WARNING: Spoiler alert! Also, for those few who dislike point of view changes in a story... this may not be nearly as amusing as I think it is. Remember, Faelern calls Aida 'Solyn'.
Faelern's POV
After witnessing an almost touching reunion between Solyn and a rather overemotional moon elf- I assume it was Solyn's mage for which she talked so much of when she failed to 'drink me under the table'- I let them go to a nearby home. For a moment, I felt a pang of jealousy that this 'Zander' would be reunited with the loved one he knew to be dead and I was still without Laela. My kind, stubborn Laela. He held Solyn just as I would have held my Laela in the same situation. Although their conversation directly there after was nothing close to as eloquent as my Laela was, I felt inclined to guard it as if it was a meeting between Laela and myself.
I situate myself a vague distance away from the home they retreated to and wait. It would be imprudent for them to be interrupted.
Aida's POV
The stern and almost unreadable face Zander wore when we first met was upon him again as he spoke. "So, let me get this straight...", he started with the hurt and anger apparent in his voice, "You decided that it was a good idea to not tell anyone you were alive to protect us?". As he enunciated the last words of the question it urged on incredulous. I couldn't meet his eyes as he spoke. I didn't want to see the hurt I could hear inflected in his voice, despite how much I deserved it. Instead, I focused on the grains of the wood on the walls and the intoxicating smell of his house. His smell. It was like well-loved pages, cedar, and pure fire blending together with a sweet hint of honeysuckle.
"And if you didn't meet with the crazy old man by chance... you would live on that island for the rest of your life... You would let us all believe you had died in that tower." He sounded so close to tears now it was unbearable. "Tillie, me, Sky..." I took this moment to look at him and the guilt was crushing.
"I-", I started but he interrupted me.
"You claim you've done it all to protect us... but you were only protecting yourself," he paused and it looked as if he would cry tears of both anger and anguish. "To avoid the pain of losing anyone you care about... you made us suffer instead."
I felt the tears bubbling at corners of my eyes as his pained orbs met mine. This was the never my intention but the more he spoke the more I realized it was true. "Zander, would you rather I let you all die?! Because that's what the Eagles would do to lure me in," my voice shook in desperation.
As my words sunk in his face merged more so with anger than pain. "And we are so weak we probably couldn't even defend ourselves. So, of course, we need the help of our mighty Aida." His words were slick with sarcasm and anger but his arms remained stiff at his sides as he clenched his hands into angry fists. The words mocked me in ways which felt crippling.
Frustration got the better of me when I spoke and my face burned with embarrassment. With my hand placed on my hip I snapped, "I didn't mean that... you know they are strong, but more than that, they are smart and have a lot of information we don't." He hesitated, furling and unfurling his clenched fingers. Looking at the man I love blatantly enraged at me, I felt myself beginning to cry. My once defiant stance quickly morphed into me holding my sides like a scared child as I started to feel an empty agony in my chest- like being stabbed. He looked down avoiding my gaze and I gulped. "Zander, you can't blame me for trying my best to keep you alive." Although I was sure he could, I hoped desperately that he wouldn't.
As he kept his gaze on the floor boards the threat of tears returned and he croaked, "There are worse things in life than death, Aida." His tone alluded to months of agony and I felt myself almost break.
This was getting out of hand. I am a strong, independent woman and I should not let this break me. I have dealt with far worse pain and no matter how much this trumps losing Grandma on an emotional scale I will not allow myself to break. I shakily steeled myself and spoke trying to keep the diffidence out of my words, "You may be right... but this isn't the time to argue about my bad choices, Zander. If these gates really exist like the old man said, we are in serious trouble."
Zander sighed deciding to temporarily postpone the verbal admonishment. "We need to find the others. Once you land in Ildis, they are all in danger. Especially Sky."
At the mention of Sky I was both stunned and overwhelmed. "I...," stuttering to find something to say around the lump in my throat.
The beautifully knowing, albeit small, smirk Zander cast me made my heart flutter and my cheeks burn. The embarrassment at how easily he affected me made me study the walls again. "She is alright. We got separated when you di- vanished but I kept track of her. Checking in from time to time to make sure she was safe. She is a student in my old school now," he reassured soothingly. Relief flooded through me as well a deep appreciation for the only man I have ever loved. But it didn't escape my notice when he winced before correcting himself. It was more than apparent that living without me was what he considered 'worse than death'.
My face remained flushed and I only fleetingly was able to meet his pale, perfect eyes as I spluttered, "Zander... I... Thank you."
The tiny smirk remained as he spoke, "I'll come with you... if you need me."
The hesitation and slight blush across his cheeks broke me of my pride. I was as clear as muddy water when I agreed due to the emotion welling in my chest as I met his eyes. I felt the threat of tears sting my eyes as my vision began to go blurry. I was just so relieved he didn't hate me and that he still wanted anything to do with me. I had worried hours on the island about what I would- no, what I even could say to him. Now, the one person I wanted most was with me again.
His smirk fell and the 'I-ate-too-much' face returned. His voice was serious as he spoke, "First we need to talk to the chief... but right now things are a bit messy." I remembered someone being in trouble and asked him who it was. "It's the chief's daughter, Seena. Good kid. She was exiled today." His face turned regretfully grave and he continued after some prompting from me. "She slapped someone..."
The explanation honestly shocked me and for a second all I could do was gape open mouthed at him because of how ludicrous the mere idea was to me. What the fuck is that shit?! Who exiles children over a minor incident like that?! "Are you serious? They exile people for slapping?"
"The Lith may be naïve but they are very strict about their rules... Any negative action will definitely end up exiling you," he let there be quiet for only a moment before he continued. He was most likely considering how quickly I'd be ostracized in the Lith community due to my 'no-shit-will-be-taken' attitude. "It's a real shame about Seena... She was the brightest one in my class."
I looked at him with surprise. "Your class?"
As his small smirk returned and the fluttering followed quickly there after. "Yeah... I'm teaching Lith children basic language, reading and a little arcane arts." His smirk fell and I knew automatically he was going to go into historical matters which most likely bothered him. "Lith are talented in magic. Some of them may become good mages one day. It's moon elves' fault they have to live in poverty. I thought it was the least I could do."
I focused on the lighter side of what he had said, not only because it slightly aroused me but because I was hoping to see that smirk. I had missed it so much. "Wait... You are a teacher?" Thoughts of the lacing in his shirt slowly coming undone so he could 'teach me a lesson' filled my mind and my core as I bit my lip flushing warmly. My mouth became dry whilst I continued running scenarios in my head.
Zander looked at me in confusion with his eyebrows arching wildly, "What?"
A suggestive smirk formed on my face as I sauntered toward him seductively. "You know, I really need some private 'lessons'. Since I've been so bad, maybe you should hold me after 'class'." My voice almost dripped with the newfound heated lust towards Zander. He began to blush as I trailed my finger down the black lacing that exposed the purple-ish pale skin of his torso and I winked. He smirked at me in a reciprocated heat as he caught my meaning. Zander grabbed my hand and I welcomed it. He dragged me face to face with him so we were barely centimeters away from each other with our chests firmly touching as he crouched to be eye to eye with me.
His voice was husky when he spoke, his pale blue eyes meeting mine and burning me from the inside with a sudden need that left me almost speechless, "What shall today's 'lesson' be? Shall I teach you how much I need you and how much you need me?" His fingers traced my exposed sides and he pulled me closer by the small of my back till our lips were so close we were breathing the same air with the warmth of his breath tingling my lips. A hand danced back up my sides to brush the strand of hair- which always found it's way into my face- behind my ear and he absently mindedly played with a few strands of my silver hair which had freed themselves from my messy pony tail.
I gulped and licked my lips earnestly accidently grazing his lip with my tongue sending a shot of his lust mingled with dull pain through me making my knees feel weak. "Yes, please," I heard myself almost moan.
When he kissed me, I was electrified by his longing and pride causing my knees started to buckle as I began to become slick at my core. Sensing I was very close to literally having trouble standing, I gripped onto his tunic trying to stay upright. He trailed his fingers down my thigh as he kissed me intensely pouring all of his emotion into me. He slipped his fingers around the back of my knee and wrapped my leg around him leading us to the bed not far from us. I felt his manhood grow hard against my mound and the affect of his kisses became quickly more intoxicating by the second. I worked my fingers into Zander's hair and obliged when his tongue licked it's way across my bottom lip asking for access. His knee pressed against my groin as he situated himself above me and I shivered beneath him. I wanted his warmth against me. I wanted him to warm me up from the inside out and teach my body how it felt to be loved. He stroked my face so gently as if I was fragile or precious and for the first time in my life I could have believed it. I felt his affection in his touch and his kisses told me better than any words could that he did love me much more than he should. Pulling him against me, paying no mind to the way my skirt lifted exposing myself to him, I kissed him using his emotions to give me the courage to begin working on his tunic's laces. They came undone easily as me stroked his way up my stomach and under the bottom of the loose green top which only barely covered my breasts. He cupped them softly and began to stroke my nipples.
"Zander...," moaning I bit my lip as I exposed his well-sculpted chest hungrily. He groaned, his timbre husky and wanting and he bent to be next to my ear before whispering my name soulfully and nipping my earlobe. He continued his work on my breasts and I arched into him kissing him and slipping my tongue in his mouth reveling in the burst of passion. The sensation surged through me like a coursing river of pure lava. Remind me never to underestimate the power of magic kisses. As our tongues worked in tandem heat clouded my vision and senses. Nothing mattered but him and I could feel he felt the same.
He got up suddenly leaving me to shiver on his bed which smelled strongly of him. Zander slowly finished removing his tunic fulfilling one of the fantasies I had envisioned earlier which made me grip the blankets beneath me and bite my lip fighting back a moan. He chuckled as he tossed his tunic aside gazing at me in a way that made my mouth dry and causing me to lick my lips in anticipation. The bulge in his leather pants was enough to make an Adeshian envious. I reached out to him inviting him back to me so I could fully appreciate the newly exposed skin. Lowering himself down over me onto his elbows by placing them on either side of my head, he slid into my arms. I welcomed the inferno his kiss gave me and I remained hazy as I helped him remove my top throwing it into the recesses of the room to probably end up in some forgotten corner. I didn't care. All that mattered was the trail of kisses heading towards my breasts leaving me breathless. The way his lust shot through me originating from his touches was indescribable. But I loved the way he loved me. His lips made contact with my right nipple and as he slowly licked the hardened pink bud I cried out his name in a way that was definitely going to embarrass me later. Pride joined itself with the fever pouring into to me from him.
He continued his administrations with his mouth on my right and reached up to gently massage the left teasingly. My toes curled as I began to moan nonsensically. His other hand traced it's way down my side and began to undo the knot making the sash of fabric which served as my island skirt cover anything. He quickly unknotted it leaving me completely naked beneath him as he continued his journey to stroke the sensitive area directly above my folds. I cried out his name in that same embarrassingly needy voice and he nibbled on the nipple between his full lips. My nails dug into his back in ecstasy. A pulse of heightened sensation went through me in reaction and he groaned roughly in a way that made me moisten further.
"Ahhh, Zander! It hurts when you do the thing... Don't do the thing," I gasped in bliss. Of course, I didn't actually want him to stop. When he stopped and gave me a worried look with his brow momentarily furrowing he saw through my lie instantly. It didn't help that I made an indignant squeak of loss when his lips left my nipple. He smirked at me leaning back down slowly while mocking me sweetly.
"Oh really?" He spoke sarcastically as he made his way back to my breast. He licked the hardened and damp nub purposefully before slowly biting it gently. He retreated as soon as he had to look at me whilst perched on his hand and leaning on his elbow.
"Please... stop... I can't," I moaned wantonly. I can't live without you anymore and I want to feel you fill me. I love you more than I should and you deserve better.
"You can't what?" he asked in such a way that would make even a succubus falter and flush.
Biting my lip and groaning as he had not stopped stroking me but for a second when he was afraid he had actually harmed me, I was far more truthful than I intended to be. "I can't live without you! I... I need you, Zander!" I cried out feeling on the verge of frustrated tears. The tension built up inside me was edged on with a newfound fervor when he kissed me. It was so confusing to place all that was coming from his kisses. Love, want, desperation, appreciation, and pride all bubbling over from him in ways that made the blaze of tension flare up. I worked my fingers into his hair loosening the knots holding it back. It fell in soft, dark waves around us grazing my sensitized skin gently. His hair was almost the same length as mine and was absolutely heaven to the touch.
The anticipation straining inside me, making me go weak, annoyed me and I wanted to get even. I wrapped my legs around his waist tightly pulling him to me with the superior strength of my legs. His groin made contact with my molten core and his fingers were jostled into entering me suddenly. Arching my back and throwing my head back out of the kiss at the sudden intrusion, a mangled groan seemingly mixing surprise, want, and a hint of masochistic pain ripped it's way from my mouth. He moaned slightly and I was determined to make it as unbearably amazing for him as it was for me.
Before I could begin the game he began to twist the fingers which had found their way into my center. His fingers lightly brushed the spot inside me which made my toes curl making me fight drooling and moan. My hands began to grip tightly on his hair and he hissed startling me slightly. Using my grip in his hair, I lead his face to me so it aligned in such a way that I was able to kiss along his jawline to his adorably pointy ear. Initially lapping at the tender hollow where jaw and ears meet, I nibbled on his earlobe. Zander's groan resonated around the hut and I felt his member grow further against me. This encouraged me further. I licked the shell of his sagittate ear and earned another groan of husky arousal from the libidinous moon elf above me. Taking the edge gently in my mouth I began to slowly add pressure behind my teeth, stopping just as his moans border lined distress. I then removed my lips all together to look at his face.
His pale purple pallor was dusted generously with pink across his pronounced cheek bones. The piercing, almost white, blue eyes were dark with passion and half-lidded salaciously. Abused, plump pink lips hung open with saliva- both mine and his- glossing them. Zander's impossibly white teeth clashed with the cascading black of his luscious, soft hair and the look of absolute desire made the yearning inside me become magnified. Biting and licking my lips before I leaned in closing my eyes from the amazing view of my partially leather clad boyfriend, I took his lips on mine and reveled in the rush of sensation. His lust for me had almost doubled since we had last kissed and he easily regained power over the situation leading me back down onto the bed. Pulling away, his eyes met mine with an intensity that made my exposed body shiver. Suddenly all the confidence and licentious attitude was deflated and replaced with worry.
"Aida, are you sure you want to do this?" Uncertainty, self-doubt, and pleading anxiety flooded his tone and eyes as he furrowed his brow worrisomely at me. "Are you sure you want to do this with me?"
Are you kidding me?! I'm the one who fucked up, not you! I love you so much, you have no idea how much you even mean to me! Not only was the idea that he was unworthy obscene to me, but the fact he had to ask when I was obviously a sexual wreck beneath him ready for him. "Duh," I said breathily, "why wouldn't I?"
He looked at me like it was the most basic idea in the world. "Because I'm a mage? Because you could only be feeling what I'm feeling? Because I could hurt you?"
I smirked at him as I spoke the words I told him the first time he had these doubts. "Am I supposed to be scared, Zander?" Pausing to let it sink in, I pulled his face closer to mine so when I spoke again my breath danced across his lips invitingly. "I love you for you. Now, are you going to leave me hanging or am I going to get things done to me, Mood Elf?" I wrapped a leg around his waist to emphasize my point.
Taking the hint, he kissed me with fervor once more as I made the journey with my hand across his sculpted chest to the edges of his pants to make an effort to free his erection from the confines of the leather. He chuckled and it ticked me off. What the fuck does he find funny about me wanting to have sex with him?! He moved to assist in the removal of the last article of clothing between us and I was appeased. His leather trousers hit the floor; he was gloriously and finally nude. He must have seen the look of annoyance I shot him when he hesitated with the head at my entrance. "Aida, this will hurt at first if this is your first time. Are you sure?" The actual worry for my well-being resonated through his heated timbre. I couldn't maintain my annoyance and it dissipated while looking into his trustworthy blue eyes.
"I've thought about you for a year and six months. This is what I want. Now stop being a cock tease!" Zander took his time entering me in a way which stressed care rather than foreplay whilst maintaining a look of endearing concentration. When we were joined I was graced with not only my ecstasy, need, and relief but his too. It was so overwhelming that I didn't even notice the faint pain from 'the barrier' inside me breaking due to this being my first time. Despite my flirtatious attitude, I had never done anything apart from use sex appeal to rob men blind on occasion.
I don't know for sure, but I must have been moaning. At the very least it seemed this way based on the intensifying arousal sent in waves from him and the look on his face. His face was carved into a gorgeous expression of pure abandon. Everywhere he touched was warm, hot, almost burning but always in just enough control to keep that from happening. It all felt so good that I couldn't keep track of it. I must have closed my eyes at some point but I didn't remember doing it. My senses were overloading with every thrust deep into me. At some point he braced against the headboard as we raced towards completion. Then everything was white. Best orgasm ever!
We both collapsed after that completely wiped. We lay there for a while regaining our strength. All was calm until my stomach rumbled and he shot me one of those looks. Like the kind of look that seems both amused and annoyed in a way that just gives up and accepts it. The kind of look only he can pull off. "So, ya got any food?"
"How do you have so much energy? Yeah, I've got some food. I'll get you some food while you get dressed", he sighed.
"I take it that you're still mad at me?"
"I'm not really mad at you but you aren't completely forgiven. I'll need some time, okay?" His eyes were filled with pain, confusion, and love in a complicated twist that I knew was better left alone to work itself out. After all, mages are more emotional than normal people- elves- oh, just normal.
"Okay."
While I was cleaning myself up I noticed the headboard was rather scorched in a way that was definitely Zander's handprints and couldn't help giggling to myself. Once we were both dressed and I had eaten we left the hut to see Faelern sat in an awkward vigil in front of a small ram-horned Lith boy which was honestly the only one looking awkward. The boy shifted nervously before popping up when he saw Zander. He then looked to Faelern uncertainly as if asking permission until the brooding Sun-Elf nodded at the boy slightly.
"Ah, geez?! I thought I told you not to scare the kids?!", I called to him.
Thank you for reading! I do not own Ascension and a lot of the credit for this 'what if' fic should go to Rinmaru-sama for being so supportive. Thank you to everyone who read the drafts and cheered me on! Please don't be too harsh on me.