You are all so awesome for continuing to read this story. I hope I got this chappy right most of all.

Her eyes dance in the flames of the hearth as she awaits him. From before the moment of her conception she has been headed to this place, this time, this man. She had studied the art of seduction, been groomed to be the flesh and blood manifestation of all men's dreams, and more than a few women; but in all her life of expectations and hopes for this night, she never dreamed it would mark a moment she would be torn by the fulfilment of. It is the last time she will share herself with the one who made her free - her love.

He opens the door behind her and she feels him looking at her silhouetted against the fire. "It is only I," she all but whispers. Her heart races as she feels his eyes linger on her, hears his breath catch before he speaks as if she had taken the breath from his lungs simply with her presence.

"I," he begins hesitantly, his words caught by his own racing heart, "I'm glad you're here. Is everything ok?"

She steels herself as she turns to face him.

His white blue eyes are all but black from his excitement on seeing her in spite of the fire in his eyes... (forgive me my love)

"I am fine, it is you who is in danger," she says directly. So it begins... the moment of all their sweet wonderful, all too fleeting moments. She tells him everything, everything she was told about the death of whatever warden slays the arch-demon, a fact he just heard, yet one she knew of all along; and about the solution she was taught by Flemeth: the conception of a human hoast for the demons ancient 'old-god' soul. She tells him what SHE believes, even that the reason she was sent with them was to do this ritual. Have this child - this blessing.

For a moment his eyes cloud with pain, "So this is why you have been so... friendly?"

She does not lie to him, any more than he to her, "Yes, it was the reason," then her voice cracks as she tries to stay calm, centered, aloof, but her heart breaks with the words she cannot keep back, "But caring for you as I do?... No, that was never part of it."

He looks at her, his eyes low, seemingly measuring her words.

Too soon she finds it impossible to even look at him as he mulls this over for the longest seconds of her life... (Aeden, forgive me. I came to conquer for an old woman in the search for power, and immortality; but I am defeated in my plan. I am made traitor to my selfish former self through my willful surrender to you, my love. PLEASE Aeden! What more can you know other than I want to save you? And bring through us, and our love, so much more than our brief lives will ever see the glory of. PLEASE... TRUST ME!; trust your own glorious heart that you gave me as I have mine to you - we are one heart, my love, can you now question that because I am being true to you? Let me honor you, honor this love; let me, through our union, make this world a more worthy place to die for. Oh my love. PLEASE AEDEN! use your own unwavering instincts that have brought us to this place; this room; this glorious moment as they led you into my tent, my life, and against my every ounce of will... my heart - PLEASE MY LOVE! PLEASE TRUST IN US! AEDEN!)

When he does speak, it is about the child, her plans, an if they will ever see one another again. (I want you to live!... there is no life where I go, no promise of tomorrow for you - for us. LIVE my love.)

He mulls it over still - how he makes her suffer in anticipation. And then, he is again... her Aeden.

She gave no answers any other man would accept; no reward; only her telling him of their loves end; nothing but a single night together and her vanishing to be left alone by him... just because it is what she says it must be. But he is not just any man(my love).

To think... she doubted him for even a moment. She did indeed choose well...

"I'll do it." he answers.

She is redeemed for her faith, her love, her trust in him and his integrity (damn you Aeden, why must you make every victory as painful as death?) "Than come my love; let us set this talk of the ritual aside... and make this last night together one to remember."

They are one once more: one flesh, one soul... one heart. For one last night. (so it would seem, unless... foolish man)

She feels his heat enveloping her, filling her with the wonderous sensation of his true love for her; breaking her walls of doubt that there would ever be a man capable of loving her so truly; could let her go without ever seeing her again. So lost in her emotions, she forgets an element of the ritual... intent: the emotion connected to the act that is as important as the act itself.

Her mother had repeatedly pushed her to focus on dominion, power; but all she can do as she makes love to this man is think of what he is the bearer of, what he is giving to her... unconditional, unending, honest, true love. She thinks of how much she will love this child (theirs)how much she will do, give, suffer, even willingly give up her soul for it... HIS son.

So against her mothers will is she now, that she thinks happily of a story she has heard so often relating to her mothers conqueror; thinks joyfully of that long ago hero as the image of the child becomes as clear as flesh in her mind as she and Aeden near the moment of release. Their boy is so beautiful: his father's beautiful, trusting, white/blue eyes, shining at her with the same warmth, honesty, and love; her own raven black hair; she can smell the clean scent of his smooth pink skin, feels the softness of it on her cheeks, and as her tears of joy roll on his father's lips... "I love you," she gasps into his ear, "I love you Aeden, I love you. PLEASE, my love... please, do not follow me." and as they grip one another's grateful, trembling, impassioned flesh one last time as the offering of his seed is made to her womb, and the ritual concluded, she gives her vision a name of an ancient hero - "Cormack."