The Seeker and the Source Pt. 05

Author's Note:

Part 3 was actually one of my favourite parts. I remember writing one of the sex scenes and being like "hmmmm is the human body capable of doing this?" and then trying it on my fiance.

I also think it's where I started really getting to showcase the main characters' personalities. You also get to really start seeing just how ethnocentric both races are. You start seeing what a homogeneous society would be like seeing as how both humans and elves live on separate continents. Of course you may have also noticed the Elves aren't the same cookie cutter elves that are all about music and living with nature. They're more of a manicured, everything must be perfect or be destroyed race seeking power over what they deem as lesser than. Like evil robots. But sexy evil robots.

I feel like Illandriil has been raised in this sort of 'strive for perfection for the sake of the state' society and he's fighting against it for Aurelia's sake because in Elven society a human will never be close to perfect. But then she doesn't have to be perfect and he's trying to reason out why she doesn't have to be and why hes okay with that in his head.

Again because lots of things change further down the story. I still had to go back and change different parts to fit. And part 3 was originally longer spanning the length of part 4 but then also realized how long that would make part 3. As well, I wanted to you guys to have something more positive to read if you chose the option to skip the last scene of part 2 altogether.

Hey so while, we're on the subject of part 2, I've read the comments . I just want to get out there, It was never my intention to make something so similar to ReckingBall or any other author's work, I think every author here especially ReckingBall is amazingly talented and awesome.

I want you guys to know that I do hear you and I have read through her work to compare mine. While I do see the similarities I also see the differences. And maybe its because I've read my writing so many times that I know the story line, plot hook, character motivation etc. that makes me able to see the differences that makes my story uniquely mine.

As a result of this I've sent out a message to ReckingBall to see what they say and what I can do to remedy this because this is serious to me. In the meantime I do suggest that everyone go read her awesome work in the meantime and show them your love!

I also want you guys to know I'm open to suggestions! Tell me what you think should happen in part 2 having read up to part 5.

As well in the interest of being fair and honest to everyone lets put everything that deeply inspired each element of the story on the table right here, right now. Let's do this:

The Source/Seeker: The Witcher really inspired this. Being of infinite magic power! hell yes! can she use it all? hell no! Another being hell bent on tracking her down? In a non father/daughter romantic way also yes!

Elven Dominion, Faen Dominion: Surprisingly no, it's not the Aldmeri Dominion. Actually, my fiance asked me this when they read it. (hey babe how you doing.) Deep Space Nine is my favourite Star Trek bar none. The Dominion kind of inspires how the Elves think and act toward other races.

The Human Republic: Do they have roman names? Yes. Are they inspired by Imperials from Bethesda? Also Yes. But they are also democracy gone wrong, with a secret organization in the background seemingly running things. I mean why has no human government found out about Aurelia?

The Halflings: Tolkien? Tolkien...

Overall: They say write about what you know. So current events definitely do inspire a lot of this story.

On the topic of credit I do want to credit this lady named Anya Breton for compiling a list of dynamic verbs for creating sex scenes. I swear without it my sex scenes would be reduced to a few ooohs and ahhhs.

Some comments managed to point out my one weakness: accidentally giving Illandriil magic dick syndrome. Though if you asked me, I always thought he had more magic mouth syndrome than magic dick syndrome. ;)

Joking aside, this story has been in the works since late February. Before I started writing it, I did research, part of that research was learning to write non-consent reluctance stories because I knew that's where my story ultimately fell. On top of this I am not female, which means I really don't know how women feel during sex. This presents a difficult challenge, especially when it comes to writing sex scenes. This on top of writing while dyslexic. So to mitigate this I spent (an embarressing amount of) time reading several stories in this category just to understand how stories like these were written.

The problem is that what you read, you tend to internalize. So later when you write, it starts to mesh with the ideas you have. Which can make it hard to differentiate between what ideas are yours and what you've read in the past.

I'm not trying to justify this. Just explaining myself. Though I'm sure I will still get a negative comments.

Anyways, now it feels like I'm questioning every scene in my story because like I mentioned before, I've read and re-read my work over and over even things that might have been my idea look familiar. Which is what ultimately slows down the editing process

It's the time spent double checking and triple checking work and trying to compare it with every story you read in the past year. AND even then you still feel like maybe this or that part has come from somewhere else.

That stops making this fun and starts making it a job. Which sucks but I do want my work to stand out online as it's own piece. So thank everyone for bearing with me through this ever evolving process!

-C

"Aurelia, I love you"

Time seemed to stand still between both of them, neither moving to say anything. Unsure of what to say in this moment.

Elves rarely spoke words of love to their family. Spouses, parents, siblings. When you lived as long as they had, expressions of love were considered inconsequential.

A knock came at the door before either of them could think of what to say. Illandriil uttered a curse as he dragged his eyes away from her to the door.

They had arrived and he was needed on deck.

###

Illandriil stood on the bow of his ship gazing out at the approaching shoreline, a white sanded blip cutting across the sea of blue-green, mulling over the words spoken in his cabin.

Seems to me you're the violent ones

He stood there mulling over her word. There was much for him to figure out.

A hand on his shoulder broke him out of his trance. Illandriil whirled around expecting to meet the sea glass eyes of his cousin, instead finding Malloryn in her place.

"What?" He said through gritted teeth.

"Ooh trouble with the human eh? I would have thought that one would have been easy to deal with."

Illandriil sighed, letting his guard down around his second. Malloryn was one of the few people within his inner circle he felt like he could be himself around, having grown up with him and Cerrella. There was no one he trusted his secrets with more.

"So do you?" Malloryn asked after Illandriil recited the events that took place in the cabin.

"Do I what?"

"Do you love her?"

Illandriil paused to think it over.

"... Yes." He said hesitantly.

"Is that wrong?" Illandriil asked after a few moments of silence had passed.

"Can't say. I've never had the pleasure of being-." Malloryn glanced behind him suspiciously eyeing their surroundings. Illandriil presumed it was to ensure no one else was listening to their conversation.

"Attached." He said returning his attention to his prince. "Although if they told me that all I needed to do to win a war was fuck a hot female, I would have had my britches down faster than you could say who. Come, you let her too easily into your mind."

"Coming from one who so easily let her into yours"

The look Malloryn gave Illandriil after he said that could only be described as scathing. Not that he was mad though, banter like this came easily between the two friends.

"Don't start using it on me, I'll tell you right now it was none too pleasant. Being unable to control your actions. Feeling like an eerie passenger in your own body."

"Not unless I need to." Illandriil jested back.

They stood together for awhile, watching the shore draw closer.

In the distance he could see small distant figures line the sand.

###

Aurelia sat back in bed and sighed as she replayed the scene again and again in her mind. It was almost like she dreamt it, did it really happen? The more she replayed it the more it felt surreal.

Up until this point, Aurelia had never heard someone say I love you. Even in a non-romantic way. As the mystical being of divine prophecy, you don't get loved. People either tiptoed fearfully around you, or they squirrelled you away and placed you on a pedestal.

It didn't mean that she never sought it out where she could. The only person she thought truly loved her was Augustes. He was the closest thing she ever had to a father. While he never expressed the words, she knew deep down he did. But that was familial, what about romantic love? She thought back to a boy in their camp that she grew up with.

His father had been one of the mages in the guild. Brought his whole family to move around with him. She used to watch as he trained enviously that he could use magic. They were friends, best friends. Aurelia smiled as she reminisced her friend. There was one time they stole the lead-magister of divinations scrying scroll. They got into so much trouble once he divined the location of his scroll.

She was enamoured with him. She had often found herself dreaming about them being together. Him professing his love for her on bended knee. Happily married, her belly round with their first child. Growing old, smiling at each other in their twilight years.

But that was never to be anyways.

He never returned her affections. As a matter of fact, they stopped being friends as soon as he was old enough to join the order himself. He just grew cold and distant. It started with him ignoring her, avoiding her. She could never figure out why. One night after their evening meal, she chased him down to ask him, and he pushed her away citing he was busy, saying they couldn't spend time together anymore. Like a punch in the gut from nowhere. It never stopped her from caring for him, but it still hurt all the same. She had never felt so isolated up until then.

She sighed as she wondered at what happened to him. He had been amongst the group that split up. Did he make it to the base? She hoped he was okay.

Lepidus

There was a knock at the door that caused Aurelia to jolt up. The door creaked open as Illandriil stepped in followed by a she-elf carrying. Oh Gods.

A dress.

###

Illandriil stood leaning against the wall outside his cabin with his arms crossed behind him, his mouth tilted into the smirk as he stared at the door. Aurelia had put up such a fight when a female elf approached her this morning with the intent of dressing her. She finally relented after he smoothly explained that it was either this or the tunic. Not wanting to have to leave the cabin in nothing but the oversized shirt. She requested that he leave before she change and before he could protest she had all but pushed him out of the door.

He let her have that small victory, as he had other things to do on the ship before they disembarked. Now that he was done, he stood outside waiting for her.

His breath hitched when the door opened and out stepped, his beautiful little Source. She looked beautiful in the sleeveless floor length flowy peach pink dress he had selected for her.

Aurelia scowled at him wanting to wipe the dumb grin right off his face. She had never worn a dress in her entire life. The camp was constantly moving which made dresses a hindrance. So when the she-elf came in this morning carrying one that featured an obnoxious amount of fabric, she protested hard. She didn't want to give Prince 'I love you' the smug satisfaction of girl-ling her up

In truth the dress was lovely. It was a simple, yet elegant design though the fabric was unknown to her. It had a soft silky but cotton like underskirt with a see through gossamer over skirt in the same colour. It featured thin golden chains for straps with a braided belt with similar gold chain tassels at the end that softly jingled as she walked. It fit her perfectly, making her wonder where he found the time to measure her.

Illandriil smiled as he looked at her, enjoying how the dress hung on her body, revealing her slender arms and slim physique. It was definitely a good choice, enjoying the look of pale pink against her creamy ivory skin. Easing from the wall pulling his hands in front to place a pair of strappy, supple brown leather sandals in front of her. While made out of the tough material they were definitely not made for running.

Aurelia's scowl disappeared as her eyes lowered from his face to the sandals unsure how to even put them on. Without saying anything she bent down to put the sandals on and lace the complicated straps up. Knitting her brow as she twisted the leather this way and that.

Illandriil barked a laugh from above shaking his head. Crouching down he reached over to bat her hands away from the shoes as he retied to straps behind her ankle.

Aurelia frowned, she had always been taught to tie things in the front but here he was acting like it was normal for the knot to be tied in the back. Elven standards for dressing oneself was weird. She shook her head and crossed her arms to rub her exposed shoulders. Another odd Elf norm, they were more comfortable with their women showing more skin on their bodies. The ones that weren't fighting at least.

Illandriil noted her apprehension at showing so much skin. He stood up to place his own hands on her soft slender arms. Her soft skin was slightly cool to the touch, speckled with goosebumps. The ship's corridor was always a bit too drafty, she would feel much warmer on land.

The Faenanore Isles was always pleasantly warm all year round, being in the south. His hands drifted lazily down to grab a soft hand in his. He turned and led her to the deck of the ship.

###

Aurelia stood on the beach feeling awkward. She watched as several Elves busily moved around her. Loading and unloading materials. Other than a few side glances at her, she remained mostly ignored. Illandriil was standing nearby conversing with someone, his eyes stony and expression sober. He seemed to always carry that expression when he worked. He glanced in her direction, and motioned her to him.

She dragged her feet toward him hating to obey any command he gave her. No matter the intention. He grabbed her arm when he reached her and walked, her away from the beach toward a road. There she saw his second in command approach them leading two huge war horses. One black, another white.

"Your highness" said Malloryn acknowledging the prince.

The prince ran his hand along the body of the large white one before rubbing its nose. He climbed onto the saddle of the great horse with ease. Aurelia felt a little awestruck staring at the way the sun hit the Elven prince's hair as he sat astride on the majestic white creature. He looked like something right out of one of the fairy tales in the books that he gave her. He looked down at her and with a sly smile he leaned over, picking her up by her waist, using one arm with disturbing ease. He sat her side saddle in front of him, glancing around him as he did before nuzzling his face into her neck.

Malloryn, she learned his name, eyed her warily. He looked at the prince who held her, giving him a reassuring nod that seemed to speak volumes between the two of them. Malloryn nodded back before proceeding to mount his own black stallion.

He finally revealed where they were. Explaining where they were journeying to. Omythlian city would be another four days of travel for them. Aurelia's eyes widened, feeling nervous at how far she was from the human mainland. Alone in a foreign country of Elves, many of whom she was sure didn't appreciate the presence of a lowly human, regardless of who that human was. Not a friendly face around her, unless you counted the prince, which she was still on the fence. She felt despair growing in the pits of her stomach.

"My mother will meet with us as soon as we arrive."

Aurelia jerked in the saddle, almost losing balance, if it weren't for the secure hold of the Illandriil. She was surprised, she hadn't really given much thought about Illandriil's family. She had never met her own. Her mind raced with thoughts about the implications. If he was the prince, then that would make his mother Quene. What would the woman who raised him be like she wondered.

###

Camping was much different for the Elves. They were quicker at the set up, many using magic to set up the tall pitched strange looking tents. The prince's own tent felt equally ridiculous due to its sheer size. How could one man need so much space? She thought stepping into it finding the floors covered in soft decadent carpets with rich patterns. Much different from the animal fur that usually lined the few tents the mages and rangers used. Even then those were usually for libraries of books, studying the arcane, meeting spaces.

Most of the time if the night was clear they didn't even bother setting them up and just slept outside in bedrolls. She was definitely not used to sleeping in a bed and here she was, in one, in a tent.

Despite the familiar settings the whole set up felt unfamiliar to her.

Her eyes followed Illandriil as he paced the room, toward a makeshift desk they had set up for him, a distressed look on his face. He stood absently staring at some papers before he turned back to face her. His face returning back to its usual unreadable expression. He pulled a chair from behind toward her and sat on it facing her.

"We should talk, about this morning."

"There's not much I have to say about it."

"Aurelia... I want to know what you think."

"What I think? Can't you just magically use your Seeker powers or whatever, and find out for yourself?"

"That's not how that works." He said furrowing his brow in frustration at her.

"Well?" He asked again after a few moments of silence passed without her response.

"Well what? You want to hear me tell you 'I love you too'? To fall on my knees and profess my undying devotion to you and your cause? What about the people I left behind? You can't suddenly take me from everything I know, and expect me to fall in line."

"You know? You are very supportive of the people who raised you for slaughter. What do you not understand about the word sacrifice? That mentor you hold so dear, did he ever tell you how he planned on killing you?"

"Augustes raised me! He loved me, he would never have allowed it to happen if he knew."

"You think so?" He stood up as he said this and grabbed her wrist, dragging her toward the exit.

"Where are we going?" She asked as they exited the tent with her in tow, pulling against his iron grip around her wrist.

The prince was as silent as ever as they made their way toward an unknown tent at the edge of the camp. Two guards stood stationed on the outside, they bowed toward the prince respectfully as they approached. The inside was dimly lit, a large iron cage stood in the centre. Aurelia could hear the rattle of chains before she saw the man who the sound originated from. Aurelia gasped when she saw the salt and pepper hair of the prisoner, his wizened and aged face.

"No!" Aurelia cried shaking her head and straining against the prince's grip on her wrist. She was certain she would dislocate it judging by how hard she was pulling. It did not matter because she had to get to the man in chains.