Chapter 4
"What was that about?" Parn asked himself as he turned around. Expecting to find the guest quarters he opened the large doors. Instead of the room he left armor in, he recognized the room though. There among the silken sheets she slept. No longer in the dress that made her look like a goddess, but in a night smock that made Parn urn for a better look. The slight breeze that moved the curtain of the window sent chills up his spine.
Parn drew nearer to her bedside. Gazing down upon her form he smiled. He had secretly always enjoyed watching her sleep from a far, but up close was much nicer. The way her ears twitched slightly ever so often made him laugh.
Leaning in towards Deed's still form, he found her tear stained face still wearing a frown. How Parn wanted to take this burden off her shoulders. He could- couldn't he?
'What had that elf said about a guide?' He wondered. Frustration set in. he had to figure this out… he wasn't known for his skills with the mind, but he needed them now. 'Maybe Deed, yes, she must know!' He thought as he knelt on the large bed. Pushing back the bed curtains, he got a better glimpse of her form.
"Deedlit…" He said in a voice no louder than a whisper. His heart beat faster and faster as his hand reached out towards her skin. The same skin he had caressed with his lips just hours before.
Faintly he drew some of her hair off her face. Tucking it behind her pointed and slender ear, the touch of his hand must of tickled because she let out a quiet giggle as she nuzzled back into the pillows. Deedlit's body rolled onto her side. Parn's heart thumped loudly again as her silken smock revealed a side of Deedlit he only saw in his dreams. A smooth shapely leg stuck out from the sheets and rubbwed against the bed sheets.
Parn couldn't help it but he was in too far to turn back, as she mumbled his name in her sleep.
'She thinks of me…' he thought. To anyone else it was more than obvious that Deedlit liked him- her endless worrying and shameless flirting with Parn were telltale signs of her affections.
"Deed." He whispered as he placed his lips to her skin once more, this time on the jewel encrusted amulet her kind wore on their foreheads.
-
Deed slowly awoke to the sun shinning through her window and a warmth she had never felt before. Gradually opening her eyes, as to not totally wake up from the dream, she noticed she was lying with her back to a firm, yet soft frame.
Sucking in the breath in her throat she froze. But she was not afraid- no she could never fear the one who held her now. His battle worn hands were draped around her waist.
'But how did he get here?' She wondered silently. Sighing contentedly she settled back against his strong chest. If only for a time she would be happy. But that evil foreboding feeling still had not left. Ever since last night a darkness could be felt in the forest… what were the motives behind this marriage? She questioned. The dark elves never associate with her kind unless it was to their advantage…
The thought totally left her mind when a shriek echoed in her room.
Both the occupants on the bed sat up with a start. Parn's hair looked bed-worn and Deed's smock exposed a shoulder.
Realizing that her maid servant had entered and found the sight they made, Deed closed her eyes and wished for a better start to this dreaded day.
Parn instantly turned a bright red as he too realized what this must have looked like to the servant elf.
"Hush!" Deed commanded the servant, as she readjusted her night gown. "I will talk to you later, please leave my things there and you may go."
"Yes my lady, but your father is waiting for you in the main hall. He wishes you dress in your best attire."
"Tell him I will be down once I'm ready and do not speak of what you saw in here ever."
"Yes princess." The elf maiden said before she bowed and exited.
Parn was trying to figure out some way of explaining what happened last night, but nothing came to his mind. Deed suddenly threw herself head first onto the pillows of the bed. Things truly where hopeless… no one would stop this arranged marriage now. Parn would leave… leave her to an eternity of despair. They were so close, they had come so far together. She had at least hoped he would feel something for her- she had thought that after last night in the garden, he had felt something. Deed once again found herself on the verge of tears of desperation. What was she to do now?
Parn set his hand on her back as she cried out her frustrations and worries.
Then like a faucet she stopped after giving herself a mental slap.
She almost seemed like she was ignoring him when she got up and walked over to her dresser. The gown prepared was something to be worn for special occasions only. However Deed looked at the soft fabric with disgust. Throwing it to the ground she sat and stared at her tear stained face in her mirror.
"it'll be alright Deedlit." Parn tried to comfort her. But after hearing the words himself he wanted to hit himself for sounding so lame and stupid.
"Alright?" Deed said in an angry tone, one Parn had never heard her use before. "How will this be aright? Being forced to marry, leave my home, never being free for the rest of eternity? How is that alright? You can leave when ever you like- but me… I've seen my last adventure. You don't understand Parn!!! I had hoped you'd…no. You're just a stupid human! Humans truly don't care about Elven worries… so go back to your kind then!" She said as she broke back into tears after yelling at him. "Leave me alone- just go away Parn… you can forget about me now…it's like I'm already dead."
"Deed?"
"I said go away." He voice told him it was not a request, but a demand as she ran into her inner chambers and locked the door.
'That certainly didn't go well.' Parn thought as he gave up trying to apologize to Deed.
Walking out of her room he remembered he was still in the same garb as last night. Finding a servant, he was escorted to his room where a meal and a bath awaited him, along with a fresh set of Elven tunics for him to wear.
-
Deed was all prepared for what she now accepted as her fate in life.
'Would it have been better if I had not survived the resurrection attempt? No, then Parn and the others would have suffered…' She thought as she walked down the halls in her elegant silken dress. The jewelry that adorned her certainly didn't suit her likes, she disliked long and fancy cloths as well.
Walking towards the great hall reminded her of the night Parn had escorted her to the feast in Valis. How happy she was as he held her hand- the feeling of desperation she felt as she tried everything to get his attention- how utterly content it felt to be in his arms and see him smiling back at her. These feelings and more…
'Oh why did I ever yell at him?' She asked herself. 'I ruined one of the last happy moments of my life yelling at him…'
As she got to the door the feeling of the darkness again.
-
"We must not fail." She heard a voice say coming from the other room.
"The balance in Lodoss must be maintained at all costs… if the Elf princess were allowed to wed the human it would mean the beginning of strong ties between mortals and the immortals… especially after the boy takes his place as ruler over a kingdom."
"Yes, my lord. I understand. My son will take care of that from ever happening." Another voice came.
"Remember- neither must be killed if at all possible… they both are too vital to Lodoss' survival. Now go and do not fail me."
"Yes, but what about our agreement?"
"You will get everything you desire and the power of the high elves as a marriage dowry from your son and his new bride."
Very well my lord, we dark elves live to serve you."
-
"What was that about?" Parn asked himself as he turned around. Expecting to find the guest quarters he opened the large doors. Instead of the room he left armor in, he recognized the room though. There among the silken sheets she slept. No longer in the dress that made her look like a goddess, but in a night smock that made Parn urn for a better look. The slight breeze that moved the curtain of the window sent chills up his spine.
Parn drew nearer to her bedside. Gazing down upon her form he smiled. He had secretly always enjoyed watching her sleep from a far, but up close was much nicer. The way her ears twitched slightly ever so often made him laugh.
Leaning in towards Deed's still form, he found her tear stained face still wearing a frown. How Parn wanted to take this burden off her shoulders. He could- couldn't he?
'What had that elf said about a guide?' He wondered. Frustration set in. he had to figure this out… he wasn't known for his skills with the mind, but he needed them now. 'Maybe Deed, yes, she must know!' He thought as he knelt on the large bed. Pushing back the bed curtains, he got a better glimpse of her form.
"Deedlit…" He said in a voice no louder than a whisper. His heart beat faster and faster as his hand reached out towards her skin. The same skin he had caressed with his lips just hours before.
Faintly he drew some of her hair off her face. Tucking it behind her pointed and slender ear, the touch of his hand must of tickled because she let out a quiet giggle as she nuzzled back into the pillows. Deedlit's body rolled onto her side. Parn's heart thumped loudly again as her silken smock revealed a side of Deedlit he only saw in his dreams. A smooth shapely leg stuck out from the sheets and rubbwed against the bed sheets.
Parn couldn't help it but he was in too far to turn back, as she mumbled his name in her sleep.
'She thinks of me…' he thought. To anyone else it was more than obvious that Deedlit liked him- her endless worrying and shameless flirting with Parn were telltale signs of her affections.
"Deed." He whispered as he placed his lips to her skin once more, this time on the jewel encrusted amulet her kind wore on their foreheads.
-
Deed slowly awoke to the sun shinning through her window and a warmth she had never felt before. Gradually opening her eyes, as to not totally wake up from the dream, she noticed she was lying with her back to a firm, yet soft frame.
Sucking in the breath in her throat she froze. But she was not afraid- no she could never fear the one who held her now. His battle worn hands were draped around her waist.
'But how did he get here?' She wondered silently. Sighing contentedly she settled back against his strong chest. If only for a time she would be happy. But that evil foreboding feeling still had not left. Ever since last night a darkness could be felt in the forest… what were the motives behind this marriage? She questioned. The dark elves never associate with her kind unless it was to their advantage…
The thought totally left her mind when a shriek echoed in her room.
Both the occupants on the bed sat up with a start. Parn's hair looked bed-worn and Deed's smock exposed a shoulder.
Realizing that her maid servant had entered and found the sight they made, Deed closed her eyes and wished for a better start to this dreaded day.
Parn instantly turned a bright red as he too realized what this must have looked like to the servant elf.
"Hush!" Deed commanded the servant, as she readjusted her night gown. "I will talk to you later, please leave my things there and you may go."
"Yes my lady, but your father is waiting for you in the main hall. He wishes you dress in your best attire."
"Tell him I will be down once I'm ready and do not speak of what you saw in here ever."
"Yes princess." The elf maiden said before she bowed and exited.
Parn was trying to figure out some way of explaining what happened last night, but nothing came to his mind. Deed suddenly threw herself head first onto the pillows of the bed. Things truly where hopeless… no one would stop this arranged marriage now. Parn would leave… leave her to an eternity of despair. They were so close, they had come so far together. She had at least hoped he would feel something for her- she had thought that after last night in the garden, he had felt something. Deed once again found herself on the verge of tears of desperation. What was she to do now?
Parn set his hand on her back as she cried out her frustrations and worries.
Then like a faucet she stopped after giving herself a mental slap.
She almost seemed like she was ignoring him when she got up and walked over to her dresser. The gown prepared was something to be worn for special occasions only. However Deed looked at the soft fabric with disgust. Throwing it to the ground she sat and stared at her tear stained face in her mirror.
"it'll be alright Deedlit." Parn tried to comfort her. But after hearing the words himself he wanted to hit himself for sounding so lame and stupid.
"Alright?" Deed said in an angry tone, one Parn had never heard her use before. "How will this be aright? Being forced to marry, leave my home, never being free for the rest of eternity? How is that alright? You can leave when ever you like- but me… I've seen my last adventure. You don't understand Parn!!! I had hoped you'd…no. You're just a stupid human! Humans truly don't care about Elven worries… so go back to your kind then!" She said as she broke back into tears after yelling at him. "Leave me alone- just go away Parn… you can forget about me now…it's like I'm already dead."
"Deed?"
"I said go away." He voice told him it was not a request, but a demand as she ran into her inner chambers and locked the door.
'That certainly didn't go well.' Parn thought as he gave up trying to apologize to Deed.
Walking out of her room he remembered he was still in the same garb as last night. Finding a servant, he was escorted to his room where a meal and a bath awaited him, along with a fresh set of Elven tunics for him to wear.
-
Deed was all prepared for what she now accepted as her fate in life.
'Would it have been better if I had not survived the resurrection attempt? No, then Parn and the others would have suffered…' She thought as she walked down the halls in her elegant silken dress. The jewelry that adorned her certainly didn't suit her likes, she disliked long and fancy cloths as well.
Walking towards the great hall reminded her of the night Parn had escorted her to the feast in Valis. How happy she was as he held her hand- the feeling of desperation she felt as she tried everything to get his attention- how utterly content it felt to be in his arms and see him smiling back at her. These feelings and more…
'Oh why did I ever yell at him?' She asked herself. 'I ruined one of the last happy moments of my life yelling at him…'
As she got to the door the feeling of the darkness again.
-
"We must not fail." She heard a voice say coming from the other room.
"The balance in Lodoss must be maintained at all costs… if the Elf princess were allowed to wed the human it would mean the beginning of strong ties between mortals and the immortals… especially after the boy takes his place as ruler over a kingdom."
"Yes, my lord. I understand. My son will take care of that from ever happening." Another voice came.
"Remember- neither must be killed if at all possible… they both are too vital to Lodoss' survival. Now go and do not fail me."
"Yes, but what about our agreement?"
"You will get everything you desire and the power of the high elves as a marriage dowry from your son and his new bride."
Very well my lord, we dark elves live to serve you."
-