Ebony Mist -Original

Part XIX: Fog of Loneliness

"There, no I can face you without turning in the saddle," he sighed, and looked at her with such a soft expression. It looked strange on his face, which was usually so stern and hard. He was silent, just looking at her like that; it started making Alaura uncomfortable. She watched him in return, waiting for him to continue as her fingers played with the hem of one of her sleeves.

"I-I forgive you," she managed to breath out. "I can't say I fully understand, since I don't know what it's like to be so lonely, though perhaps my time here has taught me a little of what it's like..." here she saw him wince ever so slightly, causing her to stumble on her words. "But... but if anything I can understand better now. I-I'm not the same brave little girl I was before. Sometimes I-I'm scared of you... but I don't loathe you. If anything... I want you to not feel so lonely. The child is still in me, and I want to reach out, but I don't want to get hurt again."

The druid's eyes widened, he dropped the reins of the horses. His mouth opened to say something, but he couldn't find the words. Alaura felt herself trembling and wondered if he could tell. Swallowing hard, she reached out towards his chest, ever so slowly, and placed her palm over his heart. She glanced at the spot for a moment before looking up at him. He was trembling too.

"This is why I brought you here. Not for magic, the reason I kept telling you. Not to live as a servant, though I knew not how to treat you otherwise. Not to imprison you as I have... but so that perhaps the fog of loneliness might lift from my heart," he told her, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her. Her face found itself against his chest, one arm pinned to her side, the other still with her hand over his heart. For a moment she closed her eyes. In that moment he reached with one hand to her chin, pulling her face to look up at him. But before she opened her eyes, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

Alaura's initial reaction was to shy away. To break the kiss and turn away from him, but she stopped herself, simply holding still. For how harsh he had been, he was surprisingly gentle, and his skin warm and soft. She found herself drawn in, leaning into him with body and lips. When did she suddenly feel so drawn to him? Then she realized she was trembling again, or was he still trembling? Perhaps they both were.

Then he pulled away, taking several steps back. "I'm sorry, this must be so sudden with how I've been acting. You have fulfilled your end of the deal, princess Alaura. If you wish to go home, you have freedom to leave, and the plague will never return to your country again. You need only mount your horse and head towards the sea, your steed will do the rest to get you home."

Alaura froze in shock at his words. After such a heart felt confession and kiss, just like that he was letting her go. Alaura turned and looked out to the sea, the waves tossing and turning. She longed to be home again, among her family and her people. But...

"You really don't know how to treat people, do you?" she asked, looking back at him. "When you finally have someone, you don't just turn around and let them go. If you have something good, you hold onto that. I promised that I'd come and stay with you. I have been horrible through that promise, not listening, and not helping. But I didn't understand before... now I do. My side has not yet been fulfilled, not enough is known about my magic, right? So I'll stay, at least for now."

She barely finished the last sentence before those great arms were wrapped around her once more.

"Thank you," she heard him whisper, and felt his chest heave in a sigh of contentment. But she couldn't help but look out past his arm towards the horizon. She did miss home, and longed to go across the tossing sea and beyond that horizon. As she looked, the distant sky changed, dark blotches appearing on the sky.

"M-master Xavier!" she said alarmed, pointing. "The horizon! What is that?" she said, seeing how it was quickly drawing closer and larger. Without letting her go, he looked up and in the direction she pointed. His eyes narrowed.

"Get on your horse and head back to the castle. We have company," he told her sternly.

"Again? I thought no one was supposed to know where this place was. But we've had a magical storm, my brother... and now whatever this is that's coming?" she said, but hurried to grab the reins of her horse, who had wandered off a bit, and scurried onto its back.

"The magical power you possess must have been tracked by a mage of some sort. They must have used that to find me. I have plenty of enemies who would do such a thing. Now go to the castle, I shall follow shortly!" he told her, slapping the butt of her horse, which took off towards the castle.

Alaura clutched rein and mane of the horse tightly, leaning down as they entered the woods so as not to be caught by any branches. One thought went through her mind. The storm, the confrontation with Drewland, and now whatever this was that was coming, it was all her fault!