Title: Forever Yours

Author: Noelwing

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Summary: The tale of an English Lady, an Elfin Prince and the events between them that led to Nuada's decision to awaken the Golden Army. Nuada/OC. Pre HB2 universe.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of the HB2 universe. Any other characters are creations of the author and belong to her.

Rating: PG-13

Warnings include domestic violence and some adult situations in later chapters.

Author's Notes: For anyone who is curious, the being known as the Skin-Walker, holds roots in Native American Myth as well as Norse and European folklore. Beings such as the Skin-Walker are also believed to be the inspirations of werewolf myths. I would also like to thank all the people who have sent me such kind and thoughtful feedback. Thank you all ^_^ Please enjoy this next chapter.


Part 7: Skin-Walker

Nuada was surrounded by a darkness that not even his elf eyes could penetrate. Not one thing about his surroundings felt familiar and there were no sounds or smells to aid him either. He instinctively reached for his sword and breathed a sigh of relief when his hand found it. 'Right where it should be' he thought to himself.

He concentrated on finding a way out of the dark and focused his senses. He focused for a smell a sound, anything that might help him. Or alert him to danger.

It was faint at first but Nuada could swear he heard a sound. A sound, much like that of hitched breath. He focused even harder and realized it was not someone breathing; it was someone weeping.

Who was this person? Were they hurt or was it the lure for a trap? One scenario was just as likely as the other but Nuada knew he had to do something. Nuada took a tentative step forward and was reward when he could hear the weeping more clearly.

"What ails you?" Nuada called out albeit cautiously. His voice could very well alert an enemy to his presence. The sudden volume of the crying led him to believe otherwise. Yes, there was someone out there, someone who needed his help.

Nuada broke into a run when the crying became louder. "Where are you?" Nuada called out. "Tell me where you are, I will find you." He was answered by more crying.

The crying aroused some of Nuada's darkest memories. The sounds of distress and the cries of people, mothers, children and elderly wounded in battle and crying for help. It was too morbidly familiar to him.

Nuada ran at full speed and blindly into the darkness. He continued to run but his calls to the still, unknown victim went unanswered. To his despair, the crying began to become less audible. "No, do not give up on me," he pleaded to the darkness. His plea was devoured into the dark and the crying ceased.

Who ever it was, Nuada had not reached them in time. He had failed. The realization filled him with defeat and weighed him down like a heavy sorrow.

*********

Nuada's eyes snapped open and he gasped out loud. Sweat gathered on his brow making his fine, white hair cling to his forehead. His heart thudded in his chest and his breathing came in short, rampant breaths.

"A dream," He said as he realized what had happened. H is mind relaxed quickly and his body was not too far behind. He sat up in his bedroll and waited out his trembling.

The twilight of dawn was coming, and with it, the crickets began the end of their nightly orchestra. It gave Nuada something to focus on while he collected himself. 'It was just a dream, just a dream', he told himself.

It was a very strange dream.

Nuada pushed his blanket aside and got up from his bedroll. He was dressed in his black, loose fitting tunic and trousers. His bear feet felt the cold chill of the earth and stone that formed the floor of the cathedral. Cold and other such conditions did not affect him. So he paid no mind to the chill that hung heavy in the morning air.

After putting on his boots, he left the small room that, lately, had served as his own quarters. Normally he slept out in the main chamber of the building across from Wink. But matters between he and Wink were still not fully resolved. Nuada wanted nothing more than to resolve those matters but recent events had postponed those intentions.

Nuada made his way to the main chamber where the sounds of crickets and birds were drowned out by the loud snoring of Mr. Wink. The troll lay on his back sprawled out on the floor. Nuada had seen Wink in such a state countless times he still chuckled at the scene every time.

Then there was the one sleeping across from Wink. Nuada's eyes turned to the woman curled next to the dead fire. Her head was pillowed on her horse's saddle and her body was covered by the riding quilt. Her dark locks spilled over her shoulders to the ground where they mingled with the leaves. Her breathing was as even and soft as a whispering wind.

The woman did not rest alone. Nestled in her dark hair, the choicest spot, was the tooth fairy she had named Cedric. Nuada wondered how a creature as heinous as a tooth fairy could possibly suffer itself as a mere pet.

The charms of a woman were truly an amazing thing.

How strange things had become. It seemed now as though Nuada could not avoid this woman. Stranger still was that she ran in fear from her husband and came to this place seeking sanctuary. What could have possibly transpired between the woman and her husband to frighten her so?

The woman inhaled deeply and began to stir. Nuada froze expecting her to wake any moment. When she did not, he breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing he needed was for her to wake and find him standing over her. So Nuada crept away, He returned to his area and fetched his spear and sword. Perhaps some physical training would distract him from his curiosity.

*********

Wink examined the wound in his flesh hand. It was healing nicely and no longer hurt anymore. Sophia had pulled it out before infection could set in. Had she not come along when she had, Wink would have had to wait for Nuada to come back to pull out the wretched splinter.

"Wink, is all well with you?"

The troll's head, and spirit, lifted at the sound of the soft feminine voice. Sophia emerged from one cathedral rooms fully dressed and, despite her slightly disheveled appearance, looking better than she had the night before.

"Yes Lady, I am well. And yourself; did you sleep well?"

Sophia nodded her head. She had slept very well and had not even minded the earthen floor that had served as her bed. She had awakened early that morning and gone to the chamber where the figure of the Holy Mother stood. There, she knelt quietly and performed her morning prayers.

Now she had dressed back into her dinner gown and secured her hair in a bun using her hair comb. The dress was hardly appropriate for camping out in the woods. The dress already had tears and stains all over it but it was all she had. The question now was how long would the dress last. She did not expect Wink or Nuada (especially Nuada) to provide for her while here. She would have to fend for her self. She just wondered what would be more difficult; finding food or trying to find food wrapped in all of this drapery?

"Lady, is something amiss?" Wink asked. Sophia suddenly seemed so lost in thought.

"Oh, no, Wink. I was just thinking how I am ever going to be able to fend for myself dressed in this thing." She picked up the hem of her gown while she spoke. It was a cumbersome garment indeed and the top portion looked so constricting. Wink wondered how she was even able breathe in such a thing.

"What do you mean fend for yourself? Game is plentiful here and I can certainly find enough for all three of us."

Sophia's head dropped and she blushed at the troll's kindness. "That is very kind of you. But I did not come here to be a burden-"

"Nonsense," Wink said waving his flesh hand in the air. "You are a guest here after all. Nuada may be a lousy host but I pride myself on such things."

Sophia could not help but to laugh. This troll looked like he could frighten the most seasoned soldier back to his mother. Yet he was more of gentlemen than most men she had known could ever hope to be.

"Nuada must not ask for your advice in such matters then if he is as a poor a host as you say. Speaking which, where is his highness?"

Wink scratched his head. "I cannot be certain. I assure you though, it is perfectly normal for him to take off on his own from time to time."

He waved his hand again. "But never mind him. Come now, prepare your horse and let us be off."

"Alright, but I want to contribute, somehow." She said feeling her spirits lift a bit.

"If you wish, do you know how to gut a deer carcass?"

The look on Sophia's face was priceless. Wink nearly doubled over in laughter. "I was joking. You can gather nuts or acorns or something."

"Alright you wicked creature, it's a deal." She shook off the initial shock of Wink's joke. She had to admit that it was funny.

She did as Wink asked and prepared Marcus. It surprised her just how calm the horse was around the big troll. As they left the cathedral, Cedric took his spot on her shoulder. All was in order it would seem.

However she could not help but to give Nuada another thought. She had not seen him that morning but she felt as though he had been near by at some point.

**********

Nuada held his spear in his right hand and twirled the weapon. Slowly at first than faster as the weapon gained momentum. All at once, he stopped the blade and lunged forward breaking into a routine of tumbles and lunges. But the exercise brought no comfort or relief.

It was now early noon. Nuada had been at it for hours and was no closer to understanding his dream let alone forgetting it. Furthermore he had expended so much energy trying to relieve the stress of it all and was beginning to feel even worse. So it was that the prince, defeated by his uncertainty, lay down upon the grass and gazed upward.

His amber-gold eyes stared up at the sky. Since he and Wink had arrived in this part of the country, the weather had been cool and rainy. This day however, was rather pleasant. Clouds scattered the sky here and there but not enough to challenge the sun's light.

Nuada crossed his right arm, his spear still in hand, over his chest. The spear, felt heavy over his heart where it rested. He shut his eyes and tried to focus on the sounds around him. The voices of many birds filled the meadow but still, the sound of the agonized crying filled his mind.

"It was only a dream." He told himself. He been through so many battles and thus, the sound of crying was not unfamiliar in the least. Many nights he listened to the crying of elves, trolls and others if his kind. They cried because the warring humans had destroyed their homes and loved ones. There were even nights when the sounds of crying were his own.

Indeed his memory had plenty of material to conjure nightmares from. Yet this one was so different. It was that difference that worried him. To his people, dreams were sometimes more than images seen in the reverie of sleep. Some took their dreams as signs of possible futures or as warnings.

Nuada sat up in the grass, his eyes shut tightly in an effort to restrain his mind from delving any further. Again he told himself it was just a dream. But he had no better luck convincing his heart than he did his mind. Perhaps if he told someone, dispelled the dream via words, he might feel better.

Unease was made worse by sudden guilt. The only person he had ever discussed feelings or fears with, besides he beloved twin sister, was Wink. Nuada was apprehensive though. How could he possibly ask for any kind of favor from Wink after he had treated Wink so poorly? And Wink was only trying to be a friend.

Nuada would not be swayed, he was determined to challenge the dark elemental and he would do it alone. But he did not want to come through it alone. He wanted his friend to still be there when it was over.

"There is only one thing for it then." Nuada said resolutely. He stood up and brushed a few clippings of grass from his clothes. He secured the spear in the sheath strapped to his back.

"I had better apologize to him first before anything else." He said setting off to find the troll. His tread was a bit slow, ultimately betraying his uncertainty as to whether or not Wink was even ready to accept his apology let alone, be a listening ear.

**********

Cedric fluttered close to the ground until he spied a fallen tree limb. The tooth fairy chirped and clicked his teeth drawing Sophia's attention to him.

"Have you found another one Cedric?" She said as she knelt down to inspect the limb.

Mr. Wink had led her to a river filled with trout deep in the woods. The two of them worked together to catch their food. Wink stood in the river and used his massive, hoofed feet to drive the fish into shallower water. Once the fish were in range, Sophia used her skirts to scoop the fish out of the water and then tossed them over onto the river bank.

Both woman and troll dined on trout and praised the bounty their efforts had brought them. Sophia was quick to reach her fill but Wink was still hungry. Sophia had no qualms at getting back in the water and helping Wink catch more fish. She was happy just to be of use to her large companion. Also, the exertion was a healthy distraction from the awful events that had driven her away from her home.

More firewood was needed to cook the next batch of fish and Sophia volunteered to collect some. Cedric had come along and fluttered from one fallen tree limb to the next. Sophia's arms were just about full when Cedric landed on this latest limb.

Sophia picked up the gnarled branch and added it to the bunch she was already carrying. "Good job little chap. I think we have enough now." She stood to her feet looking up at the sky as she did. It was only midday but the canopy of oak leaves blocked out much of the light. It made the woods darker than they should be. The woods even felt darker.

"We had better get back to Wink and Marcus. We have been at this long enough"

Cedric fluttered his wings floating into the air and led the way for Sophia to follow. She held onto the branches tightly as she tromped along after Cedric. Her gown was still damp and weighed heavy around her ankles making walking more of a challenge. But a small price to pay in exchange for being able to aid her troll benefactor.

She had been in a calm mood when suddenly and inexplicably, a feeling of dread came over her. She felt as though she were being watched and wondered if maybe perhaps Nuada was lurking somewhere near by. She dismissed the possibility quickly. Though Nuada's presence was intimidating, it did not give her bones the chill this presence did.

She stopped in her tracks and began to scan the area around her. Cedric landed on her left shoulder and seemed as agitated as well. He clicked his teeth and puffed his chest in a defensive fashion.

The dark, multiple forms of oak trees made it hard for her to get a fix on anything unique. Her surroundings looked mostly the same and there was no movement. Her senses screamed to her that something was out there. Now if only she could find it.

Her eyes came to rest at the foot of an old tree. There, she saw a crouching figure. It looked like that of a human but it did feel human at all. This thing ignited her defenses like nothing ever had. It looked to be about the size of a child and was covered in what looked like a very large fox or wolf pelt. The reddish-brown fur was matted, greasy and covered with twigs and dead leaves.

Exposed from underneath the pelt she could see a pair of dirt covered arms and legs. Both the toes and fingers were tipped with very ferocious looking claws. Its face remained concealed under the canine like head of the pelt.

"Who are you?" Sophia demanded.

"You can see me." The creature, surprisingly, had a rather child-like voice. It sounded more amused then threatening. It did as Sophia demanded and showed its face. Sophia knew right then and there that she looked upon another member of the fair folk. Its face and form appeared lithe and child like but its eyes, red with black iris' were those of a being that had many years, centuries possibly, to its credit.

"I can see you. Now tell me what it is you want." Sophia knew she should just turn and run for she sensed nothing pleasant about this creature.

"You understand me." Again the creature's statement was one of amusement. Its blood red eyes stood in striking contrast with dark skin and only now could Sophia see that the pelt was as much apart of the creature as it limbs. The red fur-like hair edged the sides of the creature's face and covered the rest of its body like a garment. Sophia still could not tell if the creature were male or female. Even its voice was androgynous.

"You are staring at me human and I don't like it." Any innocents in the creature's voice had completely gone now. It began to creep away from the tree and towards her. It stayed low to the ground moving more like an animal than a human.

"Please, let me pass. I mean no harm." She took a tentative step back. The creature advanced yet again.

Cedric began to chirp wildly and suddenly dashed over to the creature. Sophia's breath caught in her throat as the creature, swift as lightning, swatted Cedric away. His little body sailed through the air and collided with the trunk of another tree.

"Cedric!" Sophia screamed, the bunch of branches falling to the ground. She headed for the place where Cedric had fallen but was stopped by a furious grip. The creature had caught up to her with terrifying speed. It clutched her left arm with terrible strength.

Powerful hands squeezed her wrist and terrible claws tore through the fabric to her skin. Blood seeped from the cuts exciting the creature and it squeezed even harder.

"Why are you doing this?" Sophia pleaded. She was answered by the creature's claws tearing further into her flesh.

"I do not like humans in my forest." It's huge, blood red eyes looked into hers as it spoke. The creature had only one want in mind and that was to hurt her as much as it could.

*********

The shriek that cut through the air permeated the trees to their very tops. Birds scattered shaking the bows as they did. Nuada's hand instinctively reached for his spear and held the weapon at the ready.

He had felt an eerie presence for some time but could not get a fix on its exact location. This wood was filled with many terrors causing even one such as him to be on guard.

The scream was clear, and close enough for him to get a fix on and the sheer terror of it triggered his protective instincts. He dashed off towards the sound as quickly as his legs would carry him.

As he ran he realized the haunting similarities between this situation and his dream. He pushed the feelings of dread down. This was not a dream, this was real. Some one was in trouble, in need of his help and he would not fail them.

********

Sophia screamed again as the creature sank its fangs into her right wrist. The creature was half her size but it wrestled her to the ground with almost no effort. It bit and batted at her with the intensity of a crazed predator. The creature left bruises and bloody scratches all over her. Every time it got a taste of her blood it licked its lips with sickening savor.

Sophia tried to scream for Wink but was stopped by another painful bite, this time to her left shoulder. Her desperate struggles and her attempts to call for help only encouraged the creature. Even if Wink did heart her scream, at the rate the creature was going, she would be finished long before the troll could even get to her.

"You pathetic wench." The creature chided. "Killing you will be just too easy." The creature slammed its clawed fist into her face. "I will just have to tear your body to shreds after you die. That might be fun yet."

The potent taste of blood filled Sophia's mouth with sickening dread. The image of the creature mutilating her corpse caused anger to pulse through her. Even dead, she was nothing but a source of amusement for this creature. She suddenly wanted nothing more then to teach the little beast a lesson.

Her left hand shot out and grabbed a fist full of the creature's fur and pulled furiously. Her other hand groped the ground. Her fingers came into contact with a stone and closed around it just as quickly. Her hand carried the stone through the air smashing it into the creature's face.

The creature shrieked at the impact and quickly recoiled from the sudden resistance of its prey. Sophia used the creature's momentary shock to her advantage. She kicked her legs at the creature as it stood, wailing, over her. Her feet connected with its furry chest, knocking it away from her completely. She rolled over, quickly getting out of range of her attacker and to her feet.

The creature fell onto it side and wailed. Sophia used the time to look for something to defend herself. Her eyes landed on one of the branches she had dropped before the beast attacked.

Powered by her anger, she took hold of the branch. It was a good size, thick and heavy enough to cause damage. The sound of approaching footsteps alerted her to the creature's next attack.

Though her instincts told her to run, she resolved not to. If she ran the creature would only follow. No, her only option was to stand and fight. The creature shrieked at her defiance and charged. With all the strength she could muster, Sophia swung the branch around and hit the beast right in the face.

Nuada followed the sounds of a struggle to its source and was absolutely stunned by the sight before him. The human woman stood bloody but stood fighting. Nuada recognized her opponent right away as a skin-walker: one of the most vicious beings counted among the fair-folk.

The woman's sleeves were torn and bloody and her face white. But her eyes were possessed by a look all too familiar to Nuada. It was the look of one consumed completely by the instinct and desire to survive.

The skin-walker curled its bloodied lips at Sophia. She held the limb like a club ready to deal the beast another blow. "How dare you," The creature spat in its shrill voice.

Sophia snorted. "How dare I? You attacked me first and I did you no wrong."

"I don't care," The skin-walker retorted. "I don't need to respect you." The creature lunged for another attack.

"I'll make you," Sophia shouted as the skin-walker advanced. She swung the branch again this time hitting the beast in the face once more. Black blood exploded from the creature's nose and oozed down its face. The blow left the creature dazed and it stumbled to the ground.

Casting any feelings of compassion or fear away, Sophia embraced the opportunity to attack and brought the branch down on the creature again and again.

Nuada stood back and watched the reversal of roles unfold. No longer was the woman at the creature's mercy. She attacked with a furry that intensified with every blow. If this skin-walker had no reason to fear the woman before, it certainly did now.

Nuada stood his ground as he watched the woman beat the vile beast. He stood in awe, and in admiration, of the woman's display of her desire to fight and ultimately, her desire to live.

Sophia surrendered her self to her anger. She was so tired of always being someone's victim. She had had been victim to her husband's whims, to all those damned doctors and their wretched treatments. Any resistance on her part had always been rewarded with more pain, more anguish.

No more, not this time. She would not be a victim to this forest rat. She would not let it win over her. She was so focused on paying the beast back that she did not notice the blood seeping through her fingers. Tears ran down her face and sweat soaked through the fabric of her gown.

The creature's defiant shrieks soon turned to pathetic cries and its aggression turned to desperate defense.

"Had enough have you," Sophia was practically growling at the beast. The creature rolled back on all fours and hissed at her like an angry cat.

"Don't you get mad at me, you started this mess." She shook the branch for good measure. "If you have no desire to finish what you've started then get yourself gone from here."

She kicked up leaves and dirt as she advanced upon the creature with the tree limb at the ready.

Nuada could not help but to squeeze his fist silently applauding the woman's fiery spirit. The image of her chasing after the skin-walker as it tried to run away was one he would never forget.

The creature vanished into the forest; probably back off to whatever stinking hole it had come from. Or that is what Sophia hoped as the loathsome beast ran from her.

She continued to stand her ground. She did not dare let her guard down lest the creature try to attack again.

Nuada listened as the skin-walker's foot falls faded into nothing. It was all over now and victory belonged to Sophia.

Still, Nuada approached with caution. Just when he was within a pace of her she wailed and swung the branch right at him. Nuada instantly regretted trying to get too close too soon.

He raised his hands in defense and caught the branch. The force with which it hit his hands surprised him. The woman screamed again and pushed at him with more force than he thought possible. Her eyes were empty of anything but the instinct to survive.

A person in such a state could be difficult if not impossible to reach. Yet Nuada was loathed to fight back. He allowed the woman to shove him around thinking she would come to her senses soon enough.

The sudden collision of his back with a tree caused him to reconsider.

She continued to push into him, pinning him against the tree. Her hair fell around her and strands clung to her sweat covered face. Blood seeped out from in between her fingers as well as through her clothes from multiple injuries.

Nuada could not stand to see her continue on like this. She was nothing like the complex, but gentle woman he had come to recognize her as. The skin-walker had turned her into something terrible, something that she truly was not.

It would be simple enough to use his superior strength to subdue her. But the possibility of dealing her further harm was too great. She had been harmed enough already. Maybe he could reach her somehow with words.

"Stop, you will hurt yourself." He shouted at her. He was answered by another growl from her. To her, he was just another attacker, someone who wanted to hurt her.

"It is I, Nuada. I am not here to harm you Sophia…"

Her eyes blinked suddenly. She still held him against the tree but did not push any more force.

"You have to stop." He pleaded further. He could feel her begin to ease up on him, giving him hope that his efforts were working. But he knew not to make any sudden moves.

"It's alright Sophia, it's gone. You chased it away." He brought the pitch of his voice down. To his great relief, Sophia relented; her force against him and relaxed.

She backed away slowly and dropped the branch. Nuada could see rationality begin to creep back into eyes. With rationality came recognition and ultimately a return to her senses.

"Prince Nuada…" She said with detached recognition. Her eyes began to dart around the area and her frame was still very tense. Nuada dared to take a step away from the tree. When she did not react he took another.

"Your attacker is gone. You are safe now." She held still long enough for Nuada to take a good look at her. The right shoulder of her garment was torn and soaked through with blood. Her left wrist was in equally poor condition. He needed to treat those wounds as quickly as possible. But he dare not yet try and make her do anything just yet.

It was vague at first but feeling began to come back to her body. Her right shoulder began to ache and her hands burned. She brought her hands up to look at them. Instead of seeing her soft, white palms, she beheld torn, red colored flesh. Her blood stained fingers blurred as she focused her gaze onto the black clad figure beyond them.

Prince Nuada's golden eyes looked her over and penetrated her consciousness. "How long have you been here?" Her voice sounded distant and confused.

"Not long. What were you doing out here alone." His questions were intended to jog her back into reality.

"I was collecting firewood for Mr. Wink. I felt someone watching me…" Her voice began to shake but she kept going. "That…thing came out of nowhere. Cedric tried…"

Her face went pale again and she suddenly dashed over to the roots of a tree across from her. With her bloodied hands she began to dig through the rocks and branches there. "Cedric," She cried. "Cedric, where are you?"

Nuada walked towards her but stopped at the sudden feeling of something beneath his boot. He lifted his foot to see the woman's hair comb. Without even thinking he plucked it from the ground and stuffed it into the parcel he carried on his hip.

"Cedric, can you here me?" The woman's voice sobbed. Nuada looked to see her on her knees cradling something to her chest.

He closed the distance between them and looked over her shoulder. In her hands was the tiny form of the tooth fairy that had taken a shine to her. The poor thing was dazed but otherwise, alright. It clicked its teeth and chirped to assure her that all was well. She sniffed and relaxed back on the ground.

"Can you walk?" Nuada asked tentatively.

The woman looked up at him with surprised eyes. "What?" She said dumbfounded.

"I asked if you can walk." Nuada said with urgency. They could not stay here.

"Yes. Yes I can." She got up to her feet. He could tell that she was tired from her exertions but was still capable of carrying herself.

"We need to leave this place. It is not safe." Nuada was relieved when she asked no questions and simply began walking. Her pace was slow but stable. She walked silently with Cedric cradled to her chest.

Nuada followed only a pace behind her. One arm was ready to catch her should her step falter while the other was rested on the hilt of his sword. The smell of her blood hung heavy in the air. Such a scent would be all too irresistible to whatever other flesh eaters that might still be out there.

"Nothing is going hurt you anymore," He said resolutely. "Not while I am with you."

The woman gave no sign that she had heard him. However, Nuada did not care. He meant what he had said.

TBC: Please Review ^_^