Disclaimer: I own the OCs…and the plot.

Author's note: So this is both bitter-sweet and ironic in a way and a little disheartening in another but the plot must go on. Warnings for this part include angst, a bit of nudity, and unfortunately Gaelrick.

Part Six: Hopes and Dreams for the Future Versus the Unfortunate Reality of Things

Time passes in the way it does and Lygoren finds himself getting stronger more capable of handling things in a way with Erisel's companionship. Nights with his father get no easier but there was someone there who was a source of silent strength. Having found her was the most compassionate thing any deity had done thus far and he was grateful. Laying in the grass gazing up at the red sky, he watches her point out shapes in the clouds snorting softly. "You think me silly do you?" she asks in amusement.

"I think it's frivolous," he replies with a grin.

Her nose wrinkles before she sticks her tongue out at him. "You're just jealous that you can't see anything."

"They're clouds," he points out dryly.

"You need a sense of imagination, Lyo." It was amazing how he let her get away with that nickname and hated when his father used it but then he had to remember the difference in how he felt about the two of them. She was allowed such a nickname. It rankled his pride to hear it spoken by his sire.

"Right, a sense of imagination. That is kinda moot point when we're stuck in the middle of no where with the devil himself."

Erisel rolls onto her side and brushes his hair out of his face. "Sometimes losing yourself in fantasy helps when it's all you've got to make it through the hardships faced. I'm sure you have dreams of your own right?"

"I have one," he replies quietly, "and that is watching the light fade from my father's eyes."

"Not too surprising given the situation," she says, "but that's not what I meant. What do you want out of life? Your hopes for the future?"

He is quiet a moment as he thinks about this. "I haven't…actually considered it to be honest," he finally replies, "It's not like most of us expect to live long enough to have a future. If we get that arrogant we can always walk over and see all the mounds. My sire is not a compassionate male."

"True enough," she mutters before changing her tactics, "Okay, say he was gone for whatever reason; what do you see yourself doing without him being around?"

"Throwing a party," he mutters dryly.

"Lygoren, be serious!"

"That is serious. I would throw a party. As for what I would do with my life? I don't know. I'm not exactly thinking that fair ahead. I mean, I know what you're wanting to hear but honestly, Eris, I don't know what would make me happy. I probably won't know until I find it."

"Well, that's a start," she comments, "Though I just think it's kind of sad that you don't have a plan for your life."

"Maybe but it's better not to because I'm pretty sure that my father has one and that it's just easier not to be disappointed when he finally tells me what I'm doing in the future."

"Now THAT is sad."

"It's also the truth."

"The truth sucks."

"Oh, I know," he replies, "So what is your ideal future, Eris: a mate, kids?"

She snorts softly. "Not at all. I want to settle down with some nice girl and grow old with her."

Lygoren raises an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

She grins at him. "Yep."

He snorts softly. "I should have guessed that would be your response. You do tend to take way too much in stride."

Eris chuckles. "I was thinking that you would catch on quicker than this. We've been friends for years now."

"I guess I really never thought about it."

"Considering what you've had to deal with, I can't blame you. But yes, my dream is to find some nice girl and settle down."

"No cubs?"

She shakes her head. "Not really my dream. I mean…if we were to one day decide that we wanted one then yes but I wouldn't be actively searching. What about you?"

Lygoren gazes at her. "Considering the circumstances I do not think I'd make a good father. Any child of mine would be considerably screwed up I'm sure."

"Aw, don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure you'd make a great father," Eris tells him jabbing him gently in the side, "Besides, I'm sure that any child of yours would love you to death."

Lygoren snorts. "Yeah, I can definitely see that being the outcome; my child being completely smitten."

Eris gives him a grin. "That would be something though, Lyo. I'd find that cute."

"Oh, I am sure you would but I think I'd have nightmares of my father were that the case."

She snorts softly. "Oh yes, because I'm sure having some young sweet thing that bears a resemblance to you gasping out, 'daddy' in pleasure has anything to do with your father."

"Eris!" he says scandalized, "Stop that!"

She grins at him. "Aww, so there is a thought that disturbs you…or pleases you I'm not sure because you're blushing."

He groans and covers his face. "Eris, another topic of conversation, please!"

She giggles uncontrollably for a few minutes clearly thrilled at having embarrassed him so thoroughly. Honestly, she seemed to like doing that and it made him crazy though this conversation just made him wonder when she got such a sadistic sense of humor. "At some point, you need to learn to take a joke, Lyo," she points out when she finally calms.

"You didn't need to say that last part!"

"Oh come on, it's me being silly. And besides if, for whatever unlikely reason, you do end up falling for whatever child you manage to sire…it's nothing our people haven't seen before."

He scowls before snorting, "Yeah, unless they're yours."

Eris stares at him a moment before she laughs. "Oh, yes, I can see us being mated and having a rug-rat that you just fall in love with, Lygoren. Maybe you DO have a sense of humor somewhere in there."

"Hey, you started the whole conversation," he points out before smirking, "Yes, some dark haired mop-headed cutie. Yeah, that's just HOT, Eris."

She smacks his shoulder. "You're a jerk, Lygoren!"

He grins fully at her. "Then don't start things you don't want me to finish."

Her mouth curves into a frown before she grins. "Fine, fine, we'll get mated have some dark-haired mop-headed child and since I'm not into you, you'll fall madly in love with them…and with my blessing nonetheless. Are you happy now?"

Lygoren ends up laughing at this. "Yes, I'll make sure to write that down were such a thing ever to occur. Wow, you're amusing, Eris."

She grins. "Well, you stopped looking so droll and melancholy so it was definitely worth it."

He rolls his eyes. "Why do I put up with you again?"

"Because I put up with you and the fact that you normally look like you just ate something that highly disagreed with you," she replies before a mischievous grin would appear, "Come on."

"Where?"

"Don't ask questions, just come on," she says rising and tugging on his arm.

"You realize that I'm the one supposed to be in charge right?"

"Yeah, yeah but you still don't know how to lighten up so I'm taking the reins for a bit. It won't kill you."

He finally just does as asked and follows her wondering just what they were going to end up getting into this time. With Eris, it could be anything but he had to admit that he always enjoyed their little adventures. She leads him deeper into the woods on the western side of their homes. A mile or so in, they end up by a hidden pool of water. "Eris?" he asks warily.

"It's hot out," she tells him, "Now come on and strip and let's cool off."

"You want me to…Eris, are you insane?!"

She gives a cheeky smile before right in front of him tugging her shirt off before her pants would follow suit. He is sure his face goes scarlet. "ERIS!"

"Oh come on and stop being a prude," she chastises, "You certainly don't want to get your spandex soaked so get out of it and come on. We had this talk. I'm not remotely interested in any of your male-parts."

He rubs his face groaning softly. "You're going to be the death of me, I swear you are." The sound of something hitting the water is his only response which just has him a little annoyed. However, it was warm out and the water did look rather inviting. Pretty sure that this was the most stupidity he'd managed this week, he finally slides his own spandex off before quickly jumping in. The water is cold at first and nearly steals the breath from him but he adjusts quickly.

"Feel better?" she asks moving closer to him.

"I'm naked in the water with you…yeah, I feel highly relaxed," he mutters though he had to admit that there was no one else he'd want to be this vulnerable with.

"Stop being snarky and enjoy yourself," she murmurs, "There is little of that going on as it is."

"Oh, I can't imagine why that might be," he retorts dryly, "I mean, we're kinda stuck in the middle of no where with someone who spends a fair amount of time seeing how much he can hurt another. That to me wouldn't be a cause for constant paranoia and tension."

"Well, then forget he exists for a bit and relax and enjoy yourself."

He decides that arguing with Erisel just wasn't worth it as there was rarely a fight he'd ever won with the other. Closing his eyes, he tells himself that for a while it was okay to just ignore the facts as they stood which was definitely how unhappy the situation was. It takes a little while before his normally tense nature slowly relaxes in the water and with the company. Eris smiles as she comes up to him. "See?" she murmurs softly, "It's good to relax every once in a while."

"Doing it too much makes one foolish and then dead," he replies quietly.

"Well, that's why I said once in awhile."

It's nearly evening before he returns home and by then he's dried off. His countenance changes coming upon the building. It didn't take much to sap any good humor from him. However, he finds that he might have more to worry about when the door is opened before he ever reaches it and his father steps outside. He immediately goes still. "You want to tell me where you've been all day?" Gaelrick asks leaning against the door frame gazing at him.

Lygoren can tell even with the congenial tone used by the male that this situation was dangerous. The problem was he wasn't sure how to keep it from escalating. He certainly didn't want to tell the male the truth because he didn't need him going near Eris but he knew better than to lie to him because his father would know and that would bring some very unpleasant consequences.

His silence stretches on longer than the other obviously likes because Gaelrick finally says, "You've been spending a lot of time with Erisel according to reports. Care to explain?"

Panic fills him though nothing shows in his gaze. "She and I have been training with one another for years now," he replies stonily, "She's the only one who keeps up with me, sir."

"Uh huh, and skinny dipping this afternoon was what?"

Someone had been following them, Lygoren realizes and neither of them had realized it which was what he'd been afraid of happening. They'd gotten too comfortable and let their guards down. "We were relaxing," he says quietly hoping that this wasn't about to cost him the only friend he had.

"Get inside Lygoren." Somehow that the other makes no further comment makes him feel more nervous instead of less but he does as commanded not liking having to walk passed the other. He could only hope that this wasn't going to backfire on someone who had done nothing to deserve having to handle his father. "Couch. Sit." The sharp words tell the brunette that things were about to go seriously south and he sends a prayer up to whoever would listen not to let Erisel get hurt because of this. The sound of the door closing but no footsteps alarms him further as he realizes that his father hadn't come inside. It meant…Horror appears on his face as he realizes that it meant his father was going to her. Dear sweet….His eyes squeeze shut and he feels his heart sink heavily.

Time passes, Lygoren isn't sure how much before he hears the door open and is about to rise when he hears multiple footsteps seconds before he watches Gaelrick haul Eris in followed by her quite concerned parents. His father shoves her into the room hard enough that she nearly stumbles and Lygoren is up and steadying her immediately before tugging her behind him, his lip curling into a snarl. "You have NO reason to hurt her!"

"Be VERY careful about your tone," Gaelrick warns him.

Lygoren's eyes narrow and he would give an acidic retort but he feels Eris grip his wrist tightly obviously warning him to keep his silence. "Forgive us, sir," she says softly, "I meant to come and speak to you long before this."

"Oh?" Gaelrick asks gazing at her.

Her next words have Lygoren feeling like someone out there was laughing at him. "Yes, sir. I wanted to ask your permission to be his mate."

"So that is what this was about…Well, I figured ONE of you would be forthcoming since my son apparently doesn't know how to answer a simple question."

"He wasn't sure how to approach you," Eris says quietly showing nothing of how much this had to be hurting her, but Lygoren knew that she had read the situation like he had. That just made it hurt worse. "We meant no insult, sir."

"Considering that my son could have worst tastes, I would say so," Gaelrick replies before his mouth curves, "Well, if that's what this whole situation is…might be a good thing to get you two properly mated then." Lygoren really just hates whatever deities were watching this in this moment. However, there was no other alternative that would leave them both alive.

When he disappears with her parents into his study, Lygoren stares at her. "You…"

"What else could we have done?" she asks quietly, "If the answer was any less…we both know what he would have done."

He closes his eyes. "Eris…I…

"Don't," she interrupts his apology with a finger to his lips, "Lygoren, we don't have a choice at this point. However he found out, we're just…stuck." She slowly removes her finger before sliding her hand down and squeezing his hand. "We'll figure this out, okay?"

"HOW?" he demands, "This isn't what either of us wants!"

"Well, then can you live with the alternative?" she counters softly, "I mean, really? If you can then by all means tell him the truth."

He stares at her horrified at the thought. "You know…You know I can't do that!"

"Then this is what we're left with," she replies quietly, "But now I see why you make no plans for yourself. He tends to find a way to just fuck everything up."

"I'm sorry, Eris."

"Didn't I tell you not to apologize? I meant that. Look, there are worst people to end up mated to. We're friends, we know each other better than most. We'll figure out the rest when it comes."

"Can you even stand being with a male?" he asks.

"I'll deal," she replies, "It's not…exactly what I want to have to deal with but I'm adaptable. It's better than dead in any event."

"Are you sure...because the way I see it..."

"Don't see this as a bad thing," she replies, "We will figure this out ,Lyo."

"Is that before or after we're both miserable thanks to my father?"

"I think it's already too late for 'before'," she answers before slowly stepping closer and looking up at him, "You will always be my best friend, Lygoren, that will never change. We WILL figure this out because there isn't an alternative we're willing to accept. Take a deep breath. It'll be okay." Somehow, Lygoren just isn't that optimistic.