Out of the darkness of the forests they rode. Sarah clung to his chest like
a
newborn babe to it's mother. It was strange to him that her grip was still
so
firm even in her sleep. In his mind, Christian debated whether or not to
just
stop and make camp. Sighing, he pressed onward. Sarah didn't deserve the
cold
damp ground as her bed. But the nearest town was Eron, a quiet poor town
known only to hunters or travelers like himself. There were two pubs, but
only one offered rooms. He dreaded bringing her to a society in which there
were many young men with sharp eyes. He knew very well this time to be wary
of them, even if she gave her word. That was how he lost the last one eighteen years ago. But she hadn't loved him then.
"Sarah?" he whispered into her ear. He slowed the horse to a walk
"What is it, Christian?" she looked up at him, searching for any clue to his thoughts through his piercing green eyes. Finding no answer, she looked ahead.
"I'm taking you to a village in which we will be staying in for a day or two. You remember when I told you about that spell on you that made you resist the men of your world?" she nodded wordlessly. "The spell does not protect you from the Fae of this realm. The fae can be very seductive to humans. The inn we are staying at is also a pub. I need your word that you will resist the temptations they might offer you."
"I swear on my love for you, Christian, the first man I'll bed will be you." he grinned. "But even before that, why would I do that, You told me that until set free I must remain a virgin." He gently placed a kiss on her
chocolate head.
"Because, sweet Sarah, it happened before. Now don't look so surprised. Yes, I've been promised babes before. All female, though, for these beasts don't
come to men. The last one, Rosaline, made me nearly a fortune, but before we could establish a solid foundation for it, a young Fae offered her himself,
more of seduced her. She was but 11 when she became my apprentice. She knew far less than you about love, lust, sex or passion. It was easy to keep her
that way. She was beautiful. Flaming red curls, forest green eyes, clear golden skin. She turned eighteen that summer. I wasn't too disappointed when i lost her. Since I'd had her for seven years, I would have let her go anyway, soon after, even if it hadn't happened. But you Sarah, I need you for at least three years."
"So until I turn eighteen?"
"Yes. Promise, Sarah."
"I already did Christian. The first man I'll bed will be you- if you'll have me." After a small period of silence, he spoke
"I'll await my three years with much anticipation. I promise you I'll take you if you still want me." she smiled, but the mask of darkness kept it hidden. The forest still stretched onward, and Sarah again dozed off. Christian urged the stallion onward. Soon, a clearing was in view. It was a
high cliff, overlooking a beautiful view of mountains and a lazy river. From his location, Eron was only a few miles away. Just down the cliff, over a small patch of clear fields, cross the Enlaray river and they'd be at the gates of Eron. The sky began burning pink. He placed light, feathery kisses
on each of her eyelids, which slowly opened. Covering her mouth, she let out a yawn.
'Are we there? How far?" she said looking up at him with her toffee eyes.
"We still have about a half an hour of riding left to do, but I wanted you to see the sunrise. This is one of the most scenic points west of the Zahara Mountains. It's called Windling Point."
"It's beautiful." she agreed.
the sun had yet to appear, but waves of color already streaked the morning sky. Pinks blended to gold, all one giant painting in the sky. Sarah's mind
couldn't collect all the beauty into words, for they would cheat the moment
of it's magic.
"Christian, last night I had an odd dream. I woke up, looked around and saw
to both my left and my right silvery white unicorns. I looked behind me and a mass of black unicorns were following us. I could almost feel their need to
kill." she said thoughtfully, leaning back against his chest. He stared at some distant point. Was it an omen? Were they being followed? Did they know
him already? Had he given it away so soon? No, he convinced himself. Just a
coincidence. Or was it he human's magic, reading their own futures? How strange.
"Christian?"
"It was a dream. Don't let it frighten you." he replied. He wasn't sure if it was said to settle his own fear or cal Sarah. Perhaps both. Sarah rolled her eyes but said nothing. She wasn't afraid, she just felt like telling him. And if that were true, why did his arm tighten around her to make her feel safer? Why was everything always so complicated? She just tilted her head back and, turning his head gently with her head, placed a soft kiss on her lips. At the union of their lips his concentration faded to dust, and all he could concentrate on was his lips on hers. Hot open mouthed kisses repeated in a rhythm much like the beating of a heart- steady, strong, and unceasing. It was ecstasy, giving into his dominion being accepted over and over by his silky caressing lips. But all good things much come to an end. She looked down. Why had she done that? It was so tempting to just let him take her now, and he probably would. He turned the horse down the cliff on a narrow, rocky path. She rested her arm on his and let the other lay on her lap.
"So...exactly where are we going?"
"Eron." she sighed.
"If you can't tell, I'm attempting to start a conversation."
"Oh." she rolled her eyes.
"What's the city like?"
"It's just a small town full of people who go out the their way to know your business. The town's full of gossiping ladies, if you call them ladies, which I don't. It's not very populated, and over half of the population is men. Most of them are you age or a few years older." He looked down at her. "I'm
really trusting you, Sarah. Please don't let me down. A simple compliment can lead to an innocent kiss-"
"I know-"
"Which could lead to an infatuation-" She turned her head.
"Christian." she paused. "I know." he smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry. Of course you do. I'm just afraid to lose you. I've been waiting for you so long, I don't want to lose you." he admitted quietly.
"Do you really believe that I would leave you so quickly? I made a vow, and
it if takes me repeating it to you every night, I will keep it." They reached the bottom of the rocky road and he kicked the stallions side harshly. it reared, then thundered over the peaceful valley. It was enclosed by forests, but it was at least half a mile wide. Small yellow flowers covered the field. She looked to the right and saw a white blue against the forest line. It was silent save the thundering hooves of the stallion.
were many young men with sharp eyes. He knew very well this time to be wary
of them, even if she gave her word. That was how he lost the last one eighteen years ago. But she hadn't loved him then.
"Sarah?" he whispered into her ear. He slowed the horse to a walk
"What is it, Christian?" she looked up at him, searching for any clue to his thoughts through his piercing green eyes. Finding no answer, she looked ahead.
"I'm taking you to a village in which we will be staying in for a day or two. You remember when I told you about that spell on you that made you resist the men of your world?" she nodded wordlessly. "The spell does not protect you from the Fae of this realm. The fae can be very seductive to humans. The inn we are staying at is also a pub. I need your word that you will resist the temptations they might offer you."
"I swear on my love for you, Christian, the first man I'll bed will be you." he grinned. "But even before that, why would I do that, You told me that until set free I must remain a virgin." He gently placed a kiss on her
chocolate head.
"Because, sweet Sarah, it happened before. Now don't look so surprised. Yes, I've been promised babes before. All female, though, for these beasts don't
come to men. The last one, Rosaline, made me nearly a fortune, but before we could establish a solid foundation for it, a young Fae offered her himself,
more of seduced her. She was but 11 when she became my apprentice. She knew far less than you about love, lust, sex or passion. It was easy to keep her
that way. She was beautiful. Flaming red curls, forest green eyes, clear golden skin. She turned eighteen that summer. I wasn't too disappointed when i lost her. Since I'd had her for seven years, I would have let her go anyway, soon after, even if it hadn't happened. But you Sarah, I need you for at least three years."
"So until I turn eighteen?"
"Yes. Promise, Sarah."
"I already did Christian. The first man I'll bed will be you- if you'll have me." After a small period of silence, he spoke
"I'll await my three years with much anticipation. I promise you I'll take you if you still want me." she smiled, but the mask of darkness kept it hidden. The forest still stretched onward, and Sarah again dozed off. Christian urged the stallion onward. Soon, a clearing was in view. It was a
high cliff, overlooking a beautiful view of mountains and a lazy river. From his location, Eron was only a few miles away. Just down the cliff, over a small patch of clear fields, cross the Enlaray river and they'd be at the gates of Eron. The sky began burning pink. He placed light, feathery kisses
on each of her eyelids, which slowly opened. Covering her mouth, she let out a yawn.
'Are we there? How far?" she said looking up at him with her toffee eyes.
"We still have about a half an hour of riding left to do, but I wanted you to see the sunrise. This is one of the most scenic points west of the Zahara Mountains. It's called Windling Point."
"It's beautiful." she agreed.
the sun had yet to appear, but waves of color already streaked the morning sky. Pinks blended to gold, all one giant painting in the sky. Sarah's mind
couldn't collect all the beauty into words, for they would cheat the moment
of it's magic.
"Christian, last night I had an odd dream. I woke up, looked around and saw
to both my left and my right silvery white unicorns. I looked behind me and a mass of black unicorns were following us. I could almost feel their need to
kill." she said thoughtfully, leaning back against his chest. He stared at some distant point. Was it an omen? Were they being followed? Did they know
him already? Had he given it away so soon? No, he convinced himself. Just a
coincidence. Or was it he human's magic, reading their own futures? How strange.
"Christian?"
"It was a dream. Don't let it frighten you." he replied. He wasn't sure if it was said to settle his own fear or cal Sarah. Perhaps both. Sarah rolled her eyes but said nothing. She wasn't afraid, she just felt like telling him. And if that were true, why did his arm tighten around her to make her feel safer? Why was everything always so complicated? She just tilted her head back and, turning his head gently with her head, placed a soft kiss on her lips. At the union of their lips his concentration faded to dust, and all he could concentrate on was his lips on hers. Hot open mouthed kisses repeated in a rhythm much like the beating of a heart- steady, strong, and unceasing. It was ecstasy, giving into his dominion being accepted over and over by his silky caressing lips. But all good things much come to an end. She looked down. Why had she done that? It was so tempting to just let him take her now, and he probably would. He turned the horse down the cliff on a narrow, rocky path. She rested her arm on his and let the other lay on her lap.
"So...exactly where are we going?"
"Eron." she sighed.
"If you can't tell, I'm attempting to start a conversation."
"Oh." she rolled her eyes.
"What's the city like?"
"It's just a small town full of people who go out the their way to know your business. The town's full of gossiping ladies, if you call them ladies, which I don't. It's not very populated, and over half of the population is men. Most of them are you age or a few years older." He looked down at her. "I'm
really trusting you, Sarah. Please don't let me down. A simple compliment can lead to an innocent kiss-"
"I know-"
"Which could lead to an infatuation-" She turned her head.
"Christian." she paused. "I know." he smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry. Of course you do. I'm just afraid to lose you. I've been waiting for you so long, I don't want to lose you." he admitted quietly.
"Do you really believe that I would leave you so quickly? I made a vow, and
it if takes me repeating it to you every night, I will keep it." They reached the bottom of the rocky road and he kicked the stallions side harshly. it reared, then thundered over the peaceful valley. It was enclosed by forests, but it was at least half a mile wide. Small yellow flowers covered the field. She looked to the right and saw a white blue against the forest line. It was silent save the thundering hooves of the stallion.