A Paladin's Journey Ch. 04

"Especially since Elaina's recent visit," Induin added slyly. Aran cocked an eyebrow in amusement; he would have to find out about that later.

"Excellent," he said, placing a hand on the shoulder of each of them. "I need you two to go to Ildernass with all haste and ask them to send as many fighters as they can. "Tell them the Paladins need their help, and without it, the West will no longer be safe. Tell them to meet me at the northern edge of the Emerin Forest as soon as possible."

With a nod, the twins rushed off immediately. Aran strode from the room after them, so deep in thought that he nearly bumped into Elaina; he hadn't sensed her coming. "I'm going with them, aren't I?" She asked him quietly, her eyes searching his.

He inclined his head somberly. "I want nothing more than to travel with you at my side, but you've spent time with the Elves. You know them."

Elaina nodded. "Where will you go?"

Aran's face hardened. "I'm taking Smythe and Kedron, and we're going to stir up the Heralds."

Her eyes widened. "You're going to bait them into an ambush in the forest? What if the Elves don't come?"

"Then I'll think of something," Aran said with more certainty than he felt. "One man can become as many in the woods. You taught me that."

Elaina planted a scorching kiss on his mouth, her hands clutching fistfuls of his hair. Aran thought she was going to mount him right there, but she pulled back, panting. "Give them hell, my love, and come back to us, alright?" Her words echoed Amina's.

Aran rested his forehead against hers. "I will. I'll be on the Plane right on full dark every night, unless it's not safe to do so."

She kissed him one last time before hurrying off to prepare for her journey, leaving Aran to walk the halls alone.

*

Aran went to the rooms he shared with Elaina with the intention of packing, but when he got there, he found Sorla just putting the final items in a bulging saddlebag. There was no sign of Elaina. The pretty half-Orc looked up as he walked in, her silky black hair falling down around her face. She straightened, still holding the bag. "I thought I'd pack for you, since you're in a rush." Worry flowed through the Bond, along with love, and sadness.

"Thank you," Aran said softly, crossing the wide room and taking the bag from her hands. "I've barely seen you since I got back, and I wish we could take some time together."

She nodded. "Me too. But it's alright. I understand."

She was putting a brave face on it; Aran could tell. He stepped closer and held her by the waist. The Bond was a wonderful thing, but it amplified the hard times as well as the good. "Sorla, this life together is going to be tough. I love that we're Meldir, but if it's too much for you, I will understand. I can release you, if you wish it." He had considered this somewhat, not just for Sorla, but for all his Meldin, no matter how much it hurt him to imagine being without them. Was it fair to expect them to wear all this pain and uncertainty just for him?

A burst of hot anger roared through the Bond, and Sorla's big dark eyes flashed. Her spectacular bosom heaved and her nostrils flared threateningly as she inhaled sharply. "You wouldn't dare!" She hissed, poking him hard in the chest with a finger. "You will do no such thing! I'll have you know that -" she had a lot to say, but she descended into a string of Orcish that Aran couldn't decipher. Besides, he found he was grinning widely at her tirade. Not because it was funny, but because he could feel how vehement she was at keeping their Bond intact.

Sorla's tirade abated when she saw his grin. "And what is so humorous?" She asked, her eyes glinting dangerously. "Are you laughing at me, Aran Sunblade?"

His grin faded, and he met her glare intently. "I love you."

The next thing Aran knew was she was kissing him and tearing at his robe, even as he tore at hers. They fell onto the huge bed, frantically pawing at each other, their lips kissing everything they could reach, both of them moaning in deep satisfaction as Aran's cock found its way into the warm depths of Sorla's waiting pussy.

They fucked hard, with passion and urgency, and Aran kissed his beautiful half-Orc lover as he came inside her, relishing the way she shuddered as she found her own release, her arms and legs wrapped tightly around him.

*

Once packed and dressed for travel in a good white shirt, a stout dark-green tunic and breeches, Aran stopped by Amina's quarters after leaving his own, finding - much to his surprise - Sara waiting for him in Amina's sitting room. Clad in her robe, she was seated on a padded chair near the fire, intent on the book she cradled on her lap. The orange glow of the firelight played across her profile.

Amina had said nobody was to see Sara during her training, so it had been a few days since he'd seen her last, and she'd already been well on her way to becoming as beautiful as Amina in her physical body. Aran could remember when Sara had been a skinny street urchin just trying to survive, but now she was a young woman in her prime, slender and graceful. Not voluptuous like Amina, yet every gentle curve was placed just so, in a way that made a man's gaze slide across them like a stream over smooth rocks.

Her gaze was fixed on the book, but she looked over as he entered the room. "Aran!" She beamed, rising smoothly and crossing the room to him. Aran watched in amazement as she moved. He didn't know what she'd been doing in the last few days, but she was definitely different. She was more confident, more composed, and - he realised with a shock - far more powerful.

"What in Aros have you been doing down here?" He asked in amazement as she wrapped slim arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. A warm tingle ran through him at the feel of her lips on his skin. "Your Gift must have doubled in strength in just a few days!"

With a happy sigh, she nestled her face into his neck. "I'm not allowed to talk about it," she murmured, pressing her body more tightly against him as his hands automatically came to rest on her slim back. "I'm just glad to see you. I felt you return earlier, but I'm forbidden to leave these rooms until I've reached a certain stage. The only reason I'm here now is that Amina told me I'm allowed to say goodbye to you."

Holding Sara close felt... wonderful. Her Gift pulsed, drawing him in inexorably. "I don't suppose we could do more than just say goodbye?" He knew the answer before the question even formed, yet still he found himself asking.

She giggled against his neck, a throaty sound that heated his blood. "Oh, you have no idea how much I want that, Aran." She molded herself to him insistently, pressing her flat belly against his hardening shaft. She kissed his neck, and Aran found himself on the precipice of losing control.

Taking a ragged breath, he drew back until he was clear of her. They took a moment to compose themselves, Aran controlling his breathing, and Sara smoothing her robe over her hips and adjusting her cinnamon hair by tucking it behind her ears. "Amina hasn't given you her blessing yet, has she?"

With a rueful grin, Sara shook her head, and her brown eyes twinkled merrily. "No, but I almost had you anyway, didn't I?"

Aran couldn't hold back a chuckle. So, the cheeky girl was still in there, after all. "I'll see you when I get back."

"You'll do more than see me, I think," Sara said coyly.

"One can only hope." Offering her a polite bow, he turned and left Amina's quarters.

*

Aran made several more stops within the Temple. The first was to Liddea for advice on approaching King Burin in Dun'Arghol. The pretty flame-haired Dwarf was busy using a Sunstone to restore collapsed walls in what was once a grand reception room, off the main hall, with a double-row of thick pillars down the middle and a wide recess in the floor on each side. Amina said they had once held water for aesthetic purposes, but were often used for more playful pursuits, if the guests so desired.

Not being his Meldin, Liddea didn't sense Aran enter the room, and he watched her for a minute, appreciating the attention and focus she put into her work. As she moved the glowing white Sunstone across the rubble, it shifted, and small pieces began to gather together, the joins disappearing as the stone became whole once again, fitting itself back into the main structure like pieces of a puzzle. Her plump, shapely form shifted back and forth beneath her robe as she worked.

The light flickered, indicating the Sunstone was nearly depleted, and Aran quietly stepped up behind Liddea and cupped his hand over hers, covering the failing gem. She turned her face up to look at him, and smiled beautifully.

"Aran!" she beamed. "Come to help? I sure could use it, in here." She grimaced and waved her hand around the somewhat decimated room.

"I wish I was," he said truthfully, pushing his Gift into the Sunstone to once again infuse it with power. The light shone powerfully, now, enough so that the skin of his fingers shone bright red where they covered the glow. "But I'm afraid I can't stay. I need your help, Liddea." He released her hand.

"Of course!" The comely Dwarf responded. "Whatever you need, Aran." She turned to face him, but stayed in proximity, her tremendous breasts bumping into his midriff.

Despite wanting to take Liddea in his arms and strip her out of that robe, he stayed focused on the task at hand. "I plan to approach King Burin about us working with the Dwarves against the Heralds, and I wanted your advice on that."

Liddea pursed her lips and nodded thoughtfully. "He's a good king, I think, but he's a stubborn one, from what I hear. Word has it that he's never been the same since his sister went missing." When Aran asked what happened to the king's sister, Liddea explained. "She just vanished one day, according to the rumours. Her and a couple of servants just up and disappeared! The king went into a rage, and scoured the countryside looking for her, but she never turned up. That was a few months back, now."

"Interesting," Aran mused. "What's her name?"

"Glinda," Liddea said.

Something about that name tickled the back of Aran's mind, but it vanished like smoke in the wind before he could grasp it. "What do you think my chances are of getting him to lend us some armsmen?"

"Probably not great," Liddea replied slowly. "If Burin is like the people say, then he is likely amassing an army to scour the land for Glinda. But then, the Dwarves have always thought well of the Order of Aros, so there is that."

That was a troubling thought. An army of angry Dwarves raging around Ekistair? "Thanks, Liddea," Aran said, leaning in to brush her lips with a kiss. "You've been helpful. I wish I could stay longer so you could teach me the ins and outs of Dwarven protocol, but I'll have to do my best without." He kissed her again, for longer this time.

"Mmm," she moaned softly into his lips. Then she giggled. "Do you have to go right now? Her fingers traced his jawline. "I wouldn't mind giving you a decent send-off."

"It is my deepest regret," Aran sighed as he gently pulled away. "That I cannot. Though I do vow to make it up to you when I return. Will that suffice?"

She adopted a thoughtful expression, pursing her full lips. "I will hold you to that, kestaz khuzi," she said with a quiet intensity Aran hadn't seen in her before. "It's an ancient Dwarvish term," Liddea explained before Aran could ask. "It means 'holy warrior,' or 'holy defender' in the common tongue. It is a formal term, historically used in ceremony when in dealings with the Order of Aros."

Aran thought it sounded a little grandiose, but something in Liddea's face told him to keep that to himself. He didn't know much about Dwarves, but the traditions of some peoples were not to be treated lightly. "I'll remember that," he said, smiling down at the pretty Dwarf. "Maybe when I return, you can give me a proper lesson in Dwarvish?"

Liddea grinned wickedly. "Maybe after I'm done with one or two other things first, then yes, I would be happy to teach you, brizag vaen."

Aran chuckled. "I'm not even going to ask what that means, but I can think of a few fun ways to make you tell me!" She laughed as he drew her into his arms, and she buried her face in his tunic.

"Take care out there, Aran," she whispered softly.

"I will," he assured her, stroking her hair. All too soon, he was stepping away from Liddea and turning toward the archway that led back to the main hall.

*

Aran made sure to visit each of the remaining Servants and Meldir before he left. He shared heartfelt hugs and kisses with Lynelle and Sylvia, Rayna and Bella. With the latter two, he could feel their pain at knowing he was heading off to fight. If there was one part of the Bond he could mute, it would be that.

He gave them all special instructions to carry out while he was gone, including Erik, who it turned out had some surprising and useful skills. Aran stopped by Tavish and Ayla's quarters, too, and the young twins wished him a safe return to the Temple. They both looked better than they had the previous day, their eyes a little less shadowed now. Ayla even smiled briefly. Aran's instructions for them were simple: focus on healing, look after each other, and listen to Amina.

It was when he was almost at the stables that he sensed Jeira. When he entered the large stone structure that opened up into the mountain meadows on the other side, he saw her perched on an already saddled and bridled Strider, walking him in circles. The big stallion's shoes rang loudly on the stone floor.

Aran knew she could sense his presence, but she didn't look over immediately, so he put his bags down and watched her, leaning against the archway with his arms crossed. She was so beautiful, his first Meldin, slender and raven-haired. She handled Strider with a confident ease, sitting straight-backed yet relaxed, and the stallion gave her no trouble. Her short robe rode high on her creamy thighs, making Aran wish he had somehow found some time to be alone with her earlier.

"I thought I'd get him ready for you," she said without looking over. Her voice was steady, but her emotions vibrated with worry, love and fear. "He's a good horse. Loyal. Strong. It took him some time to trust me."

"Thanks." He offered no more, sensing she didn't want to talk much.

She remained silent for a minute or so, and the only other sound in the yard was the ringing of hooves on stone. "Would you release me from this Bond, if I asked it?"

Aran's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment he struggled to find an answer. Of course, he would release her, if that's what she desired. He would always give her anything she sought, but did she really want to be free of him? "I would," he said finally. "Though it would tear out my heart to do so."

Jeira merely nodded thoughtfully. "If I die, or Rayna dies, or one of the others, what happens to you?"

Aran's stomach tightened at the thought of her dying, but he made himself answer. "According to Elaina, I'll feel pain like no other, for a long time. If it doesn't drive me mad, or kill me, I'll eventually recover."

At last, Jeira looked at him, and Strider came to a halt at a touch of the reins. "Why do you put yourself at such risk, Aran? One or two Meldin I can understand, but SEVEN?! If one of us dies, it could end you, but what if two, or three, or ALL of us die?"

Aran felt like he'd been hit in the head with a rock. She wasn't worried about her own safety, she was worried about his! And she was right about what she spoke of. He tried to form a response, but he was still reeling from realising the very possibility of his Meldin being taken from him.

"You're important, Aran!" She said firmly before dismounting smoothly and crossing the yard to him. "If what Smythe and Amina and everyone says is true, then you can't afford to have so many vulnerabilities. If you release me," she began, her words catching in her throat. The Bond filled with sadness. "Then I am one less weakness that can be used against you."

Aran looked into her dark eyes, losing himself in them for a moment. Was this really the best way? With everything that was transpiring in the world, could he really keep Jeira and the other Meldin safe and hidden from all dangers? Would they even let him? Elaina most certainly wouldn't let him wrap her in cotton and hide her from the world, and nor would any of the others. Sorla would probably put a knife in his ribs if he tried.

Suddenly he smiled, and words tumbled from his mouth. "You are not my weakness, Jeira Connolly. You are my strength. Without you, and the others, what am I even fighting for?"

With a sob, Jeira flung herself at him, and the Bond glowed with a warm dawn of love as he put his arms around her waist. "You know," he said softly. "I actually offered to release Sorla earlier today, because I hate seeing any of you in pain, and she nearly ripped my head off."

"Good," Jeira mumbled into his neck. "I like Sorla, she's a smart woman."

Aran chuckled. "I love you."

Jeira echoed his words, then leaned back a little to look him in the eye. "Aran, would you give me a child?"

That question should have rocked Aran to his core, but he found the answer on his tongue more readily than he would have believed. "Yes, of course. If that's what you want."

She beamed the most beautiful smile and kissed him thoroughly. "Wonderful! When you return, we'll have some work to do."

"I can't wait," he said truthfully. "But are you sure you want to bring a child into the world the way it is right now?"

She shook her head. "Not the world out there, maybe, but this world here," she pressed a hand against his chest and then hers, and then gestured to the Temple around them. "This world is perfect for a babe, and will only get better with time."

Aran hoped she was right. He wanted to have children one day, and Jeira would make an excellent mother. Nodding agreement, he kissed her and then gently removed her arms from around his neck. "Come then, my love. It's past time for me to be gone, and I sense the others are all gathered together for some reason. Shall we see what it's all about?"

*

Aran headed up the spiraling ramp that wound its way through the centre of the Temple. He had Strider's reins in his left hand and Jeira's hand in the other. The closer he got to the columned entrance hall, the more certain he was that the rest of the Temple's denizens were there.

When he and Jeira reached the grand hall with its forest of thick stone pillars, they could see Amina addressing the Servants and Meldin, whom were all present save for Sara. The Priestess fell silent as they approached, and everyone turned to regard him.

There was graceful Elvish Lynelle and her daughter Sylvia, Rayna and Bella and Jeira, Sorla and Liddea and Erik, Induin and Liaren. Even Ayla and Tavish were there, holding hands uncertainly as they watched him. Elaina, Smythe and Kedron completed the gathering, the latter two also with horses in tow, and fitted out for travelling. Kedron had even found a sword somewhere, which was belted to his hip.

Aran chose to offer them encouraging words. "These are trying times," he began. "But here, at this Temple, we have begun something wonderful. We are the seed that can grow into a mighty tree that shades and protects those who shelter beneath its branches. The Heralds cannot be allowed to continue their misguided ways. I go to fight, as do the other Paladins." He steeled himself against the pain coming through the Bond from all his Meldin so close together. "If you've been given instructions, follow them carefully, but with all speed. Otherwise, remain here at the Temple and support Amina with whatever she needs. May Aros guard you all."