"Are you sure, Marianne," Dagda questions? "The weather seems to be getting bad again and you may have trouble making it back. It might be best for you to stay here until morning."
"I told Elder Oynx that I would be back tonight," Marianne comments. "Besides, you always told us to not put off our duties and that especially means family duties. Bog and I need to talk and I need to apologize for overreacting this morning by yelling at him in front of everyone."
"Including for punching him," Dawn points out.
"No way am I apologizing for that, he deserved it," Marianne remarks. "I better get going or I won't be able to beat the snow. I'll come to visit the next warm day."
The cold wind bites her wings once she exits the winter cavern and Marianne immediately regrets not taking a mount this morning. There was no need to with how sunny and warm the day was but now the hidden sun gives her no relief as she flies across the snow-covered kingdom towards the border. She grits her teeth and flaps harder as the wind blows fiercer, breathing a sigh of relief once she makes it to the tree line.
Marianne doesn't hear the eerie quiet as she rests on a tree root. She doesn't notice the forest growing darker or the fierce winds suddenly dying. A snapping twig causes her hand to grip her sword's hilt and she scans the area reflexively.
She laughs off her foolishness and scolds herself for acting silly. The dormant trees and vines seem to welcome her home and she glides around them with ease. There was no reason to fear the Dark Forest. She's its queen, after all, and the only thing she needed to worry about is making it back to the burrow before nightfall. Just a little while longer and she can curl up in her nice warm moss bed. With any luck, she might even be able to tempt her prickly male into joining her.
Just how long has it been since they had sex? Three weeks? Close to four?
Far too long as far as she is concerned and it's time to remedy that. It's no wonder they've been drifting apart. How could she neglect her poor sexually frustrated husband? A handsome male goblin in his prime needs to be reminded often how fiery and satisfying his female fairy is. Her hands twitch in excitement at the thought of reminding Bog how talented they really are.
She couldn't wait until she gets home!
Maybe she could sneak into the castle and put that slutty dress on. Or she could just forget clothes entirely. Her jewels, though, should definitely go on. They could even play-act their first meeting all over again.
Those soulful eyes of his drawn to the tempting shimmering in the darkness as she starts the bring her sword down. His desperate act in taking her breast into his mouth, suckling gently at first before turning harder and more demanding for her milk. Those sharp teeth grazing her delicate flesh and sending heat to her core. A core that is soon invaded by his long fingers, causing her wings to flutter in response to his ministrations as she holds his head closer to her chest.
Giving into temptation, she runs her fingers down his scaly back to the sensitive scales surrounding the base of his wings and scratches lightly at first before rubbing hard. She giggles as his guttural moan tickles the flesh in his mouth before gasping as his mouth replaces his demanding fingers.
His powerful sinewy arms lift her form to give him easy access to his prize and force her legs to widen with one resting on each his shoulders. Her wings beat furiously at his merciless assault and she screams her pleasure into the air as he continues relentlessly.
Forcefully, she pulls his face away and covers his protest with her mouth, plundering his cavern with her own tongue. Her questing hands quickly find their prize and she prods impatiently at the protective covering until his heated desire reveals its presence into her hand. His cry softens her exploration and she pulls back slightly to stare into his heated gaze.
How could she not love this male?
Lowering herself to cover him, she can only gaze in fascination at the glimmering lights as he spreads his wings. He's so beautiful, so passionate, so considerate. She could never leave him. She knew that it would break his heart if she ever left just as surely as her own heart would break. Her own wings spread as the glimmering lights grow stronger and she smiles gently down into her husband's green eyes.
Marianne unsheathes her sword with swiftness before slamming it across the large snout in front of her. She desperately tries to shake off the lingering vision while keeping her eyes and sword trained on the snarling beast glaring at her with its green eyes still glowing with power.
She couldn't believe she almost...No! She will not succumb to that creature!
Trying to take flight off the tree root only alerts her to her wings' snow-covered condition and she falls to the ground to avoid the incoming attack. The snow softens the impact but it also impedes her movements and she scrambles to find her footing as the monster claws at the protective roots surrounding her. Barely making it out of the way as her wooden shield snaps under the assault, Marianne strikes her attacker once more before quickly running into a nearby briar patch while it's shaking the annoying scratch away.
She's trapped and they both know it. Without her wings, she has no hope of outrunning it to safety. Marianne pulls her cloak from her knapsack and covers herself from the cold as paws the size of a squirrel attack her more prickly shield. She tries to push herself deeper but the sharp thorns block her way to safety and she watches in horror as the enormous shaggy dark green-furred dog ignores the painful branches in its quest for her.
She knows what this beast is. Cu-Sith, the death hound. There is no escape. Images flash before her and her heart aches at the knowledge that she'll never see her family or friends again. Never see Bog again.
Oh, Bog!
As if it could hear her thoughts about her husband, Cu-Sith stops its frantic scratching and stares at her with its glowing green eyes that almost appear sympathetic. Her body slowly relaxes and her amber eyes drift low, losing itself under the spell once more as Bog coaxes her to sleep.
Even with all their responsibilities and their drifting apart, he always took care to envelop her as they slept. Always guarding her and keeping her from harm. Keeping her tucked against his warmer body and his carapace armor surrounding her to protect her softer flesh. She felt safe with him almost from the beginning, so why would she not feel safe with him now?
She breathes in his musk as his heated breath drifts over her and she steps closer toward his open arms. He'll protect her from the cold. He smiles lovingly and beckons her closer. Just a little closer and she'll be safe in his arms.
Just a little clo...her sword snags on a thorn and Marianne shakes the vision away furiously.
"No," Marianne growls.
Screaming her rage, Marianne stabs her sword into a glowing green eye and readies herself as Cu-Sith rears back to scratch at the wound. Marianne flutters her wings under the cloak and prays that it's enough before throwing the cloak and knapsack off and taking flight in the small gap. She forces her wings to go faster as she weaves around the trees with the bull-sized dog lumbering after.
The first baying bark makes her look behind her in horror and she turns around with fierce determination as the second baying bark rings out. She couldn't let it sound its third bark!
Those in the Light Field were safe in the winter cavern but she had no way of knowing if the Dark Forest denizens were all back into the safety of the winter burrow. She had to protect them. She couldn't let the death hound target anyone else.
Marianne ignores the pain in her wings as she dives toward the beast as it opens its mouth once more and her sword slices across the large muzzle before the third bark sounds.
Cu-Sith gives a pained yelp as the attack manages to draw blood and shakes its head. It snarls as its prey manages to nick a sensitive ear but its lumbering paws can't catch the fairy flying around its form. It growls back at the growling creature and snaps its jaws as the fairy nearly damages its other eye. Pawing and swiping, snapping and growling, the enormous dog dances to catch the little fairy queen darting to and fro.
Diving once more with her sword raised, Marianne fails to notice the whipping long plaited green tail until it's too late and her sword is separated from her as she is thrown through the air. The snow breaks her fall once more but this time she can only watch distantly as Cu-Sith approaches her prone form. Its green eyes bore into hers as darkness consumes her vision.