by Casey Odell
“Doing what?” she asked carefully. With skills like his, she knew he wasn’t mopping the fancy marble floors, that was for sure.
He withdrew slightly then, his expression becoming more shielded.
Claire let it slide for now. Baby steps: that’s what it would have to take with him. She dropped his hand and quietly watched as he moved away.
Farron sat on the couch, leaned forward and took an apple from the basket. “A gift from them, I see.”
“From who?” she asked, thrown by the change in subject.
“The Council.”
Claire examined the basket close-up for the first time. She’d almost forgotten about that. Plump red apples filled a simple wicker basket with a bow tied to the top of the handle. “How can you tell?”
He took a bite of the piece of fruit. “Because, they are Lord Raleigh’s specialty.”
“Oh,” was all she could think to say. The man could have at least left a note. How was she to know who they were from? Not being from here, the symbolism was simply lost on her.
“Sweet at first, but you never know when you’ll get a poisoned one.” He set it on the table, unfinished.
She eyed the basket carefully. Apples were always a rarity in Stockton— at least ones she could afford. She looked forward to tasting one again after so long, but now she wasn’t so sure if she wanted to take a chance.
Farron laughed. “I wouldn’t worry. I don’t think he means to poison their new prize. Not yet anyway.”
Or ever, she hoped.
“Back then,” he continued on with his original tale, “I was foolish enough to believe it would be an honest job, working for the king. Honorable. And it was, at first. But then the Council’s hold tightened around me, and the missions became more and more dangerous, less…” He glanced at her, pausing for a moment. “…noble, I could say. The King’s Silver Dog, they started calling me. To others, I was known as Sin de Reine, the King’s Shadow.”
She gulped and wondered just what those ‘missions’ entailed. “I guess that could explain your choice of attire.”
“I suppose so.” The corners of his mouth tugged into a slight grin. “It wasn’t all bad, though. I even enjoyed it at times. I had everything a man could ask for: money, power, women.”
Claire rolled her eyes. She could see where he’d gotten his arrogance from, but if he was bad now, she couldn’t imagine how he’d been back then. “Sounds tough.”
He looked at her, face solemn. “It wears you down. I got lost in it all. I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve done. And after a while, the bad starts to outweigh the good. But I was trapped. I couldn’t leave, I was in too deep. Without them, my mother would be out on the streets, and it was the only thing I was good at.”
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
“Then, two and a half years ago, they sent me on a mission to Solaniki, a harbor town in the south, to negotiate a trade agreement. An easy task, compared to those in the past.”
“You? Negotiate?” She tried not to sound as surprised as she felt.
“A special kind of negotiating, yes.”
“Oh.” She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the details.
“That was where I met Lianna.” He stopped and looked up at her, his eyes searching her face, perhaps wondering how much she already knew about Lianna and their relationship.
Claire looked away, not saying anything.
“She was the one that gave me that necklace.”
“I know.” She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, didn’t want to see the type of expression he wore when he talked about her, even if they were distant memories.
“The longer I stayed in Solaniki, the more we saw each other, and the more I didn’t want to leave. I was looking for an escape, any kind of escape, and I found it in her.”
“Did you love her?” She tried desperately to keep her voice even, hoping he couldn’t see the moisture growing in her eyes. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear any more. The more he told her, the further her stomach sank, the tighter her chest grew. She didn’t know why she should care so much. It wasn’t the first time a guy proclaimed to like her, only to reveal his true feelings later for someone else. Before, it was because she was a barmaid; recently it was because of her powers, and now, with a woman like Lianna around, she found it hard to believe she would be the first choice. She was doomed to a life of being second.
“I don’t know, maybe. After what I did, I don’t even know if I have the right to say that.” He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “It was my fault that she ended up here. After that thing showed up on her arm, I delivered her to my brother and the Council. Not long after, she left me. Then, like the coward I am, I ran away, leaving her in the hands of the people I despised the most.”
That could explain some of the hostility Lianna showed towards him. She couldn’t say she really blamed the woman either. “Do you still…?” The question popped out of her mouth before she realized it. She wasn’t even certain she wanted to know the answer.
“You never really stop caring for the ones you loved,” he paused, “but no, I don’t still love her.”
She was tired of hearing about this, tired of the sinking feeling in her stomach. She needed a change of topic and fast. The rest of his story was pretty easy to guess: he’d spent some time in Sanre, then hid out in the forest for a while. It didn’t, however, explain how he knew about her mother.
“Why didn’t you tell me about my mother?” She looked at him, the fire returning to her veins.
“They told you then?” He looked surprised at the sudden change in subject. “About the Syndicate?”
“Yes.”
“About your mother?”
She nodded. “You knew all along. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I couldn’t,” he said after taking a deep breath. “Not after what you’ve been through. The fact that she sent you away that night proved she loved you. She didn’t want you to get caught up in their schemes. After the attack, the Syndicate would have come after her, so she sent you to the one place they wouldn’t touch.” A weak smile crossed his lips. “She was, in every sense of the word, your mother, your guiding light, your strength, your reason to keep on going. Who was I to take that away from you?”
She couldn’t stop the few tears that escaped her eyes to stream down her cheek. She stepped in front of him. With a hand, she grabbed him by the chin and lifted his face up to look at her. “Did you ever plan on using me, my powers, for your own gain?”
He didn’t move from her grip. “No, Claire.”
After studying his face, she let go and took a step back, her arms hanging loosely at her sides.
“I know what it’s like to be used. To feel like an object.”
“Then why did you come back?”
He just looked up at her. He didn’t say anything, but the look in his eyes gave her the answer.
“Why?” she whispered.
“You know why.” He looked down in a rather bashful manner.
She could feel the heat take over her face. “Oh…” was all she could manage to say.
His hands slid over her hips and he pulled her closer. He buried his face in her stomach, his grip tight, fingers digging into the smooth silk of her robe. “What can I do to make you mine?”
Claire froze, her heart leaping up to her throat. “Fare, I…” There was so much longing, so much ache in his words, she nearly melted into a puddle right there on the floor.
He let go of her suddenly. “I’m sorry, Claire.” He stood up and started to walk to the door, avoiding her gaze as much as possible. “I should go.”
For a moment, Claire just stood there, bewildered, but before she knew it, her feet were moving after him. She reached out and grabbed him by the arm, stopping him in his tracks.
“Don’t go.”
He half turned to her, the look on his face a little too vulnerable.
“Please stay, just for a li
ttle while. It’s nice to see a familiar face around here, even if it’s yours.” She smiled up at him, hoping to break some of the tension.
He sighed, giving in, though he didn’t seem too thrilled with the idea.
She led him back to the couch and sat down, curling a leg under to face him. He sat quietly, looking anywhere but at her.
“So,” she began, straightening out her robe with particular detail, “you were willing to face The Syndicate, the forest elves, and even your brother and the Council, just for me?”
He just stared down at his hands, his fingers twining themselves into knots.
“I don’t know if that’s incredibly stupid, or incredibly… sweet.”
She couldn’t help but be moved. Maybe it was his vulnerability or the fact that he had risked everything to protect her, even coming back to such a place. Or maybe it was because, despite everything, he wanted her. Not her powers. Just her.
Suddenly, her heartbreak from the General didn’t seem so important anymore. Still, she was scared, frightened that she might actually fall for the arrogant elf. But, if anyone was willing to go through all that, for her no less, then maybe it wouldn’t be such a terrible thing after all.
She must have been looking at him while she was lost in her thoughts because he raised an eyebrow and asked, “What?” He looked terribly uncomfortable, body stiff, posture awkward.
“I just want to see something,” she whispered. Slowly, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his, her hand sliding to the back of his neck.
His whole body tensed. Then, little by little, he began to relax, giving in to the kiss. He turned towards her and rested his hands on her arms tentatively.
Something inside of her grew as heat spread over her body, something unfamiliar, but innately recognizable. She wanted him. His kisses were just as intoxicating as she remembered, his touch just as tingling.
“Claire,” he whispered as he drew back suddenly, his voice breathy. “I think I should go. Any more and I don’t think I could control myself.”
She rose to her knees next to him and leaned in close, her hand resting on the arm of the couch, trapping him. “Who said you had to?”
Something dark flashed across his eyes as he studied her face.
Claire leaned in again and kissed him lightly.
He wound a hand in her hair, while the other slid around her waist to pull her closer. The kisses quickly escalated, becoming deeper and longer with each passing second. It wasn’t before long that his hands found the sash that held her robe closed. He pulled on the tie, slowly undoing the bow. His mouth left hers to trail down to her neck as he slipped the robe over her shoulders, revealing the tiny scrap of cloth they’d dared to call a nightgown. He continued down to her shoulder, his lips brushing her skin softly.
She buried her face in his silky hair, her breath speeding up with her heart. He scooped her up then, lifting her off the couch and carrying her over to the bed to toss her across the covers. He crawled over her, his body hovering close, the look in his eyes feral, sending shivers through her body. Instead of her mouth, he kissed her neck, his hand squeezing her right shoulder tight.
“Tell me to stop, Claire,” he whispered against her skin.
She couldn’t even contemplate the idea at the moment. “If you stop, I’ll throw you over the balcony.”
He laughed lightly. “Well, if my life depends upon it…”
Her hands started at the buttons to his shirt, a little shaky, not really quite sure what to do. Even though she’d had a fiancé before, she’d never done something quite so… scandalous.
“Claire.” He raised his head to look down at her. “I don’t want you to regret this.”
She just shook her head. He looked unsure, eager, happy, even scared, and terribly exposed. And it was just oh-so enduring. She drew him down for another kiss. She was done with the thinking and the talking. If she did regret, then she’d just have to deal with it when it came. All she wanted to do was forget about her problems, even if it was for only a night.
Claire slowly awoke from the best sleep she’d had in weeks. No centaurs, no giant felines— just sweet dreams all around.
It took her a moment to realize that something heavy rested on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She opened her eyes a crack and froze.
Farron’s head lay just above her bosom, still sound asleep, with an arm thrown across her waist.
Oh, yeah. That happened. She rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, waiting for the dreaded regret to settle in. But it didn’t. Not yet at least. It wasn’t that she disliked it, but… Oh, who was she trying to fool? She’d enjoyed every moment of it.
She took a deep breath, careful not to disturb the sleeping elf. Bright light filtered in from the balcony, the warm sun already chasing away the chill night air. His head rested a little to the side, giving her a close-up view of one of his pointy ears and reminding her once again just what he really was. She reached up with her hand and very lightly started to trace along the edge of his ear, following the strange contours until she reached the tip. It really wasn’t that much different than her own, after all.
Farron stirred slightly. Quickly, she withdrew her hand from his ear, but he caught her wrist, stopping her mid-motion.
“I don’t mind,” he whispered as he buried his face in her shoulder.
She could feel his lips start to trace along her collarbone, then up to her neck, past her ear, and across her cheek, finally stopping at her lips.
“Good morning, Claire.”
She didn’t even have to look at him to tell how pleased he was. She wondered how long he’d been wanting to say those words to her. He kissed her then, light at first, then deeper and longer. His hand entwined with hers as he lifted her arm above her head.
She felt like she was being devoured. He’d taken more than his clothes off last night and revealed a softer, gentler side. A side he tried so desperately to hide from the world. The armor had come off and he was determined to undo hers. She wanted to give in, but something was holding her back. It wasn’t regret. No, it was something different, deeper, almost suffocating, and she knew the feeling almost instantly. Hesitance filled her, fear started to grow at the pit of her stomach. But it couldn’t be, not with him. She couldn’t fall for him. She wouldn’t, not yet at least.
That’s when the realization hit her. It was too late. The elf had already wormed his way into her heart somehow. He’d peeled away the layers, determined to get just her and nothing else, and he’d succeeded. And that scared her, terrified her. To fall for someone like him…
A knock sounded at the door then, a savior if she ever had one. She started to wriggle out from under him, but his grip tightened on her and his mouth found its way to her ear.
“Don’t go,” he whispered.
Never before had she wanted to listen to his words as much as she did at that moment.
“But what if it’s Razi?” She’d missed their practice yesterday and was probably already late to another one.
“Even better reason not to answer it.” He kissed her again, deep and sharp, chasing the thoughts from her mind.
Another round of knocking brought her to her senses again.
“My lady, are you awake?”
It was Marla. Claire relaxed only for a second before the thought of the older woman walking in and discovering her silver-haired companion struck her. That definitely wouldn’t be good. She wriggled out of Farron’s arms, slipped her robe on and dashed for the door. She cracked it open and peeked out.
“Good morning, Marla,” she said in a low voice.
The older woman bowed, already dressed and ready for the day ahead. “My lady, Mr. Sayid has been looking for you.”
Just as she had suspected. But before she could answer, the door opened wider and she could already feel the warm, buzzing presence behind her.
Marla’s eyes nearly popped out of her sweet little head. “Master!” She bowed, then did a quick curtsy. “I’m
sorry master, I-I’ll come back later.” The older woman’s face flushed a bright pink. She quickly did another curtsy before she turned and dashed down the hall.
“Marla, wait!” Claire called after her in vain. But she was gone, and after that little embarrassment, she’d probably never return.
In a huff, Claire closed the door and turned to face Farron. He’d wandered back to the bed, sheet wrapped around his waist, a smug smile already in place. Nope, it definitely wasn’t possible that she was falling for him. It just couldn’t be. Now the whole palace was bound to find out about their little rendezvous.
“Why did you do that?” She marched over to where he sat on the bed and stood in front of him, hands on her hips.
He grinned. “I was just making sure you weren’t getting any trouble.”
She doubted that was all it was. “I think you just caused even more trouble.”
He simply shrugged before he reached out and pulled her onto his lap. “Now, where were we?” His hand was already starting to untie her robe as he slid an arm around her shoulders.
“Fare, wait.” She grabbed his hand. Heat started to spread across her face. “I still hurt from last night.”
“If I would have known, I would have been much gentler.”
A shiver went through her body. He’d been gentle enough, so much so it nearly drove her mad.
But she needed an excuse to leave. She needed some space to think, to sort out her feelings, and deal with the growing confusion in her head. “I have to go.”
“Don’t,” he whispered, the hurt already seeping into his voice.
“I have to.”
With that, Claire wriggled out of his grip once more and hurried to the door. A bath would help clear her mind, and she hoped against all hope the elf wouldn’t be there when she got back. She really needed to sort this whole thing out before they went any further, but she felt that it was already too late for that. She opened the door and took one last glance at him before she left.