For JoMoFan-Spot
Sir John Cena staggered slowly between the trees, barely registering that he was taking an incredible risk walking through the forest unarmed and wounded – after all, it wasn't nicknamed he Death Forest for nothing. It was populated by incredibly dangerous beasts, not to mention the deadly plants that covered the ground. Warriors were often dehydrated and ended up eating the deadly fungi, or being attacked by wild animals. In the days of old, the forest was a beautiful place, populated by nymphs of all kinds – wood nymphs based around tree clusters; water nymphs by the river. Then a young, ambitious king had come up with the bright idea of hanging the murderers and rapists in the forest. It had quickly acted almost as poison, the nymphs taking refuge in their trees and rivers. Without the nymphs to keep the balance, the deadlier animals had started to roam the forest. The bears and wolves roamed the ground, and the snakes kept to the treetops. Legends sprung up of ghosts roaming the forest, and while its name never officially changed, it became known as the Death Forest.
John tripped over an unexpected, protruding tree root and fell to the ground, hand still clutched to the bleeding wound on his shoulder. The back of his head connected with the ground hard, and he could feel his head swimming. He dimly heard a soft gasp, and saw a lone figure leaning over him before he lost consciousness, praying that the figure was a friendly soldier.
The first thing John saw as his eyes opened was the elegant back of what he assumed was a wood elf. The broader shoulders made it evident that it was male, although the blonde hair reaching almost to the curve of his ass leant some ambiguity to the elf. He cleared his throat, a soft noise managing to escape from the dryness, and the elf turned around.
"Awake finally," he said with a soft smile. He knelt beside John and offered him a small leaf cup filled with water. "Sip it slowly." John did as he was instructed, and swallowed carefully.
"Who are you? Where am I?" he asked.
"You're in my home, in Sacred Heart Forest," the elf explained. "And I'm Adam."
"You're a wood elf," Cena stated, confident in his deduction.
"Wood nymph actually," Adam corrected. "I'm one of the rare male dryads that inhabit and protect this forest. Or at least we did, until humans decided to murder people in our borders and leave us to be haunted by their spirits."
"My apologies," Cena offered, trying to sit up only to sink back with a pained groan.
"I wouldn't move if I were you, that wound was fairly severe," Adam mentioned, his hazel eyes twinkling with amusement as he watched. "Just rest and heal. I've put a poultice on there, it should help heal the damage." Cena sighed and slumped down, his eyes fluttering closed again as he slipped back into unconsciousness.
"So pray tell, what were you doing out in the forest wounded?" Adam asked several days later, twining a thin branch of leaves into his blonde hair. Cena was finally well enough to take more than thin broth as food, and he had progressed to being able to sit up without causing more blood to seep from his wound. He was still a long way from being healed, but whatever Adam had combined to make the poultice had worked wonders for the wound.
"I am employed by King Vincent of Flamestone as a knight," John stated simply. "It is a part of my job to become injured in the course of my duties."
"I haven't left the forest in many a year, and visitors are few and far between," Adam began. "But last time I got any news from outside the forest, there was no war on, no fighting… am I to understand that has changed?"
"Many a moon ago, King Hunter of Watersedge kidnapped King Vincent's only daughter," John explained. "Princess Stephanie was resistant, but word has it that she soon fell in love with King Hunter. As a result, they were married in his kingdom. Naturally King Vincent did not approve, and began plans to get her back. Fighting began soon after the kidnap, continues even now. They have recently had a young daughter together, and still King Vincent believes that he must free his daughter."
"And you fight to free a Queen who does not want to be freed?" Adam asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "And what of her child? Would you take her from her father, her home? Or would you remove her mother from her side, and leave her to be raised by a father who would ultimately seek revenge?"
"The young Princess is in no danger from King Vincent's knights," Cena replied stiffly.
"And what of King Vincent himself?" Adam questioned. "Does he seek to harm the child? She is after all the product of his enemy."
"She is also his granddaughter," Cena countered. "His flesh and blood, and he would not harm her."
"I have lived in this forest many centuries, and have seen many monarchs of Flamestone come and go,"" Adam stated. "Correct me if I am wrong, but the current ruling line is still directly descended from King Thomas, and I distinctly recall my people granting his only daughter sanctuary when he tried to have her killed so her brother could take the throne. So you'll have to excuse me if I do not believe that the current king would be so merciful as to allow the heir apparent to his enemies kingdom – who currently control all of the major sea trade routes to Flamestone – to live simply because she is his flesh and blood unless he found some way to use her for his own gain." With that, Adam sat down and stared out the window of his wooden shack, his back to Cena making it clear the conversation was over. Cena watched the dryad in silence, reflecting on the words that had been thrown at him in the heat of anger.
John sat quietly as Adam changed his bandages a few days after their argument.
"You're healing up nicely, "Adam commented. "I think you're almost ready to go back to your kingdom." John couldn't help feeling a little sad at Adams words. After all, he had saved John's life in the forest. And even though Adam wasn't really talking to him now, he had given him some good points to think about regarding King Vincent.
"What if I don't want to go back?" John suggested hesitantly. Adam stiffened and looked up to meet John's eyes.
"I mean…I thought about what you said," john hurried to continue. "And well…you're probably right. The young princess…she shouldn't be separated from a parent. And she wouldn't be safe in Flamestone. We have lost good soldiers in this war. She is from Watersedge, no matter her maternal ties. Eventually someone would try to harm her."
"So you seek to refrain from fighting?" Adam queried. "Instead of seeking to end pointless bloodshed, and to save a little girl from certain heartbreak, you would remain out of the war instead?" John lowered his gaze, realising the truth of Adams words.
"I must return," he said softly. "I do not know how to make King Vincent listen, but I must try. This war is pointless, I am sure that if we were at peace with Watersedge Queen Stephanie would not refuse contact with her father. And it would certainly go a long way to providing peace for the young princess."
"Your peasants could well benefit too," Adam suggested. "If you were not at war with Watersedge…"
"Our trade routes would not be in perpetual jeopardy, and we could profit more instead of providing unreasonable security in fear of attack," John finished. He lowered his gaze and let out a heavy sigh, containing everything that he couldn't say. Adam rested a hand on top of Johns, giving it a light squeeze in camaraderie.
"Come on," Adam laughed, leading the way through the forest. John panted as he followed, out of shape from not being able to train with his fellow knights for several weeks. He ducked under a branch that Adam let go of, narrowly avoiding it smacking him in the face. Adam giggled, the musical sound soothing Johns aches.
"Careful with that, not indestructible," John panted. Adam pulled back a large group of ferns and stepped through, disappearing as he released the branches. John hurried to follow him, only to stop still as he came upon the sight that awaited him. Adam had shown him to a small pool, the water glinting a pure blue upon the surface. There was a soft chatter from the birds in the branches above, and ample coverage from all predators with the ferns and trees surrounding the area.
"Healing spring," Adam offered simply. "Perfect for healing what ails you especially since you are to take your leave on the morrow." John was still stunned by the beauty of the pool, and when Adam started stripping down he could do no more than stare. The blonde stepped into the water, shooting a sultry look over his shoulder. John disrobed as well, and slid into the pool much less gracefully than the nymph. He reached for Adam, and the blonde went gracefully into his embrace. John claimed Adams mouth, and kissed him slowly yet passionately. Their tongues stroked each other's, and John took care to keep their kiss unhurried. Although he was to leave at dawn, it was still many hours away and he could afford to take his time with the beautiful creature who had opened his home and his heart so willingly to an injured soldier.
Adam hooked a leg around John's thigh, pulling Johns hips closer to him. He rolled his own hips, and the kiss was broken with a gasp on his part.
"Just let it feel good," John said, his voice husky in Adams ear as he switched to leaving a trail of kisses down the nymphs throat. He thrust his hips forward, their shafts rubbing together smoothly under the water. Adam moaned at the friction, his head falling backwards at the dual sensation on his body. While he was certainly no virgin – he was almost 600 years old after all and there had been many attractive soldiers and civilians traipsing through the forest in that time – it had been a while since he had been touched the way John was touching him.
"John…John…" he panted, throwing caution to the winds. He slid out of Johns embrace and moved to the edge of the pool. John followed him willingly, fingers questing for Adams small hole once he reached the blondes position. Adam let him, using his strong arm muscles and the dirt to hold himself standing once his knees threatened to give out. John stretched him as best he could given the limited resources and space, but as soon as Adam moaned his permission and need, the knight lined himself up and slid home. Adam moaned deeply and hooked both of his legs around Johns hips, trusting the knight to keep him upright. John's movements were rushed and jerky, chasing his release, but from the sounds spilling from Adams lips he was not being a selfish lover. Adam demanded as well, using his heels to point John in the right direction, and to make him speed up as Adam decided. Their coupling was much too short for either of their liking, but after a mutual orgasm, it was by mutual agreement that they would return to the hut and try again much slower before collapsing into bed together in the early hours of the morning.
When John awoke the later that morning, Adam was nowhere to be found. He dressed in his armour, and began the journey out of the forest.
Several months later John found himself once again traipsing through the forest, although this time he was noticeably less injured. He found his way to Adams dwelling, where the blonde was waiting outside for him.
"You knew I was coming," John stated. Adam shrugged one shoulder, and tilted his head.
"The forest told me," he said, turning to lead John inside. John followed without a word, perching on the wooden stool awkwardly when he was motioned there.
"What can I do to you?" Adam asked, leaning up against the wall. John leant his forearms on his thighs, and leant forward.
"I came to inform you of the recent changes in Flamestone," John said simply. "King Vincent is being stubborn about the peace negotiations, but they are occurring. The young princess is slated to visit her grandfather next month with her parents."
"And will they be allowed to leave Flamestone without protest?" Adam asked.
"They will not be entering Flamestone," John told him. "The Queens of Rockfall have granted both kingdoms to use their land as neutral territory." Adam lowered his head and let his long hair fall across his face, hiding his smile.
"Since you came up with the idea…I thought you deserved to know," John said, rising. He stood awkwardly in the hut before he turned to leave.
"Wait…" Adam said, and John turned to face him. He suddenly found himself with the nymph in his arms, kissing him soundly while fiddling with the catchments to his armour. John helped as best he could, before they tumbled into the bed on the floor.
When John woke up the next morning, again Adam was gone.
This pattern continued for some time. Every few months, John visited Adam to give him news on the situation in Flamestone. Sometimes it was about the peace talks, other times it was about what was being done in terms of human rights. Without fail, they would fall into bed together, and when John woke up in the morning, Adam would be gone.
Finally, John brought the news that the peace talks had been completed. There was a reconciliation between Flamestone and Watersedge. Their trade routes were safe, and so were their people. In addition, John brought the news that no more criminals were to be hanged inside the Sacred Heart Forest. That brought tears to Adam's eyes, and that night it was a slow coupling, almost so that John would call it making love. They fell asleep together, and when John woke up, not only was Adam gone but so were the meagre belongings that inhabited the small dwelling. John took his time dressing that morning, but finally he could no longer put off the leaving. He walked slowly out of the hut, and began the journey back to his kingdom, back to his life. Although he didn't seem the slim blonde figure perched in the nearby tree, with tears running down his face, John knew that if he were to come looking for Adam again he would never find the blonde nymph he fell in love with. And he knew, deep down in his heart of hearts, that although the blonde nymph had never admitted it, he was in love with John. And he was trying to protect him the best he could, because Adam the wood nymph felt that he could never compare to the life that Sir John Cena could have as a knight. The life that he was destined to have.
Cross posted on ArchiveofOurOwn