Chapter 34

Circle of Magi

Anders

She laughed softly as I twirled her around again and I gently pulled her back into my arms. It was the night of our second dance at the Circle. All the senior mages had agreed that it would be a good idea to have another dance considering how much fun the last one was even though it was overshadowed by the rumours of blood magic. They never did find Jowan and they never told us what happened to Lily.

I gazed into Marian's face and she was watching me. She would be here for another two months.

"Maker, I am going to miss you," I said softly and she looked away from me.

"Don't talk like that, Anders. You know how it upsets me," she said softly.

I touched her cheek and I kissed her forehead. "I am sorry, my love, but I just wanted you to know that," I said.

"It is not as if we are saying goodbye. We will see each other again," she said. She was right; we were working on ways for me to escape. She suggested that I jump in the Lake and swim for it, but I told her it was far too dangerous.

She was watching me again, but this time her eyes were sad.

"Love, please don't," I whispered. I tightened my arms around her and she let out a sob. "Mari love, don't do this," I whispered. I pulled back and the tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Mari," I murmured and I pressed my lips against hers. I did not care that there were many people dancing around us, watching us. "Hush my love," I murmured. I held her closer and I twirled her around again, but she was not in the mood, although she did smile at me.

"I am sorry. I...just can't," she explained.

"Love, please?" I implored as I gently lifted her onto my feet. I wrapped my arms securely around her and I slowly swayed with her. She gradually quietened down and she started playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. I had decided to grow it and she was pleased with the idea. I embraced her tightly and we swayed around the Great Hall.

"Love," she whispered and I pulled back a bit to look at her. Her eyes were red and the tears will still running down her cheeks. "I love you, always," she continued and I placed my hands on her cheeks and I gently wiped away her tears.

"Mari love, I love you, always until the day we die and beyond," I murmured. "The locket I gave to you is proof of that and maker willing, I will find you, that I can promise," I reassured her.

"Until the day we die and beyond?" she asked and I nodded.

"I do, Andy, I do," she said and before I could think of something to say to her, she pressed her lips firmly against mine. The kiss intensified and unintentionally, I cupped her buttocks. "Andy love," she murmured as she pulled away from me.

"Mmm...I am sorry, I can't help it," I explained. Her eyes were dancing in amusement and she started laughing.

"If you want to, just ask, my love," she teased and I caught hold of her hands.

"One more dance, please?" I asked.

"That is not what I meant, but yes, I think I would like to have another dance with you," she replied. She closed the distance between us and she slipped her arms around my neck and I slipped my arms around her waist.

"One more dance for you," I whispered into her neck and she laughed some more.

"That tickles, you know," she said and I did it again. I could feel her trembling and I stopped. If anything, she clearly wanted more, but I was not going to indulge her just yet.

"Can't we go somewhere private?" she asked.

"No my love. My dance is not yet finished," I replied and we twirled around the dance floor again. I noticed we were the only ones dancing, but I was not deterred. We danced past Wynne and Irving and they were smiling about something. I paused long enough to study them briefly and a look passed between them

"I think there is something between them," I said quietly.

"Irving and Wynne? Are you sure?" she asked.

"Well, look," I suggested as I twirled her around again and we swayed past them. Wynne caught my eye and she smiled at me as she took Irving's hand. They went into the middle of the dance floor. I released Marian and I watched as he placed his hand on her waist. She took his free hand and he waltzed with her. Marian slipped her arm around my waist and she nestled herself into me.

"Would you like to go?" I asked.

"No, but if you want to go, we can," she replied.

"Mmm...," I murmured as I turned her around to face me and I slipped my arms around her. "Why don't we go and have our own private dance?" I suggested.

"Andy, not so loud," she replied just as Wynne and Irving swept past us. They appeared to be enjoying themselves with the amount of laughing that was going on.

"There is definitely something," I whispered.

"Are we going?" she asked. I gazed into her eyes and they were shining with something. She stood on her tiptoes and she kissed me.

"Let's go," I whispered after we drew apart.

Marian

"Thank the Maker," I murmured as I sat on his bed. My feet were sore and I was feeling a bit tired, but after we paused on our way to share a few kisses, I realised I was in for something this evening. I leaned on the bed and I waited for him to close the door. He was leaning against the frame, watching me.

"Love?" I asked. I was feeling breathless for no apparent reason. When he watched me as he was doing now, my nerves would always tingle wildly and my heart would thump loudly. I still did not understand the affect he had on me, but maker help me I enjoyed it. He closed the door and he ambled towards me. I expected him to kiss me, but instead, he got onto his knees and he slowly took off my shoes. When my feet were free of them, he lifted my foot and he started massaging it. I could also feel his healing magic flow and my foot stopped aching. He moved to my other foot and he did the same thing, but he did not stop there. He lifted my foot and he gently kissed the ankle. I could feel myself trembling. He kissed each toe in turn and after that, he started working his way up my calf, pushing my robes upwards exposing my legs. He started massaging my calf and once again, I felt the familiar sensation of his healing magic. When he used his magic on me in moments like these, the sensation I felt was as if someone was tickling me with a feather. I caught his eye and he smiled at me. He went back to my calf and he traced a path of kisses upwards until he reached my inner thigh where he kissed me. My trembling worsened and I lay down. He sought out my hand and when he found it, he squeezed it. I felt him remove my underwear and I knew what was going to happen next. I braced myself and with shocking pleasure, I felt him slide his fingers into me. "Andy," I moaned and to enhance the sensation I was feeling, he released a small bolt of electricity and I clenched around his fingers. "Anders, please," I moaned. He always did that to me and it drove me wild. He did it a second time and I arched myself towards him. He was moving his fingers inside me and I clenched around him again. "Andy," I moaned as I felt my release and he slowly withdrew his fingers.

He gave me a satisfied smile as he helped me into the sitting position. He slipped off my robes and he tossed them unceremoniously onto the floor. He removed his shirt next. His pants followed and I smiled when I noticed how aroused he was. I reached for his hardened member and I ran my finger up the length of it.

"Marian," he moaned as he gripped my shoulders tightly. I continued stroking him, but it was not enough for me, I wanted to feel his member in my hands and I wanted to feel him deep inside of me. I pushed his shorts off and he stepped out of them. He was very aroused and by the way he was gripping my shoulders, he was trying his best not to lose control. I looked up at him and he was smiling at me. I took his member into my hand and I continued stroking him. He was trembling and before he realised it, I took his length into my mouth. "Love," he moaned and I smiled quietly to myself. He started rocking into me as I suckled him hard and long. "Sweet maker, love, please?" he implored. I winked at him and I continued my teasing, but it was not what he wanted because he quickly withdrew. He pushed me back onto the pillows and he lowered himself onto me. I moaned when I felt his member against my heat. He deliberately moved and I gripped his shoulders.

"Andy," I moaned just as he pressed his lips firmly against mine and our tongues began a joyful dance of their own. His hands were teasing my breasts and feeling his thumb massaging my nipple gave me immense pleasure. He pulled away and he gave me another satisfied smile. He moved a second time and I took a deep breath. "Please my love?" I barely whispered when he pressed his lips against mine again. He moved away from my mouth and he traced feather light kisses along my jawline. I let out a surprised gasp when he found the hollow of my neck. He was gently nibbling me and suckling me at the same time. I knew I would be bruised, but I did not care. I was where I wanted to be because maker knows, when we would have this opportunity again especially with my imminent departure in two months and I burst into unexpected tears. He immediately stopped what he was doing and he sat up, wrapping his arms securely around me.

"I am so sorry, Anders. I...I was not expecting to feel quite like this," I explained.

"I...I know," he said softly. "But let us forget just for tonight, Mari," he continued.

"I love you, Andy," I murmured and I sought out his mouth. I needed to feel him. I needed to capture this in my mind because I would never love another, as I love him. Our kiss deepened into something else entirely and he gently lifted me guiding me onto his length. I fell back against the pillows and he lowered himself onto me without ever losing our connection. He cupped my face and he kissed me as he kept a slow, steady rhythm. I wrapped my legs around his waist affectively keeping him in place as he rocked into me.

"I will always love you, my sweet Marian, but when you return home, it won't be forever because I will find you, no matter the cost. I will seek you out and I will find you. That is my promise to you on this night," he whispered against my mouth and I started crying again, but it was not because I would be leaving him behind, it was because of the extent of my deep love for him.