***** Chapter 2 - Unfulfilled *****
For a fleeting moment, he thought that the woman beside him was the spirited girl of his dreams, then he saw the bleached hair, and what was obviously not a fighter's body. Disappointed, as reality hit, he got up slowly, as to not wake the courtesan, and went to the decanter on the desk. Wine soothed him, but did nothing to fill the empty space in his heart. Looking out to the moonlight bathed landscape, wondering where Noa might be, how she was faring, and if, at that instant, someone was holding her, his throat constricted, the longing painful his chest.
Why was he feeling this way? Didn't he have fortune, power, and high rank? Since becoming Drake Kingdom's Hero, the honors had come rolling in, all wanted his friendship, and women showered him with their charms. Not many had shared his bed, in the eighteen or so months he had been at the castle, for their favors invariably left him drained, empty, and unfulfilled.
After the ordeal, it had been expected that him and Mei would marry. They had met one night, losing themselves in each other, giving free reign to their desires. They were to spend all their lives together after all, so taking some advance was their right. But things had changed, and they both realized, before consuming the moment, that there would be no tomorrow in such an action. So they had decided to remain friends, and never talk of what had almost happened, ever again.
Shortly after, Mei was betrothed to Trevor, a carpenter from a nearby village, which had elected residence in Rim Elm. Vahn had decided to take on the King's offer, become his majesty's adviser, and remain at the castle.
It was there that the emptiness had hit him, the accursed void in his soul, the ache in his heart that he had tried to fill with wine, and whatever pleasures were available. As in many legends, he had everything to be happy, but wasn't. Something was missing, or rather someone. He had the courage to fight beasts and monsters, but not to face himself, not to acknowledge his very own feelings.
A few days later, Vahn was in his study when a castle servant announced, "Lord, thou hast a visitor, a monk from Biron monastery." The young man's spirits lifted at the unexpected visit. Gala hugged him in a friendly, and totally out of character, embrace.
"You should take better care of yourself, my friend, you are getting soft."
"Gala, it's so good to see you. What brings you to Drake Castle?"
"I thought that you might be interested in hearing about Noa, but I fear that the news are somewhat bleak."
The big man then gave his friend a report on the girl's whereabouts, and the rumors about the baby, gotten from traveling Biron monks. Rage, then despair filled Vahn's heart, as Gala informed him of the hunting parties, intent on destroying Cort, and of the people that had requested Biron's help.
"You see, Vahn, they are convinced that Noa has been bewitched by this 'demon-child', and wish to help our friend, but even our best trackers were unable to find her. She is still a wolf, in many respects, and will not be found if she doesn't wish so."
"Are you telling me that Cort was somehow reborn? I guess that makes sense, after what happened to Rim Elm inhabitants. But why did she leave like that? I never had a chance to talk to her, maybe even convince her to stay..."
"She did it for you." Said Gala with sadness.
Vahn pointed an accusing finger at the monk, "What do you mean? That I'm responsible? She ran away, without a word of farewell, and you kept things from me! Man, I need a drink."
"Fool!" exclaimed Gala, knocking the goblet out of Vahn's hand, "You'll never drown your shame and pain!" he then grabbed the smaller guy, that was way too shocked by his friend's actions to react, and placed him in front of a mirror. "Look at yourself! You're wasting away, what has happened?"
"I don't know, I don't know what I feel, I don't know what to do, I don't know if I can face her..."
"Well, I know about what happened in Sol, Vahn. She confided in me, and I think that you're both making too much out of nothing. It was just a kiss after all."
It had been during one of their stays in the tower-city, Gala was spending some time with the monks on the top floor, and Vahn had treated Noa to a show and dinner. She had been delighted, eating an impressive amount of food for her size, overjoyed at what she considered her 'first date'. They even ordered some mulled wine, which had immediately gone to the girl's head, making her giggle uncontrollably.
Those moments had been happy ones, forgotten were the Mist, and, for one insane instant, Mei. He couldn't remember how it had happened, but Noa was all of a sudden in his arms, her smiling face near his, her breath warm on his skin. Drawn by impulsiveness, he had pulled her close, kissing her mouth passionately. The red-haired girl had responded, with equal vigor, and desperate need. And then she had pushed him away, her green-eyes wide with shock. Prey to overwhelming sensations that she couldn't understand, she had run, heart racing wildly, her mind utterly confused.
Vahn had looked all over Sol, finally giving up, and finding her asleep, in the suite they had rented at the Inn. Shame for his lack of control, and unfaithfulness to Mei, had kept him from talking about the incident, and Noa didn't seem inclined to bring it up either. So things had remained unspoken, and the young man had avoided situations where temptation could appear.
"I went too fast, I freaked her out, how she must hate me for that."
"She doesn't. She felt guilty because of Mei. That is why she's never bothered you about it, and left Rim Elm without a word. You have to understand, she had little understanding of relationships at the time, and her feelings for you scared her."
Vahn's eyes regained their flame, as decision, sharp and sure, came to him and he asked Gala, "My friend, would you come with me, and help me find her?"
"No."
"What?"
"I will accompany you as far as the entrance to the mountain range, where she's hiding. But this is something you'll have to face on your own."
For a fleeting moment, he thought that the woman beside him was the spirited girl of his dreams, then he saw the bleached hair, and what was obviously not a fighter's body. Disappointed, as reality hit, he got up slowly, as to not wake the courtesan, and went to the decanter on the desk. Wine soothed him, but did nothing to fill the empty space in his heart. Looking out to the moonlight bathed landscape, wondering where Noa might be, how she was faring, and if, at that instant, someone was holding her, his throat constricted, the longing painful his chest.
Why was he feeling this way? Didn't he have fortune, power, and high rank? Since becoming Drake Kingdom's Hero, the honors had come rolling in, all wanted his friendship, and women showered him with their charms. Not many had shared his bed, in the eighteen or so months he had been at the castle, for their favors invariably left him drained, empty, and unfulfilled.
After the ordeal, it had been expected that him and Mei would marry. They had met one night, losing themselves in each other, giving free reign to their desires. They were to spend all their lives together after all, so taking some advance was their right. But things had changed, and they both realized, before consuming the moment, that there would be no tomorrow in such an action. So they had decided to remain friends, and never talk of what had almost happened, ever again.
Shortly after, Mei was betrothed to Trevor, a carpenter from a nearby village, which had elected residence in Rim Elm. Vahn had decided to take on the King's offer, become his majesty's adviser, and remain at the castle.
It was there that the emptiness had hit him, the accursed void in his soul, the ache in his heart that he had tried to fill with wine, and whatever pleasures were available. As in many legends, he had everything to be happy, but wasn't. Something was missing, or rather someone. He had the courage to fight beasts and monsters, but not to face himself, not to acknowledge his very own feelings.
A few days later, Vahn was in his study when a castle servant announced, "Lord, thou hast a visitor, a monk from Biron monastery." The young man's spirits lifted at the unexpected visit. Gala hugged him in a friendly, and totally out of character, embrace.
"You should take better care of yourself, my friend, you are getting soft."
"Gala, it's so good to see you. What brings you to Drake Castle?"
"I thought that you might be interested in hearing about Noa, but I fear that the news are somewhat bleak."
The big man then gave his friend a report on the girl's whereabouts, and the rumors about the baby, gotten from traveling Biron monks. Rage, then despair filled Vahn's heart, as Gala informed him of the hunting parties, intent on destroying Cort, and of the people that had requested Biron's help.
"You see, Vahn, they are convinced that Noa has been bewitched by this 'demon-child', and wish to help our friend, but even our best trackers were unable to find her. She is still a wolf, in many respects, and will not be found if she doesn't wish so."
"Are you telling me that Cort was somehow reborn? I guess that makes sense, after what happened to Rim Elm inhabitants. But why did she leave like that? I never had a chance to talk to her, maybe even convince her to stay..."
"She did it for you." Said Gala with sadness.
Vahn pointed an accusing finger at the monk, "What do you mean? That I'm responsible? She ran away, without a word of farewell, and you kept things from me! Man, I need a drink."
"Fool!" exclaimed Gala, knocking the goblet out of Vahn's hand, "You'll never drown your shame and pain!" he then grabbed the smaller guy, that was way too shocked by his friend's actions to react, and placed him in front of a mirror. "Look at yourself! You're wasting away, what has happened?"
"I don't know, I don't know what I feel, I don't know what to do, I don't know if I can face her..."
"Well, I know about what happened in Sol, Vahn. She confided in me, and I think that you're both making too much out of nothing. It was just a kiss after all."
It had been during one of their stays in the tower-city, Gala was spending some time with the monks on the top floor, and Vahn had treated Noa to a show and dinner. She had been delighted, eating an impressive amount of food for her size, overjoyed at what she considered her 'first date'. They even ordered some mulled wine, which had immediately gone to the girl's head, making her giggle uncontrollably.
Those moments had been happy ones, forgotten were the Mist, and, for one insane instant, Mei. He couldn't remember how it had happened, but Noa was all of a sudden in his arms, her smiling face near his, her breath warm on his skin. Drawn by impulsiveness, he had pulled her close, kissing her mouth passionately. The red-haired girl had responded, with equal vigor, and desperate need. And then she had pushed him away, her green-eyes wide with shock. Prey to overwhelming sensations that she couldn't understand, she had run, heart racing wildly, her mind utterly confused.
Vahn had looked all over Sol, finally giving up, and finding her asleep, in the suite they had rented at the Inn. Shame for his lack of control, and unfaithfulness to Mei, had kept him from talking about the incident, and Noa didn't seem inclined to bring it up either. So things had remained unspoken, and the young man had avoided situations where temptation could appear.
"I went too fast, I freaked her out, how she must hate me for that."
"She doesn't. She felt guilty because of Mei. That is why she's never bothered you about it, and left Rim Elm without a word. You have to understand, she had little understanding of relationships at the time, and her feelings for you scared her."
Vahn's eyes regained their flame, as decision, sharp and sure, came to him and he asked Gala, "My friend, would you come with me, and help me find her?"
"No."
"What?"
"I will accompany you as far as the entrance to the mountain range, where she's hiding. But this is something you'll have to face on your own."