Pa'das: Erin was an idiot and didn't put this at the beginning of the story. You guys know who's hers (like me!), and who's not. If you don't, then a pox on you! For you are an idiot! The song is "Because You Loved Me" by some person named Celine Dion from her world. That's not hers either (duh!). So don't sue, because the most you'll get is some nonpareils. Although, suing for candy isn't that bad of an idea…
(A/N: Okay, this story is getting retarded. It's getting sappy and… other stuff… I'll eventually finish it. I think I have, like, one more full chapter written. Sorry for the long wait, the rabid "X-men" plot bunny has bitten me, and now I'm diseased. Who came up with plot bunnies, anyway? Are they, like, mutations from the little white bunnies? *Sob* My Skittles are all gone. I had a 3lb bag of yummy Skittles, and I finally ate them all. WAAAAH!!! I want my Skittles! Yeah, um, R/R please, as I slowly go insane.)
Chapter Five
Eckerd waited with a truth spell ready to be cast. He had to be absolutely sure that this wasn't some sort of plot. Davie met him well before the fifteen minutes were up.
"I'm telling you right now," Eckerd warned him, "that if you have anything to hide, go back now. I'm casting a truth spell and asking questions."
"I've nothing to hide," Davie said, meeting Eckerd's eyes defiantly.
Eckerd cast the spell without another word. "Okay. Do you plan on harming any of us?"
"No! Why would I want that?"
Eckerd shook his head. "Then why do you want to travel with us?"
"Because it sounds like fun. I'm twenty-two - I want to see the world, not be stuck in this town my whole life. Besides, you're right. This is a cruel place filled with mean-spirited people."
"This is no game. We don't stay in any place for more than a month, and we're sleeping on the ground most of the time. You bathe in streams and usually eat squirrels and other forest animals. Are you still sure you want to come?"
Davie nodded. "Very much. It sounds like fun to me."
Eckerd allowed a small smile to grace his features, but it faded quickly. "Have you ever done or said anything mean to Pa'das?"
"Aye, I did. If I hadn't then they would have lumped me with her. But I did manage to stop some of the meaner things they would have done to her. And I'm sorry about the things I did do and say."
Eckerd rubbed his chin. "That complicates matters. I don't know anymore."
Davie waited patiently as Eckerd mused, praying that Eckerd would decide it was okay. It was either that or travel by himself. He did not know if he could do that and survive. He did not know how to live on his own in the wilds, and the next town was quite a ways away.
Eckerd was done his deliberations. "Depending on how Pa'das feels about you, you will stay or go. You have everything you'll want and need for the rest of your life? For it is doubtful you will be allowed back in Corostine."
Davie nodded. He had always been the misfit of the family, and they weren't all that loving of those who weren't carbon copies of the others. The mage jerked his head for Davie to follow him, and strode off into the trees. It would take a while to find Pa'das and Jander. Hopefully, Soorefina or Jander would be prowling around somewhere and lead them there.
* *
* * *
Jander and Pa'das sat on a rock, watching the setting sun. That baby was asleep near the fire. Soorefina was prowling around the woods near them, making sure no one came near, in a furious debate with Pa'das. Obviously, it was about if what the people had said had any truth in it.
Yes, everything they said was true. I am an ugly freak of nature. Jander probably just stays with me because he feels sorry for me.
You are not ugly; the elf doesn't think so, and he's the only one that matters. And he wouldn't do something like that - you know that.
But…
If you don't believe me, ask him. You can always tell when he's lying.
But…
Pa'das, the people there are assholes. They have no brains in their heads. Jander will tell you the same. Eckerd will tell you the same. Your parents would have told you the same. Anyone you meet will tell you the same.
Pa'das sighed heavily. Jander put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to lean on him. She did, laying her head on Jander's shoulder as he stroked her hair. He leaned his own head on top of hers.
"Do you really only say you love me because you feel sorry for me?" She asked, almost silently, half-hoping he wouldn't hear.
Jander's hand slowed and stopped as he pushed her away a little so he could turn to face her. He could see unshed tears in the back of her eyes.
"Of course not." He tenderly brushed away the wisp of hair that was forever falling across her face. "I love you with all my heart and soul. Well, if I was still alive I would, but you know what I mean." A sweet smile spread across his face as he smiled at her, hoping to see a smile on her own face. Comments like that always made Pa'das smile, because she knew he had both a heart and a soul, even if he did not believe it himself. His hopes - and self-deprecating statement - were rewarded with a light smile. "You mean all the world to me. Those people are full of lies and falsehoods. I can't put into words how much I love you." He took her head in his hands, wiping away the lone tear that had trickled over. "Out of the two of us, 'tis I who should be worried that you feel sorry for me, and that's the only thing that lets me keep you."
That was exactly what Pa'das needed to hear, in such an honest, open tone with no hint of lies. More tears trickled over as Pa'das started to cry again. She had wept more since the left Makam than in her entire life before then. Jander immediately pulled her into a tight hug, stroking her hair and rubbing her back. She had been so afraid that Cecile had found the truth of it, and Jander was going to admit it. He was the best thing that ever happened to her. To lose him would be a fate worse than death.
As her tears began to slow, Jander surprised her by starting to sing softly. He had a startlingly rich tenor voice. Pa'das had never heard the song before, but it was a nice one.
For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you
I'll be forever thankful baby
You're the one who held me up
Never let me fall
You're the one who saw me through through it all
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith cuz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
You gave me wings and me fly
You touched my hand I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love I had it all
I'm grateful for each day you gave me
Maybe I don't know that much
But I know this much is true
I was blessed because I was loved you
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith cuz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
You were always there for me
The tender wind that carried me
A light in the dark shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration
Through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith cuz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
"Wow," Pa'das whispered, snuggling into his side, happy again.
"I know. I can't sing. But that's how I feel." A faint blush rose to his cheeks - he was highly embarrassed to have actually sung in front of someone, and to have said that. Revealing feelings had never been easy for Jander - except to Pa'das. Even that embarrassed him - after it had spilled out of his mouth.
Pa'das smiled slightly. "No, that was beautiful. You should lift that beautiful voice in song more often."
Jander shook his head. "You're the first person to ever hear me sing, love, and probably the last. I'm too self-conscious."
"I love you," Pa'das said, settling comfortably into his arms as she yawned, her eyes at half-mast. All of a sudden, she was exhausted.
"Bedtime?"
Pa'das shook her head. "Too comfortable here." She was tired and she felt horrible, but all she wanted was to have the reassurance of Jander's arms around her. He did not need to speak to be telling her how much he loved her, how important she was to him. That's what Pa'das needed now, had needed for the last tenday.
"'Twould be more comfortable lying down. Come on." Jander stood up, pulling up Pa'das next to him.
She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. He wasn't suggesting anything - merely stating a fact. As she stumbled over a tree root - she was really more asleep than awake and it had happened so suddenly - Jander scooped her up in his arms. It really wasn't fair to make her walk the rest of the short distance. Jander had 'suggested' she was tired, seeing the deep fears she still had and hoping they would be lessened by a good rest. It had worked - she had gotten tired immediately. He had given her just enough of a shove so she would fall asleep on her own.
As he carried her, her head on his shoulder and arms loosely clasped around his neck, he once more thought about how lucky he was. The gods may have cursed him, but then they blessed him with the love of Pa'das.
Laying Pa'das down, she woke up enough to mumble, "Hey, I was comfortable." She grabbed his wrist before he could leave, tugging it down. "You made me move when I was comfortable. You're not getting away that easy." She yawned hugely. "You did something to make me this tired so fast, didn't you?"
Jander laughed softly as he lay down next to her. "Of course I did," he said jokingly. If Pa'das knew he had, that would undeniably freak her out. Anyone else would immediately run in fear. Only Jander knew that he would never, ever do anything without a very good reason.
Pa'das moved over, nestling between Jander's arm and his side. A random thought crossed her thoughts, the kind that comes only right before sleep that is never remembered. She had never seen Jander with his shirt off, not even in the middle of the heat of summer. He definitely felt well muscled. Her last thought before sleep was wondering if he had something to hide, some deformity, or if it just wasn't like him to bare his chest…
Jander closed his eyes. He did not need to sleep, but it was something to do when no one else was awake. Soorefina would come and get him when it was his watch, and eh would hear anything that got past her long before it came upon them and wake up. There were some advantages to his vampiric senses. His silver eyes opened as Pa'das stirred in her sleep against his arm. She hadn't woken up - she had just rolled over to face him, her arm curling on his chest. Jander smiled slightly. Yes - he was a lucky elf, as incongruous as that seemed.
* *
* * *
Eckerd was mad and trying not to show it. He could not for the life of him find Jander and Pa'das. Davie patiently endured his bad mood. He would have endured anything so long as he did not have to go back. He was the misfit of the place when they chased out Pa'das. Of course, it wasn't as bad because he was a boy, and his parents were the richest and most prestigious family in Corostine. It was mostly just little slights and the disapproval of his family. The problem was, he was too nice. Stopping some of the meaner stunts the little kids - kids his age and younger - were going to pull had forever made him 'tainted'.
Eckerd stopped grumbling and held up his hand for silence. He listened for a moment, and Davie listened too. He could hear people talking.
"Let's go see what they're doing. Maybe they've seen my friends."
Eckerd walked forward with Davie following slightly behind. It was getting dark, so Eckerd lined his hand with a mage's version of faerie fire, and Davie's too.
"Hold your hand out in front of you like a torch. Speaking of torches…" They could see the flickering of torches through the trees. The voices they could hear did not sound good.
Eckerd swore softly. "Stay here," he ordered Davie.
"Why?"
"Because that's a lynch mob, looking for Pa'das. I'm going to deal with them. If you get seen, then you can't go back."
Davie nodded and faded back into the trees. Eckerd strode through the trees, mentally reviewing all the fireball spells he knew. As Eckerd moved into the light, he saw that Matthew was in charge. Eckerd waited until silence slowly fell and all eyes turned to him. He did not doubt that Matthew had told them all where his loyalties lay.
"I suggest you return to your town," Eckerd said quietly. "There is no possible way you can get to Pa'das with a mage protecting her."
"We got a mage of our own," someone yelled out. As one, they pushed a man - a nervous man - to the front.
"You know the more powerful the mage, the larger the fireball, correct?" The man visibly paled and gulped as he nodded. "Watch," Eckerd said smugly. He hoped the man was so frightened and inexperienced that he wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a real fireball, and an illusion. He cast an illusion of a giant fireball, tossing the illusion to the ground and making it explode, adding a little sound (well, not a little sound…). He quickly cast the illusion of a crater and small fires, hoping the men would provide the smell of smoke for themselves. They did, and the 'mage' broke first, running as fast as he could for safety. The others followed quickly, until only Matthew was left
"Please don't make me kill you," Eckerd said with a smile that said he would be happy to do it, given the lightest provocation. "I'm not having a very good day, so don't push it." Matthew looked into Eckerd's hate-filled eyes and wisely turned and walked away.
Eckerd walked back to where he had left Davie. He started to sing. That had been a very satisfying performance. He had particularly enjoyed the look in the men's eyes as the 'fireball' grew from his splayed fingertips.
"Yo! Davie-boy! Let's go! The damn elf and the girl gotta be around here somewhere!"
"Umm, Eckerd? There's something out there, watching me."
"Sure, sure. Can't be out in the woods if you're paranoid, boy. The gremlins aren't around every tree, you know. Nope, only every other one."
"Eckerd, I'm serious." As Eckerd came into view, Davie pointed to the left. "It was coming from over there, but now…" He shrugged.
"There's always something watching you in the woods, genius."
"I know that! How stupid do you think I am? But-" he ended abruptly as a huge, black panther landed in front of him and Eckerd, growling deep in its throat.
"Soorie! Relax! It's me, Eckerd!"
The cat gave him a withering look. Once more, Eckerd was amazed by the variety of expressions the feline could conjure. She had told him in one look that she knew very well who he was, and was threatening the stranger, not him.
"Easy, lass. He's with me." She did not care. Pa'das was in no condition to see anyone but her closest friends. Especially no one from there. "Look. He'll stay right here if I tell him to. Will you take me to Jander and Pa'das, please?"
Soorefina sat back on he haunches and tilted her head, considering it. Finally, she nodded her head and started to walk off, back the way Eckerd and Davie had come. Eckerd followed, and Soorefina glanced back at Davie, jerking her head in a decidedly human fashion to follow.
"She wants you to follow," Eckerd told him.
Davie started shakily to move. It was very disconcerting to have a huge panther drop down in front of you from nowhere. Eckerd lit up their whole bodies in his version of faerie fire so they could see in the pitch black of night. After walking for a while - the full moon was directly over their heads - they came upon a clearing. Soorefina nodded towards the ground.
"Davie stays here?" She nodded and traced an arc in the air with her paw. "For the whole night, probably?" She nodded once more. She had become quite adept at communicating with Eckerd and Jander when Pa'das wasn't there. "You heard - saw - her. I'll be back in the morn. You can start your own fire?"
"Do you think me stupid?"
"The rest of your family is. But then, you are not like the rest of your family. Have no fear of beasts in the night. Soorefina or Jander will be prowling around to ward off all beasties." Eckerd laughed at the jibe he made, and Davie grinned.
"There was something watching me." Soorefina growled and Davie jumped.
Eckerd laughed. "C'mon, Soorie. Take me to your leader."
The big cat rolled her eyes and trotted off. Eckerd threw a wink at Davie and followed her. "If I don't come back," he called back over his shoulder, "it's because Soorie got so sick of me, that she ate me." The cat made a sound that sounded suspiciously like spitting. "Well, maybe not. Apparently, she wouldn't want to dirty her mouth with the taste."
* *
* * *
Jander woke to the sound of footsteps and padding cat paws. It was the middle of the night, and Jander wondered who would be awake then, and why Soorie was with them. He immediately recognized the cat's footsteps, but it took him a moment to recognize Eckerd's. Why he was out here, Jander couldn't fathom. He didn't get up - Pa'das' weight against his arm and chest was too comfortable. What in the world was Eckerd doing? The moon was setting - it was only a couple hours to dawn. Soorefina should have come and got him. Jander closed his eyes, hoping that if they thought he was asleep, he wouldn't have to move.
"What a pretty picture! Jander, wake up."
"I am awake. Is this going to require me to get up?"
"I don't know."
Before Eckerd could continue, Jander sighed and extricated himself from Pa'das' sleeping embrace. She mumbled in her sleep and rolled over, pulling the blanket up. A quick glance told him Korrieana was still sound asleep and hadn't moved.
"My watch, anyways. So, why are you up? Why are you here so early?"
"One would almost think I wasn't wanted," Eckerd grinned. "Cecile came to supper, bragging about what she did. I flip[ed out on her and told the whole family off. They kicked me out fro associating with her." Soorefina lay down as they spoke, and they moved off into the trees so they wouldn't wake anyone up. "Davie wanted to come with me - he always was the nicest of the lot."
"You didn't-"
"Let me finish talking!" Eckerd clouted Jander on the shoulder. "Sheesh! Wait for the whole story! Anyway, I couldn't decide, so I told him he could come for now, but I wasn't guaranteeing we wouldn't immediately send him back. I figured, leave it up to Pa'das. I cast a truth spell - there's no plot, he stopped a lot of meaner things kids his age were going to do to her, and is ashamed of the things he did do."
"One fatal flaw, Eckerd. What about me?"
Eckerd furrowed his brow. "What…? Oh, shit. I forgot about that."
"You see, my friend," Jander said softly, "it is not so simple as that when I'm your traveling companion."
Eckerd shrugged. "Oh well. I'll tell him in the morning he can't come."
Jander smiled, sweet and sad. "Sorry, Eckerd. Where'd you leave him?"
"A clearing, a bit back. You guys got far! And, to be completely honest with you, I'm sort of glad he can't come. Our group works out perfectly fine right now, and another person might…"
Jander nodded. He didn't really believe Eckerd, but it was a nice gesture. "You haven't slept at all tonight?"
Eckerd shook his head ruefully. "I was too hyped up on anger."
"Go back and get some sleep. I'll prowl around, keeping watch, and make sure Davie's all right. What does he look like?"
"Tall, blonde hair, blue eyes. Probably the only other human in the forest."
Jander nodded and disappeared into the trees in the blink of an eye. Eckerd - now that the adrenaline had finally worn off - stumbled off to bed.