Disclaimer: I don't own the World of Two Moons. I do, however own a few of the characters in this story.

Chapter Five: Secret Love

Wandering through the trees, Dewshine thought on how her kind had been treated in the past, and wondered why this change now. What was it about her to this man? Why had there been such love in his eyes, and why go through all this trouble for her? She finally fell asleep with her mind spinning over these questions. She awoke with the rising sun, somewhat diluted and much greener than usual, in her eyes, and returned to wandering about the spacious garden.

It was very, very large; nose to tail, she thought five wolves could have fit a little tightly from the tree-window to the door, and an eight from wall to wall the other way. It was lovely to be almost home again, at least in a forest. Dewshine heard the door open, and walked over to it. As she had hoped it was Bretch, and he carried the usual tray of food for two. She smiled at him, and he grinned back. "I take it you like it. May I join you?" he asked, hefting the tray. The elf nodded, and he deposited the tray on the table.

"Thank you, Bretch. So much, for everything you've done for me," Dewshine said, looking up into his gray eyes; they softened, and he nodded.

"You're welcome." he said. They continued eating, though the elf ate little. She was unused to so much food, three times a day. Then she put down her things, and looked down at the tray. Dewshine lifted her eyes and looked into the man's once again. "Why?" she asked.

"Why take me prisoner, then treat me like a queen? Why go through all this trouble for me, making this room just like a true forest? What am I to you?" The man put down his food, then slowly, carefully chewed his bite and didn't look at her. The silence drew out as Dewshine waited patiently, folding her shaking hands in her lap. Finally, Bretch looked at her, and spoke.

"For almost three full turns of the seasons I have watched your tribe, Dewshine, when you were down by the stream. I saw that you have once loved the black-haired one who is always with the honey-haired one, by the way that you watched them both. I saw that you did not hate him for turning away from you, or the other. I saw that you wished your shared love would flare up again."

He now turned haunted eyes to the face of the Wolfrider. "I watched. And I waited. I saw your pain as he slowly, nearly fully, turned away. I saw it break your heart." Bretch spoke carefully, but his words were terrifying to Dewshine. He had watched them for almost three turns of the seasons- he knew of her dying love for Scouter! How closely had he been watching to see that? Bretch went on.

"I saw you fade from lack of love, though I think even now you are closer than friends, all three of us know that you will never again love each other as you once did." He stopped, then dropped his eyes again. "But there is love you can have- you do have, maiden." Bretch's voice was quiet and hoarse. He came around the table and knelt by her taking her hands in his.

"Wh- whose?" asked Dewshine. She was scarred, nearly terrified of this gentle man.

He looked into her blue eyes again, and very slowly reached out and gently, carefully cupped her cheeks in his hands. "Mine," he whispered. "Mine," and Bretch tenderly brought her face, though she tried to pull away, to his, and gently kissed her lips.

Though she didn't know what a kiss was, from the way he pulled her to him it was not something she could ever do with a human.

000

Dewshine gasped and pulled away. "No!" she cried, getting up shakily, and backing away from the man, staring at him. She bumped into a tree, and wrapped both hands around one branch on her left side as she sank to the floor. "No." she repeated, face pale. She had never felt so vulnerable in her life. Tears ran down her face, and she clung to the tree. It was too much. The capture and then this? "No. No, no, no..." Dewshine chanted, eyes closed as they streamed.

She felt choked, and her heart was in pain. She felt a hand on her shoulder and jerked from it; she got up and backed away from Bretch to another tree, where she collapsed. "No, no, no, no," she sobbed her heart racing and her breathing coming in gasps. How long she lay there she could not guess. Then she slowly opened her eyes and looked around.

Bretch was still there, watching her from the first tree with sorrow written in his eyes. "Dewshine, I'm sorry. I let my emotions get out of hand." He spoke softly.

The elf closed her eyes again and let the tears flow. He continued. "I brought you here to let you time to learn to love me in return, and I had this room created so that you would be happy here with me-"the man's voice cracked.

Her own voice was ragged as she replied without looking at him. "Please, Bretch, if you truly want me to be happy, let me return to my people. To my forest. To my father, my tribe, my life. Let me go home." Dewshine wept again. She could not love anyone except Scouter, and here love was being forced on her.

Hours later, it seemed, she again felt the man touch her shoulder, and she flinched slightly, but looked up at him with a tear-streaked face. "Let me go home, Bretch. Please…" she whispered, but instead he folded her into his arms in a gentle embrace. She clung to him, sobbing in his shoulder. Then a change came in his embrace and she suddenly couldn't get free of him.

The man then brought his mouth firmly down on hers in a fierce kiss. Though she all but hit him in her attempts to get away, he carried her over to her bead of branches, and bore down upon the helpless elf.

Bretch put his hands on her waist, then felt up her ribs and under her shirt to her chest, then he lowered his hands, still kissing her, to her hips and the most secret place on her body.

His breath was swift and harsh; his body hard. Brech's kiss was bruising it was so hard and fierce with passion and desire. It was such a new experience with a human that she was nearly paralyzed with fear, and then her escape attempts redoubled in her terror. He slowly pealed off his own clothes, and then he nearly tore off her lighter garments.

Eventually, Dewshine ceased to struggle against him and lay quiescent under Bretch as he did what he must with her. It was all she could de in his aroused state, though she wept and cried out with the pain and terror.