A/N: So, I'm sorry that I didn't get this out sooner. I meant to update yesterday, or the day before, but you know, life happens. Thanks to all those wonderful people that reviewed/favorited/put on Alert: RandomReader15, LSPScooter, MCV(), 14mortalinstruments, f1ymeaway, LovelyRoses29, Queen of Air and Darkness ARGH () (Don't steal my pen name!) Anonymous (Who called me one of her 3 favorite authors on fanfiction, making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside)and lover of fey () Wow, amazing how many people are interested in this story. Thank you for making me feel loved!
Warning: this chapter contains a make out session. It's not M-rated or anything like that, just thought I should warn you, in case their are younger readers.
First line is recap, then onto the new stuff, per usual.
"Meghan," Ash, the third prince of the Unseelie Court said, wrapping his arms around me. "I've missed you."
I looked up at my prince, glad he was here, even if we were breaking many laws, betraying our courts, and possibly bringing death or banishment closer to us.
I had met Ash at Elysium - what other time was there for our courts to meet? - last year. I had knew him before that, but last year things were different. Perhaps it was because I was finally older, finally his equal in age - or so it appeared. We had danced at Elysium, as tradition and our rulers bade us to. I had been dreading it, had wanted to go anywhere but with him… but I had done it. And as we danced, we talked. And by the time the dance ended, with our bodies pressed close together… I had begun to fall in love with him. And he obviously returned my feelings, as a few weeks later, I had received a note from him, asking for us to meet in the wyldwood "to talk about courtly matters." Except, last time I checked, "courtly matters" did not involve rolling around on the cool grass with fevered skin… not that I was complaining. We did talk, though; our relationship was not pure lust. He was brilliant and romantic and confidant and loyal, and what had started as a little feeling had turned into a need, just as I needed water or air - to live.
"Ash?" I said. "I've missed you as well. Where have you been? I haven't seen you in months."
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, then lightly brushed cool fingers down my neck and across my collarbone, making me shiver in anticipation. My heart beat faster.
"I believe Rowan grows suspicious of my time spent in the wyldwood. I have stayed away to try and prevent him from discovering us."
I stiffened, glancing into his silver eyes. "Do you think…"
He gave a small smile. "Don't worry, Meghan. I'm sure I threw him off our trail. There's nothing to worry about." If anyone else had said that, I probably would have become just that much more worried, but I trusted Ash. If he said everything was fine, everything was fine.
Maybe as a way of reassurance, or just because he hadn't seen me in so long, he lowered his head until our lips met. My need responded with his, and unknowing who started it first, we began kissing as if wanting to meld our bodies together. The somehow we ended up ling down in the meadow, my legs around his waist as he ran long fingers over my chest and stomach. And his lips were cool, and his tongue was sweeping and coiling with mine, and then his hands crept around to my back, fingering the clasp of my bra and oh, oh -
"What the hell is going on here?"
We broke apart, breathless from making out stunned by the sound of the intruder's voice. We both knew what the other was thinking: Uh-oh.
"What the hell is going on here?" Puck repeated, slower, but no less incredulously, than the first time.
Puck was my best friend. I loved him - as a friend and brother, I mean. But he was also my father's right hand man and loyal servant, and such an old faery, he would be next to impossible to kill or blackmail into not telling our secret. Ash and I exchanged glances. Yep. We were truly and utterly screwed.
Puck was looking between us, as if unable to comprehend what was happening - what we had been doing - and what that meant. "Were- were you- were you and him- were you guys having sex?"
I blushed and looking down at the ground, Ash stayed silent as well. Puck looking between us for a second, then grabbed my arm and began pulling me away from my lover. "C'mon, Meghan," he said, and I was surprised how angry the normally laughing fey sounded. "I'm getting you out of here. And you're never come back, you hear?"
I stampeding, using all my weight to drag Puck to a halt. "But… I can't leave him Puck. I love him."
Something flashed in his green eyes, something I didn't recognize. Fear? Hurt? I reached out with my glamour, but he was to good at protecting himself for me to catch anything.
He watched me for a minute with unreadable eyes, then called to Ash "Hey, ice-boy!" Can you go stand over there while I talk to the princess?" He pointed to the far side of the meadow. Ash and I exchanged glances, then he walked to where Puck pointed, though he kept his sword out and his eyes on the redheaded trickster.
Puck waited until Ash was a safe distance away from us then turned to me and said "Now tell me why I shouldn't go to Oberon this second with you and ice-boy and tell him what I just saw between you two."
"Please, Puck," I pleaded "You can't. I love him! I can't lose him. Please. We're not hurting anybody. Nobody knows. Please!"
He watched me impassively for a few seconds, then shook his head. "I thought you had better taste than this."
I was stunned. "What?"
He just shook his head again. "Ash is bad news, Meghan/ O knew him before you were even born, and I know he's not good enough for you. I know he'll break your heart."
"How can you say that? You don't know him as well as I do. He told me that I was beautiful and smart and-"
"Has he told you about Ariella?" His voice cracked on the name and I was stunned into silence.
"Ariella?" I said slowly. "Who… who…"
He shook his head bitterly. "You don't know him, Meghan. Not like you would if he really loved you."
I was to bewildered to say anything, conflicting emotions warring within me. Part of me wanted to deny everything Puck said, to claim that Ash did love me, and do everything in my power to make sure we could still be together. But the other part of me thought that Puck had some valid points. Did Ash really love me? Could Unseelie fey actually have the ability to love? Or was everything he'd done with me - the caresses, the kind words, the hot kisses - just for fun and games, out of lust and joy of breaking the rules.
I opened my mouth a few times in an attempt to formulate a response, but nothing came. "It's just…. It's just… maybe he doesn't love me. Not totally. Not yet. But I love him, Puck. I need him."
He shook his head in disgust. "I know you love him, Meghan. That's what concerns me. But I still don't get why. You could do so much better, Princess. You really could."
I didn't know what to say to that, so I just widened my blue eyes and looked up at him, pleading. "Please, Puck. Please don't tell."
He scrubbed a hand through his hair, staring off at Ash behind me. "Okay. Fine. I won't tell. Just… when he breaks you heart, don't come crying to me."
Ignoring the last sentence, I gave my best friend since birth a big hug. "Puck, you have no idea how much that means to me!"
I skipped back over to Ash; he caught me in his arms. "Is everything…"
I smiled up ay him. "Everything's fine. Perfect! Puck said he wouldn't tell. We're safe."
He breathed a sigh of relief, tension leaving his body. He gave me a small smile and kissed my forehead. "I love you, Meghan."
My stomach turned inside out. "I love you too, Ash."
"Hold up, ice-boy," Puck called. Ash stiffened, then pushed me behind him, drawing his sword.
"Goodfellow," he said "What do you want?"
Puck's eyes glowed a bright green. "I told her I wouldn't tell anyone about your relationship. But if I ever hear that you hurt her, or took advantage of her, or do something she never said you could, you'll be answering to me. And I can say that only one of us will come out alive."
His words made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, but Ash's expression remained unchanged, even as I felt his muscles tighten. "Understood." He cocked an eyebrow at Puck; a silent challenge. "Though we both know who would win that fight."
Puck's eyes narrowed. "C'mon, Princess. I think your little rendezvous is over for today."
I hesitated, but Ash released me, giving a small push towards Puck. The message was clear. We don't want to push hum, not just after he promised not to tell. I gave Ash a kiss on the cheek and obeyed, leaving with Puck to go back to Arcadia.
A/N: Oh, Puck. I loved that one stuttering line there, the
"Were- were you- were you and him- were you guys having sex?"
Oh, I kill me!
But what do you have to say about this chapter? Anything in particular you loved/hated/want more of/laughed your butt off at?
Queen of Air and Darkness
