. She then returned her attention back to Dorian who lay there coughing up blood. Brooke grimaced. The death of Princess Catalina flashed through her mind and the hatred simmered within her. She thrust her sword into his heart and the blade went so deep it punctured the ground.

“That’s enough, Miss Brooklyn,” said Athena snapping her back to herself. Brooke saw that she had frightened Meredith and she restrained herself from brutally killing him. She let it go and sheathed her sword.

Meredith hushed Yoko and rocked him to sleep. She stood and her eyes never looked so trusting of Brooke. She ripped a part of her dress and tied it around her wrist. A light glowed from Meredith’s fingers to her wound. “It’s not much, but it’ll stop you from passing out in the next few seconds; my magic hasn’t been right since the Zexel pills.” The blood receded into her skin. Brooke rubbed her jaw and it felt sore. Meredith worked on her stomach and it left four dots.

Brooke saw Ellis awake and struggle against Athena. Brook grabbed her by the shirt. “Tell her!” she exclaimed showing her to Meredith. “Tell her that I did not kill her sister, now, or you can end up like your partner here.”

Ellis shivered and a tear slid down her flustered face. “Release me!” she demanded. She stopped struggling and her face went stricken with worry. “What happened to Dorian?” Brooke showed the anymalis the dying thing. Ellis snatched from her and ran to him. Athena stopped Brooke from reacting. Ellis knelt and placed Dorian’s head in her lap. “Dorian, Dorian!” she called, staring into his lifeless eyes. “Can you hear me?” Ellis broke out into a sorrowed sob and cried on his chest. Meredith and Brooke exchanged glances. “He promised it would work!”

“Tell her the truth!” Brooke yelled and Ellis raised her head.

“I owe you nothing!”

Brooke started to draw her sword and Ellis sniffled. “Who was he to you?” Meredith asked. Both Ellis and Brooke turned to her.

Brooke arched a brow at her. “What does it matter?”

Meredith ignored her. Her voice was sweet and consoling to the anymalis, edging her to answer. Ellis took a deep breath, clutching the cloth of his shirt. “He’s everything to me; he protects me and in return I soothe his fits.”

“Fits?”

“Dorian is not any kind of creature you’d recognize; he is a crossbreed between an elf and an orc, the worst of crossing breeds.” Brooke was familiar with this. Crossing breeds was dangerous and risky because there was always the chance the baby came out with birth defects. It never happened in Alagracia or perhaps she never saw its realness. It was like siblings bearing a child. In addition, it depended on the breed. Elves and humans had no significant difference. Elves and orcs were like cats and dogs. It would make since that crossing those breeds created a defect. “All defected babies are tossed into the Wilderness and he was abandoned the day he was born.” Ellis sniffled. “One day we found one another; he was in one of his fits where he was in a feeding frenzy. He saved me that day and just when I thought he’d attack me, he turned into his sane self. We discovered that I soothed him, that I was the anchor to his sanity, and he needed me. I needed him because I am not strong; I’m of cat mix for Pete sakes.” Ellis gave a bitter chuckle. “I needed him and he needed me. Then, we were approached by this elf; I can’t recall anything about him; he wore a mask and did not give us his name. He promised he had something to help Dorian better control himself, but apparently, whatever he gave him made things worse. It’s not that I loved what Dorian did to your sister, but he, he needed something other than me to help him.”

“I wonder who he was,” Meredith said turning to Brooke. She shrugged. Neither one of them had any kind words to say to Ellis. She had lost someone dear to her in a deal that didn’t work out. Brooke felt a small sense of sympathy. They had to be on their way though, and she said to Athena. “We must go.”

Athena nodded. “Where are we going?” Meredith asked. Brooke helped Meredith onto her back, and then she followed, glancing at the crying anymalis. “To the rural areas.”

 “Wait, maybe we should bring her along,” said Meredith. She jumped back down and approached the anymalis. Brooke groaned. “Would you like to come?” She held out her hand to Ellis. She stared at it, tears alive on her face.

“Your kindness shames me, Princess.” Ellis wiped her eyes, but then she cried some more. Athena growled. She didn’t want Ellis on her back and Brooke knew it. Both of them didn’t trust the anymalis.

“You both were manipulated and I can understand that, but you’ll get yourself killed out here.” Why was she so concerned about the anymalis? Just recently she tried to take Yoko. Brooke rolled her eyes.

“I don’t think taking her is a good idea.”

Meredith looked aghast. “I know what you’re thinking, but she didn’t kill my sister, Dorian did, and I am happy he is dead.” She said it with such a profound hatred that finally wasn’t directed at her. “We can’t just leave her here.”

Brooke groaned. “Oh fine.” Ellis and Meredith hopped onto Athena. Brooke began to ponder as Athena carried them through the rest of the Wilderness. Who did this? Obviously someone set her up, but who would do that and why? 

 

Author's Note

Dear Reader,

Hope you enjoyed the fight. Let me know if I went to forward with adding Ellis to the group. She and Dorian had nothing against Brooke and Meredith. They were just fulfilling a favor. Maybe I should add some affection between Ellis and Dorian so you understand Ellis would have rather seen him dead than to see him suffer as he did in his fits. She is putting on a front, but she is glad he is dead. Any ideas or thoughts?

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely JazzSoulKeke,

God bless