The Celestial Paladin

by Gil Hough

CHAPTER 11

  THE NATURE OF BONDS

  The next few days Rodregas and Doi’van recovered quickly under the powerful healing magic of Jordaan. This is not to say Rodregas did not spend most of his time dreaming that the handsome young Nymph would head back to his own estates.

  They were staying in a small village that seemed to be mostly a forest with small rooms built into it. Rodregas could not figure out any set pattern to the place or its boundaries. There might have been a dozen or even hundreds of Nymphs living there. Though all the Nymphs were friendly, he was still eager to leave.

  Jordaan was doing one of his mystic checks, running his hand a foot above Rodregas’ reclining body. Occasionally, his hand seemed to be moving in the air like a baker making bread. “Well,” Rodregas finally said, “I feel fine now and I thank you for your healing, but I think I am ready to leave.”

  Jordaan nodded. His face held his usual expression of good cheer. “Your body heals fast and is a fascinating medium to work with.” A cloud went over his smile when he added, “Your body and spirit were not in very good alignment and your connection to the world was terribly fractured. Truly, it has been more effort to fix your spiritual wounds than your physical ones.”

  Jordaan’s smile returned when he added, “While true healing takes a lifetime of both inner and outer work, you are physically healthy enough to be on your way. And while I enjoy the challenge of working on your enhanced body, your presence too long among us will bring danger down to us.”

  Rodregas nodded, but asked, “And Doi’van, is he healthy enough to travel and fight if needed?”

  “He needs to let go of some of his anger and learn to focus on his inner self, but his physical wounds are healed.”

  Rodregas paused. He was not sure of all that Jordaan was saying. But he understood that they were healthy enough to go. So he then asked the question that he really wanted to ask, “Do you know if Imeralda is coming with us, or if she staying with you?” He should have asked her that himself during the last few days. But he was afraid to ask the beautiful young woman. He was afraid of what the answer might be.

  “Do you truly understand Imeralda’s dual nature?” asked Jordaan.

  “She is a half Nymph. What does that have to do with her going or staying?” Rodregas asked.

  “Nothing, but it does if you love her.” Jordaan said with his big smile. His expression showed nothing but his normal cheer.

  Instead of answering the Nymph’s question Rodregas asked him one instead. “Do you love her?”

  “Of course, I would not travel this distance for anyone else. Imeralda is an amazing young woman… beautiful, intelligent, charming and potentially a very powerful magician. I cherish every moment with her.”

  Rodregas’ heart sank at the news. Life with the powerful healer would be a far better one than one with his lost crusade.

  “Since you would ask me such a personal question, I have one for you.” Jordaan responded, “You are clearly struggling with what it means that Imeralda is a half Nymph, but have you thought about what is means that she is a half AElf? AElf maidens, when they mate with an AElf man, form a spiritual and magical bond. It is a bond that lasts all their lives and connects them on multiple levels as no other race is connected. That is why the AElves take so long to choose a life mate and almost never choose one outside of their race. They mate for life; not out of choice, but because that is required of their nature.”

  After Jordaan finished speaking he stood silently as Rodregas sat up in bed and thought on the healer’s words. “She is not as free with her body as most Nymphs,” he said.

  “No, she is not. She only lies with men who she truly feels a great respect for,” Jordaan answered.

  Rodregas had known that fact, but had not really thought about it. “So what you are saying is that Imeralda forms a life bond like a AElf. But while a normal AElf has only one she can form multiple bonds, and she has a bond with you and a bond with me?” he asked.

  “Yes, I know of few other cases like this. She will always know where you are. And my guess is if you are open to the bond, you will be able to know where she is. But, there are also deeper implications. The mating bond is one of the great sources of power for the AElf peoples,” he said.

  Rodregas did not understand fully what Jordaan meant but he suddenly added, “Then, if Imeralda is bonded to me, she will always try to keep her connection with me?” He asked a question, but he thought he already knew the answer.

  Jordaan nodded. “She will love others, but she is bonded to you for all time, until one of you dies.”

  Rodregas sat quietly, stunned by the news. No more words passed between the two until Jordaan was about to leave.

  “Do you know where the weapons are from the Immortal Guards? We are going to need them if we are going to do better during our next encounter.” Rodregas was getting his mind back to business; the news that he would never truly be separated from Imeralda revived his spirit.

  “Oh, we… took the weapons as salvage. It has helped to pay for your healing and equipping of the people you rescued. As their rescuers you were, of course, responsible for getting them properly outfitted and on their way back to their homes.”

  Rodregas sat shocked for a moment and then he just exploded. “WHAT! You can’t do that. Do you have any idea how much we need that gear? We bled for it! We put our lives at risk to rescue Imeralda’s people, and all we ask for in return is the Infernal gear!” Rodregas breathed deep trying to calm himself, but it was no use.

  “DOI’VAN!” Rodregas yelled. Rodregas stepped out of his room which, unlike a normal room in a human house opened directly outside. He ducked under a branch and bolted through the two trees and through a bush and to the door to Doi’van’s room. Doi’van was standing up, his walking stick up ready to fight at Rodregas’ bellow.

  “What alarms you?” he asked. He seemed to be listening for attack.

  “These bastards are trying to take our armor and swords! We nearly died because it was the right thing to do to rescue the Nymphs, especially with the children being part of the caravan.” Rodregas added in a growl, “There were probably Dire steeds as well.”

  “By the Infernal Daemons, I might be as strong as a Celestial Lion, but we are going to get chopped to little pieces until we have decent armor and weapons.”

  “But why would they keep the armor?” growled Doi’van. “These people do not seem to be warriors. What good would it do them?” Doi’van tossed his wild black mane of hair and his eyes lighted with rage.

  Rodregas suddenly realized that he better not feed the Hellborn’s rage. Those with Infernal blood were known for their berserker rages. They seldom survived the rampages, but were nearly unstoppable when they fell into one.

  Rodregas breathed deeply, trying to lower his own anger and frustration. Jordaan stepped outside the room Rodregas had been staying in and into the small clearing that was the center of the Nymph Dwello, the tent like structure that they used for houses.

  “Gentleman, please,” said Jordaan. “You must have understood that this village took a great risk in taking you, and those you rescued, in. The only way Imeralda was able to get their support was to offer the bounty of the Immortal Guard’s equipment.”

  As if called from Jordaan’s words, Imeralda landed in the clearing, seemingly leaping from one of the nearby trees. She looked a bit out of breath, like she had sprinted at a run to the Dwello. She took a quick look at Doi’van and Rodregas and paled. Doi’van’s eyes were literally glowing red and he was tossing his horned head with his wild black hair flying. Imeralda had not seen him in such a mood before, not even during the battle with the slave caravan.

  Imeralda thought that Rodregas was only marginally better. The muscles of his neck and shoulders were bunched up and she could feel his anger through her bond with him. But he was also breathing deeply and through the bond she knew he was trying to control himself. Imeralda saw that Rodregas was also watching Doi’
van. She thought he also recognized the danger of a Hellborn rage.

  Imeralda reached out to Rodregas first to try to get him to calm down and help manage Doi’van. Imeralda focused on their bond and looked him in the eyes and said, “Rodregas getting angry will not change things, let’s sit down and talk to the village elders. They are thankful for what we have done. They need payment for their risk, but they understand we have needs.”

  Rodregas nodded and seemed to be calming down until Jordaan spoke, “No, you made your agreement. Imeralda you have said that the equipment of the Immortal Guard was ours. While our warriors are not as renown as some of the other races, we have several who are worthy of such armor and such gear is critical for our own survival.”

  Imeralda could see both men’s renewed rage at Jordaan’s words. She knew she should calm them down, but her first thought was how stupid men could be, men of all races. Sure it would have been great for them to get their better quality armor, but they were only alive because of her.

  She was the one who had to come back and shoot the final guards. She was the one who had to come back. She shot the final guards with the Black Yew bows. She was no warrior but had gone back with only a few arrows and rescued them. She had patched them up, rounded up the rescued slaves and sought a refuge. “Are you insane?” she asked them in a voice that was as cold as her anger.

  Imeralda, her voice dripping scorn, added, “It was only because one of the slaves had family at the local village that we were able to find this refuge. Then, no matter how valiant the efforts of healer Durien, he barely kept you two from death’s door.”

  “So what did I do?” she asked them. “I nearly ran myself to exhaustion fetching Jordaan to heal you. I was using my own relationship to rescue you, who I have known less than a season. And now that all this effort has been done you are going to get mad… mad at the only reason you two are alive to complain at all? Well to the Infernal with you.” With that Imeralda turned and jumped back into the trees.

  The half Nymph’s anger, though not meant to cool the warriors, had that effect as both men stood in shock at Imeralda’s normally calm demeanor. Doi’van wilted like a flower without water in the sun; he literally sat down on the ground. Rodregas simply sagged as the truth behind the half AElf’s words sank in.

  Jordaan simply stood watching the scene, without his normal expression of cheer. Finally Rodregas turned to Jordaan and said, “Imeralda is right and I apologize for our anger. It is misplaced. My life and the life of my friend are well worth the price and we are in your debt.”

  At Rodregas’ words Jordaan simply nodded and then stepped into the trees, disappearing as the Nymphs had a habit of doing when in nature.

  “I had better go apologize to Imeralda,” said Rodregas.

  “You should wait a while and let her rage cool first,” suggested Doi’van slowly. He spoke as one who was very familiar with rage.

  Rodregas realized that Doi’van was probably right so he sat back and tried to think of the right words to speak when the timing was better.

  Unfortunately when Rodregas did speak to Imeralda his explanations and apology were not well received. She listened but seemed to have little sympathy. He decided that the only thing left to do was plan to get together what gear they could and head back out.