Chapter 9 - Save Tonight
"Go on and close the curtains, 'cause all we need is candlelight
You and me, and a bottle of wine and hold you tonight (oh)
Well we know I'm going away and how I wish - I wish it weren't so
So take this wine and drink with me and let's delay our misery
Save tonight and fight the break of dawn, come tomorrow - tomorrow I'll be gone
Save tonight and fight the break of dawn, come tomorrow - tomorrow I'll be gone
There's a log on the fire and it burns like me for you
Tomorrow comes with one desire to take me away (ohh it's true)
It ain't easy to say good-bye, Darlin' please, don't start to cry
'Cause girl you know I've got to go (oh), and Lord I wish it wasn't so"
Save Tonight by Eagle-Eye Cherry
Anders had never been nervous when it came to women. In the Circle, he never had butterflies in his stomach or sweaty palms when anticipating meeting a girl in the library stacks, but that had all changed as he prepared for his evening with Willa. He was as nervous as a whore in the Chantry. Tyce had noticed his rattled nerves when he nearly dropped three potions bottles. When he commented on it Anders just blamed his clumsiness on lack of sleep which earned him a long, hard disapproving stare from his mentor, but the senior mage didn't pry.
Anders had plans for the two of them. Plans that he had fantasized about since he had met her, plans to finally sate both of their desires and that thought alone unnerved him. This was his last night with her. He was leaving tomorrow night so he wanted to make this evening as memorable as he possibly could.
He had arrived at the stables a half an hour earlier than he had told her so that he could saddle up Taboo and Mojo. Now, as he watched her walk across the courtyard toward him, his heart thundered in his chest.
She looked at the saddled horses and grinned at him as she approached, "So no bucking stallion, feisty filly tonight?"
"Not tonight, Leanánn," he said as he cupped his hand to help her into into the saddle the he hoisted himself onto Mojo.
"So where are we going?"
"Have you ever heard of Moon Spirit Bay?" Anders asked.
She laughed. "Of course, its a famous Highever legend."
"Its no legend. Its real. I read about it in the Circle. Its believed to be a legend because so few people have seen. The phenomenon only happens once a year and only for three short days."
Willa's eyes widened with delight as she grinned at him. "And that is where you are taking me tonight?"
"Yes, my Lady."
"Well, then lead the way."
Anders led them through the woods and down a narrow path that lead to a secluded beach below the bluffs. After they had secured the horses, Anders pulled his bag off of Mojo. He found a nice spot for them, he spread out two blankets gathered some wood and started a fire before he joined Willa at the edge of the water. He slid in behind her, he slipped his arms around her waist drawing her back to him. She settled back against his chest.
"Legend has it that when Flemeth murdered her husband, Bann Conobar Elstan, she poisoned him with a serum that caused his skin to glow a blueish green color. To hide what she had done, she dumped his body in this bay, but the Bann's spirit refused to allow his murderer to escape justice so it has haunted these waters and on moonless nights his spirit would manifest in water glowing an eerie shade of blue demanding justice."
Anders chuckled. "That's quite a story. Even for a Flemeth tale."
Willa laughed. "Well, if you're going to tell tall tales you might as well make them interesting." She stared out at the bay. "It doesn't seem to be glowing now."
Anders bent down, picked up rock and skimmed it across the water. The water light up and began to glow a warm, soft blue light. Her face light up. "Maker's arse, that incredible. How is it possible?"
"Well, I can assure you Flemeth had nothing to do with it and as much as I would like to attribute it to magic it's really just a natural, rare occurrence of nature. For years the Circle has studied this bay and they discovered that for every gallon of the bay, there are 720,000 phosphorescent single-celled organisms that glow when they are agitated. So do you want to go for a swim?"
"Its freezing out, the water has to be frigid."
"Sweetheart, did you forgot I'm a mage? I can have this whole bay as toast as a hot spring in a matter of seconds. So I ask again, do you want to go for a swim?"
"I didn't bring anything to wear," Willa said.
"I don't recall mentioning anything about wearing something to swim in," he said as he pulled her toward him, his hands sliding up her side, fingers nimbly unfastening her coat. He lets it fall to the ground as his hands gently pull the tunic over top her head. The cold air caused little goose bumps on her flesh and he can see her taut nipples through the thin fabric of her breast band. His arms snaked around her and his experienced fingers quickly undid her breast band. It too fell to the ground, joining the rest of her clothes. She stepped away from him, bent over and began to remove her boots, her tantalizing breasts swaying with her motion.
"As many times as I've fantasized about you undressing me, never once in all of those dreams did I picture myself freezing to death," she said through chattering teeth as her fingers quickly undo the laces of her pants. Anders watched in wide-eyed fascination as she slid them off along her smalls.
Seeing her completely naked for the first time, his breath hitched in his chest, his groin immediately becoming as hard as a rock. Taking in the vision of this gorgeous woman that now stood before him, he had never wanted to come so bad in his life as he did right then. Smooth, porcelain white flesh met his gaze everywhere he looked. Her round, pert breasts made his mouth water, her dark pink nipples begged for his tongue to caress them. His eyes trailed down her toned stomach to the patch of dark, red hair between her legs and his groin ached at the sight. She smiled at him as she turned and sauntered toward the water. Maker, she had the most perfect ass he had ever seen.
She dipped her toe in the water and yelped. "Anders, the water!"
He laughed as he extended his hand, casting a warming spell over the bay. Instantly, steam began to rise off the surface of the water. Willa pawed at the water with her foot, content with the temperature, she looked over her shoulder, "Are you going to join me or stand there all night with your jaw hanging open?"
She asked as she dove into the water, blue lights glowed around her as she swam further into bay. She stood, turned to him and beckoned him to join her. Her hair plastered to her shoulders, water cascaded off of her perfect breasts while the water lapped against her waist.
With trembling hands, Anders quickly undressed then dove in, she swam further out and Anders followed her in the blue glow of her wake. She stopped in the middle of the bay and turned as he swam up to her. Anders was taller than her so he was able to stand in the water that was now past her head. He felt her legs brush against his as she kicked to remain above water. Her movement bathed them in a warm blue light.
Anders pulled her to him, the feel of soft breast and hard nipples pressed against his bare chest, sent an electric charge through him and his already hard erection grew even stiffer. He looked down at her and smiled, "Merry Twelfth Night, Leanánn."
"This is the best gift I've ever received Anders, and only a mage could have made this possible," she purred as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Well, that isn't exactly true. Anyone who knew of this place could have brought you here."
"Yes, but only a mage could have made it possible for me to experience swimming with this phenomenon. This is a once in a lifetime experience and I am so glad that I'm experiencing it with you."
"Me too," he murmured, his mouth covering hers as his tongue caressed her lips seeking entrance, she opened up to him and his surged forward as his need to taste her, devour her, grew stronger. His hand slipped down her back to her perfectly round and firm bottom. Maker's breath, Andraste's arse couldn't have felt more supple or wonderful. His other hand cupped her breast as his thumb and forefinger pinched and pulled at the hard nub. She moaned as he felt her body begin to react to him. He leaned forward, seizing the taut nub with his mouth, drawing on it until he heard her cry out his name.
"I want you so much," he whispered as he pressed his hard member against her thigh and he heard her sigh.
She pulled back and looked at him. "Are you finally going to sate both of our burning need for each other?"
He grinned at her, "I do believe it was you that pointed out that there are ways to please each other without having intercourse."
She smirked back at him. "I'm so glad you decided to take my advice with regards to that."
"So am I," he moaned just before his lips found her mouth and he once again lost himself in the sweetness of her lips. He wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her hips against him. With his other hand he cupped the back of her neck as his tongue caressed and stroked her mouth, compelling her to give back to him the carnal need that he was giving her. He heard her whispered moan of surrender as her slender fingers slid into his hair. She welcomed his tongue and willingly gave him hers as she deepened the kiss conveying her own hunger for him.
Wrapped in his arms, he backed her up to the shore of the bay near the fire he had started and the blankets that he had spread out. He sat on the blanket, pulled her down so that straddled his lap. He grabbed the extra blanket and wrapped it around both of them then he leaned forward and gently kissed the valley between her breasts.
With one hand around her waist, the other came to her breasts and palmed the soft swell in his hand as his fingers glided over the cream skin. "You are so soft, so inviting…" He bent forward and drew her nipple into his mouth, unable to resist the temptation.
Willa closed her eyes and pressed closer to him as her hands wrapped around his head and holding him to her. He sucked and nipped at the tight buds until a quiet mew escaped her lips. He loved that she enjoyed him and the things that he was doing to her. She moaned as she pressed her hips against his already erect penis. He felt her hot, wet core and his hips involuntarily surged forward against her wanting, demanding to be her.
As if sensing his rapidly growing out of control hunger, she pushed him to the ground and he held still as she took his face in her hands and caressed his cheek and jaw with her fingertips.
She leaned over him, her mouth mere inches from his, "Anders, I want you. I've wanted you since the moment you healed me in that sparring ring," she whispered as the warmth of her breath brushed across his lips.
That was music to his ears. He felt his body tremble and he stifled a moan of pleasure as her lips grazed his lips, his cheek, his ear.
"Anders," she purred, as she pressed her pelvis hard against his erection and her lips danced down his neck to his chest. Her teeth lightly grazed his nipple before her lips closed over it and drew it taut. He groaned while his hands caressed her back and bottom.
Her lips followed the path down his stomach while her hand reached down between them and wrapped her warm velvety hand around his now aching cock. His head fell back as her hot and firm fingers slid over his length, each stroke, each caress awake every nerve ending in him sending burning fire coursing through him. He moaned her name, lost in the sensation of her touch.
She slid between his legs and at first him mind didn't grasp her intent until he felt the moist warmth of her mouth. He looked down just in time to watch her tongue curl around the tip of his erection before she took him completely into her mouth. Captivated he watched her take in the length of him and jerked suddenly as her tongue swirled around him.
"Wills," he moaned. "F-fuck...where did a Teryn's daughter learn to do that?"
She looked up at him, her eyes dancing mischievously, but she didn't reply as gripped him with her beautiful lips. He was unable to take his eyes off of her, basking in the heat of her mouth as he struggled to remain in control as the rhythm of her strokes increased.
Oh Maker, she felt incredible and his body ached from the heat of her touch. He let out a groan as she looked up at him through half veiled eyelids, her mouth enfolded tightly around him. She laced her tongue around him again and it took every ounce of strength he had not to release into her. He gently rested his hand on her head, "Leanánn, I swear you're trying to kill me."
She acted like she hadn't heard him and she continued to tease him till he was on the brink of an orgasm, then her mouth would relax long enough for him to calm down before she would do it again. She would pull at him, suck and lick at him until he was begging her for release. His hands fisted in her hair as his hips grew more urgent, moving helplessly in time with her mouth. She took him deep until he was so enraptured with pleasure he couldn't see or think straight.
"Oh fuck...please, Will...please finish it," he cried out.
Her soft taunting laughter sent him even closer to the edge. He knew he wouldn't last much longer, he grabbed at her wrists trying to pull her way, not wanting to cum in her mouth, but she shook him off, her lips continued to work him over until he lost all control. He etched the vision of her and this moment into his mind, never wanting to forget it.
He cried out her name in a chorus of supplication as his hands bunched in her hair and her mouth took him over the edge as sheer bliss finally enclosed around him, bringing him peace.
When he returned to his senses, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. He rolled her over onto her back, brushed the hair out of her face and lovingly stared down at her. "I need you, Wills. I desperately, desperately need you and I will always need you until I draw my last breath. There is only you."
She reached up and caressed his face. "Anders, you have me. I'm yours. No matter how much time passes before we see each other again, I will always only be yours."
"Same here," he replied as he grinned down at her, "Now tell me, exactly where did you learn how to do that?"
"A lady never tells," she purred.
"That was no lady's move," Anders chuckled.
"I told you that Nate and I enjoyed the pleasure of each other's company."
Jealousy surged through him, but he pushed it down. She had been honest with him. She had always been truthful with him with regards to sex and if didn't want to know he shouldn't have asked. "Well, I'm certain it was pleasurable, but Sweetheart there is a reason that mages have a reputation for being excellent lovers and I guarantee what I'm about to do to will redefine the word pleasure for you."
Anders didn't give her a chance to answer before his mouth captured hers with a hungry urgency and he pressed against her. Holding her, kissing her, the smell of her, inundated his senses and his head began to spin, his groin tightening again with raging desire.
She moaned his name as she pressed her hips into him even more. He kissed his way down her neck to the pretty little indentation between her neck and shoulder. He nipped and sucked the soft skin and smiled as she shivered against him with a soft whimper.
He slid his hands down her side to her hips and he pulled her roughly against his throbbing groin as he nibbled a path from the sweet, succulent flesh of her neck back to her ear where he captured the lobe between his teeth before returning to his original path down her neck, pausing to suck on her pulse point, making her hips buck as she gasped in pleasure.
"I knew what I wanted to do to you when I got you here this evening,"Anders growled as he lowered his head, sucked the tip of a breast into his mouth and swirled his tongue around the diamond hard nipple. "I've been fantasizing all day about all the ways I was going to make you cum."
Her body arched as he kissed and licked his way along each rib until he reached her stomach and his tongue against the tender flesh of her belly caused her muscles to quiver under his touch.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered, his fingertips trailing down her toned stomach to the apex between her thighs as he slid between her legs, her curls glisten from her desire. He ran his fingers along the cleft opening of her folds, and she trembled against him with anticipation. Anders lowered his head, flicked his tongue out and ran it from the taut bundle of nerves to her core and back and he groaned as he tasted her for the first time. She was sweeter than anything he had ever imagined.
Willa moaned as her hips rocked against his mouth with each long stroke of his tongue. Her fingers delved into his hair, holding him to her as she bucked her hips against his mouth. His lips closed over the swollen nub as he slid his finger inside her hot wet core. Using his other hand to hold her hips against the ground, Anders feasted upon her, using his lips, tongue, teeth, and fingers as he brought her to the edge time and time again, only to back off at the last moment, refusing to let her fall over, teasing her just as she had teased him, making writhe against him, begging him to end her erotic torture.
Anders continuing to caress the slick orb with his tongue as he sent an electric pulse through both his fingers and his tongue, she gripped the blanket, crying out in ecstasy as she arched into him, begging him for more. He looked up at her; she looked magnificent, her head thrown back, fist clenching the blanket, her back arched, he wanted to remember her like this forever. He closed his lips over her throbbing nub as he crooked his fingers to hit the spot that he knew would send her plummeting over the edge and sent another pulse through her. She cried out his name, he felt her walls convulse around him as his fingers continued to caress her from inside.
"Oh Anders… yessss!"
Anders continued to lick, suck and stroke her until every last tremor had escaped her body then he prowled up her body until he was level with her again and kissed her passionately, the taste of her still evident on his lips. She didn't back away, but allowed him plundered her mouth so exquisitely that she turned to warm butter in his hands.
"So how do you define pleasure now?" He sighed against her mouth.
He felt her lips curve into smile as she purred, "Anders."
He grinned as he pulled away from her, looked into her eyes that were shining back at him with such tenderness and love that he wanted to lose himself in those eyes for ever. "Willa, you mean everything to me. I never knew it could feel like this. I never understood what all the poets and bards were going on about until I met you. Wills, I lo..." she pressed her fingers against his lips, silencing him.
Her eyes were glistening with tears. "Don't. Don't say it. It's hard enough letting you go, but if you utter those words I won't be able to bare. Just know that I feel the exact same way about you."
Anders buried his head in the side of her neck as he fought back the tears. He didn't want to leave her, she meant the world to him and the pain that was coursing through him at the thought of walking away from her stole his breath away. She had brought him to life, she made him realize what it truly meant to be accepted for who you were, to be loved unconditionally and to give that kind of love in return. The time that he spent with her and all of the Couslands had shown him what it truly meant to be a family. Willa was his family and always would be. The brief time that they had spent together had changed him forever.
"Leanánn, you will always be the one and only lover of my soul, heart of my heart," Anders murmured into her hair as he pulled her tightly against his chest and the two of them drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
A few hours later Anders woke with a start. He looked up at the sky, the moon still sat high in the sky. They had several more hours before the sun rose. Anders tenderly shook Willa awake. She looked up at him dreamily.
"Willa, the sun will be up in a few hours. We need to head back."
"Hmmm, but you're so comfortable and warm. I want to stay right here curled up against you."
"I agree, but I would prefer to keep my manhood and I have a strong feeling your father...or your brother would remove it if they woke up just as I was returning you to the safety of their home."
She grinned up at him. "Yes, we must keep your manhood intact. I have definite plans for that."
"You do?"
"Oh yes I do!" She declared as she started to get up and get dressed. Anders reluctantly followed suit.
The castle was still asleep when they rode into the stables. They swiftly unsaddled the horses and groomed them before heading into the castle through the servant's back passages. Anders stopped her, pushed her up against the wall as he leaned into her. He kisses deeply before he says, "Willa, I should head back to my room..."
"No, it will be at least two hours before the castle is awake and I want to spend those hours with you in your arms," she insisted.
Anders was about to argue, but decided against it. What was the point? He was leaving tonight. He might as well enjoy every moment he could with her. "If you insist my Lady."
She brushes her lips against his. "I do."
They silently work their way through the dimly lit corridors to her room. Once inside she locked the door behind them as Anders stokeed the fire before both of them quickly undress and fall into bed in each others arms. The thought of taking her, tasting her one more time briefly crossed his mind before exhaustion claimed both of them pulling them into the Fade.
Anders was pulled from a sound sleep by a constant rapping at the door. He groggily looked around the sun filled room. Maker's breath it had to late morning. He flew out of bed and rushed to the door as Willa lazily sat up and looked around.
The moment the lock released the door flew open and Sofia rushed in. "Ser Anders...templars in the village...looking for an apostate," she said breathlessly.
Fear gripped Anders heart and for once it had nothing to do with his own safety. Willa rushed to his side and looked at her maid, "Thank you for letting me know this, Sofia, but I need to speak with Anders in private. Please let me know if you hear anything else."
Sofia curtsied, "Yes, my Lady." Then left the room closing the door behind them.
Willa turned to him. "Anders, you have to run. I will send word to the stables to have Mojo saddled up for you..."
"No," Anders said calmly.
"No! What do you mean no? You can't let them take you back to the Circle," she demanded.
"They aren't here for me...well, at least not yet. If they were they wouldn't be looking in the village they would have come straight to the castle. They are looking for Trent."
"Trent? Trent McAvery?" Anders nodded. Willa's eyes went wide. "He's a mage? You said he was a herbalist."
A sly grin curved his lips. "One of those half truths you're so fond of."
Willa didn't like having her own words thrown back at her and her brow furrowed as her lips turned into a pout. "So they are here for Trent, not you?"
"Yes, but Willa I can't run without him. I can't let them take him. He is too old to go into the Circle. It will destroy him," Anders argued.
She smiled tenderly at him. "I know, Anders. I wasn't suggesting that you leave him. I would never suggest that. I was just saying that as of now they are unaware of you which we can use to our advantage."
Anders shook his head as he began to stuff things into his backpack. "There is no we, Willa. You are a Teryn's daughter. Your name can not be tainted with magic. I will not pull you into this mess."
"You cannot expect me to stand idly by and do nothing!" She declared.
He smiled sadly at her as he stepped into her, pulling her into his arms. His hand slid around to the nape of her neck, his fingers entwining in her silky tresses as he drew her to him, his mouth slanting over hers in reply. Her mouth opened to him at once, stroking his tongue with hers and matching the urgency of his own kiss. His hand slid down her back pulling her roughly against him. This was it, this was goodbye and he hated himself for what he was about to do, but he could not allow her to become involved with the Chantry and the templars.
She moaned against his lips when he pulled away from her. He gently tucked a hair behind her ear before he cupped her face in his hand. "It's not in your nature to stand by and do nothing." He leaned down and kissed her nose as he cast the paralyzing spell freezing her in place. "I'm so sorry, Wills, but I can't let you become involved in this."
He flung his bag over his shoulder, grabbed his staff and headed for the door. He paused to look at her one last time. Her arms were outstretched as if she were still embracing him and her eyes were still shining with love. He knew that would change once the spell wore off. She was going to be furious.
A/N - Moon Spirit Bay was inspired by Puerto Rico's Mosquito Bay. It is a shallow body of water with a narrow inlet that has 720,000 phosphorescent single-celled organisms that glow when they're agitated. It is considered one of the coolest places on Earth to swim!
*Many heartfelt thanks to everyone that has favored, alerted and left comments for this story. * On a slightly different note, in my story Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me my favorite scene from that story was in chapter 9. It takes places after a fight between Alistair and Josie and he asks for her forgiveness. I loved it that scene so much that I commissioned ElegantArtist21 on DeviantArt to create it. She did a fantastic job! I hope you will think so too. elegantartist21 dot deviantart dot com/#/d5ivjf6 (Remove the spaces and the word dot and add an actual dot.) I hope that you will check out her page. She does beautiful work!