“You are good at it. I’d just miss having you around is all,” she confessed. “If that’s something you want to do, I can bring it to Laella’s attention. She might have some power to help you. She says the master of Ozentough’s Traveling Theater owes her quite a lot.” Markus rolled his eyes and grunted.
“I’d rather make it my way without her pity.” In sharp contrast to Luminear’s tone, Markus again became agitated. “I mean, it’s nice. But it also means I accomplished nothing myself still.” At seventeen his desire to take care of himself became a bigger deal to him with each passing day. He wanted to work and provide and earn his way through life, and soon, one way or another, he would breaking away from the Javallas. Not because he didn’t like them. He loved them, but he needed to stand on his own two feet without their help. He’d been a poor orphan child and then, by some twist of fate, he became a big part in these two girl’s strange life, and then thrust into the Javalla home. “If I can get nowhere without help from the Javallas, then I will not be of much use to anyone.”
“Hey. That’s not true. You are a great fellow. Always helpful and usually cheerful. Offering to help others, and do what you can. You don’t—”
“Just stop, Lumi.” Markus shot back ill-tempered, wishing she would stop trying so hard. Her attempts to cheer him seemed like pity.
“Fine. Just trying to help,” Luminear responded in her usual calm manner. She was usually good at picking up other people’s spirits, but Markus’ crabby mood seemed untouchable. After almost two hours here his behavior hadn’t changed, and she regretted insisting he come along. He had worked a long day so that might be part of it, but she understood her sister was mostly to blame for his demeanor. “You can stop if you want. I just wanted to see you awhile. This was a bad idea, and it seems to make you angrier.” Markus sighed, regretting his conduct. He hated being short-tempered with Luminear. She was the sweetest person he knew, and here he was raising his voice.
“I’m sorry.” He said as he rose to his feet and looked up to her. She nodded understanding. “I don’t mean to be rude to you. Ever. Your sister, I’d have a few choice words with, but never you. Listen, I’ll do better. I will get back home and get some rest.” He put the rag down on the stool where Luminear stood.
“Hey.” She stopped him as she hopped down to ground level. “For me?” she asked, raising her arms hinting for him to hug. Markus smiled and nodded.
“All right. For you.” He folded himself in as Luminear squeezed him tightly.
“It will get better,” she promised. “If you want to talk, I’m here. If not, I’ll mind my own business.” Markus stepped back and smiled.
“Thanks. Same to you. Sorry again, Lumi.” Markus concluded.
∞ ∞ ∞
A few weeks later Bella decided she’d get even more daring than she’d already been. Laelliandir and she were doing very well. Together daily, they were always up to something, and thanks to Bella’s courageous moment, Laelliandir was getting less shy by the day. Each of them spoiled the other with simple pleasures, as their physical attraction for each other grew, and they explored each other with less and less inhibitions. Laella was unsure what to say or do to either of them, and ultimately let the matter go awhile longer. After seeing them in the stream, she was a little shaken and embarrassed herself. They’d taken things further than she imagined, but Bella was about to push the envelope even further.
In the late evening, she came to Laelliandir’s private tower in the courtyard. Cloaked and hooded to conceal herself from watchful eyes, she took the long windy stairs up and knocked upon Laelliandir’s door. He wasn’t expecting to see her smiling face when he opened it. Thrown off, he invited her in, quickly shuffling the letters he’d been writing and reading over into a neat stack before depositing them away in a drawer. Unlike the other family members, he lived right outside of the castle, keeping his chamber isolated. He wanted no servants prying through his confidential material and locked up whenever he set out. He’d been working on various letters to send the following morning to people about Divox preparing for the final confrontation in Magwhen when the Overlords and Neighraellium would be deposed.
“Come in. Why ever are you dressed like that, Bell?” he asked while cleaning his desk. She was so well hidden, Laelliandir only saw parts of her face under that deep black hood. She looked ready for some late-night ritual in the robe.
“Your mother. Afraid she might catch me,” Bella admitted to which Laelliandir chuckled.
“Probably a good idea.” His chamber was beautiful but not as elegant as many rooms of the main castle. Tonight it was dimly lit, with but a candle on his desk and light from the moon peeping in through the windows. He hadn’t bothered moving much into the tower when he was here last time, and this time, he had spent his time on other matters. The room was made of gray stone, circular in shape with low ceilings. There were four oval windows about the room, and one of them offered a good view of the castle where Bella lived, and another looked over Garroth. A few paintings hung on the walls while an oak desk, dresser, and a bed adorned the quarters. The furniture was well made, and the bed looked comfortable, but other than that he had very little. His armor and blue hilted Novanian blade hung on a rack in the corner. Like Bella, Laelliandir also was dressed in a robe but his was silk and he also wore loose-fitting leggings. He was preparing to sleep before she arrived.
“Is everything all right, Bell?” Laelliandir asked, taking her hand to join him upon the bed to sit. Bella smiled wide-eyed and cheerful. They’d had a great day already, so he hadn’t expected to see her here now. He’d agreed to give a speech in the city and had to meet with a few of the loyalists that had come to see him.
“Yes,” she said, the smile on her face so big that it was almost goofy as she stared at him, which made his smile wider too.
“What are you smiling at?” Laelliandir asked looking about his room.
“You,” she said.
“What did I do now?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to see you. You said we might not see each other all day tomorrow. I didn’t like the thought,” Bella admitted. Laelliandir understood now and brought his arm up to pull her close to him.
“I must attend to a few matters. You understand I’m still busy, and I will have to leave in a couple of months, perhaps less. We have to get used to having a day or two apart even if we don’t want to,” he reminded, but Bella just pulled away and rolled her eyes.
“No, I don’t,” Bella said happily. She already had decided he wasn’t going anywhere without her, even if she hadn’t told him. He was what she wanted, and she would let no one tell her otherwise. “I am selfish, Lae. I want you to myself. All the time!” Laelliandir laughed.
“Well, you have me. I am a fool for you. But I still have things I must do that you can’t be a part of. And you! Lumi needs time with her sister. Talked to her earlier, and she warned me I better release you now and then or she’ll beat me.” Bella giggled at this.
“Lumi beating anyone is a joke. She’d pet a foul rat stealing food before hurting it,” Bella proclaimed as she suddenly got an image of her sister kissing a big hairy rat. “Gross!” She shouted.
“You should see her tomorrow. A day with your sister. I’m not going out of the city. You needn’t worry. You stole my mind and warped it. I’m yours.” Laelliandir insisted as she squinted her eyes and pretended to glare at him.
“Better be! Or I’ll chase you down. Don’t you even consider leaving me, Lae,” she threatened, but he realized she was playing. Although when the day came that he had to leave, he imagined she would curse him and might even hit him. He was crazy over her, but he knew well enough that Bella was a handful of emotions. Laelliandir loved all her quirks. It was something he’d never had in his life. Not that he’d ever had a girlfriend, but Bella’s unpredictable nature thrilled him. In almost every way except for their mutual talent with a sword, they were nothing alike. Their attraction made no sense to either of them, bu
t it was undeniable and growing stronger by the day. Even Laelliandir now wanted to hurry and complete his duty to the country so he could start his life with this young lady who had sparked something within him he didn’t know existed.
“How could I forget? You tell me this daily.” Laelliandir winked as Bella playfully pushed her finger into his chest.
“Are you pleased with me?” she asked more seriously. Laelliandir nodded.
“I am. I think you know that. You should by now.” Bella smiled.
“Yes. I can tell. You are a strange young man, but you are my strange young man. You’re better at showing me how you feel,” Bella said.
“I’m less ‘shy’?” He acknowledged his nervousness with showing affection, but he was no longer so timid, and supposed he’d improved.
“You are. You hold my hand in public. You kiss me, and I’m not left always taking the first step,” Bella admitted still grinning. “That was hard at first because I don’t know what I’m doing either. And you were making me lead us both. I wasn’t sure what you wanted or if you really liked me.”
“I really do. I think I might even lo-—” Laelliandir began but was unsure if he could finish the sentence. He was beyond confused. Bella poked him, knowing he wanted to say more.
“You think you….what?” Bella asked. She realized what he wanted to say because she felt the same way. They had not been together long, but it that didn’t matter. Bella’s feelings were deep and undeniable.
“I’m not sure,” Laelliandir admitted still trying to get a grasp on his emotions.
“I don’t know either, so it’s fine if you don’t,” Bella admitted. “I think I feel the same way you are trying to tell me you feel. I might be a dolt, but for over two years, I’ve thought about you every day. And now I’m crazier over you than ever.”
“Can I be so bold to be the one who says what I think I’m feeling?” Laelliandir asked. Bella smiled.
“Yes. If you’re able to spit it out and not stare at me looking lost,” she kidded.
“Maybe it’s too soon, but I think I love you,” he said.
“Good job!” she cheered. “Well, I’ll be blunt. I do love you,” she said, watching him smile back. “And I ask myself why? I’m not supposed to be that girl. Not when I was younger. That would be Lumi’s fate. But now she’s still not interested, and I am here with you in the night! But you do something to me. You have power over me. You understand, Lae?” she asked as Laelliandir nodded.
“I do. Because you have the same over me.” He leaned closer and grazed his fingers across her pale face pushing her hood over her long blonde hair, before coming closer to kiss lightly.
“I’m going to do something I might regret. If you don’t want me to do it, then tell me. And it is fine if you don’t want to. Don’t go with it unless you want to. Do you want me to?” she said, looking into his eyes waiting for a response. Laelliandir was nervous, unsure what she was about to do, although he knew what she was asking. They had spoken of it earlier that day.
“I want to,” Solemnly he answered. Bella sighed, braving herself to do what she had in mind. She shut her eyes for a moment. She wanted him badly, and feared he would never be brave enough. It had to be her, and she was willing to risk it. After a long pause, she took his hand and rose from the bed, pulling him up to stand before her. Face to face, they stood. Bella made her move as she began kissing him, reaching her hand slowly to find the knot upon his robe. She fidgeted to untie it, while Laelliandir anxiously focused on just her lips. After she unfastened the gown, she placed her hands upon his shoulders and gently tugged, removing it to fall upon the floor, leaving him in only his loose leggings.
“Are you sure?” Bella paused a moment reopening her eyes waiting. Laelliandir looked upon her and smiled.
“I am,” he said. A little worried and scared, Bella brought her hands to her own cloak and untied the knot. After only a short pause, she opened the robe, and let it fall upon the floor, revealing she had worn nothing underneath. Bella froze a moment unsure how he was about to react. It was too late now. He’d either reject or accept her. His next move answered her question. Undoing the knot on his pants, Laelliandir let them also fall upon the ground. Naked now, they were left exposed to one another. Slightly trembling, the two were more scared than they could recall. Frightened but filled with an unexplainable sensation, Laelliandir took the next step, one he was very comfortable with now. He slipped his hands upon her waist and guided her to him. Closing their eyes, they parted lips once more, relishing their passion.
Chapter Twenty
Lady Laella
“H urry now, or someone will see you.” Lady Laella said to herself as she spied from her bedroom window. She smiled watching a cloaked and hooded Bella scamper quickly out of her son’s tower shortly before sunrise sneaking back to her own quarters. “My son, what have you done?” she said to herself. She wasn’t mad. If anything, she was amused. She understood exactly what had happened between them. “Well, I suppose I must step in now,” she whispered as Bella scurried into the shadows of the castle, looking in all directions trying to avoid being detected.
Laella Javalla wished the organized rebellion had never started. With as many loyalists as the Javallas had, they could have pulled strings in the background that wouldn’t leave them relying on suspicious figures in the shadows. None would have been the wiser. If Laella hadn’t just lost her husband and her home, then been forced to marry, she would have been able to council her son and map out a much cleaner path of betrayal. Looking back, Laella would have set in motion a plan to assassinate Lonewolf and Neighraellium, which would have shifted the political scales so that their own chosen people would have been appointed to the Maelor council. With time, every person with power would oppose Ishanna and Pathorus, and after countless failures attributed to the Maelor line, the people themselves would riot to remove the Overlords with force.
Sure, Lady Laella’s ideas were just as rebellious, and the end results would be the same as Laelliandir’s, except by the time the Overlords were deposed, few would suspect the Javallas’ involvement. Laella felt to blame. If only she’d not been utterly defeated at the time, she would have outwitted the ruling Maelors flawlessly. But it wasn’t so, and now Lonewolf had the advantage. If not for the uncertainty that hung over them all, Lady Laella would likely be overjoyed about the prospect of Laelliandir and Bella and the time to come, but as it stood, Laella’s outlook on the future was covered in layers of thick smog. She found it was difficult to see beyond the complications that lay between them and a good end for her son and Bella.
Lady Laella saw much of herself in both Bella and Luminear. Born in Kald’s Rest, Laella was one of six siblings, all sisters, and youngest of her own family. Her future became clear to her early on. Before her birth, there had been a cataclysm that ended the Javalla White Lions and put the family name in jeopardy. Before King Rupert Casen’s original tyranny in Cassenneth, there had been an uprising in Divox that targeted members of the Javalla and Maelor lines to great effect. Thus, Laella’s fate was determined from early on. She would be groomed to administer land or aid as a city official as an adult, and because the Javalla family line had withered over the years, and after her parents failed to deliver more sons, she was required to marry a male Javalla. Always smart, Laella had a keen eye for the inner workings of the nation, but as a young lass she was also quite wild. She’d do what she wanted, and that was that. Even knowing she’d be forced to marry a cousin, as a youngster she made sure it would be one of her choosing.
Laella dodged several engagements by laying seeds of doubt about the boys her family considered for the arranged marriage. Sometimes she had valid excuses for avoiding a potential match, and if she didn’t, Laella would do something mischievous to make her cousins look terrible, including lying about them or planting evidence to get them in trouble. One time a male cousin visited her residence in the Nexus of Verdan, and Laella had fun evading him. He was controlling, alon
g with being twelve years older than her. At eighteen, Laella would not accept this man, but she pretended to be fascinated by her cousin as part of her plan. Naughty or not, Lady Laella did what she knew would work. She was beautiful and knew it. Using her physical attributes, she flirted with him, then offered him wine and demanded he drink.
After she decided he was loose and vulnerable enough for her tactic, Laella removed herself from the scene under excuse she needed to meet with someone. In truth, she went to her friend and persuaded her to seduce him. It worked well enough for he did a bit of groping and acted the fool thinking he was in for a fun time until Laella returned. She caught him in the act trying to get cozy with her friend. After a splendid performance, acting the part of a devastated lady with a broken heart, mixed in with screaming loud enough to alarm the household, Laella had one less cousin to worry about. Even though Laella’s future was decided for her, Laella maintained as much control as possible.
Orion Javalla was unexpected, and someone she wasn’t ready for. At eighteen Laella left the Nexus and moved to Magwhen where she got reacquainted with Orion and Neighraellium, neither of whom she had seen in years. They were both handsome gentlemen, but neither seemed remotely interested in taking her as their bride. Orion was awkward to the point he purposely avoided her when she’d come around. He remembered how Laella picked on him when they were kids, and even as a young man, he was intimidated by her forceful and often unpredictable behavior. Orion was an awkward young man, much like Laelliandir, but even more distant. His conduct had the opposite effect on Laella. She became determined to make him pay her attention, and it became her goal to make him treat her better and live a little. It was all in fun at first, but the more he resisted, the more she realized she was getting through to him. Orion started to like her as he came out of his shell. The circumstance that had brought her to live at Magwhen was not her choice. She was new to the area and lonely. It didn’t take long to realize her eccentric and stubborn cousin was much like herself in his own way, lost in the world. She taught him about humility and humanity, while he educated her on policy and responsibility.
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