Destinations and Desires Ch. 02

This may be the last chapter for a while due to a move that will take place. So please be patient and I will get them out. Thank you.

*

"Well of course I do. I mean, for a scrawny little wench, I guess so." Braxlin said with a wicked gleam in his eyes and a smile to match. To that remark he was astounded to receive a well placed knee in the abdomen. "Ohf!"

Since he had recoiled in pain, she took the opportunity to roll him over and straddle him, holding his hands above his head. Doing so was not an easy task. Seeing as how he was much taller then her, she would have to straddle his chest, or lean on top of him length wise. She opted for length wise. "Now who's got who?" Cleyandra asked an innocent look upon her face. As she said that, she noticed that their lips were dangerously close, and a movement from one or the other could be a bad thing.

Braxlin was elated that Cleyandra was on top of him. That meant his job was easier. Sighing in resignation he mumbled "You win." After he said that, he pretended to be limp, giving her a false sense of victory.

"Oh yeah, I am the best. Women are the rulers...AAHHH" Cleyandra yelped in surprise as Braxlin reached up and grabbed her arms, pinning them to her side. This position got them a lot closer. She was laid out on him in a very un-lady like fashion. She almost grinned. Gathering her self up, she was prepared to give him an ear full when she was stopped short with a firm kiss. Her eyes widened in surprise, and then she relaxed into him and kissed him back with a little more passion.

When she started kissing him back Braxlin was startled, then regained composure quickly. He slowly let her arms go and slid his hands up her arms in feather like touches causing her to groan and shift. As she shifted her hands came to rest on his chest and stabilized her for the moment. Now that she was settled he continued his exploration, he slid his hands down her sides until they rested upon her hips. Feeling no resistance he curved them around over her bottom. Hearing the moan in response he gently squeezed her butt and kneaded the muscles under her skin. Sliding his hands up her back, he noticed her robe doing so as well. Slowly he sat up, never breaking contact with Cleyandra and grabbed her legs, wrapping them around his waist.

'This is bad. This is very bad. But oh so good.' were all the thoughts Cleyandra could muster at this point. She had never felt the touch of a man on her bare skin this way, and it made her shiver with anticipation. She felt a bulge by her stomach, and could only blush at the thought of what it was. Feeling bolder then she had in a long time, she started to slide her hand down his chest, feeling his muscles, and appreciated the way they jumped under her fingertips. Before she could reach her destination, her wrists were snatched up and held behind her back.

Braxlin couldn't stop. He knew he was in trouble when her hands started moving. That alone brought him to his senses. "Stop. We have to stop." He murmured in her ear eliciting a groan from her throat.

"Why, I was starting to enjoy this." Cleyandra answered in his ear while starting to nibble on it.

His eyes crossing at this bold move, he almost regretted stopping Cleyandra. But he knew that she would think better of him in the long run. "We have to stop because I know this isn't right. Not for me and definitely not for you."

"What's not right about it? We both are adults, we both want each other and we alone in the woods." Cleyandra whispered into his ear.

"It's not right because I know what you are going to expect from me after this is over, and you know that will not happen. At least, not anytime soon." He answered. He almost swore as Cleyandra refused to be stopped so easily. She continued her assault on his ear, and slowly worked her way down his jaw and up the other side to his other ear.

They both jumped about five feet in the air as someone came crashing through the clearing and collapsed by the fire. Cleyandra, being on the top, jumped up first and sprang over to the new-comer. The person was almost completely hidden under several layers of clothing. Noticing the person was breathing calmed her just a bit. She was startled as the person started to cough and sit up. "Hold on, just lie still. You took quite a tumble there."

Jareth turned his head in the direction of the voice, and almost died of a heart attack at the beauty before him. It had been a long year in the woods, and a face, especially female, was more then welcome. After traveling through the woods for the past week, alone and with no food, he probably would have welcomed the sight of a man, which to his dismay, came into the picture soon after. As he finished coughing he removed his hood and gazed up at the two figures before him.

Braxlin immediately went on the defensive "Who are you? What are you doing here? Where did you come from?"

"Braxlin hush." Cleyandra scolded. "Can't you see he is exhausted?" She turned her attention back to the man on the ground, studying him closely. He appeared to be in his mid to late 20's, about Braxlins' age. She noted the blond hair and deep green eyes, like the color of moss. He was unshaven and the line of his jaw was hidden beneath what looked like a week's growth of facial hair. "Can you tell me your name?" she asked the man before her.

" Jar-Jareth" He stuttered out. "I was lost I the woods for a week without food or water. Can you tell me where I am?"

"You are about 20 miles east of the nearest town, which is where we are headed." Cleyandra answered, cutting off Braxlin.

Braxlin pulled her aside whispering "Why did you tell him that? We don't have to provisions to take on an extra person, you know that."

"We are only taking him to the next town, which to my knowledge, is only a days' ride from here so back off." She snapped. Turning back to Jareth, she studied the man, weighing whether or not to let him even come along. "Can you answer a few questions for me Jareth?"

"Sure can, what are they?"

"Where are you from?" She asked.

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you." He stated.

"Try me." Cleyandra dared.

"Ok, you asked for it;" he said, "I am from a place that you have never heard of, and a time you have never heard of I am sure. I am from the past, about 300 years ago actually. I was riding my griffon..."

"Wait, from the past?! Griffon?!? Are you nuts?!" Braxlin exclaims.

"Give me a minute to explain," Jareth states, "I am from the past, and I can prove it. I can also prove I have, I mean had, a griffon." He paused as he gathered his thoughts. "I was born into the house of Siron who ruled the land of Iema."

"Wait, Iema, as in the land we travel through right now?" asked Braxlin.

"Yes, the land you are in now, it was the land of my parents and their parents, and their parents. My family had ruled over the land for 500 years. When I turned 20, our land was attacked..." Jareth was saying when he was interrupted.

"I know this story!" exclaimed Cleyandra. "The land was attacked by the witch Curiom with around 100 black dragons."

"That's right." Jareth nodded.

"Wait, everyone knows that story, it's been around for ages." Braxlin said.

"Around for about 300 years to be exact." Jareth whispered. "The one bit of information that most people get wrong is how the young prince, me, got away."

"The legend is that he flew up on a griffon into the clouds hoping to get away from the fighting in search of help, but was never heard from again." Cleyandra stated.

"Ah, but I was heard from, by a dragon. A gold dragon to be exact." Jareth declared. "Every one knows that gold and black dragons loath each other. So I thought that if I could convince this one to help, she would rally others to help. But what I didn't count on when she said she would help, was her sending me here, about 400 years ahead of where I was. When I figured out exactly what happened, I began searching for the place I last was. The only problem with that is it is on the other side of the continent."

"Wait, are you telling us that you have been to the circle of stones?" Cleyandra asked, more intrigued now. "I thought that was just a myth."

"No myth, I can assure you that dear lady. I have been there, seen its' wonders, and looked upon the face of its creator." Jareth confirmed. "If I could only find some landform, or recognizable city, I would find my way there again, but these lands have changed."

"A map? We have a map." chimed Cleyandra. She got up and walked over to her bag, pulling a rolled up parchment from inside. Walking back over to the men, she unrolled it and showed it to Jareth. "Do any of these places look familiar?"

"Well, I recognize this coast," he said, pointing to the eastern most coast, "and I know I have seen that mountain because I lived there." He pointed out a mountain that had been marked as cursed.

"You live there?!?" Braxlin exclaimed. "No one lives there, it is haunted by..." he trailed off, noticing the look on Jareth's face.

"By a king and queen? Mourning the fate of their long lost son?" Jareth asked lightly.

"Well, actually, yes." Said Cleyandra.