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Centuries after the birth of Anelain... Elyen is taken by an Elen Witch.
What was he thinking? Truth be told, Galain’s mind had slipped back to a little inn called the Bay Leaf. It was before he and Railen had become sworn brothers. They’d had a fine time of trashing each other and basically getting into trouble, but at one point the other high elf had suddenly sobered and asked him a very serious question. Galain was remembering that question and his subsequent answer as he stared into An’Thaya’s eyes.
If you had a full day and night to spend with An'Thaya again..... no harm, no foul.... no goddesses messing up the works.... would you take it? Or would the fact that you only had that limited time be worse than never having her again?
“I was thinking about something I was asked once,” he answered truthfully. “I was thinking about how I answered that question and how I might answer it now. It was based on a ‘what if’ though so I’m not sure why I’m even thinking it now.” Galain went quiet for a moment, then reached out and clasped An’Thaya’s hands in his.
“I was thinking of other things too… how frustrating this must be for you. Elyen can’t be that far away and yet here we are.” Galain examined An’Thaya’s hands, noting the callused nature of her palms – yet they were strangely soft. He’d felt the magic of those hands many times – both in healing and in love. They were capable of so much sweet expression…
“I was thinking that it isn’t right that the one you love has been stolen away. That you deserve peace and love and a future that is secure. And I was wishing…” He faltered and bent forward, kissing her hands. “I was wishing very selfishly that it was just you and me again.” This last was a whisper and he turned away, thankful the handfire’s glow extended only so far.
It was too late to stop the flood of tears that rose up right then... it was as if he had echoed her thoughts, spoke from her heart. "I had no idea...." The Amazon had honestly thought Galain had well and truly went on with his life. For awhile she had resented him, thinking he saw her as just another conquest that had gone horribly wrong.
For the first time she saw the Elen Prince clearly, the pain and the truth in his eyes were unavoidable. "Oh Galain..." She tried in vain to wipe the tears away, almost ashamed of the raw emotion that poured forth from her. "I feel that way sometimes too," her eyes dropped to the stone at her feet, "Is that wrong?" Goddess... it didn't feel wrong... nothing about Galain ever felt wrong...
She looked at her hand... so small in comparison with his, lost in the warmth of his palm... He had been the first to touch her heart... her first lover.... Memories of countless heated nights filled her senses... the softness of his golden curls, the smooth texture and scent of his skin... the depth of emotion in his sea green eyes.
He had also been a friend, a shoulder when she needed one. The person with whom she shared her hopes... her fears... her dreams. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined them parting... She had always known that she could never be his Queen. His people would never accept a non-Elen as his wife. But she had been content just to love him, treasuring every sweet moment that he was hers.
Helpless she opened the tuneuos bond they still held, letting him feel and see what she was thinking... it said so much more than words could ever express.... A choked off whimper escaped her throat and she let her head drop onto his shoulder... where had everything gone so wrong?
“I don’t think so… I don’t know. All I know is that you had Elyen and I felt guilty for still wanting you. We never got to say good-bye. We didn’t even get a chance to stop what happened or to realize what hit us.” Galain was stumbling for words, his mind filled with the light of the link they still somehow miraculously shared. The wash of emotions that bubbled through that link was overwhelming and all he could do for several long minutes was rest his head against hers where it lay on his shoulder. His eyes were shut as he unconsciously massaged her delicate fingers with his hands, half in agitation, half in simple pleasure to have the chance to show his love.
“I’ve tried to move on. I’m still trying. I’ve watched you and Elyen and felt so many… things.” He turned his head to kiss her hair and was lost in its scent. He felt like he was tumbling headlong into the gods knew where and he was pretty certain he didn’t want it to stop. “I’m a pretty bad martyr,” he finally said with a half-choked laugh. “I want to know why your White Witch made the deal she did. Why the so-called Fates seem to think you and I can’t be together. I’ve always wanted to know… would death really be the result of our being together again?” Those last words were more thought than spoken, but they were still heard. “And then I remember, you are with another and you have his love, that I’m an idiot who had his chance and fumbled it pretty badly.”
He felt like he was talking too much and he bit his lip.
“I love you, ’Thaya. All I’ve wanted was to be with you again if it could be allowed.” One of her tears had dropped onto his hand, its heat scalding his skin for a brief second.
'Thaya relaxed against his shoulder as his words washed over her, she shared his confusion... his questions. Never before had she asked 'why' when it came to Arminieas judgement... but in this case she had too. What sense did it make to seperate two people that loved each other? They shared a child for pitties sake.
Love... yes... he had said it.....
She was laughing when she lifted her head, more at his rambling then anything else. Yet when her eyes met his they sobered, deepening in color as they flushed with emotion. "I love you too..." There it was.... this... emotion between them that wouldn't go away. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it was about to jump out of her chest.
All the trauma of the past few days came to a head then... rather.. of the past ... how long had it been since they had been ripped apart? "I wish I could change it... I wish we could go back.. I want to go back.." It was her turn to ramble now, he was so close to her she could almost feel his heartbeat. She touched his face with an unsteady hand, brushing back a tendril of golden hair, "I need you... its always been that way..."
Despite where they were, what their final goal was in this little misadventure of theirs, despite it all, Galain certainly felt a dam break within him. Everything he’d been repressing for so long was pouring forth and he wasn’t sure what to do, except one thing.
He kissed her. The words ‘I need you, it’s always been that way’ echoing in his mind with a startling clarity. He didn’t consider anything else as he deepened the kiss. When he broke away he felt more than a little unsteady. So far no lightning… no angry goddess, no mighty voice of the Fates… He didn’t consider Elyen or anyone else as he kissed An’Thaya again, his heart beating rapidly.
Then he drew back again, trying to breathe evenly.
“Gods. What do we do then? What do we do?” He knew what the right thing was, but he was deliberately ignoring it at the moment. His hands cupped her face as he silently pleaded with whatever was out there for some sort of sign here. Then he sighed and simply gave himself up to what he was feeling, claiming her lips once more.
Any coherent thought An'Thaya may have had a chance of grasping was swept away the moment his lips touched hers. Her heart ached, she had missed the softness of his kiss... he had haunted her dreams.. stirring in her mind like something half remembered.. for so long.
She nearly burst into tears again when he pulled back, not hearing what he was saying at all. Only feeling an intense wave of relief when his lips met hers again. All sense of fear or common sense had fled, there was only her en'deros Galain and the roar of her heartbeat drowning out the rush of the river in the background.
Fingers curling in his hair she pressed against him, a soft whimper in her throat urging him onward.....
His questions were answered by the pressure of An’Thaya’s body against his own. Galain groaned softly and gave himself up entirely to what they were experiencing, pushing her clothes off as she pushed his off. They knew each other so well, but their movements were not by rote. There had been a bubbling joy and fresh excitement each time they’d joined as bondmates, and they found it again as they called the White Witch’s bluff. The elf felt ’Thaya’s heartbeat join the rhythm of his own and he willed it to keep going as they pushed further and further past the forbidden boundaries that had kept them from each other for so long.
Long ago he had claimed he wouldn’t and couldn’t do this, yet here he was, claiming this woman for himself one more time. His touches upon her were fervent supplications for one more chance, his kisses unspoken prayers. The handfire continued to float above them, almost sending out a rosy glow reminiscent of the rose quartz and white alabaster of the place where they had first joined together. She’d given him all that she was then, just as he was giving her all he was now. He submerged himself into this unbelievable present – future and past hidden in the dark as he felt a tingling on his arm – an old familiar feeling he’d missed. He heard her whimper again and lost himself in the sweetness of being with her once more.
It wasn't until the tattoo flared to life that the true scope of what was happening hit her... She was still breathing, and the light from the little golden dagger bound so lovingly in a white rose outshone the handfire that floated above them. The tattoo on her own arm flared up in answer, revealing itself for the first time in Galain's presence, as if in defiance of the taboos that had kept them apart.
"Good gods..." Her eyes were shining as she raised them to look into his, it seemed that all things were possible at that moment. For the first time in... much too long... their bodies and minds were interwined in what seemed an inextricable lovers knot... All that she was belonged to him again, with no thought of what the morning would bring.
"En'deros... En'rish... I love you." Rolling him onto his back she bent to kiss him, beggining her own feverish rediscovery of her Elen Prince...
“Melda.” It was just one word, but he hadn’t used it in so long. He was stunned by the re-emergence of the tattoo and joyful that his Amazon remained quite alive in his arms. He wasn’t at all sure what this all meant. They reacquainted themselves with each other’s bodies over and over even as they explored the bond. It had been too long, but there was little hesitation as Galain literally bounded from one end of An’Thaya’s mind to the other in an almost cheerful defiance of the White Witch and her prohibitions.
Then coherent thought vanished. They were unaware that anyone else might be aware of their reunion, that anyone else might have even found their way down below ground as well. It was probably for the best.
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