Hello,

Eleventh is here. Thank you for hits and reviews.

A special THANK YOU goes to Sylistra the Scholar for constructive feedback and support.

MS

Nessa was falling ..

Dying is strange…No corridors, no lights, just darkness, silence and… peace.

Yes, peace at last…

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Quirk jumped out of her shakedown as she saw Wink storming into lair, holding something in his arms. In first panic fit, she thought, that something had happened to master Nuada. But a creature that rested in Wink's arms was too small for an Elf. Quirk's eyes spotted a strand of ruby hair hanging loose. Wink's arms bore the trails of blood. He quickly placed his burden upon bed and turned to her and spoke:

"Save it. Prince wants it to live."

Quirk wrinkled her small nose and put her hands up covering her ears. She liked Wink, but at the same time she hated to hear him speak. When he used common speech, it sounded like bunch of rocks grinding.

"What is it?"- she asked approaching troll's leg letting him lift her up. Then her eyes widened with surprise… "A HUMAN? MASTER WANTS ME TO SAVE A HUMAN?" she asked in disbelief – "Are you sure Wink? – she rose her head to see trolls eyes. Troll nodded.

"Well ok then.. Could you hand me my sack?" she requested

Wink reached for the sack and then withdrew to the corner. He watched fairy's brows crook as she removed the upper part of Nessa's clothing and revealed two severe wound's.

"Who did this to her? Master?" she asked

Wink shook his head. He pointed the arm wound and nodded. Then he moved his finger to chest wound and pointed Nessa.

She did it to herself? Quirk's brows rose with surprise What made her do such thing?

Wasting to more time, she started to fix her wounds. She already lost a lot of blood, and blod flow was very difficult to stem. She really wanted to die.

As she was trying to tame the blood loss, she took her time to examine this unique human. She must have been considered beautiful. Her red hair and pale skin matched perfectly. They gave elusive impression of fragility. As she moved her gaze to woman's chest and arms, this impression was replaced with the other one. It was hard to name it, but the amount of scars marking her slender feminine body definitely put any tenderness connotations aside. She reached for her sack and took out two small bottles containing some kind of powder. Quirk applied a small amount on her hand and started to hum an enchantment. The power shimmered in her hand. As she pressed it against the wound, she bleeding lessened. She did the same thing with the arm wound. Then she wrapped them with bandages.

"That's all I can do for now" – she said covering her body with quilt – "She seems strong.. Tell me Wink.. why do you think master wants her to live? They did fight right? I don't understand…" she rested her eyes upon girl's face.

"I don't understand it either" – the sound of his voice was almost painful – "He wants the human for some reason. And we have to make it live." trolls eyes joined the examination of Nessa – " I don't think that Prince would be happy to see it resting in his bed. I think we should move it somewhere." – he added

"Well" – Quirk turned her eyes to troll – "if she's supposed to make it, I don't see other option, for now. She needs rest and comfort. You'll have to make a bed for her. She cannot lay on the floor."

Wink just shrugged his shoulders – "If these are master's orders. we need to follow it."

Troll left the lair, and headed for the Mourning Stone. His prince was injured. Perhaps, he needed help. If it was up to him, he would squash this human who dared to threaten his friend.

But Nuada's decision was to keep her alive. So be it.

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Nuada's mind analyzed the situation as he headed home. His chest and arm burned. The wound on his neck pulsed with dull pain. And yet his eyes glowed. He went through a duel again. He recalled her moves, her eyes. He hasn't met such warrior. She was unique. Wild, fierce, a perfect opponent. He stopped by the tree and smiled at the memory of her eyes, smirking, right to the end. She got him. He leaned against the tree and shook his head. What was he thinking about? It was a human. He was supposed to kill her, not to think about her…Most reluctantly he admitted that she had impressed him. On the other hand he still felt burning humiliation mark, she left on his pride. For the first time, Nuada Silverlance was that much confused. There was only one thing he was sure of; he wanted her alive. And her recovery would buy him time to decide what to do with her. As his father had once told him: In war, haste is a bad counselor. She may have won a few battles, but the war...HIS war was just to begin. At the moment, most of all, he needed to have his own wounds fixed. With a smile he continued his march back home.

Mr Wink spotted his prince leaning against the tree. At first he got worried, he thought that Nuada weakened from blood loss. But then troll took a closer look at Elf's face and the view surprised him. Nuada was smiling, not sneering, smiling. He didn't see his prince smiling like that for a very long time. His face was relaxed, his eyes glowed. He didn't resemble this bitter, angry, vengeful person that he apparently became during last years. Now Wink felt extremely confused. The situation slipped absolutely beyond his comprehension. He almost got killed by a human. Nuada that he knew, would be mad with fury right now. And the one who did this to him would be at least decapitated. In anger Nuada turned into a ruthless monster. A machine designed to kill. Wink didn't like it. Prince allowed temper to control his actions far to often. It endangered the final success of their mission. But either something changed, or Wink just totally didn't follow his master's intentions. One way or another it didn't worried him that much. He preferred cold blooded Nuada. And he couldn't help wondering, what were prince's plans concerning human. He was brought back by his master's voice:

"Where is your mind, Mr Wink? I assume it has been traveling somewhere far?" Nuada asked with a smile – "Or perhaps love has lured you into its web?" he mocked

Wink just rolled his eyes an shrugged his arms at these words.

"Well my friend, tell me what's with the woman? What did Quirk say? Will she live?" – Nuada rained Wink with questions

Wink was surprised to see a true interest in Nuada's eyes. It was really odd.

"Its wounds are fixed. Quirk said that she should make it. She didn't promise anything though." Troll replied.

"That's good My friend… Perfect.." Nuada's voice contained great dose of excitement – "It would be too easy and not satisfying at all."

"What are you planning to do with her Master?" – Wink queried

"Oh, I don't know that yet. I like her, I mean, I find her quite interesting. We will see. It's up to her. If she bores, or disappoints me, I will kill her.. most probably. Don't look at me like that Mr Wink, a prince has to laugh sometimes. She's my upcoming entertainment." he smirked – "A pretty one I would say…"

As Wink's brows went up with surprise Nuada chuckled "You think your Prince is insane, don't you my Friend? It is hard to remain sane sometimes.." – His face was serious again – "I don't know why I feel this way about this human. Probably it's just a temporary weakness. I've been alone for so long Wink. Perhaps it's the warrior that she revealed to me confuses me so much. I don't know, maybe I'm finally descending to madness. It would make it all much easier…" –Nuada sighed

Wink remained silent. They didn't say anything until they reached the lair.

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The lair was actually a cave hidden among the rocks. The forest bordered on the vast area dominated with rock moulds. Wink found it and made all necessary adjustments for Nuada to feel comfortable. The place was beautiful and private at the same time.
At the one end it was fenced by thick forest and massed shrub, at the other it laid by a small lake. Getting there unnoticed was impossible. Nuada and Wink followed a small almost invisible path. Finally they reached the cave's entrance, cunningly hidden behind a rock. They entered dark antechamber. As their eyes got accustomed to the darkness they went straight towards a thick purple curtain separating the residential part of the lair from an outside world.

This part of a lair was divided in two. First part was supposed to be a living room, dining room, armoury and training room in one. The second one located a bit deeper was Nuada's bedroom. The furniture and other pieces of household equipment were handmade. Simple but at the same time elegant, matching Elven taste. The room was bathed in a delicate light provided by candles placed in a little cavities in cave's walls. Nuada approached a weapon stand and placed all weapons he had carried there. Then he headed for his bedroom.

Nuada's bedroom was his substitute of Bethamora. He arranged it by himself, putting a great part of his soul into it. He carved the bed with elven runes. The sheets he slept on were brought to him straight from the Unseen Kingdom. The room smelled of Bethamora meadows thanks to special oils he purchased in the Troll Market. Upon the wall located opposite his bed he inscribed 3 elven words defining all his world: Homeland, Honor, Legacy. He rested his eyes on those every evening, He wanted them to remind him who he was, and where he was heading for. The last and the most precious souvenir he had, was a small music box standing on a dresser. Balor presented the identical two to him and his sister Nuala

Remember my children, no matter where the fate throws you, its sound will always remind you where you come from…

As he enterered the bedroom, he felt the wave of anger coming his way. Wink laid the human on his bed. HIS BED!!! He was about to step back and make a row. Then he heard a voice that made him stop half-step:

"It is not his fault, Master. We had no other option. You ordered us to save her and so we did. If we put her on the floor, she'd be dead by now. We just followed your orders. I followed your orders. I told Wink to put her in here. Blame me" – Quirk got up so that he could see her face. It challenged him.

" You're right Quirk, forgive me. I had a busy day. How is she?" He asked approaching the bed. She was very pale, her face was covered in sweat. Her chest barely moved.

"Well to be honest Sire, she perfectly knew what she was doing. She stabbed herself hard. I managed to stem the blood and to partially heal the wound. But from now, it all depends on her. All I can do now, is to lower the fever and check on her bandages." Quirk shrugged her shoulders

"Quirk, you know I trust you. Do everything you can." Nuada said

"But I can see that you are wounded to Sire. Was it her?.." fairy queried examining his wounds

"Yes it was. She's a tough one…" Nuada smirked – "Ok medic, you can save me now"

Quirk called for Wink. She asked him to bring in a bearskin, a fresh portion of bandages, and a sack with her medicines. She told Nuada to rest upon the skin and she took care of his injuries. She has never seen her prince slashed like that. The woman must have been really good.

"Master… can I ask you something?" Quirk asked while cleansing his neck wound

"Let me guess, why did I let her live?" Nuada's eyes shun with amusement – "Well… to be honest, I have no idea. Bu no wait! I know, she deprived me of my victory. . .Quirk, and may I ask you something in return?" his golden eyes rested upon her face

"Yes Master, you don't need my permission. Ask" the fairy spouted quickly

"Aren't you curious of her? She almost killed your master. An elf champion…"

"Yes sire, to be honest I really am." Quirk replied a little embarrassed

"So am I" Nuada added with a smile – "So am I. thank you Quirk that's much better" – He stood up smiling at the fairy. "Now hand me this Rameshan rope.. I think it would be reasonable to secure the lady against herself. She just cannot lose"

A moment later Nuada tied up Nessa's hands to bed's headrest. Although the didn't look dangerous at all, he learned not to underestimate her anymore. He rested upon the bearskin and fixed his eyes upon his personal vow captured upon the wall. Then he moved his gaze to her. She accidentally managed to show him one crucial thing. Long- lasting or not, he was not immortal. And so wasn't his mission.