'Hello again, Nimue.'

What kind of greeting was this, from an elf who parted without first saying goodbye?

All these years, and that was the best he could do as we finally stood without deception coming through as fantasies, dreams, memories…

Looking at him, I could feel the warmth radiating off his body due to his pulsating blood, and his scent filled the air, as my gift raged to break loose, and bring him to his knees with the sheer ferocity I knew it wished to devour his mind, to make up for what it had missed.

These things, made it clear to me, that Nuada was no illusion, as I have been so accustomed with.

That indeed he was real, and from my mouth I heard a whimper escape at the same time that my knees buckled slightly and I was fortunate to still have the support of Mr Wink, less I have fallen.

However, how I had rallied myself to make my entrance into this room beforehand, maintained its potency, and I swiftly recovered as I tightened a hand into a fist, gathering and turning my wits into iron as I did so.

My face cast in shadow, I could imagine it would have set my blazon eyes into a frightening state.

"Chamberlain," I spoke, in a tone that was almost painful to speak with, since my jaw had clenched, "if you would give us a moment in private."

Beyond any chance of recognition to how I usually speak, being that it was maliciously callous, it would have been impossible to relate back the pathetic sound I had made, to myself.

Retracting his arm, even Wink was wary of the change in character, and dared not question what I willed, only his consideration, did not match that of the chamberlains, who barely gave me any at all.

"my lady-" he began to protest, but I cut him a glare that would have frozen even the pyro Liz into silence.

"the king," I eventually assured, "will not be kept waiting; but I would speak with my husband alone."

The room waited on the chamberlains next move, and it was clear how much a fool he would have proven himself to be if he chose to do anything less than I had asked.

Displeased to have lost this battle, the creature Stepped around Nuada with hardly any inches to spare, as his robes dragged over the princes boots, scraping in the dirt a path which led to me. His gangly form lingered by my side, and he had some idea that I did this, only to share treasonous thoughts with the prince, or to beg him to leave, as soon as there were no Blood guard to stop him.

This was not my intention at all.

Nuada committed an offence that needed to be answered for.

I knew this, and so did the prince.

It was why Nuada was here to begin with.

To put into motion, what was now I believed to be fate.

And fate; was unavoidable.

Motioning his hands, the Guard sheathed their weapons, and followed the chamberlain orderly out of the room, with Wink being the last to leave.

He was hesitant to go, torn between us, out of loyalty to Nuada and concern for me, because as ferocious as he appeared, Wink carried a caring heart and I have always been a target for his affection, and I thought this must be a rare moment where the troll was tempted to side with someone other than Nuada. However, my fingers slowly fell from his arm as he retreated through the doorway and after a couple of minutes, their thoughts dulled to a quiet murmur…and all who was left, was my husband.

I had scarcely allowed my gaze to drop from his figure.

It was leaner to me, showing the results of where his training had not lacked over the centuries, but intensified. Then there was his hair, which had grown much longer to sit at his back, whereas before he would keep it relatively short, in a blunt cut only to the mid of his neck.

He looked; taller. Possibly matured more into his features.

And as I picked out these subtle differences, I without being totally aware of it, strode towards him as the numbing sensation receded, allowing for two tears to slip down my stone face.

Toe to toe; one final drop of water added to the pressure of the floodgate, and I was suddenly bombarded by a tidal wave of emotion, which I expelled back at the cause.

Holding nothing back, my fists hammered against his chest becoming stronger with every thrash; and how I screamed.

They were twisted cries of a wounded animal.

They were ear-piercing cries of a hurt child.

These cries combined; it was the sound of somebody broken.

Eventually my sobbing cut my breath short, making my arms rigid as I gasped, and taking advantage, Nuada took them in his grasp, and easily spun me around, so that my back was pressed against the tender flesh I had beaten. Too weak to stop him, I remained in that position until my throat could stand it no longer and was too raw for me to carry on.

My body felt like fire, and yet I was somehow tranquil due to my solemn liberation when I noticed that Nuada's face, was pressed into the crook of my neck, and unable to keep my own head up, I rested it atop his silver hair.

"how dare you," I croaked, "how dare you invade our lives now, after you chose to abandon us…abandon me!"

He said nothing against my accusation, keeping himself fixed in place where I couldn't see him.

"will you say nothing to me Nuada?" my lips were dry and cracked, so I licked them while I lifted my cheek off of him, to stare at the ceiling, "have you truly nothing to say?"

For a moment, he didn't…but he did clutch me tighter to him.

"it was you who found me first; that night in the abandoned railway."

His hand let go of my arm to creep along where the organ beat beneath my breast, and the air I had gained back into my aching lungs was released with a gasp.

"Our hearts called to one another; our bond…"

A touch as intimate as this, was almost foreign to me, awakening things I had not experienced since we last shared a bed, and despite myself, it would have been easy to give in and I wanted to. With one touch Nuada could make me forget the world, and concentrate only on him. This having not changed, and I was glad, but in these circumstances, where I had promised the king to stop Nuada from controlling the golden army, it was also dangerous.

If I gave myself up, Nuada would be able to read me, and the conversations which had transpired between the king and I, between myself and Una, they would ring in his ear, revealing my plan, and If that happened, then there would be no chance in my running away from him to keep the crown piece safe.

I would be a captive, as he gained the final piece and unleashed hell on the world.

The reminder of this caused me to whip myself out of his possession, but he still cradled the empty space I left, not comprehending that I was not there, as he could still feel traces of me lingering, as I could with him.

Forcing the distance, our desperation hung there between us, it speaking louder than we could allow ourselves to, and I had to look away, when my vision started to blur again.

"I think you forget, Nuada; it was you who permitted our bond to break by leaving me."

I jolted some, in memory of when I had first felt it crack.

it was atop a hill, with a cheering crowd below, just after King Balor had made that pact with the humans. And it was the second my husband turned his back on me.

By the gods, it would have hurt less if he would have just run my heart through with his sword, and I would have thanked him while he did so for the merciful act, rather than wallowing in this torturous pain for as long as I have, and the effects of a bond breaking, are not just internal.

My once snow white complexion, was ashen, allowing for the healthy golden hue that smoked around an elf's eyes and tinted their mouths, to darken to black. Gazing into a mirror, I had watched this happen to me when I had fallen in a deep depression, and the light of life faded within.

However, I will admit that seeing that Nuada shared these qualities, did in fact take me off guard, since I knew what it was I had to endure in order to end up as I am, making me wonder if he had shared those experiences, and wanting to doubt it, when I have had it in my head that separating from me had been a simple matter; otherwise how could he have done it?

He reached out his fingers and kept them level to where my cheek was, the chemistry so electrifying, that it made the spot it hovered over tingle.

Was he…guilty?

…

At the same time as this elven woman being his Nimue; she had changed so much in his absence.

Although she had, of course, been in her own way a strong character, she did have this tendency to rely on others to instil the belief within herself, and it was a result of her being quite alone during her childhood.

With no parents, and her brother constantly away from home, no one was really there to show her what she was capable of.

The day they had met even, Nimue had been this shy flower, afraid to bloom, and it took being with Nuada to make her petals flourish.

And yet here she was, still as beautiful as ever, with his dreams having not done her any justice, but also, no longer timid or afraid to speak her mind, in fear of displeasing others.

From the moment her fist had first fallen upon him, she showed Nuada a glimpse of the fighter she had become, and that he had always known her to be, having watched her train beside her brother, and he would be proud, if it weren't for the guilt he harboured, for making it the only choice Nimue had, so that she could learn to carry on.

Nuada thought that the hate in her for what he had done, would have far outweighed the suffering, and he would not have blamed her in the least, but because of her face, he could see that like him, she had been drowning. Cut off from the air, from the sun. The world has been nothing without the other.

Gazing at her, Nuada was at a loss for words, and could say no more than, "oh, Nimue."

He wanted to take her then and there; wanted nothing more than to mend his spirit and hers also, as their bodies became one, because without her, there was only darkness, and it has consumed Nuada entirely, where he could think of nothing else, but vengeance, for he blamed the humans for everything that has happened.

His peoples suffering; And then taking from Nuada, the love of his life.

His hand which was elevated, would have grabbed the back of her silken hair, and pressed her lips against his and never let go. However, before he could act on that desire, Nimue was taken by another surge of anger, and slapped his hand aside.

"your punishment was a cruel one after my so called betrayal. Was it not?" she scoffed.

Without her gift, Nimue had skill in reading Nuada like a book, whether she knew it or not, and what she had mistaken for pity, she did not well reciprocate.

Despite her fine gown, she was wearing a rather thick armour. Prepared for anything he might do to appeal to her forgiving nature, which he was foolish enough to think he could earn. But more than that; she was keeping secrets behind that shield, because although his end of the bond emanated about him like the rays of the burning sun, no tether could find the end of hers to reconnect with.

And although he wanted to trust her; again she was much changed, so Nuada could not help but be suspicious of her. Even if he wanted to deny it to himself.

He would give no apology to his wife, for now was not the time, when it was evident that she would not listen.

So he decided to be honest.

"I will admit; I was furious at you for so long."

His stomach turned to see Nimue flinch, but he carried on.

"victory was assured for us. It was there ripe for the taking had we only pushed on; and when I thought of what we had lost because of you and my father's weakness-"

He couldn't keep the bitterness at bay, even if he had wanted to try, and it soured the taste on his tongue, when he listed off what he had longed for.

"Children of our own, running free without fear of death. A world that was green, and a future that was ours to mould..."

At night Nuada could see those things, standing in the meadow he had promised Nimue she would bask in, after the death of her brother Corvin, and the happiness he felt was enough that when he woke, and the dream was gone; it actually made him weep.

An elven warrior…weeping.

"for the life of me," he breathed, "I couldn't understand why you would want to prevent that from happening."

Nuada could tell that Nimue was taken by the appeal of the dream, letting him know that she was no stranger to it, and has in fact, contemplated how different their present could be, now this very minute.

The prince had hoped that she had thought about it, as it meant that the decision she had made to stop the army, hadn't been a careless one.

Having been encircling her as he spoke, Nuada couldn't help but beam, because he knew the reason why she did what she did.

"then it occurred to me, that one so pure of heart, could not possibly condone the work of the Golden Army."

And the notion made the clouds of fury disperse where his wife was concerned, and instead of blaming her, he blamed himself for not sheltering her from the ruthlessness, which was the cost for freedom.

"…I should never have allowed you to leave the palace."

She seemed to take offence by Nuada's use of the term 'allowed'.

Squaring her shoulders, Nimue assured him, "you could not have stopped me! I wanted to see for myself what I had unleashed on the humans. I had to learn from that grave mistake. That there's no justification behind ruthless slaughter."

Nuada would not have called saving the lives of his people, a 'grave mistake.' Had the golden army been proposed earlier in the war; then maybe Corvin would have counted among those who were spared. Instead, it was after a battle had already been fought and done with, that Nuada found his lifelong friend. Sprawled on the dirt, it was impossible that he could still be alive considering the state of him, and it was cruel that he still was. The blood pooling inside his mouth, made it difficult for Corvin to speak, but the soldier had signalled for his prince to end the pain, and out of loyalty Nuada did as he asked.

The circumstance of her brother's death, Nuada had not gone into detail. However, the humans had been just as ruthless as the Golden Army, on many occasions beyond the once which the machines were, and they had showed no sympathy upon the magical folk, as Nimue did with them.

Corvin was just one of many, who left behind people to mourn him, and not all who died by the human's hands were soldiers, since there were civilians whose villages were attacked to provoke the crown.

Women, children, innocent creatures like the unicorn…

To Nuada, they were all the justification he needed, to do what he had planned.

"it seems… that we stand on opposing sides, my dear Nimue. And we will do what we think is right."

She nodded, moving her hand to rest upon her ornate belt, "on that we are both agreed."

The movement caught Nuada's attention, and he followed where she trailed, stunned to see what was fitted into the centre, as if to taunt him.

Nuada went to examine the thing closer, but he was prevented from making the first step, as the chamberlain returned.

"your majesties, if you would please; follow me."

…..

I had not realised I had been holding my breath, after committing the folly of drawing Nuada's attention to the crown piece.

I cursed myself for being so foolish, and could have rushed at the Chamberlain with joy as he approached. Only I snapped myself out of that lunacy rather quickly and obliged finally to being taken to what passed now as the throne room.

Extending his arm with a bow, I would have walked passed the prince, had he not asked for the honour in being my escort, and as my left hand flattened to cover the third piece, the right accepted, and slipped into the crook of Nuada's arm instinctively, and he smiled at me like we were attending a ball, or some other function, reminiscing on how things used to be.

I think, had he not offered to guide me where the chamberlain led, I would have at some point refused to go any further.

Stalling the inevitable, just to keep King Balor alive, for a few moments more.

Then I remembered what he had told to me.

'one thing is clear to me Nimue. The angel of death is above us waiting, and it shall be me he takes.'

Keeping in pace with Nuada, I ignored the rusty obstacle that stood in the way of me and the sky, conjuring to mind those black, black wings.

'please angel, when you come to collect the king, you will have in your possession such precious cargo…so let him know what peace feels like again. I beg of you.'

Who knew whether my prayer was heard or not, but as the elf I pleaded on the behalf of came into view, my faith made it so that my words were lifted ever higher, and although the beloved son he had not seen in centuries had come into his presence again, the king still searched for reassurance, that I myself was okay.

With high ranking families surrounding us, goblins, trolls and dwarves among the elves, Nuada sneered at the location where the nobles had gathered, and made no effort in hiding his disgust.

I should have scolded him for being so insolent before his father, except I will admit this bothered me also, and I would be quite the hypocrite to pretended otherwise.

Still on his arm, the stares in our direction made me uneasy, especially the guards, who would not miss a single beat. They were just waiting for Nuada to make the anticipated assault. However, there was no outcome where the blood guard would be the victors.

This sparked some conflict within me, because I could not deny that I shall be glad that Nuada will live; only, his survival was also what cemented Balor's death.

Tossing me in an impossible position between profound relief and severe guilt.

The shaking made Nuada reluctant to let go of me, and I was touched by his consideration and did the deed for him, so that he could confront his father, who was a king first and foremost, and before these people, would demand the formal introduction he was owed.

As Nuada kneeled, I spared a glance and spotted my young handmaiden who, true to her word, kept with her the cloak I had asked for, and though I could not join Una, less I make my shadow in Wink notice her, she bustled through the crowd to be as close as she could to me, and having her near was one less thing I had to worry about.

"father," Nuada greeted in elvish, and the king beckoned him to stand.

"Why have you done this?" Balor's voice trembled with anger, "Why?"

Any desire Nuada had to be embraced warmly by the father he loved was gone, and he gave his case before the council, defiant to the very last, when he chose to speak in the common tongue, to prove how our own language was lost, when what generation there was to take the elves into the dismal future, could not even speak our ancient tongue, for I knew this applied to Una, who had a small understanding of few phrases, which I had to teach her.

"To set us free. All of us, Father."

King Balor shook his head in defeat, as it had been clear to him that he would not make Nuada see reason, no matter what he said, making the conversation futile when he could anticipate his son's next response, and what it was he was leading up to.

"You break an old truce, between our people and the humans."

"A truce based on shame!" Nuada snapped, "The humans; The humans have forgotten the gods, destroyed the Earth, and for what?"

He directed this at the council.

"Parking lots, shopping malls. Greed has burnt a hole in their heart, that can never be filled.
They will never have enough!"

There was a murmur of agreement, with Nuada's passion having an effect on those who had gathered. I looked and saw that Una herself wore a thoughtful expression, deliberating the truth in the prince's words which was to be expected, when everything he said was right.

If there was something that I could redeem Nuada with in this grand scheme of his, it was that his motives were not selfish in the least. In the BPRD, I had seen evil individuals, and Nuada did not come close to any of them, making him an altogether unusual foe.

He wanted to balance the scales, which the humans would not take too kindly, and keep fighting to hold on to what they believed was theirs, and it was that which assured the races downfall.

To wipe out the humans will take an awful lot of bloodshed.

And though I am not particularly fond of them, I will not allow Nuada to damn his soul with their murder.

Nuada will think I am fighting against him, but really I am fighting for him.

"What the humans do is in their nature," Balor didn't regard this as an excuse himself, let alone Nuada, but still he commanded, "honour the deal, as we have done!"

The prince laughed pitifully at his father.

"Honour… Look at this place! Where is the honour in it? Father, you were once a proud warrior, when did you become their pet?"

More than Nuada could know, that cut king Balor deep, who has ever been a prideful elf, which he owed to his legendary youth, for there was no elven king before Balor, after he united the magical folk into one kingdom and put an end to all the rebellions.

I had not known these stories myself, and was amazed by the tales Nuada told me to send me off to sleep. I had even told them to Hellboy when he was a child, proving to be favourites of his when he asked that I retell them night after night.

I doubt anyone here could say this was something which they knew about their king, now that the pact with the humans has over shadowed how he came into his crown.

"I returned from exile to wage war and reclaim our land, our birth right! And for that I will call upon the help of all my people, and they will answer! The good, the bad and the worst."

From his pocket Nuada retrieved a gold artefact, which he had stolen from the same auction I had investigated with my friends, and held it high for all to see. Few in the crowd gasped, others like King Balor might have already guessed his plan and it was they who did nothing in response, probably siding with the prince, if it meant gaining back their riches.

"The Golden Army…You can't be that mad my son."

Instead of projecting his voice, Balor was quiet, reaching out to Nuada alone, wishing for his heir to see the error in his ways, and failing.

"Perhaps I am. Perhaps they made me so."

This was the first time I had seen any sign of my Nuada present here in this chamber, instead of the wilful and determined avenger and I refused to stand idle any longer, needing to pitch in my argument also in this, as part of the royal family.

I stepped forward keeping a barrier over the piece I had, "no amount of rain can wash away the blood that shall spill. The earth you wish to create from that, it will be tainted Nuada. Just Let the army rest. If our end has come, then let us fade. I would rather that than war."

Nuada narrowed his gold eyes, as if I had slapped him with my sincerity.

"We will not fade."

There was a momentary pause.

"For the last time, I ask you my son...Is this the path you want to take?"

Was I naïve to think Nuada would say no, and that he would change his mind?

The answer was unbelievably so, because he did not hesitate with his reply at all.

"It is. I'm sorry, Father."

"Then, you leave me no choice; Death!"

"And you, my wife, are you at peace with your king's verdict?"

I stared at Balor's hunched body. He was tired and wary; and it was his time to take his leave of the world. And though it was hard to let him go, we had said our goodbyes, something which most people didn't get the chance to do.

Silently I thanked him for all that he had done for me, while sending my love to him and when I was finally ready, I tucked my chin down to my chest in acknowledgement to my king, without letting on to Nuada it was his father I knew was about to die, and not him.

"I am."

Wink groaned in worry for his prince, and like a coward I refused to look my husband in the face, knowing it would kill me to see the scolding betrayal there, when he did not understand my hidden meaning, of who I was actually condoning to die.

His tone was without emotion, embodying the warrior.

"Then very well. Death it is."

Ducking, Nuada avoided one large butcher knife which would have severed him in two, and blocked a punch from a second as he apprehended another weapon the guards keep on their person, after the prince had in fact surrendered his own lances, to the chamberlain as we walked towards the throne room. He did not use the guards own weapon to kill him though, choosing to swing over and reposition him instead, so that Nuada was the dominate and able to break the said limb.

As the guard crumpled to the floor, he blocked another blow, and fatally pierced a belly, turning towards the entranceway when he heard oncoming footsteps.

Behind wink and I, these footsteps were of two more guards, making the troll smile with glee as he seized the opportunity and laid into one with his iron fist, while I discreetly unsheathed one of my blades and plunged it into where the seconds kidney would be. Still he kept on running towards Nuada, and the troll expelled on a chain his mechanical hand to finish the guard off for me.

Nothing got passed Nuada, and he rose a questionable brow at my actions. However, he could not dwell on it, and scraped his blade along the floor, still having numerous to kill. Without fear, Nuada met them head on, and as if it were a synchronized dance, he knew what to do and when to do it, letting his sword clang with others, to prevent them from fulfilling the intent they had.

So many ducks and turns and jumps, you didn't know what was happening as more blood guard fell limp to the ground, and the prince got a hold of another sword, favouring with smaller weaponry to carry two instead of the one, which was very much like myself.

One guard was fixed into place, as Nuada pierced his foot, and while it was busy howling in pain at that, he swiftly made him a head shorter, gliding over a fire pit, to take another head while he was at it.

Although, when he landed, their poor skill against the prince were making the guard angry, and defending his front and back, proved a bit more of a challenge, when they were fired up.

With a push, one faltered allowing him to cross blades with the one that remained, and as their weapons screeched, from rubbing against each other, the guard whipped Nuada's head back with a crunching punch.

"Nuada!" I cried, my heart leaping into my mouth, but he came out on top, prolonging one's death, so he could break his focus from the fight and behold me.

Blood oozed from his nose, and my breath caught at the back of my throat.

All there was left were two guards, and then his father.

Nuada yanked his sword from a body and spun it in his hands.

'this is it' I thought.

Tearing my gaze off the scene, Wink was busy playing with a corpse in mockery of the blood guards skill, giving me the chance to rush over to Una.

Snatching the folded fabric, I couldn't even spare a second to say anything to her, and I was gone, running as fast as my legs could carry me to a secret tunnel, only Balor had known existed here, and revealed to me so that I may use it in my escape.

It was not far, as I trusted the directions he had given me, however with the magic emanating off the wall, I delayed my entering through it.

"Where is she Wink, where is she?"

The bracelet I wore and had returned to me not long ago; it had shone with three diamonds, symbolizing three living royal family members.

Myself, Nuada and Balor.

Except now; that number had dwindled, and another diamond had darkened to black with a life being extinguished, leaving only me and my husband.

"Go find her! Now, Find her!"

'the king is dead, long live the king.'

Now a hunted elf, I stepped into the tunnel…and disappeared.

…

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