by Alice Wade
Omar watched from the side, leaning on his sword with his head hung in memory. At intervals, his face would crumple in a grimace as the waves of grief gripped him, but he would shake it off, thinking he needed to be stronger than this. He liked Talon, respected him tremendously for his surprisingly kind and generous heart. And Kailani…Omar moaned in torment as his affection for the tiny vampire burned through his soul and the hole her death created was massive. She was gone and he would never see her stunning face again or allow her to suckle from his neck while she fed.
Cuilwen was inconsolable. Five hundred years of wanting Talon back and now this? Taken from her after waiting for him for all this time? She vacillated from anger to frustration, from extreme sorrow to acceptance. Athradien was beside himself in providing comfort and opted to just sit there, holding her while she wailed at her loss.
He knew that no words would bring either of them any comfort but he still whispered in Cuilwen’s ear as her grief rolled through her causing her body to cramp and tense up while the waves wreaked havoc on her mind. There was no comfort for her and he knew she needed to work through it and find her peace in order to pull herself together.
Lainey was the first to finally pull away slightly and looked up into Dace’s tear streaked face, “Take me to them.”
He wilted, “I don’t know, honey.” He’d seen their bodies; seen how they were killed. He wasn’t sure he wanted that sight to be Lainey’s last image of her guardians.
She leaned farther out of his grasp and looked at him intently, “Take me to them,” she said more firmly, a hint of anger and desperation in her tone.
Grief nearly consumed her again but she held the tidal wave at bay. She needed to say good-bye. She needed to do this for her own sanity and she needed to pay her respects. They were her friends, her caregivers. They sheltered her and taught her how to remain sane, even after the horrendous things Kaen had done. They deserved that much.
Dace and Athradien shared a knowing look, before Dace nodded. “I don’t like this. I think it’s a mistake, but I’ll take you.”
Athradien gathered Cuilwen to his chest knowing she’d want to go too and stood. “Assuming you’d want to go?” he whispered against her ear and felt her dip her head in agreement. “All right,” he said with profound emotion, because, he’d seen their bodies and knew this was a bad idea.
Together the four of them transferred to the top of the tower where elves were kicking dead vampires over the edge to clear the site. Deandra and Kaen’s bodies were piled carelessly in the corner and would be burned shortly once most of others were removed from the tower. For now, they just wanted the site cleared.
Dace and Athradien looked around in confusion–elves moving methodically if not silently; order slowly was being restored. There was no weeping, no grieving for the loss of their beloved prince, and no sorrow at what just had befallen their world. Most importantly, there was no trace of either Kailani or Talon’s bodies.
“What is the meaning of this!” Athradien shouted, suddenly angry they would have moved the bodies without his awareness or approval.
Charging towards a group of elves with Cuilwen in his arms, Athradien stormed forward, bristling with anger at this injustice.
Faelwen’s head shot up from her task and her eyes darted around searching and finding him stalking in her direction. At first sight, she smiled but when she clearly picked up his anger, she wilted under his oppressive stare before she stood there, fidgeting and waiting for him to approach.
He set Cuilwen down and wrapped her against his side without removing his eyes from Faelwen.
“Athradien, what have I done?” Faelwen finally asked.
Cuilwen could hold back no more and her emotions broke free. Tears fell unbidden down her face as she looked to her friend, “Where is he?”
“Talon? Gone.”
Athradien vibrated with anger and looked away. Cuilwen broke free from Athradien’s grip and gathered a fist full of Faelwen’s shirt and shook her. “Where?” she growled through clenched teeth.
“Home, First Maiden. Home.” It dawned on Faelwen that they didn’t know. Were unaware of what transpired and she suddenly realized that what happened took place after Athradien and Dace had departed. She cleared her throat in apology and made sure she looked between the two elves, “Daerwen appeared, First Maiden. Daerwen came and took him away. He is home now.”
Cuilwen stepped back, stumbling until Athradien grabbed her to steady her feet but her knees gave out anyway and she sank to the ground. Daerwen? Here? Her head snapped up, “What of Kailani?”
“Both were taken,” she hesitated. “He asked about you and was relieved you were well. He asked that we clean this up then return home as quickly as we could.”
“Home. He took them home.” Cuilwen’s voice was distant, for she was speaking more to herself than anyone else. She seemed to have forgotten about the vampire to her right who was desperately trying to understand and quickly falling apart when nothing was explained.
“What does that mean? Tell me what that means! Where are my guardians? Oh Vasila, please tell me what you’ve done with Talon and Kailani!” Lainey wailed while her grief consumed her again. Dace tried his best to console her but she was beyond rational thought at the moment. This was one blow too many and he was afraid it was the last strike that would shatter her mind with all the radical changes that took place in the last week. She was fanatical and crazed, looking between the three elves with certain craziness before Faelwen stepped forward and touched her face, instantly calming her.
“They are with the People now. Talon’s father had been summoned with some stroke of luck and arrived to take both bodies home.”
Lainey wailed again, “But I can’t follow! Don’t you understand? I can’t say good-bye!” She felt despair that rivaled what she felt when Kaen stole Dace from her. Her mind wend numb while her heart felt like it was being ripped from her body.
Dace felt her anguish and tried to hold her but she was thrashing wildly in his arms. He looked up and found Athradien staring at her with extreme compassion and understanding that Dace knew he needed to get her away from here. There wasn’t anything they could say to Lainey and compassionate looks like that were only going to upset her further.
Without another thought, Dace picked her up and transported her away from the scene and back to their room in the inn where he could be alone with her, away from all the reminders of death and loss, away from the littered bodies of their fallen.
“No!” she wailed when she saw her surroundings. “No! Take me back!” She punched at him and beat his chest as he pinned her to the bed, trying to subdue her.
“I can’t do that, baby. You need to grieve. You need to accept. They are gone.” All he could do was hold her while she punched him painfully, for her strength was staggering. He accepted it though and waited until her sorrow overwhelmed her and her anger waned. She eventually sagged into the mattress exhausted and clung to him instead, pulling him close as she cried out her pain. He knew she would feel that anger again and just cradled her tenderly while she was riding this stage of loss.
Back at the tower, Cuilwen shook off the sorrow and nuzzled her head into Athradien’s chest, taking comfort from his body and beating heart. He had sunk down with her and cuddled her to his body while all of this was absorbed by her mind. “Daerwen came. You say he was summoned. Do you know how?”
“Aye, I do. Dace called him.”
“Damn it, stop talking riddles!” she snapped.
The warrior smiled, “My apologies, First Maiden. The sword you lent Dace heard his plea for help, for some way to save them. He begged for salvation, Cuilwen. It responded and called to the only living soul that was linked more strongly in Talon’s heart than his mate. It called to Daerwen.”
Cuilwen fell a whoosh of air leave her lungs and felt her
strength leave her again. She heard the underlying meaning of what Faelwen just said, for she knew this sword better than anyone. It would not have done that if Talon and Kailani were dead.
“Athradien, I have to get home,” she suddenly announced with authority. “I have to go back now. I’m bringing Lainey and Dace with me, damn our customs and damn our People.”
He hissed, “You can’t do that, you will be banished. I can’t let that happen, Cuilwen, not after all we’ve been through.”
“Something tells me I won’t be banished,” she turned to him and smiled her first smile since hearing of Talon, “I’ve been chipping at Daerwen for five centuries remember. I think my work has paid off, as evidence by his intervention. I need to go home.”
With that she stood up with a little help from his strong arms, and then scrubbed her face before she faced Faelwen, “Where is Nethlhindornien?”
The other female elf motioned with her head in the direction of the wall where most of the dead vampires were stacked. He oversaw their disposal as one by one they were tossed over to fall into a massive grave that would be set on fire.
“Nethlhindornien,” Cuilwen said stalking towards him, her grace and presence of command finally returning. “I’m leaving you in charge while I go home. You and Faelwen get this put in order and leave the management of this realm to the humans.” Her voice was confident and hard, but he smiled at the statement.
“It will be done swiftly then, for I have no desire to linger here,” he replied, touching his forehead.
Athradien stood off to the side and watched her. There was no way he was going to allow her to bring the humans with her. He would not risk losing her for any reason and knew that he was going to have to take drastic measures to thwart her plans or she would jeopardize everything in her grief. She was clearly not thinking straight and was ignoring all the dangerous consequences of this idea.
Adwen. He would contact Adwen. He was the only other elf here with the skill of teleportation that could take them away, hide them until she returned to their homelands. He would just have to deal with the backlash of her anger once she found out, but the alternative to having a snarling maiden to deal with was too grave. He could not even begin to think about her being banished.
“Cuilwen,” he said sweetly as he approached her and pulled her to his body. He could feel her body tense and trembling and once his arms circled her she shook violently. He whispered for only her ears, and said, “We both know what this could mean, so why don’t we stop barking out orders that have already been given and get home.”
Cuilwen tensed in his arms before she lifted her head, “Ath…”
“I know. I hope too, but we won’t know until we get there.” While he spoke, he thought about the inn and transferred them there while he got lost in the depth of her brown eyes. She was so sad but there was a spark of hope too, a small one that burned fiercely with an intensity that he wished for her sake was valid.
He took them to the main room where different celebrations were taking place. All around hope was reborn through the act of removing the Dûr Falas from their midst. This liberation meant their freedom and their chance to go home to their families. They were free.
None of them understood at what sacrifice their victory was achieved and none grieved for the loss of the elven prince, his mate or the two elves that died valiantly on the roof of the bell tower. They only felt the lifting of years of oppression from the evil that had colored their world.
“Are you going to come with me?” she asked.
He looked at her with mock insult, “First Maiden, do you think I would leave your side now that I’ve finally gotten your acceptance?” That earned him a smirk. “First things first though—I want to collect your sword while you pack whatever you need. We can leave whenever you are ready.”
“Thank you Ath. I’m glad you’re here and we at least got you back.” When she pulled away and started for the door, she slowed down and gripped the door frame. “Do you think the sword would lie?”
He sighed, exhaling loudly, “I didn’t create it that way. It only knows to respond to the living, so I can only think they are alive.”
She heard something in his sigh that alarmed her so she pivoted around to partially face him, “But?”
Again he sighed. “You hear too much.” Athradien stepped forward and ran a finger along her jaw line, using his finger to tilt her chin up, “But, the Dûr Falas magic is tainted, twisted. Whatever they did to my stolen magic was warped. I know they designed it to destroy Talon, and how I’m not exactly sure. I fear, love, that their recovery will be painful and wrought with danger.”
He watched as his lovely woman closed her eyes after hearing this. She didn’t respond, only stood there stealing what comfort his touch provided. “The Dunai’s are talented. I believe they will be able to fight the taint.” He slipped his hand around her neck and pulled her closer. “Have some faith that Daerwen is involved. He taught you everything you know, for goodness sake.”
Cuilwen nodded against his chest, “I know,” shifting gears suddenly. “Enough. Let’s go. Standing here is not helping to ease my heart.” With a loving swat she pushed off his body and walked away from him without a backward glance. Her lithe body disappeared up the stairs in a matter of seconds, leaving Athradien time to contact Adwen.
* * * *
He followed the pull of the sword. He had created the bloody thing so was intimately tied with the enchantments on the blade. It was easy to trace it to the third floor and he found himself standing before a tightly closed door.
Without knocking he slipped inside, taking in the wreckage knowing this was the scene of the Warwick attack. He allowed himself a moment of smug satisfaction and he eyed the dark stain in the center of the room. Part of him was terribly pleased that the bastard found his end at Talon’s hand for all that he’d done. Athradien would have loved to be the one to end his days, considering Warwick was the one to deliver quite a few ‘lessons’ himself while Athradien was in their custody. What’s done is done.
The sword called to him from a room to the left of the main sitting room, also with a door tightly closed. Again without knocking he gently opened the door and met Dace’s narrowed eyes and half cocked body ready to defend Lainey, who had just fallen asleep on his chest.
When the renegade realized who it was, he relaxed, “Athradien.”
The elf approached silently and squatted by the bed. “I don’t mean to disturb you, but we are going home to check on Talon and Kailani. She has it in her mind to bring you and I can’t risk the chance of banishment, Dace. Please understand, but I can’t allow Cuilwen to bring you.”
The blood drained from his face, “What?”
“Listen, I have asked Adwen to take you and Lainey somewhere she can’t find you right now. Just until we depart, then you can return here and Lainey can grieve in peace,” his eyes pleaded with him to comply. “Will you please do this last act? I need to protect her, Dace. She is not thinking clearly and this plan of hers is too risky. I can’t allow her to go through with it.”
The woman in his arms sighed and snuggled closer to his body. Lainey needed to be here, in the comfort of her home, not whisked away. But Dace looked down with an overwhelming sense of love and knew what Athradien was asking was out of the same emotion. He loved Cuilwen; needed to protect her at all costs. This request wasn’t something Dace could deny, “Of course.”
Athradien visibly relaxed, “Thank you, Dace. Thank you very much. I’ll also need to collect the sword, is it here?” Athradien already knew it was, but he still asked out of courtesy.
A look of pure regret and longing passed over Dace’s face before he nodded with tight lips towards the corner. He loathed letting it go, but he knew it was never his to keep.
“It served you well, Dace. You are not aware, but your last wish to he
lp Kailani and Talon was answered through this sword. Daerwen came because of you, because of your hope. I honestly don’t know what we’ll find there, but I’ll return with news either way. I suggest you keep this to yourself and not get her hopes up, at least for now.”
He was confused, “I don’t understand. What does that mean? Are they alive?”
“The sword would not have sent the call if they were not.”
Optimism filled Dace and he dared to hope that maybe Talon and Kai were all right. He read the caution in Athradien’s soft green eyes and sighed, “I’ll hold out hope but will not tell her.”
Athradien heard the door open in the outer room and looked back to Dace, “Adwen is here now. I’ll find some way to repay you for this, Dace. I know how desperately she needs her home at the moment.”
Adwen entered then and the larger elf leaned against the wall waiting for Athradien to stand and collect the sword. “It won’t be long, Adwen. Please return them right back here when we are gone.” His only reply was a head nod.
Just as he was exiting the bedroom once Adwen blinked away, Cuilwen burst into the room, “What have you done? I just saw Adwen enter this room,” she saw his plan clearly and was furious, just as he’d expected.
Athradien groaned, took one last deep breath then faced her fury, “I sent them away.”
“Why?” she challenged, her anger riding a crescendo of octaves.
“I saved you from yourself. I won’t allow you to take them home. Your plan is flawed, you just can’t see it.”
“You fool!” she spat. “That tiny woman is an anchor for Talon and Kailani! She would help them heal!” Cuilwen prowled the room in a feral state then came to stand before her bonded. “You fool. You have no idea what you’ve done. You could very well have condemned them to death!” With that she stormed from the room towards the ground floor.
“For their sake and mine, let’s hope you’re wrong,” he whispered before he followed her angry form down the stairs. He could not resist a little smile though. This fiery temper was what he had to look forward to and he tried to find a word to describe what he just witnessed. The word spirited came to mind, spirited little minx.