Alphande'

An evil foreboding hung over my spirit despite the sense of hope that flooded the camp. Men from Sebán had joined us now and the size of the army had swollen to well over two hundred thousand men, yet somehow I knew that it was not enough. Through the night I received random flashes of Verdans mixed in with Asher’s men slashing through our ranks. I tried to make sense of it all, but I couldn’t. The Verdans would never fight with Asher—that was unless something had changed their minds or suppressed their wills.

“Evander,” said Andreas and I looked up from the blind spot I had been staring at on the table. “You haven’t said a word throughout this whole meeting. Do you have something on your mind?”

“Yes, I am thinking about the Verdans.”

“The Verdans? Why? As far as we know we share a common enemy—Asher.” he pressed.

“I believe something has changed and we cannot depend on them anymore. If we happen to meet a Verdan we should fight them tooth and nail with no hesitation.”

“What about Dominic?” asked Noräin. “He gave us the gem.”

“Which we lost and is now in Asher’s possession. That gem gives Asher the ability to commune with other races, by now the Verdans are under his control.”

“And under yours as well.” said Andreas as I had explained to him the salient details about the power source of my ancestors extended abilities.

“Probably,” I said as the thought had not occurred to me. “It still doesn’t change much, extra vigilance will be needed.”

“You maybe stressing over nothing. The Sebánese are skilled fighters and our numbers far outweigh that of Asher.” said Andreas confidently.

“Maybe,” I said as I couldn’t bring myself to adopt his sense of hope as the flashing images of rampaging Verdans flashed before me every so often. It caused me to shudder a bit as I witnessed their violence.

“Are you sure that you are completely well as you have become pale—as pale as when you first emerged from Au Valley.”

“Maybe I am not as recovered from my ailments as I thought I was. I should probably go now.” I said starting to get up. I stopped as I felt Noräin’s small hands encircle my arm.

“You don’t have to leave, you could stay here,” she said as the meeting between us three was convened in her tent.

“I don’t think that would be proper.” I said as I looked at Andreas and then back at her.

“Who cares about propriety in these times? We are here today and tomorrow is not guaranteed. We take each moment as we get them. Then again I don’t want to force you to stay; the choice is yours.” She said as her hands left mine.

I regarded her significantly for a while and then answered. “I would like to stay…”

“And I want you to, so the matter is settled then.” I looked at Andreas and his expression was a bit smug mixed with embarrassment.

“I think I will retreat as I notice that this invitation was not extended to me.” he said getting up. He kissed Noräin on the head and brushed her hair back, “Goodnight my dear,” he said, “Evander,” he nodded. I don’t know why I was blushing so deeply but I managed to return his nod and watched as he exited the tent.

“Is this really happening or am I dreaming?” I said as I beheld her face. “You actually want to be alone with me?”

“I was being kind, don’t get any ideas in your head Gareth.”

“It is very hard not to and the way Andreas was looking at us showed that my assumptions weren’t too far off.”

“Well his assumptions were incorrect. I invited you to sleep here nothing else. It isn’t like we haven’t shared a room before.”

“And a bed too.” I said warming at the memory of waking up and finding her beside me that night in Indué.

“That is correct, we have shared a bed and if you don’t irritate me too much that I change my mind we will again tonight.”

“I must say that it is awfully forward of you.” I said.

“Well if I am insulting your honour you are free to leave. I am actually tired and will turn in now.” she said blowing out the candle and moving to her sleeping mat. I watched as she rested her head down and drew the covers. I hesitated at first as I was sure that this wasn’t really happening. I then pulled off my shoes and then lie down beside her. Her eyes were closed but I knew she was still awake.

“Why did you ask me to stay?” I whispered as I beheld her face which was just as lovely as the first time I saw it, even with the bruises and scratches that had marked it.

She opened her eyes and seemed to be looking at me. “You made me curious.”

“About what?” I traced the outline of her face branding the image in my heart.

“Two things. In Indué you said you loved me, was that true?”

I swallowed loudly. “I am hardly the self-sacrificing type as you know but with you it is different. I gave you the knife to take my life as hurting you was utterly unbearable to me. I had for a while held the notion that I loved you, but it was then that I knew it to be true.” I said in a whisper as if I had confessed something terrible.

“Hmm,” was her only response and I couldn’t tell whether she believed me or not. It bruised my pride a lot to receive this response, as I was usually on the giving end of such a statement. Some poor girl would pour out her very soul to me, promising me much more than I knew to be within her means and my response would be very much like this, ‘hmm’ and then I would quickly dismiss the poor wench after rolling in the hay.

“That hardly sounds encouraging.” I said finally.

“I don’t know what to think. I have hardly been loved by a man before. My husband certainly held me in no regard. I was only a vessel to settle his lust and to produce an heir.”

“And Evander?”

“I am not sure, he never did say what he thought of me.” she frowned slightly.

“And I never gave you the chance to find out.”

“You didn’t,” she said with a tone of melancholy that ripped at my heart.

“You will never forgive me for that I suppose.”

“I am not sure, I might already have, but I am not sure.” she said.

A flicker of hope dawned within me and it gave me the courage to ask something that had been gnawing at me for some time now. “Do you ever think you will be able to love me knowing who I am and all that I have done?”

“I do not know who you are. You are hard to read Gareth, this minute you are quite tender, saying the right things—a skill you have mastered from your many conquests I would think—then you can become so brutal at times. Killing is second nature to you. If I did love you, whom would I be loving?”

“Both of them I suppose, what has been growing within me for years cannot be rooted out so quickly. I am both a scoundrel as well as a gentleman, but you will only receive the best of me, that you can trust.”

“And I do trust it. I do trust you, immensely so. It is quite odd.” she frowned slightly.

“That is a start I suppose.”

She yawned slightly and I could tell that she would doze off soon. “You said you were curious about two things, what was the second?” I said hoping to prolong our chat.

I noticed that she became more alert and seemed to blush even. “It was something that you said,” she started and then failed to explain further.

“I have said many things.” Her blush deepened which made me even more curious.

“It was something about you assaults being anything but unpleasant.” Her voice coloured with shyness. “I was curious to see what that was like.”

I couldn’t help but to chuckle lightly, “I thought I wasn’t supposed to make assumptions, now this doesn’t exactly follow that line of thinking.”

“I didn’t want to lead you on as I am quite fickle in my moods.”

“I see,” I laughed and she smiled as well. “I do appreciate your fickle-ness and though I would like to show you that I am indeed I am as good as I say I am, I don’t think that would be appropriate.”

“Why not?” Her voice coloured in surprise.

“You don’t love me.”

“But you love me or so you say.”

“Not only say, I do.” With every fibre of my depraved, unworthy being.

“Then what is stopping you then,” she hedged closer until we were only a breath away from each other.

“I have only a smidgen of your trust and I dare not betray that.” Despite myself I couldn’t help but to brush the tips of my fingers along her hairline.

“I have never been kissed by one who loves me, would you deny me that?”

“No I think I couldn’t.” I let my hand rest gently in her hair as I guided her face towards mine. I was gentle at first, letting her know that I was not forcing her to do this and that the control was in her hands. She seemed quite surprised at this and seemed to smile a little. She then pulled herself closer to me her lips seeking mine out more urgently and I gladly obliged. Softly I kissed along her jaw line and neck but she hungrily brought her lips back to hers and devoured them eagerly. I exalted over the fact that she was this close and I was actually embracing her in this manner.

My one hand roved up and down her back while the other rested gently on her hip. One of her hands slipped under my shirt as she kissed along my collar bone. The feeling was more than divine which was why it was so difficult to do what I was about to.

“I think we should stop as if this goes on much longer I am afraid will no longer be able to just kiss you.” I whispered in her ear before I found her lips again.

“Then don’t stop.” she said before crushing her lips to mine once more.

I seriously considered her offer but after a very brief but painful battle with myself I extricated myself from her hold and sat up. She soon sat up beside me.

“If it is the burn that you are worried about, it is gone.” she said as she kissed me and I returned her advance more earnestly before pulling away.

“By Avandor you have made a saint of me.” I said I ran my hands through my hair.

“What did I do? I am no good at this.” she seemed hurt at my declaration and started to pull away. I held her steadfast in my grip and went on to explain.

“That is hardly the reason. You are actually very good at this and maybe I am an idiot to deny myself this. However your trust is all that I have and I refuse to lose it. You may want to do this now but if we do go through with it and at a later date you regret it, I will be left with nothing other than your resentment and probably even hatred. I will not risk that.

“Bedding me would be just a novelty for you Noräin, one I am confident that we would both enjoy.”

“Then what is stopping you?” she breathed behind my ears making thinking next near to impossible.

“I don’t want you to bed me.” I ran my hands through my hair and then looked at her. I then made the boldest and probably stupidest declaration a man in my position could ever make, “I have bedded many women and that is just not enough for me anymore. I will not make love to you Noräin until the day you find that you love me as well. When that day comes, I shall take you as my wife and my physical love to you I will make known to you only then.”

“Are you serious?” she began to laugh quietly.

“Very,” I said sombrely and she stopped laughing. Her fingers outlined the planes of my face and then stopped over my lips. “I am not willing to lose you over anything.” I said.

“Very well. It seems that I have chosen to give my trust to one who is worthy of it.” she paused. “Since you refuse to make love to me tonight, could I ask one thing of you?” she teased.

“Yes, of course.”

“If you don’t mind I would like you to hold me close while I sleep.” she said settling back down.

“I do not mind at all. Rather, I would delight in doing so.” I said as I settled beside her and draped my arm around her waist. She placed her head on my chest and draped an arm around my waist. It was so we fell asleep.

My heart thudded heavily as I was running away from something. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it was fast and closing in on me. I looked back. There were two of them. The first wolf emerged from the brush as graceful as it was deadly. Its grey fur looked almost sliver in the sunlight and its powerful bounds brought it closer to me with each passing second. It companion whose pelt was as white as snow dashed passed, sprinting ahead until it drew to a sudden stop. I too skidded to a stop and tried to change direction but the wolf that was behind me was already there snarling and snapping at me. I could see hate and murder in its lupine eyes and I realised that I had seen this wolf before. It was the one that Evander rode. Greyshanks. It seemed to let me know its name. It wanted me to know that she knew what I had done and that it was her that would bring my life to an end.

Slowly it moved forward and paralysed with fear I could only watch. It seemed to crouch low and in a giant lunge forward she went for my neck. I raised my arms in front of me but I knew that it wouldn’t be enough.

I bolted straight up and looked around me wildly. I was still in Noräin’s tent. She had her back towards me rolled into a ball under the covers. At least I didn’t wake her. I stroked the planes of her cheek and then planted a small kiss there. She stirred slightly and I saw that she even smiled but she didn’t wake up.

I got up from beside her and then found my shoes where I had left them. I tugged them on and as quietly as I could I went outside. Dawn was approaching and the huge sense of foreboding that had gripped me yesterday was doubly strong now. Today would be the day, I thought and as I looked around at the sleeping camp and we would be totally unprepared.

I found the tent I was looking for and pulled the flap open not surprisingly I found him awake.

“Evander,” he said taking in my presence. “You are here early.”

“They are coming, today I feel it.”

“Who is coming?” he looked at me trying to decide whether I was really awake or sleep walking.

“Verdans, bloodwolves, soldiers, which ever get here first.”

“That would mean the bloodwolves. Humans are too slow and the Verdans prefer the night or evening, so my guess would be the bloodwolves.”

“We are a step ahead and know they are coming.” he said with a certain amount of authority.

“A step ahead how? An army approaches and we are still asleep.” I said slightly panicked.

“They will be up soon. Dawn approaches.” he said calmly as he took a sip of tea he already had seeping.

“You don’t understand Andreas, I think you are underestimating what is to happen.” he looked at me seriously.

“Probably you should explain it to me then.”

“I cannot explain it!” I said almost shouting. He seemed surprised at my outburst but I didn’t care. I told him that something was wrong. I was the king and should be questioned after all. The dreams terrified me more than I liked and I would not be the one to admit that openly. I sighed deeply. “I must leave now.” I said suddenly getting up.

“To go where exactly?” he said putting down his cup and standing to face me.

“Back to Indué or to wherever Asher is.” I said as I had made up my mind about my next course of action. In fact it was my only course of action if I was to come out the oncoming onslaught alive.

“But why would you do that? You could get hurt or killed.”

“I need to get the gems from him. In fact I am the only capable of doing so.”

“I do not think it is wise.” he warned.

“I never asked your opinion on this matter and so your wisdom means little me at this point Andreas.” I snapped. I knew that the comment was a bit harsh and even out of character but at this point I didn’t care. “I had never had any form of restraints placed on me growing up and I refused to start now. I need to leave. I have wasted enough time.” I started out the tent and then I stopped. “Tell Noräin that I have left.”

“You don’t want my advice yet my stance remains the same.” he said as he sat back down. “As for Noräin you tell her yourself that you are leaving.”

“I am sorry that you feel that way. I had considered you wise Andreas, but it seems I was mistaken. I have wasted enough time. We are damned, every single one of us—damned. I refuse to remain so any longer. Goodbye Andreas and tell Noräin that I had to do what I must to protect her.” I walked out not looking, listening or caring if he had said anything else.

“One man cannot defeat an army Evander!” he shouted at me.

“Yet it has to be done. Get our men ready. If all goes well we meet in Indué.”

The desert was a long way behind me and I had entered the outskirts of the forest surrounding these plains.

“Gareth!” said a voice—the only voice that could stop me in my tracks. I turned around to see Noräin coming behind me.

“What are you doing out here? You could have gotten lost.” I asked as I turned back to meet her.

“I should ask you the very same question.”

“It is impossible for me to get lost in these parts.” I said side stepping her question.

“That is clearly not what I meant and you know it too. Where are you going?”

“To Indué.”

“Without an army, that is about the stupidest idea you have ever had Gareth. Unless you are on some sort of suicide mission?”

“You don’t know what I saw!” I growled but she didn’t even flinch.

“Andreas explained it to me and it seemed like an even greater reason for you to stay here.” She said defiantly. “Bloodwolves, Verdans. Asher.” Those aren’t things you can take on by yourself.”

I heard something coming in the distance and I hurried over to Noräin. “Shhh,” I said placing my fingers over her lips.

“Gareth what...” she mumbled and again I shushed her as I listened. The cutting feet through the brushes I was sure I heard them approaching.

“Climb quickly into the tree.” I said as I pushed her up. “Something is headed here and it coming fast.” She struggled to get up on the first branch and I realised that she would be too slow if I didn’t climb up to help. I clambered ahead of her and pulled her up along the way. When we were a safe distance up I stopped and told her to hold on.

From this distance I could see the movement among the bushes that were headed this way. “Keep quiet, I am going to lead them away.”

“Gareth,” she started to protest.

I silenced her with a kiss.

"You've got to stop doing that." she said breathlessly.

"Do what?" I asked innocently.

"Kissing me quiet."

“I don't think you would want me to. Hold on and don’t come down.” I said before starting my decent.

I listened once more, the sounds were hooves and not paws and I breathed a slight sigh of relief. They were just men.

I waited until the two riders were in my clear sight before I walked out to meet them.

“A ho there! I called out to them and they turned towards me. “What are the likes of you doing in these parts of the country? The king has no friends here as this is forbidden territory.”

“Nothing is forbidden to the king and who are you to make such bold statements?”

“Is that an insult?” I said staring unbelievingly at the man. “You don’t know who I am. I must be losing my potency it seems.”

“State your business peasant and let us be on our way.” said the burlier of the two.

“I am afraid I cannot allow you to do that.” I said pulling my sword.

“You intend to challenge us, both.” said the heavy set man looking highly amused.

“I am no peasant and both of you would hardly pose a challenge to me.” This made him stop laughing and his brows drew downwards.

“We’ll see about that.” He said as he galloped towards me wielding his club about his head.

I waited until close where I caught his hand and pulled myself up on the horse behind him. I then stuck the sword in his side and withdrew it before I flung him off.

The other soldier looked frightened and he started to retreat.

“Oh no you don’t,” I said not allowing him to go far. I could feel the strength reeling up in my arms and I threw the sword forward like a javelin it sliced through the brittle vegetation and lodged in his spine. He slumped forward on his horse then fell off, the animal racing on without its rider.

I trotted up to him and jumped down. I unplugged the sword from his back and then flipped over with my foot. I could still see him gapping his eyes wide open with fright.

“I am Gareth of Tel Anir tell that to your friend when you meet on the other side.” I said as I kicked him across the face and snapping his neck.

I pushed the sword back into the scabbard and walked away.

That felt absolutely amazing! The strength, agility and power! The gems worked wonders even from this distance. There was no need for me to go to Indué. I should let Asher come. This was one battle that he was not going to win.

“Noräin,” I said coming back to the tree where I had left her.

“Gareth?” she said coming from behind the trunk.

“I thought I had asked you to stay in the tree.”

“And I thought that I preferred staying on the ground more.”

“Always so stubborn,” I said without any real annoyance in my tone.

“Who was it that came this way?”

“Two of Asher’s men, but I took care of them. Come on.” I said taking her hand and leading her to the horse.

“Where are we going?” she asked. “I am not going with you to Indué.”

“That is good since I am not going to Indué either. We are going back to the camp. We have a war to win and we are going to do it together.”