Lady of My Heart Ch. 05

"It is not something you need to worry with right now in any case. We can discuss it and a bonding ceremony further when you return. You will return to me won't you, my love?"

"I will do everything I can to come back to you, you know that. Now, if you have finished packing those bags for the fiftieth time, I have to go. The others will be waiting to discuss the mission."

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Chill rain creeps in around the hood of my cloak in the early morning light as I look back over our strange assembly and have to shake my head. We have twelve Cinos warriors, Yelani, myself, Ames, Jax and Cordial. If the exotic appearance of the Cinos warriors were not enough, their strange mounts make an even more surprising sight. The Cinos mounts are a long legged, fast running bird, which, according to Yelani, can gut a man with one swipe of their sharp talons. I worry about how we will escape the city without incident, though Captain Coby has ordered the streets along our route cleared and a full company of troops to escort us out of the city.

This is going to be a complicated mission. The second stone lies hidden beneath an ancient temple. I carry, strapped to my saddle, the Staff of Brynth, taken from the palace library's collection of rare artifacts, but the staff is not complete. The focal point that should crown it, a large emerald, is missing and Yelani says it is in the custody of a shaman of her people. Our first task will be to go to the shaman and repair the staff, because the staff unlocks the hidden chamber where the second stone lies hidden.

Cordial carries some charts and maps of the ruins of the ancient temple, but most of the knowledge we have of the second stone and its defenses is based on myths and is little better than fairy tales. When we reach the shaman, if we reach her, she may be able to work with Cordial to give us more accurate information. That is if we can convince her to work with Cordial at all.

I notice Ames in heated conversation with Jax, as I pass by on my way to the head of the column. I can feel her irritation and anger. She is very upset with her mother over something. Though I've not been told what, I can well imagine it may be related to Yelani. I ride up beside the captain of our company of guards and he signals for the column to move out.

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I approach the command tent in the gathering dusk, wondering if this is to be the end of our campaign and the end of the kingdom, as we know it. My men have fought valiantly this past week and Vorlayin has been a huge asset, using his battle magic to shield our troops but the wounded surrounding Bendrian continue to mount.

It is obvious now that the Demon is in control of the enemy troops. They show little cognizance of anything save to kill and wound as many as possible. They will not stop, seem to be unable to stop until you literally hack them to pieces. I saw one today sprouting a dozen arrows plunge right on through the lines and take four men down before someone chopped off his head.

"Captain! Captain Coby come quickly, Sir you have to see this!"

I make my way to the front lines to see horror such as I have never experienced. Approaching us in waves are the dead, not just the enemy dead, but our own dead troops as well. The Demon has brought forth some foul magic to use our own dead against us.

All I can do now is call a retreat and try to slow the advance of Morbern's army. I pray we can slow them enough to allow the others to take the second stone and weaken the Demon's power before they reach the Capital. I hail a messenger to send word to the King, so that he may prepare for this horror to reach them if we fail.

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I watch over the servants moving the last of my necessary papers and some clothing to temporary quarters in the library annex. I have to have peace and quiet to work and that is no longer possible to find anywhere near the royal apartments.

My Queen is overly proud of her pregnancy but it is wearing on everyone in the palace. I have never seen a woman with child so horribly ill and I am amazed at her rapidly growing girth. How the child within her can grow at all, with her able to keep so little nourishment down, is a surprise, let alone the rate at which the babe appears to grow. Sabatarria herself seems to be withering away but her middle is growing by the day.

I am sure now that the Demon has possessed my brother's body, but whether he lives or was killed in the process I do not know. The accounts I have from survivors in the villages he has visited leave me no other explanation for his actions and abilities. He is no longer recruiting rebels. He is now moving in to take all capable of fighting with him, torturing and killing anyone not suitable for his army. I realize now that in the end my brother's body will have to be killed, if he is yet in it or not.

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Eraat freezes in place. It must be very careful with the Nagini. It is master's servant and must obey but it is not just an ordinary serpent. It is canny and smart as well as huge and it will eat Eraat if he is not careful. Looking back down the tunnel leading to this place Eraat can see that all the ancient traps are still in order. Eraat was sent to make sure of them and to warn the Nagini of Dragon's approach and it has. Eraat eases back away from the Nagini and scuttles away.

Eraat must go now to try and deal with the shaman. The shaman has the stone and Dragon must not be allowed to have it. Eraat trembles in fear. The shaman can hurt Eraat badly if she catches him meddling in her mind. Eraat dreads the days to come but master must be obeyed.

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The sound of the river is deafening as I carry two bowls of stew, a loaf of bread and a skin of wine toward our tent. Inside I find Dragon oiling and sharpening her sword and knives yet again. She is meticulous with her weapons, though there has been little need for them as yet. If only a sword could fight off this torrential rain we would be in a much better position. She rises to help me through the tent flap and secure it behind me in an attempt to keep our bedding as dry as possible.

"Ah, you brought food! How in the world has the Cinos cook managed to make enough fire to prepare a stew in this downpour?"

"You do not want to know what she is burning, trust me. We can only hope it hasn't flavored the stew."

"I will say no more then. Come, sit, let's eat and rest while we can. I fear tomorrow will be our worst day yet. We have to cross the river, and if the scouts cannot locate a better place it will be almost suicidal to attempt it."

Dragon holds the food as I remove my cloak and settle down, then hands me my bowl and pulls the stopper from the wine skin with her teeth. We continue to talk as we eat and pass the wine between us.

"I tried to find Mother, but Cordial was alone in their tent, poring over his papers and maps."

"I think she is avoiding you. I know you are upset with her but surely you can understand. Sometimes an attraction is so strong as to make one do what one knows is not right."

"I realize that, Dragon. It is just that she has hurt my father badly and either doesn't care or hasn't the sense to see it. I hate the thought of him heartbroken and dealing with all the wounded he will be faced with in battle at the same time. He would not have cared had she just waited till we left the city, but to him to see her with Yelani in their bed was a severe blow."

Dragon takes my now empty bowl, placing it by the tent flap with hers, and slides over to me in the furs, taking me in her arms.

"Ames, how long have your parents been together?"

"Well, Vorlayin is nearly forty five now and they were together two years before he was born, so forty seven years."

"Believe me, your mother just needs to get Yelani out of her system. Once this is all over and she goes back to your father they will work it out. They have not been together that long and not learned to work things out between them. Now, do you think maybe I could get you to concentrate on more pleasurable things for a while?"

I lay back in the furs looking up at her in my best seductive pose.

"Do with me what you will, my fierce Dragon, I am yours, now and forever."

With a mock savage growl, she pounces on me, branding my lips with a searing kiss. I can feel the passion in her rising exponentially as I respond in kind.

"Nah ah ah, no touching, I still must pay you back for that incredible experience the day before we left the palace. Now it is my turn. The pounding of the rain on the tent will drown out our moans and we may not get the chance to be so free again for a while."

With that she begins undressing me, kissing and nibbling every inch as she exposes it. By the time she has me naked I am panting and trembling. It seems I am still to be teased, as she begins slowly licking at my ear. She knows my ears are my downfall and takes full advantage. Her tongue moves downward to my shoulder and strokes back and forth, before roaming across between my collarbones, raising goose bumps all along the way.

She moves down to my breast and circles it, making me arch my back in an attempt to get her to take the peak. Around and around that hot, wet tongue goes, before moving over to the other breast. I whimper in frustration as she stops and withdraws to look down into my eyes. The fire blazing in those bright blue eyes shows she knows exactly what sweet torture she is inflicting, and how much it excites her.

"My heart, my love, my life, there are not words to describe how beautiful you are and how much I love you. I am happy that I will never have to live without you. I can't imagine not being able to look down on you like this and feel your love and passion."

With that she takes my right nipple between her lips, sucking rhythmically, and brushes the tips of her fingers across the left in rapid succession, sending dual jolts of pleasure to my core. I cry out and squirm as she switches breasts, my hips rising in the air seeking her.

I moan with relief as she finally begins moving downward. I am on fire with wanting, and it is hard not to grab her head and push her down to the junction of my thighs where the fire burns hottest. She trails that teasing tongue slowly back and forth across my body as she moves lower, inch by inch.

I cry out in passion as she reaches my womanhood at last, kissing it gently before delving in. With maddening slowness she explores every nook and crevice of me and I cannot help myself, I tangle my hands in her hair and begin to thrust my hips. She slips her tongue deep within me, resting her nose against my clit. As I grind against her face, I can feel her smiling.

That wonderful, long, hot, slick tongue thrusts within me, driving me ever closer to the explosion I feel building in my center. I raise my legs, throwing them over her shoulders and she thrusts deeper still, reaching that magical spot. The dam breaks and I scream. It feels as if my very soul is bursting forth in a torrent of pleasure like I have never known.

She moves up, holding me as I gasp for air. She lies atop me and I can feel a pleasant surprise. I did not know she brought that with us on this journey and now I know she is certainly not finished with me.

I reach to grab her shirt pulling it over her head and nibble at her neck. She rises above me on her arms, and I stretch forward to take one hardened nipple in my mouth, sucking and laving it with my tongue making her moan. I switch nipples as she struggles with her trews, trying to get them down whilst balanced on one arm.

"Over, turn over Dragon, I want on top!"

As she rolls off me I rise to my knees and grab her trews, yanking them down and freeing our toy. I move over to straddle her and she grasps my hips guiding me. I look into those lightning blue eyes and settle down upon her. Reaching out to her with my mind, I gasp at the pleasure and passion it brings me.

I lean over to kiss her as I begin to ride her, giving an extra little circular grind to my hips at the bottom of every down stroke. I can tell from her moans that I am accomplishing my aim. Raising up and leaning back I tangle my hands in my hair and get into my rhythm, putting on a little show for her.

"Aaahh Ames you know what that does to me."

"Yes, my fierce Dragon, I have you where I want you now and I am going to drive you right over the edge of sanity with my dance."

Her hands go to my breasts and squeeze them lightly as I build up speed. Our eyes lock and our minds embrace as the pleasure builds in both of us. She grips my hips tightly now, and begins to thrust upward meeting me and throwing a little grind of her own into each stroke. I can tell she is not far from release now and I am going to be close behind her. Reaching up she takes my hands and looks deep into my eyes as her whole body locks up tight. Then I am drowned in pleasure right along with her, the echoes of our orgasms bouncing back and forth between us as we moan and cry out as one.

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I look back over what is left of the troops I lead into this battle with sadness. I have lost many and will likely lose all before this ends. We retreat and then turn to fight again in a constant bloody scramble. The need to dispose of what dead we can slows us in our retreat but the Demon works with Morbern or within him and if we do not they will just return to fight us again in the night.

I fear for Bendrian's sanity. That first horrible night of rising corpses he was surrounded and nearly lost to us. We had unknowingly placed all our recovered fallen in a tent next to the healers. If Vorlayin had not sensed his father's distress and blasted the lot of them in a rain of fire he would be gone. With the numbers of wounded they are treating, all of our healers are running on low reserves of strength and Bendrian seems the worst. For some reason he lacks any regard for his own welfare now. I know not why.

I sent word to the King some days ago and hoped to have news of Dragon's mission returned to me but no messenger has come. I pray our messenger got through to the King. He needs to know we cannot hold back this ever growing army of Morbern's and that all dead must be burned before nightfall.

"Captain Coby Sir! The scouts report troops to our rear."

"Thank you son, run now and tell all the sergeants, they need to reinforce the rear guard. Now son go!"

I ride to the rear and squint to see what is coming out of the glare of the sunset. It is then that I see it. Hope rides on the last rays of the sun. It is the King's banner! From the looks of it he has brought with him the entire population of the university, wizard and mage alike down to the youngest fledgling. We can burn the bastards now!

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Eraat sneaks up to the entrance of the cave and peers cautiously around the corner. Strange chanting floats on the breeze and a silvery white figure sits before a fire rocking back and forth. In its lap rests a huge green stone and as the chanting escalates in volume and pitch the stone begins to glow.

Eraat tries to slip distracting thoughts and disquiet into the shaman's mind, only to be soundly ignored. He tries to incite paranoia and distrust only to meet an impenetrable wall of calm. He tries yet again to pierce the shaman's trance and she turns toward him blind golden eyes aglow and hisses.

Eraat scrambles to run away. She knows he is here and she can hurt him if he doesn't get far enough away quickly. Then Eraat realizes that what the shaman can do to him is nothing compared to what Master will do when he learns Eraat has failed again.

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Dawn finds me talking with Yelani about the scouts' findings. They have located a place down stream that is somewhat safer to attempt a crossing. The rain has let up a bit but the river still rages dangerously. Yelani tells me the news she received from the King by messenger during the night.

Morbern's army is routing our troops and the King rides with all available wizards and mages to attempt to stop him. The river may be dangerous but we must hurry to the shaman. The staff must be completed so that we can attempt to take the second stone and weaken the Demon. If we can weaken him now it will make things much easier for the army.

I return to our tent to find Ames has us all packed up and it just remains for the tent to come down and be packed. We have become used to this routine of traveling but I long for the day that we can have a home of our own. The palace is a grand place, and I do love the freedom of the wilderness, but I want a real home for us.

We move out and follow the scouts to the crossing as quickly as possible. I do not like what I see when we get there but we have no choice, we must cross. Yelani and I will both attempt the first crossing together. Each of us will carry a rope to span the river and allow the others to cling to it as their mounts attempt the fording. Taking my rope in hand, I lean over to whisper encouragement to Bore and he wades into the water.

The current is swift but the depth is not so much that Bore has to swim, and he stays upright through the crossing. Yelani is having more difficulty because her bird is shorter of leg than Bore and has had to resort to swimming more than once in the crossing. Finally her mount clambers to the bank and we attach our ropes to trees this side of the river.

The others begin crossing in pairs, each holding a rope so that if their mounts go down they can cling to it and not be swept away. I try not to smile as Cordial and Jax take their turn. Cordial has held up well to this rain and tough traveling but he is terrified of the river and it shows in his every move. Ames and the last of the Cinos warriors are up next and I watch as Ames' hart blindly follows her order forward.

Halfway across the unthinkable happens. The Cinos warrior is dismounted when her bird stumbles and loses grip on the rope. As she is swept by Ames, she reaches for her only to have her hart stumble and send her plunging down river as well. I leap into Bore's saddle to rush down river in hopes of being able to help but just as I spur him forward I feel a tremendous blow to the side of my head and fall from the saddle choking and sputtering. I cannot breathe and then I know no more.

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I am more proud this day than I have been in all the years since I took the throne. I look out on a horror of a battlefield and watch all of my loyal mages and wizards in action. From the lowliest fledgling mage folding bandages to the oldest and most physically fragile wizard they are each giving it their all.

Each time a wave of enemy troops assaults the front line the wizards rain fire and lightning bolts upon them, decimating their ranks. Our warriors force the line forward bit by hard won bit and the tide is slowly turning. The most able bodied of the mages scurry amongst the battle in fearless rescue of any injured, hauling them back to be tended to by the more experienced of the healers.

I turn from the battle scene and walk back toward the makeshift hospital they have set up. I must try again to reach out to Bendrian. Since my arrival he has lain on a cot and seems to be oblivious to his surroundings. I understand he was nearly lost at one point and has driven himself beyond exhaustion but I think it is more complicated than battle shock and fatigue. Something happened to change him before he left the palace, though what I am not sure.

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I awaken and try to get to my feet only to be pushed back down again. I look up into large golden, sightless eyes, then I hear Jax.

"Dragon lie still."

"Ames! Where is Ames? I must get to her!"

"No, not now Dragon, just lie still and recover. Do not fear, you are alive and that means she is alive. Tell me, are you in great pain?"

"No. My head hurts and my leg, but not so bad that I can't function. Let me Go!"