Blood Oath (O/O CLOSED)

Kaden’s POV:

I didn’t stop Elliot, though I felt incredibly guilty. It wasn’t his fault, after all. He didn’t even know that could happen. But what that power did… I didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to think about the way I felt, the hand that squeezed my heart, the strings that ended up controlling my movements.

“Where’s Prince Colton?” I breathed out to Andreas even though I knew he wouldn’t know, either. “He should know what’s going on. He can help.”

Colton’s POV:

I blinked, shaking my head furiously, trying to dispel the sleep trying to pull me under. Key had himself enlarged enough to support me, leading me into the dorm. When was the last time I went there? I didn’t even remember.

Then Key’s wings were wrapped around me protectively, someone crashing into him and falling on the floor.

Andreas's POV:

I gripped Kaden's wrists tightly, looking him over with worry-filled eyes. "Are you okay??" Paying no heed to his question, I focused all my energy on making sure he was alright. "Are you hurt?"

Elliot's POV:

I practically ran from the dining hall, stumbling up the staircase. Panic gave my feet wings as I fled all the way to our room, clutching Scylla with trembling hands. I burst inside—only to stumble straight over something. Or rather, someone.

Kaden’s POV:

“I’m okay,” I whispered, trying to take control of my body. “He didn’t hurt me. It just… it just felt… intrusive… Don’t blame Elliot. It’s not his fault. He didn’t know what he was doing.”

Colton’s POV:

“Elliot?” I blinked as Key removed his wings from me. Elliot was lying on the ground, the same as when I saw him a week ago. Groaning, I picked myself off of the floor, Key siding me. I reached out my hand for Elliot to take. “What were you doing?”

I scrambled to my feet without taking his hand, trying to regain control of my breathing. But every time I opened my mouth to explain, song poured out. “I’m sorry” and “I didn’t mean to” and a frantic ”make it stop!”

But I couldn’t stop. I just kept watching as he jerked, trying to fulfill the request I hadn’t been trying to make.

Andreas’s POV:

I know,” I reassured softly, pulling him into another gentle hug. “I don’t blame him. I’m worried about both of you—but you’re my first priority right now.” I was struggling to keep the distress from my voice, trying my best not to get worked up.

Colton’s POV:

I felt something pull at my heart, wrap itself around me. I gritted my teeth, trying to prevent myself from moving. If it hadn’t been for Key’s scream in my mind, I thought I wouldn't snap out of it.

When had Elliot’s powers manifest? And to mention it was something like this… I shouldn’t have left him alone. This was my fault.

I didn’t know what I was doing, but it was done before I could stop. I pulled Elliot towards me, wrapping my arms around him and gently rubbing his back.

“It’s all right,” I said soothingly, hoping he’d snap out of the panic he was feeling. “You’re safe. You’re okay. You’re okay. I’m here.”

Kaden’s POV:

I leaned against him, sighing softly.

“Thank you, Andreas,” I whispered. “I’m grateful. I feel fine now. Thank you.”

Elle’s POV:

His touch, instead of comforting me, sent me tumbling further into the inescapable void of fear. I jerked away from him, trembling uncontrollably.

“I—I don’t want to hurt you—” But I was still singing, unable to stop the notes from spilling out. I felt like I was being used, a flute being blown into, forced to make music that I never wanted to hear again. “Hit me,” I told him desperately, “Hurt me until I stop.”

The moment I realized that I had used my power on him a second time, my face went slack with horror. “I didn’t mean to say it like that!”

Andreas’s POV:

My pulse fluttered weakly.

“Anytime..” I murmured, cheeks suddenly flaming.

Colton’s POV:

My body moved on its own, terror filling me though I tried hard to ignore it. Elliot kept on trying to keep himself quiet, but it wasn’t working. My mind suddenly didn’t know what to do, being ordered to do one thing and then another.

Key shouted in my mind again, but this time it didn’t work, so he slammed his tail into me, sending me crashing on the wall. He turned towards Elliot and hissed, smoke coming out from his nostrils.

I was suddenly grateful for all those lessons I’d taken. I was trained for things like these—mind controls, being forced to do things against my wishes, so every time I snapped out of it, it didn’t leave me frozen for long.

“Stop talking,” I said to Elliot, hissing as I staggered to my feet. What in the world was I supposed to do now? Whatever I did wouldn’t make him stop. He’d do it again and again. So, thinking of one last thing, I dashed towards him and slapped my hand on his mouth. “Stop. Take deep breaths. In and out. Calm yourself down. There’s absolutely nothing to fear. You’re all right. I’m all right. You aren’t going to hurt me, so just calm down.”

Kaden’s POV:

I flushed bright red when I realized which position we both were in, but I didn’t want him to let go. I felt safe in his embrace, but to my disappointment, Andreas pulled away.

“We should—we should go find Elliot,” I said weakly, standing on my feet. “Tell him it’s all right. I’m worried about him.”

He had no idea how much his closeness was agitating me right then. How much closer to the edge the hand on my mouth was pushing me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to regain control of myself, of my power, but I was falling fast, the images of Colton’s horrified face, of his body crashing against the wall, replaying themselves over and over again in my mind.

In the end, Scylla was what saved me. Her voice in my mind broke through the chaos as she clambered up my leg and roughly shoved Colton’s hand away from my lips with both front paws.

”Elle? I’m here. I’m right here. No one’s hurt—Please don’t be upset.”

Her tiny, imploring voice slowed my wildly spinning thoughts. And eventually, chest heaving, I regained control.

Andreas’s POV:

“Yeah…” I murmured, covering one of my (literally) burning cheeks with my hand.

“Let’s go.”

Colton’s POV:

“Ah, shit,” I cursed, running a finger through my hair. Key approached me then, moving around me, whining apologetically. He nudged me, rubbed his face against my stomach, and I patted him on the head. I stumbled a bit, and Key immediately wrapped me around his wing, keeping me on my feet. Shit. This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good at all. I shouldn’t have returned to the dorm. If I collapsed right now, he was going to think it was his fault. He was going to burden himself with that thought. My weakness wasn’t his fault. Had I been refreshed, I would have fought his ability off. It was only the first stage of it, after all.

I closed my eyes to get myself together. Before I could respond, I heard the voices of our dorm mates.

“Elliot!” Kaden exclaimed, running towards him. “I’m so sorry. I freaked out back then. It wasn’t your fault. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

Elle’s POV:

I stared, horrified, at all the commotion and distress I had caused, my hands beginning to tremble again. Scylla, blinking rapidly to dispel the golden glow from her eyes, settled on my shoulder and began to repoeatedly butt her head against my cheek, murmuring comforting words in a wobbly voice.

I took a stumbling step back from them all, raising my hands. “I—Shit. Shit. I’m so sorry—this is my fault—It won’t happen again—“

The relief I felt when my words came out normally, not as hypnotic words, was unfathomable. I didn’t notice the pitch of my voice slipping slightly higher from distress.

Colton’s POV:

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts, letting Key know I was okay enough to carry my own weight before I turned to Elliot.

“Come here,” I said softly, discarding the authoritative voice I often used. I hoped it wouldn’t agitate him any further than that. I also hoped he wouldn’t get the wrong idea about what I would do.

I flinched when Colton opened his mouth, fully expecting retribution. But when he spoke softly, coaxing as if I was a frightened animal, I found my feet moving towards him of their own accord.

Coming to a stop right in front of him, I fixed my eyes on the floor, unable to meet his gaze.

Colton’s POV:

I was definitely going to receive negative results if anyone saw this, but at this point, I didn’t care. When I first started manifesting my own powers, nobody was there to help me. I remembered the terror I felt, the humiliation and uselessness every time I caused destruction. Every time I lost control of myself.

No one was there to pull me into their arms, to tell me it was all right. No one but Key. But Elliot did. I understood him. I understood his weaknesses, his fears, his shortcomings. I would be what everyone else failed to be mine—his support.

I slowly, gently, wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close, resting my chin on his head. I sighed softly, keeping the hold on him loose in case he wanted to pull away.

“It’s… terrifying, I know,” I started quietly. “And it’s hard, especially because you’re a Type A. I just want you to know that you’re not alone. Scylla is here. So am I. I’m sorry for leaving you alone when I could have been there to help. I’ll make it up to you for causing you this much distress. I’ll help you with your ability as best as I can. But remember—whatever happens, it’s never going to be your fault.”

My body stiffened at first, first from shock, then from a paranoia that I would hard him, even like this. But then, he began to speak. And, through the immense surprise that he actially seemed to care this much, his words washed over my like the soothing waves of the sea, back at home.

I couldn’t hold myself back anymore. Before I knew what I was doing, I had buried my face in his chest, sinking gratefully into the embrace.

“Thank you…”

Andreas’s POV:

I watched, rooted to the spot, as the Prince pulled Elliot into a hug and completely threw aside the cold, stony demeanour we’d all thought was the entirety of his personality. Torn between rushing forward to comfort my friend and ogling at the changed man embracing him, I just stood there, eyes wide.

Colton’s POV:

I felt my vision turn completely white and gritted my teeth, screwing my eyes shut. Do not lose yourself. Do not fall. Do not show any weaknesses. You cannot show your weakness to people you’re going to rule one day.

Taking a deep breath, I exhaled harshly. I could feel Key’s desperation, his need to take care of me, but not making a move.

“You’re going to be all right,” I forced myself to whisper, feeling him relax against me.

Kaden’s POV:

What was going on? Was that truly our Prince, the cold, uncaring Prince who couldn’t stand anyone? Was he really tossing away what made him our iceberg, just so he could comfort Elliot? I felt like I was dreaming.

“Andrean, punch me,” I found myself whispering to my friend. “Because I don’t believe the person I’m seeing right now is the prince.”

Elle’s POV:

The calmer I grew, the more agitated I could feel him become. But I was helpless, having no idea what to do, how to help—

That was when Scylla clambered from my shoulder to Colton’s and began to gently nudge his cheek with the top of her head, as if comforting him.

I swallowed, not knowing whether to pull away or hug the Prince back.

Andreas’s POV:

I stared at the pair, almost entranced by this new version of Prince Colton that had presented itself. After a moment, I took hold of Kayden’s wrist and began to tug him away. “Come, Let’s give them space.”

Colton’s POV:

My breathing became harsher, and at this point I didn’t know who was giving strength to whom. I could faintly feel someone, most likely Scylla, rub herself against my cheek, but nothing more than that.

Finally, I pulled myself back before I could lose myself, shaking my head to clear away the dizziness overtaking me. Key was suddenly by my side, supporting me.

“My bad,” I muttered, shaking my head again, though it did nothing but increase the feeling. “I just felt a little off.”

Kaden’s POV:

I let myself be dragged off my Andreas, still shocked by the new personality of the prince. Once we were alone, I released a breath I didn’t even know I was holding.

“Did that really happen?” I whispered. “Did Prince Colton just…?”

Elle’s POV:

He looked like he was going to pass out right there and then.

My mind skipping back to when I had been the one in his position, when I had collapsed in front of him, and I quickly placed my hands on his shoulders, forcing him to meet my eyes. I ignored how my limbs felt like jelly, how utterly weak I was at the moment, focusing all of my scattered attention on him.

“Colton?” I asked, worry seeping into my voice. “Here, come sit down—Are you okay?”

Did I hurt you?

Andreas’s POV:

I leaned back against the cool wall of the corridor, but jerked sharply away when I heard a sizzling sound and turned to see a black burn mark spreading across the wallpaper.

“I… Have no idea..” I answered quietly. “I didn’t know they were so close….”

Colton’s POV:

I squeezed my eyes shut again, but opened them when Elliot forced me to meet his eyes. I was unfocused, my vision blurry. But this wasn’t about me. This was about him. I couldn’t make this about me. I was the prince. I needed to stay strong. If I wasn’t, they’d deem me as unworthy.

“I’m fine,” I rasped out, furrowing my eyebrows. “Just a little exhausted. Don’t worry about me.”

Kaden’s POV:

I sighed softly.

“I didn’t know, either…” I murmured. “Elliot just has that kind of ability, I guess… to make people like him instantly. I guess not even the prince is immune to that.”

I took over, our roles in the situation now reversing.

“How long was it when you last slept?” I whispered, but suddenly shook my head. “Don’t answer that. Go lie down in your bed, I’ll veing you water.”

Before he could protest, I placed a hand in the centre of his chest. “Don’t argue. It’s the least I can do after…” I swallowed thickly. “Yeah.”

Andreas’s POV:

Copper perched on the top of my ear, curling his tail around its base.

“I’m worried about him….” I said, referring to Elliot.

Colton’s POV:

Key immediately rushed to my side, pulling me over him so he could carry me to the room. I didn’t even bother protesting. I didn’t have the strength to do so.

With my head now hammering wildly, Key laid me gently on the bed, curling around me, a wing on me to keep me warm.

Kaden’s POV:

“So am I…” I replied. “I feel like there’s a lot… he isn’t telling us, you know?”

I poured cool water into a glass, watching my hand quiver as I held it, my fingers tightening around the smooth surface until the knuckles whitened.

My head spun, still trying to wrap itself around the horrible tangle of events that had just taken place. I had powers—Almost like Siren Song. Powers that I couldn’t control. I had used them on two people I cared about in the span of twenty minutes. Colton’s stony personality had been stripped away, leaving him gentle, caring. And now, I was crouching my his bedside, holding out the glass for him to take.

[TIME SKIP] Colton’s POV:

“I think the first thing you should start trying to do is simple demands,” I started, folding my arms. “Tell me to crouch down. Imagine there’s a river inside of you, but it’s blocked by a dam. Slowly will the water to flow out of the dam. Be gentle and careful—don’t push too much otherwise you’ll crack your dam.”

It had been a few days since I displayed my weakness in front of Elliot and the other two. To my mortification, I slept for nearly two days. I guess I had it coming for barely getting any sleep for that entire week. Thankfully, I didn’t receive any negative remarks. Nobody noticed I was gone, which was good.

I was finally starting to train Elliot in controlling his powers, and I hoped it would turn out okay.

I nodded slowly, trying my best to commit his instructions to heart. Be gentle… don’t crack your dam…. Sighing, I took a small step back and closed my eyes, reaching for the power source I knew was lodged within me. But my fingers kept coming up empty, my words dying in my mouth before they had the chance to form a song.

This was the first calm conversation I’d had with Colton since… before the Oath, and it felt admittedly nice to be with him again. Especially now that I’d glimpsed the hidden side of him, I found myself comforted by his presence, his proximity.

After a few more failed tries, I let out a short, exasperated exhale, clenching my jaw.

Colton’s POV:

“Don’t get irritated,” I instructed. “Keep calm. It’ll come gradually. Don’t rush it, either. Take your time.”

I have to admit, caring about someone like this felt foreign to me. All I had was my family and Key, and then I met Elliot. I don’t know what was it about him that amused me, but whatever it was, it kept me around. I didn’t even know I had a gentle bone inside of me until I met him. This was one of the weaknesses I’d gotten rid of throughout my childhood. He managed to bring it back.

“Keep going.”

Colton no longer used the same hard, flat tone with me, unlike the way he’d spoken in our training sessions before the Oath. And I was touched, seeing that he appeared to care. But one thing continually twisted my gut with guilt and apprehension.

If I made it through my years at Rubinem, once I announced my identity…. would he forgive me?

Scylla disrupted my distracted thoughts by prodding my cheek, a silent reminder to stay on track. So, heaving another sigh, I tried again.

“Crouch down.” My would fell flat, despite the effort I was pouring into the small tast. I tried agon, and this time… something clicked.

”Crouch down.” The order was delivered weakly, its charm barely there—but I’d done it. Finally.

I felt something grip my body tightly, keeping me still so I wouldn’t move on my own free will. I let it control me. I didn’t try to fight against it. I felt my knees bend against my will until I was crouching on the floor, my mind being squeezed by an invisible force.

He did it. Even though it was weak, he did it.

A rush of triumph overtook me.

“Colton,” I breathed, breaking the spell, “I did it.” Strangely, I could feel my apple eyes glowing gold, dimming slowly as my song faded from the air.

Through a teacher and several trips to the school library, I’d found a record of one other like me. Of course, he had died hundreds of years ago, but I had a stack of his books in my room that I was planning to pour over. I’d skimmed the first chapter and found a name for my power—Windsinging.

I shook myself as I broke out of the spell, standing up and giving a nod of approval to Elliot.

“Good job,” I said, smiling softly. “I told you you could do it.”

I blinked in surprise, not quite used to his new, gentle manner. The praise filled me with warmth, and for some strange reason, it made my heart skip a beat.

“Thank you..” I said quietly. “I just have to practice, I guess.”