ROV (ADD AS I EDIT NEW VERSION)

Chapter 16

She was thankful to have food in her belly as her stomach filled and danced around as they walked through the halls, down the spiral staircase to the outer banks of the castle. Tavol was taking her to the stables to ride and though she was terrified she was excited to go on this adventure with him. She just hoped she didn't embarrass herself on the horse worrying too if the horse would be kind.

She looked out of the windows and they descended, admiring the weeping willows roots and vines that shaped the frame of each window and the detail of the hard root that worked as a railing as it went down, down down to its base far away from the top where the tree laid watch. It amazed her so much that this castle was built from not only stone, but trees. Trees that lined and protected the sides as if the birch trees were made of stone themselves. Tavol told her even though it seems open between the trees it was strong magic between each, as if an invisible wall to keep enemies out.

"The weeping willows hold deep magic for those on the throne. It speaks to them, warns them of any intruders from afar."

She nearly missed a step at that. Something about the trees, a memory or a feeling she couldn't quite place. "Like they have eyes and ears from those given their life for it."

Tavol nodded. "Yes, the story goes that warriors that protected the walls In the great battle had died before the tree, trying to protect it and its people. When one had died, the tree became alive, used the fallen warriors magic to end the demons trying to destroy Valinor because he had wished it as his final breath. The trees are the warriors' souls so to speak. To help them live on and protect this home." Falencia silently thanked the tree with a touch of her hand on the railing, hoping soon to go up to its trunk and read below it.

"That is why it likes to be near someone. It has a soul within. One that was a fae warrior."

He looked to her ahead on the stairs and smiled. "Yes, you're right about that or so we believe. You used to read to the trees. You said sometimes it spoke to you or you felt it was listening."

She believed that, knew Tavol spoke true and yet she didn't know how. "I was actually thinking of reading to the tree. Hearing the story, it made me want to see it, to touch it and thank it for all it had done for our people."

"Our people?" His heart dared not speed up and he didn't want to slip on his words to anger her.

"Yes, Tavol. I am who you say I am and though it is still new to me I feel it here." She tapped on her heart as she reached the bottom step. "I cannot be without you so i cannot be without them."

Toval was floored, his hands shot to hers in a loving gesture at her words. "I love you, Falencia Stormsung." Pulling her close against him he kissed her against the stone wall, a breath escaping her made him growl low in his throat. The taste of her, the feel of her small body in his arms once more was driving him wild and the kisses the night before didn't help ease his desire. He would wait, he told himself. Wait to move though she had definitely become closer with him he didn't want to risk anything.

"I love you, Tavol Ventura." Her admiration was a breathy truth. The heat from his body so close drove her mad. Anywhere his hand traveled, her neck to her hips, made her skin catch fire begging to be doused.

Clearing his throat had a sobering reality of where they were. The stone bit into her back, it's cold zapping her back into the hallway, into the public just outside that hallway. Anyone could come by at any moment and see them against the wall. "We should get going." His voice was husky, detached from the world. It was only them. For so long it had been so damn lonely and he couldn't help himself when she was right there, so like her and yet not yet without her memories of them. "Our horses will be mad at us for taking so long."