Some NSFW
The spies had brought back close to nothing. The only thing they had found was that the others were curious, they wondered where the Dread Wolf had went. Some had said good riddance. June was among those that said that, but he was clever, and he knew that Fen'Harel was not gone forever. Like most of the Evanuris, June was not afraid of one man, he was very prideful and would not show weakness to the Dread Wolf again. Mythal held up the charade as well, showing surprise at his disappearance even though she knew where he was.
Fen'Harel was satisfied with himself, he had successfully started a rebellion. More and more people filed in each day. Begging him to take them in, and he took every last one of them, children and all. The dirty, frail man that had came a few days before had finally returned with his people, and his griffons. The beasts had been overjoyed to see him, and he had welcomed them with open arms and whispered words to them in a language that Rihari couldn't understand. She could only understand pieces of what was said.
Then he had embraced the man with the white vallaslin of June on his face. The man had stood tall, but tears streaked through the dirt down his cheeks, leaving swaths through the grime. Rihari saw Fen'Harel whispering to the man as they embraced, and the man was nodding a definite yes to whatever he had been asked.
The Dread Wolf wiped their faces clean with a wave of his hand. Rihari could see the relief in each one's eyes, absolutely relieved to not be dedicated to any of the Gods anymore. After he had wiped their faces clean he told them that the Gods were not Gods at all, the same speech he had gave days earlier. The people whooped when they heard the news, obviously they had recieved a large injustice at the hands of so called Gods. News of their mortality brought on thoughts of revenge, thoughts of righting the wrongs that had been opposed on them and their children.
When the man, and the others passed by Rihari, she noticed a small spot of raised skin on the back left of their necks. A brand. She was repulsed by the thought. These people could not make homes in cities or anywhere else because they had a mark on their skin, showing they had wronged one of the Gods. The ultimate wrong.
He noticed that she was shaken and walked over. He said nothing, but pulled her into a hug. Once wrapped in his arms, her head against his chest, he kissed her on top of the head. "Those poor people." She whispered against his chest, the beat of his heart felt louder than her words, and for a moment she was afraid that he hadn't heard her.
"We will bring them a new life, vhenan."
She pulled back and he let her. She wanted to look into his eyes when he told her those things. "I hope we do."
"We will." His eyes held hers with intensity. He looked away a few seconds later. "I was blind to their troubles. I am to blame, we were all to blame." He turned his blue eyes on her again. "But not you, ma'arlath." Her heart sung a song everytime he showed his love for her. Especially in public, with so many eyes watching them. They were always surprised, or hid their eyes from embarrassment for he and her.
She believed him. She nodded her head to let him know so, she was grateful for the small breather. Unfortunately, it didn't last long enough. "Back to work, Rihari." He walked back to where he stood before the people had arrived. "Try the spell again."
She groaned playfully, pulling a small smile from him. The best kind of smile, the one that reminded her of home
...
"I'm too scared, Solas!" She was running circles around the small barn, he chased after her, trying to grab her
He laughed. "There's nothing to fear, Rihari!"
"Umm," She stopped a moment and motioned towards the big black griffon with white socks reaching up from its feet to its knee. "have you seen these guys? They're massive." As if to confirm her argument the griffon furrowed it's wings and snorted at her. She jumped away with a small scream. The griffon put its wings down and slung it's head around. Solas just laughed.
"He means no harm. He just wishes to play." He said softly.
"Okay, but I'm not getting on his back." Rihari walked briskly over and stood behind Solas as he spoke to the animal. It seemed to understand everything he said.
"Your hand?" She placed her hand in his outstretched one and he gently placed her palm against the griffons snout, right above the beak. The animal rubbed into her hand and almost purred when she relaxed. "See, it is not so bad."
"Yeah, I guess not." She smiled as she stroked the griffon's soft feathers. Her hand found its way behind the animal's ear, and it lowered it's head so she could continue to pet it. She felt arms wrapping around her from behind and she relaxed into them. A mistake that she would not regret later.
Before she could say no, he threw her on the back of the griffon and jumped on behind her. The animal gave a shrill screech before he trotted forwards. Rihari began to protest the action, she begged to be let down. Solas laughed and held her tightly against his chest, she wasn't going anywhere.
The animal pushed the door open and took off running, as he ran he lifted his wings and began to beat them hard against the air, lifting his body up slowly. She screamed when they left the ground. The scream was of fear at first, but quickly turned to joy and wonder as the swept over the land. The griffon gave another shriek, happy to be in flight. The scene was magnificent, and she quickly became overwhelmed with the way the water in the pool reflected the sky, and the way the fog lifted off of it in the morning light.
"I knew you would like it." He whispered against her ear, sending pinpricks of tingles down her body.
"Good thing you did." She said back.
He coached her on how to lead the griffon, on how to hold herself upright, and on how to speak to him so that he would understand. After about an hour of swirling through the sky, dancing on clouds, and cutting through the trees, they pulled back to the fortress. The beast landed hard, and ran a few steps before he tattered off to a trot, and finally stopped. The griffon snorted, full of delight. When they stepped off the animal bowed it's head low, one leg extended in front of it where it's head almost touched it's knee.
"Ah, wonderful!" Fen'Harel beamed a bright smile at the sight.
"What?" She looked back to the griffon.
"He has chosen you as his master. Truly an honor." Rihari didn't know what to do now, regardless if the animal had pledged allegiance to her, she was clueless.
"What do I do now?" She whispered to him.
"Bow your own head. It is a sign of mutual respect." She did as he said and the griffon rose again, he stepped forward and nudged her hand with his beak. She smiled brightly, delighted that the magnificent creature had chosen her as its master. "Now you may choose his name."
"Doesn't he already have a name?" She asked as she petted the animal along its feathery neck.
"No. That is not chosen by any but the master he chooses." He replied.
"But he is yours correct?" She asked curiously.
"Yes, I owned him, though he never chose me as his rider. Thus I never named him."
"Felaern." She said it quickly, almost without thinking. "That's what I will name him.. it is my brothers name." She said sadly.
"Wonderful! Look into his eyes and tell him his name." He stepped closer, amused by the magnificence of such a moment.
Rihari pulled the animals head up and looked into his eye, he glanced around a bit before his golden eye locked with her bright blues. "Felaern." She said softly. She felt a connection deep down in her gut, a tingle that seemed to intensify the longer the animal looked into her eye, until it didn't progress anymore. She let him go and he put his nose to the ground, sniffing for food.
"That was strange, yeah? I've never felt anything quite like that before." She said to Solas as they led Felaern back to the barn.
"Yes. The connection between griffon and rider is a soul connection." He paused, a smile pulled at his lips. "Such as our own."
She smiled too, butterflies beat around in her belly at his words. "I can believe that."
They didn't spend alot of time in the barn, the animal was free to come and go, he only wished to sleep there. As they exited the barn a loud boom demanded their attention. Some people gasped around the front of the fortress and they rushed over to see as well. There was an explosion of power not so far off. Rihari looked to Solas, who's face was set in hard lines. She heard him mumble something under his breath, but couldn't understand what.
"To arms!" He yelled, and everyone ran for their armor and weapons, Rihari followed him up the stairs and slipped into armor as well, she snagged the bow from a hook on the wall and tightened the string as she waited for him to tighten his leathers. She gave the bow string a small pull to test it out, it was tight, but that's how she liked it.
Once they were dressed, Solas pulled her against him tightly. "Stay close to me." He kissed her lips softly. "Ar lath ma."
"Ar lath ma!" She mumbled back. "I will stay close, vhenan."
He smiled nervously and stepped away. They made their way quickly down the steps and he led her to the barn. Others were gathered around. Some lingered near the barn, they said they could ride griffons, and he assigned them some quickly. He helped Rihari armor Felaern and quickly slipped his own griffon into armor as well. Her heart was pounding as they exited the building.
"Most of you will come with me, the strongest, the most powerful of you. The others will stay here and protect the castle."
The people whooped and hollered, ready to fight. Rihari mentally counted her arrows. Recounting how many were in the sling. Thirty-six. She could kill thirty-six people before she would have to use magic. Fine by her. She followed closely behind Solas as they trotted forward. He slowed down and she let Felaern trot up beside him.
"Be safe, ma'arlath." His face was serious, he was afraid as well. "Do not use the bow in the air, you could fall."
She nodded her response. That threw a wrench into her plans. She wasn't too great with magic, but now she had no choice but to use it. She was afraid, her heart pounded in her chest in tune with the sound of the mounts feet hitting the ground.
She could feel the tense magic in the air, the people that followed them were silent. She imagined they were reminding themselves why they were fighting anyways. She imagined they were as afraid as she was.
They had came prepared to fight, but there would be no fight on this day. The man that stood before them was no one that anyone knew. But Fen'Harel stopped in his tracks. His griffon shifted nervously from foot to foot. The man that stood there, a mass of broken and charred black trees around him, smiled brightly. As if greeting an old friend.
"Hello, Dreaded Wolf. Have something to fear do you?" The man motioned to the army that followed him. His eyes caught on Rihari a moment, she being the only one with vallaslin on her face pulled attention to her. Her unease was shifted onto Felaern, and he shifted uncomfortably.
"What do you want, hahren?" Fen'Harel asked. His face was stone, hard lines pulled on his features.
"Where is it?" The man dropped his smile.
"I do not-"
The man started to laugh, cutting off his sentence. "You lie." Fen'Harel said nothing, but Rihari could see his jaw flexing. His eyes were hard, but she noticed the nervous fidget of his fingers.
"Ah, no matter." The man shrugged as if it were nothing. "Take your army back. We want nothing to do with this rebellion." Fen'Harel turned to leave, his disrespect to this man was clear and the man smiled at his back. "Oh, and Fen'Harel!" He turned back with hard eyes to see what the man wanted. "You do know what we seek, but we will find it, you cannot hide anything from us."
Fen'Harel nodded and plastered an obvious defiant smile on his lips. "Good luck." He turned away again. This time no amount of the man boring holes into the back of his form could make him look back. He thought to himself that he was alone now, a lone wolf. No allies except himself.
Rihari followed behind him. This was the second time people had came to him wondering where "it" was. What was "it"? She couldn't decide what he could be hiding, a secret big enough to drag all these people out after him.
"Who was that man?" She trotted up beside him and asked.
"One of the Forgotten Ones, Daern'thal." The words slipped off his tongue easily, but the name and the title that came with it sent a shiver up her spine. Under her Felaern ruffled his feathers, he felt it as well.
She swallowed hard. "What did he speak of?" She wasn't sure she wanted to know.
"I am uncertain." He felt the words slip off his tongue before he could consider it. Instantly, guilt sprung up in his chest, spreading to his face and lighting it up with a twinge of red. She caught it immediately, he was lying, but why?
She squinted her eyes at him. "I think you do, yeah?"
He sighed. "Fenedhis, no I do not." He looked over to her, as if to affirm himself. "He is a madman."
"Okay." She grumbled it, made it obvious that she didn't believe him. He knew what her tone meant, but chose to ignore that for now.
"Come," He started to trot forward quickly, "fly back with me." He smiled back at her and she pushed Felaern forward. Solas and his griffon raced ahead, the beast's white feathers shimmered in the open areas not covered in metal armor. She raced forward, they lifted off the air a moment after Solas and she flew up beside him. He smiled over at her. "Race you back?"
"You're on, Chuckles." As soon as she said it, the nickname Varric gad made for Solas hurt her heart. How she missed her friends. Luckily, she didn't have much time to think before he swooped off to the right and banked back towards her hard. Felaern snorted and turned upwards. He beat his wings hard as he soared above and past them. She heard Solas's griffon beating it's wings right behind her, the beast gave a loud sqwuak, to let them know they were coming up quick.
She urged Felaern on and he beat his wings harder, his head bobbed up and down with each beat. She could see the fortress ahead of her and she told the beast to dive, he obeyed and placed his wings at his side. They gained speed quickly, diving towards the fortress at an alarming speed. She heard Solas yelling for her to slow down, but she only smiled.
They landed hard and Felaern had to stumble a few feet before he could begin to slow down, but they had won the race. She dismounted, Felaern was satisfied and showed so with a little hop and head throwing dance. Solas landed softly behind her and dismounted as well, his griffon was not as excited.
"You frighten me." He smiled though, and she returned it.
"I lived though, yeah? So what if I'm dangerous?"
He laughed and rolled his eyes at the sky. "You're an insufferable wo-"
"Ser, excuse me." An elf bowed his head to both of them in respect and apology for his interruption. "There are many people here, Mythal sent them here. They also have supplies sent by her."
"Thank you." He nodded to Rihari and turned to follow the messager. She thought he meant to dismiss her, and that was okay. She led the griffons to the stables and pulled off their heavy armor. They shook off hard once released from the burden. She spent some time brushing through their feathers as they drinked water from a trough.
Eventually, after a supper alone, she dragged herself up the stairs and to the bedroom. Fen'Harel was absent still, he must still be busy. She slipped from her armor and laid naked under the covers. The plush fabric felt nice on her bare skin. She tried to think about a few things, but couldn't focus her mind, and quickly fell asleep.
When Fen'Harel finally made it up the stairs some time after midnight. He slipped from his leathers sleepily and slipped under the blankets. The heat coming off of Rihari's body was intoxicating, and he found himself scooting closer. He slid his arm under her pillow and the other over her bare belly. His hand itched to slide up her bare body to her exposed breasts, but in the end it didn't. He fell asleep like that, with his hand brushing across the soft skin of her stomach.
.....
It was two weeks later before they were threatened again. The spies reported that June planned to challenge Fen'Harel, but would likely have an ambush set, knowing he could not defeat him alone. The news had brought a slight smile to his lips, the master of the craft would try to trick the trickster? A funny turn indeed.
Another spy reported that Elgar'nan and Andruil along with June's wife Sylaise had plans to be there. Dirthamen and Falon'Din decided to stay neutral for the moment, not completely certain what to make of the dispute. Ghilan'nain had stayed out of it as well, she had little care for the small troubles that seemed to be effecting the others. Of course, Mythal feigned surprise, but rejected the idea of attacking, making the others suspicious of her intentions.
All these Evanuris planned to stand against him, not to mention the others, Geldauran, Daern'thal, and Anaris, which he believed now opposed him as well. To say that he was afraid would be an understatement. Fen'Harel was terrified, but no one need know that, certainly not his army. He held himself high when the spies reported all of this. His hands were shaking, but he held them clasped behind his back so no one would see. He hoped they couldn't see the nerves firing behind his eyes.
Rihari stood at the end of the war table as they gave their reports, her eyes kept flicking back and forth from spy to him and back again. When the spies were done with their heinous reports, she spoke up. "What will we do? You alone can not stand against all of those, and possibly reinforcements as well."
He canted his head at her, his hair was in a single black braid that slipped over his shoulder when he turned to look at her. He licked his lips before he spoke. "Why not?" He said it as a challenge, as if he weren't strong enough to handle the Evanuris? He had been gathering power in the time they had spent here, he knew he would need all he could get for the war. His orb begged to be released of the power it held in its core. He had been channelling all he could into it, and had made a staff where it would sit inside the mouth of a wolf. He felt as though he was prepared.
She shook her head at him. "You can't be serious, Solas." The others present looked strangely at her, why would she call him that? It was an insult to them that she call him by any other than Fen'Harel.
He noticed the difference in the room. "Not now." He turned his attention back to the spies and asked where. They told him the whereabouts, but stated that he should probably wait until called as to not give away his spies. He agreed and then dismissed them all from the war room. Once they were alone he turned his eyes to Rihari but said nothing, he waited for her to say her piece.
"You can't go alone, yeah?" She pleaded with her eyes, her heart pounded in fear.
"Rihari," He shook his head with a sigh. "you can not call me that when they are present."
She shrugged and shook her head, her eyes squinted a little in annoyance. "Okay? Well, my lord Fen'Harel, Master Dreaded Wolf, you will get yourself killed if you go alone." The anger apparent in her voice, anger fueled by fear. It only aroused him, however.
He walked around the table and she backed away from him, her bottom bumped the edge of the table. He smiled. "Be still, da'ean. I do not plan to go alone, but I am more powerful than you may know."
She looked into his eyes, a glint of satisfaction hid behind the blue of his iris. Satisfied with the discomfort, in some strange way that she understood. She lifted her hand and grabbed the braid that hung over his shoulder, she pulled him closer by it, their bodies pressed together and a smile pulled on his lips. "Oh yeah?" She bit at her lip, tempting him to try.
Their faces pressed together, his nose pressed against her cheek and her nose against his cheek, his heart pounded. "Yes." He mumbled against her skin, his hands slid up her sides, the fabric of her dress lifting with his hands.
"Prove it." She said breathlessly. He laughed a short puff before his lips pressed against hers. Their kiss was filled with hot need, their bodies ached for one another, and they pulled at each other's garments until he grew tired of waiting and lifted her onto the edge of the table. She moaned when his length pressed between her legs through the fabric of his pants.
The kiss only intensified as he pushed her dress up to her waist, his fingers sent jolts of magical pleasure up her body as they slid across her exposed skin. They were both breathless, kissing and biting at each other's lips, she pulled at his ears and moaned against his lips. Her hands slid down his body, finding their way to his bulge. Her fingers fiddled with the buttons of his breeches and eventually, she pushed them down his thighs. He slipped her underwear to the side, and slipped a finger inside of her folds, tempting her with the dull thrum of magic. She pulled at him, begging him to give her what she wanted.
He smiled, his smile breaking the kiss a moment. A moment she filled with pleading. "Please." She pleaded breathlessly. She pulled at him harder, begging with her mouth and her body. He groaned, her pleading had got the best of him, and he slipped his penis up against her vagina. She mumbled something inaudible against his chest, he wanted to tease her longer, but in the end he couldn't wait so he slipped his length inside of her.
She let out a breathy moan upon his entrance, and wrapped her arms around him. He did the same and scooted her closer, sliding his length deeper inside of her with the movement. He started off thrusting into her hard, as if to prove his power as promised. Her legs found their way around his body, wrapping him tight in her legs. The movements he made dragged long moans from her, and soft breathless ones from him. Whenever her marked hand found its way to a patch of exposed skin it burned with pleasure, pulling him closer to climax. He started to pull out, to release his orgasm into his hand, but when she pulled on him and moaned a pleading "No, don't.." he lost all intention of it.
His penis swelled with the closeness of orgasm, filling her up even more. He held her tightly in his arms as he released the burden into her body. She was breathing hard against the throb of his length inside her, each breath she took seemed to press against his sensitive shaft. He pulled it out quickly and dropped his hands a moment later. His breaths were coming quick as well, and he still stood between her legs.
He slipped his pants back up and took a deep breath. They had all but forgotten the argument of before, and for a moment everything felt good, like walking on clouds.
There was a knock on the door. He looked over to Rihari to ensure she was dressed, she smoothed her dress quickly and slipped off the table. She ran her fingers through her hair as he opened the door.
"Excuse me, sire." Fen'Harel nodded and the man continued. "One of our spies has found a letter to you. It seems June knew of our spies."
Fen'Harel smiled softly. "Wonderful."
........
Da'ean- little bird
Geldauran and Daern'thal and Anaris- names of the Forgotten Ones.
Ma serannas- my thanks