Liliah Willowmist Ch. 08

His social standing alone was the only thing that gave her pause. It wasn't what but who he was that had gained her growing admiration. He had a sharp, cunning mind, and an awareness that rivaled even Liliah's people watching skills. He had impressed Korinne by picking out things she had missed, and even she herself fell regularly under his analysis. He then proceeded to surprise her what he had done with the information, showing warmth and compassion when she had braced for ridicule. Even more valued than that, as she had revealed her weaknesses and allowed him to see her truly, he had done in kind, telling of things he feared, hopes and dreams of the future, insecurities he hid from everyone else, fearing exploitation.

Korinne wanted nothing more than to simply be allowed to keep him, and for things to continue as they had, but she knew he craved more. If she was honest with herself, he wasn't the only one. She was dismayed at the way the high born Dunmer lords seemed to her now, empty, conniving and shallow, convinced of their superiority in all things, and felt she would be under dealing herself if forced to forsake Vonion in favor of any of them. She rehearsed again what she planned to say to her father, taking a deep breath and expelling it softly, hoping she wasn't going to be ordered from sight for having a foolish child's longing of heart. She raised her hand, stilling it's shake and tapping on the door, pushing it open and stepping into the room when she heard him call out, "Come in," from beyond the door.

She closed the door behind herself curtsying respectfully and approaching his desk, forcing her hands to stop fidgeting, folding then in front of her. Lord Hlaalu smiled at her, a knowing smile as though he had been expecting her, his words verifying as much when he said, "I was wondering if I might see you at some point soon, though I thought it might be sooner. I have miscalculated your stubbornness a bit I suppose. How do you fair dearest daughter?" he raised an eyebrow at her, the slight knowing smile lingering.

Korinne cleared her throat, drawing a masking smile to her face, replying, "I fare well...As well as one can be in the darkness left by brightness spirited away to Summerset," her voice trailed off slightly as she felt a momentary swell of loneliness, and heard herself asking, "Has there been any word from her?"

Lord Hlaalu shook his head, giving Korinne a soft sympathetic look, "They were afoot, they will not reach Auridon for at least another month." Korinne nodded, sighing softly, then looking up at him with a contrite look, the script she had rehearsed lost, her heart flowing instead from her words, "You were right...and would that I could, I would see my actions undone, to return my dear companion to me, but I know now that she would have languished without such freedom as to follow her heart. I admit simply having her in my life has left me changed for the rest of it. She was one I could trust without hesitation. She knew my flaws and weaknesses and kept me from embarrassing myself, strengthened me with just her presence. She was beloved to me, and I find the loneliness in her absence threatens to crush me to the point of despair. She was the exception to everything you have seen me taught since birth, truest friend and ally in all things, more so even than a blood sister should have been."

Lord Hlaalu gave his daughter a sorrowful look, nodding and saying softly, "Indeed, the lesson would seem to have made connection, that said, I feel the weight of the loss also, and bear responsibility for all that lead to the inevitable divine correction of my misdeeds." He sighed, then looked back up at her shrewdly, arching his brow once more, "But this is not why you approach my study this day to have words, Korinne. I would ask you to be out with it and cease dancing from true intent."

Korinne drew a sharp breath, meeting his eyes and feeling as though he was looking through her, measuring her determination, having knowledge of what she would say before she would speak. She sighed, giving him a mildly irritated look, retorting, "You toy with me. How long have you known?"

He scoffed softly, "I have known since the first night he came to your room, your first evening absent Liliah."

He crossed his arms over his chest, giving her a stern look with his brow raised, waiting for her to speak.

Korinne sighed, wishing he would say something, finally blurting into the awkward silence, "Would you say..something? Anything! Tell me that it's foolish, what I wish for is childish and weak, that you would denounce and disown me...something!"

Her father watched her calmly, raising a brow and smirking as she lost it, then asking her in a placid tone, revealing none of his thoughts, "These are the consequences you fear may happen, but you come anyways? What could he possibly offer to be worth such consequence?" he narrowed his eyes shrewdly peering at Korinne as she squirmed, finally expelling a breath and admitting softly, "He strengthens me as she once did. I have found a semblance of the companionship lost to me. Would it not be more foolish to lose such twice?"

He clasped his fingers loosely in front of his lips, his eyes showing nothing of the thoughts behind them, finally asking, "The first was but free to you, the second may cost everything. It would be worth your titles and very name to have such? What would you see happen?"

Korinne took a shaky breath, attempting to steel her nerve and her wavering voice as she said firmly, "He would come and ask for formal presentation of his courtship. I would have you accept it and him, in full knowledge that after appropriate time, the courtship shall conclude in union." She met her father's eyes, trying to measure his reception of her words, only to be met with an unreadable look, and silence that felt as though it stretched into eternity.

He finally drew a resigned sigh drumming his fingers on the desk, drawing a sheet of parchment forward and writing on it for several moments, then setting it aside, pulling another sheet of paper, writing on that one also, then dusting both pages with fine sand before pulling two envelopes and addressing them. After he finished, he looked back at Korinne, still wearing an utterly unreadable expression. She held her breath as he prepared to speak again, waiting for the worst.

"I don't really think I need to inform you of the consequences once the other Great houses and others of the Hlaalu house discover your intention," he lifted a brow giving her a significant look, "I would speak with Vonion directly, as such, trust you can give this to him later tonight when he arrives for his 'nightly visit'," he glared slightly and emphasized the words slightly, sealing one of the letters inside of an envelope with his wax seal and handing it to her. She took it as it was offered, looking down at it, then asking him, "And the content of this hand delivered letter?"

He gave her a steely look, replying tersely, "Is between Vonion and myself. All you need know is that if you wish my support, you will comply with my wishes and keep your encounters strictly confined to traditional courtship encounters. There is to be NO further midnight rendezvous or sneaking in the shadows, and do not think for a moment that you do anything of which I am not aware. I own this town, and have spies everywhere...including where they might see the balcony overlooking the courtyard." Korinne felt her face flush, and looked shamefully down at the floor.

Lord Hlaalu narrowed his eyes, continuing, "If he wishes to play the game, he will play by the rules, or I will be forced to rescind my permission." He smiled slightly, a mere twitch at the corners of his lips. Korinne looked up, gasping softly in surprise, stammering, "Per..permission? You...would allow the union?"

He nodded, a shrewd look in his eyes, "Conditionally, yes. Vonion's father has been loyal to my family since I was a boy, and I in fact knew his mother before she passed from fever when he was still a baby. He is not just some lowborn peasant who would approach a stranger. You are well above his station, granted, and if he would be announced, he will follow my rules and orders to the letter, as will you, and you will find the arrangement instantly terminated if either of you give me cause to believe your acts may cause scandal in our house, do I make myself clear?"

Korinne nodded emphatically, clutching the letter, "Abundantly...Thank you father." He gave her a slight nod, smiling gently at her. She beamed ear to ear and ran out the door, leaving her father shaking his head with a chuckle. Vonion had won nothing yet, he would still need to make it through courtship while following the outline and rules. Vonion was not aware of it at this moment, but he had just put a collar around his own neck and surrendered the leash.

*****

Lilia groaned softly, holding a hand to her brow and ran a couple of steps to again catch up with Corellion. She had been nursing a hangover, complete with a banging head and a belly threatening revolt, and her memory of last night was spotty at best, hazed over by a thick fog left behind by the wine. Corellion had been acting a little off since they woke up also, but she wasn't sure if it was because of something she had said or done last night, or simply a wish to get moving again. They had been walking for a couple of hours and it had passed mostly without conversation aside from occasional comments about weather and the planned route for their journey. She ran a couple of steps, catching up once more then reaching out and catching his sleeve, protesting softly,

"Please, slow your stride a little if you would.."

The look he gave her as she touched his sleeve gave her pause, startled, and nervous, quickly covered by an apologetic smile and a brief explanation, "Apologies lady, I fear drawing nearer Cyrodiil has my steps hastened by nervousness," he looked at her nervously again and slowed his step somewhat, his eyes sweeping the road ahead of them and the brush along either side.

Liliah peered up at him trying to decide if there was more to his uneasy demeanor than what he claimed or if she was simply paranoid about what she was having trouble remembering. She had clear memory of waltzing with him, and drinking the wine, along with vague recollections of dancing after she had finished some of it. Her muscles today were burning from whatever had happened, and she couldn't help but wonder what else she had done while intoxicated enough to actually get up and dance in that dress. She also noticed she was wearing a different one when she woke up, and was hesitant to even ask how the task had been managed, praying that she hadn't crossed any lines last night.

She peered up at his face, trying to read him, saying softly, "I feel I owe you an apology Corellion, and I hope you can forgive me."

He looked down at her finding a look of sincerity behind the apology, a look of guardedness on his own face as he asked slowly, "Whatever for Lili?"

She smirked, shrugging one shoulder as she replied, "I was hoping you could help me with that actually. I don't remember much of anything beyond eluding your hands to run out and dance in that absurd dress..." she flushed slightly, adding, "I fear I behaved shamelessly, and have barely even fuzzy memory of it, only a sense of the... tension." She peered up at him, looking more than a little worried, nervously chewing the inside of her lip. Corellion drew up short, his steps pausing on the road as he sighed heavily, turning to meet her gaze.

He shook his head and smiled slightly, realizing how much his thoughts of the mer before him had so completely evolved over the course of a single evening, saying, "Be assured, the fault is mine, and nothing...dishonorable happened." He looked at her face, remembering the heat that had blazed in her eyes as she had looked at him, banishing the thought as he focused on the softly concerned look she currently wore, adding softly, "I find I feel as though I see you more truly this morning than I have for the previous few weeks. I was witness to you without your mask or filters..."

She cringed slightly, her face flushing, as she said softly, "I'm relieved nothing dishonorable happened, and apologize if I made you uncomfortable." she shrugged one shoulder, shifting awkwardly on her feet. She met his eyes with a sheepish look. "I don't know what else to say other than I'm sorry if you were disappointed with who I am while uninhibited. For whatever value it holds, I am still the same person I was yesterday, and I rarely drink for precisely that reason. I fear I may have made an attempt to seduce you last night in the gaps of what I cannot remember, and the fact that I did not wake feeling as though I had been split in half last night suggests my attempt was unsuccessful." She glanced awkwardly up at him, peering searchingly, the slight flush of his face as he awkwardly looked at the road revealing the truth of her accuracy with the guess.

He cleared his throat giving her a sheepish look, "You didn't make a full attempt, luckily for me. I bear as much responsibility for the event as do you, I was curious how you may act without the self control and discipline you keep yourself tightly wrapped in, and thought to see you without such. That said, it was...very unsettling for me to...see you in such a way." He flushed again, looking away and clearing his throat awkwardly. To his amazement he heard her giggle softly as she slipped her a hand through the crook of his elbow, telling him in her softly teasing tone, "Well, I shall make a deal with you, if you promise to offer me no more alcohol, I will promise not to ever make a full attempt."

He looked down at her as she gazed up at him with a rather sultry look, flashing him a crooked grin. He swallowed as he met her gaze, nodding slowly in agreement, even as the mental fantasy of how he would fill her desires caught his breath slightly, "I stand educated, and you have my word."

She gave him one of her brilliant smiles, nodding slightly and murmuring, "And you have mine."

They walked in silence for a ways, her hand still lightly resting in the crook of his arm, and he heard himself say, "Given the openness you spoke about me tending my own...needs...pardon my boldness, but I feel I should ask if I need to give you privacy more often to...well..." She looked up at him with a stunned expression, and Corellion chided himself for speaking without thought when he heard her giggle, admonishing him in a teasing tone, "Corellion! You shock me, and I am beginning to fear I have been a bad influence on you." She giggled cheerfully, continuing, "As for your query, I am a bit embarrassed to admit my mind is a bit too conflicted to pleasure myself to release with the memory of the one sexual encounter I have had. The realization that he never intended to return, even as he deflowered me and made his promises diminishes the memory more than a little," the smile fell somewhat, a masking smile taking its place as she fell silent.

He looked down at her, and felt his heart move slightly that she seemed to think somehow Zan not returning was a reflection on her, wondering yet again about the Khajiit,

"Don't worry, after what I saw last night, I sure he could be willingly and enthusiastically replaced the moment you wish it so." He chuckled softly, and she glanced back up at him, giving him another masking smile.

"To what end? There is a great deal of difference between wanting someone and wanting to be with them. Zan stands proof of that," her voice dropped off slightly, then she looked up at him, clearing her throat slightly, adding, "And unless I'm mistaken, you relate and share the sentiment..."

Corellion's step faltered and he felt his face burning, quickly recovering and scoffing softly, "That is not true, and I am truly a little offended that you think I would use you so carelessly, or merely be interested in naught more than surface value."

She locked her raptor gaze on his face as if looking through his skin and into his soul, lifting an eyebrow skeptically, "You are going to attempt to deny you want me?"

His steps halted as he looked at her face, shaking his head slightly, "I... didn't say that..." he said softly, his heart hammering at the admission of what he had meant, and inadvertently divulged when he had gotten defensive. He waited for her to call him out, but it didn't come. Instead she said nothing dropping his arm suddenly as though the sleeve of his robe had burned her hand, a stricken sort of look crossing her face, then a fierce scowl.

"Banish such thoughts, and do not speak of such again, or try to treat me as though I am too dim witted to know my standing. Even if it were sincere...You can not! WE...can not. It...would cost you.. everything." Her words came out vehemently, sharp though softly spoken, gesturing with her hands as she emphasized the words, finishing with a somber shake of her head. She sighed softly, looking down at the road, her next words more gently delivered, "Even if you were so inclined, I refuse to be the one responsible for such loss...A part of me would always fear unspoken resentment."

She sighed again, slipping her hand back through his arm and waking a couple of steps, tugging his arm lightly to get him moving forward again, saying, "Best not to dwell on thoughts of the impossible." Corellion nodded falling into step and saying, "You are quite right, let us speak no further on the subject." They said nothing more for the next several minutes both walking in thoughtful silence, Corellion leading them off the road a ways and into the cover of the tree line as they drew into Cyrodiil.

He drew her behind some dense undergrowth, motioning for her pack and drawing out the light cloak she had gotten, draping the forest green cloak around her, covering the brighter silk of her gown, saying softly, "Hand me your pack, we will need to cross here as quickly as possible, and hopefully avoid drawing notice as we pass. Reaper's March is just a short ways beyond that rise, but we risk trouble if we encounter soldiers. Fortunately we are not armed so they have no reason to doubt we are civilians rather than soldiers, but if they are the wrong soldiers, even that may not save us. I'm going to cloak us magically to hide our passing, but silence will be important along with it if we are to pass without incident."

Liliah nodded silently, drawing the cloak closed, tying it and crouching in a position of readiness, watching as Corellion's eyes flashed with blue-white light and a shimmering bubble formed around them. She reached out with wonder, trailing her fingers tentatively over the energy field, pulling back as a tingle ran up her fingers to the palm of her hand. He grabbed her hand lightly in his, the glow in his eyes holding steady as he maintained the illusion, the two moving quickly along the edge of the tree line, running parallel with the road. She kept up better than he had expected, her agility making up somewhat for the stride difference.

The traveled for what felt like an eternity in tense, watchful silence, stopping several times while under the cover of foliage so that both could rest momentarily and recover their strength. Liliah's legs and chest were burning from the exertion, and she could tell Corellion was close to his limit for maintaining their invisibility, and during one of their brief pauses, she grabbed his sleeve, stalling him for a moment, whispering windedly, "Pause another moment..." she reached into the pack on his back carefully, rummaging till she found the water skin, taking a drink and passing it over to him. He accepted it, giving her a grateful nod, taking a deep drink and wiping his brow with the back of his hand, handing it back so she could return it to the pack, whispering back softly, "We are nearly there, we can do this." He grabbed her hand again, taking a breath of resolve and pushing himself past his fatigue to once more summon forth a shroud of invisibility. He felt her squeeze his hand slightly in reassurance as they left their hiding place to once more run along the tree line. His concentration was beginning to waver and he knew he was close to his limit, physically and mentally. He glanced back, met by worried eyes, turning his focus back on the task at hand. The sun was low on the horizon and it would be dark soon, and Corellion knew they had to be getting close.