Disclaimer:I dont own acheron or the dark hunter series by sherylyn kenyon. I only own rain.
Summary:This is based on a RPG between me and a friend about acheron,when he finds the woman the gods ordained he married,or the world will be destroyed.This is a short,sweet scene when he meets someone-a wolf at that- more stubborn then he is,weill he surive telling someone about what he thinks?or for the one time he ssays something,will it destroy all those he cares for?
He arrived earlier than she thought.
But there he was,still looking like the poster boy for the gothic movement. Silver-not gray,not white-but silver hair,hair that hung down his back tied at the nape of his neck.Silver hair that matched the twin pools of silver,that passed for his eyes.
He came in,deadly swagger making all the woman in the camp turn to watch,and the men look at him warily.He didn't look like a man merely looking for hospitality,and maybe a room to sleep for the night.
He looked like a god,searching the world for his lost bride
Alex and a few other of the kanguari walked over to introduce themselves,for it had been motnhs since they had seen him,and he was a busy man who might have forgotten them. Rain busied herself caring for her niece,who laid easily in her arms. But she glanced up every now and then to see if she could see what the conversation between the dark hunter leader and the kanguari was about.
"have you made up your mind what you will say to him?"faye,her sister in law,demanded coming up behind her.
"He might not have come here to see me."
Faye stared at her."Are you dumb?"She demanded."Why else seek out the kanguari?"
Rain swung the baby up,cradling the girl against her shoulder."Perhaps he's seeking all supernatural-beings to tell them his hunters killed Strykerious."
"perhaps he;s seeking out all his wwives to tell them to come home."Faye teased and rain couldnt help but laugh.
Her face wasdw serious though went alex brought acheron over to the campfire.Faye smiled at him showeing him the baby,barely twwo months. Acheron also spoke sober hellos to the boys,the younger hiding behind his mother at the sight of the legendary dark-hunter.A few words with everyonne then acheron turned to his huntress.
"rain.Will you come walk with me?I have a great deal of news and I dont want to interfere with cooking dinner."
How could she refuse such a request?She didnt look him full in the face as she nodded standing.
"let's walk this way."Rain said picking up a couple of buckets."and we can bring back water."
Achewron took oone of the buckets from her and they strolled from the tent in silence.
Achewron spoke first."There is little to do now,but prepare for my own wedding."
She kept walking,but said nothing.
"Which means you have to return to kartotos with me today."
"i'm not going to marry you."
Acheron stopped,and put his bucket down. She had dthought his reponse would be anger,but he seemed composed,if not a little hurt."Then we must talk about that."
She put her owwn bucket down and faced him.She wwas more tense than she had thought she woould be.When she had imagined this scene, as she lay awake in kyrian's home,she had been serene and reasonable."I have decided not to be your huntress after all."
"and why is that?"
"you have asked me often what it would take to make me happy at kartotos-among the hunters-in your life.And I had thought I could be happy enough doing the work of the gods.Becoming your huntress because he asked me to. But I have realized that is not enough for me.IF I am am to marry you,I have to love you."
"And you dont love me."He answered simply.
"I do love you."She said,and she saw the shock in his face,"I just never said so."
"Rain-"
"and I haven't said so because you haven't said that you love me. And I will not marry you unless you do."
There was a long silence.Acheron turned his head as if to look thoughtfully into a distance;he had quickly hidden his shock behind a mask of calm. But she was beginning to be able to read his face,even the things he didn't want to make public."Rain.We were good friends before.Can't we find a way to fix this rift and be friends again?"
"I can't."She said flatly."I can't be married to the man I love and pretend that I want nothing more from him than kindness and respect.I don't want to- I don't intend to- spend my days yearning for you.If I can't have you as my lover,then I wont have you in my life at all.I will stay with the kuagari and go on with my life."
"the god wants you with me."He said,still looking away.
"The question is,do you?"
Now he looked at her,and there wwas some kind of clouded emotion on his face.His eyes eblazed with it,but she didn't think it was anger.Fear,maybe,a fear even deeper than he knew how to deal with.
"Myy life has been bounded by so many restrictions that I haven't been allowed many freedoms."He said slowly,as if it tortured him to say it."I considered all emotions to be a kind of distraction,love most of all. sIT is all very well and good when it's going smoothly,but when it fails? When one person loves and the other doesn't? Or when one person still loves and the other turns away? I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn't lightly endure such devastation.I know myself well enough to realize I wouldn't emerge intact. I have too many others relaying on me to allow myself to be broken,so I gave sworn to myself that I would not love you."
"you may have sworn not to say it."rain answered softly."But you do love me."
"I can't afford love."He said,and bent to pick up his bucket.
Rain got her own pail and hurried after him."then you can't afford a huntress.And you will have to cancel the wedding on your return."
"you have to be at the wedding."
"no.And I dont have to be at the gloria."
That stopped him in his tracks."don't have to?of course you have to!"He exclaimed finally roused to emotion."If the hunter and huntress aren't present at the gloria then-"
"I kinow.The gods will smite the mountains and then he will destroy the rives,and then he will destroy the world."
Acheron started walking again."So don't be so foolish as to say you will not come to the gloria."
"well,I wont."
He whirled on her but she stood her ground."I wont come sing at your side,unless I'm married to you,and I wont marry you unless you say you love me."
"this is ridiculous!"He snapped."To say you would risk the whole nation-"
"Athena told me,what arhon said to you.That the gods pick for every hunter the spouse wwho is his perfect complement.So if that if the hunter is arrogant then the huntress will be huimble.And you thought,because you were fierce and stubborn,that your huntress would be docile and easily swayed."
"but what you didn't realize is taht I'm every bit as stubborn as you are. the gods picked me because you cant wear me down.I will not do what you want,when you want it.And I want to live with a man who loves me."
"but rain-you cant seriously tell me-you wouldnt really let the gods loose their wrath on the world-"
She shrugged."I think the god wknows my heart and will understand why I wont sing."
"but rain-"He paused."You cant mean what you say."
"which part?"
"any of it."
She put her hands on her hips and frowned up at him,ewvery bit as intimdating as his six foot eight frame."And now you're accusing me of lying?"She demanded.
"what?I never said.rain-"
"I tell you that I love you and you don't believe me.That means you think I'm lying."
"It means,"he said sounding tired."that I think you love someone else more.it means that I don't trust your love,anybody's love to be there when I need it the most.And I have too many people relying on me for me to rely on supports that wont hold."
Her face softened.She came a step closer and laid a hand on his cheek."But you see,I am the support you can count on.You have so many people to care for.I want to be the one who cares for you.I want to be the sweet voice in the dadrk that answers only to your call.I want to be your place of warmth and wsecurity,your refuge and your home.I want to be the one you think of when evewr other thought is gone."
"you are that thought."He said lowly.his head was bent into her hand,as if consious of nothing but her touch."you are that voice.You are that voice."
She put her other hand up and guided his face down towards hers."then say it."she wwhispered.
"rain,I love you."
"and the world didn't end."She said kissing him.
hIs arms went around her,bulky and uncertain;it was like hugging a mountian.She kissed him-or he kissed her-there was in the whole world nothing but a mouth,a cheek and fangs and arms.He held her so tightly that there was not even aiir to breathe,but she didn't need air,she had acheron.And that was enough.