"I need to know you feelings about me." He pulled her up and took her in
his arms.
"I don't know what to tell you." She pulled away.
"Anything." He reached for her again.
"I love you like I do Caleb, maybe in a different way, but only a little. You helped raise me; you're like my brother. I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear." Lorilie stepped towards the door.
Wintercloud frowned, "But I thought."
"Well, you thought wrong. My heart lies with Brand." Lorilie threw open the door and walked out.
Caleb appeared in the doorway and crossed his arms. "What was that about?" his forehead creased in question.
"Nothing." Wintercloud barked.
"Fine, if you wont tell me, I'll just ask Lorilie." Caleb lightly laughed.
"She'll probably mislead you too." Wintercloud snapped.
"What are you talking about?" Caleb closed the door.
"Her heart lies with Brand, not mine." Wintercloud glared out the window with a sulk look on his face.
"Wintercloud, she's practically your sister! Plus you're fifteen years older then her! No, Wintercloud, no." Caleb shook his head.
"You can't make my decisions." The human shoved Caleb.
"Get out of this house till you can learn to control your anger. You better stay away from everyone here too, especially Lorilie. If I ever find out your harassing her you'll regret ever meeting me." The shorter wood elf glared and pointed to the door.
"You don't scare me Caleb. I'm a druid too, probably stronger then you are." He puffed out his chest.
"I doubt it. Now leave." Caleb pushed him to the front door.
"I will come for. I will come back." Wintercloud changed his sentence.
"You've just proved that we're not friends anymore, I know what we were going to say." Caleb gritted his teeth.
"Good." The dark haired human vanished.
Lorilie sat down on the couch and crossed her arms under her breasts. She wasn't in the happiest mood at the moment. Brand came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Lorilie moved to the other couch and glared at him. He sighed and sat across from her. "I overheard what Caleb and Wintercloud were saying." His cheeks grew a faint pink.
"So. Everyone in Kelethin could, they were shouting so loud." She grumbled.
"You heart is with mine?" he slightly smiled as his cheeks became a dull red.
"I had to say something for him to leave me alone." She walked to her uncle's room.
*****
Victoria and Vinx sat leaning against a tree eating their midday meal. Vinx had a half-elf illusion on and every so often he would change its appearance. Victoria sharpened all nine of her daggers and polished them while crunching on an apple. Vinx was mixing together some poison for Victoria's dagger tips. He was grinning when he tested the poison on a bat he had caught. The bat sputtered and let out a high pitch scream before turning colors and then finally dieing.
*****
Brand jumped around playing his flute for the little children that gathered to listen. They all spun in circles, laughing while Brand kept playing. He smiled to Lorilie who was sitting against the house wall. She gave a faint smile back. He nodded and continued to jump around in the middle of the crowd. Joshua sat next to Lorilie and patted her shoulder.
"You going to be all right?" concern flooded his voice.
Lorilie took a deep breath." My life is like the eternal flames of Innoruuk's hell, it will never end. Even though I see the light it runs and hides from me. All this hatred, all this pain, what does it bubble up to be? Only more hatred and pain? To be completely happy with ones self is impossible. To fall in love is the worst mistake for the heart to make while living. It is just plain weakness to feel it. To win the battle is to never have love at all. But love is wonderful in many ways; to feel so needed, to be so close to one being, being the world to the one person you devote your heart to, that is the most touching feeling anyone will ever feel while being in existence in this world." Lorilie sighed. Joshua was silent.
*****
Wintercloud stormed down the dirt path with one thing on his mind, revenge. Caleb had no right to tell him whom he could love or not. Oh and that Brand, he'll regret ever stepping in the Windchaser's Port. All those little elves were going to pay.
*****
"Shut your mouth." Vinx snapped to Victoria.
"What?" she picked up her poison tipped daggers.
"Someone is coming." He threw all their things behind a bush and grabbed Victoria.
"Let's test your poison on this poor fool." Victoria said after they saw a human pass.
*****
Wintercloud muttered on and shook his head. He was unaware of Victoria and Vinx creeping after him. Victoria raised her arm and poised herself for the throw. Carefully she took aim and with incredible power hurled the small blade into Wintercloud's back. Wintercloud stopped and quickly began to heal himself. His breath came in short rapid gasps. He reached his hand over his shoulder and pulled the dagger out. Vinx cursed and turned himself into a high elf. Victoria hid behind a rock and laughed.
"Let me assist you good sir." Vinx said falsely.
"No, I can handle it." Wintercloud was surrounded with a blue haze.
"Please sir, it could have been poison." Vinx stepped closer.
"Wait. You saw what happened?" Wintercloud eyed Vinx.
"Why yes. This horrible looking dark elf women jumped out behind you like an orc and threw that dagger." He picked the dagger out of Wintercloud's hands.
Wintercloud's confused expression turned into pain. He clutched his stomach and rolled on the ground. He moaned for help to Vinx. Vinx laughed cruelly and transformed back into his original self. Wintercloud kicked the dark elf away and crawled to a tree. Victoria stepped beside her companion and prepared another dagger. With a gleeful look in her eyes, she threw the dagger towards Wintercloud's chest. He dodged it and chanted a spell. Victoria and Vinx flew back into a large rock. Victoria screamed as she tried to stand up. She grabbed her thigh and whimpered. Vinx shakily got up and pulled Victoria up after him. He then loudly began his own chant. Wintercloud choked violently; blood was covering the ground all around him. It all stopped and Wintercloud didn't move. Vinx knew the human was dead so there was no need to go over and check.
"Vinx, I think my leg is broken." Victoria leaned on him for support.
"We can go to Crushbone to get it healed." He put her arm around his neck and picked her up.
She screamed and slapped him. "My leg you fool! Don't grab it!"
"Just be quiet for once. I'm showing some concern towards you." His dark piercing eyes widened.
*****
Lorilie laughed as Kel bounced Saria on his back. She was back in her breeches and blouse and was much more comfortable. Caleb shoved Wintercloud out of his mind and joined in the fun. Slith and Mirk crouched by Lorilie's side and talked softly. Earlier that day Slith showed Lorilie, Brand, Lanie, Kayla, and Marcus all the new kicks he had learned from his father.
Tegid walked up to the group and kept them company, he was very interested in how Lorilie traveled and who she traveled with. He pleaded to accompany them for their next journey. Caleb agreed and he and Tegid went to a tavern to have some drinks and talk about druid things that Lorilie didn't understand. Caleb seemed to have forgotten all about Wintercloud as he chuckled over the table at Tegid's humorous stories.
Brand was again scribbling in his small notepad when Lorilie entered the house. He looked up and smiled while putting away the ink and quill. Brand motioned Lorilie to sit next to him. Hesitating for a second, she crossed to the couch and sat. "You still mad at me?" he folded the paper and sealed it into an envelope.
"I'm sorry about that, Brand. I was very upset." She ran her fingers though her silky hair.
"It's nothing to worry about." He leaned over and softly kissed her.
Lorilie sat shocked when he leaned back. She touched her lips and stared at Brand. Shrugging his shoulders he bent in for another kiss. Lorilie didn't resist and wrapped her arms around his neck. A loud cough came from behind the two; Lorilie jumped off the couch and fell into the table.
"Having a good time?" Lanie smirked as she put her hands on her hips.
"Yes, till you interrupted." Brand stood and smiled.
Lorilie's eyes were popping out of her head. "Please, don't tell Caleb."
"Don't worry girl, I don't want to see Brand all bruised up. He's got a cute face." Lanie laughed and walked past them. Pulling Lorilie to her feet, Brand smiled again. He helped her brush herself off before kissing her hands and leaving the house. Trying to hide her grin, Lorilie slipped into her room and sat at the vanity. Lanie came in after her and giggled. "So now you have a 'thing' for Brand."
"Yes Lanie,...I do." Lorilie sighed.
*****
Shifting through the papers on Albain's desk, Riley frowned. He pocketed a letter and shoved the rest back into the drawer. Sitting on Albain's chair, he waited for the wood elf to come. Not long after that, Albain opened the door reading yet another letter. He looked up from the paper and his eyes widened. "What gives you the right to go though my personal papers?"
"You've been keeping valuable information from me." Riley folded his hands.
Magical energy pulsed around Albain as Riley was pitched in the wall. There was a sickening crunch as Riley slid down to the ground. Albain calmly took his chair and turned it until he was facing Riley. The misshapen human groaned and held his right arm tightly. "Heal me, you fool." His scars made his face look like he was in even more pain.
Albain smiled. "Return the papers you stole from my desk." Albain leaned closer to Riley's face and held out his hand.
Laughing, Riley crumpled the papers and placed them in Albain's hand. "Those papers mean nothing to me."
Albain glared. "What have you done?" he demanded.
"I've already sent assassins to kill Lorilie. I finally took the matter into my own hands." He grinned madly as Albain sprinted to the door.
Horse hoofs clicked loudly as the gray dapple Albain rode, sped through the crowded streets of Freeport, making people dive out of the way to avoid being trampled to death. Albain didn't care that his hood wasn't covering his face; he didn't care if people recognized his as a murderer. Jumping off the bay in front of a small house, Albain pounded on the door until it opened. Aubrey sighed and started to close the door again.
"Wait Aubrey! I need your help!" Albain stuck his foot in to stop the door from closing.
"Need my help for what?" Aubrey wore a stern look.
"Riley's going to kill Lorilie!" Albain pushed his way in and sat at the table.
"I thought you were doing that." Aubrey said coldly.
"I was never going to kill her, I just planned it all so it looked like I was trying too. I would never harm Lorilie." The wood elf wiped a tear off his face.
Surprise covered Aubrey's face. He ran to a cabinet and threw scrolls all over the table. "Help me look!" he said to Albain while throwing more things on the table.
"What are you looking for?" Albain picked up a helmet.
"My scroll with all the names of my most trust-worthy men." Aubrey tossed a moldy loaf of bread to the floor.
"Why?" Albain gave the bread a disgusted look.
"You want Lorilie saved right?" the human stopped for a moment and stared.
"Of course I do!" Albain slammed his hands against the oak table.
"Then look!"
"I don't know what to tell you." She pulled away.
"Anything." He reached for her again.
"I love you like I do Caleb, maybe in a different way, but only a little. You helped raise me; you're like my brother. I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear." Lorilie stepped towards the door.
Wintercloud frowned, "But I thought."
"Well, you thought wrong. My heart lies with Brand." Lorilie threw open the door and walked out.
Caleb appeared in the doorway and crossed his arms. "What was that about?" his forehead creased in question.
"Nothing." Wintercloud barked.
"Fine, if you wont tell me, I'll just ask Lorilie." Caleb lightly laughed.
"She'll probably mislead you too." Wintercloud snapped.
"What are you talking about?" Caleb closed the door.
"Her heart lies with Brand, not mine." Wintercloud glared out the window with a sulk look on his face.
"Wintercloud, she's practically your sister! Plus you're fifteen years older then her! No, Wintercloud, no." Caleb shook his head.
"You can't make my decisions." The human shoved Caleb.
"Get out of this house till you can learn to control your anger. You better stay away from everyone here too, especially Lorilie. If I ever find out your harassing her you'll regret ever meeting me." The shorter wood elf glared and pointed to the door.
"You don't scare me Caleb. I'm a druid too, probably stronger then you are." He puffed out his chest.
"I doubt it. Now leave." Caleb pushed him to the front door.
"I will come for. I will come back." Wintercloud changed his sentence.
"You've just proved that we're not friends anymore, I know what we were going to say." Caleb gritted his teeth.
"Good." The dark haired human vanished.
Lorilie sat down on the couch and crossed her arms under her breasts. She wasn't in the happiest mood at the moment. Brand came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Lorilie moved to the other couch and glared at him. He sighed and sat across from her. "I overheard what Caleb and Wintercloud were saying." His cheeks grew a faint pink.
"So. Everyone in Kelethin could, they were shouting so loud." She grumbled.
"You heart is with mine?" he slightly smiled as his cheeks became a dull red.
"I had to say something for him to leave me alone." She walked to her uncle's room.
*****
Victoria and Vinx sat leaning against a tree eating their midday meal. Vinx had a half-elf illusion on and every so often he would change its appearance. Victoria sharpened all nine of her daggers and polished them while crunching on an apple. Vinx was mixing together some poison for Victoria's dagger tips. He was grinning when he tested the poison on a bat he had caught. The bat sputtered and let out a high pitch scream before turning colors and then finally dieing.
*****
Brand jumped around playing his flute for the little children that gathered to listen. They all spun in circles, laughing while Brand kept playing. He smiled to Lorilie who was sitting against the house wall. She gave a faint smile back. He nodded and continued to jump around in the middle of the crowd. Joshua sat next to Lorilie and patted her shoulder.
"You going to be all right?" concern flooded his voice.
Lorilie took a deep breath." My life is like the eternal flames of Innoruuk's hell, it will never end. Even though I see the light it runs and hides from me. All this hatred, all this pain, what does it bubble up to be? Only more hatred and pain? To be completely happy with ones self is impossible. To fall in love is the worst mistake for the heart to make while living. It is just plain weakness to feel it. To win the battle is to never have love at all. But love is wonderful in many ways; to feel so needed, to be so close to one being, being the world to the one person you devote your heart to, that is the most touching feeling anyone will ever feel while being in existence in this world." Lorilie sighed. Joshua was silent.
*****
Wintercloud stormed down the dirt path with one thing on his mind, revenge. Caleb had no right to tell him whom he could love or not. Oh and that Brand, he'll regret ever stepping in the Windchaser's Port. All those little elves were going to pay.
*****
"Shut your mouth." Vinx snapped to Victoria.
"What?" she picked up her poison tipped daggers.
"Someone is coming." He threw all their things behind a bush and grabbed Victoria.
"Let's test your poison on this poor fool." Victoria said after they saw a human pass.
*****
Wintercloud muttered on and shook his head. He was unaware of Victoria and Vinx creeping after him. Victoria raised her arm and poised herself for the throw. Carefully she took aim and with incredible power hurled the small blade into Wintercloud's back. Wintercloud stopped and quickly began to heal himself. His breath came in short rapid gasps. He reached his hand over his shoulder and pulled the dagger out. Vinx cursed and turned himself into a high elf. Victoria hid behind a rock and laughed.
"Let me assist you good sir." Vinx said falsely.
"No, I can handle it." Wintercloud was surrounded with a blue haze.
"Please sir, it could have been poison." Vinx stepped closer.
"Wait. You saw what happened?" Wintercloud eyed Vinx.
"Why yes. This horrible looking dark elf women jumped out behind you like an orc and threw that dagger." He picked the dagger out of Wintercloud's hands.
Wintercloud's confused expression turned into pain. He clutched his stomach and rolled on the ground. He moaned for help to Vinx. Vinx laughed cruelly and transformed back into his original self. Wintercloud kicked the dark elf away and crawled to a tree. Victoria stepped beside her companion and prepared another dagger. With a gleeful look in her eyes, she threw the dagger towards Wintercloud's chest. He dodged it and chanted a spell. Victoria and Vinx flew back into a large rock. Victoria screamed as she tried to stand up. She grabbed her thigh and whimpered. Vinx shakily got up and pulled Victoria up after him. He then loudly began his own chant. Wintercloud choked violently; blood was covering the ground all around him. It all stopped and Wintercloud didn't move. Vinx knew the human was dead so there was no need to go over and check.
"Vinx, I think my leg is broken." Victoria leaned on him for support.
"We can go to Crushbone to get it healed." He put her arm around his neck and picked her up.
She screamed and slapped him. "My leg you fool! Don't grab it!"
"Just be quiet for once. I'm showing some concern towards you." His dark piercing eyes widened.
*****
Lorilie laughed as Kel bounced Saria on his back. She was back in her breeches and blouse and was much more comfortable. Caleb shoved Wintercloud out of his mind and joined in the fun. Slith and Mirk crouched by Lorilie's side and talked softly. Earlier that day Slith showed Lorilie, Brand, Lanie, Kayla, and Marcus all the new kicks he had learned from his father.
Tegid walked up to the group and kept them company, he was very interested in how Lorilie traveled and who she traveled with. He pleaded to accompany them for their next journey. Caleb agreed and he and Tegid went to a tavern to have some drinks and talk about druid things that Lorilie didn't understand. Caleb seemed to have forgotten all about Wintercloud as he chuckled over the table at Tegid's humorous stories.
Brand was again scribbling in his small notepad when Lorilie entered the house. He looked up and smiled while putting away the ink and quill. Brand motioned Lorilie to sit next to him. Hesitating for a second, she crossed to the couch and sat. "You still mad at me?" he folded the paper and sealed it into an envelope.
"I'm sorry about that, Brand. I was very upset." She ran her fingers though her silky hair.
"It's nothing to worry about." He leaned over and softly kissed her.
Lorilie sat shocked when he leaned back. She touched her lips and stared at Brand. Shrugging his shoulders he bent in for another kiss. Lorilie didn't resist and wrapped her arms around his neck. A loud cough came from behind the two; Lorilie jumped off the couch and fell into the table.
"Having a good time?" Lanie smirked as she put her hands on her hips.
"Yes, till you interrupted." Brand stood and smiled.
Lorilie's eyes were popping out of her head. "Please, don't tell Caleb."
"Don't worry girl, I don't want to see Brand all bruised up. He's got a cute face." Lanie laughed and walked past them. Pulling Lorilie to her feet, Brand smiled again. He helped her brush herself off before kissing her hands and leaving the house. Trying to hide her grin, Lorilie slipped into her room and sat at the vanity. Lanie came in after her and giggled. "So now you have a 'thing' for Brand."
"Yes Lanie,...I do." Lorilie sighed.
*****
Shifting through the papers on Albain's desk, Riley frowned. He pocketed a letter and shoved the rest back into the drawer. Sitting on Albain's chair, he waited for the wood elf to come. Not long after that, Albain opened the door reading yet another letter. He looked up from the paper and his eyes widened. "What gives you the right to go though my personal papers?"
"You've been keeping valuable information from me." Riley folded his hands.
Magical energy pulsed around Albain as Riley was pitched in the wall. There was a sickening crunch as Riley slid down to the ground. Albain calmly took his chair and turned it until he was facing Riley. The misshapen human groaned and held his right arm tightly. "Heal me, you fool." His scars made his face look like he was in even more pain.
Albain smiled. "Return the papers you stole from my desk." Albain leaned closer to Riley's face and held out his hand.
Laughing, Riley crumpled the papers and placed them in Albain's hand. "Those papers mean nothing to me."
Albain glared. "What have you done?" he demanded.
"I've already sent assassins to kill Lorilie. I finally took the matter into my own hands." He grinned madly as Albain sprinted to the door.
Horse hoofs clicked loudly as the gray dapple Albain rode, sped through the crowded streets of Freeport, making people dive out of the way to avoid being trampled to death. Albain didn't care that his hood wasn't covering his face; he didn't care if people recognized his as a murderer. Jumping off the bay in front of a small house, Albain pounded on the door until it opened. Aubrey sighed and started to close the door again.
"Wait Aubrey! I need your help!" Albain stuck his foot in to stop the door from closing.
"Need my help for what?" Aubrey wore a stern look.
"Riley's going to kill Lorilie!" Albain pushed his way in and sat at the table.
"I thought you were doing that." Aubrey said coldly.
"I was never going to kill her, I just planned it all so it looked like I was trying too. I would never harm Lorilie." The wood elf wiped a tear off his face.
Surprise covered Aubrey's face. He ran to a cabinet and threw scrolls all over the table. "Help me look!" he said to Albain while throwing more things on the table.
"What are you looking for?" Albain picked up a helmet.
"My scroll with all the names of my most trust-worthy men." Aubrey tossed a moldy loaf of bread to the floor.
"Why?" Albain gave the bread a disgusted look.
"You want Lorilie saved right?" the human stopped for a moment and stared.
"Of course I do!" Albain slammed his hands against the oak table.
"Then look!"