Disclaimer: I do not own the Fable universe. Characters you do not recognize were created by me for the purposes of this story. I have made some changes to the region of Silverpines, where most of my story takes place. It is much larger. The village in the game is larger and there are larger homes, and there is a small, crudely made arena. There are still balverines though, plenty of them, though they hide amongst the people for the most part.
Story contains scenes of a very mature nature, do not continue if anything of that nature could offend you (sex, violence, sub/dom, non-con).
Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and for the lovely reviews that have been left so far! It is so nice to know "Wolves" is really being enjoyed :) And the reviews keep the creative fire lit under my butt, so thank you! - Fallon.
Chapter Seventeen
Maya breathed in the fresh, salty air of the ocean and Hale did the same at her feet.
The sea was calm, the sun was shining, and sky was completely and utterly blue, not even a wisp of cloud marred it's flawlessness. Dolphins swam along side the ship, and Hale barked over the side of the ship, curious about their strange faces.
"This is heavenly," Maya sighed as the wind blew back her hair, "I can see why some people spend their lives out here."
"Considering a life of piracy after all of this, Princess?" Ben said as he crossed his arms on the railing beside her.
Maya shook her head, "No, Albion needs me to be a good queen, and I can hardly be one if I'm always at sea."
"Always the voice of reason..." Ben complained with a sigh.
"What, did you expect to be a part of my crew?"
"I expected to be granted a place of honor on it, Princess." He winked.
Maya rolled her eyes, "I'm sure you did, Ben."
He lightly touched her arm, "Seriously though, you do know I'd follow you regardless of which direction you took?"
She swallowed hard. While she did not doubt the truth behind his words, she feared it. She had hoped to avoid discussing their kiss in the sewers, but it looked like it wasn't going to happen. "Ben..."
He looked at her, and she saw a glimmer of sadness behind the playfulness in his eyes, "It's alright, Princess, you don't need to explain."
"I don't even know if I could..." Maya lamented. She had faith in Ben's ability to bounce back, but that didn't make her feel any better about misleading him.
Ben smirked, "Yes you could, but I don't think you've admitted it completely to yourself yet, so I won't ask you to admit it aloud to me."
"Admit what?" She toyed with Hale's fur and stared of into the sea.
His smirk grew at her sweet yet pathetic attempt to play dumb, "That you're in love with the wolf."
She shook her head adamantly, "No, no I'm not...you're wrong."
"I'm a lot of things, Princess," he admitted, "but I'm not often wrong, and I'm definitely not about this."
Maya gripped the railing, "You don't know what you're talking about -"
"Anyone whose observant enough can see it...except maybe Walter since he still thinks you're still a young girl and not a woman, but he hardly counts." Ben said, waving his hand dismissively.
Maya glanced over her shoulder and saw Walter smiling at the wheel of the ship. Ben was right about one thing, Walter still saw her as a child in many ways. She guessed it was a lot like a father not wanting his little girl to grow up, as Walter had practically become another father to her in recent years.
Just beyond Walter, she spotted Von leaning against the ship in a sliver of shade. He wasn't looking at her, but Maya had no doubt he could hear her.
"Princess?"
She turned back to Ben and leaned on the railing beside him, "It's...not a simple thing, Ben."
"Never is," he smirked, a dozen pleasant memories clouding his mind, "but rarely is it not worth it in the end."
She frowned, "I'm not talking about some...anonymous roll in the hay, Benjamin."
"Neither am I," he half-lied, "but none of this matters if you won't just spit out the truth."
Maya sighed, "There are other things I have to consider..."
And none of them she was especially proud of.
"Like what?" He demanded. At the end of the day, he wanted her happiness. After being by her side for so long, he had seen her put it last on many occassions, and he hoped just this once she'd permit herself that pleasure.
She groaned and ran her fingers through her hair, "What would Walter think? Or my brother for that matter? Or, even more important, Albion?" She whispered, fearful of what Von could hear.
"Your brother's opinion shouldn't bloody well matter, Princess, don't you remember what he made you do?" He knew of the choice she had been forced to make, and had hated Logan infinitely more for it.
"I can never forget..."
He playfully punched her arm, "Then tell him to go kiss a donkey's arse!"
Maya laughed, freely and without restraint, "I can hardly do that!"
"Yes you can, you'll be Queen after all - you could order him to!" He smiled at the though, "But really, do you think Walter would stand in front of something or someone that meant so much to you?"
"Well, maybe..." She bit her lip.
"So he does mean that much to you?" He teased, having caught her slip up.
Maya blushed and cussed under her breath, "Damn you, Finn. Since when did you have all the answers?"
He elbowed her gently, "Always have, love. People just don't ask me for them."
"Well, I didn't ask for it!" She grumbled.
"No, but you looked like you needed them," he smiled sweetly, "consider it my coronation present to you."
Maya bit back her embarrassment, "I'd have preferred a good book or a new coat..."
Ben chuckled, "Sure you would have, kid."
Meanwhile, in Aurora...
Kalin walked calmly down the temple steps and took her place on the platform looking out over what remained of her city. Another day had begun, and they were just as imprisoned as the day before.
However, the walls of their prison were not made of steel, but of shadow.
She frowned and folded her arms solemnly as the wind pulled sand into the air.
Her father was long dead, and she alone now bore the weight of ruling a dying land.
When the Darkness had first arrived on the sandy shores, she had prayed every day. Now, Kalin avoided the shrine in the temple as much as she could. Not because she did not believe, but because she feared her continuing failure had offended the deities she had pledged her heart and soul to.
"Father..." she whispered into the wind forlornly. She was happy to have the wind there to blow away her words - perhaps they would be taken far away, to someone who could rise up and save her land.
"Please do not let our land die," she muttered as she closed her eyes, "it is worth saving...it is worth fighting for."
Then fight.
The voice sounded so real, and Kalin answered it before she was able to catch herself, "But our people are dying..."
Fight! Until the breath is forced from your body, you must fight!
She let her hands fall to her sides and looked up to where she knew the sun should be, "I have...I have fought for so long, so very long..."
She is coming.
Kalin glanced around her, looking for the source of the ominous female voice.
She nears.
"What madness is this?" She feared it was the Darkness, for it loved to torment and taunt those who still possessed light within them.
She'll save you.
"Who!" She asked angrily.
She walks with the wolf, the Captain, and the Knight...she is the light...
"Show yourself!" Kalin demanded, fearful she had finally lost to the Creature. Perhaps she was in one of it's games?
I am Theresa, and I am afraid I can not do that, child. The Princess is coming, but she will take the hard path to your door step. Await her arrival...
"I...I do not understand..." Kalin admitted, the weight pushing down on her shoulders.
Do not give in yet, daughter of Aurora, she is the hope for your land. Do not give up yet...
Kalin's eyes scanned the sky, "This must be a trick, perhaps the Darkness is using a soothing voice to try to break me." Her face soured, "I'll not break, shadow!"
Then wait and see, Kalin, wait for her coming...you will see...
The voice faded away on the wind, and Kalin was left feeling extremely alone.
She looked out over her city and sighed. She wanted to believe the voice more than anything, but feared who it belonged to.
Ultimately though, she needed it to be true, for the sake of her dying people if nothing else.
Maya awoke with a start, a strange dream about a bald woman in bizarre, exotic clothing plaguing her mind and keeping her from finding meaningful rest. It frustrated her, because she was so tired, but also intrigued her. The woman in the dream had seemed so real and the pain she gave of was genuine.
She slipped out from under the covers and forced her tired legs to carry her down the hall that led to the storage room. Perhaps a midnight drink was all she needed to calm her mind.
She was walking and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, zig-zagging through the hallway as she stumbled onward. He appeared seemingly out of no where. Almost like he stepped out of the shadows themselves.
She gasped as he back her up against the wall, "V-Von?"
"Amaythea..."
"I asked you not to call me that." She complained with a pout.
It surprised him that that was what she corrected him on, and not the way he had snuck up on her, or the way he was now holding her. But he took it as a good sign, and forced himself onward.
"It's a beautiful name..." He said in a whisper, his breath tickling her cheek.
She tried to ignore the effect it had on her, "What are you -"
Von kissed her cheek, "I heard what you told Finn, and I...I need to make it clear to you how I feel."
Maya swallowed hard and grasped his shoulders with the intent of pushing him away. Her head was telling her it was the right thing to do, but every fiber of her soul told her to do the exact opposite.
He softly kissed the crook of her neck, and the tension in her arms vanished.
"V-Von..." she whimpered, not expecting it to feel that good.
He smiled against her skin and kept going, trailing kisses up and down her neck. He reached the neckline of her shirt and gently eased it down over her shoulder, though the fire inside him wanted to tear it from her body. "You're as soft as I imagined..." He confessed, a hint of a blush gracing his cheeks.
Her chest tightened and her legs felt weak, "You...you need to stop..."
He kissed along her jaw line, "Is that what you really want?"
She dug her nails into his shoulders as his lips neared her own, "I..I...umm..."
"Say it and I will," he whispered as he embraced her, his lips now pressed to her ear, "I'll leave and we can both pretend this never happened."
"You'd do that?"
He nodded into the crook of her neck, "Yes...though I'll admit it's not what I want to do."
She licked her lips, "What...what do you want to do?" She asked nervously.
He squeezed her tight, "I want to kiss you."
Her breath caught in her throat and she held onto him with desperate arms, "You need to stop talking like that."
Hurt, he pulled back and ran his thumb over her bottom lip, "Why?"
Maya kissed the pad of his thumb slightly then turned away from him, unable to voice her response.
Von slipped a finger under her chin to guide her eyes back to him, "Can you not even bare to look at me?" Maybe he had read her wrong, despite how often he replayed every moment with her in his head, maybe he had just been too hopeful?
"Your eyes..." she swallowed the lump in her throat, "they're just...sometimes too much."
He kissed her temple, "Then close your eyes."
Maya held onto his shoulders tightly, and tried to think of a good enough reason not to. Her mind drawing a blank, she slowly shut her eyes and waited for what she suspected was to come.
Von's lips hovered over her own, but he took his time, enjoying the feeling of having her so close.
Maya quivered against him like a bare tree shaking in the fierce autumn wind. She resisted the urge to open her eyes, knowing his piercing white-blue eyes were glued to her. She just couldn't bare the weight of that gaze combined with the tingle of warmth radiating from his chest.
His nose brushed against her's and she inhaled sharply, clenching her eyes shut.
His kiss was soft, but it sucked the air out of her lungs and left her gasping. She grasped the lapels of his coat as his lips moved against her's, encouraging her to kiss back. He touched her chin, pushing it down so her lips would part. His tongue trailed over her lip and slipped into her mouth. She jumped at the sudden intrusion, but quickly moaned into his lips as his tongue twirled around her's.
Maya tentatively touched his cheek, feeling the scar pulse with warmth under her touch.
Von smiled into the kiss and trailed his fingers slowly down her neck. He needed to breathe, but didn't want to pull away.
She did though, resulting in their lips parting with a soft pop. She looked down, anywhere but at him, and rubbed her thumb over his scar.
Von nuzzled her cheek, "You can strike me now, if you want."
Maya shook her head but continued to trace the edge of his scar. Her eyes were pointed down and, though he was glad she didn't push him away, he needed to see her eyes, needed to know she felt the same.
"When I'm near you...the scar is warm, and I feel strong -"
"I haven't spoken to my friend yet, I still don't know exactly what I did to you..."
"It doesn't matter what she says, I don't plan on going anywhere." He said firmly.
Maya sighed, "People always leave, Von."
A gentle growl tickled his throat and he kissed her cheek, "I won't."
Maya kept looking down.
"And I understand...your worries about w-what Walter or your brother will think," he stammered, knowing that she was by no means his, "if you want...I can try to forget this happened."
Even as he spoke the words, he knew he could never forget it. But he felt the need to tread lightly. It was almost like if he moved too quickly she'd disappear in the breeze he'd created, and he didn't want that.
She rested her head on his chest, "I don't want to worry about that right now."
If only for a few moments, she just wanted to remain in his arms and block out her worries. Just for a few minutes, she wanted to pretend Von was just a man and that caring for him wouldn't bring about any consequences. Perhaps not admitting anything out loud would keep anything bad from happening?
It was a naive thought, but she allowed herself to believe it - if only for a little while.
Von smiled and hugged her to him, "Alright, Princess."
Her breath was warm and even against him and he allowed himself to tangle his fingers through her hair. It was thicker than it looked, and he relished the feeling as it fell through his fingers.
He brushed her hair behind her ears, "What were you doing heading this way? You seemed too tired to be upright."
Maya toyed with the laces on his coat, "I couldn't sleep, and thought maybe a drink would help."
"Would you like that drink?"
She shook her head, "No, I think I'll go back to bed." She was exhausted, and hoped her walk would be enough to calm her dreams.
"May I escort you back to your bed then, Princess?"
She arched an eyebrow, "What's the cost of such a service?"
"Another kiss?" He asked hopefully.
Maya smiled, flattered by his eager tone, "Of course, but only when I am safe in my bed."
"Do you not trust me to get you there once I have my kiss?"
She was about to respond, but just then the ship was rocked by a violent explosion.
Von fell back against the wall, and Maya was thrown against him.
Beams strained and cracked above them, and Von shielded her for fear they would give way.
"What's happening?" She hollered over the sound of another explosion.
Von lead her down the hall and up the stairs to the deck, though with the continuing blasts it was difficult.
They saw Walter struggling at the wheel and Ben firing off into the fog.
Maya hurried forward to see what the Captain had in his sights, and was faced with an entire armada baring her brother's flag.
"Avo save us..." She gasped, utterly in awe at what she was seeing.
A cannon ball tore through the air and ripped through their hull. The impact sent everyone who was standing flying.
Maya hit the rail on the other side of the deck. She struggled to open her eyes and her head swam with mingled, panicked voices. A pair of firm hands grabbed her and lifted her up.
"Maya, look at me!"
She did, and was met by a pair of white-blue ones, "Von?"
He held her to him and dug his claws into the railing, trying to keep both of them from flailing around like flags in the wind.
Another cannon ball hit them, and then another.
"We can't take much more of this!" Walter shouted, "Abandon ship...now!"
Ben didn't wait to be told a second time. He ran towards them, stopping to look at Maya, then bolted off the deck. Walter and Hale hurried after him, but stopped suddenly as the deck cracked along their path.
"Jump, Princess!" Walter demanded as another blast whizzed through the air.
The ship finally gave way to the pressure, causing the deck to slit in two. Walter and Hale were flung into the ocean, but Von and Maya still clung to the rail.
Von pressed his lips to her ear, "Do you trust me?"
"W-What?" Maya looked back to him, "Y-Yes, I guess so."
He nodded and pushed her from the ship and into the cold water of the ocean.
Water rushed into her lungs on impact and she fought against the current to reach the surface. The sinking ship was creating a vortex that was trying to pull everything down with it, and it took every bit of strength for her to fight it's pull.
After what seemed like an age, she finally broke the surface.
Her lungs hurried to pull in air and she looked around her, desperate to find her companions.
"Walter! Ben! Hale!" She shouted between coughs.
Maya turned around in the water and was slammed by a wave.
It forced her under momentarily, but she found the surface again.
"Von! Von! Where are you?"
She tried to remember if he had jumped with her or had followed her in, but she couldn't recall hearing him hit the water after her. But he's a balverine, she reminded herself, they're tough to kill.
She screamed their names until her throat was raw.
Stricken with panic and in the middle of the ocean without a ship, Maya was truly and completely alone.