I am soooooooooo sorry that this took so long. I spent a lot of time on it and I really hope that you all enjoy. PLEASE REVIEW and there is a question at the bottom of the page tat you should answer when you've finished the chapter. Hopefully next chapter will be out sooner. Thank you for your patience! READ AND REVIEW!
-Falcon
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Rei woke in the middle of the night to a soft caressing on her face. "Rei. Rei. Rei." A soft, concerned-filled voice whispered, "Wake up, Rei." She felt the hand at her face gently pat her cheek. Her eyelids fluttered open to rest her stare at a man. She yelped and sat up quickly, making him draw away. Then she finally recognized that face, the glittering blue eyes, the sandy golden hair, the strong chin and brow.
"You were having a nightmare." He said.
"Jayden!" she gasped, "Don't ever scare me like that! What are you doing in my room?" Her hand came up to brush aside the raven colored locks that had fallen into her face as she slept.
The man before her looked slightly hurt, "You mean........you don't remember?" he asked quietly. She puzzled over his words for only a moment before a flood of past events bombarded her mind. Rei saw through the eyes of time, recalling the last night's predicaments with clarity. She shuddered as the image of Diamond's ice-blue eyes filled with hatred flashed through her head. Her pallor turned ghostly.
But just as she began to feel like fear was going to overcome all her senses, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. She was pulled into the arms of the Baron who she had sought out for comfort. A series of 'sssshhhhhh's were breathed into her ear and she slowly felt her tense muscles relaxing.
Jayden was so lost in the sound of her inhales and exhales, that he almost didn't notice the tickling of his bare shoulder. He stiffened at the feel of brushes of lips on his skin. He pulled her away to gaze into her eyes, thoroughly alarmed.
She didn't give him time to think about her actions, though, as she pulled his head down to kiss him passionately. Her plan worked flawlessly.
Jayden, who had so long been anticipating making love to this fiery temptress, relented without question. He growled as she pulled him back so that his weight rested on her entirely. He felt the suddenly rough fabric of her slip brush against his chest and instantly pulled it up and over her head. She now lay bare save for the underwear that covered her most sacred of areas. Jayden felt his pants grow confining as he looked down upon her perfect, milky white breasts and smooth stomach. He began to kiss a path down from her lips. He gently nipped and sucked her tender neck, making her gasp and moan. He continued to her collarbone, which he kissed tenderly, before finding the top of her chest.
Rei was shaking and groaning at intervals as he wreaked havoc upon her body. The sensations promised a speedy journey to euphoria for the tormented Countess. Through the haze that had surrounded her mind when Jayden had begun his work, she realized that she wanted to see all of him, not just half. Her nimble hands journeyed southward and her deft fingers had his pants off him and on the floor in no time. Rei now felt his erection so clearly that it almost hurt. She didn't want anymore teasing.
Grasping his hair in her hands, she pulled him up from where he had been suckling at her breast. Rei also made quick work of her last remaining article of clothing. She made him look into her violet eyes and said, without any room for discussion or playing, "Take me."
His blue eyes were smoldering into a deep sapphire as he nodded. Grabbing her waist possessively, he shifted above her so that it would only take the smallest of movements for him to enter her. He looked at her one last time, love coming into his stare as he asked, "You are sure that it is me that you want to give yourself to?"
She took a moment to consider her words. 'I will tell him' she thought without hesitation. "Jayden, last night I found out something that I never would have believed possible a scant few months ago." Emotions boiled over in her and a few tears escaped as she whispered, "Jayden Anarel........I love you." She gave him a watery smile.
Jayden, who had been holding his breath through her speech, released a heart felt sigh, and sunk into her, breaking her virgin barrier. Rei cried out in pain, but he had already wrapped his arms around her, holding his body still with unconcealed effort. He kissed her lips to muffle her aching sobs. Sweat bloomed on his forehead as he waited for her to tell him that all was well to go on.
The sharp pain had been fast and intense, but soon faded to a dull ache, making way for the pleasure that found its way out from inside her once more. Rei began to rock her hips to continue it, giving her lover the go ahead that he needed. He pulled out slowly, causing her to wince slightly, and slid smoothly back. He set a good rhythm, waiting for both of them to adjust to the onslaught of delights that accompanied their movements.
But Rei soon grew impatient and flipped their interlocked bodies over agilely, letting her set her own quick pace. Jayden reveled in the sight that he beheld as she rose up and down. Her hands pressed against his chest as she sped up again. She was moaning with each meeting of their hips, as was he. Jayden flipped her again, thrusting wildly, seeing only her pleasure-contorted face in his vision.
And then both their eyesight exploded into stars as wave after wave of pure satisfaction drove to sate their bodies. Jayden fell forward with a grunt, holding onto Rei for his life as she clenched his shoulders in a vice-like grip. Peaks reached, they lay there, breathing hard and grinning like fools.
"Oh, Rei!" Jayden cried when he found the strength. He pulled himself out of her to nuzzle her neck and face, scattering fervent kisses everywhere he could. "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you." He murmured.
She laughed gaily, tears coming to her eyes again and she pulled his face into her hands. She rose up slightly and molded his lips to hers in a confirmation of their affections. "Stay with me always." She whispered, "Don't ever leave my side."
He buried his nose into her neck and rumbled, "As long as you promise the same." He lifted his head to gaze into lidded eyes. They were both exhausted.
"Deal." She said, before giving him one final kiss and falling asleep. He stayed awake long enough to shift behind her, chest pressed against her back, and enfold her naked body in his arms.
"Sleep well, my love."
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"ENDYMION!" Diamond Soroden shouted angrily. By simply glancing at him, anyone could tell that he was in a most foul mood. His normally kempt white hair was in disarray, as if he had been pulling it out, he wore the same clothes that he had been wearing the night before at the ball, and his eyes were glassy and blood shot. He threw the glass of ale that he held to the floor, a resounding crash echoing throughout the wing they resided in.
The young Lord who had been awoken stumbled sleepily out of his room across the hall and into his brother's. "Diamond, it is the break of dawn. What the hell do you want?" he grumbled.
"Find Rei." He seethed, "Tell her to pack her things. We are leaving in three hours."
Endymion let the information sink in for a moment before they really came to life. "WHAT! Why in the name of the Gods are we leaving in the middle of the campaign?"
"THE CAMPAIGN IS OVER! GET YOUR GOD DAMNED SISTER AND LET'S GO!" Diamond screamed at the top of his lungs. This said, he stormed off violently, kicking and lashing out at everything that surrounded him.
Endy sighed bewilderedly and left to change into something more appropriate than his nightwear.
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Endy walked out of his room to find Reilana entering hers. "Bad news" he said to her turned back. She whirled on him, hand at her heart. Endymion frowned: she still wore her ball gown. "Why have you not changed into better attire?"
He saw her breath catch and knew he had hit a nerve. "It's none of your concern" she said briskly, "What bad news?" Endy's mind was flying erratically from idea to idea. Where had she been, if not her own quarters? Why be secretive about it? In his mind he formed a hypothesis. Now, to test it.
"We are leaving. Now. Diamond has ordered it and we, as family, must obey." He sighed. He smiled slyly before innocently asking, "So how was Jayden when you left him?"
Rei's heart stopped at his question. He can't know what I've done! It's impossible! But, unbidden, a hot red flush rose to encompass her entire face. Endy's eyes grew wide.
"What have you done Rei! Are you mad? Did you share a bed with him? Does Diamond know you were gone last night?" he hissed vehemently.
"HOLD your tongue, Endy!" she whispered, "NO, Diamond knows nothing of this, nor is he going to find out. Wait---we're leaving!" Her chest suddenly began to ache at the thought. She couldn't leave Jayden. Not yet, anyhow. It was just a few hours ago that she realized that she had found the love of her life. There was simply no way. "Well, you can tell him that I'm not going anywhere. He cannot force me to do anything." This said, she stormed into her room and slammed the door shut.
'I have to clean quickly. Diamond cannot find me here.' She thought, before rushing to the washroom.
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Endymion walked into Diamond's quarters an hour later to find his half-brother in the midst of gathering his clothes. He ran a hand through his inky hair before clearing his throat. The silver haired man swiveled on his heel and bit out, "Well? Where is the bloody bitch?"
Endy winced at his words, but said calmly enough, "She's not coming, Diamond." The other man's blue eyes blazed as he grabbed at the closest thing to him and hurled it at the ornate window, effectively shattering it.
"SHE IS A SORODEN! SHE WILL DO AS I SAY!" he screeched before dashing out of the room in search of the defying wretch.
He ran into her room across the hall, screaming her name. Finding her not there, he grabbed the servant who was neatening her things, "Where. Is. She?" he hissed through his teeth.
The terrified young girl with the blue hair squeaked and shook her head, "I know not, my Lord" she hesitated briefly. Then, as Diamond tightened increased his grip on her arm, yelped and added, "Perhaps you could check with Lord Anarel as to her whereabouts?"
Diamond found his breathing shallow with his rage. With a sweep of his cloak he was gone.
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Rei laughed as Jayden kissed her neck, "That tickles!"
He looked up at her and grinned devilishly, "And whose to say that such a thing wasn't my purpose?" Just as he was about to tackle her again, there was dead-waking knock on the door that nearly made the young Baron jump out of his skin. "Who in hell.....?" He ran to the door and threw it open, completely prepared to give whoever would ruin his time with Rei a severe thrashing. But because of the banging, he never heard his love's warning and was greeted with the side of a very peeved Diamond Soroden. " Count Soroden? What may I do for you, Sir?"
In an instant, Diamond hurled him to the ground and walked into the room, stalking toward a quite terrified woman who cowered at the back, "YOU'RE NOT COMING, REI!?" he grabbed her by the hair and pushed her harshly into the wall, "HOW DARE YOU! TWICE YOU FORSAKE YOUR FAMILY NAME! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" He backhanded her to the floor. The raging Count was about to lay hands on her again, but he felt the sharp prick of a sword point at the back of his neck.
"Touch her again and I swear on my father's grave I will loose your head." Jayden's voice shocked the situation into silence. Oh, how he wanted to simply gut this man. He hit Rei. HIS Rei. "Now leave. I don't ever want to see you here ever again and if I EVER hear of you hurting your sister again, I will unman you myself." His voice shook as he fought to control his anger.
Rei, whose eyes were the only ones that could see her brother's face, gasped sharply when she saw the smirk that spread onto his features. " Jayden, look out!" she cried, but it was too late. A fantastic light suddenly spread from Diamond's hands to encompass the entire room, blinding everyone except its sorcerer.
When Jade could open his eyes again, he found a smiling Count standing before him seconds before being blown across the room by a beam of light.
"JAYDEN!" Rei screamed. Not caring for her own fate, she flung herself towards him, throwing her body over his to protect his unconscious form. Diamond walked leisurely to them both, smirking as he drew his weapon from its sheath.
"I do suppose this is the end, Rei. Such a pity. You were a great asset to my name." He sighed, "Never mind. All's well that ends well." He raised his sword high.
"Stop!"
The voice sliced through the din of the muteness. The horrid man's eyes swept up to the figure that stood at the door.
Serenity stood, tall, proud, and powerful. Her hair was ruffled from sleep, folding and twisting into delicate waves and forming a great halo around her upper body. She wore a white sleeping gown, covered by a similarly white silken robe and her feet were garbed in simple white slippers. Why, then, in that moment, did she look to be the greatest being in all Xeralda?
Endymion, behind her, answered the question in his mind as it resounded in all else's: This is the Princess of Xeralda.
Serenity walked forward, seeming to float towards the trio as she had the first day they had seen her. Looking into her sharp blue eyes, Diamond felt fear seize his heart. She lifted a hand gracefully and a shimmer of white poured onto the two people on the floor.
Rei felt Jayden stir even as she sensed a force cleansing her. The terror that was still with her disappeared into the air, making her feel alive. She stood slowly and reached down to help the man beside her. Once they both were risen, they went to the front of the room to stand beside Endy.
Diamond hardened his face and turned to his brother, "So this is how you thank me for everything I've done for you." He snorted rudely, "You even had to fetch a woman to do your work."
"Diamond."
Serenity's voice was cold and crisp. She walked forward to stand before him, "You are forthwith banned from the palace of Xeralda and are removed from the Council of Leaders. Half of your province will become part of the city of Solovine. I, Serenity Aurana, Princess of Xeralda, deem that this shall be so." With that, she beckoned to the others and glided from the room in a flurry of silk and friends.
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"Malachi, look there." Mina said to him. She pointed at the far road ahead of them where a speeding brown dot could be seen. "Come on." She urged her mare into a canter and took off. Her companion shouted in surprise and reared into gallop to catch up.
As she got closer, Mina saw that the supposed 'dot' was a man. A very frantic looking man. He spotted her in a moment and she saw the relief pass over his features before he hurtled himself toward her, eventually falling to his knees, gasping and shuddering for breath. Mina dismounted and began to shake the man. "What is it? What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.
Malachi was standing beside her now, his hand on his sword hilt lest this should be some charade. He watched as the man, who he now saw to be no older than himself, raised his head and sobbed, "My Lord Malachi, my Lady, thank the Gods I have found you! Please, you must help me. My wife, she is giving birth and is on the brink of death! Please, have mercy and help us!"
Mina felt the sting of tears touch her eyes at his passionate confession. "Where is she? Quickly, man, we have no time to waste!" she cried.
He leapt up and blushed before adding, "T'would be faster if I could ride there. It would be a scant few minutes, I swear it!" Malachi hesitated briefly but nodded. He prodded Mina and she gave her silent consent by swinging into his saddle. He climbed up behind her and the man mounted next to them. "Thank you my Lady, my Lord. I, Stephen Groft, am forever in your debt." Then, without a moment's signal, he flew down the road toward his village as Mina and Malachi tried desperately to keep up.
"Are you sure that this is alright?" Malachi questioned softly. Mina felt the brush of his words at her ear and turned to him, knowing full well that he thought this mission a waste of time.
"Malachi Zendas, I came to your lands to save lives. If it should start with this young woman, then so be it." She said fiercely, the emotions of the moment catching in her throat. The man looked at her with yet more admiration in his eyes. She was truly amazing.
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A wail pierced the air as their steeds plodded through the street. It sounded as if the woman was nearly out of time. "What can you do for her?" Malachi finally asked the question that had been nagging at him. Mina was no healer, she was a warrior, as was he.
"I don't know." she whispered as another blood-curdling screech reached their ears. "But I know that I can do something." Stephen was waving at them and gestured toward a house. Mina leapt from the stallion and dashed inside with Malachi close on her heels. She turned sharply when he began to follow her up the stairs, "I'm sorry, my friend, but this is a woman's place." Gently, she nudged him toward the anxious father-to-be before completing her journey.
Sobbing echoed in the incredibly hot and sickly smelling chamber. A midwife and her assistant bustled about as another woman sat beside the girl, wiping her brow. "Hush, Adelle." She whispered, "You just have to give a little more, just a little, my love."
"I can't!" she cried hopelessly, "I am spent and my time on earth comes to an end. I wish I could have given my child life, Melody." She closed her eyes, seemingly for a final time.
"NO!" Mina cried and rushed to her side. She felt for a heartbeat, but found it was fading. 'Goddesses, give me strength!' Mina thought with a fervor unlike any other, 'Let this woman and her child see the light of day again. Please, give me the power.' The windows flew open and a warm draft floated in, teasing the hair of the awed spectators and Mina. She felt her mind depart from her body and fell back into the wind, letting it bring her to a place that she knew to be her true home. Unbeknown to her, what the others in the room saw was a stunning woman in finery being lifted from the ground by the wind, her eyes glowing a faint golden color. They thought that she was a goddess herself.
Mina found, within her home with the wind, the soul she was searching for. It was growing weak and did not pulse with life as hers did, but she knew, somehow, how to remedy that. Pulling a ball of light from her own body into each of her hands, she fed them to the swiftly dying light of the other woman. Endlessly she worked at her task until finally, when the lights had switched appearances in dimness, did she know her task was complete. She felt her home fly away from her as swiftly as it had come and then everything went black as the cries of a baby resonated in her head.
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"My Lord Malachi! Stephen!" the woman called Melody bounded down the steps. "You have a daughter, Stephen, my brother. But........" her eyes strayed to the handsome man that stood beside him. He didn't miss the look.
"What's happened?" he demanded of her, stomping forward. "Where is Lady Minalaya?"
"She's with the midwife my Lord. She saved our Adelle from certain death, but then she just collapsed. They are tending to her above, but we are all worried." Melody looked up to see what his reaction would be, but he was already storming upstairs.
"Mina!" he called. He opened a door and found the three women he was searching for. Her frail, unmoving form on the bed immediately caught his notice, "MINA!"
The midwife hushed him as she made the final adjustments on her apprentice's pack. "Kimla here is going to fetch the doctor from the next village over. It'll only take half a day and she's not on her deathbed just yet." She was a stout woman with a stern eye, but motherly looking features, but Malachi's protective instincts overwhelmed him. He didn't trust her.
"I'm staying here." He said soundly, leaving no room for argument.
"Suit yourself." The midwife replied coolly, "I'm going home to get some rest." She left, muttering about the foulness of birth and the burden of women.
Malachi felt his body being drawn to the bedside and he kneeled on the floor, looking into her face and envisioning her eyes opening. The feelings he was getting were so alien. A surge of protectiveness, happiness, and.........something else came into his heart every time he looked at her face. Even now, pale and haggard looking as was possible, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world to him.
Making a quick and rash decision that he could not keep from himself, Malachi pulled off his boots and cloak, eventually stripping down to his breeches and a light shirt. Then, ever so efficiently, he went and locked the door and climbed into the bed with her, wrapping his arms about her and pulling her close, just as he did every night. He heard her sigh contentedly and smiled, unconsciously wishing that she would wake and see his true feelings for her, whatever those were.
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As soon as Rei and Jayden separated from the group that had come from Diamond's chamber, she flung herself into his arms and let the tears flow. "Oh Gods! Jayden, when I saw you fall I thought-I thought!" she began to cry brokenly, helpless to keep the sobs within.
He wrapped his arms around her and tilted her chin up. "Rei, he is gone. Done with. You'll never hear from him again. You won't even share his name."
She fell, knees buckling at last and Jayden followed her down. "I will always belong to him. I am a Soroden, Jayden. Nothing can change that."
He looked at her tenderly, an odd look coming into his eyes, "I can think of at least one thing that could."
She looked at the floor, puzzling over his words. Suddenly, her head snapped up. "You mean-" He nodded and bent to grab her hand.
"Reilana Soroden, what do you think of being an Anarel? Being Baroness Reilana Anarel?" he kissed her then, his feelings getting the better of him, "I'll quit the campaign. I don't need the throne if you'll be in my life."
Rei had to catch her breath when he broke away, just before throwing her arms around his neck and rained kisses on his face.
"Yes! Goddesses, yes, Jayden Anarel! YES!"
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"Lita, you're amazing at this! You didn't need my help!" Nathaniel Morodithe exclaimed. Earlier that day, Lita had come to him and asked a simple question: 'I want to develop my magic. I know you have the same type, please could you teach me?' He had agreed enthusiastically.
Before Nathaniel had come to the palace, there had been two things that held any value to him: his daughter and his magic-filled forests. Somehow Lita had managed to squeeze herself comfortably between the two.
She truly was an adept mage. With a single wave of her hand she brought a whole garden soaring from the ground into the welcoming daylight. He couldn't even do that! Then again, he was a battle mage.
"Show me the thorn trick again!" she cried merrily, "It's terribly wonderful!"
He nodded with a smile and began to concentrate. His mind entered the soil beneath his feet and called out in the voice of the thorns.
Litara watched as a column of thorns rumbled up from the ground. Nathan had a few beads of sweat on his brow as he said, "It may seem cool, but to an enemy, this will be the last sight their eyes ever behold." Lita paled slightly at this statement but kept calm.
A servant suddenly came careening down the path towards them, shouting out Nath's name in a panic. Lita watched as he reached them and heaved out a few breathless words that made her heart stop, "The Lady Starlight is very ill."
Lita could do nothing but try and keep up as her partner seized her arm and nearly flew back to the palace. He ran even as his sweat blinded him and stopped only a moment to open the door. Lita almost thought that he was going to kick it down. She heard him muttering under his breath, over and over again, "Star. Star. Star. Star....." She also saw the tears of fear that were gathering in his wild navy eyes. Lita herself found the telltale sting of water in her emerald orbs.
All of a sudden, he had stopped, frozen in place. She bent around him to see Starlight Morodithe. Her figure looked puny under the multitude of blankets heaped upon her and her diamond-like almond eyes were hazy. Nathaniel reached out a shaking hand to her white face to find it cold to the touch.
"Daddy" the whispered word was barely audible.
That was when he broke down, sobs wracking all of his huge frame. He sunk to his knees and hugged the little girl who smiled lazily and fell asleep. Lita sat beside him in waiting.
And when he finally did raise his head, he looked straight at her and said in a surprisingly clear voice, "You have to help me save her, Litara Diacse. I need you with me now more than ever."
And as if of its own volition, Lita's arms reached up and wrapped around him, promising a bright future.
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Serenity waited until everyone had left her room before walking to the window and looking out on her city. Solovine was her pride and joy. Under her uncle's eye, she had shaped it to be one of the most magnificent and magical places in the known world. She sighed and ran her fingertips lightly over the pane of glass that separated her from it.
She began to think over what had just happened, of what she had ordered to be done. Half of the richest Count in Xeralda's lands were going to be joined to this wonderful place.
When Endymion had awoken her that morning, she was slightly frightened by the news that he gave her. Diamond wouldn't actually kill his own sister, she had thought incredulously. But when she had walked in to see him about to do just that in addition to killing the Baron of the desert, she knew what she had to do. Searching deep inside for the power of Light, she quickly stepped forward and healed the two that lay on the floor. She told Diamond that he must leave without Rei and be punished for what he had tried to do.
Leave. Yes, Diamond was leaving. With Endymion. Diamond was leaving with Endymion. Serenity felt her heart break at this. She didn't want him to go. "Please don't leave me, Endymion. Not yet." She whispered to the sunlight streaming into her face.
"I wasn't going to."
Sere whirled to see him and impulsively cried out in joy. He smiled at her and went to stand right in front of her, though not touching. "But why didn't you want me to go?"
She looked down at the floor and blushed, "I'm n-not entirely sure." She murmured, "But I do know that I feel desolate when I think of you going anywhere that isn't into my arms." She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Had she really said that?
Endy grinned and pulled her into his arms, "I couldn't have put it better myself." He said happily before gently pressing his lips against hers. Sere lost herself in it, just enjoying allowing her body the privilege of feeling him against her.
He broke away after a time and rasped, "I'll come for you tomorrow. We're going to go out together."
She nodded absently, still dazed. Then a thought hit her. She couldn't start anything with Endymion! She had to marry one of the noblemen here to get the throne. She went to tell Endymion this, but he was already gone.
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"What have I done?" she moaned. VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THIS MESSAGE! I want your votes in the form of reviews or e-mails. Do you think Star should die? Very important matter that I am trying to settle and thanks again for being patient with me.
-Moon Falcon