Okay, so I had to split this chapter up into two sections, because I know my lovely readers are getting antsy to see what happens. I promise there will be more Nuada/ Sully action in the next chapter, but this part just had to be written. I had hoped to put more of the effects of the bond on Nuada, but he just didn't want to cooperate with me *glares*. I hope you like the seventh chapter, and, please, review!!!
I wont hold the next chapter hostage, but reviews do encourage me to right faster (wink). XD
Nuada was going to drive me completely insane. Since the day he healed the injury on my side, he had been adamant that he would not bind himself to me without my full knowledge and consent. And so, the last three days I've spent numerous hours exploring the woodlands of his soon-to-be kingdom, meeting with his old friends, shaking hands like crazy, and suffering from bone-melting kisses that left me wholly unsatisfied.
I tried very hard to be good, I really did, but every caress, every well placed glance wound me tighter and tighter until I thought I would spontaneously combust. What's worse, Nuada seemed to be oblivious to it all. I sent him signal after signal that I was indeed ready, but he can be so thick headed sometimes.
During the tortuous hours without him (which were much worse than the tortuous moments in his presence), I spent most of my time sketching the strange creatures that were flooding into the stone ruins that served as an impromptu city for the Unseen. The ache in my chest that occurred whenever I was without Nuada was usually tolerable as long as I came into contact with him often. We met for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; sometimes he would seek me out spontaneously for a stolen moment amongst the business of the day.
I was putting the final touches on a sketch of a particular creature, a precocious young miscreant that jumped from tree to tree, dropping twigs and leaves on the passersby, when Nuala approached me, looking radiant in a rust colored gown, her ever present gold belt wrapped neatly around her tiny waist. She gazed for a moment at my sketch, giggling when she caught the little guy in the trees.
"Sully, may I speak with you a moment?" she asked, her tiny voice barely registering over the crowd.
"Of course," I replied, shoving my pad and pencil into the bag I'd stolen from the chest inside Nuada' s room.
Nuala seemed to gather herself, her gentle hand leading me away from the gathering and into the less populated halls of the castle. "I have noticed that you have not completed the bond with my brother." I opened my mouth to speak, but Nuala hushed me with an upturned palm. "I know this is no fault of yours, I can still read his thoughts from time to time," I smiled as she tapped her finger to her temple. "Believe me, he suffers just as much as you do, perhaps more. The half-bonded are often…unsound in their judgment, and cannot see what is right under their nose."
I gave her an exasperated look, "Don't you think I've tried, Nuala, I've sent out every signal I can muster, short of telling him to just to do it already." Nuala nodded, seeming to gather her thoughts.
"Your kind are so fragile, Sully, he fears to hurt you, fears that the passion he has for you. I don't think he could bear it if you suffered at his hand."
I rolled my eyes, "Too late, Nuala, too late for that." I leaned against one of the nearby walls and crossed my arms, feeling that Nuada could go on like this forever. He certainly seemed to have more self-control than I.
Nuala looked at me for a moment, her eyes taking on a calculating glance. "This is what we will do, then." She pulled me from the wall and began to walk very quickly down the winding hallway. I followed as best I could, wondering how she could walk so fast in such an elaborate gown, when Nuala suddenly stopped and stepped through a doorway, signaling for me to follow.
The room was decorated in blues, soft, beautiful blues. My eyes flitted around, taking in the décor as Nuala rummaged through a trunk or two. "Here," she said, "There is a ball for those who have arrived to our new residence in four days. You will wear this," she held up a golden dress, decorated with the smallest embellishments in fine gold thread. I ran my hand over the fabric; it ran like water over my fingertips, the golden sewn flowers like smooth glass.
"I can't wear this, Nuala. One, its your dress, you should wear it, and two, I don't think it will fit." Nuala was half my width and at least three inches taller. I stared down at the gown mournfully; it would have been lovely to wear.
"Nonsense, we have the finest seamstress here. She just arrived yesterday, and I will not have no for an answer, not when my brother's heart is in such a state."
I shook my head, "I wont force him, Nuala. Its his decision to make, when he wants to, and I'm fine waiting until he's ready." I said, shuffling my feet, the lie spewing uneasily from my mouth.
She folded the gown and laid it on the bed. Her hands grasping at mine to hold me still. "Do you remember when I said it could drive him to insanity?" I nodded. "He is already showing poor judgment where you are concerned, his mood swings are becoming ever more mercurial, and his temper is short, Sully. The process has already begun, and my people need a leader with a clear head. You must finish this, sister, there can be no other way." She blushed a little, her eyes darting to the floor, "Besides, I'm not quite fond of catching glimpses of his fantasies at all hours of the day. However, the nights are much worse. Sometimes I cannot sleep, his thoughts rage so loudly." My eyes widened to saucers, my hands gripping hers.
"What? Nuala, I am so sorry—," I began.
"Bah, what's done is done, and you cannot help what my brother thinks." She gave me a wry smile that was reminiscent of Nuada, "Well, you can, but I think he must work out his frustrations somehow. I've never seen him quite like this, so out of focus. Usually he is quite single-minded." I nodded; I'd definitely noticed that particular quality. "But you, Sully, have shaken up everything he's ever held as truth. To love something he's hated for so long, it's unbelievable, really."
I sat down on the edge of her bed, thoughts running rampant. "Tell me about this ball. What are they usually like?" If I was going to put on a good show, I was damned well going to be prepared.
Nuala sat down beside me, a gleeful smile plastered all over her face. "They are dreadfully exuberant, lavish events that allow for the nobility and laymen alike to join in revelry. I expect there will be riotous laughter, dancing, and lots of food." She thought for a moment, "You know, there has not been a ball since my brother exiled himself. My father mourned him far too much, I think. It has been far too long." Nuala's eyes glazed with memories, I could only guess as to their content. Her face held such joy and sorrow and pain all together. It was almost heartbreaking to watch. She shook herself lightly, "Enough of that, lets get you down to the seamstress, shall we?" Nuala gathered up the dress and lead me back out into the hallway.
The seamstress lived in a small stone hut just outside the walls of the castle. Bolts of fabric sat in neat rows along the walls, spools of thread by the thousands lined up in rows on numerous shelves. The seamstress herself, Persish, was a long limbed, troll-like woman whose hands were small and deft. I felt utterly ridiculous standing there in the too small gown as she took quick measurements. Nuala sat patiently on a stepstool, speaking softly in a language that sounded faintly like hissing. Persish replied in short bursts of sound, her voice cracking with age.
When finished, she motioned for me to remove the dress. After pulling on my jeans and tunic (also borrowed from Nuada's room), Persish gave me a once over. She looked at me critically, her hand coming up to turn my face left and right in examination. I stood still, waiting for her to find whatever she was looking for, half expecting her to laugh. Persish did not laugh; she did not make any sound really, except a low hiss followed by a soft sigh. She released me and waved us out of the hut.
"What did she say?" I asked Nuala as we walked back towards the castle.
"She said lots of things, mostly she mumbled about the size of your hips and how they would bear children." I looked at her, my jaw hanging open.
"Okay, not really what I meant, although it's nice to know that people are thinking about me bearing children. What I meant was, when she was looking at me in that weird way, right at the end, what did she say?" Nuala glanced at me, a blush rising.
"Oh, right, she said that she guessed you were pretty enough to, um, 'bed the Prince'. I believe those were her exact words." I felt a surge of indignation, followed by complete embarrassment. Were they all thinking that I was sleeping with him? I sighed, if only that were true. Nuala stopped me with a hand on my arm, "Sully, you must understand, there will be many who dislike your relationship with my brother. And there will be some who will stop at nothing to tear you apart. Please understand that he, by all means, is the most eligible unattached male here, and some, males and females alike, have designs on his crown." Her face held such an earnest look, her tone practically pleading. I couldn't help it, a laugh bubbled up my chest, and I placed my hand over my mouth to stop it. "This is no laughing matter, Sully, until you are formally bonded, there is a threat to your relationship."
I nodded, my eyes tearing up, "I'm sorry," I said through my fingers, "I can't help it." I lowered my hand to my chest, taking heaving breaths. "Its just, this feels so surreal. I can't believe its happening, political intrigue, ambitions for a crown, it sounds like some period piece with Dame Judy Dench or something." I took a deep, cleansing breath.
"So, who do I have to look out for?" I said, continuing our stroll through the halls.
"I cannot think of anyone who would want to harm you, physically, but there are some ladies of the court who would poison you against him, and he against you, in order to secure the crown." Nuala's voice took on an informative air, reminding me vaguely of a teacher pacing across the room, lecturing to her students, "Lady Gilsit is the most prominent. She and my brother had an affair some time ago, and it ended rather badly. I do not know the whole story, but I know she has tried every wile she has in her possession in order to get back into his good graces." She gripped my arm tightly, her long fingers wrapping around it to secure my attention, "You must not believe a word she says. She is a vile elf and I would follow my brother's lead and exile myself if she should become my sister." I looked at her, taking in her fierce expression.
"What did she do?" I asked, my brows knitting together. Nuala looked pained to remember the story, and I could practically feel her ache.
"As I have said, I do not know the whole story. All I know is that, whatever happened between them, my brother was not himself around her. He was cruel, heartless, ruthless, awful! She turned him into something he was not, and when he finally realized it, it was almost too late. I think he meant to marry her before he saw her for what she was. I'm glad of it, though. Without Lady Gilsit, my brother would still be a naïve elfling with no sense of the people around him. She taught him not to trust in the appearance of goodness." I absorbed her story, and made a mental note to avoid Lady Gilsit as much as possible. She was most definitely not to be trusted.
"Any one else, while we're at it?" I asked, feeling more than a little overwhelmed.
"Just a few chancellors, ladies in waiting, and a knight or two." She gave me an irreverent smile. "But they can be dealt with swiftly. Nuada will not allow for anyone to stand against you publicly. At the very least, the offender would be tried with treason." Surprised at the lightness of her tone, I jerked my head around to look at Nuala's angelic face.
"You can't be serious, Nuala." I said.
"Oh, but I am. Nuada will take no chances with you, he loves you too much." I felt a lump grow in my throat, a strange tightening in my chest. He loved me. He loves me. This feeling was so new to me, this lightness of foot, this fluttering of my heart at his presence. And, God help me, I think I love him back.
Four days passed with excruciating slowness. I wandered the halls, filled three more pages with random sketches of the newest gremlins, and attended a second fitting for my gown. Persish hissed away, pinning excess fabric and taking measurements on my feet. When I shot her a questioning expression, Nuala simply said, "For shoes," and left it at that.
At breakfast, Nuada was distant, barely touching his food. I sat helplessly as he moved through the motions of eating and drinking, taking no real pleasure in the sinfully delightful meal before us. Finally, having had enough, I scooped up some of the whipped cream atop a pastry and flung it across the table. The sugary sweet topping landed square upon Nuada's nose. I laughed, watching his expression turn from distracted to astonished in the matter of a single moment.
My laughter continued on, cutting through the tension in the room with the precision of a paring knife. I was wiping at my tearful eyes when a glob of jam hit me smack dab on my cheek. I let out a squeal and flung the first thing I could reach, a piece of an orange I had previously peeled. We continued like that, throwing random breakfast items across the table, Nuada's laughter soon harmonizing with my own, until he pulled me across the table to settle in his lap. He held me there until our laughter subsided, covered in food and smiling from ear to ear.
A small cough interrupted our solitude. I looked over Nuada's shoulder to see one of the sentinel's standing just inside the doorway. He spoke in a language that I recognized as Elvish, his tone filled with nervousness. Nuada waved him away, lifting me from his lap to stand. "I must go, there are matters concerning our celebration tonight that need my attention." He looked down at his stained shirt, "But first I think a change of clothes is in order." I gave him a shy smile, refusing to feel guilty in the least for my childish actions. He chuckled, kissing the top of head affectionately. "I will see you tonight. Do try to stay out of trouble." With one last soft kiss, he strode out of the room, closing the door behind him.
I gazed at the remnants of our breakfast, feeling a blush creep upon my cheeks. Not wanting the housekeepers to have to clean up my mess, I began to pick up the broken pieces of pastry and fruit that had been flung about the room. As I set my fallen chair back on its legs, I overheard a commotion coming from out in the hallway. The voices grew louder until I could hear distinct words filtering from behind the door. I made out the words 'prince' and 'breakfast', and 'betrothed' followed by a harsh shriek and a garbled mass of quickly spoken Elvish. I winced, wondered who could possibly speak for that long without taking a breath.
I didn't have to wait long, the door slammed open and a tall, willowy figure strode purposefully forward. Startled by the hateful look in her eyes, I stumbled backwards until my hip clipped the side of the breakfast table, causing me to collapse on the stone floor. I looked up at the elf, her pale hair wrapped in tight ringlets atop her head. She examined me carefully, her lips twisted in a line cutting across her face. I felt my face heat up, her sneering look inducing feelings of shame. I was, after all, covered in food.
"So this is the human who thinks she can steal the crown from right underneath the ladies of the court," she said scornfully. I scrambled upwards, knowing exactly to whom I was speaking. Her very countenance simply screamed jilted lover.
"You must be Lady Gilsit," I extended my hand, "I am Kara Sullivan." When she refused to acknowledge my hand, I dropped it and sighed.
Lady Gilsit circled me slowly; I glanced up at the door, seeing Nuala standing there, her hands folded neatly in front of her. "What, exactly, is your relationship with the Prince?" Lady Gilsit asked, coming full circle to face me.
I narrowed my eyes, instinctively knowing to what she was hinting. "My relationship with Nuada is really none of you business, but if you've got a problem, you should really take it up with him." I tried to keep my shoulders straight, hoping to convey a confidence I did not feel.
Lady Gilsit laughed derisively, "Oh, believe me, I will." She turned to leave, but stopped short. "Let me give you some advice, human, from lady to," she gave me a once over, "lady. Nuada is thousands of years your senior, and far more experienced. If he doesn't get tired of you first, your mortal body will wither and die. Sooner or later, you will die—or he will grow so disgusted with your form that he will no longer want you." I gasped at her audacity, "Think on that, my lady."
At this, Nuala stepped fully in to the room, her hands resting on her hips, "That is enough Lady Gilsit. I'm sure you have other things to do than linger in my brother's private breakfast room." Lady Gilsit smiled cruelly and, without another word, strode out of the room.
I slumped into one of the chairs, resting my aching head in my frosting covered hands, tears leaking stubbornly from my eyes. Nuala kneeled before me, "Come now, you've endured the worst of it. Don't mind her, Sully, her bitterness poisons her words." I shook my head, refusing to look at her.
"But she's right, Nuala. What she said, about me growing old, she's so right about that. I'm going to get old, and wrinkly, and he's going to be stuck with me." I stood, nearly knocking Nuala off her feet. "I wont do it!" The exclamation left my lips with such force that it spurned me into action. I ran as fast as my legs could take me back to the room Nuada had prepared for the nights when he would be late.
Once inside, I grabbed the cloth bag containing my sketchbook and pencil, emptying it out on the bed. After shaking out the straggling eraser, I stuffed whatever I could find inside, including one of Nuada's shirts. Nuala stumbled in, breathing hard. "What are you doing, Sully?"
I pulled the strings around the opening, closing the bag decisively. "Leaving." Nuala gasped, her hands flying to slam the door closed. "What are you doing, Nuala?"
"Stopping you from destroying yourself and taking my brother with you," she exclaimed. I stared; Nuala never raised her voice, and seeing the anger across her face left me not a little surprised. "Don't you get it, Sully? You are his life, leaving now could kill him! Stop being such a selfish child and face the destiny laid down for you!" She took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm herself down. "Yes, you are mortal. Yes, you will grow old. Yes, you will die, but don't you think Nuada knows this already? Can you not see that this is exactly what Lady Gilsit wanted?" I felt my eyes sting with repressed tears, my mind awhirl with thoughts that zoomed in zigzag patterns across my consciousness.
I sat solemnly on the bed, "What am I supposed to do?" I whispered brokenly, dabbing at my cheeks.
Nuala sat down beside me, wrapping her slim arms around my shoulders, "You do what your heart tells you. Don't fight this, Sully; it will only lead to more heartache. You are meant for him, and he for you." I nodded, forcing my tears to subside. "Now, we have a party to get to, and you have an elf to seduce. I'd say we should start with getting you in that dress." One pale finger pointed across the room where Persish's golden masterpiece hung on the back of the door. I smiled, pushing away my doubt.
"You're right, Nuala," I said, mustering up as much confidence as I could, "I can't let Gilsit try to finagle her way between Nuada and I. She may have seen him first, but he belongs to me, he loves me." We shared a mischievous smile before springing up to put our plan into action.
And because you've been so patient... a PREVIEW!
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A soft yelp slipped past my lips when Nuada jumped up, his arm wrapped firmly around my waist. "Nuala says she will handle the party. Come now, I wont have you in the open rooms of the healing house. There are far too many eyes and I want you completely to myself." Mentally, I was doing a happy dance rivaling that of the man who scored a winning touchdown, but outwardly, I simply adjusted the fabric of my gown linked my arm in Nuada's, allowing him to lead me to our room.
and a little something more...
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Nuada pressed forward, our legs tangling in an intricate dance towards the bed. I let out a girlish giggle as I fell backwards onto the mattress, Nuada covering me almost immediately. He stretched out between my parted thighs, his hands resting beside my head. "I have waited an eternity for this moment," he said, his molten gaze trained piercingly on my face.