Of the few things Gabriella hated, traveling underground was the worst. Because of this, which meant she was not going to stop while she was in the tunnel. Even her horse hated going through the passage that led from their world into the valley beyond. It wasn’t the darkness that bothered them, it was the ambience of the place. Something had happened and, whatever it was had been connected to a source of great evil. That feeling remained, although she doubted if it were anything they needed to be concerned with.
A whicker let Gabriella know that while she could see through the inky blackness of the interior of the mountain, her horse couldn’t. She was quick to remedy the situation, as she conjured a small globe to light the pathway before them. The pace of her mount quickened afterward, but as far as she was concerned, they couldn’t get to the exit fast enough, no matter how fast they went. The unfortunate part was that they would be travelling for two days and two nights before they reached the other end.
There was no question in Gabriella’s mind whether or not her horse was up to the task. She had chosen Whyngold for his stamina, as well as his speed and fighting spirit. He was a stallion with great heart, one meant to carry The High Lord General, which at the moment was she. She led the armies into battle, she planned the campaigns, and chose those who would follow her. These thoughts brought her new position in life to question. Were things going to change because she now had a Life Mate? She would be the one that carried their children until they were ready to be born. What would become of her place in the Empire during that time? This was a time of war, not peace, or the question wouldn’t have mattered. Women who were pregnant did not ride into battle, not unless it was against the type of odds that Gabriel Eagle Claw had faced in the last battle of the Drazon Wars. No one had been given a choice at that time. Every sword had been needed to fight the Demon Hordes, no matter the cost.
Gabriella had been raised on the tales of Gabriel Eagle Claw and his Life Mate, The Tratchar Eden. She had also gotten the feeling that some of the stories told about them weren’t common knowledge. There wasn’t much she hadn’t memorized from that era. After all this time, she doubted if any of it mattered. She had to admit, she was amazed how most of the legends attached to that couple were still told. The history of the time they lived through had been set aside in favor of a more peaceful time, where love had been free to grow, and their people had prospered.
Throughout the redevelopment of the Elven Empire, the one thing that had never ceased was the insistence by her family that their people needed to remain strong to maintain the status of their world. It was the Eagle Claw family members who led the practices, and managed to keep the swords of the Empire sharp, even as their people would have allowed the weapons to attract dust in the dark corners of their homes. Perhaps, she thought to herself, it was a good thing her people had long-lived memories.
Gabriella thought of many things, as Whyngold moved steadily forward. It wouldn’t make any difference to him if she were asleep or awake. He would continue to move towards the exit either way. It was something she was not about to do for multiple reasons. She not only felt a need to remain on alert anywhere she was uncomfortable, but she felt the well being of her horse was her responsibility. As he cared for her by providing her transportation, she cared for him. By the time they reached the other end, they would both be tired and hungry.
Gabriella hadn’t felt anything in the guarded lands to make her think there might be anything wrong. It was something she thought about as she rode Whyngold. Had she missed some small detail in her preoccupation? She had her doubts, but it was possible the Emperor had seen something in a vision she couldn’t sense, no matter how unlikely. Still, deep in her mind was the worry that she might be losing her edge because of the arrival of her Life Mate. She had no intention of allowing any relationship with T’Harris to develop if this was the case. The Empire always had to come first. It was the primary rule of their family and a matter of honor.
CHAPTER IV
T’Harris had a good idea how long it would take Gabriella to ride through the tunnel. He also figured she wasn’t the type to take breaks. This would mean neither her nor her horse would get any rest while they were underground. He wondered if she had thought to bring any food for either of them. He had a feeling he knew what the answer to that question would be too. While she might have taken something to tide her mount over until they reached the other side, she wouldn’t have taken the time to see to her own needs.
T’Harris was sure Gabriella was the type of Elf that felt she could live off the land, and she probably could in normal circumstances. There was nothing normal about what she was doing, not for one of their people. Elves did not like being underground, although they could survive it well enough. Gabriella would be the type to put on a brave front, and do whatever needed to be done. Her bravado, however, would be for show and she would place duty ahead of her needs. Well, he decided, it was time someone showed her they cared more about her than her title, or their own selfish needs and desires.
As T’Harris knew he had time to rest and plan for Gabriella’s arrival, he decided to find a good place to sleep through the night. In the morning, he would think about what to do, although he doubted if it would take much thinking. If what he suspected were the truth, Gabriella would ride out of the tunnel late in the day in approximately forty-eight hours. Both her, and her horse, would be hungry and tired. She would need a place to recuperate, and he intended to make sure there was one ready for her.
The next morning, T’Harris woke with a plan firmly set into place and he blessed the fact he was able to shift into a Dragon. As he wanted to gather only the finest for his Gabriella. For her horse, he brought in the softest grasses, the choicest grains, and the best hay he could find. It took him the better part of the day to gather what he needed, and then he set to work creating a comfortable bower for them to share. When he was finished, he went hunting, and again, only the choicest available was good enough.
Gabriella noticed how Whyngold picked up speed at the first sign of natural light at the end of the tunnel. She knew the way was clear of any obstructions, but still exercised care and refused to allow him to control the pace they were travelling at. He could be difficult to command at times, and although he had taken orders well from her up to now, he fought her on this. She was not about to let him have the upper hand. She pulled back on his reins, and he reluctantly slowed his gait.
“Good boy,” Gabriella praised her warhorse. “It isn’t that much further, and then there will be fresh water and fodder for you.”
Gabriella wasn’t nearly as concerned about Whyngold as she was about her own well-being. Lariel hadn’t given her much time to get to the valley, and she hadn’t had time to eat on the day she had left the Elven Empire. This meant she hadn’t had much more than water to ingest for the last three days. After spending two and a half days in the saddle without taking any more than a few moments to relieve her needs from time to time, she wasn’t sure how much more energy she had left. A night of rest would cure most of her problems, but finding something to eat was another matter.
When they came out of the tunnel, Whyngold seemed to develop a mind of his own. It didn’t matter now much Gabriella pulled on the reigns to control him, he refused to respond to her orders. He broke into a canter and headed straight to where T’Harris had a comfortable place set up for him. There was water and food waiting, and he seemed to know it was there. When he reached his destination, T’Harris stood to greet them, as he pulled the pheasants he had caught earlier off the fire and placed a stasis spell over them to keep the food hot. He walked to where Gabriella watched him from the back of her horse.
T’Harris disregarded the frown on Gabriella’s face that belied the surprise in her eyes. It was obvious she was trying to think of a way to ride away with dignity, but she couldn’t seem to find the energy or words to follow though on the plan. She was too tired and couldn’t think of a way to avoid his company. As she wasn’t shieldi
ng her thoughts, she was easy to read, and he wasn’t about to allow her to push him aside. He could be flexible on how he dealt with her, but he was no one’s stepping-stone.
Gabriella could only stare at T’Harris, as he walked up to the side of her horse, then lifted her from the saddle. He handled her like he might a child, as he cradled her against his chest and took her to where a fire was blazing cheerily. He could feel the chill from the tunnel surround them as he held her, and he was certain it must have penetrated right through to her bones. That, he decided, would never do. At the same time, he knew she would object to being taken care of first, and not her horse. So, he placed her upon a tree trunk near where the fire was, wrapped a blanket around her, so she could warm herself, then went to tend to Whyngold.
T’Harris smiled secretively, as he watched Gabriella from the corner of his eyes. It was plain to see she felt she should have been the one to see to Whyngold’s comfort, but didn’t have the will or the energy. Instead, she moved closer to the fire, so it could warm her better and clutched at the edges of the blanket he had placed around her shoulders. He noticed how she tried to stand, but found her limbs too weak to hold her any longer than it took her to change location. He doubted if she realized how drained her body would be after such a long time in the saddle. She was used to being active, not spending days in a saddle.
With this in mind, T’Harris unsaddled the great warhorse, brushed him down, and then led him to where there was food and fresh water for him. He doubted if the stallion would take long to find the thick bed of straw he had used to make up a bed for him so he could lie down. The horse, he was sure, was still capable of seeing to his own needs. With this thought, he turned his attention to Gabriella, for he had a Life Mate to attend to, and to him, she was more important.
Gabriella murmured a slight objection, as T’Harris carefully lifted her from the ground and settled her on his lap, where he could feed her. He then conjured a slight healing spell to help her body adjust to the changes of temperatures, for she was still shivering. She gave a sigh of relief as the effects of the spell flowed through her, but didn’t seem to be inclined to eat, even when he offered her food. He contented himself with slipping small morsels of food through her lips every time she opened her mouth to object to how she was being treated. It didn’t take long for her to decide her objections were being ignored and to concentrate on eating the food he provided in silence. He smiled, as she continued to watch him like a wary hawk. She had such expressive eyes, and he knew this wouldn’t have been nearly as simple to do if she weren’t so hungry and tired.
It surprised T’Harris when Gabriella eventually gave a satisfied sigh, then sagged against his chest, even as she swallowed the last bite of the food he had given her. He hadn’t expected her to do this, nor did he believe she eaten enough. Her mind and body, however, felt differently. As far as they were concerned, she had eaten all she needed.
With infinite care, T’Harris rose and carried Gabriella to the bed he had made up of soft grasses, and placed her upon it. He was extra careful not to disturb her slumber. He then returned to the fire, where he finished eating, before placing what remained in stasis. He cleaned anything that needed caring for, and then put out the fire. The air was cool, but not enough to need the extra heat of the flames. He checked on Whyngold, and when he was satisfied all was well, he spoke a light healing spell to ease any stiffness and fatigue the steed might be experiencing. He then left the warhorse to rest in peace.
The love T’Harris put into caring for Gabriella was done on a completely different level. He could tell she was sore and tired by the way she moved in her sleep. As the last thing he wanted to do was wake her, he worked around her, touching her tenderly, as he saw to her needs.
Gabriella felt everything T’Harris did as if it were done in a dream. She felt him place her on the soft bed of grass and noticed how he had covered it so that the edges wouldn’t make her itch. She heard him tend to Whyngold for the second time, then listened to his movements as he cleaned the campsite. She felt slightly guilty that he was tending to her horse, and yet was pleased she didn’t need to.
At the same time, Gabriella didn’t want to feel beholden to T’Harris for what he was doing. She had never liked feeling like she owed anyone for anything they did for her, no matter how slight. What T’Harris had done went beyond the call of duty. She knew what he expected from her and, she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction, no matter what he did. She would find another way to return the favor. In the meantime, she needed to rouse herself, so she could see to her personal needs.
It took a lot of effort and determination, but Gabriella finally gathered enough energy to get up from the makeshift bed to sit upright. It was all she seemed to be able to do to get her legs to carry her weight. Gabriella knew her condition was caused by the amount of time she had spent in the saddle, but it was something she hated to admit to, especially in front of T’Harris. What seemed to irk her even more was that T’Harris not only understood what her problem was, but he seemed to empathize with her. The only thing he didn’t realize was that she had no healing talent so that she could see to her own comfort.
As T’Harris lifted Gabriella from where she had collapsed and sent another soft touch of healing throughout her body. He knew enough about her family history to realize what her problem was. Her talents echoed Gabriel’s in every way except one. she also had a touch of Tratchar Talent. Like him, she had next to no healing power at all. It wasn’t a problem they shared, as he had been blessed with a good supply. As they waited for his conjuring to work its magic, he carried her to an area of the woods where no one would accidently run into her. When he was sure she was able to safely stand on her own, he left her, so she could have the privacy, even while he guarded her.
The moment Gabriella was sure she was alone, she saw to her needs, and then attempted to make her own way back to her grassy bed. Despite the healing T’Harris had done, she still didn’t have the energy to do both. She needed rest to get to that point. She frowned heavily when he showed up to carry her. This time, as he lifted her into his arms, she felt a cleansing spell wash over her. She sighed at the effect it had, for it was akin to the same one her full stomach had given her earlier. She was tired and needed sleep. In an unconscious move, she turned her face towards him and took a deep breath to inhale his scent, even as she closed her eyes and drifted off.
“T’Harris,” Gabriella breathed, as her mind catalogued his signature Dragon was very close to the surface, despite his having it firmly under control.
“Yes, my Gabriella, I am your Life Mate, T’Harris. Know that I will be close to you at all times. I will love you at the proper times, and I will always guard your back. In my arms you will know what it feels like to be safe, you will experience passion and serenity. I give you my word of honor that what I have said is true.” T’Harris responded, as he lowered her onto their bed.
Gabriella gasped aloud, even as her eyes opened sleepily. T’Harris had not set her in place to rest on her own this time. He had continued to hold her in his arms, even as he settled onto the soft grasses with her. He wrapped his body around her slighter frame, as he spoke a few words to relieve them of their clothing, and then covered them both with a warm blanket. This was much too close for comfort, as far as she was concerned, she needed to get out of here.
T’Harris heard Gabriella’s gasp of shock at the feel of his skin next to hers. He felt her panic, her breathing grow labored and her heart hammer in her chest. He placed his lips next to her ear and whispered, “Sleep, my Gabriella, know you are safe in my arms, just as I promised. Never forget, I am your Guardian, and no one will ever hurt you as long as I live. We both need to rest now, so we can continue our journey in the morning.”
Gabriella didn’t understand why she felt reassured by T’Harris’ words, but something about them made her feel warm and cherished. He didn’t need to conjure another spell to settle her fears, or to make her sleep. As she sunk i
nto a dream state, she turned in his arms to face him, then rested a cheek against his chest. She smiled softly as she heard the strong beat of his heart in her ears. She sighed and gave reign to the feelings racing through her veins. These were, she was certain, harmless enough, for they told her she could trust this man with all that she was, and that meant she could sleep as she hadn’t been able to do since she was a child.
CHAPTER V
T’Harris could feel Gabriella beginning to wake from her sleep. He had risen earlier to make a small pot of potage from the local grains, and when it was done, he had placed it in a state of stasis. Next he went to see to Whyngold, to make sure he was fed and comfortable. He then slipped back under the warm cover with Gabriella, where he carefully spooned his body around hers once more, so he could continue to hold her in his arms while she dreamed.
That had been a couple of hours ago. T’Harris had fallen back to sleep and had only awoke when Gabriella began to squirm in discomfort. He grinned sheepishly, as he realized what he had done in his sleep. He wasn’t sure what his Gabriella was going to think about it when she found out though. He figured it was probably a good idea to take precautions against an attack on that front, just in case she objected.
Gabriella gave a quiet little gasp, as she woke with a start. She could feel T’Harris’ naked body pressed tightly against her back, and although his arms were wrapped around hers, she knew he hadn’t crossed any forbidden boundaries. Well, she rethought that last idea, perhaps he had made himself a little too familiar on some levels. She didn’t blame him for removing her clothing, as her garments had stunk of horse and the decay from inside of the tunnel. He, however, could have conjured replacements, which he hadn’t. It was for this reason they were now lying naked together in his makeshift bed. What she objected to the most was where he had placed his hands. He was cupping her breasts with them, and every time his fingers moved they brushed against them, as if to test the softness and texture of her skin. Despite his actions, he continued to breathe softly, as if he was still asleep. It was very deceptive, because she knew he was wide-awake and only pretending.
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