Of Faes and Foes (CC, TEEN, Fantasy) new part 09/19 [WIP]

silverofroswell · Post by **silverofroswell** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:08 am

Chapter 7

Liz

Father Sun has left the embrace of Mother Earth, and I wake to his rays caressing my face. I don’t open my eyes, just turn to get more of the All-Father’s warmth. The world around me is waking up with me; birdsong greets the morning light and the sounds of the creek mingle with the rustle of leaves in the faint breeze. I slowly open my eyes and smile. I fell asleep watching Max and Michael talking, and woke up facing the same way. Now my gaze sweeps over the dozing form of my knight, and I take a long look. He sleeps in a short sleeved tunic with a light quilt draped over his lower body, using his muscled arm as a pillow. My scrutiny wakes him, of course; his uncanny sixth sense never fails to pick up on me. I’m greeted by a sincere, warm smile full of perfect white teeth; what more could a girl wish for so early in the morning? Then he remembers who he is and who I am and his smile fades. Sitting up silently he takes a look around. The rest of our companions seem to be fast asleep. Not wanting to wake them up I smile at him and whisper a “Good morning”. Either he reads my lips or guesses my words (doesn’t take an Einstein), he nods back with an expression so sincere that I almost laugh. He slowly stands up and stretches, displaying his magnificent anatomy much to my delight. Saliva gathers in my mouth then I get a grip on my gut instinct to jump up, rush him and devour his mouth with fervent kisses. Did I say get a grip girl?
I sit up as well and entangle myself from my quilt. I slept in last day’s white blouse and my white cotton pants; and though us, elves sweat less than humans, I could certainly use a fresh set of clothing. Grabbing my leather riding pants and a new blouse (white again), I head for the nearest bush. It takes an enormous amount of willpower not to look back to check if he is looking. In the end my curiosity wins over my self control, and I glance back behind my shoulders. Max is of course busy with folding his quilt. Fuming, I hide behind the bushes and change. What have I expected anyway? That man is simply not interested. He does not care if a bare-footed angel (that would be me) walks away from him, wiggling her ass at him. Okay not wiggle as such, but walk with a definite sway. Hello, I’m here, I’m a woman, sexy as hell, is a look so much to ask? Not that I want to be checked out, but hell some attention would be nice.
Who am I kidding? I want to be checked out but only by him. Does that make any sense? To me it does, anyway. I know, I know, I’m rambling.
With an angry toss of head I let my hair straighten itself out, once again it’s smooth, clean and shining. I’m so not in the mood to bother with a hairbrush. I walk back to the clearing, absolutely not caring if I wake the others or not. Not even a glance, duh.
The gentle snoring of our companions greet me, Max is nowhere in sight. Where could he have gone? Completely forgetting that I’m mad at him, I hurry to the other side of the clearing filled with sudden dread, hoping he didn’t venture into the Forest alone. A thousand scenarios pop in my head, each increasingly worse. There are many dangers lurking in the dark corners of our land, lying in wait for the unwary.
But he just retreated into the bushes, like I did a few minutes ago; I almost bump into him as he appears in front of me behind a tree. Wait a minute… My eyes are drawn to his hands adjusting his pants. Did Saint Max Evans just take a whizz? I can’t help but giggle at the thought. He raises his eyebrows questioningly, but I just shake my head, really not wanting to share the thought. He throws a glance at the still-sleeping form of our companions, and asks me in hushed tones.
`Care for a walk? Let’s not wake the others.` I will not start to analyze his motives, whether he wants to go on with me on a romantic morning stroll and the others are just an excuse, or he just wants to keep me from waking everyone else and the walk is the excuse? Arghh. So much for not overanalyzing. It’s like every move he makes, every glance he throws in my direction, the way he smiles a tight-lipped smile when I nod… is important, is significant in a way nothing ever was. Okay, I’m really, really spinning out of control. Get a grip, girl, already!
I lead him towards the open field, way safer that way. He shortens his long strides to accommodate my shorter legs, for which I’m grateful, it’s hard to keep my eyes on his face if I keep tripping in every hump. I study him while we walk in silence. He has three day’s bristle, which makes his strong-lined face very masculine and makes butterflies flop in my stomach. His eyes stray to me from time to time, and when the silence is getting uncomfortable, I decide that it’s time for a little action. Lining up hundreds of years of acting capabilities I trip on an invisible rock in the grass, hoping fervently that he won’t let me fall flat on my face.
With the satisfaction of a scientific mind I must say my precalculations were correct. With lightning quick reflexes he catches me. Here I am, hovering between a stable position and falling to the ground, supported only by his strong arms. He helps me to my feet gently, and I place my hand on his upper arm. We stand only inches apart, and I look deep in his eye, tilting my head, screaming with every sign I know “kiss me”.
`Thank you` I whisper, and give it everything I got. He is supposed to lean down and conquer my lips with his, so I can slap for his impropriety. He is supposed to fall for me, seeing my eyes sparkle with the light of forgotten stars, he should feel my breath hot against his skin. I should be the center of his universe for a second. Damn from the amount of magic I poured upon him, a dragon would sway. But he just looks straight me in the eye and says,
`You are welcome,` nonchalantly, then steps back from my almost-embrace, and I shudder from the sudden loss of contact. What in Gaea’s name is going on? Did I really lost my touch? No my knees are weak and not just from his presence but from the magic spent. How can one human resist my charms? And if he is aware of my mental assault (he shouldn’t be not by a long shot, no one ever was!), why isn’t he drawing on me? I’m a princess of the fair folk, damn it, not a village-witch! If I want to charm someone, they better stay charmed!
Anger and frustration rises in me. Everything I try simply fails. If he weren’t ranting continuously about that bitch of hers, I would say he is gay. But he is definitely not. A man shouldn’t have this unbending iron will of his. Suddenly it hits me. What if he is already charmed? What if someone already cast out her web on him? It would explain lot of things, starting with what is he doing here at all. Driven by magical compulsion he would certainly brave the Forest and the fury of the elves.
And… and… if I open his eyes on the enchantment around him I would basically save his life! And saving his life would definitely make him grateful! Now I have a plan. (See I told you I will have plans) And I will follow it through. First step is that I find all about my competition, no matter that I would rather stick my head into a barrel of porcupines high on drugs. And before you ask, I’m not speaking from experience about that one. Plastering my best fake smile on my face, I begin.
`Max I’m curious.`
`About what?`
`About her. What is she like?`
`Whom do you mean?`
`Your bride of course.` A confused expression appears on his face, and blind hope surges in me, to be quelled instantly when it is replaced by a soft smile and a glazed look in his eyes.
`Oh. Sure.` He looks into the distance.` Sure!` he says again more enthusiastically this time and my heart falls. `She is the daughter of my liege, and I have known her since we were little. She is the most amazing, beautiful person I have ever met…` He goes on and on, and as his goofy grin widens, my mood darkens. I force myself to nod encouragingly at the appropriate places. I even manage to add a few questions of my own. Though a straightforward question would definitely cause a setback in the process of seducing Max, (like “by the way is she an evil witch/sorceress/enchantress?”), I can sneak in some probing inquiries. Apart from the fact that Tess is apparently the dynamic mix of an angel, a goddess and the essence of everything good I learn nothing.
If I am right, and I’m more and more sure with every passing moment that I am, I will need some outside opinion on her, seeing that Max is apparently unable to see the reality through the enchantment cast upon him. Even if it means conversing with Alex (higher risk of blowing my cover) or Michael (low chance of getting any useful intel). I will stick with Alex I guess. And to achieve that, I will need Maria to occupy Michael. Not that I would be asking her such a big favor, duh. During this mental process I hold the image of the attentive Liz. Okay, so I need to get alone with Maria for a quick chat.
`Lets head back, Max, the others must have already waken up.`
`Sure.` The sun has already turned the air warmer and as he smiles at me again, I feel hot, but not from the temperature. He quickly leans down and picks a Forget-me-not and hands it to me.
`Oh, thank you.` My insides melt. What the hell is wrong with me, honestly? I’m used to most exotic flowers of the known worlds. My favorites are the wild orchids from the most dangerous jungles of Klut-eril, but I don’t remember feeling so happy when I found my bed decorated with orchid-petals one evening, forming the words “to the most beautiful”. I never found out who did that, mind you, but I have my suspicions. But a simple gesture of picking a wild flower makes me swoon. Get a grip girl, this is my motto for today.
`For helping us.`
`Helping?`
`With the path and everything. We would have never made it this far without you.` Right you are, mister, more so than you could guess!
`And I never got to properly thank you for helping us after the robbery. So thank you.` I rise on tiptoes and place a peck on his cheek. He tenses and I glaze up at him uncertainly, dreading rejection. He just shakes his head and whispers softly.
`You are more than welcome.`
Here we stand in the middle of an open field, outlined by the morning light, princess of the Elven Lands and knight of the Human Kingdoms, and something, somehow changes. Magic of the most ancient kind whirls around us and time stands still for a second. Then the universe releases the breath hold back and the world around us starts to move once again.
A big goofy grin spreads out on my face, and I have to bite my tongue from crying out in happiness. For now I know, against all reason, against all odds that he will be mine someday, just as sure as Father Sun returns to the embrace of Mother Earth every night. I will hold him in my arms, and hear him whisper my name as our bodies worship each other. Knowledge from the bones, ancient instincts, the routine of the predator, call it whatever you like, but he is my prey and I will have him!
Now the thought hits me. Good gracious god, what will I do with him after I took his heart and stole the kiss I’m yearning for with every fiber of my body? What will happen after? Toss him aside like all the almost-lovers I trapped in feelings I did not return? Laugh at him for loving me, who can not love him back?
We make our way back to the camp, with him walking apparently just watching the horizon and with me deep in thought about the possible consequences of elven-human cross-racial relationships.
For the first time in my long-long life I’m not sure if I should do what I want instead of what is the right thing to do. Maybe I’m finally growing up? Strange thought.

Max

I wake up to the unmistakable feeling of being watched, and not by a friend. I know how Michael or Alex watching me feels, and this is not the same. They are not so focused, not so intent. Under the quilt I slowly reach for the hilt of my sword, planning to jump towards the offensive eyes, when I slowly make the connection. Okay maybe it’s not hostile watching me. We have two extra campmates. I open my eyes and slowly sit up, my gaze locking with chocolate eyes instantly. She looks beautiful by the dawn’s early light. Her long stresses are messed up from the sleep and it gives her a wild, disheveled look, like she has just been throughoutly ravished. She whispers me “Good Morning” and I smile back at her; the morning indeed starts good. Then I remember this night’s fantasy about me being the one ravishing her and I break the eye contact. I can’t help what I dream, and being away from my beloved for so long, it’s only natural that I have those kind of dreams about a beautiful female companion I have been traveling with. But “natural” explanations don’t help the feeling of guilt.
Trying to serve my mind off her, I look around. The rest of our merry little troupe are fast asleep. When I look up next time Lady Elizabeth is already heading for the other side of the clearing. My head is just in the right height, so I can’t really avoid checking out her bu.. I mean appreciating her feminine curves. Embarrassed I turn away not seeing but sensing that she looks back. Not caught looking, I can pretend that I didn’t look, even to myself. With a frustrated sigh I drop the quilt I have been trying to fold for the third time and head for some other bushes to take a leak. Some relief from the tension in my bladders was definitely welcome, I muse while buttoning up my fly. I almost bump into Elizabeth who must have realized what I’ve been doing here I, from the sudden, adorable reddening of her face.
Looking at her, I cannot not ask her to go on a walk, without the pestering presence of Michael and Alex. She leads me to the wide open field, where the grass is greener and lusher than in the best-kept gardens of the royal castles. This place is so teeming with life, almost overflowing with growth and vitality. I feel the strong blades of grass bend under my heel and everything around me from the way the flowers slowly open and turn towards the sun to the trill of the early birds screams to me that life is beautiful and it’s good to be alive. And she walks by me, our arms brush from time to time sending shivers down my spine. Is the sheer life force of this place is affecting me as well? I have the urge to reach for her, to embrace her, and feel another heart beating against my own…
As a paladin, I’m more open to the feel of places than most people, and this field is inundating me with happiness and the pure joy of living. She, on my side is only watching me? Does she not feel the enchantment of this place? Isn’t she awed by such beauty? I don’t know how to tell her what I feel right now, when I breathe the crisp morning air, so clear that I can almost taste the green color of the grass in it. The gentle breeze whispers in my ear of long-forgotten desires, and my body feels light. It’s nothing and everything that makes this field enthralling, fascinating, awe-inspiring… alive.
I look down at her, unable to contain my smile, and chocolate eyes capture my amber gaze. She simply fits in here. In her simple white cloths, with her silky hair flowing free, I have the feeling that she just belongs here, in this place. She isn’t uninspired with, or bored, she simply walks as she knew this land of old. Liz has been here before, she told me as much, but it’s not like she doesn’t want to share this joy with me but... but she doesn’t even realize there is anything to wonder at... because... because...
Understanding precedes logic, common sense, or any thought, but before I could make the last jump, bridging the gaps of knowledge with understanding coming from the heart instead of the mind, my train of thought is broken.
She tumbles, tripping on something hidden in the greenery, and I instinctively reach out and catch her. Placing her hands on my forearms, she pulls herself up, leaving us in an awkward position. Whispering ‘thank you’, her lips slightly open, and she gazes up in my eyes. The intensity of her look almost burns me. I want nothing more than lean down and capture her soft, moist lips with mine, and continue, continue until there is no stopping. I would lay her down on the grass that’s as soft as her skin and as silky as her hair, embrace her, bathe in her warmth and the touch her smooth, smooth skin, and make sweet love to her under the watching eye of the morning Sun. And later we would sleep together, surrounded by Life from all directions, dreaming a dream that would last forever.
No.
I am me, Max Evans.
This is not who I am.
Slowly I fight the magic of the moment, controlling my instinct, my heart’s desire with the sheer force of will.
I. Will. Not. Crumble.
I break the eye contact, for if I stared for a second more into the open windows that show her soul, I would lose the battle I’m fighting so desperately now.
Painstakingly slowly I distance myself from her.
With coolness I do not feel, I answer her.
`You are welcome.’
What has just happened?
We stand and look at each other, and my heart is beating faster than ever before. Did she realize that I wanted to ravish her so badly that I almost broke the sacred wows that I value more than my life? Is my dedication to the ways of the Paladin so weak that I would abandon it for the first pretty eyes?
But she is not just some pretty eyes. I quell the forbidden thought and force myself to look at her again. She looks away, not meeting my eyes. I hope, I pray fervently that I didn’t scare her away with my momentary lapse of judgment. A second later she looks up and with a fake smile and a voice as cold that it almost hurts, she asks me,
`Max I’m curious.`
`About what?`
`About her? What is she like?` Momentarily confused, I ask back.
`Whom do you mean?`
`Your bride of course.`
`Oh.` Shame and guilt watches over me. Shame because I was seriously thinking about kissing Liz (if I had thought about only a kiss!) and guilt, immense guilt for betraying my beloved even in thought. I didn’t spare a thought for her the entire morning, I allowed myself to be lost in a pair of pretty eyes. Now I’m positive that she thinks I that kind of man who would cheat upon his love, this question was her way of reminding me of the wrongness of the situation. I have to cleanse myself. I got too caught up in the feeling of life surrounding me. I allow myself to relive the reasons I asked Tess’s hand from his father, and I tell her more and more about Tess. I recount how we met, and how I protected her during her journeys to far-off relatives, I tell her about the incredible, good hearted girl who grew up into a woman under my watchful eye, and the woman I came to love.
Lady Elizabeth listens to me intently, probably realizing how important it is for me to verbalize my feelings for Tess, and reinforce the bonds that bind me to her. The sun slowly climbs up and the crisp morning air warms around us. Suddenly, interrupting me she says,
‘Lets head back Max, the others must have woken up already.’
‘Sure,’ I nod. The desire within me to end this journey and return to Tess is renewed. Spotting a forget-me-not, Tess`s favorite flower I lean down and hand it to Liz.
‘Thank you.’
‘For what?’ For reminding me of the woman I love, for leading me back to the right path. For this morning and for you being you. There is so much I want to say, and so little that I can say.
‘For helping us.’
‘Helping?’
‘With the path, and everything.’ We are so lucky that fate lead them to us. ‘We would have never made it this far without you.’
‘And I never got to thank you for your help after the robbery. So here it comes, thank you.’ With that, she raises on tiptoes and gently kisses me. I’m filled with a strange content, tender feeling; looking down on her I feel myself smile against my will and she smiles back, and suddenly everything is alright again.
‘You are more than welcome.’
We walk back quietly to the campsite, not looking at one another, hoping that this moment of understanding and peace will last forever.

The princess and the paladin arrived back to the campsite to find their companions already packed and eager to leave; they harnessed the horses, and started the days journey with Liz’s and Maria’s lead. There was no visible road inside the Forest now, just game trails. The cobwebs silently parted before the elves, and the branches lifted themselves out of the way until the five travelers passed under them. Liz set a leisurely pace, they couldn’t have put more than five miles behind them in the thick forest when they stopped for an early lunch. If there was any suspicions remaining in Michael’s mind that the Liz was just fraud, they were surely dispelled by the way she and Maria lead the group.
Sitting around a small, crystal clear lake, hidden in a cozy clearing they ate their cold mutton. Alex was throwing stones in the water, waddling, occasionally stopping to take a bite. Liz and Maria sat wearily resting their back to a rock. Not used to the hardship of traveling by horses, and still tired from the missed sleep two nights before they gladly welcomed this pause.
Though Liz was dying to share her thoughts, her feelings and her plans concerning Max with Maria, almost exploding from all the thoughts she wanted to share with her best friend, she still didn’t have a chance, riding in a straight line on a narrow trail didn’t allow them to do chat. Instead she kept to herself, dreaming a dozen ways how she will open Max’s eyes to the enchantment that binds him, and all these fantasies ended exactly the same way: with Max taking her in the arms for a soul searing kiss.
Max and Michael sat together munching away on their piece of meat, taking sips from their waterskins to wash the salt down. Max spent the most of the ride purposefully not looking at Liz, which is kind of challenge as she was riding just in front of him. It took Max over an hour to develop a method from looking from left to right periodically, so his neck wouldn’t cramp, that allowed him not to actually look at the bouncing, sexy bum in tight pants right in front of him. He was sure that he didn’t want to spend another three awkward hours watching the little elf’s ass wiggle just out of reach; it certainly inspired un-paladin like thoughts in him. His internal debate was whether he should let Michael or Alex in front of him, then he decided that he really didn’t care if one of his companions were having a nice view to pass away the hours during the afternoon.
Michael on the other hand wasn’t thinking about much of anything. Some half formed suspicions moved around in him about Liz and Maria and even Max, but for the moment he was just content to have some lunch, and his plans for the immediate future didn’t include much more than taking a healthy, relieving piss behind one of the trees. When Michael was eating he was eating, the food held one hundred percent of his attention, and nothing else mattered.
They mounted again after lunch, and resumed the slow ride through the Forest. Soon the game trail forked, and Liz faced a dangerous decision. To her left was a short route leading directly to Wizard Kardok’s tower, and to her right was a much longer game trail, that would take the troupe over the waterfalls, then in the end leading to the same tower. She was torn, whether she should run for the ancient wizard, and ask for his advice, both about Max’s heart and her own; or should she just take the long route and give herself more time to seduce Max. And even when they reached his honorary Uncle, she would have to find a way to ask him to stick to their story.
‘Time is all I need, time…’ Time to talk to Maria, time to think, time to do anything else. She was in turmoil; this wasn’t what she signed up for. She imagined they would lead the humans deep into the heart of the Forest, then disappear like the morning mist to watch how they fare for themselves. This was the plan, sound and well-made.. Now instead she couldn’t think of leaving them, let alone leaving him.
‘Why does it matter to me?’ she kept asking herself ’I could still take flight, jump from the horse and open my wings and leave them behind dumbstruck; yes I could still do that,’ but she didn’t sound very convincing to even herself.
‘I could and should do that.’ For if she stayed she wouldn’t know what would happen. For the first time in her long life Elizabeth of the Fae didn’t know what tomorrow could bring, and it scared her.
But she looked behind her shoulder to meet Max’s eyes who rode two horses behind her, and she felt a warm, tingling sensation in her stomach, she thought that maybe, just maybe being scared of the future isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
In the end, they chose the longer path, Liz thinking that she could use every second she got, and Maria thinking that Liz didn’t know what she was thinking. Above them the fairie dragon circled watching, observing. Kyle was glad they were under the cover of the trees now; he wouldn’t be able to follow them in an open space. Though he was playful and barely a child by the measure of dragons it meant in no way that he didn’t have eyes and couldn’t use them. And what he saw worried him a lot. Liz was not good at hiding her emotions. Oh she was a talented actress, playing any role she felt like, but she never had to play herself. And now when she was too preoccupied with other things, her eyes betrayed the storm of emotions raging within her.
The dragonling jumped from tree to tree, snaking between the branches like an overgrown butterfly of the size of a mastiff. He saw the glances Liz threw behind the shoulder and he noticed how the knight was returning these looks when he thought no one was watching; he saw the ascent of something not enough to be called a romance and far less than love… mutual attraction maybe? He was in a dilemma, wondering what was the right thing to do. Stand back and observe, wishing the best of luck to his friend or double back and head straight for the castle and report this forming abomination to the king like he was supposed to do.. or simply fly back and report that they have lost him and was his hands over the whole affair. As he thought into what was forming between the heiress of the Elven throne and this mortal, he felt the later option more and more enticing.
He knew that both Liz and Maria could spot him from time to time (and he could only hope that the questing looks Michael and Alex gave the leaf cover regualry didn’t mean that the humas were breaking through his cover of illusion too).
The afternoon slowly turned into the evening and the group set camp on a clearing. Both Maria and Liz looked around worriedly, knowing exactly what could lurk in the shadows. The night of the deep forest belonged to the unseelie , the dark members of the elven races. Though there was peace for thousands of years between the seelie and the unseelie courts, old animosities run deep and Liz knew she couldnt protect Max, Michael and Alex without revealing herself if a creature of shadows happened to find them.
And they couldn’t even weave a protecting enchantment around the camp, for Alex would notice it surely. The only thing they could do was to forbid the humans to leave the circle of light cast by the flickering flames of the campfire while they ventured into the quickly darkening trees.
Kyle watched as they darkness swalloved them and decided not to go after the girls, they needed him more here to look after the three men, so he settled on a lower branch, closed his wings and spiralled his long body around the living wood. The branch swayed wildly while the dragon was trying to get comfortable, but the humans were too busy to take any notice.
The blonde called Michael immediately started to take the packs off the horses with quick, economic motions practiced thousand times while the wizard set to the task of preparing dinner by the magical fire that illuminated the clearing. The third human, however only watched the trees where the elves disappeared, apparently deep in thought, then after a quick glance to his companions to see if they were busy, he started towards the tree where Kyle was resting with long, purposeful strides.
The fairie dragon uncurled himself from the branch and arched back ready to leap and flee, when his turquise, pupileless eyes met the stare of the human . Max was looking at him, not just behind him, or in his general direction but straight in the eye.
‘Busted,’ he thought. ‘Time to flee.’
‘Wait,’ the human said, stopping a few feet from him with hands slightly outstretched, open palms facing the dragon, ‘ I mean you no harm.’ He glanced back over his shoulders, both Alex and Michael were busy with the tents.
Kyle hesitated. He still felt safe that he could jump and take flight before the human could catch him, so he waited to see what will be his next move.
‘I saw you following us since the day we entered the Forest. Glimpses first, getting clearer and clearer every time. Today I could see you all the time. Why are you following us? What are you?’
‘See me? A human? No way, I’m too good for that. Well, he is talking to now, so he must see me… maybe I could pretend that I’m just a figment of his imagination…’ He gave it a long thought while they were standing at each other, human and dragon. ‘Okay that was the dumbest idea I’ve had in a long time.’
They continued to watch each other, Max almost mesmerized by the myriad of colors dancing on the dragons scales, Kyle thinking ‘Now what?’
He felt that he has to break the staring contest, before the two other oafs... err humans noticed something fishy was going on. Then, coming to a decision, he opened his wings slowly, reflecting off the last rays of the setting sun, then softly jumped and disappeared among the trees.