Chapter Eleven- Thirsting Desire and Reluctant Defeat
Jeremiah 46:5- "…They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are defeated…"
After a day or so, Tielle finally regained her strength enough to stand up and move around. She still ached everywhere, and bruises covered her sore body, but she ignored the pain and eagerly accepted Chayden's proposal to venture outside, to the ocean.
She shakily rose from her cot in her cell and unsteadily walked through the door that Chayden held open for her. The small distance wore her out, and Chayden noticed.
"Here, let me help you." He looped an arm around her waist, but Tielle shook him away.
"No, I'm fine, really," she insisted, but Chayden was not convinced.
"I can sense your emotions, you know. I know you need the support." And he placed his arm around her waist again, ignoring her protests.
They slowly made their way past the inmates that Tielle laboriously avoided looking at, even with their crude, repulsive comments and jeers, and they stepped outside into the salty air. Tielle breathed deeply the unfamiliar sent of the ocean and thanked God that she was alive to smell it.
Alive. Instantly Tielle felt guilty, for Arilana was dead, and she had never been to the ocean. She had never done a great many things, like join the military, come of age in Hidonian society, fall in love…
Tielle snuck a glance at Chayden, and suddenly felt uncomfortable with his arm around her waist. She pulled away and sat down on the warm sand, not caring that she would get her dress dirty. Nothing else in her prison was clean.
Chayden was, though. He sat beside her, and Tielle breathed his scent, and not the ocean's in her next breath. He smelled good, like a cool breeze blowing in a warm valley.
Looking out into the ocean, Tielle asked Chayden, "Where are my Holy Books? Are they still at the Purification Retreat?"
Chayden shook his blond head. "I brought them here with me, and I forgot to give them to you. I can do that when we go back inside." He paused and seemed to be collecting his thoughts. "Tielle, you still believe in your god, right?"
Surprised at his question, Tielle answered honestly, "Yes. I do."
"Why? Why, even after all that's happened to you? Arilana was assassinated- " that caused tears to rise in Tielle's eyes, and Chayden hastily continued, "and you were tortured, and you're being held a prisoner on an enemy planet-" he stopped there, but Tielle mentally added, *and your three older siblings were killed in a hover-car accident, and your planet is involved in a war.* So many bad things *had* happened to her.
"I still believe in my god," Tielle said slowly, "because I have felt Him. He is there; I know it. And He's promised that He will bring prosperity and not harm to me. There's a verse about that in the Prophets. It talks about how God will give hope and a future. So I know that good will come out of this."
"How?" Chayden asked incredulously. "Your sister is gone; your world is at war. You are held captive here. How will good come of this?"
Tielle thought she had an idea, but she wasn't about to share it with Chayden. So she just stubbornly replied, "I don't know *how.* But I know it will."
***
They stayed outside for a while longer, Tielle playing in the surf, letting the waves cascade over her feet, and Chayden watching from a distant to make sure she wouldn't collapse, thinking.
What if she was right? What if there was really one god, one god who ruled over the universe and cared for each of his followers individually? What if He did make good out of all circumstances for his followers?
What, then, did He do to unbelievers?
Chayden shivered. It wasn't a thought he'd like to entertain.
His thoughts bordered on blasphemy, he knew, and he would be punished if anyone knew that he was thinking about the possibility of Hidon's god being real. But how could he not? Tielle had such faith, such steadfast confidence in her god that it *had* to make him wonder.
He glanced over at her, sitting by the shore, letting the waves touch her feet. Her sense was one of grief, and he knew that she was grieving her sister. Her head was bowed, her crimson hair covering her face, and he knew that she was hiding tears, not wanting to appear weak in front of him.
Weak! As though he cared! And he didn't think she was weak. She was perhaps the strongest person he knew, to have withstood such turmoil and yet keep going. She had indomitable strength, and she would make an excellent queen one day.
Chayden frowned. If she got to be queen.
He reluctantly rose. It was time to bring Tielle back to her cell. He walked over to her and offered her his hand. "It's time to go inside."
She nodded, her eyes glittering with tears, and took his hand. He helped her to her feet, and, when she was standing, did not let go of her hand. She looked at him, puzzled and uncomfortable, and then shocked as Chayden leaned closer… and closer….
Then she relaxed and raised her face to his as their lips met.
Chayden touched her hair with his other hand and drew her closer. She willingly moved closer to him, and their kiss grew more intense, more heated…
Her pleasure and desire flooded Chayden. The force of her bliss vibrated through his mind like a resounding symphony, and his hand slid from her hand to her jaw as he continued his kiss. The moment seemed to last forever, frozen in time, and yet when she pulled away, he wanted it to continue…
"Let's go back," she murmured, not meeting his gaze. Chayden felt her guilt and shame, and something inside of him tore in two.
***
Tielle was shaking as she returned to her small cell. What had just happened? Why had Chayden kissed her?
And why had it taken her so long to pull away from him?
She had enjoyed it. She had felt longing pleasure as their lips had met, and she had craved that feeling of elation. Her heart had taken over, her mind momentarily stunned and out of control.
She had been incredibly foolish to let the kiss continue for so long. What had she been thinking?
She hadn't been thinking.
With a groan, the tormented princess flopped down on her uncomfortable cot. And the worst part wasn't the kiss itself; it was the fact that even as she berated herself for it, she felt a thirsting desire for another.
***
In the capital city of Citeage, King Faihn met with his advisors and military personnel to discuss their next course of action after Hidon's blockade was firmly established. They discussed the princess also, and it was decided that, if after the princess underwent two more interrogations King Partini had still not surrendered, the princess would be executed.
***
From Hidon's magnificent palace, King Partini listened as the reports of large warships gathering around Hidon came in. It didn't look good. Fareari had obviously been preparing for this move, and they carried it out with excellent efficiency and competence, whereas Hidon's military had to scramble to assemble a defensive force.
All communication frequencies had been cloaked, save for the Hidonian ones. But the Hidonian ones couldn't reach Shansire or Ziex and ask for assistance. It was all leading up to Hidon's reluctant defeat.
Queen Shari stirred beside Partini. "What will happen to us?"
Partini grimly replied, "Unless Klane can petition Shansire and Ziex for assistance and they quickly come, Hidon will fall."
***
What do you think? It's obvious the story is building to a climax, and I can end it in one of two ways: with this being the only story about Tielle, or writing another one and creating a mini-series type of thing. I'm leaning towards the mini-series- I like this story and don't really want to see it end –and I've got an idea for another story about Tielle and Chayden. I think I'll do the mini-series, but write a review and tell me what you think!
Jeremiah 46:5- "…They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are defeated…"
After a day or so, Tielle finally regained her strength enough to stand up and move around. She still ached everywhere, and bruises covered her sore body, but she ignored the pain and eagerly accepted Chayden's proposal to venture outside, to the ocean.
She shakily rose from her cot in her cell and unsteadily walked through the door that Chayden held open for her. The small distance wore her out, and Chayden noticed.
"Here, let me help you." He looped an arm around her waist, but Tielle shook him away.
"No, I'm fine, really," she insisted, but Chayden was not convinced.
"I can sense your emotions, you know. I know you need the support." And he placed his arm around her waist again, ignoring her protests.
They slowly made their way past the inmates that Tielle laboriously avoided looking at, even with their crude, repulsive comments and jeers, and they stepped outside into the salty air. Tielle breathed deeply the unfamiliar sent of the ocean and thanked God that she was alive to smell it.
Alive. Instantly Tielle felt guilty, for Arilana was dead, and she had never been to the ocean. She had never done a great many things, like join the military, come of age in Hidonian society, fall in love…
Tielle snuck a glance at Chayden, and suddenly felt uncomfortable with his arm around her waist. She pulled away and sat down on the warm sand, not caring that she would get her dress dirty. Nothing else in her prison was clean.
Chayden was, though. He sat beside her, and Tielle breathed his scent, and not the ocean's in her next breath. He smelled good, like a cool breeze blowing in a warm valley.
Looking out into the ocean, Tielle asked Chayden, "Where are my Holy Books? Are they still at the Purification Retreat?"
Chayden shook his blond head. "I brought them here with me, and I forgot to give them to you. I can do that when we go back inside." He paused and seemed to be collecting his thoughts. "Tielle, you still believe in your god, right?"
Surprised at his question, Tielle answered honestly, "Yes. I do."
"Why? Why, even after all that's happened to you? Arilana was assassinated- " that caused tears to rise in Tielle's eyes, and Chayden hastily continued, "and you were tortured, and you're being held a prisoner on an enemy planet-" he stopped there, but Tielle mentally added, *and your three older siblings were killed in a hover-car accident, and your planet is involved in a war.* So many bad things *had* happened to her.
"I still believe in my god," Tielle said slowly, "because I have felt Him. He is there; I know it. And He's promised that He will bring prosperity and not harm to me. There's a verse about that in the Prophets. It talks about how God will give hope and a future. So I know that good will come out of this."
"How?" Chayden asked incredulously. "Your sister is gone; your world is at war. You are held captive here. How will good come of this?"
Tielle thought she had an idea, but she wasn't about to share it with Chayden. So she just stubbornly replied, "I don't know *how.* But I know it will."
***
They stayed outside for a while longer, Tielle playing in the surf, letting the waves cascade over her feet, and Chayden watching from a distant to make sure she wouldn't collapse, thinking.
What if she was right? What if there was really one god, one god who ruled over the universe and cared for each of his followers individually? What if He did make good out of all circumstances for his followers?
What, then, did He do to unbelievers?
Chayden shivered. It wasn't a thought he'd like to entertain.
His thoughts bordered on blasphemy, he knew, and he would be punished if anyone knew that he was thinking about the possibility of Hidon's god being real. But how could he not? Tielle had such faith, such steadfast confidence in her god that it *had* to make him wonder.
He glanced over at her, sitting by the shore, letting the waves touch her feet. Her sense was one of grief, and he knew that she was grieving her sister. Her head was bowed, her crimson hair covering her face, and he knew that she was hiding tears, not wanting to appear weak in front of him.
Weak! As though he cared! And he didn't think she was weak. She was perhaps the strongest person he knew, to have withstood such turmoil and yet keep going. She had indomitable strength, and she would make an excellent queen one day.
Chayden frowned. If she got to be queen.
He reluctantly rose. It was time to bring Tielle back to her cell. He walked over to her and offered her his hand. "It's time to go inside."
She nodded, her eyes glittering with tears, and took his hand. He helped her to her feet, and, when she was standing, did not let go of her hand. She looked at him, puzzled and uncomfortable, and then shocked as Chayden leaned closer… and closer….
Then she relaxed and raised her face to his as their lips met.
Chayden touched her hair with his other hand and drew her closer. She willingly moved closer to him, and their kiss grew more intense, more heated…
Her pleasure and desire flooded Chayden. The force of her bliss vibrated through his mind like a resounding symphony, and his hand slid from her hand to her jaw as he continued his kiss. The moment seemed to last forever, frozen in time, and yet when she pulled away, he wanted it to continue…
"Let's go back," she murmured, not meeting his gaze. Chayden felt her guilt and shame, and something inside of him tore in two.
***
Tielle was shaking as she returned to her small cell. What had just happened? Why had Chayden kissed her?
And why had it taken her so long to pull away from him?
She had enjoyed it. She had felt longing pleasure as their lips had met, and she had craved that feeling of elation. Her heart had taken over, her mind momentarily stunned and out of control.
She had been incredibly foolish to let the kiss continue for so long. What had she been thinking?
She hadn't been thinking.
With a groan, the tormented princess flopped down on her uncomfortable cot. And the worst part wasn't the kiss itself; it was the fact that even as she berated herself for it, she felt a thirsting desire for another.
***
In the capital city of Citeage, King Faihn met with his advisors and military personnel to discuss their next course of action after Hidon's blockade was firmly established. They discussed the princess also, and it was decided that, if after the princess underwent two more interrogations King Partini had still not surrendered, the princess would be executed.
***
From Hidon's magnificent palace, King Partini listened as the reports of large warships gathering around Hidon came in. It didn't look good. Fareari had obviously been preparing for this move, and they carried it out with excellent efficiency and competence, whereas Hidon's military had to scramble to assemble a defensive force.
All communication frequencies had been cloaked, save for the Hidonian ones. But the Hidonian ones couldn't reach Shansire or Ziex and ask for assistance. It was all leading up to Hidon's reluctant defeat.
Queen Shari stirred beside Partini. "What will happen to us?"
Partini grimly replied, "Unless Klane can petition Shansire and Ziex for assistance and they quickly come, Hidon will fall."
***
What do you think? It's obvious the story is building to a climax, and I can end it in one of two ways: with this being the only story about Tielle, or writing another one and creating a mini-series type of thing. I'm leaning towards the mini-series- I like this story and don't really want to see it end –and I've got an idea for another story about Tielle and Chayden. I think I'll do the mini-series, but write a review and tell me what you think!
