Darguni was ridiculously tired, and he still had eight days to go of his punishment. A nice slice of chocolate cake from Tippy's was just the thing he needed. A familiar giggle had him halting his current mission. He followed the sound. "What the HELL do you think you're DOING?"
"Oh, goody, it's trainer boy." The man snorted.
"You!" He pointed at the girl. "You're in a world of shit. And YOU!" He pointed at the man. "Keep your filthy hands off my fourteen year old sister!"
"You're not the boss of me." Tina flipped her hair.
"You wanna bet?" He grabbed her by the arm. "This is your ONLY warning." He jabbed a finger in the man's chest.
He grabbed Darguni's finger. "Want to do something about it?"
Darguni yanked his finger out of the guy's hand. "Yeah. This." He cold cocked the bastard. "Fuck you, Jake." He started walking, Tina in tow.
"Let GO of me!"
"Oh, no, you're going to have a LOVELY discussion with mother."
"She's not MY mother."
"I am so unbelievably tired of your shit Tina. If I could wait until I was eighteen, you damned well can."
"Ugh, if my mother hadn't married that damned orc, I wouldn't even have to take orders from fucking Elunara!"
Darguni whacked her in the face with the back of his hand. "Fucking SHUT UP!"
Tina held her face and gasped. "You HIT me!"
"You're lucky that's all I did. Where is Lulu?"
"The fuck do I care?" Tina snorted.
"She's your SISTER."
"She ain't MY sister. I'm not related to ANY of you idiots."
He balled his fist, but kept it at his side. Shoving her inside the house, he looked around. "Mother?" He called. "She must be out. You sit your ass on that couch."
"You can't keep me here!"
Crossing his arms, he assumed his guard stance. "Try me." He growled.
Grogek was royally pissed off. Not only had his dumbass son disappeared again, he got puked on. He was going to take a long shower, hunt down Darguni, and beat some damned sense into the boy. Opening the door, he blinked at Darguni's back. "You should be down at training." He growled.
"I would be, except pain in the ass Tina has decided she's too old for this family."
Tina sat on the couch, arms and legs crossed. "You fucking HIT ME!"
Grogek closed his eyes and sighed. "What happened NOW?"
"I caught her in an alley, with a soldier who had his hands under her shirt and dress. When I tried to deal with her, she had the balls to tell me, that if her mother hadn't married that dumb ORC, she wouldn't have to listen to mother. Followed by the fact that she has no idea where Lulu is, and claims that she's not related to us."
Grogek's mouth dropped open. "Is this true?" He croaked.
She jerked a shoulder. "Fucking sick of this so called "family" ruining my fun."
Grogek put his hand on Darguni's shoulder. "Keep her here; I have to get her mothers."
"I only have one." Tina growled.
Closing the door behind him, Grogek leaned against the building a moment, his eyes closed. Taking a deep breath, he scrubbed his hands over his face and went for Elunara.
"Love?"
Elunara looked up. "What happened?" She scrambled to stand.
"I... I need you to deal with Tina." His voice cracked.
"What did that little shit do now?" Elunara growled.
The door slammed open so hard that Darguni jolted. "YOU MISERABLE LITTLE SHITBAG." Elunara roared.
Tina's eyes went wide, and she scrambled back.
"You worthless piece of SHIT!" Elunara grabbed a handful of Tina's hair and dragged her forward. "Give me ONE reason why I shouldn't slit your fucking THROAT."
"Now, now, Elunara..." Susan stepped into the room.
"Momma!" Tina gasped.
"Leave me something to kill." Susan growled.
"Momma?" Tina whimpered.
Elunara shoved Tina back and moved to the side.
"How DARE you!" Susan put her hands on her hips. "What in goddamned HELL is WRONG with you? How dare you say such things about our family! How DARE you say those things to the man who has done his best to raise you for almost eleven years now? He loved you from the moment he picked you up with a busted ankle, and you have the NERVE to say that about him?"
Susan shook her head. "It's bad enough that you still resent Elunara for her rightful place in this house, but to take it out on Grogek? I don't even KNOW you anymore. And what of poor Lulu? Bradly found her crying, because she didn't know what had happened to you, and she was terrified of coming home without you!" She put her hands on her hips. "I should just let Elunara rip you to pieces, so MAYBE we can put them back together in the RIGHT ORDER!"
"But, momma..."
"You are a mean, nasty little bitch, Tina. And I have absolutely no idea what to do to you to make you understand what EVERYONE ELSE in this house believes with their whole heart. Elunara has rescued every damned one of us. She saved Grogek from that fortress, she saved Tulani from a tortured mind and body, and she kept Darguni when she didn't have to. Bradly she saved from his abusive situation, Jordan she saved from himself, Lydia she saved in so many ways she just stopped bothering to count. Lulu she saved from abandonment, you and I she saved from being alone. She saved YOU from growing up without a father.
Grogek may have loved you from the beginning, but it was through Elunara's graces that we were allowed to stay; we were allowed to be loved. If Elunara had said at any point in time, "no, be rid of them", then Grogek would not have hesitated. Elunara comes first. Go down to the training yard, ask how many people have been saved, and I bet you hundreds of them would lift their hands. Ask the world and it would be thousands.
We don't listen to her out of fear; we listen to her out of love and respect. She GAVE us who we are, and it's our debt to her. Even then, she never asked for it. It's stupidly cruel of you to throw that in her face, and it's just pure hate to take it out on Grogek. If that's the kind of person you are, then get the FUCK out of this house, because I don't want you anywhere near me."
Tina scrambled up and ran, pushing past everyone. Outside, she blinked down at Grogek, sitting on the porch, cuddling Tilly with tears in his eyes. He took one look at her and turned away. Tina just kept on running.
Susan buried her face in her hands.
Elunara wrapped her arms around Susan. "Shh, it's ok, my love. She'll be back." She chuckled. "Besides, when YOU use swear words, we know it's bad. She'll come around."
"Oh, I hope you're right."
She usually is." Grogek sighed.
"I'm just so worried."
