The Bonds of Love

The experience was unlike anything Verya had thought it might be. It had been sensual, exhilarating, and transcendent. They both had just seemed to know how to touch, kiss, and caress one another. They both had been submissive and also dominate. Their bodies had just seemed to meld perfectly together...as if they were made just for each other. They were bonded now entirely. He belonged to her and she belonged to him and nothing would ever break that bond. It would only become stronger as time went by. Love flowed through them as their bodies writhed in their passionate embrace. Verya felt as if her heart might burst from the passion it felt.

Hours seemed like mere minutes and before Verya knew it dawn was approaching. She lay there in Aedael's arms in her bed. The sheets were wrapped around their bodies and their clothes were strewn about the room in heaps. An empty bottle of wine sat on one of the tables and only embers burned in the fireplace. The room was dark and quiet. Verya lay with her head upon her mate's chest, listening to his heartbeat. Her fingers lightly caressed his smooth chest as her thoughts drifted through the events of the last few hours. Slowly, she turned her head to look up at him. She smiled at him.

"I love you Aedael."

“I know you do,” he said softly. “It is not easy to hold back my feelings. There are many moments that I wish I could express to you how I feel without having to wait until there are no eyes to see or ears to hear my words. But that is the truth of it, he said as he touched her lips with his thumb.

“I might always be an outsider. An enemy in your people’s eyes. But more and more I feel as if we are surrounded by wolves and you are the doe. I have this feeling, it is dark and elusive. I’ve felt it before but it is stronger now. Something is going to happen and soon,” he added softly and traced a finger across her jawline as he looked into her eyes. She was so beautiful and her fiery red hair spilled down her shoulders and back. He wanted to be more specific with his feeling but he couldn’t be. He had a bit of ‘the gift’ for foresight like his mother but lesser than she. Something dark and evil was near and he wished he could tell where and more importantly, what this evil was.

Verya looked deeply into Aedael's eyes. She felt as if she could get lost in them. She could see his own love for her reflected back and it caused her heart to swell. She had never imagined needing anyone like she needed Aedael. He filled a hole in her soul that she had not known was missing...he completed her. She shivered slightly as she felt his thumb lightly caress her skin. As it touched her lips she kissed it gently. However, as he began to speak about his feeling that something was about to happen she became more serious. She sat up onto her forearm and looked at him as she lightly brushed a piece of hair from his face.

"I have had that same feeling as well M'love," she responded softly. "I cannot help this feeling that Trikan is not really who he appears to be. I truly believe he is a Dark Elf and he is manipulating Authiel."

“A serious charge and difficult to prove. I’ve seen his blood and it appears undifferent. What will you do?” he asked. “And if Authiel is his creature that only makes this more difficult,” he added thoughtfully in a neutral voice. The bond bloomed with the calm that thinking like this had brought him. All thoughts of touching her or of what had just happened had come to an end as Aedael thought about possible traitors and what to do about this.

Yuma appeared as Trikan made love to Authiel. She was on the side table and took up a stance of clear disapproval though she liked to watch him when he made love to people. She was eager to see any all and parts of him that she couldn’t experience. Her body would not allow such things, but the accident in her creation did give her emotions and hormones and the longing for it. Authiel moaned as Trikan began to get more aggressive with her. She loved it when he took her like this. Took her to the brink of pain but when he saw Yuma he paused and his face grew into a scowl for her.

“Begone Yuma!” He growled. He was getting close to orgasm. “Don’t stop on ‘my’ account boss. But I thought you’d like ta know. They ‘are’ together right now! That and Morwen has taken over...someone. I don’t know who...is that important?” She asked taunting him playfully. Rhazien’s eyes bulged. “The Nine Hells!” he said and hopped off of the bed. Fear and worry flooded into him as he began to get dressed.

Verya thought over the situation and was unsure of how to prove Trikan was not who he appeared to be. Aedael was correct, it would be difficult...perhaps impossible and yet she needed to prove it somehow.

"I am not sure," she answered honestly, unable to hide the slight feeling of worry that had begun to creep into her bones. "I feel as if we are both standing on the edge of a high cliff and are about to be pushed over. Everything suddenly hangs in the balance...peace....our lives."

Authiel moaned with pleasure as Rhazien made love to her. Tonight he was rough with her and she quite enjoyed it. She submitted to him entirely and was his to do with as he pleased. She remained unaware that Yuma was watching them...or rather Rhazien. She felt herself drawing close to orgasm and began to tremble. Her heart nearly felt as if it was going to burst from her chest. Her moans and groans became louder and louder until...

She felt Rhazien pull out and her eyes snapped open. Her face was flush with their lovemaking. She hadn't heard him speaking to Yuma as she had been so completely focused on what he was doing to her. She just stared at him as he began to dress. Her legs were still spread apart and she felt completely unsatisfied and upset.

"What is going on? Why are you dressing?"

Egwana, Suoress’s daughter bowed respectfully to the guardians as she passed lightly down the hall. She had just put Donella to bed and wanted a few minutes alone on the eastern terrace that overlooked the large, living courtyard. She had never seen so many beautiful men...well, elves they were in all actuality but to her they resembled human males if not a bit taller and lither. Paler and far more beautiful. Her dreams of late had been filled with them ravaging her. Normally dreaming such would be terrible nightmares but since she arrived here she wanted those dreams. Took part in them and allowed herself to interact freely with the elf males that took her over and over. It was altogether erotically unsettling but her body quivered in pleasure when it was happening and she had woken up with Donella looking at her. That and she had given her the dagger in which she needed to use upon Verya. Normally even considering something like this would be very much a living nightmare but right now her only thought was to please the elves whose voices resounded over and over in her head. They promised her pleasure the moment she closed her eyes again. Only if she did what they asked.

“My sister has come and she must know by now that I am no longer her puppet. She will...lash against that if not try to kill me and you too perhaps. That and have her designs come to fruition as well. We are all in danger. Moreso if we do not move on the queen soon,” he said desperately. Unconsciously he licked his dry lips. He was afraid. Afraid that Morwen was going to make him watch Authiel die in some horrible way. His eyes appeared haunted as he looked at her and Authiel knew what he was thinking through the bond.

“Perhaps tomorrow morning you could hold an audience with your generals. Maybe set him up to travel as your ambassador to treat with the wood elves, see what he does? And Authiel as well,” he suggested. He had more to say but there was a knock on the door to her personal chambers. Aedael looked at Verya and then snatched up his clothes and headed back further into her private chambers behind the wall that led to her apartments. “Aunt Verya?” Eqwana called from outside the door.

Authiel's eyes widened when Rhazien told her that his sister, Morwen, had come. He had told her about Morwen and fear filled her heart as she thought about what might happen. She knew that Morwen was extremely powerful and had once had complete control over Rhazien. She could sense his fear and could see his thoughts. She immediately stood and put on her robe. She walked over to him and looked deeply into his eyes.

"We will fight her," she told him confidently. "She will not defeat us. Very soon we will rule this land."

Verya had not been expecting a knock at her door and looked over in surprise. She looked quickly at Aedael and watched as he jumped up and grabbed his clothes. She stood up and put on her robe and tied it tightly. She glanced over to ensure he was out of sight, but was grateful he had remained. She was surprised to hear Egwana's voice. She immediately opened the door and looked at her niece.

"Egwana? Is something the matter?"

All she heard in her head. All that Eqwana saw was a life of loneliness. Morwen had fed her those feelings of despair and what they would do to her if she didn’t do what needed to be done. In her mind she didn’t understand what it was that she was doing. Only that she needed to or she would die ugly and alone. A creature to be despised and looked on as abhorrent. Or...she would be loved and men and elves would pleasure her her entire life. And so it was a surprise to Verya when Egwana’s dagger came straight toward her heart.

As Authiel and Trikan moved out into the hallway. They had both gotten hastily dressed, two guards women came toward them in full armor. Before either of them really took anything amiss, they drew swords and lunged…

Trikan caught the edge of a blade with his hand as it slid past him toward Authiel. Heedless of how it sliced into his palm he diverted it just in time to score Authiel’s left shoulder. If he hadn’t it would have likely entered her heart. The second woman’s blade came out a hair slower and Authiel saw that she was about to be ran through from her right side.

Verya could see immediately that something was not right with her niece. Her eyes seemed glazed and she looked pale. Something was wrong...very wrong. However, before Verya could question Eqwana she saw the flash of light on the dagger's steel blade as it came towards her heart. Verya's cat like instincts took over and she grabbed Eqwana's hand before the blade could touch her chest. The blade was close though. She felt a strength behind her niece that she had never felt before. There was evil magic happening here...of that Verya was certain.

"Aedael!"

Authiel tried to hide her nervousness as she and "Trikan" stepped out into the hallway. She looked ahead to see two female guards walking towards them. At first, Authiel didn't sense anything amiss...until it was almost too late. Everything happened quickly. She saw a sword suddenly being plunged towards her before she could move out of the way. However, before it could be plunged into her chest she saw Rhazien move quickly and grab the edge of the sharp blade. The blade sliced her left shoulder, but Authiel knew she would live...she would not have if the blade had entered her chest as had been it's original aim. Before she could recover though she saw the second guard's blade appear and quickly realized it was about to be plunged into her right side. She stepped quickly out of the way and managed to grab the guard from behind. She twisted her right arm until she dropped the blade.

Aedael had just gotten dressed when he felt...something. An unclean feeling. A scrap of a thought that was altogether evil. He shifted to look at who it was at the door and already began moving as it was opened. In an instant Aedael was there and Verya felt the air behind her shimmer as it was folded around him, giving the illusion that his passage to the door was instantaneous. His hand grasped Egwana’s wrist but the barest knick of the edge on his skin had brought a seething pain into him. As Egwana seemed to shake out of whatever stupor she had been in she let go of the dagger and it fell to the polished wooden floor. She faltered, apparently about to fall back into the hall as Aedael clutched his hand that began to turn dark. “Ahhhh!” He groaned as he held onto his wrist. “Poison…” He began as he began to focus on holding the poison back. He slowed down his body's processes immediately. Slowed down the flux of blood that fed his body.

Trikan used his palm and a hard strike to the woman’s chest sent her crashing against the opposite wall to the hallway. He felt the arrival of poison into his bloodstream but he had long since been made immune to it by gradual exposure. The woman dropped the blade and as soon as it hit the wooden floor, a blackness began to form around the metal. It was then that Authiel noticed how those blades looked. They were oddly shaped with black hilts, handles and pommels. Not Elven made at all and even the shape of the steel was vastly different. The two guards women seemed to shake out of whatever stupor they had been in and they looked on in horror at what they had apparently tried to do. “Mmmyy...laddyyy?” The second one said in a strangled voice. The other’s eyes grew large in shock and clamped her hands over her mouth as the horror of what she had done came into her mind.

Verya sensed Aedael behind her before she even saw him. Verya was struggling to prevent the dagger from entering her chest. Her niece's eyes seemed to turn black and almost lifeless. Her strength was immense and would have overtaken her without Aedael's assistance. She glanced over at Aedael and saw the blade nick his skin. It was the barest of cuts, but his reaction was as if he had been rammed straight through the stomach. To her horror, Verya realized the blade was poisoned as his skin began to turn dark around the cut. Egwana had fallen back onto the floor and a quick glance told her that she had come out of whatever possession she had been under. However, Verya's entire focus was now on saving the life of her mate and beloved. She tried to remain as calm as possible, knowing that he could sense whatever feelings were flowing through her.

"Just relax Aedael," she told him with a slightly shaky voice. "You're going to be fine."

She then jumped up and ran to go grab some herbs that she kept in her chambers. She had been taught some medicine and knew what herbs to use to pull out poison. She just needed to move quickly. She quickly grabbed the herbs and then grabbed a bandage. She rushed back over to Aedael and began to quickly, but properly measure out the herbs she needed. She made a paste out of the herbs and an oil and applied it to the cut. She then wrapped the bandage around to hold the paste over the cut. She then closed her eyes and placed a hand over the bandage and began to murmur a healing prayer in Elvish. She could only hope it would work.

Within seconds Authiel felt a shearing pain in left shoulder. Looking down she could see her skin starting to turn dark and to her horror she realized that the blade was poisoned. Unlike Rhazien, she had no immunity against poisons. She felt her body begin to shake and darkness began to blur her vision. She then began to collapse to the floor.

“Go, get help!” Trikan shouted. When the 2 guards just looked at him he seethed. “Go!” he growled and they went. One in each direction down the hall. He looked lovingly down at Authiel. Her pain made him smile down at her. He loved it when she was in pain. And he didn’t seem to worry at all. He removed a small vial from his belt then ripped the fabric of her dress away from the cut. With his thumb he popped the tiny cork and dripped the clear liquid onto her wound. Even as the drops touched her she screamed in pain but the blackness that began to take over her shoulder and arm stopped spreading immediately.

“I love you,” He told her as he watched her writhe in agony.

Guardians were everywhere in an instant and a healer was looking over Aedael’s wound. Suoress, Caldoren and Edward were there as well. Egwana cried into her mother’s chest. Obviously completely unhinged at what she had done. Or was about to do. Details of what she had been dreaming were now a secret between Suoress and Verya as Caldoren, Edward and Aedael conferred together about the attack in low murmurs.

“My lady,” a guardsman came up. “Authiel Talendor has been attacked as well,” she said gravely and looked a bit unhinged herself under her helmet. That and her sword and shield were not held by her. She only had her long knife on her hip. She wasn’t one of the royal guard but Verya knew Kassitael. Her entire family had served as guards or soldiers for generations. “Lord Drelnith saved her life,” she said plainly but still had a haunted look in her eyes.

“Just like before,” Caldoren said. “This is what happened to us before,” he repeated and Suoress’s lips formed a line of hatred and defiance. Apparently she knew more about what was happening and had kept it all to herself.

As Aedael began to improve, Verya slowly began to relax. She had only just gotten him...she couldn't lose him now. He would sense her relief as he was able to get up and walk around on his own. By this time her chambers were filled with guardians and her sister and her family. Verya glanced over to see Egwana crying into her mother's chest. The girl was clearly very shaken up and upset over what she had nearly done, but Verya did not blame her. The girl had been a victim...a pawn in this Dark Elf's plan, which it was now clearly evident involved her death. Verya looked over at Aedael, wishing she could speak to him privately about what to do. She couldn't just flee, but she also couldn't protect her people if she were dead. It angered her to know that at least one Dark Elf was among them and she could do little about it.

Just then a guardswoman approached her and informed her that her cousin, Authiel, had also been attacked in a similar manner. Verya had been starting to suspect that Trikan might actually be their Dark Elf, but would he actually attack Authiel if that were the case? Unless, of course, it was to throw them off of his trail. Verya paced anxiously back and forth, her brow furrowed in deep thought. However, she looked up when her brother-in-law spoke. She glanced at her sister and began to wonder if she knew more than she was perhaps telling her.

"Suoress, I do not blame Egwana for what happened. She was a victim as well. Is there more that I need to know about what is happening?"

Suoress cringed visibly and shook her head as if not wanting to speak. As if she railed against what was happening to her family. Aedael shifted as the thought popped into his head. It was an errant thought. One that appeared on Caldoren’s mind for just a moment.

“Caldoren, who is Morwen?” he asked. And Suoress’s expression darkened as if the pit of doom was going to swallow them all up in an instant. “Don’t ever utter that name in my presence!” Suoress hissed. Obviously she was well acquainted with whomever it was. And had more than a little disdain for her. Caldoren’s face went pale though that was all.

“She is one of the High Priestess’s in the court of the Undying. She is a particularly wicked Dark Elf that has been plaguing my people for years,” he said. “We’ve come to ask for your help to stop her but it appears that The Wood Elves are not immune to her...enchantments,” he said. Unfortunately he had said that with others around. Guardians and guardsmen and women alike. Aedael looked around and saw several worried faces.

“Ah...so that is why you were so happy to see me here. And why you had me shield your mind from her,” Aedael said. Tears rolled down Suoress’s cheeks remembering what Caldoren had done when he had been under Morwen’s spell. It had taken years to get over that even though none of it was his fault. But then Aedael said something that made her shift to look over at him.

“My people are immune,” he said plainly.

Morwen. Although she had never heard that name before, Verya felt as if she knew it well. Vague images of dreams long since passed floated before her eyes and a memory of a strong female presence in her mind. She shuddered to think that perhaps what she had once thought of as harmless dreams of her youth could perhaps have been the work of this evil being. Thankfully, her mind had been strengthened as a child and Verya realized that it must have been because of this that she had not fallen prey to her. However, not everyone had been so lucky it seemed. Looking over at her brother-in-law she could see that Caldoren had been made victim of this Dark Elf. Pain was evident in his eyes and it pained her to think of what might have happened. The urge to protect her family was strong and so when Aedael announced that his people were immune to the powers of the Dark Elves Verya gently pulled him aside to speak to him.

"Aedael," she said quietly, "could you take my sister and her family to your people? They came here for help and I can offer them none. They have been through too much and I cannot bear the thought of anything more happening to any of them."

OOC: new Thread