Friends or Lovers?

Verya felt some relief in her heart now that she knew she was going to fight for Aedael. She felt more like the warrior she had once been. She felt a surge of energy flow through her. She cared for her friend, but she wasn't going to let Galara stand between her and Aedael. He would be hers, one way or another.

She continued to sip wine and talk with her sister until Caldoren and Aedael returned. She watched as Suoress and her family stepped away towards their apartments. As Aedael stepped up beside her she glanced over at him slightly, her curiosity evident through the bond. She nodded slightly to his response and looked at him. "He thinks highly of you, that is quite clear and my brother-in-law does not think highly of just anyone. Whatever happened impressed him."

They had reached her apartments and she dismissed the other guards. She looked at Aedael and glanced around before gently pulling him to her and kissing him. She slowly pulled back and a sly smile appeared on her lips. "Meet me outside in an hour. Bring your sword and wear something...more suitable for fighting in." Without another word she disappeared into her royal apartments.

Aedael didn’t know exactly how to take Verya. The bond was often in conflict with how she felt and what she did the very next moment. To say she surprised him was an understatement. And he rather enjoyed that. Her soft but passionate kisses and how that had anything to do with fighting he couldn’t know but she had spoken and so he would come.

He decided upon something light, not his armor. A light-fitted pair or maroon pants and low, soft tan boots with silver buckles. He wore a cream-colored long-sleeved shirt with a bit of embroidery on the sleeves, shoulders and lapels and a boiled leather tan hide belt with a silver buckle. He didn’t bother putting Laica in its sheath he just bent his arm back to where the tip of his blade touched his shoulder.

It didn’t take long for others to notice and for word to get around. He had to set the guardians out onto the grounds for the Queens protection after all. When he finally made it outside, the wooded courtyard looked completely peaceful with all of its flora displayed just so around the large, rounded space. He spied Trikan, Authiel, Galara, Suoress, Caldoren and Caldoren’s eldest son who were sparring there already. Galara was giving the young man a lesson using the light, shorter blades that the wood elves carried.

He watched with interest as Caldoren and his son squared off with one another. Galara strode up to stand next to him. Instinctively he took in her scent, blue lilly oil and herbal soap he guessed mixed with the sweet scent of her sweat that intoxicated him if for just a moment.

“Hello Galara,” he said softly as he watched the two working the blade forms that were common for humans. Move and countermove, strike and counterstrike. Aedael knew them all and quite possibly many that Caldoren didn’t know. Galara was dressed in a light blue, velvety form-fitting outfit that consisted of pants with a matching vest over a white mid sleeved shirt. Fairly plain with short, white boots and a thin white belt. She looked exquisite to his eyes. The perfect mix of comfort, fashion and utility for this kind of work. “You are very beautiful today,” he said. Both Trikan and Authiel glared at him but he ignored them. Galara hadn’t expected him to say that but hearing those words made her insides quiver. How any male could have that effect on her she didn’t know but Aedael did. Before she could speak however Queen Laurelen stepped out from the main hall, 2 guardians in full armor with spears and shields in front of her and 2 behind.

Verya desperately wished she could truly show Aedael how she felt. Up until now she had tried, but felt she had failed in a way. They just weren't speaking the same language in a way. However, she knew that there was a language that they both knew...fighting. Long before she had been a Queen, Verya had been a warrior and she still considered herself that first and a Queen second. Fighting was in her blood. She could not remember a time when she didn't know how to yield a weapon. Fighting was much more than just sheer strength and bloodshed. It was a dance. It involved being agile and knowing how to read your opponent. Good warriors could block a blow, but a great warrior could anticipate that blow before it even happened. Some of Verya's happiest times had been spent learning to fight. She had learned along side Galara and Authiel. She had fought alongside her father in many battles. Her proudest moments had been defending her people from high in the trees. She also knew that Aedael was a fighter as well, and a very good one. So, if a fight between them couldn't ultimately show him how she felt then she didn't know what else would.

Verya knew that Aedael was already out on the training grounds. She walked out with two guardians in front of her and two behind her. As the two in front parted Aedael might be surprised by what he saw. Verya was not dressed in some regal, Queenly attire, but rather in a rather plain looking outfit (although on her it looked far from plain). She wore a pair of chestnut brown leather leggings that hugged her legs and matching soft leather boots that looked well worn and came up just to below her knees. Her tunic was forest green and split down the middle. She wore two, brown leather arm bracers and a matching brown leather belt around her waist. Her long, fiery red hair was pulled simply half back, allowing the rest to cascade down to almost her lower back. She looked exquisite and every bit the warrior that she truly was. Her eyes locked upon Aedael as she strode towards him. Suddenly, he would see her two long daggers appear from almost nowhere and without a single word she launched into a full attack.

Aedael’s elven eyes took in the whole of her as she strode out onto the courtyard. Her golden eyes and fiery red hair was different that he’s seen them before. Her steps were as if she were a cat with all the poise and confidence in the world. All talk seemed to cease as her guards parted to let her stride toward him. He smiled an appreciate smile and he just barely was able to bring his blade up in time to block her initial slash.

Blades flashed before his eyes as he was in full defense against her full attack. He tilted his body and shifted to avoid her right hand and parried her left with his blade. There was a very brief pause as their eyes met and then the dance began.

Her quick furious blades were met by his own or air when she missed completely. But onward she came at him, her supple wrists flexed as she shifted her blade to try to undercut his grip. If she struck him she’d likely do alot of damage to his wrist. She was sparring but there was more to it than that and it became quite apparent as their blades flashed toward one another. Authiel grinned thinking Verya intended to hurt Aedael but Aedael had no fear of her. Infact a grin appeared on his own face as Verya’s skill became known to him.

For Aedael it was as if he were dancing. Each motion was graceful, as if it was his intention all along even though he was responding to her attacks. He flowed like a river down a mountainside. His body bent and swayed like a delicate flower in a breeze. There were moments however that he had had to adjust far quicker than he normally would have or he might indeed have lost a hand or suffered a deep slash to his thigh.

Aedael moderated his breathing as he fought but as he prepared himself for the weirding he caught a glimpse of Trikan studying him and he decided not to unleash his full ability. Caldoren smiled as he watch and he whispered to his son as all in attendance were witness to Verya’s onslaught. And then Aedael began to fight back.

He used a spiral attack. His blade came in at odd angles and forced her to react. He drew her offbalance but surprisingly she flipped backward instead of falling and slashed the hem of his suit coat in reposte when he tried to press her. Suoress nodded. “Yes,” she said approvingly as she watched. Galara watched and unconsciously she licked her lips worriedly. Worried for whom it was not clear.

Verya moved much faster than he might have expected. Her movements were fluid and almost graceful. However, there was no denying the deadliness of her moves. Although they were just sparring and there was no intention of injury, Verya moved fast and struck hard. As they fought, their eyes met and Aedael would know then her feelings for him. It was a strange way of displaying it perhaps, but she knew he would understand.

Verya appreciated a challenge, and Aedael was certainly that. Some of his moves were unexpected, but Verya never once faltered or fell. She had not fought like this since becoming Queen and it would be clear to Aedael that she quite enjoyed it. Everyone was silent around them...watching their deadly dance. Verya had no intention of allowing Aedael to best her before everyone present and kept nothing back. At one point he drew her off balance, but Verya flipped backward and then came at Aedael again. Finally, Verya managed to cause Aedael to drop his sword and in the blink of an eye she had one blade tip at his neck and the other at his belly. The fight was over...but something else had begun. Verya's eyes met Aedael's and she said nothing, but she didn't need to. Everyone held their breath as she slowly lowered her blades. Without a single word she turned and walked back into the palace and went to her chambers.

Without the weirding he had expected to lose. That and he had no real desire to best her in front of her people anyway. But it wasn’t that at all that Aedael thought about right then. It was a pair of golden eyes as her blade touched his neck. Verya had fought well. Probably harder than she ever had before but it wasn’t hatred that burned in those eyes. Or even a thrill of victory. It was a passionate need for him that he felt and the bond was filled with it. It had infected him. Infected his calm to the point that his body reacted to her in a way that it never had for another elf, for another female.

“I’ve never seen anything like that Aedael...Verya was...magnificent!’ Caldoren complimented and smiled as Aedael nodded and led himself out with the rest of the queen’s guard. He paused and looked back at Galara who nodded to him almost reverently. He wanted to talk to her to tell her but the feelings that seemed to bite into his bones forced him onward.

He walked hastily to his room, locked the door and opened up the secret passage to Verya’s rooms. He could feel that she was close. His blood was liquid fire and there was only one thing that could stop it save for death. He strode into her library and out into the hallway as he felt her coming toward him. It was then that he felt sweat bead upon his forehead and lines of moisture run down the middle of his back and the sides of his ribs. The moment for talking was over and his heart filled with pure passion for the fire-haired elf that moved toward him.

Verya could feel Aedael drawing close to her as she stood in the main part of her chambers by the fireplace. Her heart was a flutter of emotions as she could sense his own. She knew then that whatever battle had been happening between herself and Galara was over. She had won. And while she felt some sadness for her friend she knew that ultimately she and Aedael were destined to be together. There was no other explanation for how their bonding had happened so suddenly. She had just had to show Aedael that...not through words, but through the only way she knew how...fighting.

She felt her own passions growing as she sensed him getting even closer. She almost couldn't bear waiting. Her heart felt as if it was going to burst from her chest. Suddenly, she saw him. Their eyes met across the room and without a word they both strode towards one another as quickly as they could. They met in the middle of the room and before she knew what was happening their arms were around one another and they were kissing with such passion that she felt her knees grow weak. The only thing that was holding her up was Aedael himself.

Her lips were warm and moist on his and her scent made all logical thought dissolve into the writhing passion that had taken Aedael over. He was hers now. Hers to do with as she pleased. But the bond carried much more than that. He felt love too so strong that he picked her up bodily, their mouths never seemed to stop kissing one another, and began to move toward her sleeping chambers though sleeping was not what was going to happen.

“I love you Verya Laurelen,” he said against her kisses and felt her pale flesh prickle. “I’m going to make love to you now,” he said plainly as he felt her mouth on his neck. What he was about to do could not be undone once he did it. The bond was one thing, this was something else entirely. She would be his mate for life. After this moment she would be his home, his solace, his responsibility and he hers. He set her down by the bedside then lifted his hands over to begin helping her out of her clothes...

OOC-New thread?

ooc: sure, got for it.

OOC-new thread